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03/24/2015, 07:30 PM
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#1 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 2
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Michael's Mixed Reef 3x2x2
Introduction:
System Objectives: I have just moved to a smaller place, so I had to downgrade from a 4x2x2 to a 3x2x2 and start all over again. I’m looking forward to this because my last tank was running for a long time. Although it looked good there were always things I wish I had or hadn’t done… I'm renting and will likely move in the next 6-18 months, so my aim is to keep what I have happy, add a few corals and fish if they catch my eye and experiment with supplements before I start a long term tank in a couple of years. This setup will be cheap (second hand tank, cheap equipment [or existing equipment]). System Type: Mixed Reef Display System: Strike up Date: Started cycle 08-Dec-2014 Display Tank: 3x2x2 Display Lighting: 2x EcoTech Radion Pro Stand and hood: Pine Sump: 2 chambers Support systems: System Water: Red Sea salt Display Water circulation: 1x EcoTech MP60 w Battery Backup Return Pump: Tunze Silence 1073.040 Skimmer: AquaMedic TF 1000 Evaporation Top Up: Tunze Osmolator nano Chemical Support: Dosing pump:GHL 4x Calcium Addition: Seachem Reef Advantage Ca with Sr and Mg Alkalinity Addition: Soda Ash Extras: Seachem Iodide, Vinegar GFO/GAC: RowaPhos (TLF 150 reactor), TLF Hydrocarbon (bag) Current Water Chemistry: 23-Mar-2015 Nitrates: 2 ppm Phosphates: 0.04 ppm Alkalinity: 7.7 dKH Calcium: 450 ppm Specific Gravity: 1.026 Magnesuim: 1290 ppm Livestock: 1x Yellow surgeonfish - Zebrasoma flavescens (been with me for ~10 years) 2x Clowns - Amphiprion percula (happy couple, also been with me for ~10 years) 1x Mandarin - Synchiropus splendidus (female, eats frozen food 2x daily) 1x Coral Beauty - Centropyge bispinosus 1x Green coral goby - Gobiodon atrangulatus ?x Turbo snails 1x Strombus snail Last edited by michaela; 03/24/2015 at 07:47 PM. |
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03/24/2015, 07:31 PM
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#2 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 2
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Filling the tank
 Under the hood (excuse the rubble)  Tank was cycled and the fish + anemone went in on 18-Jan-2015  Added some corals and a clam from my old tank on 8-Feb-2015     Full tank shot 23-Mar-2015  It's now time to get the phosphate and nitrate lower and stable I have noticed my sps frags are encrusting so I'm ready to add my first test Acropora colony as soon as I have time. |
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03/24/2015, 07:32 PM
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#3 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 2
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Some before pics (3 years ago) of the Euphyllia and T. squamosa
 
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03/25/2015, 02:49 AM
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#4 |
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Registered Member
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posts: 2
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Carbon dosing
Previously I have used Seachem Matrix (~8 L) to keep low nitrate levels.
I think it works well, although I only had 4 fish in my 4x2x2. This time I want a pretty decent amount of fish so I'll be trying vinegar to keep nitrate low. The story so far... starting NO3− 10 ppm post cycle levels (20% water change each 2 weeks) 4-Feb-15 - started with 5 ml daily (NO3− 5 ppm) 9-Feb-15 - increased to 10 ml daily (NO3− 5 ppm) 15-Feb-15 - increased to 15 ml daily (NO3− 5 ppm) 19-Feb-15 - increased to 20 ml daily (NO3− 2 ppm) 3-Mar-15 - increased to 35 ml daily (NO3− 0 ppm) 7-Mar-15 - kept at 35 ml daily (NO3− 0 ppm) 23-Mar-15 - reduced to 28 ml daily (NO3− 0 ppm, I noticed my water was a bit cloudy) 25-Mar-15 - kept at 28 ml daily(NO3− 0 ppm, water is much clearer at this volume of vinegar) There's a good chance that some of this decrease is from natural cycling and water changes. I still have ~4 L of Seachem Matrix in this tank so there is the opportunity for anaerobic bacteria to reduce the nitrate levels. The goal is to keep the nitrate this low and add more fish. |
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