My Slice of Nature (Part 3)

[SubzeroLT]

On 01/09/2018 at 11:37 PM, weizhi10 said:

Can i check where did u buy the selcon? And how much is it?
 

I think a bottle is around $32 or around there. Bought some time ago and it lasts a very long time.

Madpetz & ReefmarketSG carries it. Probably available at other LFS too.

[SubzeroLT]

Finally got down to update the Alkatronic firmware (4.0.2) & calibrated the 3 pumps.

 

Took out the ATS (that was straddling over the bio media section). Don't really need it at the moment.

Can finally gain access to the bio media for rinsing & top up.

 

Feeding the rock flower anemone

 

Fed

 

Blue ricordea. Willing for trade for patterns/colors which I don't have.

 

 

 

 

[Jack 123456]

Hows the AT?

[SubzeroLT]

17 minutes ago, Jack 123456 said:

Hows the AT?

Gets bullied a little by the yellow tangs but generally doing OK. Just took this vid

 

[HappyReef]

Looking good bro. 

[SubzeroLT]

On 10/09/2018 at 1:07 PM, HappyReef said:

Looking good bro. 

Thanks

 

The new Alkatronic firmware update is good. Its now able to access the unit's setting via the cloud (instead of solely using mobile phone app).

 

It also has "fast mode' which uses a different algorithm to dose KH when it low. Fast mode is to be used for heavily stocked SPS tank.

 

Algorithm info :

Normal Mode (=Fast Mode Disabled):
• If the difference of dKH and low reference value > 0.14, then the half dose of lacking alkalinity is dosed.
• If the difference of dKH and low reference value <= 0.14, then the whole dose of lacking alkalinity is dosed.
• If the difference of dKH and low reference value >= 0.6, then Alkatronic will never dose more than 0.35 dKH at same time.

Fast Mode:
• In ”Fast Mode” it will always dose the whole amount of lacking alkalinity.
• If the difference of dKH and low reference value >= 0.6, then Alkatronic will never dose more than 0.7dKH at same time.

 

[SubzeroLT]

Got my ICP test results back.

Firstly, Aluminum has dropped 85% since the last test done in Feb. Possibly contributed by the Continuum Heavy Metal resin? And more probably because I took out as many metal clips (RODI fittings) that were in the system. Its still out of specs but i don't think its an issue.

 

Surprised to see low levels of Lithium, Molybdenum, Strontium & Boron even though I've been doing ~12% water change weekly + dosing 10ml Red Sea elements (ABCD) daily. 

 

Switched to Nyos elements.

https://reefmarketsg.com.sg/product/nyos-active-elements-250ml/

https://reefmarketsg.com.sg/product/nyos-active-strontium-250ml/

https://reefmarketsg.com.sg/product/nyos-active-iodine-250ml/

 

Can see a significant change in KH take up rate the next day  -> possibly the deficiency is finally addressed & corals are 'growing' better now. Time to re-tune the CR. Some corals seem to have brightened up.

 

 

 

 

[SubzeroLT]

Frag & re locate. This (stag?) is shadowing  too many corals.

 

Arrgh... anemone split & moved to an 'illegal' spot

 

 

 

 

[Jeebusai]

5 hours ago, SubzeroLT said:

Frag & re locate. This (stag?) is shadowing  too many corals.

 

Arrgh... anemone split & moved to an 'illegal' spot

 

 

 

 

The stag damn huge! First time see such a big colony in a hobbyist tank! 

[SubzeroLT]

3 hours ago, Jeebusai said:

The stag damn huge! First time see such a big colony in a hobbyist tank! 

Actually there are many reefers who have much larger & impressively nice stag colonies.  

Some even need 2 hands to hold it

 

[subxero]

When will you be fragging? Lol...


Sent from Singapore Reef Club mobile app

[SubzeroLT]

Must remember to open new bottle of kalkwasser carefully. Crazy mess

 

This dose of kalk paste should kill the aiptasia.

 

 

The magnetic probe holder is quite handy for letting new max mini anemones rest & adhere onto a rock.

[SubzeroLT]

On 17/09/2018 at 8:30 AM, subxero said:

When will you be fragging? Lol...
 

Plan to pass some back to the reefer who gave me this stag frag when I first started this tank. 

[josephwzr]

That stag looks like a tree! Lol


Sent from Singapore Reef Club mobile app

[SubzeroLT]

Quite pleased with the results from the Nyos active elements. It looks like it really addressed the some element deficiencies.  I had some casualties previously, especially those that are shaded. Seems to be stopping.

Seems to look better 1.5 weeks later. Need to continue monitoring.

 

Cost comparison :

For Red Sea elements ABCD, (10ml of each of the 4 bottles per day),  total dosing cost ~ $11 per week.

For Nyos active elements (5ml of each of the 3 bottles on alternate days ~ 20ml/wk), total dosing cost works out to ~ $5.60 per week

 

The bottom half of this red stag was bone white & no PE on the white parts - from being shaded previously. The green appeared which subsequently started to change change to red.

 

Better PE from this recovering monti

 

This one too. Hosting for a reefer.

 

Capitata. From a reefer

[Harlequinmania]

I had the same red stag as you.. don't know why it became green under strong lighting

Sent from Singapore Reef Club mobile app

[SubzeroLT]

3 hours ago, he said:

I had the same red stag as you.. don't know why it became green under strong lighting

Sent from Singapore Reef Club mobile app
 

If i'm not wrong, corals turning green either mean too little light or excessive iron. Sent your water for ICP testing?

 

 

[Nick Liu]

Always would need a towel when looking at your thread. To wipe my drool

Hahaa

Hope i can keep more sps soon
Can you share whats e dosage like for ur kh mg cal ?


Sent from Singapore Reef Club mobile app

[SubzeroLT]

30 minutes ago, Nick Liu said:

Always would need a towel when looking at your thread. To wipe my drool

Hahaa

Hope i can keep more sps soon
Can you share whats e dosage like for ur kh mg cal ?


Sent from Singapore Reef Club mobile app

I'm using a calcium reactor running around 20hrs per day.

 

Based on rough calculations, the Ca & KH contribution by the calcium reactor is as shown below.

I don't have the number for Mg.

 

[Nick Liu]

Oh then what abt the nyos active elements?

Sent from Singapore Reef Club mobile app

[SubzeroLT]

8 hours ago, Nick Liu said:

Oh then what abt the nyos active elements?

Sent from Singapore Reef Club mobile app
 

I'm dosing 20ml per week with Nyos active elements. Approx 5ml on alternate days.

[SubzeroLT]

Needed more flow on the right side of the tank with the corals growing over the months & blocking flow initiating from the left wavemakers. 

 

Trying the AI Nero 5. It does live up to the hype seen in the recent online videos. Physical installation + app setup took 5min.  

 

 

There are 2 magnets. The curved one inside the tank.

 

The curved profile allows the wavemaker to be angled a little

 

Magnet - the one with AI logo outside the tank facing outwards.

 

Same app as the Hydra lights.

 

Super easy to use app

[SubzeroLT]

Comes with a clip holder

 

This is the curved surface.

 

Particularly like the Pulse mode so that the corals are not battered with a constant flow.

 

 

 

Didn't realize it until I was just setting it up - just how easy it'll be to remove the pump in future for cleaning. The wet side can easily be removed, leaving the magnets in place

 

Nicely designed for maintenance.

 

 

 

 

[Jeebusai]

Nice review. Already set on getting this when I first read about it. Lol. It gives the MP10 a run for the $. Cheaper and yet double the flow. Not to mention Reeflink is needed for phone control. This comes with integrated WiFi control and no more rabbit ears like the Mp. 

[SubzeroLT]

23 minutes ago, Jeebusai said:

Nice review. Already set on getting this when I first read about it. Lol. It gives the MP10 a run for the $. Cheaper and yet double the flow. Not to mention Reeflink is needed for phone control. This comes with integrated WiFi control and no more rabbit ears like the Mp. 

Ha... well said.  The reliability of the local/cloud connection is very good, just like for their Hydra lights.

 

With 1 button on the Nero control, the essential controls are :

• Feed mode. Press 2-5 sec
• Off. Press 6+ sec