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Bruce's (bbyatv) New 150


bbyatv

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I was just looking back through this thread and enjoying a trip down memory lane when I noticed a pic of the tank just after I broke it down in November 2013.  Boy what a difference 7 months make.

 

11/12/2013

gallery_965_1333_165106.jpg

 

06/23/2014

gallery_965_1453_200342.jpg

 

Bruce

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Wow that is growth! That is amazing! So since you have put together and taken down so many tanks, what do you think are the most important factors for your growth? Lighting, ALK, CAL, MAG?

 

What are your parameters?

 

Really....just amazing. 7.5 months and everything looks like it is 4 times its size.

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When I compared the pictures I was surprised.  You just don't notice the growth from day to day.

 

As far as what I feel is important, I have always gone with something I read in a book by Eric H Borneman. - Aquarium Corals Selection, Husbandry, and Natural History - And that is "Corals require an aquarium, seawater at the right temperature and salinity, water flow, light, food, bicarbonate/buffer, calcium and magnesium. Period. No other equipment, apparatus,magic potions, pills, voodoo, prayer, or other sacrifices are necessary."  In addition to this, I read somewhere in a WAMAS thread that corals like stability.  One other thing I did was read every TOTM on reefkeeping.com to see if there was some common practice among the reef tanks I really liked.  What I found was that 10% water changes once a weeks seemed to be a good thing.

 

So all that stuff said, I try to keep super stable parameters by using a kalk stir and a calcium reactor in combination.  By using both of these methods of calcium addition, I am able to adjust my pH to where I like it.  I dose some magnesium (Randy Holmes Farley recipe) once a week when I do my 10% water change.

 

I keep the water parameters at: pH 8.0 Morning, 8.3 evening, KH between 9 and 10, Calcium seems to fall between 420 and 440, Magnesium around 1400.  My temp is between 79 and 81.  My salinity is at 35.  I test KH and MG once a week.  I might test calcium once every couple of months, but not running two part keeps me from worrying about the KH and Ca getting out of whack.

 

I guess what I really stress on from day to day with my tank is water parameter stability.  I really try to make sure nothing fluctuates.

 

Thanks for asking my opinion.

Bruce

 

Wow that is growth! That is amazing! So since you have put together and taken down so many tanks, what do you think are the most important factors for your growth? Lighting, ALK, CAL, MAG?

What are your parameters?

Really....just amazing. 7.5 months and everything looks like it is 4 times its size.

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(edited)

Bruce-  Is that 35 or 25 for SAL......just checking.

 

Everything else is what I am shooting for. The temp is a little higher then I would have thought. I was told fish have more disease problems at the higher temps. I try for 77 to 78.

 

Lighting? looks like MH and T5?

 

Thanks again.

Edited by DuffyGeos
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The Salinity/Specific Gravity is 35ppt/1.0265 

 

You are right on the temp.  Many of the TOTM tanks run a little cooler.  I have thought about adjusting mine down a bit.

 

If you look at an earlier post, I go over my light set up.

 

Bruce

Bruce-  Is that 35 or 25 for SAL......just checking.

 

Everything else is what I am shooting for. The temp is a little higher then I would have thought. I was told fish have more disease problems at the higher temps. I try for 77 to 78.

 

Lighting? looks like MH and T5?

 

Thanks again.

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I went back to the article I read whenever I have a water parameter question to check on the temperature parameter.

 

Take a look at the first paragraph about temperature.  It seems to suggest that higher temps might increase growth rate.  ????  Maybe this has something to do with it?  Also later in the Temp section he says "the greatest variety of corals are found in water whose average temperature is about 83-86° F".

 

RHF also says that their aquarium at home is at 80 to 81.  I have based my entire reef building knowledge on RHF articles.  So based on this, I will probably not adjust my temp.

 

The RHF Water parameter article is here:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.htm

 

The entire collection of RHF articles can be found here:

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=102605

 

Bruce

 

Bruce-  Is that 35 or 25 for SAL......just checking.

 

Everything else is what I am shooting for. The temp is a little higher then I would have thought. I was told fish have more disease problems at the higher temps. I try for 77 to 78.

 

Lighting? looks like MH and T5?

 

Thanks again.

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I went back to the article I read whenever I have a water parameter question to check on the temperature parameter.

 

Take a look at the first paragraph about temperature.  It seems to suggest that higher temps might increase growth rate.  ????  Maybe this has something to do with it?  Also later in the Temp section he says "the greatest variety of corals are found in water whose average temperature is about 83-86° F".

 

RHF also says that their aquarium at home is at 80 to 81.  I have based my entire reef building knowledge on RHF articles.  So based on this, I will probably not adjust my temp.

 

The RHF Water parameter article is here:

http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.htm

 

The entire collection of RHF articles can be found here:

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=102605

 

Bruce

 

Thanks for the reply, not saying it is not right, maybe it is time to up the temp!  :)

 

SAL ? 25 or 35?  thanks

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(edited)

This is why when Randy Holmes Farley speaks, I listen.

 

http://pixarbio.com/the-founders/ (click on the Randy tab)

 

http://reefkeeping.com/authors/rhf.php

 

 

BA (summa cum laude) in biology and chemistry from Cornell University
PhD in chemistry from Harvard University.
72 issued US patents and has more than 35 publications.

 

Bruce

Edited by bbyatv
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What a difference. I love the 2 photos side by side like that. You should be very proud!

 

(PS: There is no way LEDs could have done that in 7 months, just no way.)

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Ryan,

 

Not sure about the LEDs.  I have seen one tank so far that I thought had beautiful corals and great color with LEDs running over it.  I do not know what his growth is like.  I am going to keep waiting a couple of years until the technology has matured and I have seen personally what growth rates look like.

 

By the way, do you have a tank running at the moment?  I could not tell from your build thread.

 

Bruce

What a difference. I love the 2 photos side by side like that. You should be very proud!

 

(PS: There is no way LEDs could have done that in 7 months, just no way.)

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Bruce,

 

I'm still without a tank (took down my 150g DD back in January, 2013).  But I'm getting back soon.  I'm monitoring the WTS forums and Craigslist everyday, waiting for a good package deal to jump back in.  It will probably be a smaller tank, as I just can't seem to find a spot in my townhouse for the 300g DD that I'd really like!  So perhaps the big one will have to wait until the "next house."

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Ryan,

 

Hope you find one soon.  Good luck getting back in.  Let me know if you need some frags to get things going again.

 

Bruce

Bruce,

 

I'm still without a tank (took down my 150g DD back in January, 2013).  But I'm getting back soon.  I'm monitoring the WTS forums and Craigslist everyday, waiting for a good package deal to jump back in.  It will probably be a smaller tank, as I just can't seem to find a spot in my townhouse for the 300g DD that I'd really like!  So perhaps the big one will have to wait until the "next house."

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  • 4 months later...

I was just looking back through this thread and enjoying a trip down memory lane when I noticed a pic of the tank just after I broke it down in November 2013.  Boy what a difference 7 months make.

 

11/12/2013

gallery_965_1333_165106.jpg

 

06/23/2014

gallery_965_1453_200342.jpg

 

Bruce

 

He is a growth pic at 1 year since I tore out the mushrooms and rebuilt.

11/10/2014

gallery_965_1344_602257.jpg

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That is just amazing....

 

I need to get over there and get all your secrets, I would love to have a tank that looks like that one day. Bravo!

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Looking great!...I have seen the tank in person and its amazing...the pictures don't do justice to the colors of the corals. 

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Thanks so much.  I appreciate the nice feedback.

 

 

Wow! Growing like wildfire!

 

 

That is just amazing....

 

I need to get over there and get all your secrets, I would love to have a tank that looks like that one day. Bravo!

 

 

Looking great!...I have seen the tank in person and its amazing...the pictures don't do justice to the colors of the corals. 

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One thing I really love about this tank is the randomness of the coral colors, types, shapes, and sizes. It has so many different things going on I could look at it all day.

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Thanks.  I kinda chuckled when you posted that.  I am going for a 4th of July fireworks finale look.

 

Bruce 

One thing I really love about this tank is the randomness of the coral colors, types, shapes, and sizes. It has so many different things going on I could look at it all day.

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Matt,

 

Thanks. That is a purple slimer.

 

Bruce

 

Looking very nice! What is that acro in the back left corner? ...stag-like...think it's behind you PM.

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  • 3 months later...

Bruce- requesting a 3mo. update of your tank full of colored goodness. -thank you.

 

You do a great job of taking pics in the same location so we can see the difference in growth.

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He is a growth pic at 1 year since I tore out the mushrooms and rebuilt.

11/10/2014

gallery_965_1344_602257.jpg

 

Here is a FTS taken on 2/1/2015

gallery_965_1344_68011.jpg

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Thanks for asking.  I just added one from 2/1/2015.

 

Bruce

Bruce- requesting a 3mo. update of your tank full of colored goodness. -thank you.

 

You do a great job of taking pics in the same location so we can see the difference in growth.

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