Mike's Red Sea Reefer 525 XL build

[Brew12]

My nitrates weren’t THAT high. 10-14 ppm avg. and a little phosphates.

Remember, you are only testing what is in your water, not what is in your tank. If the algae consumes it then it is no longer in the water to be measured.
One major reason mature tanks have fewer algae issues is because coral also consumes nitrates.

And agree with the 2nd gyre! I wish I had gone with larger ones, but they do work great.

 

[Katrina71]

The seneye is super easy to use and is great for par and spectrum.

I haven’t used it lately as I set my lighting with it and then let it be.

Last thing I want to do is keep adjusting my lights!

I'd love to try one! We are just starting to figure out lighting. Hmm. Would you guys think 2nd hand is ok for one?

 

[Katrina71]

+1 on Coral consuming nitrates. We've been experimenting in my son's tank. A biologist told him to get more Coral (the look on my son's face was exactly what you'd expect from an addict) sure enough...went from 15 to a steady 7 in a short period of time.

 

[jsker]

I need to do some back reading but now following

 

[najer]

Thanks @najer. I am very happy with Vibrant! Especially having no ill side effects.

The puzzling thing to me is trying to figure why I had so much and why it took off like it did.

My nitrates weren’t THAT high. 10-14 ppm avg. and a little phosphates.

Maybe that’s all my tank needed?

A few interesting comments since this, I had my nitrates and phosphates tested today, I put a bag of phos media in 2 weeks ago, .25, nitrates 25.
Today my nitrates are 25 still which is cool, I like being in the under 50 level.
Phos .03 - .1, I took the media out, the refugium needed a little helping hand!
Whichever way people choose to do it there is a balance in everyone's tank and as above, corals use them too!

 

[mta_morrow]

Just an FYI for those of you following along.

I moved here with my company last Nov.

Started this tank this Feb.

Coral addition should be in high gear right now, but I have it on hold.

I am heading back up to our corporate office in the near future to interview for a VP position. I have worked towards this for 24 years. Started off as a maintenance man in 2nd shift.

5 relocations and awesome opportunities later, I’m hoping my time has come.

So, I may be breaking down the tank and hauling all my coral back up North for a friend to hold again.

I expect to know by Thanksgiving.

Even if I don’t get it, I have been blessed with opportunity and a great job to support my family. And there is nothing wrong with staying in Hilton Head!

 

[Hulley]

Just an FYI for those of you following along.

I moved here with my company last Nov.

Started this tank this Feb.

Coral addition should be in high gear right now, but I have it on hold.

I am heading back up to our corporate office in the near future to interview for a VP position. I have worked towards this for 24 years. Started off as a maintenance man in 2nd shift.

5 relocations and awesome opportunities later, I’m hoping my time has come.

So, I may be breaking down the tank and hauling all my coral back up North for a friend to hold again.

I expect to know by Thanksgiving.

Even if I don’t get it, I have been blessed with opportunity and a great job to support my family. And there is nothing wrong with staying in Hilton Head!

That's great news! I hope you get the position, you can always start up the tank again and it'll probably be even better the next time around!

 

[Fudsey]

Good luck Mike ! !

 

[Brew12]

Just an FYI for those of you following along.

I moved here with my company last Nov.

Started this tank this Feb.

Coral addition should be in high gear right now, but I have it on hold.

I am heading back up to our corporate office in the near future to interview for a VP position. I have worked towards this for 24 years. Started off as a maintenance man in 2nd shift.

5 relocations and awesome opportunities later, I’m hoping my time has come.

So, I may be breaking down the tank and hauling all my coral back up North for a friend to hold again.

I expect to know by Thanksgiving.

Even if I don’t get it, I have been blessed with opportunity and a great job to support my family. And there is nothing wrong with staying in Hilton Head!

This might be the best reason I have heard for breaking down a reef tank! Good luck!

 

[mta_morrow]

Ok. Hair algae is still disappearing.

As expected, nitrates and phosphate are up.

Nitrate 16 per Red Sea Pro
Phosphate .196 per Hanna ULR

I have nopox and rowaphos

@Brew12 , what do you recommend?

You haven’t steered me wrong yet as I work my way through this!

 

[mta_morrow]

This might be the best reason I have heard for breaking down a reef tank! Good luck!

Thanks!

 

[mta_morrow]

Good luck Mike ! !

Thank you!

 

[Brew12]

Ok. Hair algae is still disappearing.

As expected, nitrates and phosphate are up.

Nitrate 16 per Red Sea Pro
Phosphate .196 per Hanna ULR

I have nopox and rowaphos

@Brew12 , what do you recommend?

You haven’t steered me wrong yet as I work my way through this!

I'd start running Rowaphos. I'd like to see those phosphates much lower. I like the nitrates where they are. I'm guess based on the 16ppm that you don't have any cyano?

 

[mta_morrow]

I'd start running Rowaphos. I'd like to see those phosphates much lower. I like the nitrates where they are. I'm guess based on the 16ppm that you don't have any cyano?

Thanks! No cyano anywhere. Tank looks great!

I will start rowaphos tonight.

Thanks again!

 

[Brew12]

Thanks! No cyano anywhere. Tank looks great!

I will start rowaphos tonight.

Thanks again!

I'm glad everything is going well. Have you been doing before/after/progress pics?

 

[mta_morrow]

I'm glad everything is going well. Have you been doing before/after/progress pics?

Tomorrow evening will be 2 weeks.

I will take pics again and post them.

I have pics of how it was, week 1, and tomorrow will be week 2.

 

[pwilliaml]

Hey Mike, I forget, do you have a refugium under your tank? I just got my Kessil H160 light and was thinking of adding a refugium with chaeto to my sump to help with Nitrate and Phosphate control. From what I remember, I should be OK with using Vibrant at no more than 1 dose a week, maybe every 2 weeks. Anyway, #Brew12 chime in if I'm wrong. Thanks.

 

[Brew12]

Hey Mike, I forget, do you have a refugium under your tank? I just got my Kessil H160 light and was thinking of adding a refugium with chaeto to my sump to help with Nitrate and Phosphate control. From what I remember, I should be OK with using Vibrant at no more than 1 dose a week, maybe every 2 weeks. Anyway, #Brew12 chime in if I'm wrong. Thanks.

Chaeto will grow fine dosing Vibrant every other week. Once a week will cause problems.

 

[mta_morrow]

Hey Mike, I forget, do you have a refugium under your tank? I just got my Kessil H160 light and was thinking of adding a refugium with chaeto to my sump to help with Nitrate and Phosphate control. From what I remember, I should be OK with using Vibrant at no more than 1 dose a week, maybe every 2 weeks. Anyway, #Brew12 chime in if I'm wrong. Thanks.

I had a macro algae reactor online, but have it removed while fighting the battle.

I plan on copying suncrestreefs project of turning the ATO into a refugium with a hopefully cool lighting twist.

 

[Dj City]

Great build thread.

Good luck on the opportunity.