I think I can raise the light safely. How much would you recommend? I came on the FedEx truck, how long before I should try to put power to it? Going to try one and see how I like the 12K.
salvaging a sps
- Thread starter volivier
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I think I can raise the light safely. How much would you recommend? I came on the FedEx truck, how long before I should try to put power to it? Going to try one and see how I like the 12K.
ReeferPatt
Well-known member
Depends, what bulb were you running before? 10k? If so, being your going to a 12k bulb your going to loose some par intensity, so you may be able to keep them where they are. If you want to be on the side of safety you could raise them 4 or 5 inches and lower them back down a little at a time over the next couple of weeks.
I'm with Sue on the calcium, at 500 you need to make sure your alk is up too, so your in balance. If your alk is to low it can really cause issues with acro/sps. rtn/stn problems.
I'm with Sue on the calcium, at 500 you need to make sure your alk is up too, so your in balance. If your alk is to low it can really cause issues with acro/sps. rtn/stn problems.
kevinpo
Expert
Let the calcium slide down to about 425ppm and raise the alkalinity to about 3.0 meq/L and that will be a good balance. Magnesium should be about 3 times your calcium. 425 ppm calcium = 1275 ppm magnesium.
1.025 -1.026 is a good range for most corals.
HTH,
Kevin
1.025 -1.026 is a good range for most corals.
HTH,
Kevin
OK, thanks. I use calcium advantage and reef builder.
On the magnesium, is it necessary to buy a testkit or can you gauge it from my calcium level? What formula did you use above for the calcium=magnessium?
Kevin, you said earlier in a post "Also from your overall tank shot it looks like you have more nutrients than desireable for an SPS tank. I would do a couple of 20% water changes 10 days apart using water with less than 10 TDS"
What causes the nutrients? Feeding the fish? I thought I'd read somewhere that fish were good for the reef since they coral would feed, either their leftovers or waste, I don't recall exactly...
Is it something I can change or modify? I really want to keep the SPS growing and not crashing on me.
What causes the nutrients? Feeding the fish? I thought I'd read somewhere that fish were good for the reef since they coral would feed, either their leftovers or waste, I don't recall exactly...
Is it something I can change or modify? I really want to keep the SPS growing and not crashing on me.kevinpo
Expert
Yes it is. I would never add anything that I can't test the levels of. There is no formula it is just a target level to shoot for.
Regards,
Kevin
kevinpo
Expert
There are many types of corals that do very well in high nutrient water but there are also many that do best in lower levels. Most of the fore reef stony corals are from low nutrient water that is constantly washed by wave action. These do best in nutrient poor very clear water with moderate to high flow and moderate to high light. Many of the Acropora species fall into this group. So for them a light fish load, high flow, and powerful lighting/skimming provide the best environment and widest margin for error.
Fish and even the corals themselves produce organic compounds that can fuel unwanted algae growth if allowed to build up.
Regards,
Kevin
Fish and even the corals themselves produce organic compounds that can fuel unwanted algae growth if allowed to build up.
Regards,
Kevin
SueT
Well-known member
these new bulbs are also going to need to burn in to see the true color it'll run. From what I have heard thats when the reeflux loose their most intensity. That is the 12k I am talking about. They also don't last or hold their intensity near as long as the 10k reeflux. Meaning they will need to be changed more often. I use the Salifert magnesium test kit and I also never dose anything I do not test for first. You can get into big trouble doing that.
How many frags and or colonies do you have in this tank??
How many frags and or colonies do you have in this tank??
new lights 12K reeflux
the picture on the left is without the vho actinics, the one on right with actinics, i can't see much differnce in the photo's
added a photo from before the 12K reeflux, was running 10K, blueline, hamilton, xm
the picture on the left is without the vho actinics, the one on right with actinics, i can't see much differnce in the photo's
added a photo from before the 12K reeflux, was running 10K, blueline, hamilton, xm
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SueT
Well-known member
do you mean too much flow?? Long as no powerhead is blowing right at any of the corals, then you should be fine. Since I added my mj mods my corals polyps are blowing around like crazy. I think they just love it. LOL..
nutrient high water and sps placement
I have a good skimmer in the euro reef, as for the fish, I thought I'd read where people w/sps had quite a few fish in there. And figuring out the correct number of fish would depend on the fish of course. I did take out some rock with zoanthus into a 45 gallon, I used sand from my tank and water as well as having some filters floating in my refugium for awile before moving them into the 45. attached pic. of my tank, the 45, and some of my coral. I don't have an exact count of the sps but i do have many frags.
I'm getting the green on the bottom of the glass again, assuming this is the nutrients in the water? Also, since I've bought some new frags , and removed some rock and zoanthus. I'm going to rearrange, I want to try to set these frags and not move anything again. I've been told not to let the sps touch when they get bigger, but some of the pictures of seen of tanks, looks like they are touching. Suggestions or pictures of tanks for placement of sps?
I have a good skimmer in the euro reef, as for the fish, I thought I'd read where people w/sps had quite a few fish in there. And figuring out the correct number of fish would depend on the fish of course. I did take out some rock with zoanthus into a 45 gallon, I used sand from my tank and water as well as having some filters floating in my refugium for awile before moving them into the 45. attached pic. of my tank, the 45, and some of my coral. I don't have an exact count of the sps but i do have many frags.
I'm getting the green on the bottom of the glass again, assuming this is the nutrients in the water? Also, since I've bought some new frags
, and removed some rock and zoanthus. I'm going to rearrange, I want to try to set these frags and not move anything again. I've been told not to let the sps touch when they get bigger, but some of the pictures of seen of tanks, looks like they are touching. Suggestions or pictures of tanks for placement of sps?
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SueT
Well-known member
attaching frags to a spot and not moving them you have to be sure that you are not placing them where they can be lighting shocked. If you start everything out low and then after acclimation epoxy them in place that will be a much better idea. Placing them and letting them settle in helps the frag in the long run. you don't want them to grow together cause one is going to win and one isn't. The loser will end up bleaching. I had a porites and A. valida that grew together and the porites would bleach where the 2 branches came together. I think your best bet is to place the frags in your tank where they do the best. What works in another tank might not in yours and vise versa.
ReeferPatt
Well-known member
Hi Valarie,
I caught your post over on the "other" forum about the recipe. If you can't get fresh (live) shellfish other than the shrimp you'll be fine. Just make sure you rinse it real well. The spirulina should be fine as long as there are no preservatives in it. Read the ingredients closely. Follow the recipe as closely as possible. I've been using it for five weeks now, feeding once a week and have had great results. A millepora which has more than doubled in size, a tenius which was a very small frag, less than an inch, now is starting to grow about 5 new branches and many more. I didn't use the spirulina this go around. I made the recipe before they mentioned anything about using veggies. I also added 500mg of L Glutamine to the recipe, which is a free form Amino Acid.
Just start off slow and keep an eye on your parameters, N03 and P04 and your nutrients. Make sure you remove your skimmer cup if you can, if it's in sump or lower your water level so it can't skim into the cup. Leave it off till next morning and feed when your lights are about to go out or after.
You should notice results very soon. Sue Truett who has posted in this thread is doing this also and is very happy with the results. I went and visited her a few weeks ago and took her some of the food. It's definetly the best coral food I've ever used with the best results.
Just don't expect them to grow out of the tank over nite....
And blend, blend, blend. Allow it to cool for a few minutes, after say five minutes, then repeat. Do this several times to purray the food as fine as possible. Your fish will love it too......
I caught your post over on the "other" forum about the recipe. If you can't get fresh (live) shellfish other than the shrimp you'll be fine. Just make sure you rinse it real well. The spirulina should be fine as long as there are no preservatives in it. Read the ingredients closely. Follow the recipe as closely as possible. I've been using it for five weeks now, feeding once a week and have had great results. A millepora which has more than doubled in size, a tenius which was a very small frag, less than an inch, now is starting to grow about 5 new branches and many more. I didn't use the spirulina this go around. I made the recipe before they mentioned anything about using veggies. I also added 500mg of L Glutamine to the recipe, which is a free form Amino Acid.
Just start off slow and keep an eye on your parameters, N03 and P04 and your nutrients. Make sure you remove your skimmer cup if you can, if it's in sump or lower your water level so it can't skim into the cup. Leave it off till next morning and feed when your lights are about to go out or after.
You should notice results very soon. Sue Truett who has posted in this thread is doing this also and is very happy with the results. I went and visited her a few weeks ago and took her some of the food. It's definetly the best coral food I've ever used with the best results.
Just don't expect them to grow out of the tank over nite....
And blend, blend, blend. Allow it to cool for a few minutes, after say five minutes, then repeat. Do this several times to purray the food as fine as possible. Your fish will love it too......
sps feeding recipe
thanks for the reply, i've got more of the other seafood than shrimp since I bought the shrimp first. could i make another batch without shrimp and it be ok? I won't be eating the stuff for sure! Since its been froze and thawed I don't think i could freeze it again safely.
thanks for the reply, i've got more of the other seafood than shrimp since I bought the shrimp first. could i make another batch without shrimp and it be ok? I won't be eating the stuff for sure! Since its been froze and thawed I don't think i could freeze it again safely.
DonW
R.I.P.
Volivier,
If those pictures are current of your tank. I'd hold off feeding the high protein mush until you get the nutrients under control.
Don
here is a picture from last night, as you can see i've taken out some rock and zoanthus, much more flow now. The right halide had shut off already. I'm running reeflux 12 K, and 2 72" vho actinics. Took two more photo's just now, with only the actinics on. Added two photo's from Dec. and Jan. for comparison. i've also cleaned my euro skimmer good. I don't know what else to do for nutrients?
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DonW
R.I.P.
If your still growing that green algae the high protien mush will make it really grow.
Don
