Bubba's SPS Journey

[KJoFan]

I had an idea how much I evaporated as I know how long my ato container last. I did check for the first day or two to make sure I wasn't flooding my sump.

I am sure evaporation changes throughout the year but I don't dose kalk through my ato, so no matter what I dose the same amount of kalk each day. My ato still turns on, so even is evaporation slows I won't flood anything.

I suppose if you make sure you're not dosing more kalk than you evaporate from the system you're fine. You know, I'm just thinking, in my climate especially, it can vary quite a bit between summer and winter, but maybe in your case less of a difference.

I've used kalk in my ATO off and on in the past but don't currently use it. I might have to look into it as my tank and sps get rocking...I mean after all, kalk is the tears of the gods I hear...

 

[OnPointCorals]

This is an interesting topic as I just added kalk dosing to my system in the form a calc reactor. It look me a little longer to dial in than I expected and I was expecting to be able to reduce my 2 part dosing by a bit more.

Best part so far is elevated ph at night. Formally 7.8-7.9 now 8.0-8.1. I got a day ph of 8.2-8.4.

I have the kalk reactor setup on a doser for exactly 1 gallon a day and isn’t dependent on my ATO. The ATO finishes off whatever top off Is needed throughout the day.

 

[bubbaque]

Another pink one today

Tierra Del Fuego

 

[lolgranny]

Another pink one today

Tierra Del Fuego

It’s always enjoyable seeing it go from a little nub, to encrusting, then blowing up.

 

[bubbaque]

It’s always enjoyable seeing it go from a little nub, to encrusting, then blowing up.

I agree! Post #90 shows it from March.

 

[McPikie]

Another pink one today

Tierra Del Fuego

I've got a chunk which I was told was TDF. However, it's more like a base green milli

That's how I bought my frag, but it's basically gone green. Probably a nutrient issue. I am wondering whether to raise it up

 

[bubbaque]

I've got a chunk which I was told was TDF. However, it's more like a base green milli

That's how I bought my frag, but it's basically gone green. Probably a nutrient issue. I am wondering whether to raise it up

There seems to be a lot of different versions of TDF. As I think mine is the Wet Thumbs version.
Yours just may be a green base milli but sometimes I will have a coral turn green as it is adjusting to my tank. If it's still green after a couple months I would move it up.

 

[bubbaque]

I tested nutrients today. I am not sure if it’s all the kalk precipitating the po4 but it’s way down. I did test this time before feeding, as opposed to after like last time so maybe that’s the difference. I do have to clean my glass daily. I notice zero difference in coral color.

Po4 - .02
No3 - .5 (you divide the pic results by 10)

 

[JonJ]

I tested nutrients today. I am not sure if it’s all the kalk precipitating the po4 but it’s way down. I did test this time before feeding, as opposed to after like last time so maybe that’s the difference. I do have to clean my glass daily. I notice zero difference in coral color.

Po4 - .02
No3 - .5 (you divide the pic results by 10)

What’s your fish load/feeding regimen?

 

[bubbaque]

What’s your fish load/feeding regimen?

I have 290 gallons of water volume. I believe my fish load is high and I feed a lot. This pic is what I feed once a day (the brown one is the standard frozen cube size) and I feed pellets two more times through out the day.

 

[lolgranny]

I have 290 gallons of water volume. I believe my fish load is high and I feed a lot. This pic is what I feed once a day (the brown one is the standard frozen cube size) and I feed pellets two more times through out the day.

Are you making your own food?

You should see the amount I put in my 700g. Fat fish are getting expensive

 

[bubbaque]

Are you making your own food?

You should see the amount I put in my 700g. Fat fish are getting expensive

Yes I make my own food for that exact reason. I was using premade frozen and I was going through it way too fast. I use Talapia, shrimp, scallops and clams.

Do you have a build thread? I went through your history but don't really see one.

 

[lolgranny]

Yes I make my own food for that exact reason. I was using premade frozen and I was going through it way too fast. I use Talapia, shrimp, scallops and clams.

Do you have a build thread? I went through your history but don't really see one.

Yea that’s smart, luckily one of my businesses is right next to a pet store so I get frozen at cost. Still, expensive things! Lol are you just buying everything at a market, blending, and freezing in cube trays?

I don’t, I have a few pics of coral on one thread. I had my 500g system on here I believe. I just moved a year ago , sold the house, completely redid a old house, setup a 700g system and moved everything I could over, moved houses, and my kids just turning 2. Needless to say I’ve been busy lol. Once work slows down this fall I’ll get a thread of sorts up and start with updates. My friends have been on me about it lol.

 

[ashr]

How do you prepare your food?

 

[bubbaque]

Yea that’s smart, luckily one of my businesses is right next to a pet store so I get frozen at cost. Still, expensive things! Lol are you just buying everything at a market, blending, and freezing in cube trays?

I don’t, I have a few pics of coral on one thread. I had my 500g system on here I believe. I just moved a year ago , sold the house, completely redid a old house, setup a 700g system and moved everything I could over, moved houses, and my kids just turning 2. Needless to say I’ve been busy lol. Once work slows down this fall I’ll get a thread of sorts up and start with updates. My friends have been on me about it lol.

How do you prepare your food?

I go to the grocery store to the seafood counter and ask for the stuff I want. I go home and put it in a blender and blend it until it's the texture I want. Put it in a ziplock until frozen and then I chop it up to those cubes. It turns out to be about a 1/4 of the cost if I bought it already made.

 

[lolgranny]

I go to the grocery store to the seafood counter and ask for the stuff I want. I go home and put it in a blender and blend it until it's the texture I want. Put it in a ziplock until frozen and then I chop it up to those cubes. It turns out to be about a 1/4 of the cost if I bought it already made.

This is a great call for anyone with a larger tank, smart man!

 

[McPikie]

I go to the grocery store to the seafood counter and ask for the stuff I want. I go home and put it in a blender and blend it until it's the texture I want. Put it in a ziplock until frozen and then I chop it up to those cubes. It turns out to be about a 1/4 of the cost if I bought it already made.

Do you have a secret recepie @bubbaque ? I've always fancied doing my own food but didn't know what to put in. We have a great sea food place near me.

 

[Softhammer]

Hey Bubba, where are you getting all these corals from? You can’t be buying all that stuff online, you’d have a half a million dollars worth by now if that were the case. I wouldn’t mind hitting up a local spot every once in a while if you can reveal your source as I’m only a 1.5 hr drive away. Also what’s your fragging situation? I’m on the fence about getting more stuff, but man alive your photos, holy cow. Especially envious of the red acros . You have me convinced that I NEED a Maleficent acropora!

Also on the food topic, I fish a lot and have a bunch of great fresh seafood for making fish food I’d give you as well. My personal favorite has been the roe sacs. I’m currently feeding Spanish mackerel eggs and my corals and fish absolutely go nuts for it. Good stuff!

 

[FarmerTy]

Hey Bubba, where are you getting all these corals from? You can’t be buying all that stuff online, you’d have a half a million dollars worth by now if that were the case. I wouldn’t mind hitting up a local spot every once in a while if you can reveal your source as I’m only a 1.5 hr drive away. Also what’s your fragging situation? I’m on the fence about getting more stuff, but man alive your photos, holy cow. Especially envious of the red acros . You have me convinced that I NEED a Maleficent acropora!

Also on the food topic, I fish a lot and have a bunch of great fresh seafood for making fish food I’d give you as well. My personal favorite has been the roe sacs. I’m currently feeding Spanish mackerel eggs and my corals and fish absolutely go nuts for it. Good stuff!

Bubba owns Bubba Gump Shrimp company. He's loaded! [emoji12]

 

[bubbaque]

Do you have a secret recepie @bubbaque ? I've always fancied doing my own food but didn't know what to put in. We have a great sea food place near me.

No secret recipe. I just picked out a few things I hoped my fish would eat. I was worried at first about the tilapia, as it is a fresh water fish but figured to try it as it's really cheap. The fish seem to eat it all, even a copperband butterfly started to eat it after a few weeks. All the stuff my seafood department sells was previously frozen and they just thaw it out, so I wouldn't be to worried about going to a fish market unless it's really close by and cheaper.

Hey Bubba, where are you getting all these corals from? You can’t be buying all that stuff online, you’d have a half a million dollars worth by now if that were the case. I wouldn’t mind hitting up a local spot every once in a while if you can reveal your source as I’m only a 1.5 hr drive away. Also what’s your fragging situation? I’m on the fence about getting more stuff, but man alive your photos, holy cow. Especially envious of the red acros . You have me convinced that I NEED a Maleficent acropora!

Also on the food topic, I fish a lot and have a bunch of great fresh seafood for making fish food I’d give you as well. My personal favorite has been the roe sacs. I’m currently feeding Spanish mackerel eggs and my corals and fish absolutely go nuts for it. Good stuff!

I wish I could say I have a secret spot but I don't. I buy 99% percent of my stuff online and the only ones I buy local are the ones from TSA. Before WWC had their in store sale this past weekend I think I bought 1 thing from them. Most of my stuff comes from @Battlecorals and Pirates Reef Corals. I am REALLY (I couldn't make the "really" big enough to show how I feel) tired of tiny frags and those two vendors give good sized frags. Adam at Battlecorals you will get the most bang for your buck without a doubt. Pirates reef mostly sells "high end" named stuff but you are pretty much paying retail. I continue to pay that retail price strictly because of the size of his frags.