madsalt Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 I run a large amount cheato in my sump with a skimmer and I stock on the heavy side. I use GFO and carbon and dose with 2 part. All of my parameters are good, I am thinking my lights might be my problem but I have tried a few things with them and still can't get SPS to survive. I am running a test with three pieces of birds nest to see if my lights are just running with too much intensity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SChrisEV Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 Here are some past tank of the month winners. This is where I want to be! How sweet would that be right? A wise man once said, "Find a tank you like and copy it." Well I like these and they use all of the same equipment that I use except they run BP and I don't. BP looks confusing and I haven't tried to look into it yet. I think I may start this afternoon. http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/component/zine/article/65 http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/component/zine/article/154 http://reefkeeping.com/joomla/index.php/component/zine/article/133 WHAT?!? Who wants that, you can't even see the rocks that we spend $100s on! I like mine to be a more rock dominant tank.... just like I have it! It's all perspective. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 You'd rather see dead corals than live ones? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 I run a large amount cheato in my sump with a skimmer and I stock on the heavy side. I use GFO and carbon and dose with 2 part. All of my parameters are good, I am thinking my lights might be my problem but I have tried a few things with them and still can't get SPS to survive. I am running a test with three pieces of birds nest to see if my lights are just running with too much intensity. I started to be successful keeping SPS around the one year mark. Before that they would slowly fade even when the parameters were perfect. The first thing that I was able to keep were digitata. After those started to flourish, then I started birdsnest and plating montipora. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SChrisEV Posted April 22, 2015 Share Posted April 22, 2015 You'd rather see dead corals than live ones? My comment was most definitely sarcasm. Those are beautiful tanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted April 22, 2015 Author Share Posted April 22, 2015 Haha there is some beautiful rock out there! Seriously though, when I see those tanks all I think is Photoshop. I wonder what they look like in person. Sent from my SGH-T989 using Tapatalk 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reburn Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 You know in all honestly Sasha do they look that good all the time probably but not quite that good.. Close but not quite so pristine. Hours can go into photo shoots like this prepping the tank. Carbon to clean the water to a shiny glass look. Scraping and mag floating the glass. Tweezering any algae of the rocks. Feeding the fish just enough to get them out if they are shy. On top of that there is a hundred or more pictures taken at just the right angles to hide that little dead whatever that everyone wants to pretend like they don't have or make the tank look fuller. Fragging the corals at just the right time to get the perfect proportions and color blend in the aquarium. If the pictures are taken in the daytime blackout curtains can be hung to remove any glare from windows or doors. I have found many tanks have that golden moment when everything is perfect. This is when you take pictures. Professional photo shoots can take hours to complete. Do I believe these tanks are that good. Yes. Do I believe that these tanks routinely look so perfect. No. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makena95GT Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Example of decent photography and editing makes my tank look loads less trashy than it really did at the time lol Obviously a distance shot but my tank never looked like that in person.. Not even the day I took that pic. Spent more time tweaking the photo than anything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makena95GT Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Just occured to mw that I must've used the Galaxy to take that pic.. Since my camera is in the photo lmao. Obv my tank wasnt near as nice as the ones you linked haha but as a hobbyist photographer.. Trust me.. No pictures are ever exactly as they look in our eyes even though thats how you SHOULD be editing the photo to look (at least thats what all my professors drilled into my head) realistic photography is a dying art Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reburn Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 The salt guys don't quite have the photography down like the freshwater guys yet. From a photography perspective those TOTM tanks need the line loc fittings vinegar soaked and the powerheads removed prior to pictures. I challenge you to find a professional freshwater tank that shows its lily pipes or spray bars. They are all removed prior to photographing. Amano while a genius when it comes to freshwater aquascaping is 100% guilty of this practice. All the equipment in the tank is removed prior to photographing. He also trims his plants a week or so before pictures are taken so the cut ends have a minute to heal. Yes the tank looks awesome in the picture at the moment it was taken and yes the tank is beautiful but that golden moment when all the plants are in exact proportions doesn't happen by accident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 The salt guys don't quite have the photography down like the freshwater guys yet. From a photography perspective those TOTM tanks need the line loc fittings vinegar soaked and the powerheads removed prior to pictures. I challenge you to find a professional freshwater tank that shows its lily pipes or spray bars. They are all removed prior to photographing. Amano while a genius when it comes to freshwater aquascaping is 100% guilty of this practice. All the equipment in the tank is removed prior to photographing. He also trims his plants a week or so before pictures are taken so the cut ends have a minute to heal. Yes the tank looks awesome in the picture at the moment it was taken and yes the tank is beautiful but that golden moment when all the plants are in exact proportions doesn't happen by accident. My tanks always look perfect and there's never algae, cyano, or coraline algae anywhere it's not supposed to be. [emoji12] For pictures, I even comb my polyps in the same direction and make sure to put bow ties on all my fishes prior to pictures. Just act natural guys... we don't want this to look staged. Loosen up Mr. Emperor... you look so stiff and unnatural. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reburn Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 He only looks stiff because he just ate a Texas sized serving of sticks and can only move his fins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted April 23, 2015 Author Share Posted April 23, 2015 WOW Reburn! I had never thought so much preparation could go into one photo shoot. The only thing I ever do to prep my tank is smile at the fish. It just scares them. I can't tell if they think I'm going to eat them or my teeth are fugly. Some day I'll really try to take good pictures and see where that leads. I guess I need to clean up my act so that I have something to take pictures of! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted April 23, 2015 Author Share Posted April 23, 2015 Any thoughts on Biopellet Reactors? I think I have researched about everything that I can find. Reactor holds the BP Denitrifying bacteria lives in the reactor, eats the BP and gunky stuff in the water 200-300 gph through the reactor output near or into the skimmer so the bacteria gets skimmed out with the phosphate in their bellies Replace media every six months That about cover it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Media doesn't so much need replacing as it does need replenishing. You don't have to toss old media though. But yeah that's basically the idea. One other thing not on your rundown is to start slowly much like gfo. Do maybe 1/4 or less the amount of recommended media. Many people never even reach the full recommended amount. The full amount would be appropriate for a heavily over stocked, over fed, and over skimmed tank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 My adds to your summary: -biopellets are made of a solid carbon polymer -bacteria stick to the pellets and use it as a carbon source (our tanks are usually carbon limited) -they consume a lot of nitrates, and a much smaller proportion of phosphates, plus the carbon from the biopellets to grow -as they tumble in the reactor, they are sloughed off the pellets and washed out the effluent of the reactor -ideally the effluent is plumbed directly to the skimmer so no bacteria makes it into the system or but some people also just put the effluent in the skimmer chamber of the sump and have had good results -you just top off the media... I do it roughly every 6 months. One package of biopellets usually lasts me like 3 years! Understand that it's heavily skewed to remove nitrates and that you'll still probably end up needing to run GFO with it... despite some manufactures claims that it'll keep your phosphates as low as you want it too, IME. Also, as it is ramping up with bacteria in the first 4 weeks of operation, don't be surprised if your corals look really ticked off. They are adjusting to the nutrient level drop. All my SPS looked ticked and some almost always STNed in the initial but as long as you're diligent and superglue any parts that are STNing and assist them in making it through the initial adjustment period to biopellets, you shouldn't have a problem after that. Also, keep your alk typically lower, around 8 dKh or lower. If you get above that, you tend to have issues with SPS. My old 125-gallon ran off biopellets, GFO, and an oversized skimmer. If I had any input to your system... I think you may need to start looking for a more robust skimmer if you plan to implement biopellets. Your skimmer will get the job done but a higher rated one will do a better job. Hope it helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 My adds to your summary: -biopellets are made of a solid carbon polymer -bacteria stick to the pellets and use it as a carbon source (our tanks are usually carbon limited) -they consume a lot of nitrates, and a much smaller proportion of phosphates, plus the carbon from the biopellets to grow -as they tumble in the reactor, they are sloughed off the pellets and washed out the effluent of the reactor -ideally the effluent is plumbed directly to the skimmer so no bacteria makes it into the system or but some people also just put the effluent in the skimmer chamber of the sump and have had good results -you just top off the media... I do it roughly every 6 months. One package of biopellets usually lasts me like 3 years! Understand that it's heavily skewed to remove nitrates and that you'll still probably end up needing to run GFO with it... despite some manufactures claims that it'll keep your phosphates as low as you want it too, IME. Also, as it is ramping up with bacteria in the first 4 weeks of operation, don't be surprised if your corals look really ticked off. They are adjusting to the nutrient level drop. All my SPS looked ticked and some almost always STNed in the initial but as long as you're diligent and superglue any parts that are STNing and assist them in making it through the initial adjustment period to biopellets, you shouldn't have a problem after that. Also, keep your alk typically lower, around 8 dKh or lower. If you get above that, you tend to have issues with SPS. My old 125-gallon ran off biopellets, GFO, and an oversized skimmer. If I had any input to your system... I think you may need to start looking for a more robust skimmer if you plan to implement biopellets. Your skimmer will get the job done but a higher rated one will do a better job. Hope it helps! Bpb brings up a great.point I forgot to mention, ramping up is ideal, and also don't ever use the recommended amount. They grossly over estimate how much is needed in a system. I find it best to almost halve their recommended levels of the manufacturers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted April 23, 2015 Author Share Posted April 23, 2015 Those points concur with other research that I have done. I appreciate the first hand experience, especially about the SPS. Bpb brings up a good point and I'll have to remember to start small. I think Ty is right about the skimmer and I brought it up a few posts back. At the time, I was really feeling guilty about spending money on the tank and I bought a skimmer that I knew would do a good job but might be on the smaller side. The problem will be where to put a larger skimmer and a new reactor. My sump is currently set up in the Berlin style. Chamber one has the skimmer and CaRx, chamber two has the refugium and chamber three has the return and GFO reactor. It is unlikely a larger skimmer would fit into chamber one with the CaRx so I would have to remove the refugium in chamber two and install the reactors there. Refugium effectiveness is a hot topic, but I don't keep the macro for biological filtration as much as I use it for trade. The new sump would look like: Skimmer -> CaRx / GFO Reactor / BP Reactor -> Return The manufacturer always claims the stars, but you really never get all of the benefits when you take the product home. I don't blame them for trying to make money, but I don't 100% trust them either. I have heard about some "all in one" BP but I don't really expect a reduction in PO4. Right now my macro remove most of my PO4, but there is still some excess that I need to remove through water changes and media. That part won't change with the addition of BP. Ty I will have to talk to you about the super glue technique because I've never heard of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Superglue is your best friend when SPS are involved. Dropped your colony on the floor and it smashed into a million bits? Just superglue it back together and it'll grow over the glue. Got STN and want to stop it? Just superglue the portion STNing and a little bit of the flesh above it and it'll usually stop it. I've had about roughly a 60-70% success rate when I do this... granted the offending condition was removed. Of course the frag gluing with superglue is obvious but I'll mention just to be thorough. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted April 23, 2015 Author Share Posted April 23, 2015 How long do you leave the glue on the flesh? When you remove it, it will be white underneath, but does the flesh grow back? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Forever. It'll grow back over the superglue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted April 23, 2015 Author Share Posted April 23, 2015 That means that you have to remove the coral from the tank. What do you do if you cannot remove it? I have been fragging the coral, but that means that I lose the majority of the colony. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I've never met an acro I couldn't remove. Honestly though, if you're in danger of losing a colony, I'd snap it off the rock and superglue anywhere that is receding back. If it's stuck in the tank, you could always try the Lugol's method Timfish was experimenting with. http://www.austinreefclub.com/topic/32631-shower-thoughts-on-phosphate/page-4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Makena95GT Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 I vote that you buy the 150 at my work thats on clearance and set up a macro tank ;D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sascha D. Posted April 24, 2015 Author Share Posted April 24, 2015 I like the word "Clearance," but I don't have anywhere to display it that could be connected to the display tank. Truthfully, I'm not sure refugiums are really worth it. Every little bit of nutrient export helps, but it doesn't replace any equipment. I suppose it could replace a GFO reactor if the refugium were 150 gallons, but most people don't have room. While I was setting this tank up I thought about having a custom stand built so that I could have a two tiered system; 150 display above a 150 gallon refugium. In the end it would have doubled the price of the entire system and I didn't think it was worth it. As a pod factory, I don't really think it adds much to the system. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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