REEF OF THE MONTH - October 2023: Victory Reef! 650 Gallons of Thriving Marine Splendor!

IntrinsicReef

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 22, 2023
Messages
583
Reaction score
1,456
Location
Austin
Rating - 0%
0   0   0

IntrinsicReef

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 22, 2023
Messages
583
Reaction score
1,456
Location
Austin
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Here are some current Apex screenshots of the system showing pH swing, temp swing, dosing and such.
Screenshot_20231019_002541_APEXFusion.jpg
Screenshot_20231009_192335_APEXFusion.jpg
 

Reefer Matt

Reef Cave Dweller
View Badges
Joined
May 15, 2021
Messages
6,977
Reaction score
31,412
Location
Michigan
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Very well done, and well deserved @IntrinsicReef! I know it isn't easy keeping it all happy, and I applaud your efforts and attention to detail! Congrats to you and Dr. Franklin!
 

IntrinsicReef

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 22, 2023
Messages
583
Reaction score
1,456
Location
Austin
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Very well done, and well deserved @IntrinsicReef! I know it isn't easy keeping it all happy, and I applaud your efforts and attention to detail! Congrats to you and Dr. Franklin!
I really appreciate it. Thank you and @Slocke for the nomination. Also, congratulations on hitting 1000 subscribers on your YouTube channel. That is not easy in our niche hobby. I hope it continues to grow.
 

BillyF

New Member
View Badges
Joined
May 2, 2020
Messages
5
Reaction score
4
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I think this is a fabulous reef tank that anyone should be very proud of. Congrats to both of you!

I do have to be a stickler and question the accuracy of this statement by Wes:

“The ocean has vast amounts of water to constantly replace minerals in water around the corals. The corals use these carbonates quickly in our small water volumes, and we get wide pH swings as a result.”

I don’t think consumption of alkalinity has much if anything to do with why we get pH swings. It’s variable amounts of CO2. Many folks tightly control alk and still get pH swings.
I think it took me a while to truly appreciate the concept of alkalinity. CO2 may be a precipitant for pH change but alkalinity really serves as the capacity to buffer those changes effectively maintaining a sufficiently alkaline pH for healthy corals. When we finally decided to use Kalkwasser in addition to a 2 part buffering solution in combination with the Ca reactor is when our growth truly took off. For whatever reason our huge and complicated setup kept the pH too low with just the buffering solution and Chaeto reactor.
I do want to express my thanks for all the lovely commentary.
 

BillyF

New Member
View Badges
Joined
May 2, 2020
Messages
5
Reaction score
4
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I think it took me a while to truly appreciate the concept of alkalinity. CO2 may be a precipitant for pH change but alkalinity really serves as the capacity to buffer those changes- effectively maintaining a sufficiently alkaline pH for healthy corals. When we finally decided to use Kalkwasser in addition to a 2 part buffering solution in combination with the Ca reactor is when our growth truly took off. For whatever reason our huge and complicated setup kept the pH too low with just the buffering solution and Chaeto reactor.
I do want to express my thanks for all the lovely commentary(owner of Victory Reef).
 

bakbay

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Sep 1, 2022
Messages
1,937
Reaction score
2,374
Location
Orange County
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Here are some current Apex screenshots of the system showing pH swing, temp swing, dosing and such.
Amazing tank and congrats to you and Dr. Franklin! I absolutely love the dimension of the tank since I have a smaller 150g (3x3x2) of this. However, at 48” tall — I’m curious on how you do maintenance / pruning on the bottom of the tank?

Btw: my pH swing is similar (avg 8.3) but using CO2 scrubber instead of Kalk & 2-part.
 

Slocke

I’m pedantic, ignore me
View Badges
Joined
Feb 3, 2022
Messages
8,563
Reaction score
30,287
Location
Atlanta
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I really appreciate it. Thank you and @Slocke for the nomination. Also, congratulations on hitting 1000 subscribers on your YouTube channel. That is not easy in our niche hobby. I hope it continues to grow.
No problem
You fully deserve the award!
 

IntrinsicReef

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 22, 2023
Messages
583
Reaction score
1,456
Location
Austin
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I think it took me a while to truly appreciate the concept of alkalinity. CO2 may be a precipitant for pH change but alkalinity really serves as the capacity to buffer those changes effectively maintaining a sufficiently alkaline pH for healthy corals. When we finally decided to use Kalkwasser in addition to a 2 part buffering solution in combination with the Ca reactor is when our growth truly took off. For whatever reason our huge and complicated setup kept the pH too low with just the buffering solution and Chaeto reactor.
I do want to express my thanks for all the lovely commentary.
Absolutely. It's easy to see why Kalkwasser use is making such a comeback in the hobby. Such an amazing tool for counteracting the acidifying biological processes that happen in our aquariums.
 
Last edited:

IntrinsicReef

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Jul 22, 2023
Messages
583
Reaction score
1,456
Location
Austin
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Amazing tank and congrats to you and Dr. Franklin! I absolutely love the dimension of the tank since I have a smaller 150g (3x3x2) of this. However, at 48” tall — I’m curious on how you do maintenance / pruning on the bottom of the tank?

Btw: my pH swing is similar (avg 8.3) but using CO2 scrubber instead of Kalk & 2-part.
@bakbay Pikstik grabbers are in constant use on the tank. If I have something that needs a bit more force, I use some various long handled gardening tools. There is a tool made for popping weeds out of the ground without bending over that is very useful if I need to pry something off the rock, or do some trimming.
 

ukgeoff

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Feb 24, 2022
Messages
89
Reaction score
179
Location
UK
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Cheers, and many thanks for taking the time to explain your tank setup. Seeing how successful reefers run tanks is always interesting, and you have a fantastic tank - well done on all that hard work!
 

HAVE YOU EVER KEPT A RARE/UNCOMMON FISH, CORAL, OR INVERT? SHOW IT OFF IN THE THREAD!

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
Back
Top