Reef Central Online Community

Go Back   Reef Central Online Community > Coral Forums > SPS Keepers
Blogs FAQ Calendar Mark Forums Read

Notices

User Tag List

Reply
Thread Tools
Unread 06/22/2015, 08:24 AM   #26
JB NY
Registered Member
 
JB NY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 9,207
Quote:
Originally Posted by tfp View Post
JB...I have no doubts your green thumb has gone away...
but will it return?


__________________
-Joe

TOTM Sept 2002 | Reefland April 2004 | CORAL Magazine Nov 2007
Featured Tank "Coral Reef Aquarium" 2011 | Reef Spotlight 2018

Current Tank Info: 270G SPS Tank, 140G sumps, 35G Frag Tank, Ultra Reef Akula UKS-200 Skimmer, Apex, Giesemann Spectra 3x250W MH 4x80W T5, 2xReefbrite Tech 72" Blue LED, Triton Dosing, ARID C30 Algae Reactor, Maxspect Gyre
JB NY is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/22/2015, 08:31 AM   #27
reefmutt
Registered Member
 
reefmutt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Mtl. Canada
Posts: 7,824
Joe, crazy story.. Both the long and short versions! Glad to see your fresh start. I'll be watching and learning..
I really like the scape. What did you do the the Marco rock prior to adding it to your tank? Just curious about po4 from this rock and what mitigating actions you took, if any.
Also, I asked you this in your old thread but I'll do it again, just to lay the ground work, so to speak.. What, if anything have you done to the sand bed in the display through the life or your system? It doesn't look like there is as much as before..
That echinata takes my breath away and gives me butterflies in my stomach at the same time!!! Looooooove it!!
So why not give us the run down on your new system.. In case anybody here doesn't know about your very cool ARID reactor and the rest of your system.
I'm gonna enjoy watching this system grow up!


__________________
Matt.

Current Tank Info: 53x32.5x26 190g dt 60g of sumps 3 tank-100 gal frag system 6xAI prime 8xt5. 4x maxspect gyre. Skimz Dual internal sicce pump skimmer Deltec PF601s ca rx+Kalk stirrer
reefmutt is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/22/2015, 09:29 AM   #28
tfp
Registered Member
 
tfp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Folsom, CA
Posts: 3,225
lol! it NEVER left!


__________________
Go with what works for you.

Current Tank Info: Envisions 400g (96x32x30) online January 2012. 4-72" VHOs,7-OceanRevive T247,Aquamaxx Cone 6 Skimmer, Aquamaxx S3 CR,Aquariumplants CO2 regulator, Jebao SOW20's, 80w Emperor UV, tang dominated with anthias and longspine cards
tfp is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/23/2015, 08:53 AM   #29
sahin
Ultimate Reefer
 
sahin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: London, UK
Posts: 8,540
Quote:
Originally Posted by reefmutt View Post
So why not give us the run down on your new system.. In case anybody here doesn't know about your very cool ARID reactor and the rest of your system.
+1 Would be ncie to have a complete run down of the specs/system/methodology in one place.


sahin is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/23/2015, 09:44 AM   #30
ReefWreak
Registered Member
 
ReefWreak's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Astoria, NYC
Posts: 10,159
Looking forward to watching this build come (back) together. Now that I'm in NY hopefully one day I'll get to meet you and and see your tank as it's filling in. But in the meantime, I'll just subscribe here.


ReefWreak is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/23/2015, 12:33 PM   #31
JB NY
Registered Member
 
JB NY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 9,207
Quote:
Originally Posted by reefmutt View Post
Joe, crazy story.. Both the long and short versions! Glad to see your fresh start. I'll be watching and learning..
I really like the scape. What did you do the the Marco rock prior to adding it to your tank? Just curious about po4 from this rock and what mitigating actions you took, if any.
Also, I asked you this in your old thread but I'll do it again, just to lay the ground work, so to speak.. What, if anything have you done to the sand bed in the display through the life or your system? It doesn't look like there is as much as before..
That echinata takes my breath away and gives me butterflies in my stomach at the same time!!! Looooooove it!!
So why not give us the run down on your new system.. In case anybody here doesn't know about your very cool ARID reactor and the rest of your system.
I'm gonna enjoy watching this system grow up!
Hey Matt,

I didn't do anything to the Marco rock before I put it in. I had a friend cure it for me in another tank, and then I just pulled out my rock and dumped the Marco rock in.

As to the sand bed. There is the same amount as always, just over the years the sand has been pushed towards the back of the tank. For about 6 years I had the power heads (2 tunze streams) in the back corners pointed front and to the middle. That cleared a lot of the sand in the front. Then when I went to the Gyres, that I have now, they have pushed the sand to the back even more. I am currently struggling with fixing that as I am starting to get much larger drifts in the middle back of the tank then I would like.

As to what I have done to the sand bed over the years. I have always kept sand sifting cucumbers (black ones and tiger tails. In addition, about 7 years ago I added 3 sand urchins called Maretia planulata. They really kept the sand bed both clean and stirred up. They could still be in the tank for all I know, I just haven't seen them in about 6 months. Stores were selling them at one time under the name "Heart Sea Urchin".

Here is what they look like when I put them in the tank.






My sand bed right now is about a clean as it has ever been. I think it is the gyres pushing so much water over the sand bed, any bits of cyano I had disappeared in a few weeks after I changed out power heads.

I'll give a full run down of my setup in a little bit.


__________________
-Joe

TOTM Sept 2002 | Reefland April 2004 | CORAL Magazine Nov 2007
Featured Tank "Coral Reef Aquarium" 2011 | Reef Spotlight 2018

Current Tank Info: 270G SPS Tank, 140G sumps, 35G Frag Tank, Ultra Reef Akula UKS-200 Skimmer, Apex, Giesemann Spectra 3x250W MH 4x80W T5, 2xReefbrite Tech 72" Blue LED, Triton Dosing, ARID C30 Algae Reactor, Maxspect Gyre
JB NY is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/23/2015, 06:51 PM   #32
roni
Premium Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: stafford, va
Posts: 513
Followed along with your last build. Sorry for the hard times that you went through but I'm guessing this edition will be just as spectacular if not better.

I'm going through a similiar issue with my tank. Actually tore everything out and am now refilling with water as we speak. Will be living vicariously through others until my tank finishes cycling


roni is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/24/2015, 12:01 PM   #33
reefmutt
Registered Member
 
reefmutt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Mtl. Canada
Posts: 7,824
Those are really neat urchins. I have never seen them in person. I'm going to ask a couple of shops if they can order them.
Joe, you may need a couple more coral shots on the thread.... For comparison sake..... You know, for down the road. No pressure.


__________________
Matt.

Current Tank Info: 53x32.5x26 190g dt 60g of sumps 3 tank-100 gal frag system 6xAI prime 8xt5. 4x maxspect gyre. Skimz Dual internal sicce pump skimmer Deltec PF601s ca rx+Kalk stirrer
reefmutt is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/24/2015, 02:54 PM   #34
JB NY
Registered Member
 
JB NY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 9,207
So here is a rundown on the system. Antyhgin that doesn't make sense or that you want moe information on please just ask.

The basics of the whole thing is a 270 Gallon tank with most of the equipment in the basement, one floor below. 1.5" drains go down one floor into a 25 gallon sump, that can have filters socks and gets rid of bubbles, then flows to a flat frag tank (28"x28") with only 7" of water. next it drains into the main sump a 90 gallon polyethylene tank. Then pumps back up to the display tank using a Sequence 6000.

Lighting
MH/T5/LED



I have a Giesemann Spectra that I am using 250 watt MH Radiums and T5 (currently ATI B+ and KZ Fiji Purple). On the front and back of the Spectra I have attached a ReefBrite Tech LED with Royal Blue LEDs. The LED add a nice pop to the corals and I use them at night (on a dimmer at 1%) for about 1 hour after the main lights go off.

Ligting schedual is
T5 ON 07:30 AM OFF 8:00 PM
MH ON 12:00 PM OFF 8:25 PM
LED ON 12:00PM OFF 9:15 PM

Ballast are three luxcore 250w-400w adjustable.



Other than adding the LED in this time, this is the same lighting schedule I have used for abut 15 years.

Circualtion
Right now I am using two Maxspect Gyre XF150 on opposite side of the tank. I am using an Apex controller to create an alternating gyre every 6 minutes. Right now this is giving me the best water movement I have ever had in the tank.

Nutrient removal
So this time I decided to try and maintain just a little N and P in the tank. The last tank was zero N and P and it did really well, so it is not that the tank can't be successful, it is just that I found it to be endlessly frustrating to try and keep levels of N and P so low. You end up being obsessed with number chasing and it really doesn't do anything better than not having levels so low. I still had cyano in the tank, I still had a bryopsis out break. Overall algae problems were much less but changing GFO and carbon all the time, and testing and making adjustments was, as a said earlier, exhausting.

So this time LR/LS skimmer and macro algae. that's it. Funny as it is what I did with my 180 gallon 10 years ago.

Live rock and live sand do most of the work. Pretty easy to do and I have been successful with it for a long time so I am doing that again.

Skimmer, using an old school Becket skimmer a Barr Aquatic SK4200. Skims the daylights out of the tank. Clean it out every two weeks


Overflow cup after two weeks of skimming on cleaning day.


Algae reactor. Using a Pax-Bellum ARID C30. Put some Cheato in and a week later pull some out, repeat. Pulls Nitrates and Phosphates down to nothing very quickly, I now have to dose NO3 to keep some nitrates in the tank.
The ARID algae reactor itself


Looking in from the top this is what it looks like on day one.


This is how much it grows to in about 7-10 days. 5 gallon buckets for reference.


I dose about 20ml of KNO3 once a day. This lets me keep NO3 about 5ppm and PO4 around 0.02-0.01. I use carbon maybe every 6-8 weeks if I feel the need.


__________________
-Joe

TOTM Sept 2002 | Reefland April 2004 | CORAL Magazine Nov 2007
Featured Tank "Coral Reef Aquarium" 2011 | Reef Spotlight 2018

Current Tank Info: 270G SPS Tank, 140G sumps, 35G Frag Tank, Ultra Reef Akula UKS-200 Skimmer, Apex, Giesemann Spectra 3x250W MH 4x80W T5, 2xReefbrite Tech 72" Blue LED, Triton Dosing, ARID C30 Algae Reactor, Maxspect Gyre
JB NY is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/24/2015, 02:55 PM   #35
JB NY
Registered Member
 
JB NY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 9,207
Ca/Mg/Alk]
MTC Calcium reactor. When the frags start growing and my calcium demands are more I will put the kalk reactor back online and dose kalk as well. Using an MTC Calcium reactor (seen in the skimmer pic on the left) I have been using this reactor for about 12 years and other than replacing a few worn out parts over the years still performs great.

Drilled out the top to accept a pH probe in the first chamber.


Made this slick regulator from parts bought on ebay.


ATO
So I spent a lot of time working out the ATO for this tank. I wanted never to even have to think about getting water to the tank. In the 7+ years the tank has been going I have not had any problems.

Here is a diagram of my ATO setup. Description below.



All top-off water is kept in a 55 gallon Rubbermaid brute trash can.

For the Top-Off Container
Controller #1 controls the water level in the top-off container.
When the water level drop lower than float switch #4, Controller #1 energizes float switch #1. Water from the house water supply now goes into the RO/DI unit and then goes into the top-off container.

When the water in the top-of container gets to float switch #3, Controller #1 turn off float switch #1. If float switch #3 fails, float switch #2 will be activated and Controller #1 will turn off float switch #1.

From the sump
Controller #2 controlls top-off for the sump, water falls below float switch #6, Controller #2 will activate the top-off pump and pump water into the sump until water is above float switch #6 then Controller #2 will shut the pump off.

float switch #5 and float switch #7 are fail-safes. they are hooked into the switch input box that connects the switches to Controller #3 (aquacontroller3).
If water goes below float switch #7, the main pump is shut off by Controller #3. An alarm sounds, pages are sent to phone and emails accounts.
If water goes above float switch #5 Controller #3 shuts off power to Controller #2 which cuts the power to the top-off pump.An alarm sounds, pages are sent to phone and emails accounts.

Here are a few more pictures of my ATO setup.

Here is the ro/di unit and the polypropylene solenoid valve (Float Switch#1). They are located under the sink.



Just the solenoid valve.


top-off container controller on left Controller #1. Top-off contoller for the sump top off (life reef controller Controller #2) on right.



Floats switches in the top-off container. Switches #2, 3 , AND 4.


Float Switches in the sump. Switches #5, 6, and 7.


Dosing
A little strontium weekly (1/2 recommended dosage)
Amino Acids

That's it


__________________
-Joe

TOTM Sept 2002 | Reefland April 2004 | CORAL Magazine Nov 2007
Featured Tank "Coral Reef Aquarium" 2011 | Reef Spotlight 2018

Current Tank Info: 270G SPS Tank, 140G sumps, 35G Frag Tank, Ultra Reef Akula UKS-200 Skimmer, Apex, Giesemann Spectra 3x250W MH 4x80W T5, 2xReefbrite Tech 72" Blue LED, Triton Dosing, ARID C30 Algae Reactor, Maxspect Gyre
JB NY is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/24/2015, 03:00 PM   #36
JB NY
Registered Member
 
JB NY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 9,207
Quote:
Originally Posted by sahin View Post
+1 Would be ncie to have a complete run down of the specs/system/methodology in one place.
OK I tried to give as short and complete picture as possible.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ReefWreak View Post
Looking forward to watching this build come (back) together. Now that I'm in NY hopefully one day I'll get to meet you and and see your tank as it's filling in. But in the meantime, I'll just subscribe here.
Thanks. I am hopeful this version will turn out really nice. The part I a at right now, when everything is only tiny tiny frags, is the only part which would go faster. Once the frags get going a little I like the tank much better.

Quote:
Originally Posted by reefmutt View Post
Those are really neat urchins. I have never seen them in person. I'm going to ask a couple of shops if they can order them.
Joe, you may need a couple more coral shots on the thread.... For comparison sake..... You know, for down the road. No pressure.
They should be able to get them, they were available from most of the wholesalers for a while.

I'll get some frags pics up soon to.


__________________
-Joe

TOTM Sept 2002 | Reefland April 2004 | CORAL Magazine Nov 2007
Featured Tank "Coral Reef Aquarium" 2011 | Reef Spotlight 2018

Current Tank Info: 270G SPS Tank, 140G sumps, 35G Frag Tank, Ultra Reef Akula UKS-200 Skimmer, Apex, Giesemann Spectra 3x250W MH 4x80W T5, 2xReefbrite Tech 72" Blue LED, Triton Dosing, ARID C30 Algae Reactor, Maxspect Gyre
JB NY is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/24/2015, 03:31 PM   #37
mhucasey
Acros & wieners, oh my!
 
mhucasey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Oceanside, California
Posts: 3,706
Thanks very much for the update, its good to see a top to bottom rundown of all that you are doing. Many people focus on one isolated component of a system, when often its the combination of several things that contributes to the tank's success or failure. Seeing the system laid out is very interesting.

Its amazing to me how many people are returning to what works - returning to halides, returning to refugia, returning to Chaeto....hey, it works!


__________________
- Matt
I call the big one "Bitey" - Homer Simpson

See my tank thread here: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2468548

Current Tank Info: 120 Gallon Rimless Starphire Shallow Reef. Reef Octopus Diablo EXT-200 skimmer, Chaeto Reactor, Lighting: ATI Sunpower 8X39W, 6X39W Sunpower
mhucasey is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/24/2015, 06:57 PM   #38
tfp
Registered Member
 
tfp's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Folsom, CA
Posts: 3,225
jb, that arid algae reactor looks cool! how much was it?


__________________
Go with what works for you.

Current Tank Info: Envisions 400g (96x32x30) online January 2012. 4-72" VHOs,7-OceanRevive T247,Aquamaxx Cone 6 Skimmer, Aquamaxx S3 CR,Aquariumplants CO2 regulator, Jebao SOW20's, 80w Emperor UV, tang dominated with anthias and longspine cards
tfp is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/25/2015, 05:04 AM   #39
sahin
Ultimate Reefer
 
sahin's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: London, UK
Posts: 8,540
Thanks for the info Joe. That ARID reactor looks pretty cool. Its crazy how much chaeto grows in only that short period of time.


sahin is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/25/2015, 09:45 AM   #40
JB NY
Registered Member
 
JB NY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 9,207
Quote:
Originally Posted by mhucasey View Post
Thanks very much for the update, its good to see a top to bottom rundown of all that you are doing. Many people focus on one isolated component of a system, when often its the combination of several things that contributes to the tank's success or failure. Seeing the system laid out is very interesting.

Its amazing to me how many people are returning to what works - returning to halides, returning to refugia, returning to Chaeto....hey, it works!
I agree so many people overlook the system as a whole when trying to achieve the success of others. For me, my system is put together to try and make the tank as stable as possible with as little outside intervention as possible. So I have tried to automate everything that keeps the tank going. So lights are always on and off at the same time. Heaters and chillers, to keep temp stable, Ca Reactor to keep alk stable, ATO to keep salinity stable, Big skimmer that can go a few weeks without needing to be maintained, Chaeto to get that extra bit to keep nutrients down. Basically try to set up the tank to be able to run on auto pilot as long as possible.

It does seem that a lot of people are going back to what worked in the past, but I also think many of them are people who have had tanks a long time. They see that the way of maintaining a tank that is now being marketed to the hobbyist might not be the best or easiest way of doing things. I think that if I had not had success with this kind of method in the past, and I was new, I might not be willing to buck the trend of carbon dosing, GFO, LED, and constant testing.

For me, I have always run Halides so it's more of a big deal that I have LED strips on the tank. I had also tried to have Chaeto last time when I was carbon dosing, and I could never get it to grow. That was due to the carbon dosing, but I didn't realize it when I first tried using Chaeto in the tank.

But I stand by the thought that you can be successful with a variety of different methods, you just have to choose the one that fits how you want to run your tank. Last time I had crazy growth and really good coloration with carbon dosing and GFO, so I can not say that it doesn't work very well because it did for me. But for this setup now, I want to try it again without the carbon dosing and GFO because I think long term it is a better and healthier way to go for SPS.

Quote:
Originally Posted by tfp View Post
jb, that arid algae reactor looks cool! how much was it?
Pricing should be on their forum, they are just starting out so I don't think there is much info or retailers yet.

http://www.manhattanreefs.com/forum/pax-bellum-llc/

They are not cheap, I have the C30 one of the largest they make, but I would tell you to think of it more like a skimmer when you look at the price. I think you can spend a lot more than this for a decent skimmer that will probably not pull your nutrients down nearly as much as this does.

Quote:
Originally Posted by sahin View Post
Thanks for the info Joe. That ARID reactor looks pretty cool. Its crazy how much chaeto grows in only that short period of time.
Yeah, the reactor gives a different perspective to keeping the tank in balance. The more your tank is aligned with NSW levels the better it grows, I had a boron deficiency that was causing the chaeto to be brittle and not grow well and once I raised the levels to NSW the problem went away. Also keeping an eye on Iron is important as well. One of the interesting things now is I have no hair algae or cyano in the main display at all. But it seems that every 6-8 weeks the ARID reactor gets tons of cyano in it, then it burns out in a few weeks and happens again. But no cyano in the main display at all. Very interesting, I'm not sure why that is but having it secluded to the reactor is fine by me.


__________________
-Joe

TOTM Sept 2002 | Reefland April 2004 | CORAL Magazine Nov 2007
Featured Tank "Coral Reef Aquarium" 2011 | Reef Spotlight 2018

Current Tank Info: 270G SPS Tank, 140G sumps, 35G Frag Tank, Ultra Reef Akula UKS-200 Skimmer, Apex, Giesemann Spectra 3x250W MH 4x80W T5, 2xReefbrite Tech 72" Blue LED, Triton Dosing, ARID C30 Algae Reactor, Maxspect Gyre
JB NY is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/25/2015, 10:14 AM   #41
stonecold
Registered Member
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Ashburn, VA
Posts: 679
Quote:
Originally Posted by JB NY View Post
Lighting
MH/T5/LED


Beautiful looking setup!

Few questions:

1. Regarding your T5 and LED, how are they arrange? May I safely assume as such? Front to back: LED, Purple +, Blue +, MH, Blue +, Purple +, LED?

2. In this pic, are all of the bulbs on?

3. Let's say, we swap out 1 of the Purple + for a Coral +, what do you think the difference(s) will be? Brighter, dimmer?

Thanking you in advance for your precious time.


__________________
TOTM - May 2014
stonecold is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/25/2015, 10:48 AM   #42
ReefWreak
Registered Member
 
ReefWreak's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: Astoria, NYC
Posts: 10,159
Joe, thanks for posting the whole ecosystem rundown. Really awesome to see it all together, and the steps you've taken to keep consistency and stability. It's also great to see the ARID reactor in action. I see it all the time on MR, but I haven't seen results. Glad it's working so well for you.


ReefWreak is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/25/2015, 12:11 PM   #43
SneekaPeek
Registered Member
 
SneekaPeek's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2012
Location: San Diego
Posts: 280
Awesome setup. I'm so glad I stopped in today to check out your v2 system. Keep up the diligent and hard work. No matter any faults or roller coaster rides within the system, just know you have one of the most beautiful systems I have ever seen especially how purple your rock is....If only my rock could become that increasingly purple haha. Feeling grateful to see the well planned and well thought out reef tank.


SneekaPeek is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/25/2015, 12:14 PM   #44
JB NY
Registered Member
 
JB NY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 9,207
Quote:
Originally Posted by stonecold View Post
Beautiful looking setup!

Few questions:

1. Regarding your T5 and LED, how are they arrange? May I safely assume as such? Front to back: LED, Purple +, Blue +, MH, Blue +, Purple +, LED?

2. In this pic, are all of the bulbs on?

3. Let's say, we swap out 1 of the Purple + for a Coral +, what do you think the difference(s) will be? Brighter, dimmer?

Thanking you in advance for your precious time.
1) From front to back: LED, KZ Fiji Purple, ATI B+, MH, KZ Fiji Purple, ATI B+, LED

2) All are on except the LED at the back of the tank. The look is pretty much the same though.

3) I am using KZ FP bulbs for the purple. They are very similar to each other but still it's not a Purple +. But I have swapped a KZ FP for a C+ and the results were that the tank visually looks equally as bright.

Right now I would say the tank has a slight purple tinge to it that I like a little better than if I were running C+ bulbs instead of the KZ. If you look at the pics of my tank now on the first page I was running 2 B+ and 2 C+ bulbs instead of the KZ bulbs at that time, those are almost spot on for what the tank looks like with C+ bulbs instead of the KZ bulbs.

I have been trying combinations of T5 to help me get the tank to visually look the way I want it for a few months. The Radiums make the tank too blue for my personal tastes so I am looking for some combo of T5 to make a a little less blue. Right now I have a lot of bulbs I have been playing with, Giesemann Actinic+, True Actinic, Mid-Day, ATI Blue+, Coral+, and KZ Fiji Purple. Right now I am pretty happy with the combo, but I will probably play with it a little more.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ReefWreak View Post
Joe, thanks for posting the whole ecosystem rundown. Really awesome to see it all together, and the steps you've taken to keep consistency and stability. It's also great to see the ARID reactor in action. I see it all the time on MR, but I haven't seen results. Glad it's working so well for you.
Thanks, it's a bit a battle to get everything just the way I want it. I always talk about stability but I sometime make dumb changes just to try something out and mess with the stability once in a while.

For me the ARID has worked out well. I wanted to get back to using chaeto in the tank and when I spoke to Tristan at the last MH frag swap, it was the exact thing I was looking for. It helps that I have known Randy at Pratt for years, as well as a few other people, who have one on a tank so I was able to get some honest feedback before I got it.


__________________
-Joe

TOTM Sept 2002 | Reefland April 2004 | CORAL Magazine Nov 2007
Featured Tank "Coral Reef Aquarium" 2011 | Reef Spotlight 2018

Current Tank Info: 270G SPS Tank, 140G sumps, 35G Frag Tank, Ultra Reef Akula UKS-200 Skimmer, Apex, Giesemann Spectra 3x250W MH 4x80W T5, 2xReefbrite Tech 72" Blue LED, Triton Dosing, ARID C30 Algae Reactor, Maxspect Gyre
JB NY is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/25/2015, 01:04 PM   #45
stonecold
Registered Member
 
Join Date: May 2005
Location: Ashburn, VA
Posts: 679
Quote:
Originally Posted by JB NY View Post
I am using KZ FP bulbs for the purple. They are very similar to each other but still it's not a Purple +. But I have swapped a KZ FP for a C+ and the results were that the tank visually looks equally as bright.
Thank you. Don't know what I was thinking by typing Purple + repeatedly.


__________________
TOTM - May 2014
stonecold is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/25/2015, 02:11 PM   #46
maxxII
Super Housemonkey!
 
maxxII's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: St Louis Mo
Posts: 4,442
I've been using an ARID reactor since mid April, (thanks to JB's reference and responses to my questions, and subsequent phone calls and emails to Tristan at Pax-Bellum as well), and I couldnt be happier. It does exactly what it is designed and reputed to do...reduce PO4 and NO3 in the system and reduce algae growth in the display.

I have a smaller reactor than JB does (I have the E18 vs the C30) because I have a smaller system. I'm also still in the process of dialing mine in with regard to dosing NO3, but I couldnt be happier with this thing.

I dont feel that it's a magic bullet that can solve NO3 and PO4 issues for every tank, but it definitely worked and is continuing to work for me.


__________________
A good friend will come and bail you out of jail...but, a true friend
will be sitting next to you saying, "Damn, that was fun!"
maxxII is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/25/2015, 02:37 PM   #47
JB NY
Registered Member
 
JB NY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 9,207
Quote:
Originally Posted by SneekaPeek View Post
Awesome setup. I'm so glad I stopped in today to check out your v2 system. Keep up the diligent and hard work. No matter any faults or roller coaster rides within the system, just know you have one of the most beautiful systems I have ever seen especially how purple your rock is....If only my rock could become that increasingly purple haha. Feeling grateful to see the well planned and well thought out reef tank.
Thanks very much! The rock for some reason this time is incredibly purple, my dad still can not believe it is the same rock that went in the tank completely white.


__________________
-Joe

TOTM Sept 2002 | Reefland April 2004 | CORAL Magazine Nov 2007
Featured Tank "Coral Reef Aquarium" 2011 | Reef Spotlight 2018

Current Tank Info: 270G SPS Tank, 140G sumps, 35G Frag Tank, Ultra Reef Akula UKS-200 Skimmer, Apex, Giesemann Spectra 3x250W MH 4x80W T5, 2xReefbrite Tech 72" Blue LED, Triton Dosing, ARID C30 Algae Reactor, Maxspect Gyre
JB NY is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/25/2015, 02:38 PM   #48
JB NY
Registered Member
 
JB NY's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2001
Location: Long Island, NY
Posts: 9,207
Quote:
Originally Posted by reefmutt View Post
Joe, you may need a couple more coral shots on the thread.... For comparison sake..... You know, for down the road. No pressure.
Yes I know we need some more pictures to keep this thread looking good, I will not be able to take any new ones of tiny frags for a few days lol. I'll be home late for the next two and then I am going to Reef-A-Palooza NY for the weekend, so here are a few more shots from my V1 tank that I will share with you.

All these guys were grown from little frags.

I don't remember what this one's name was, but the color combinations were awesome, it was in the front of the tank and for some reason I had a hard time getting the thing to get in focus.


This one while not super colorful, I always loved how it looked from the top.


Despite being at the bottom of the tank always kept this very light color.


Shot of this guy from the side.



__________________
-Joe

TOTM Sept 2002 | Reefland April 2004 | CORAL Magazine Nov 2007
Featured Tank "Coral Reef Aquarium" 2011 | Reef Spotlight 2018

Current Tank Info: 270G SPS Tank, 140G sumps, 35G Frag Tank, Ultra Reef Akula UKS-200 Skimmer, Apex, Giesemann Spectra 3x250W MH 4x80W T5, 2xReefbrite Tech 72" Blue LED, Triton Dosing, ARID C30 Algae Reactor, Maxspect Gyre
JB NY is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/25/2015, 04:12 PM   #49
mhucasey
Acros & wieners, oh my!
 
mhucasey's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Oceanside, California
Posts: 3,706
Quote:
Originally Posted by JB NY View Post
Yes I know we need some more pictures to keep this thread looking good, I will not be able to take any new ones of tiny frags for a few days lol. I'll be home late for the next two and then I am going to Reef-A-Palooza NY for the weekend, so here are a few more shots from my V1 tank that I will share with you.

All these guys were grown from little frags.

I don't remember what this one's name was, but the color combinations were awesome, it was in the front of the tank and for some reason I had a hard time getting the thing to get in focus.


This one while not super colorful, I always loved how it looked from the top.


Despite being at the bottom of the tank always kept this very light color.


Shot of this guy from the side.
Gorgeous...thats a speciosa in the second to last shot, yes?


__________________
- Matt
I call the big one "Bitey" - Homer Simpson

See my tank thread here: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2468548

Current Tank Info: 120 Gallon Rimless Starphire Shallow Reef. Reef Octopus Diablo EXT-200 skimmer, Chaeto Reactor, Lighting: ATI Sunpower 8X39W, 6X39W Sunpower
mhucasey is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 06/26/2015, 06:35 AM   #50
westreef
Lost as usual
 
westreef's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: Really California?
Posts: 846
Hi Joe,
I understand you are using Marco rocks and your buddy did the cycling of the rocks for you.
I am also in the process of restarting my tank with Marco rocks due to tank clashes. Do you have more info of how your friend did the curing/cycling of the rocks? Your resulting rocks are so good looking.


__________________
Bernie

75g, ATI 4x58wT5 LED Hybrid Powermodule, AquaMaxx ConeS 1, 2xMP40wES, RKL controller, Tunze Osmolator
westreef is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:43 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Powered by Searchlight © 2024 Axivo Inc.
Use of this web site is subject to the terms and conditions described in the user agreement.
Reef CentralTM Reef Central, LLC. Copyright ©1999-2022
User Alert System provided by Advanced User Tagging v3.3.0 (Pro) - vBulletin Mods & Addons Copyright © 2024 DragonByte Technologies Ltd.