Randy’s Flock o' Reef Tanks
- Thread starter RandyC
- Start date
Coral reefer
Past President
More than 3 full?
Feels like I'm spinning it forever lol
RandyC
Supporting Member
Hah....seemed like a lot too when I first took it off.
RandyC
Supporting Member
150 Gallon Tank
Water parameters as of tonight
Alk: 7.2
Ca: 415
Mg: 1275
Nitrate: 3.1
Phosphate: 0.7
This is more inline where I normally run.
The extra feeding and dosing of Sodium Nitrate has brought my nitrate level up to my normal range. I'm guessing the extra dosing of NaNO3 is probably what caused my bacterial bloom in the first place.
Magnesium dropped a 100ppm most likely from binding with the new aragonite sand. So I will need to be dose a bit to get back up to around 1350ppm.
On a good note, looks like the cloudiness from the bacterial bloom is clearing up a bit as I can at least see the other end of the tank now.
Water parameters as of tonight
Alk: 7.2
Ca: 415
Mg: 1275
Nitrate: 3.1
Phosphate: 0.7
This is more inline where I normally run.
The extra feeding and dosing of Sodium Nitrate has brought my nitrate level up to my normal range. I'm guessing the extra dosing of NaNO3 is probably what caused my bacterial bloom in the first place.
Magnesium dropped a 100ppm most likely from binding with the new aragonite sand. So I will need to be dose a bit to get back up to around 1350ppm.
On a good note, looks like the cloudiness from the bacterial bloom is clearing up a bit as I can at least see the other end of the tank now.
PjFish
Supporting Member
What UV panel is that? Mind sharing a link…Im trying out a 12x12 similar looking panel off amazon and getting okay results..I do like the panels since you can can super close to help eliminate light bleed.. Normally just been using a 360we with great results but the light spread was causing film algae all over the sump unless I black out the walls..150 Gallon Tank
I love it when things do what they're supposed to do.
Chaeto photosynthesizing and gettin' rid of that CO2 and making some O2. So many bubbles!
Thanks
RandyC
Supporting Member
I use this in all my systems for the fuge. Works great and is dimmable so you can adjust to your needs.
RandyC
Supporting Member
150 Gallon Tank (Day 47)
Bacterial bloom is finally really starting to clean itself up. Can't wait until it's crystal clear again. So far uglies have been limited to diatoms for a few days and a bacterial bloom for 3-4 days (so far). Let's take guesses as to what's next.
I knew these things were good, but I didn't think they would work this quick, but the Bubble King skimmer after two days of putting it in is pulling some nice gunk out already. I did need to lower the return baffle to put the skimmer in 8.25" of water.
Added "blinders" to the fuge light panel so skimmer and other sump chamber is limited to light exposure. Cheap acrylic scraps from Tap Plastics and command strips work wonders!
Acro frags I put in 10 days ago (4/26/25) are still alive.
Today (5/6/2025)
4/26/25
Bacterial bloom is finally really starting to clean itself up. Can't wait until it's crystal clear again. So far uglies have been limited to diatoms for a few days and a bacterial bloom for 3-4 days (so far). Let's take guesses as to what's next.
I knew these things were good, but I didn't think they would work this quick, but the Bubble King skimmer after two days of putting it in is pulling some nice gunk out already. I did need to lower the return baffle to put the skimmer in 8.25" of water.
Added "blinders" to the fuge light panel so skimmer and other sump chamber is limited to light exposure. Cheap acrylic scraps from Tap Plastics and command strips work wonders!
Acro frags I put in 10 days ago (4/26/25) are still alive.
Today (5/6/2025)
4/26/25
Last edited:
RandyC
Supporting Member
150 Gallon Tank (Day 49)
Since this tank is in the garage, I gotta make sure the tank is ready for the hot weather to come. I used to be able to cool the 6x3x1' frag tank in the garage with just a bunch of 5V fans, so I'm hoping the same is true for this tank.
I had a few 5V USB fans laying around the garage that I wanted to repurpose and didn't want to waste a whole 120V outlet, so I wired them to the Apex EB832 24V accessory port via a 24V USB hub I found on Amazon.
Made a wire with a 2-pin Molex Micro-fit 3.0 connector to BNC connector.
Clipped off the connector the USB hub came and replaced it with a BNC connector. I should probably buy some waterproof connectors, but this is what I had on hand.
I added two fans to the light rail.
I also placed this 120mm 5V fan temporarily in the sump until I get around to making a sump lid and placing it in lid. Got lucky a a couple of pre-existing screw holes lined up perfectly with the fan holes.
Hopefully this will be enough. Fans are set to turn on when Apex detects a temp of 79.5F and turn off if it can pull the temp down to 79F.
Since this tank is in the garage, I gotta make sure the tank is ready for the hot weather to come. I used to be able to cool the 6x3x1' frag tank in the garage with just a bunch of 5V fans, so I'm hoping the same is true for this tank.
I had a few 5V USB fans laying around the garage that I wanted to repurpose and didn't want to waste a whole 120V outlet, so I wired them to the Apex EB832 24V accessory port via a 24V USB hub I found on Amazon.
Made a wire with a 2-pin Molex Micro-fit 3.0 connector to BNC connector.
Clipped off the connector the USB hub came and replaced it with a BNC connector. I should probably buy some waterproof connectors, but this is what I had on hand.
I added two fans to the light rail.
I also placed this 120mm 5V fan temporarily in the sump until I get around to making a sump lid and placing it in lid. Got lucky a a couple of pre-existing screw holes lined up perfectly with the fan holes.
Hopefully this will be enough. Fans are set to turn on when Apex detects a temp of 79.5F and turn off if it can pull the temp down to 79F.
Last edited:
RandyC
Supporting Member
That noctua fan must increase your FPS by 20.
Fish swim faster and look more lifelike.
RandyC
Supporting Member
Frag Tank
Latest update on the Indo mariculture piece I picked up from Clearwater around 2 months ago.
A pic without all the fuzz. Shows the actual color of the tissue. Colored up nicely so far.
What it looked like when I first got it March 3.
Last edited:
RandyC
Supporting Member
150 Gallon Tank (Day 54)
Found a deal on two XR30 G4 Pros and my sense of balance is back now that the two XR15 are gone. Now all I need to do is find someone that has two diffuser kits laying around.
Before
Now
Uglies still remain at bay. Haven't seen anything new crop up yet. Rocks and sand still look fairly free of the uglies. Actually a little surprised I don't see any GHA yet.
Skimmer is working like a champ and is skimming pretty dark now.
Acros look to be doing okay. I'm actually starting to see some growth on the RR Rainbow Splice (lower left). It looks like some encrusting has started.
April 26, 2025
May 13, 2025
Tank Params
Alk: 7.3
Ca: 420
Mg: 1350
Nitrate: 5.4
Phosphate: 0.1
Currently dosing 30ml per day of my DIY Sodium Nitrate solution (1ml raises 0.8ppm nitrate for every 5 gallons). Also, my phosphates were going low, so I threw in a few spoons of Reef Chili into the auto feeder.
Cheato has been growing fast, so I started dosing ChaetoGro like I do in my other tanks. Ballpark is around 20-25 ml a week. I'll eventually hook up a doser so I don't have to manually do it.
April 20, 2025
May 13, 2025
Found a deal on two XR30 G4 Pros and my sense of balance is back now that the two XR15 are gone. Now all I need to do is find someone that has two diffuser kits laying around.
Before
Now
Uglies still remain at bay. Haven't seen anything new crop up yet. Rocks and sand still look fairly free of the uglies. Actually a little surprised I don't see any GHA yet.
Skimmer is working like a champ and is skimming pretty dark now.
Acros look to be doing okay. I'm actually starting to see some growth on the RR Rainbow Splice (lower left). It looks like some encrusting has started.
April 26, 2025
May 13, 2025
Tank Params
Alk: 7.3
Ca: 420
Mg: 1350
Nitrate: 5.4
Phosphate: 0.1
Currently dosing 30ml per day of my DIY Sodium Nitrate solution (1ml raises 0.8ppm nitrate for every 5 gallons). Also, my phosphates were going low, so I threw in a few spoons of Reef Chili into the auto feeder.
Cheato has been growing fast, so I started dosing ChaetoGro like I do in my other tanks. Ballpark is around 20-25 ml a week. I'll eventually hook up a doser so I don't have to manually do it.
April 20, 2025
May 13, 2025
Last edited: