Sumpless 20g SPS Build

HydroReefer412

HydroReefer412

Member
Okay so iv been doing constant upgrades on my 20g
Replaced 2 nano Koralia with Ecotech MP10esW
Replaced 4x 24" t5HO with Reeftech LED Custom build fixture ( this is a one of a kind in the world) This fixture is more powerful than a Gen 2 Radion and it's fully controllable also
Replaced AC50 with AC70 with an AquaticLife nano skimmer witch I did the intake mod on also and added a air valve control for more adjustability
I dose B-ionic 2 part Calk/Alk everyday and Amino Acids 2-3x a week and feed coral frenzy 2x a week

http://youtu.be/rL4jJiSqVtE here's a video of my tank I took yesterday on 8-20-13
Hope you all enjoy!:)
 
reefer gladness

reefer gladness

Well-Known Member
Looks like your off to a good start. What's that reddish-purple stuff on the substrate? Might just be the reflection off the lights.

Be careful with your new LED's, especially if you aren't using a PAR meter. In a shallow tank it's difficult to provide the correct amount of light for both SPS and LPS corals and it's a lot easier to supply to much light. Too much light will cause your LPS to expel zooxanthellae and bleach.

I wouldn't expect a tank that size to require daily dosing but as long as you're testing regularly you should be okay. I'd have to say if you're depleting calcium and buffer that fast then you're probably depleting magnesium just as fast too. Just remember mag is part of the reef chemistry equation since you're dosing.
 
HydroReefer412

HydroReefer412

Member
Thank you for the advice! I lowered the light down to a 14k every channel is below 40% and I dose very little, 5ml of calc a day, and 2.5 ml of alk every other day, and yes I have Been looking into mag. But I don't know too much about it, how would you recommend doing so? Iv been thinking of adding a Kalkwasser drip system but again not yet due to lack of knowledge about it
 
HydroReefer412

HydroReefer412

Member
I use reef crystals for all of my water changes, and I'm pretty sure it has a good amount of magnesium in it if I'm not mistaken

Once a week I change 5 gallons
 
reefer gladness

reefer gladness

Well-Known Member
HydroReefer412 said:
I use reef crystals for all of my water changes, and I'm pretty sure it has a good amount of magnesium in it if I'm not mistaken

Once a week I change 5 gallons
Click to expand...

You're spot on, you are replenishing a good amount of magnesium, calcium, buffer and all the other trace minerals with your water changes. 25% each week should go a very long way in replenish everything your tank needs. The golden rule IMO is not to dose anything you aren't testing for so what are your water paremeters?

The basic rule of thumb for magnesium is that mag should be 3x calcium. So if calc is 440ppm then mag should be around 1320ppm. Low magnesium reduces the solubility of calcium and buffering capacity so I like to look at magnesium first and make sure it's in the range I want before I dose either calcium or add buffer. I've had low mag and low alk in my tank, I dosed mag slowly and in the test results the mag stayed stable while the alk increased for a couple days until it stabilized and then mag increased.

PS - suck those diatoms off the sand bed when doing water changes. http://www.marinedepot.com/Aqueon_Siphon_Vacuum_Gravel_Cleaner_Siphons_Gravel_Cleaners_for_Saltwater_Aquariums-Aqueon-XO06226-FIMTGS-vi.html
 
HydroReefer412

HydroReefer412

Member
Parameters are
Ammonia-0ppm
Nitrate-.5ppm
Nitrite-0ppm
PH-8.3
Alk-9.8
Calc-430
Magn- no test kit for it

PH and Alk are salifert test kits, the rest are API.
And about the diatoms I just sucked them up now, it was an accumulation for a week today was my water change day
 
Flreefkid88

Flreefkid88

Member
I may be just stupid,and or overlooking.... But where can you get that fixture ? I see a article for it on Reef Builders,but no website..
 
HydroReefer412

HydroReefer412

Member
This fixture is a one of a kind, it was custom made by ReefTech for a friend who owns a LFS and after hassling him for months he finally gave in and let me but it off of him lol
 
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