Shaun's 2000 Litre (530 USG) Living Reef & Red Sea Max S 650 LED Design & Build

SPR

Well-Known Member
Ive been a little 'lazy' with changing the rhowaphos in the reactor, I normally do it every 3 weeks or so and its been about 4. Ive also been a little heavy feeding Ocean Nutrition Formula 1 & 2 Pellets once or twice a day from the Apex autofeeder or sometimes even more. This is in addition to 3 frozen cubes around lunchtime

Anyway i checked the phosphate and it was showing 0.18ppm! I normally keep this locked down at around 0-0.03ppm on the Hanna so its very high

I changed the rhowaphos with double the normal amount (i'm away shortly which is the reason for this), and that will drop the phosphate back down again. Its funny because I can see little signs in the tank when phosphate becomes raised, like an odd little brown patch here and there.

I seem to remember reading that pellets can be high in phosphate (or did i imagine this!) so instead of pressing the button on the Apex App on my phone, when I'm feeling kind to the little hungry looking fishys, its back to starvation rations for the time being.
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
Ive been a little 'lazy' with changing the rhowaphos in the reactor, I normally do it every 3 weeks or so and its been about 4. Ive also been a little heavy feeding Ocean Nutrition Formula 1 & 2 Pellets once or twice a day from the Apex autofeeder or sometimes even more. This is in addition to 3 frozen cubes around lunchtime

Anyway i checked the phosphate and it was showing 0.18ppm! I normally keep this locked down at around 0-0.03ppm on the Hanna so its very high

I changed the rhowaphos with double the normal amount (i'm away shortly which is the reason for this), and that will drop the phosphate back down again. Its funny because I can see little signs in the tank when phosphate becomes raised, like an odd little brown patch here and there.

I seem to remember reading that pellets can be high in phosphate (or did i imagine this!) so instead of pressing the button on the Apex App on my phone, when I'm feeling kind to the little hungry looking fishys, its back to starvation rations for the time being.
Those poor fish. Starving due to your incompetence and laziness. You're a bad parent. If there were a fishy version of Childline, I'd ring it !
 

emvanburen

Well-Known Member
.

I seem to remember reading that pellets can be high in phosphate (or did i imagine this!) so instead of pressing the button on the Apex App on my phone, when I'm feeling kind to the little hungry looking fishys, its back to starvation rations for the time being.

Have heard the same...


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SPR

Well-Known Member
I’ve been away in the Bahamas for 10 days and arrived home to find the tank better than when I left it. It’s fascinating looking at the Apex graphs showing pH rise when I was away amongst other things

Since raising the magnesium levels back to the correct amounts following the Triton test, all corals look much healthier and for me it’s very clear to see what Magnesium actually does. Growth has come back and also on certain corals the colours and they look much healthier. I had a cabbage coral that had faded in colour, and it’s now back to neon green glowing away

Whilst away I was thinking about the Red Sea Reef Energy and I’m sure they’ve changed something in the formula and I’ve decided to go back and try Polyplab Reef Roids along with Polyp Booster. I tried it for the first time yesterday and the feeding response was very noticeable on the corals even with the first dose. I think I’ll use this just 1-2 times per week and also use the last of the Reef Energy which I’m pretty sure I won’t replace.

Anyway I know everyone likes pictures so here’s Dougy having a little manicure.....

7518881088_IMG_1266.jpg





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SPR

Well-Known Member
So I find myself with a continuing little dilemma with regards to doing water changes. Its been around 8 weeks since the last one do to holidays. Normally I do them once a month, but the tank just all looks fine

Apart from the sump being a little more dirty than usual the tank looks spotless, the water crystal clear, Triton ICP test clear, so why oh why should I do a water change. My mind just tells me I should because that's what I've always done...…….

It could also be to do with the fact its freezing cold and wet outside (my water change facility is in the outside garage) so I think what I might do is just wait until the weather improves in a few weeks and then revisit my thoughts then. Its not a big job and I don't mind doing it really but it just seems unnecessary.

I understand the benefits on new tanks and maybe up to 1-2 years old, but I wonder how many of you guys with tanks say over 2 years old still do regular changes when everything is stable and no issues ?

I know Nobbygas you don't do many and Ive asked this before
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
Yep, I only do water changes to remove any 'stuff' (ie medicine) that I've put in the tank, or to clean the Sump every six months or so, otherwise I don't bother. Dosing Mag, Calc & Alk is fine, topped up with Colours once a week, and like you my ICP results have been good. Everyone says that the key to success is stability, and surely a water change can upset that stability?

Ask yourself, what do water changes bring to the game? Plus, look how much you save not buying all that salt!
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Yep, I only do water changes to remove any 'stuff' (ie medicine) that I've put in the tank, or to clean the Sump every six months or so, otherwise I don't bother. Dosing Mag, Calc & Alk is fine, topped up with Colours once a week, and like you my ICP results have been good. Everyone says that the key to success is stability, and surely a water change can upset that stability?

Ask yourself, what do water changes bring to the game? Plus, look how much you save not buying all that salt!
I know that’s what I’m thinking exactly. And most of the bad stuff is removed in my case with the skimmer, activated carbon, rhowaphos Purigen etc

So why in why on why.........

I suppose you ‘makes ya choice’...

I’ll do one shortly anyway to clean the sump out and then leave for a while again
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
So not wishing to be a LAR (like @Nobbygas , do you know what this means yet! lol) |I did a 18% water change yesterday and will probably continue. The sump looked much cleaner and I also cleaned all the glass in the sump.

Ive also turned off the Tunze Osmolator ATO for a few days as Im going to drain down the rear RODI compartment as the water as been in for a while and is must be do to be changed out, so Ill use this as ATO water until its nearly empty and then re top it up. It basically now acts as backup in case the Tunze fails and still works very well with just the standard float valve.
 
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