history of lunar's reef

[lunar]

Originally Posted by tripdad

Looking good! Nice changeover, any losses, problems?

If you make such drastic movements, most probably, you will have problems. I didn't avoid them, the more I didn't have any other spot in my flat to place the second glass box to do that in a safer way. Huge containers were filled with rocks. All the corals and fish were moved to an air pool for children, there was a heater and a recirculating pump but it lasted the whole day. My friend helped me to dismantle and discard the old glass box, plumbing and rusted stand frame. Then we were making new plumbing. After several hours a new glass box on the new stand frame with new plumbing was ready. It was very hard work. The corals and rocks was transferred to the new, sterile tank. Bacteria live everywhere in a tank, not only on rocks and substrate but also e.g. in pipes. I destroyed biological balance in my tank. It caused problems with the corals. After few days some corals started to lose their tissues, I fragmented them or put into my friend's tank, many of them survived but not all. When it seemed that situation with the corals improved cyanobacteria fell in love with my tank. I had red, green and black cyano at the same time. There weren't big patches, cyano was only on rocks, pumps and a bit on a glass bottom. However the corals seemed to be poisoned, they lost their bright color. I poured a lot of good bacteria to compete cyano. That was a fierce battle I finally won. Think that not me was a real winner but the aquarium retrieved its biological balance.

part of the air pool


work of destroying

[tripdad]

I have always admired your tank and it's corals. Thank you for sharing your struggles as that helps those of us going through our own. Seeing one of the best tanks in the world go through a tough time and come back beautiful as before is very encouraging. Well done !

[lunar]

Originally Posted by Alex Costa

One of my favorite tanks....It's still very impressive.

One question: what species of anthias are you housing?

6 x Anthias bimaculatus and 2 x Anthias dispar.

Krzysztof

[lunar]

Originally Posted by naecO.rM

The new setup is great!
Could you tell us about the new system, please?
Lights, rocks, salt, compensation of elements, plumbing, filtration, sump, overflow box, everything is interesting about your new tank.
Cheers.

My new system is like the old one without bigger changes.

lights - ATI 10 x powermodule with 4 channel

main pump Red dragon 8000L/h, recirculating pumps Gyre 250 and 200, 2 x Vortech mp 40

filtration - all the time DVH biopellets, for over 8 years

calciumreactor

skimmer Bubble king 250

rocks - real reef rock

substrate - none

salt - Colombo Pro reef salt

elements and aminoacids - Colombo, but very sparingly - I remember well all types of cyano with which I struggled so long :-(

bacteria - DVH Biogro 123 marine and Colombo Bacto

[DiscusHeckel]

Good luck with your new set up. The new tank looks wonderful as always.

I love the idea of using an air pool.

What is your recommendation to minimise coral loses during glass box change?

[Relativity]

Your corals dont seem to have grown at least that what it looks like from the photos... DO you agree

[naecO.rM]

Thank you!
What are your recommendation how to set up a biopellet reactor, what amount of biopellets to use and how to tune a correct way for biopellet filtration without negative for aquaria (cyano, dino etc)

[lunar]

Originally Posted by DiscusHeckel

Good luck with your new set up. The new tank looks wonderful as always.

I love the idea of using an air pool.

What is your recommendation to minimise coral loses during glass box change?

It's always risky. However, the best option is when you have two tanks for some time, otherwise you are in a hurry and it's very stressful for you but the more for your animals.

Originally Posted by Relativity

Your corals dont seem to have grown at least that what it looks like from the photos... DO you agree

I think that my corals grow quite well but I introduced fragged corals mostly to a new glass box, I had a lot of problems with their condition.

Originally Posted by naecO.rM

Thank you!
What are your recommendation how to set up a biopellet reactor, what amount of biopellets to use and how to tune a correct way for biopellet filtration without negative for aquaria (cyano, dino etc)

1/4 to 1/2 of amount what a manufacturer recommends is a safe way for the first time. Then you do tests and they show you whether you shoul add more biopellets. But biopellets need a time about one month to be active. Pellets are a carbon source for bacteria but they aren't so smart to know what bacteria to feed, they feed all bacteria, cyano as well. How to prevent cyano? First of all, you need to have an outflow from the filter close to a skimmer pump. And the second thing is to have biopellets not to move too fast in a filter because they release too much of organics then. That's why I prefer recirculating filters, not fluidized, I can regulate a flow in the recirculating filter.

Krzysztof

[naecO.rM]

Thank you Krzysztof.

Biopellet usage for the recirculating reactor as well start dose 1/4 to 1/2 from recommendations or amount of the pellet could be 100% only adjusting water flow out from the reactor based on NO3/PO4 tests?

[Aleks677]

Hey. It's good that there was a continuation of the story ..... and it's very cool.
I saw a calcium reactor, I remember that you were an enemy of the reactor, why is this done?
And how is he alert ?.

[lunar]

Originally Posted by naecO.rM

Thank you Krzysztof.

Biopellet usage for the recirculating reactor as well start dose 1/4 to 1/2 from recommendations or amount of the pellet could be 100% only adjusting water flow out from the reactor based on NO3/PO4 tests?

In the beginning I had 100% of amount and adjusted water flow out from a recirculating reactor. Now I think that it’s better use less amount. I still adjust the water flow out depending on no3/po4 test but the lower amount pellets are better flushed with water.

Originally Posted by Aleks677

Hey. It's good that there was a continuation of the story ..... and it's very cool.
I saw a calcium reactor, I remember that you were an enemy of the reactor, why is this done?
And how is he alert ?.

You are right, I stopped to use calcium reactor due to two accidents when valves from CO2 cylinders failed and made a bit of damage. It made me nervous when I thought about calcium reactor. After 20 years I hope that valves are better now and I can take a risk :-)

Krzysztof

[Piper27]

Get a digital co2 regulator and you wont have to worry about it anymore.

[ABzReef]

Wow

[seachange]

What bulbs are you running for the ati? How long duration do you run with ramp up and ramp down?


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[lunar]

Originally Posted by Piper27

Get a digital co2 regulator and you wont have to worry about it anymore.

Sorry, I wrote imprecisely. I meant a safety valve on the CO2 cylinder. I think that the CO2 cylinders might be too full.

Krzysztof

[lunar]

Originally Posted by seachange

What bulbs are you running for the ati? How long duration do you run with ramp up and ramp down?


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6 x ATI Blue plus, 2 x ATI Coral plus, ! x ATI aquablue sp., 1 x Giesemann pink

3 x blue plus and 1 pink light up at 8 a.m., 2 x coral plus and 2 blue plus at 10 a.m., 1 blue plus and 1 x aquablue at 11 am. They work up to 5 p.m. 3 x blue plus and 1 x pink work from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Krzysztof

[seachange]

Originally Posted by lunar

6 x ATI Blue plus, 2 x ATI Coral plus, ! x ATI aquablue sp., 1 x Giesemann pink



3 x blue plus and 1 pink light up at 8 a.m., 2 x coral plus and 2 blue plus at 10 a.m., 1 blue plus and 1 x aquablue at 11 am. They work up to 5 p.m. 3 x blue plus and 1 x pink work from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.



Krzysztof

Thank you for sharing Krzysztof. What mode do you have for both gyre pumps?


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[Piper27]

Originally Posted by lunar

Sorry, I wrote imprecisely. I meant a safety valve on the CO2 cylinder. I think that the CO2 cylinders might be too full.

Krzysztof

Ahhh, I see what your saying.

[DiscusHeckel]

Can you please update us with the latest state of your reef tank?