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Bobcat's 75gal First Reef Build


BobcatReefer

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I completely agree with Ty on the added difficulty of medication with Sand/Live Rock. It will definitely make it more difficult, but I don't mind the extra work when the majority of the time the tank should hopefully not need medication and is setting in my bedroom where I see it everyday. smile.png So I'm sticking with Sand/LR and if I have to medicate I will, then remove the Sand/LR and start over with new Sand/LR from my sump (LR only from the sump that is). The intent is that this tank will be a permanent QT versus a temporary one. We will see how this goes, if it becomes a huge chore (if I need to medicate a lot) then I may rethink my strategy. lol

I'm also going to try and be particular on where I purchase fish, this should help to reduce (not minimize) the disease risk if the vendor also QT's their fish. smile.png

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I use the Prazipro/Paraguard method Reburn outlined earlier in this thread and plan on breaking down & cleaning the tank completely in between sessions. I'd use brand new sand and toss it after that particular session. But if it's no big deal, then I don't need to go through all that extra effort.

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No sand in QT, save yourself the trouble. In fact, nothing that can't be cleaned easily, no rocks - just PVC pipes for them to hide in. That's all you need.

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Well I might have to listen to you Dan. One of my qt fish has ich! Looks like copper time? (As opposed to hammer time) lol. Any the recommendation on treatment?

I'd start a new thread to keep Bobcat's build thread clean. [emoji4]
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  • 2 weeks later...

Could use some guidance on Alk and Ca levels, both optimal and maintaining. Apologies for using PPM - I know most of you use dKH.

I had been dosing Seachem Fusion 1&2 15ml every other day, but was kinda lax on testing and when I started paying more attention, I found my Alk was 124-136 and my Ca was up at 600.

I've stopped dosing the SF1 and Ca was 600 on the 5th, 570 on the 8th. What should I be aiming for? Seems like I can maintain Ca a little easier by reducing to 3-5ml once a week or so.

Alk is much more annoying. I'm testing, dosing 10ml, then testing 6-9 hrs later...results are less than consistent. Up a little, up a lot, down? Again, what should I be aiming for?

Here's where I'm at the last 5 days:

139, 140

142, 161

156, 155

150, 157

148, 154

146, 164

qqdcmo.png

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Sorry I'm late to the party work has been kicking my butt.

On the QT subject. No sand and no LR. It can absorb meds and throw the dosages off which will make the meds less or not effective and the parasites can also build up a resistance making them harder to kill. I have gotten where I don't much run PVC 90's much either the fish don't use them much for me and they are a pain to clean.

On the alk notes.

With a ca count at 600 you are probably having some percipitation as the alk and ca bind up. I would do a 20% water change to reset and monitor daily to figure out usage. I would wait to see a 7-10 ppm drop before you start to maintain. You will want to dial your Doser in slowly. You need to stop when your alk starts to be steady. I would recommend daily hand dosing up to your desired level with tropic Marin bio calcium. I have been very happy with this product and am currently using it while dialing in my CaRx.

Example

Start at 145ppm

Test daily until you see the alk start to drop.

At 139-135 start the Doser but hand dose back up to 145.

Next day if your alk is still dropping increase the Doser and hand dose back up to 145.

Repeat process until your alk tests the same every day.

Test at the same time everyday ideally before your Doser goes off.

This bears repeating. Test at the same time everyday. Alk will fluctuate through out the day. Pick a time and stick with it. It removes the most variables.

Only set your Doser for two times a day initially.

When you are burning 1 dkh a day change it to 4 times a day instead of 2 but remember to adjust you daily dosage amount / 4 times a day instead of two.

I keep my ca at 450 and my mg at 1350

The numbers aren't so important as the ideal 1:3 ratio

Dial your ca Doser in with the same method as the alk Doser but the alk first then the Ca after the alk is steady. Don't worry about hand dosing up ca it's not very critical on the number.

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Well I guess my reading comprehension is in the dumps lol.

Same method just remove Doser and put in bobcats patented fall from heaven reef syringe Kung fu. Or maybe try another product. I have been happy with the product listed above it does both alk/ca at the same time. Then I use Red Sea mg powder for mg adjustments.

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Hanna checkers - all I've used. No doublechecks.

I haven't added Ca in a week and it's only dropped 30ppm. That seems pretty stable, no?

I've been happy with my Hanna alk meter so I think your reading consistently with that. Just wanted to make sure your swings were not false due to testing

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  • 3 weeks later...

C4 reminded me that I haven't updated this thread in a bit. Things are happening!

QT is O-V-E-R !! Fishes are in the display, happy and healthy. I had the opportunity to snap up a bonded Tiger Shrimp and Goby, so I did, but only had them in QT for a week. Firefish was hanging in this same 6" for the first week, and only out an hour or so the first couple of days. Seems to be feeling much more comfortable now and out in the open/front of the tank more now. The shrimp does cloud up the water every afternoon when he goes to work, but he's also the only one really turning over the sand and keeping it clean, so whatever.

http://vimeo.com/179408505

http://vimeo.com/178726476

http://vimeo.com/179408476

Got my ATO and Kalkwasser drip set up. ATO doesn't work the way it *should* be working the way I have it set up, but I was going to have to try and fix it to work right, and now I don't. Seems to be working off of a single float switch - when it falls, pump on; when it floats, pump off. Not using the 2nd float at all. Keeping an eye on it to make sure, but it's working great so far. Kalkwasser drip is a bit of a PITA...can't get the right drip rate. It's either 120+ drips/min or 30d/m, and I'm targeting 60d/m. Did some cord organizing as well.

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Picked up some new stuff at C4 today, and have a couple of frags that need to be moved or had fallen. I'll give them a week or so before I decide on placement and epoxy them into their new homes.

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I'll get one tonight when the lights are on. Have them down to 1 channel the last couple of weeks to thwart the clear algae-ish stuff (mentioned it in hula's thread), and it's worked.

Never really looks that good when I take one. Wish I had a better camera for tanks. Jolt - if you read this, you had suggested the Camera+ app, but I can't figure out how to use it to take better tank pics. Can you take a screenshot of your settings and post please?

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I have the camera+ app. I can get slightly better pics than the default iphone camera in camera+ by going to the advanced settings and turn on the white balance control. Then when you take the pics you can adjust it up and down to get pics that don't look so blue.

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