HTown Reef - 200g Waterbox Reef LX 270.6 (SPS Dominant)

[ryshark]

Lighting Schedule

I've been spending some time considering my lighting schedule for awhile now and I've landed on a plan.

What I have

• ATI Sunpower 8x80W (notdimmable)
  • 2 bulbs are on 1 channel
  • 6 bulbs are on the 2nd channel
• (2) XHO Reefbrite LED's

The plan

• 10am: XHO's turn on
• 11am: Channel 2 (6 bulbs) turns on
• 1pm: Channel 1 (2 bulbs) turns on
• 5pm: Channel 1 (2 bulbs) turns off
• 7pm: Channel 2 (6bulbs) turns off
• 8pm: XHO's turn off

This results in a 10 hour photoperiod with peak intensity lasting 4 hours. I still need to find a PAR meter to test what each of the cutoff periods are on the schedule, but because I don't have a dimmable T5 fixture, I feel like this is my best bet.

Thoughts?

That lighting schedule looks familiar! Your tank seems to be coming along nicely. Following!

 

[Ugin]

Something non-tank related... smoking some beef ribs for my boardgame group tomorrow! Dry brining over night.

 

[TriggerFinger]

Something non-tank related... smoking some beef ribs for my boardgame group tomorrow! Dry brining over night.

What’s in your dry brine?

 

[Ugin]

What’s in your dry brine?

Just salt/pepper. I'm a big fan of the Texas style with just salt/pepper and sometimes garlic powder.

The brine is done at this point and I have the ribs on the smoker. Gonna pull it out around 190~ to wrap it and finish it off around the 201-204~.

 

[Ugin]

Cycle Update

Nitrites are finally lowering! It's dropped to .05ppm, so progress! I'm now phantom feeding the tank lightly to make sure the bacteria has some food.

Talking about food, here's the results from my beef ribs yesterday:

 

[Sean Clark]

 

[Ugin]

Cycle Update

0 Nitrite
0 Ammonia

Fish Status

As I said before, I'm working with Dr. Reefs pre-quarantined service. The fish were ordered Jan 10th so their full 30 day~ prophylatic treatment should be close to completion, but I need to call them for an update. It's going to be critically cold here in Houston this week so no chance of shipping till next week at earliest.

 

[ryshark]

Cycle Update

0 Nitrite
0 Ammonia

Fish Status

As I said before, I'm working with Dr. Reefs pre-quarantined service. The fish were ordered Jan 10th so their full 30 day~ prophylatic treatment should be close to completion, but I need to call them for an update. It's going to be critically cold here in Houston this week so no chance of shipping till next week at earliest.

Nice. How long did the cycle take for you to get
0 and 0? You used dry rock and XLM, right?

 

[Crabby48]

Awesome let us know how the order goes with dr reef.

 

[Ugin]

Nice. How long did the cycle take for you to get
0 and 0? You used dry rock and XLM, right?

I started Jan 10th, so 23 days or a little over 3 weeks. To be very honest, I ****** up the XLM method hardcore. The instructions clearly state not to use live sand or dose other bacteria, but I did both so I extended the duration of the XLM cycle method by quite a bit.

That said, I'm ok with that because I have a lot of good experiences with the other bacteria I dosed (Microbacter7) and I prefer using the sand I got over other options.

Awesome let us know how the order goes with dr reef.

Will do!

 

[ryshark]

I started Jan 10th, so 23 days or a little over 3 weeks. To be very honest, I ****** up the XLM method hardcore. The instructions clearly state not to use live sand or dose other bacteria, but I did both so I extended the duration of the XLM cycle method by quite a bit.

That said, I'm ok with that because I have a lot of good experiences with the other bacteria I dosed (Microbacter7) and I prefer using the sand I got over other options.



Will do!

I’m at the exact same stage as you right now. I didn’t do any of that, I was 100% Marco rocks and bare bottom and my XLM took even longer than yours.
I’m going to try Brightwell CLEAN next to try and entirely avoid the ugly stage.

 

[Ugin]

I’m at the exact same stage as you right now. I didn’t do any of that, I was 100% Marco rocks and bare bottom and my XLM took even longer than yours.
I’m going to try Brightwell CLEAN next to try and entirely avoid the ugly stage.

So tbh, i don't know much about CLEAN. It came with my dimpled brick that was on sale. What's the purpose and how do you plan on using it?

 

[Crabby48]

I started to see clean 4 days ago. I h have little bit of brown growing on sand and clean seems to be helping. That said it could be H2o2 killing it but it didn’t seem to prior to dosing clean.

Clean is bac that targets Algiers and uglies on a new tank.

 

[ryshark]

So tbh, i don't know much about CLEAN. It came with my dimpled brick that was on sale. What's the purpose and how do you plan on using it?

Check my build thread, I just now updated it about CLEAN and dimpled bio brick and how I’m going to use them together.

 

[Ugin]

Check my build thread, I just now updated it about CLEAN and dimpled bio brick and how I’m going to use them together.

Ahh I see. So my brick has been in my sump since day 1. To avoid killing my bacteria in the brick, I'm probably going to just dose it in the tank then.

 

[ryshark]

Ahh I see. So my brick has been in my sump since day 1. To avoid killing my bacteria in the brick, I'm probably going to just dose it in the tank then.

Exactly. Should be good.

 

[Ugin]

Random question, but is there any value in doing a water change post cycle? My no3/p04 numbers are low and my lights will be off for quite a while yet. The XLM directions suggest a water change after the cycle is complete, but I'd guess that may be because most folks turn their lights on immediately, but I am not rushing into coral till I get fish in the tank.

 

[Sean Clark]

The "V" word... Value? Not for me no. There is nothing to gain by changing water at this stage... for me at least, I see no value in it. Save the salt and money for later.

 

[Badfish405]

My chaeto has reduced my nitrates and phosphates to nearly 0. I haven't even turned the skimmer on yet. It's working almost too well.

 

[Ugin]

The "V" word... Value? Not for me no. There is nothing to gain by changing water at this stage... for me at least, I see no value in it. Save the salt and money for later.

That was my general thought as well. I'm not removing any toxins or replenishing any elements as nothing of substance is consuming them.

My chaeto has reduced my nitrates and phosphates to nearly 0. I haven't even turned the skimmer on yet. It's working almost too well.

My cheato is doing... ok (in terms of health). I'm hoping it starts to look a bit better. Right now I have it on a 9 hour light cycle at night (just in preparation to run inverse of the display light).