Randy's Redsea Reefer 250 and the rest of the Coral Farm

[RandyC]

I @RandyC saw you posted your light schedule and had your overall intensity at 69%. I’m running 3 xr15 on my reefer as well but using a WXM module to program and there’s no overall intensity. You can only adjust each point individually. I was wondering what your peak point intensity was? Hopefully that makes sense.

@panui22 69% is my peak value for overall intensity. All the other points for ramping down/up are less than 30%.

 

[RandyC]

Going through a bit of a heat wave, but fans are rocking the garage tanks and still haven't gotten past 81F.

Also, my skimmer pump in the Frag Tank went out. I never really skimmed that much skimmate anyway and was just using it for the gas exchange, so I'm going to try to go skimmerless for a few days and see what it does for pH and NO3/PO4.

Some more progression shots.

BC Cricket Spine is becoming one of my favorite acros. (Aug 7, 2019)

BC Cricket Spine (Aug 13, 2019 - 6 days)

Vivid Confetti (July 30, 2019)

Vivid Confetti (Aug 13, 2019 - 15 days)

WWC Hippie Juice (July 30, 2019)

WWC Hippie Juice (Aug 13, 2019 - 15 days)

RRC Jawdropper (July 31, 2019)

RRC Jawdropper (Aug 13, 2019 - 14 days)

WWC Helios (June 9, 2019)

WWC Helios (Aug 13, 2019 - 67 days)

JF Jolt (Jul 9, 2019 - First day in tank after receiving shipment)

JF Jolt (Aug 13, 2019 - 35 days later)

 

[NY_Caveman]

Going through a bit of a heat wave, but fans are rocking the garage tanks and still haven't gotten past 81F.

Also, my skimmer pump in the Frag Tank went out. I never really skimmed that much skimmate anyway and was just using it for the gas exchange, so I'm going to try to go skimmerless for a few days and see what it does for pH and NO3/PO4.

Some more progression shots.

BC Cricket Spine is becoming one of my favorite acros. (Aug 7, 2019)

BC Cricket Spine (Aug 13, 2019 - 6 days)

Vivid Confetti (July 30, 2019)

Vivid Confetti (Aug 13, 2019 - 15 days)

WWC Hippie Juice (July 30, 2019)

WWC Hippie Juice (Aug 13, 2019 - 15 days)

RRC Jawdropper (July 31, 2019)

RRC Jawdropper (Aug 13, 2019 - 14 days)

WWC Helios (June 9, 2019)

WWC Helios (Aug 13, 2019 - 67 days)

JF Jolt (Jul 9, 2019 - First day in tank after receiving shipment)

JF Jolt (Aug 13, 2019 - 35 days later)

Did you just pull the cup to keep the gas exchange, or you took the skimmer offline?

 

[zip70]

how do you dose Red sea trace colors? how many ml a day?

 

[RandyC]

Did you just pull the cup to keep the gas exchange, or you took the skimmer offline?

Pump busted today so just seeing what happens if I don’t fix/replace it.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Pump busted today so just seeing what happens if I don’t fix/replace it.

LOL, I need to read more closely sometimes. Thanks.

 

[RandyC]

how do you dose Red sea trace colors? how many ml a day?

I’ve been dosing 2ml of ABCD manually twice a week. I’m really only dosing to keep chaeto alive. Have no idea if it’s doing anything for coral.

 

[Barrnone]

What pump are you using for the refugium? How do you feel about the size? Im thinking about adding a fuge to my reefer 250. Most people seem to repurpose the ato but I feel like it gets in the way and im not sure if its big enough.

 

[RandyC]

What pump are you using for the refugium? How do you feel about the size? Im thinking about adding a fuge to my reefer 250. Most people seem to repurpose the ato but I feel like it gets in the way and im not sure if its big enough.

I just run the fuge off my return pump (Vectra M1) through a manifold on the Reefer 250. Adding a 12 gallon fuge was awesome since it increases total water volume by almost 20%. I just happened to have an old Fluval Edge laying around that fit perfectly.

I originally had repurposed my ATO for a fuge and while it does work to reduce nitates and phosphates, it requires more frequent trimming of chaeto. Also, I noticed the small volume of chaeto in a converted fuge really doesn't do much to raise pH at night like my 12 gallon fuge full of chaeto will. I'd run my fuge lights longer if I could to keep pH up, but it strips too much nitrates and phosphates if I do.

 

[Barrnone]

Yeah I was considering using a 5 gallon bucket. Hard to find larger containers with the right dimensions.

 

[Bob Weigant]

Just had the pleasure of seeing these tanks in person ( and grabbing a few sticks ). I can honestly say Randy's tank are amazing. Everything I saw was happy and healthy

 

[Barrnone]

I just run the fuge off my return pump (Vectra M1) through a manifold on the Reefer 250. Adding a 12 gallon fuge was awesome since it increases total water volume by almost 20%. I just happened to have an old Fluval Edge laying around that fit perfectly.

I originally had repurposed my ATO for a fuge and while it does work to reduce nitates and phosphates, it requires more frequent trimming of chaeto. Also, I noticed the small volume of chaeto in a converted fuge really doesn't do much to raise pH at night like my 12 gallon fuge full of chaeto will. I'd run my fuge lights longer if I could to keep pH up, but it strips too much nitrates and phosphates if I do.

View attachment 1169460

Sure makes me wish I had an Apex. It would be interesting to see how much effect ph at night has on calcification. Seems like most of the alk consumption happens when the lights are on. At least thats what I seem to see from guys that have alk monitoring.

I do dose kalk which would help with the ph but my alk consumption is very low in the system right now. Still undecided on a pump vs building a manafold. The pump is certainly the easier option.

 

[Jacked Reefer]

Your pulling some great colors! Following!

 

[RandyC]

Sure makes me wish I had an Apex. It would be interesting to see how much effect ph at night has on calcification. Seems like most of the alk consumption happens when the lights are on. At least thats what I seem to see from guys that have alk monitoring.

I do dose kalk which would help with the ph but my alk consumption is very low in the system right now. Still undecided on a pump vs building a manafold. The pump is certainly the easier option.

There actually is a difference seen in the calcification structure of night versus day growth (see https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1047847713001196).

Your pulling some great colors! Following!

Thanks! Hope I can keep it going until they’re colonies.

 

[D-Nak]

Impressive set up! I would love to see it in person one of these days!

 

[RandyC]

Impressive set up! I would love to see it in person one of these days!

We can probably arrange something!

 

[RandyC]

I’ve been slacking on the picture posting. Gotta get back on the regular schedule!

Frag/Growout tank has largely been on auto pilot. I have just been keeping up with normal water change schedules, carbon/GFO changes, and dosing trace elements. It just recently hit its six month birthday since getting wet (exactly 185 days today).


Here’s some growth tracking pics of my Tyree Tierra del Fuego. This one is definitely one of my fastest growers (it may very well be the fastest).

April 11, 2019

April 27, 2019 (color loss due to a bout with dinos - see post #57 for dino details)

May 7, 2019

July 4, 2019

August 31, 2019

 

[RandyC]

Some more growth/progression pictures.

BC Cricket Spine (Aug 7, 2019)

BC Cricket Spine (Sept 1, 2019 - 24 days later)

BC Bohemian Table (Aug 7, 2019)

BC Bohemian Table (Sept 1, 2019 - 24 days later)

BC Aquatic Man Table (Aug 7, 2019)

BC Aquatic Man Table (Sep 1, 2019 - 24 days later)

TSA Optimus Prime (Aug 7, 2019)

TSA Optimus Prime (Sept 1, 2019 - 24 days later)

 

[ddrueckh]

The corals are looking nice as always. Great job!

 

[Wrangy]

Looking fabulous man!!