Nobby's S-650

Improvize

New Member
Oooooooh... I read in this thread a relationship between nopox and slime... Maybe I have this. I dose 10ml nopox a day, all at once as I am manually dosing, as well as 3ml of vodka. Because I was told to. I'm reading 0 nitrates and 0 nitrites and reading this thread i now know that's wrong. time to cut the vodka and lower the nopox. so glad i found this forum!
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
Oooooooh... I read in this thread a relationship between nopox and slime... Maybe I have this. I dose 10ml nopox a day, all at once as I am manually dosing, as well as 3ml of vodka. Because I was told to. I'm reading 0 nitrates and 0 nitrites and reading this thread i now know that's wrong. time to cut the vodka and lower the nopox. so glad i found this forum!
The slime is nasty stuff, although I find it only really affects the Sump. I had to clean the socks on a daily basis, otherwise they just clogged-up with the slime. Now I've reduced the NOPOX the slime seems to be disappearing, although it is still there, just not so much.
As for dosing Vodka, drink it man, don't waste it :yup:
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
The slime is nasty stuff, although I find it only really affects the Sump. I had to clean the socks on a daily basis, otherwise they just clogged-up with the slime. Now I've reduced the NOPOX the slime seems to be disappearing, although it is still there, just not so much.
As for dosing Vodka, drink it man, don't waste it :yup:
Its bacteria flocks and +1 to not wasting vodka!!

I've found a way to stop/reduce any slime build up. If you can create ripples on the surface of the water in the sump it stops the slime. The outlet pipe of my Deltec FR509 reactor with Rhowaphos is just below the surface pointing upwards and it creates ripples. And no slime or hardly any.
 

Improvize

New Member
OK got it, so no more vodka. Just NoPox.

How about a small, cheap wavemaker in the sump? I have actually thought the 650 sump design is a little flawed in that it doesn't seem to circulate all the water all the way to the left in the main chamber so may stagnate a bit. Small wavemaker would help that to.
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
OK got it, so no more vodka. Just NoPox.

How about a small, cheap wavemaker in the sump? I have actually thought the 650 sump design is a little flawed in that it doesn't seem to circulate all the water all the way to the left in the main chamber so may stagnate a bit. Small wavemaker would help that to.
I've got a small Eheim Compact 300 pump in there. They're only about 15 quid.
 

Whitey1973

Active Member
OK got it, so no more vodka. Just NoPox.

How about a small, cheap wavemaker in the sump? I have actually thought the 650 sump design is a little flawed in that it doesn't seem to circulate all the water all the way to the left in the main chamber so may stagnate a bit. Small wavemaker would help that to.

The left hand chamber is there really for additional reactors, I also have mine in there with the outlet returning back into it and it which keeps it moving


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
Well, I'm giving up with SPS coral. My latest two frags have just withered away. They seem to last two or three weeks, then they just slowly strip. All params test ok, and even the last ICP test came back with just a couple of minor defects showing, nothing that would cause the deaths.
I do not think the lights are the problem as I'm running the Red Sea recommended settings.
I do not think flow is the problem, as others have proven the flow in the S-650 is up to scratch. The circulation pumps are set to maximum.
I feed with Red Sea Energy A+B daily, and still target feed once a week with Reef Roids.
Water Surface movement is good.
Skimmer is working well.
No temperature swings as the Chiller keeps everything stable.
I'm testing Alk, Mag, Calc, PO3 & NO4 every three or four days to ensure there are no 'swings and that everything remains stable.
RO water is produced showing 0 TDS.
The fish look healthy and are thriving.

Possible solutions? - Go back to weekly water changes, although I really do not want to do this. The water params are good and stable, so I don't see the need to do this, but I am out of ideas.
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
I don't really know what to say about this one. Some threads/articles I've read like @glennf, i believe run low Nitrate/phosphate and normal ish other parameters or thereabouts,and you know what Glenn's tank looks like.

And others for example like the article Tanks Of the Masters, most of them have much higher certainly Nitrate, although most everyone looks like phosphate is very low at <0.03ppm or thereabouts but again with exceptions.

One thing they all have is stability, stability and s.......

I can tell you what I found from having my 650 up and running for around 15 months. For the first year all SPS added browned out within 2-4 weeks ish. I have a green coral (yes a bit vague!) which browned out but then came back after leaving it for 6 months and I've now fragged it many times. I assume it's SPS as it's hard and browned out and is amongst the first corals I ever got!

I added a new batch of SPS to try again, in the last bulk purchase on my build thread, I guess a few months ago, and a large one a month or so before and they are all thriving so after around 12 months running with auto dosing etc running Alk 8 Ca 430 ish and Mg wherever it decides to be that week but generally 1380-1400 and I don't dose this at all.

Now then. What I with my 'vast' experience deduct from this, is that maybe they don't like 'new ish' systems. Because my Nitrate is around 12-16ppm, and phosphate,0.03ppm ish but yet they are filling with colour and growing.

The best thing I did was lock down the phosphates and keep them there but then also balance with the Reef Energy to feed them.

Also, if your not doing water changes that may be an issue, but then Glenn doesnt do water changes.... head spinning !
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
Shaun - I don't know what is going on, and that is the frustrating thing! The only corals I now have are a load of Florida Ricordia, which is growing well, a Leather Mushroom which seems to be just surviving, and a Hammer which also seems to be just surviving! Anything else I've added just lasts a few weeks !
Nitrate is at 10 ppm, Phos at 0.04 so I think the NOPOX is working well.
I would love to do the same as you and buy a load of frags in one go, but at the moment I just feel as though they'd all just die.

I'll send off another ICP test and see once again if there is anything out of balance.
 
  • Like
Reactions: SPR

SPR

Well-Known Member
For most of my first year I only purchased LPS and soft corals, not many SPS as I learned they wouldn't survive. Nitrates etc were very low, but they didn't like it so I would forget SPS for now, certainly if they don't like it and just go soft/LPS

For the vast majority of my first 9 months or so, my nitrates were around 1-2.5ppm and phosphates also very low. I documented it on my build thread, but then phosphates went up, Rhowaphos etc, hair algea die off etc etc.

So if you look at my tank shots over a period you will see it's full of corals, loads of them, and they will use up some of the nutrients as food. Again nitrates were low.

So my tank now is well stocked with corals etc, and maybe it can handle the higher Nitrate level as part of the constant biological/chemical changes within the tank as can all these other much bigger established tanks running the higher levels. I suppose you may say a 'mature' tank of sorts.

Your tank has the higher Nitrate number than mine was at a similar point to you (guessing here), but far less corals so maybe they could be affected more by the amount in the water. If your not already I would dose NoPox at 3ml per 100litres and try and get it down to maybe less than 5ppm to start. Just for ref I currently dose 18ml per day with no issues but just go up slow if your increasing and keep the 'ripples' in the sump. I have a lot of rock so this is more than after allowing for displacement but maybe only 3mls or so and no issues but just watch out for any bacterial blooms as you go up and then drop back. I can tell I've gone to high if I need to clean the glass more than once every 2 days (but I am obsessed with it being crystal clear!)

Nopox kept everything in check to start with for me and I think it should easily in your set up with fish levels etc., but I think with my high bio/fish load I needed a few extras and all is currently stable.

The other thing that I know nothing about so can't say anything, is the Triton method so wouldn't know if any of that was causing you issues. I thought it's designed to work with an algea bed (i know you've said before there are options) but I would reasearch check if it's compatible with NoPox. I've done a quick read and there are a few threads from 'the chemist' about it and the build up of molybdenum.

Are you using activated carbon to take out impurities?

Maybe order a few nice soft corals or LPS as they are stunning, and personally I prefer them for the movement etc and most are easier to maintain. I do understand the frustration of spending your hard earned money and then it's gone......

PS I cleaned out the rocket launcher a few weeks ago. Will update on that experience!
 

glennf

Well-Known Member
Follow this scheme than you will be alright.

Use a powerfilter tha you system will clear up. www.DSRreefing.com/powerfilter

Calibrate your test to make sure they measure OK. or just use these http://dsrreefing.com/testkits/
cd92592e4ec6b4608933ed3f703b23cf.jpg
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
I'm currently dosing NOPOX at the 2ml per 100l level, and the Nitrate is coming down slowly. I don't think that that is the problem though. I have found with the NOPOX that I need to replace my socks every other day though as they tend to slime up.
I think I may get another Marine Pure Block, as I only have about 40K of rock in the tank, and maybe the one block I already have needs some help....but that's just guessing and not based on any evidence !
I think I will also elevate the Mag and Calc a bit more.

But there must be something specific that I'm missing !

My UV went *bang* a couple of months ago. The Chinese people from that Fishy Road refused to replace it. I haven't replaced it yet.
 

Whitey1973

Active Member
Nobby I'm having the same trouble, water prams are all good but my SPS are all struggling, I'm putting it down to a very immature tank like SPR said, all my LPS and softies are doing great so I will be sticking with those for the next 12 months then maybe give the SPS another go... I wouldn't think you would need another marine pure block as the 8x8x4 block you have should be enough for 500 gallons


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
Nobby I'm having the same trouble, water prams are all good but my SPS are all struggling, I'm putting it down to a very immature tank like SPR said, all my LPS and softies are doing great so I will be sticking with those for the next 12 months then maybe give the SPS another go... I wouldn't think you would need another marine pure block as the 8x8x4 block you have should be enough for 500 gallons


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yeah, I know deep down I don't need another block. I'm just trying to think of something I can do !
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
I'm currently dosing NOPOX at the 2ml per 100l level, and the Nitrate is coming down slowly. I don't think that that is the problem though. I have found with the NOPOX that I need to replace my socks every other day though as they tend to slime up.
I think I may get another Marine Pure Block, as I only have about 40K of rock in the tank, and maybe the one block I already have needs some help....but that's just guessing and not based on any evidence !
I think I will also elevate the Mag and Calc a bit more.

But there must be something specific that I'm missing !

My UV went *bang* a couple of months ago. The Chinese people from that Fishy Road refused to replace it. I haven't replaced it yet.

It's funny that with the NoPox slime. I don't get any slime in the socks at all. I dose NoPox into the left hand chamber near the front and no slime is ever anywhere near the sock or from the downpipe water or sump. Maybe change were you add it ?

The Chinese people probably saw the picture of the UVC installed, sorry hanging, in your sump that's why they wouldn't replace it! Lol
 

Pat24601

Well-Known Member
What kind of SPS are you trying? I always had an easy time with things like me montipora and birds nest, I never really tried things like acros. I agree with you that it could easily be your new(ish) tank.

SPS are overrated anyway. :)

Regardless, glad to see you've got your tank going well! I'll keep following along.
 

Nobbygas

Well-Known Member
It's funny that with the NoPox slime. I don't get any slime in the socks at all. I dose NoPox into the left hand chamber near the front and no slime is ever anywhere near the sock or from the downpipe water or sump. Maybe change were you add it ?

The Chinese people probably saw the picture of the UVC installed, sorry hanging, in your sump that's why they wouldn't replace it! Lol
I dose the NOPOX into the main return pump chamber. I'm only getting the slime in the socks now though.
That UV installation was rock-solid.......It took me bloody ages to remove it !
 
Top