Setting up shop for a Rimless 3by3by2

[Admiraltian]

That's a big wow for me!!

Dun mind can pm me price of your compressor, contact of the derek/company selling it. Thks.

[LittleBurger]

Damn bright.. Wheres's the princesses??

Hi Terryz, here they are. buy 6 left 5.

is tat wat u call pale lip tang? how is it? eating well?

[LittleBurger]

That's a big wow for me!!

Dun mind can pm me price of your compressor, contact of the derek/company selling it. Thks.

Hi bro, have sent u contact of Derek.

planning to get another bulb, not sure to get mixed type or full actinic. regretted buying my other par38 bulb frm simlim tower....

[tropic]

Your par38 is mixed type or royal blue + blue?

[tropic]

Missed my group of anthias.. One by one keen to find out what's on the floor of my house. Now left 2.

[Terryz_]

Hi Terryz, here they are. buy 6 left 5.

is tat wat u call pale lip tang? how is it? eating well?

Really beautiful!!!

Yup, it is also called a pale lip tang... It is one of the more timid tang, I have kept so far... It is hiding under my pump and pipe for the whole day.. Feeding very cautiously... Think it will get bolder as time pass..

[LittleBurger]

Your par38 is mixed type or royal blue + blue?

Hi bro, mixed type.

something chasing them in the tank n they jump out. my mcsosky flasher wrasse male n female pair jump out one after another... but dun know he jump, she jump or other way round. never buy flasher wrasse again after...

[twiddledoo]

nice tank

[LittleBurger]

nice tank

Thanks. But not colorful enough. Tank still quite bare.

[LittleBurger]

There's always So much to learn n improve in reefing... at least for me.

I was using a Hitachi 14w energy saving spiral bulb which is "equivalent" to a 80w incandescent bulb.

I varied the height of the bulb. My cheato shows growth when I position my light nearer to the water. Tat makes sense.

After reading on one of the thread

The info about spiral tube bulbs to have a parabolic reflector to direct the lights more effectively.

Therefore I decided to try out using par30 bulb.

Using spiral bulb

using 5watt bulb

Notice the cheato are very green using the 5 Watt bulb. The sump surrounding are dimmer.

The added advantage of using this type of bulb would be it minimize coralline algae from growing in your FR n pumps.

Disadvantage would be sump is dimmer.

After searching and found another useful info on led n other bulb comparison.

http://www.designrecycleinc.com/led%20comp%20chart.html

Now is to observe the growth rate.

[LittleBurger]

Btw, those using par bulbs might have difficulties screwing into the e27 or e14 holder.

U can go sim lim tower to buy those extension.

The short white pc is a e14 to e27 converter. it helps to lengthen the light socket So tat the bulb will be able to screw in, otherwise the umbrella heatsink might prevent the bulb from screwing into the socket base.

There's also a e27 to e27 flexible neck extension. but need to check if the flexible neck is strong to support the bulb.

[LittleBurger]

Was wondering y some sps are ejecting white strands when my water parameters seems OK.

The spider sponge didn't open and some parts of the sponge near the tip seems to be dying.

Later read tat leather coral ejects toxins tat will stun the growth of hard corals. Though there are mixed concerns abt leather coral toxin, decided to throw it away.

This morning the spider sponge polpys open. Not sure if it's coincidence But So far only read tat leather affects hard corals. It might worth a try if u have a leather n things in the tank dun look good.

[ibanez]

Bro any updates on your tank?

Coraline algae start spreading?

[Eric Ng]

thats sunburst anthias? nice!

[LittleBurger]

thats sunburst anthias? nice!

yep. Sunburst. The fish tat I failed to keep on my old tank. Maybe too much rock n not enough free space to swim around. This time round try to scape with more free space like the ocean.

[LittleBurger]

Got my yasha first from ah Beng. Few mths later got the shrimp from CF.

The goby already got its Den. Quite anxious if the goby will pair up with the shrimp. Let go of the shrimp near to the goby's den. Glad tat they form a pair within a day. U can see immediately the goby acted strange, somehow sensing its bunk mate had arrived.

Planted a bodhdi tree next to their lair. Hopefully the tree can survive....

[LittleBurger]

Bro any updates on your tank?

Coraline algae start spreading?

Hi bro. I would say they are booming n some start to "plate" . But somehow my previous tries of sps were not successful.

I tested my water for the few important parameters n no3 is the only less than perfect... hovering at 12ppm using redsea test kit, salifert is 0ppm.

I like anthias so i need to feed often but it will increase the bioload. But well, if a tank don't have much inhabitants which try to mimic as close as possible a coral reef, I guess my enthusiasm for this hobby will die n probably decomm in future. Of cos I can't add any inhabitants tat are deem not reef safe.

The recent discovery of toxin from leather coral which kills off another species to be added is sad, though adding carbon would help but I don't want to take the risk.

So I stopped buying sps and did some simple modifications to my filtration or nutrient expo by growin more cheato in the sump N flow to sump. Never tried ats as not enough space in the sump, salt creep n wanted as little maintenance as possible.

I continue to feed regularly and tested my water for a few mths till i get a constant 0ppm for no3 & po4.

Just bought a few frags n now testing water again....

[ibanez]

Hi bro. I would say they are booming n some start to "plate" . But somehow my previous tries of sps were not successful. I tested my water for the few important parameters n no3 is the only less than perfect... hovering at 12ppm using redsea test kit, salifert is 0ppm. I like anthias so i need to feed often but it will increase the bioload. But well, if a tank don't have much inhabitants which try to mimic as close as possible a coral reef, I guess my enthusiasm for this hobby will die n probably decomm in future. Of cos I can't add any inhabitants tat are deem not reef safe. The recent discovery of toxin from leather coral which kills off another species to be added is sad, though adding carbon would help but I don't want to take the risk. So I stopped buying sps and did some simple modifications to my filtration or nutrient expo by growin more cheato in the sump N flow to sump. Never tried ats as not enough space in the sump, salt creep n wanted as little maintenance as possible. I continue to feed regularly and tested my water for a few mths till i get a constant 0ppm for no3 & po4. Just bought a few frags n now testing water again....

Bro,

My enthusiasm for this hobby has been up and down since I started my first marine tank 16 years ago. I have had tank crash. . unsuccessful attempts with certain corals and fishes etc. . change 6-8 tanks over the duration. . but eventually I still come back to the hobby.

I think the most impt thing is to have the patience and friendships with other fellow reefers. It is boring to go to the farm alone to handpick corals or do everything urself. . but it changes when you "chiong" together with other reefers.

Let me know if it's convenient to pop by your place, I would like to see your set-up. Always like rimless and cube tanks.

[LittleBurger]

Bro,

My enthusiasm for this hobby has been up and down since I started my first marine tank 16 years ago. I have had tank crash. . unsuccessful attempts with certain corals and fishes etc. . change 6-8 tanks over the duration. . but eventually I still come back to the hobby.

I think the most impt thing is to have the patience and friendships with other fellow reefers. It is boring to go to the farm alone to handpick corals or do everything urself. . but it changes when you "chiong" together with other reefers.

Let me know if it's convenient to pop by your place, I would like to see your set-up. Always like rimless and cube tanks.

wah. Change So many tanks. Rich man. So change tank everytime it crashed?

It's demoralizing when stuff u put in die. But at the same time, it will make u ponder on the failure and read up on the species n try again. I find tat humans r a funny species. If a gal too easy to get, u dun appreciate, if gal hard to get, then will appreciate.

It is good to have friends in the hobby to maintain the interest N exchange views. But I think family appreciation is the most crucial form of support.

I believe to sustain the interest, one must cultivate the inhabitants like its child. Like wat u mention patience. U watch it grow. But if one only likes the mental process of buying stuffs which is the main motivating factor for the hobby, then it is not sustaining.

If u staying in the west, we can go coral farm n lck together.

Pls pm me your contact. Thks!

[reaper78]

Hi bro. I would say they are booming n some start to "plate" . But somehow my previous tries of sps were not successful.

I tested my water for the few important parameters n no3 is the only less than perfect... hovering at 12ppm using redsea test kit, salifert is 0ppm.

I like anthias so i need to feed often but it will increase the bioload. But well, if a tank don't have much inhabitants which try to mimic as close as possible a coral reef, I guess my enthusiasm for this hobby will die n probably decomm in future. Of cos I can't add any inhabitants tat are deem not reef safe.

The recent discovery of toxin from leather coral which kills off another species to be added is sad, though adding carbon would help but I don't want to take the risk.

So I stopped buying sps and did some simple modifications to my filtration or nutrient expo by growin more cheato in the sump N flow to sump. Never tried ats as not enough space in the sump, salt creep n wanted as little maintenance as possible.

I continue to feed regularly and tested my water for a few mths till i get a constant 0ppm for no3 & po4.

Just bought a few frags n now testing water again....

Don't give up! Not yet! .... Preserve n I sure ur patience will pay off!

[LittleBurger]

On refugium lighting

The par38 bulbs bought from sim lim tower cannot be turned on for more than 10hrs. So far all blown due to heat.

Had tried UP aqua Z led all white fixture for refugium growing cheato. Strange is always grown cyano.

Passed my aqua Z to my brother planted tank and bought the odyssey 18w, 2blue 4 white clip on led.

And never grow cyano.

On 2 part additives

Using ESV and the ratio is 35ml Ca to 50ml Kh. Had bought some food grade kh powder from Madpetz and dissolving 120grams of kh powder into 4kg of ESV kh. Hope I can equal the kh & ca dosing amount.

If succeed, will try to do the same for Ca. Hoping tat it will prolong the 2 part usage, reduce frequency of buying 2 part and yet have the vital minerals added to the tank.

On nutrient exportation

Estimated water volume of 150gals, 9 anthias, a algae blenny, starry blenny, possum wrasse, leopard wrasse, orange fire fish, 2xroyal gamma, 2 xclownfishes, 2xjapanese angelfish.

Phosphate removal is unachievable with biopellets and cheato combo. Phosphate stable between 0.08 and next higher range.

So question is should I double the biopellets volume( right now using FR35 full capacity ) to see if phosphate will go down or using po4 media.

Quite disheartened with biopellets so Tried rowa 200ml but po4 dun budge. Tried 800ml then po4 dropped

Between 0.03 and higher range.

Immediately can see positive response from my remaining few surviving sps.

[james72]

Biopellets removed nitrate more than phosphate if I not wrong. I observed algae actually growing inside my biopellets reactor when exposed to indirect sunlight and concluded that if its effectively removing po4, then there shouldnt be any algae inside the biopellet reactor at all. In fact i feel its a controlled carbon compound dosing, something similar to volka or sugar dosing, purpose is for the bacteria to multiply and consume the nutrients in tank before process by the Skimmer.

For po4 removal, I find rowaphos in a FR the most effective. There was once I used too much rowaphos and it completely wipe out all my hair algae within 24hrs, amazing stuff. But end of day, identify and eliminating the po4 root cause should be the ultimate goal. Main contributor from my experience are always fish food(esp frozen),fish poops, nsw and using tapwater without DI/RO.

[LittleBurger]

Biopellets removed nitrate more than phosphate if I not wrong. I observed algae actually growing inside my biopellets reactor when exposed to indirect sunlight and concluded that if its effectively removing po4, then there shouldnt be any algae inside the biopellet reactor at all. In fact i feel its a controlled carbon compound dosing, something similar to volka or sugar dosing, purpose is for the bacteria to multiply and consume the nutrients in tank before process by the Skimmer. For po4 removal, I find rowaphos in a FR the most effective. There was once I used too much rowaphos and it completely wipe out all my hair algae within 24hrs, amazing stuff. But end of day, identify and eliminating the po4 root cause should be the ultimate goal. Main contributor from my experience are always fish food(esp frozen),fish poops, nsw and using tapwater without DI/RO.

ya. Biopellets is good for producing bacteria for filter feeders. Can't understand is dosing vodka can get po4 to zero. I can only guess if using biopellets, then one cannot use other nitrate removal so as to have nitrate present to facilitate the biopellets to do its job. Normally nitrate removal medium is carbon n carbon makes yr water sparkle. The dilemma.... Gonna give last shot on biopellets. Doubling the quantity n without other chemical filtration.

[LittleBurger]

After doubling biopellets quantity po4 measurement got no diff but more cyano appears.

The red sea reading stays the same color with 800ml of rowa and 1000g of biopellets. The left is the color of the test n for the right, the color disc has been adjusted to 0ppm.

Decide to test this product. Most likely is lanthamun chloride.

Will need go observe how the livestock react to this.

[Kakani]

Experience thus before. Shut down your bio pellet and dose more good bacteria. Bio pellet can be food source not only for good bacteria. Bad bacteria also will...