My Salty Oasis

[Otaku Reefer]

Maintenance day today, done some water test,

Alk=7.5
phosphate= 0.049ppm

only test these 2 as these two as my calcium and nitrate is relatively stable.

Some FTS as long time never update my tank.





Thanks for viewing! Happy reefing!


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[Mr. Tay]

14 minutes ago, Otaku Reefer said:

 

Here the photos, pardon the poor tank condition, i only got time to take care display haha...as u see currently QT corals, when i switch to QT fish will take out the corals and dose copper, den once finish, load carbon, water change and can QT invert/coral liao.





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Thanks for sharing  

[Otaku Reefer]

[Alfredphua]

Thanks for sharing


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[Otaku Reefer]

Yay! seems able to post back now

woah didnt realize my sea cucumber grow so big, maybe sell to seafood restaurant, confirm organic and aquacultured!




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[Otaku Reefer]

Time for an Otaku Review and Otaku Hack!

Been trying out the seneye reef for sometime. I think its not totally useful.
I mainly purchased for PAR purpose, have since reconfigured it to do the “monitoring” job which is supposedly advertised as its main purpose. tot can help do power outage notifications but

Pros:
1. Its ok for temperature and out of water alarm as its very quick to email u if both above issues is outta whack.

Cons:
2. Power outage notification is non existent. its only available if u buy the expensive SWS webserver. I used the BRS hack and got the PC stick but so far my test run showing no email notification when i disconnect power..

3. PH and ammonia monitoring is subscription based, means u need buy slide to be able to monitor, about $10 bucks for 30 days, being the cheapo reefer i am i refuse to pay for this lol.

Current solution is APEX and isocket both expensive solutions. Cannot be no solution right??? 21st century already and got Mr Google and being the Otaku as i am, i set out to find a solution for power outage notification for free!!

Step 1:
Download app call uptime robot, we will be making this app ping your router every 5mins, if ur router down (like in the event of power outage) it will auto send u email. Its totally Free! of cos if u feeling rich, u can subscribe to them, will ping every 1min!! Confirm monitor gao gao.

Step 2: Find ur router WAN IP, if duno ask Mr Google. WAN IP is like ur Public IP fyi.

Step3: key in ur WAN IP into the app. Voila! it works! Tested it and it works leh, maybe more reefers can try and see if works.

Disclaimer: Try at ur own risk. Just testing out and not sure long time performance, and also router outage does not equal power outage for reef tank, could be just router down. Do take note, nevertheless, i tink its quite useful.

Hope this helps! Happy Reefing!

Seneye screenshot



uptime Robot




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[Otaku Reefer]

Time for tank update.

My battery backup failed after 1 yr operation due to my mistake.

Was suppose connect all three, battery pwr supply, pump pwr supply and to wavemaker. Being the otaku i am, i skipped the instructions and went in with guns blazing haha, was thinking only battery charger is needed and connect to wavemaker, it makes sense to me, charge the battery and nero runs thru the battery.

This meant the battery was charging and discharging unnecessarily and shorten the lifetime drastically. Rookie mistake.

the correct operation should be battery charger connected, pump pwr connected and wavemaker connected as per pic below, so in this way, the pump runs on its own power supply and will only use the battery when outage that time...expensive mistake learned




Some macro pics to brighten up rainy day

Rainbow Monti


Not 100% sure think its symphillia wilsoni


Blasto


Think its scoly, but not sure as dun have signature donut shape


Mini RBTA which my 2 clowns guard furiously


utter chaos


somekinda of cloves


fascinating favia


sunflower


Bubble, looks like durian with the tentacles out



red and blue gonio


black elegance with greenish tips; like 滿天星


Jellybean (aka paddle pop chalice; my own naming lol its very adept i would say )


Thanks for reading and happy reefing!




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[Otaku Reefer]

Time for some update.

Measured nitrates and phosphate

Nitrates- ard 0.2ppm
Phosphate - 0 ppm

Phosphate hit rock bottom, not good for corals will monitor first as i have heavy bio load, ard 14 fishes for 4 foot tank. Hopefully its heavy in heavy out.




Now to explain my export system

ATS, Refugium and little bit GFO and 2 AI fuge as light source.

Some reefers might say its too much to spend on refugium light, but i followed the logical recommendation from BRS “ How to outcompete the display tank lights when your fuge light is fraction of the costs?” Makes sense actually need the correct spectrum and strong lights to make sure the algae grows in sump instead of display.

So far its managing my nutrient well without any carbon dosing. In fact i suck at carbon dosing as most corals react badly due to aggressive nutrient reduction.

ATS
Its taobao ATS but i since ditched the lights and convert to AI fuge light. Just worried for poor worksmanship resulting in short circuit risk. better safe than sorry. And the tabao lights the growth is cmi compared to AI fuge.

Running a bit yellowish, indication of 3 things, not enough flow, too high light and too low nutrient. My flow just upgraded so shld be enuff. Should be light too close. Running full red spectrum



Refugium
The red sea tank is good but 1 bone to pick is their sump really small. The refugium also very small surface area. What is lacking in surface area, i compensate with power running good lights. The lights must be strong as to penetrate the cheato as its suffers from serious self shading. i normally will make effort to spread out the cheato evenly to cover every inch so every portion is exposed to photosynthesis. Refugium growing cheato. No fanciful spinning cheato, as i cant get it to spin why some reefers get it to spin is not because it looks cool but to expose the cheato evenly to light. It also looks cool btw


GFO
I used to run without GFO and my phosphates hover around 0.1-0.2ppm range. Cant seem to get it to go below 0.1 range without GFO. i think its red field ratio and nitrates limitation. Will consider taking this offline as now phosphate very low.

Mineral Mud
I got run mineral mud or “miracle mud” in fuge, duno got Ho Siao ppl or not, but since alot pro ang moh reefers use, i gave it try. cant really comment on its effectiveness as i start from day 1. I also use this mud to create a deep sand bed for denitrifying bacteria. I purposely add bristle worms to it and alot micro fauna copepods and amphipods. DSB without microfauna got risk for release hydrogen sulphide when stirred.

Mechanical filtration
Running 2 filter cup for mech filtration. recently trying out my cheatofloss. Since cheato good at mech filtation and my tank alot light spill, why not?
So far its growing, additional space for cheato growth. Another cup still running filter floss balls from sera for additional water polishing.


Skimmer
I would consider this essential piece of equipment as most rubbish gets pull out before chance to foul water. Running red sea skimmer, so far pulling alot gunk but 1 thing i dont like is the skimmer cup is very tightly bound so must take out whole skimmer to clean...Not maintenance friendly. Looking to try the ATAS nyos quantum if got good deal next time.

Ok enuff for the blabbering. Some tank shots


Got this new leather. Hopefully the polyps grow longer like the weeping willow.


The info shared is just based on my experience and observation and lots of youtube video learning, i would say its not a definitive guide (as i may be wrong as well) and in reefing there are many ways to get things done. Just find a method suitable for you and enjoy the hobby!

Thanks for viewing and happy reefing!











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[Otaku Reefer]

Quick update. Been using arm and hammer baking soda for good few months for Alk dosing, can say with confidence it works just as well compared to other commercial products. This can easily get from supermarket.

i am using randy formula using baked baking soda. Old school. Also helps raise my pH. Good for cost down initiatives for this expensive hobby lol .

Interested peeps can check below link
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2006-02/rhf/index.php




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[Otaku Reefer]

Maintenance day, scrap the glass clean, clean wavemaker. Didnt change water though..lazy sunday 🤭

My most colorful corner, The Chapalang Garden Consist favia, monti, shrooms, cloves,cyphastra, chalice.



Side view



some lowlights, coral casualties. My fav orange chalice receded after i hand itchy move its position, move back original position hope it makes recovery.

infront is yellow spondages frag, drop into duncan coral and head become botak. hope it makes recovery.


my single head hammer, its a fighter, dont wan to die, been slow recede for many many months,more than 1 year i tink, not sure root cause, few suspects, my tank low nutrient, one side flow too strong, or my wrasse keep spraying sand onto it, sighz, at least my froggiespawn and torches no issue.



Thanks for viewing! happy reefing


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