My 72 Bowfront Build Revised Thread

[jsker]

Tank update a day late

Number look pretty good, phosphates are down and wouldn't you know the nitrates did not budge. Alk is back down. I did a major brush of the scape with the old tooth brush. I hired a couple of pep shrimp to work on some apistasia that are left in the tank. I also hired a sea urchin to help with the algae and added 12 red leg hermits.

I have four corals coming for a live sale from this weekend. The should help with the nitrates. I making some fish food this week.

I decided that I am not going hybrid with LED's and T5's. If I upgrade, I will upgrade to hydra 32 hd's or the GHL Mitras. I am really leaning toward the GHL lights. I switch my light setting to the WWC settings without all the fancy ups and down during the light cycle. Kind of where I had them before my tank crash with less white, green and red and a short time with the green, read, and white.

Sorry no tank picture, light out and nobody home;Hilarious

 

[jsker]

Todays numbers

Pick up a couple of corals last weekend, and they new corals are in the tank.

 

[jsker]

Quick update for last week numbers

My nitrates are going down,;Shamefullyembarrased

 

[jsker]

Yesterday days numbers.

I had to increase the salinity yesterday and took my water sample before adding salt. I am going to test again later today to see how much the parameters change for a salinity of 30 to 35. The salinity dipped for two hour before the correction.

The reason for the dip in salinity was after a change of filter socks, the skimmer level went dow. I made an adjustment then the skim was very wet and overflowed decreasing the salinity. The ATO was just filling away dropping the salinity with RO/DI.

 

[jsker]

Experiment and todays numbers

What a difference with just adding a little salt.
I am finally getting some color back into the tank. I just need to get my nutrients balanced out and the algae will disappear

 

[jsker]

Happy Sunday!!

Calcium and Alk is bouncing around. Most likely operator error.

Nitrates are dropping, nice. Time to start feeding to bring up the phosphates a bit. The nitrates are pretty much at the point when my old corals were growing at their strongest. I would like to have my phosphate up around a 5 or 6.

Time to do a quick clean of the glass and I should be good for today.

I cranked out a bunch of filter socks this week.

 

[jsker]

Sunday test day!!

 

[jsker]

The DT is looking better and better each day

Just need to get the nitrates down a bit more. then I will be a happy camper!!

 

[jsker]

Testing to see if pictures upload for phone. They do. This is the crew looking out the window

 

[A Young Reefer]

Following!

 

[Flameback Pair]

@jsker great woodworking on the stand!!

 

[jsker]

@jsker great woodworking on the stand!!

Thank you.

 

[jsker]

Tested on 6/29

Tested on 7/10

Last week I add a tad bit of KH buffer. This week when testing, I was getting the bottom of the alk reagent so I ran the test with a new bottle of reagent. First test was 7.2 with the old and 6.8 with the new. I will be adding a tad bit more KH buffer. I turned up the dosings of +2 I will make adjustments to the +2 dosing also.

Once the alk comes up the Mg and Ca will drop in my past experience.

The tank no longer looks like a dumpster fire and is coming along.

 

[jsker]

Big news

After a week of messing around correcting my salinity, because one of the heads on my Maxi went. I ordered two DOS heads to replace the GHL Maxi heads. I did find out, that in a few weeks GHL will have their own Maxi head replacements and not a third party. Kind of has me interested in what the head will look like.

With the one head not taking the old water out, my salinity went of to a 38 PPT instead of a 33 to 34 PPT.

Now to bring up the Alk and the Ca will fall. Let's see what happens to the Mg. I bet it goes down. Just adjust my Alk up a bit and I will check the Alk level on Thursday to see if I am up to 7.5 alk. I am surprised with all the ups and downs that the nutrient I finally dialed in.

I ordered two GHL Mitras LX 7204 after having a helpful conversation with @Vinny@GHLUSA. The plan is to build a open canopy with 80/20, that will adjust up and down and also tilt up. I am very excited to get all of the stuff off top of my tank. I am going to use one of my 26hd for the middle of the tank.

After the lights, I think it is time for the tank/sump upgrade, also a controller change out.

 

[GoVols]

From watching @HolisticBear and Brew (Steven’s) reefs, love your choice with going with the Mitras.

Is your new sump going to be in the same closet?

 

[jsker]

From watching @HolisticBear and Brew (Steven’s) reefs, love your choice with going with the Mitras.

Is your new sump going to be in the same closet?

Yes, the sump is going to be a bit larger. With some modifications, i may have move some things around. One change, is the sump will be made with 3/8 acrylic instead of .22. 22. Is almost to thin.

 

[jsker]

Ran a quick test tonight to see where the Alk is. I have been bringing the alk up slowly everyday. I will test again tomorrow. If I am at a 7.5 then I will decrease dosing Alk and let the system ride.

It is amazing with one thing out of wack, it throws the rest of the parameters off. This is one reason I stop adding or adjusting until the parameters are back to normal.

Light will be here tomorrow. I am in the process of getting 80/20 for the canopy and this may take some time. I drove to the distributor in Tampa today, I will leave it at that. The plan is to see if I get a call back about the 80/20 if not I will call the source and order from them.

 

[jsker]

@Lasse you know I am going to be asking for you light settings.

 

[Lasse]

@Lasse you know I am going to be asking for you light settings.

Your welcome - but I have the Mitras Bar - they are a little different

Blue - green - red

Phosphorous coated

The different blues

The armatures are all set to max 80 % power


Sincerely Lasse

 

[jsker]

Thank you @Lasse for your lighting schedule

Light come in today and I am working on the 80/20 parts for the open canopy