bbyatv June 25, 2014 Author Share June 25, 2014 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 06/23/2014 Bruce Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuffyGeos June 25, 2014 Share June 25, 2014 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbyatv June 26, 2014 Author Share June 26, 2014 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuffyGeos June 26, 2014 Share June 26, 2014 (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 June 26, 2014 by DuffyGeos Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbyatv June 26, 2014 Author Share June 26, 2014 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbyatv June 26, 2014 Author Share June 26, 2014 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharkey18 June 26, 2014 Share June 26, 2014 Looks amazing Bruce! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuffyGeos June 26, 2014 Share June 26, 2014 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbyatv June 26, 2014 Author Share June 26, 2014 (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 June 26, 2014 by bbyatv Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan S June 26, 2014 Share June 26, 2014 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.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbyatv June 26, 2014 Author Share June 26, 2014 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.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan S June 26, 2014 Share June 26, 2014 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." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbyatv June 26, 2014 Author Share June 26, 2014 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." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbyatv November 10, 2014 Author Share November 10, 2014 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 06/23/2014 Bruce He is a growth pic at 1 year since I tore out the mushrooms and rebuilt. 11/10/2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime November 10, 2014 Share November 10, 2014 Wow! Growing like wildfire! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuffyGeos November 10, 2014 Share November 10, 2014 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dipg November 11, 2014 Share November 11, 2014 Looking great!...I have seen the tank in person and its amazing...the pictures don't do justice to the colors of the corals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbyatv November 11, 2014 Author Share November 11, 2014 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuffyGeos November 11, 2014 Share November 11, 2014 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbyatv November 11, 2014 Author Share November 11, 2014 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt November 11, 2014 Share November 11, 2014 Looking very nice! What is that acro in the back left corner? ...stag-like...think it's behind you PM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbyatv November 11, 2014 Author Share November 11, 2014 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DuffyGeos February 14, 2015 Share February 14, 2015 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbyatv February 14, 2015 Author Share February 14, 2015 He is a growth pic at 1 year since I tore out the mushrooms and rebuilt. 11/10/2014 Here is a FTS taken on 2/1/2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbyatv February 14, 2015 Author Share February 14, 2015 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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