A Capital Dream - 400g SPS build

mlb7225 · Sep 7, 2016

I smoked ribs and had in laws over.

mlb7225 · Sep 7, 2016

Sorry if I hijacked your thread with food pics.

rockworm · Sep 7, 2016

mlb7225 said:
Sorry if I hijacked your thread with food pics.

You are more than welcome to hijack with food picks. However, you are now obligated to feed me if I ever get down your way. [emoji1]

mlb7225 · Sep 7, 2016

rockworm said:
You are more than welcome to hijack with food picks. However, you are now obligated to feed me if I ever get down your way. [emoji1]

My pleasure! Smoking is my other hobby.

revhtree · Sep 7, 2016

mlb7225 said:
I smoked ribs and had in laws over.

Beautiful! Frags?

mlb7225 · Sep 7, 2016

revhtree said:
Beautiful! Frags?

For you good Sir, anytime!!!

revhtree · Sep 7, 2016

mlb7225 said:
For you good Sir, anytime!!!

HA! Well thank you and they do look awesome! Ribs are my most favorite food in the world!

rockworm · Sep 17, 2016

I have started the transition to some of the Aquaforest program over the past week. I received four of the 25 kg boxes of reef salt (have to get through Amazon, so stocked up while they had it). I decided against the probiotic salt because I do daily water changes and the PB salt has to be used too quickly. I also got the Pro Bio S, -NP Pro, Amino, Vitality, Energy and Build additives.

I have a hair algae issue, as you can see here:

I understand that the Pro Bio S and -NP Pro will help eliminate this.

I started with a 40g water change last Sunday. Since then, I have upped my daily water change from 6g to 8g. I will be doing another 40g water change tomorrow. It will take a month or so before the saltwater becomes primarily AF from the Reef Crystals that I used.

I have started manual removal of the hair algae by picking it off the rocks. At the same time, I have beefed up my clean up crew. I now have a sea hare, 4 urchins, 10 small turbos, 5 large turbos and a crap load of trochus and astrea snails.

I am adding the -NP Pro and Pro Bio S at half the recommended dose. At the same time, I am reducing the vinegar dosing that I had implemented. I have been aggressive in this reduction because of the lack of nitrate reading.

My phosphates sit at .06 and my nitrates are, to my eye, undetectable (salifert). Because of the low nutrients, I have seen a few corals fade in colour, so I have been adding the Build, Amino, Vitality and energy at 1/3 the recommended dose. I will increase this over time.

So far, so good. Other than a little coral fading, eveything is looking good.

Ward

locito277 · Sep 17, 2016

Welcome back to your thread. I know hair algae is a pain but it actually doesn't look all that bad. No tangs? Have you added a algae scrubber?

rockworm · Sep 17, 2016

locito277 said:
Welcome back to your thread. I know hair algae is a pain but it actually doesn't look all that bad. No tangs? Have you added a algae scrubber?

The gha is only on the new dry rock that I used and it will eventually disappear. I have a tomini and purple tang, but it is my scribbled rabbit that is the algae eater. I may add one more tang but I am leaning towards large angels. Many are successfully kept in an SPS tank. It seems most angels like LPS and I keep those only in my 75g.

I don't have a scrubber and probably wont add one. I have a refugium, but the AF system basically kills the algae export methods. My main problem, I believe, is phosphates from the dry shelf rock that is leaching out. I am using Rowaphos for this. Eventually, it will be gone.

locito277 · Sep 17, 2016

Do you recommend I use Rowaphos to start my cycle? All my rock is dry to this point. I'll be adding a little wet rock to seed but don't want a phosphate problem to start.

locito277 · Sep 17, 2016

Do angels like leathers and softies as well? Thanks for the heads up on LPS. So no Hammers? :-(

rockworm · Sep 17, 2016

locito277 said:
Do you recommend I use Rowaphos to start my cycle? All my rock is dry to this point. I'll be adding a little wet rock to seed but don't want a phosphate problem to start.

I would not. Let the cycle start and monitor the parametres. I added the rowaphos when my PO4 got to 0.1 because not all rock leaches phosphate. I anticipated a rise, but waited until it was realized. I use rowaphos because my LFS carries it, but there are other gfo brands that can be used, if needed. Corals need both nitrates and phosphates so I did not want to starve them before I knew whether I had to manage the nutrients.

rockworm · Sep 17, 2016

locito277 said:
Do angels like leathers and softies as well? Thanks for the heads up on LPS. So no Hammers? :-(

I once had a blue face angel that enjoyed my zoas. I only had a few in the tank and did not add more. My scribbled rabbitfish ate all the zoas in my 220g, so I dont have any in the 400g. Kind of an expensive snack. SPS is my focus, but there are some lps, zoas and rhodactis that i like, so I keep some in my 75g.

I don't know if large angels will eat softies. I do know that small angels are hit and miss in a sps tank, so I wont be keeping any of them.

locito277 · Sep 17, 2016

Hmm I was hoping regal, queen and a. Pair of emperors. They are so majestic. I'm having my doubts though as I know that adding multiple Angels I'm bound to have a nipper or outright eater of my corals

locito277 · Sep 17, 2016

Definitely will follow your advice on the Rowaphos and let nature takes its course

rockworm · Sep 17, 2016

locito277 said:
Hmm I was hoping regal, queen and a. Pair of emperors. They are so majestic. I'm having my doubts though as I know that adding multiple Angels I'm bound to have a nipper or outright eater of my corals

It is possible that they may nip at your corals. I think a lot will depend on what corals you keep. You might want to consider the fish you want to keep, then determine your coral purchases. I spend a lot of time in the coral forums because the focus is on the coral husbandry and the suitable fish. I bet there are corals that no angel will bother (or only one or two) so you can focus on them.

locito277 · Sep 17, 2016

That's the goal of two systems. I can have the fish I want that aren't as reef safe in one system while keeping clams and all the other corals in the other. Both systems are nice sized as the smaller is a 6 ft 220. I keep thinking those angels in the 720
Would be amazing whereas in the 220 I wouldn't want to squeeze nor would I be able to. I'd assume on emperor would. E tight in there

rockworm · Sep 17, 2016

locito277 said:
Definitely will follow your advice on the Rowaphos and let nature takes its course

Don't rush things. It is very tempting, but let your tank speak to you. This is the only hobby that I have evolved with over the years (since 2005) and the learning experience has been vaery rewarding. There was a time I was lucky to keep a couple SPS alive and now I a venture in to the harder to keep (deep water/smooth skin).

rockworm · Sep 17, 2016

locito277 said:
That's the goal of two systems. I can have the fish I want that aren't as reef safe in one system while keeping clams and all the other corals in the other. Both systems are nice sized as the smaller is a 6 ft 220. I keep thinking those angels in the 720
Would be amazing whereas in the 220 I wouldn't want to squeeze nor would I be able to. I'd assume on emperor would. E tight in there

That is perfect. I had my 220g as a fowlr at one time. My favourite fish was a blue face angel and I would love to have one again. The more I read, the more I find they they are good for an SPS only system. I am now keeping my eye open for a supplier here in Canada that has one.