Thread with links to SPS care

[fishdoc11]

As promised I am posting a few threads and websites that have good info on goings on in the "SPS world".
Some are long and some are fairly short. I will likely post a few at a time as I come upon them again.

Unexplained massive RTN:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...5&pagenumber=1

Parasites:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...picture+thread

Good 250 SE lighting info (and an amazing tank). Click on 250 watt MH testing:
http://www.cnidarianreef.com/

Just an amazing tank:
http://www.oregonreef.com/sub_gallery.htm

Water quality:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=387360

Lighting:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=380913

Water movement:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=403161


There's a few to get started

Chris

[crumbletop]

Thanks, Chris. Those are some good links!

That unexplained thread is scary.

[c_stowers]

Great links! We will have to keep this one close to the top so everyone can reference it.

[gflat65]

Ahhh. A peripheral position. Club Bumper.

[crumbletop]

Got it stickied

[DMBillies]

Chris,
The talk was great and these links are going to really help me out. It's tough to sift through all of the threads to find the good stuff.

Brian

[fishdoc11]

Just to scare those that don't dip their corals:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...readid=1091908
hobogato's AEFW treatment:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...t&pagenumber=1
The good old standard red bug treatment:
http://www.reefs.org/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?p=439155

Another AEFW thread:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...hreadid=756327
FWIW there are many AEFW threads and some of them get quite heated as people have very different opinions about treatments. Unfortunately it seems at this point there is no proven, safe cure but several methods seem to have worked to varying degrees for different people. I will try to post some more when I can but it takes time wading through them.

Chris

[fishdoc11]

Another amazing tank:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...5&pagenumber=1

[crumbletop]

Great links, Chris. Keep 'em comin!

[fishdoc11]

A thread on cryptic zone filtration....the method Steve Tyree uses:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...5&pagenumber=1
Another good AEFW thread:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...ht=AEFW+images

[fishdoc11]

My own experience with AEFW treatment....a work in progress:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...readid=1157209
Chris

[fishdoc11]

Here is an interesting thread with some good info on various tanks:http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh...=&pagenumber=1

IMO when considering a tank (or tweaking an existing one) it's a good idea to look at as many other tanks as you can to see what works for different people. I've allways thought this was a good place to browse as well:
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/su...php?s=&menu=15

Chris

[crumbletop]

Fishdoc's slides from the meeting at the Aquatic Critter are finally up on the MTRC website. We crunched them as much as we could and got the file down to 1.2 MB (down from 10 MB). So be aware that the file may take a little while to download based on the type of connection you are using.

Thanks again, Chris!

http://www.mtrc.org/downloads/Care_of_SPS_corals.pdf

[fishdoc11]

Let's talk about Alkalinity, Calcium and Magnesium in an SPS Tank

[zef004]

I thought that sonny (sunnyX) did a good job on breaking vodka/mb7 doseing.
Also added his website.
http://www.rimlessreef.com/1/post/20...ka-a-shot.html

So, I am sure by now many of you have heard of people dosing vodka and bacteria into their systems. You first thought may have been "what" or "why", but I am here to help explain the reasons behind why those of us who do dose vodka do so.

Let me start by saying I am not an expert on the subject. I am not a scientist and cannot get into the intricate details of how and why the dosing of vodka works. I can however tell you what has worked for me and give you a general idea of how vodka dosing aids ones system. Please keep in mind that this dosing system is not without risks. You can wipe out your system if the proper procedures are not followed.

Before reading what I have to say below be sure to check out the links below:

(This will give you a general idea on how much vodka to dose)
Vodka Dosing by 'Genetics' and 'Stony_Corals' - Reefkeeping.com

(This is a simple overview of the vodka dosing trend in this hobby)
Gimme a Vodka, on the Live Rocks, with a Splash of Heavy Skimming. (03/30/10) / Feature Articles - Quality Marine


Basically, the ethanol in vodka feeds bacteria in your aquarium which in turn multiply. When the bacteria multiplies it consumes N03 and P04. The bacteria, along with the nutrients it has consumed is then exported by a large protein skimmer. The bacteria, in this case MB7, is added in order to keep the bacteria diversified and help stave off red slime. You can dose vodka alone but I wouldn't recommend it.

When I first setup my current tank I had been adding Microbacter7 from Brightwell aquatics. While this help the tank I wasn't all that impressed. It wasn't until I started dosing vodka that things really took off. Within a month of dosing vodka I no longer had to use GFO. Within 3 months I actually had to add Amino Acids and feed the tank more as it had become "too clean". The corals had lightened up and actually stopped growing. After cutting back a bit on the vodka dosage and adding more food the corals once again took off.


Please note that you MUST have a sufficient sized skimmer and proper aeration to employ this dosing system. Reefers have crashed their setups by not running a skimmer or having proper flow/aeration.

Here are some things I have observed when dosing MB7/vodka:

PROS
-My skimmer is pulling out more gunk then ever
-My water is even clearer now
-Polyp extension in corals has greatly increased
-Coral growth has exploded. Within two weeks of dosing I have counted 36 new, small coral heads coming out of my large mille.
-The sand bed is whiter.
-Glass and overflow box stay cleaner longer.
-Coraline algae has begun to show up on pumps and over flow.

CONS
-Some corals have lightened up even more.
-Red slime is appearing in spot it hasn't before.
-Bacteria is making my sand bed clumpy, so I have to gravel vac it twice a month.


Is vodka dosing for everyone? No. But for these of you willing to take the time to understand and implement this system it can change the way you go about reef keeping. The system is simple and cost effective, allowing you to achive near ocean like water quality without the use of expensive GFO or refugiums.

If you decide to dose MB7/Vodka here are some helpful tips:


MB7 (Bottle Instructions.)
+
Vodka (or carbon) Dosing - Vodka Dosing by 'Genetics' and 'Stony_Corals' - Reefkeeping.com
=========================
Probiotic Reef Keeping.

Time to dose = during lights on seems best. MB7 into the display. Vodka into the sump.

Rules
1) Need a good skimmer

Noticed in Water testing
1) high nitrates = increase vodka as per instructions.
2) no Nitrate/Po4 change in LONG time = try another carbon source like vinegar, sugar, biofuel...
3) low nitrates = maintain till 0 then reduce to maintenance levels of vodka
4) Increase in Alk = stop dosing Cal / alk, test water change h20 for alk level. Decrease with large water changes and/or chemicals if it gets bad. Corals may stop taking Cal/ALK while getting used to Probiotic system & increased light.
4) new tank/build = follow instructions, stay close to the low side of dosing.
5) Phosphate being high = a round of GFO

Noticed in Algae/Bacteria Reaction
1) Bacterial Blooms (slimy white strings) = too much bacteria, decrease vodka dosing.
2) algae on glass after increase of MB7 = reduce MB7 :P
3) brown dusting or brown hair like stuff = decrease MB7 (also check http://www.rimlessreef.com/1/post/20...eament-of.html )
4) cyano = increase MB7 and/or lower/stop vodka dose. After the cyano has gone away restart the vodka from the initial or maintenence dose. If it's really bad consider a "lights out" period. If really really bad consider "Red Slime Remover."
5) peach fuzz = stop or decrease (especially vodka) dosing for a while (about a week or till the fuzz dies off) then start back up with the maintenance dose. OR This may also just go away in time.
6) glass and sand getting dirtier = dose more/feed less

Noticed in Live Stock Reaction
1) Corals losing color = more feeding, possibly Amino Acids, lower photo period an hour for a while.
2) Corals Burnt Tips = check alkalinity..get it to 7-8 dKH by stop dosing alk...maybe stop dosing EVERYTHING if it gets bad.
3) Monti caps bleaching = Cut the vodka dosage in half and stay there until the cap starts to color up and/or lower the lighting photoperiod for a bit or have a light "day off."
4) Everything dies = Blame the wife, kids, or something other than your own possible mistakes )

Other
1) substrate hardening = keep it broken up and siphoned with water changes. Maintain a good high PH of 8.1 - 8.3


This is just a basic observation on carbon dosing. Please feel free to add any information/experiences you have had with this dosing method. Please also keep in mind that this method is not a miracle cure or anything of the sort. You will still need proper husbandry, lighting, and flow in order to be successful.

-Sonny

[fishdoc11]

Good fairly recent thread on SPS pests:

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/sh....php?t=1730682

Chris

[fishdoc11]

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1395716859.897233.jpg

a little better pic of the progress so far