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

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
Okay, glad you are healing. I'm aware of stings, as I have been stung by fire coral, lionfish, jellies, and ctenophores before. Gloves are the way to go.
 
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SPR

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So got back from 7 days holiday and apart from a layer of algae on the glass all is good and the corals look very healthy indeed all out and showing their stuff. All fish present and accounted for as well so all good. In fact looks like I have never been away now I have cleaned the glass!

Glad I turned the auto feeder of and I also just left the protein skimmer on low and all has been fine.
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Just purchased a Blonde Naso Tang and he is the most pleasant and friendly of fish. He hangs around with the yellow and blue tang like old mates.

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I have also purchased a Derasa Clam as had been looking at these for a while. I have taken a photo but will try and get a better one as been fiddling with the light settings to try and get the best for the camera. Currently have all white only on the LEDS to take this Any photo tips appreciated from you guys

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Oh and i nearly forgot. Also picked up a pink wavy coral but dont recall its name!

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SPR

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I have been having a few temperature issues do to hot weather here in the UK and the tank is at around 28-29C but the weather should be getting a little cooler from today. I don't really want to get a chiller if I can avoid it.

I also had an issue with my ATO system. Well actually it was working perfectly but the sump where the main pump is located was not getting sufficient flow of water so the ATO system was constantly topping up. I had assumed the RO reservoir was using so much do to high temps but no.

The cause of the lack of flow was that I have 3 bags of carbon (as standard) and over the weeks these had effectively formed a dam! I think these need to be moved around occasionally even though they are only 5-6 weeks old and nearly ready to change

This all happened over 3 days. I tested salinity on Saturday and it was 34.5. On the Monday my Refractometer was showing 30 and then on Tuesday is actually read 25! Now these were scary levels so I immediately started doing water changes and adding enough salt to get back up to 35.

After speaking to Red Sea about 'the dam' I actually read the instructions on the Refractometer which is the Red Sea one and in particular calibration. I've had this since since February and being new to this hadn't calibrated it with RODI as I assumed it was good from the box. When I calibrated it it was around 8ppm low so I have a feeling the salinity drops above were not correct. So the result of this is that after calibration and adding salt I have a salinity which was off the scale (40+) and is currently at 39ppm!

My plan is to lower this back down to 35ppm over the next 2-3 days by removing around 60litres and then adding 60litres of pure RO with no salt.

All the fish and corals seem to be ok although I did purchase a new one a week ago and after 2 days instead of looking like a pink fan it's gone limp and grey so I just hope it will recover.

So in summary my lesson learned here is calibrate the Refractometer with RODI before using it on a regular basis!
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Purchased a Flame Angelfish and also a Coral Beauty at the same time so they hopefully would get on

I did loads of research on these two and everything said reef safe with caution but so far they havent bothered anything or anyone and swim around quiet happy

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I tried to photo the coral beauty but a bit blurred so more to follow


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SPR

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A few hopefully better photographs of these twoIMG_2533.JPGIMG_2531.JPGIMG_2528.JPGIMG_2517.JPGIMG_2509.JPGIMG_2525.JPGIMG_2522.JPG

In fact one of the photos looks like I have aquaired an extra Naso Tang but I definitely only have one of those!

I also wish they would stay still and just smile for the camera. In addition to a Marine biology and a water chemistry degree I feel like I am studying for, I am now also training for wildlife photography!

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SPR

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I did a water change yesterday and have noticed a gradual build up of sand particles in the sump and just wondered if there is any easy way to remove these? I have been looking at gravel cleaners but not sure if they will work.

Basically I need some form of marine Hoover. Any ideas appreciated?
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
After doing months of research i purchased a male and female pair of Blue Throat Trigger fish from my LFS.

I had been watching them for months in the shop and finally took a chance with them as they are supposed to be one of the reef 'safer' triggers.

They have now been in for a few weeks and have settled in brilliantly. Not touched any coral

When i first added them they built a nest at the back of the tank under rocks by moving a ton of sand. I was watching them and then the female popped up out of the rocks with a crab in her mouth and carefully placed it on top of my rock mound! I thought she was eating it as thats a possible issue with hungry triggers but no just put in down and left it.

They swim together and look like they are playing

The male has the yellow fin markings

Anyway a few photos and still just playing with the lights - I wish they would just stay still!



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SPR

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I have been monitoring the various parimeters and started the Red Sea Reef Program several weeks ago. Ive been using NoPox from the tank being around 4 weeks old but at low doses of roughly 50% and so far haven't had any issues with diatoms or indeed anything like excess algea etc. Some of the live rock etc came from my 260 so that was already around 6 months old although a significant amount of the rock was added at the start and since.

I have had a few aiptasia which have been 'imploded' and I just deal with these as and when I see them to try and stop them taking hold.

The Nitrate and phosphate have just risen to the desired levels for the 'Accelerated Growth' option of the program so I have just increased the NoPox dosage in the last few days to the full dose for the readings required so will see how they go.

Since I started adding the buffers of Calcium, and especially increasing the Alkalinity to around 12 dkh the corals have shown a very noticeable improvement in health and also they all seem to be growing quiet well. They have always looked good, but even better now or at least they look that way. The magnesium has been fine and infact just slightly higher than required so I haven't dosed that as yet

I am just about to start the Reef Energy part and then finally Coral Colours and the test kits and additives have just arrived for the later. I have been feeding the corals so far with some other coral food but will now use Reef Energy A & B instead.

I am learning all the time, and everything is starting to become much clearer....
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
I have had a small amount of brown hair algae form so I added a whole new bunch of crabs snails etc but my main purchase was a Sea Hare from my LFS. The crabs and snails were mail order at a fraction of the price and also got around 10 new coral frags.

I acclimatised the Sea Hare for 2 hours using around 1 drip per second and then added it to my tank but it only lasted overnight. When I got up in the morning it hadn't moved much so I left it another day just in case but sadly it is no more

I did read that they only have a lifespan of around 3 years and it was around 3 inches long and I am beginning to wonder if it was on its last legs and the final straw was a small amount of stress relocating. It was the last one in the shop they had and cost me £25 but as they are local I got it.

All of my crabs and snails added at the same time are all fine so just makes me wonder. This is actually the first time I have used proper drip tubes as in the past I have just added small amount of water with a cup over around 45mins

I have tested the water this morning and its OK other than I always add the buffers today so the Ca and Alk Mg were a bit low as I try to keep them around 465 and 12 and 1390 in accordance with the Red Sea Accelerated Growth program

Reading- tested with Red Sea and Red Sea Pro test kits;
Salinity 35
Ammonia 0
Nitrite not tested
Nitrate 1.5
Phosphate 0.04
PH 8.2
Ca. 420
Alk 8.1dkh
Mg 1340
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Just got back from 7 days away and all is fine other than for the usual cleaning of the glass

I had been maintaining the nitrate at <1 and after i cleaned the glass and did tests it has jumped to 4 but i am hoping it was because of all the debris in the tank.

Oh been shopping again!
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The clam is fascinating with the blue electric charge flickering away.

I have also just ordered the Kamoer 4 channel dosing pump for use with NoPox and the Red Reef Foundations etc. Will get that set up and see how i get on.


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mr_tap_water

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Loving the flamed Scallops, it's just a shame there so hard to keep for a length of time.


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SPR

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Loving the flamed Scallops, it's just a shame there so hard to keep for a length of time.


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Yes that's what I've read about them. I don't think they live very long but I've been trying to feed him as best I can so fingers crossed....
 

Oxylebius

Well-Known Member
Target feeding the scallop daily helps. And blowing the detritus off the rocks and from the sump every couple days (or daily if you can) also helps to feed the scallop (and other filter feeders that you have).
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
Target feeding the scallop daily helps. And blowing the detritus off the rocks and from the sump every couple days (or daily if you can) also helps to feed the scallop (and other filter feeders that you have).
I have been target feeding it although not every day , but I have also added phytoplankton as well and am using the Red Sea reef energy. Kevin at Red Sea gave me a tip about covering it with a 2 litre plastic drinks bottle with the end cut off and then covering the scalop and feeding that way. I haven't tried this yet but sounds like a very good idea.

I have a feeling by the size of it that the one I have is probably not 'young' as I got it mail order with some corals. I have seen some in my LFS which are much smaller so,will have to see how I get on
 

SPR

Well-Known Member
I got up this morning to find by beautiful Derasa Clam was being eaten by around 4 hermit crabs!!

I had noticed an odd one going around the clams mantel over the last few weeks but thought nothing off it and the clam seemed to be ok. Shut up when I moved my hand over the lights etc.

The site of it being eaten was actually quiet sickening but I suppose that's nature at work.

Also I have currently having a battle with what I think are dinoflagellates. I originally thought it was hair algae but having looked at various web sites I think they are dinos. I had purchased a sea hare to deal with what at the time I thought was hair algae, but that died overnight after adding it and I am just wondering if it was the dinos that killed it as I believe they can be toxic. they first appeared about 6 weeks ago but haven't been to bad as nutrients were well under control. I am also wondering if they may have weakened the clam with it being a filter feeder

Anyway I have just started the first day of a 72 hour blackout and hopefully this along with skimming etc will sort them out. I actually bought an Eheim vac to hoover the sand which worked a treat but after a few hours I am sure the dinos started to re appear under the lights and hence the blackout.

If this doesn't work then I have some Fauna Marine Dino X on the way to nuke them and although this will be a last resort, unless someone can tell me a better way then.....

The nitrate level did creep up from 1ppm to 3ppm whilst I was away for a week as the person looking after the tank had to turn the skimmer down do to it overflowing and blowing bubbles back into tank and when I got back loads of algae on the glass

I am still dosing around 12-15ml NoPoX each day

Current readings as yesterday were below but I have then added some Ca and Alk to get to around 450 and 12dkh. I had been running at these levels for a while until I went away so wonder if dropping them had made the Dinos worse. They haven't taken over but I intend to catch them early

Sal 35
Amm 0
NItrate 3
PH 8.2
Phospate 0.08
Alk 8.1
Ca 435
Mg 1490

I have posted the pictures below on a help thread but as of yet I haven't had any solutions so any thoughts greatly appreciated!

Dino picture below
 

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SPR

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Just finished the 72 hour blackout and the tank looks stunning. In fact it looks so good I wonder if it's worth doing the blackout every few months!

It's been around 3 days since the lights came back on and so far no sign of dinos but will have to see. If they come back they are going to get the Dino X treatment.
 

spiraling

Well-Known Member
following along. That's the tank I hope to get someday.
My 72 hour blackouts have not had those results. I must have different algae. :) I'm glad its going well for you. Do you have a planned stocking list or are you going with whats available?
 
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