sethsolomon August 8, 2015 Author Share August 8, 2015 Well fixed the other halide and wired up the VHO's. All thats left is hanging my led chips and mounting my reefbrite. Went the pee in the tank route since I could not find the bottled bacteria I was looking for. Did some water tests this evening and came out with: Ammonia: 0ppm , nitrite 1ppm, nitrate 25 ppm phosphate 0.05 ppm. So looking good so far. I am not liking Instant Ocean as a salt. Used 3 complete bags and at a salinity of 1.024 I was getting calc 360, Alk of 10.5, and a mag of 1200. So time to start looking for a better salt that is available out here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zygote2k August 8, 2015 Share August 8, 2015 Instant Ocean is prob the best salt and the most widely used salt in the world. I'd stick with it and supplement as needed. Batch mixture from one batch to the next is very stable and consistent- I've been using it for 25 years with zero issues. Additional supplements are much cheaper in the long run than more expensive salt. that claims to have those addiditves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon August 8, 2015 Author Share August 8, 2015 Instant Ocean is prob the best salt and the most widely used salt in the world. I'd stick with it and supplement as needed. Batch mixture from one batch to the next is very stable and consistent- I've been using it for 25 years with zero issues. Additional supplements are much cheaper in the long run than more expensive salt. that claims to have those addiditves. well I am not a doser. If it can't be replaced by a calcium reactor I don't add it. Also, there is a much better salts at the same price point. Fritz RPM is $45 a box. That mixes the same without having to mix an entire 50g bag and comes in a constant 400 calc, 9 alk, 1390 mag. When I track how my calcium reactor is running by alk and a salt mixing up at 11 alk is a deal breaker for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s2nhle August 11, 2015 Share August 11, 2015 great. i may look at the Fritz RPM salt too. where did you get it? any lfs carry it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon August 11, 2015 Author Share August 11, 2015 great. i may look at the Fritz RPM salt too. where did you get it? any lfs carry it? Incredible Corals can order it but it is 50% more expensive that I was paying for it out in Colorado. I was paying $45 a 200g box out in CO and out here stores are wanting about $67 a box. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruleyii August 11, 2015 Share August 11, 2015 Incredible Corals can order it but it is 50% more expensive that I was paying for it out in Colorado. I was paying $45 a 200g box out in CO and out here stores are wanting about $67 a box. Maybe you could organize a group buy to possibly bring the price down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon August 11, 2015 Author Share August 11, 2015 Maybe you could organize a group buy to possibly bring the price down. People seem to be content with IO out here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruleyii August 11, 2015 Share August 11, 2015 People seem to be content with IO out here. Post facts to change it. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s2nhle August 12, 2015 Share August 12, 2015 I am in if you decide to organize it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime August 12, 2015 Share August 12, 2015 well I am not a doser. If it can't be replaced by a calcium reactor I don't add it. Also, there is a much better salts at the same price point. Fritz RPM is $45 a box. That mixes the same without having to mix an entire 50g bag and comes in a constant 400 calc, 9 alk, 1390 mag. When I track how my calcium reactor is running by alk and a salt mixing up at 11 alk is a deal breaker for me. From what I can remember, you don't have a lot of hard corals, you seemed mostly Zoas and LPS? Take what I say with a grain of salt, as it's nothing but observation on my part. I used Reef Crystals, with a mixed reef in my 150. With copious sps and lps frags, my SPS grew very quickly, and were very happy without dosing for about 7 months. This was with a water change of 50 gallons about every 3 or so weeks. My lps were also very happy. When I moved, I switched to IO because I'm cheap. Our local big name John Coppolino uses Reef Crystals in his ridiculously large home aquarium, which I believe was round 2000-2500 gallons off the top of my head. Either way, with proper husbandry (which it sounds like you'll have) and the proof in his tank, I think the $10-$15 more per 200gallon box is probably worth it, and is usually obtainable from anywhere from $40-$45 through a local store or group buy. I'm hoping you will notice that we are an incredibly lucky club this way, as "the going rate" does not seem to apply to a lot of corals and equipment I see around. This is an incredibly generous, and albeit, spoiled location! I didn't much care for your aquascape originally, but looking at it all in with the water and the step back FTS, I really do enjoy it a lot! Can't wait to see what you do with it, I love me some tonga branch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surf&turf August 13, 2015 Share August 13, 2015 I use IO reef crystals but use to use oceanic, reef crystals leaves a reside where oceanic never did, I might switch back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon August 13, 2015 Author Share August 13, 2015 From what I can remember, you don't have a lot of hard corals, you seemed mostly Zoas and LPS? Take what I say with a grain of salt, as it's nothing but observation on my part. I currently have no corals out here but I am a SPS and zoa guy. I cant keep LPS with the level of flow I will have in this tank. Looking at about 10k gph +- 2k. My last tank I only had 5 lps in it. 1 blasto, 3 lobos, and a trachy. I used Reef Crystals, with a mixed reef in my 150. With copious sps and lps frags, my SPS grew very quickly, and were very happy without dosing for about 7 months. This was with a water change of 50 gallons about every 3 or so weeks. My lps were also very happy. When I moved, I switched to IO because I'm cheap. Our local big name John Coppolino uses Reef Crystals in his ridiculously large home aquarium, which I believe was round 2000-2500 gallons off the top of my head. Either way, with proper husbandry (which it sounds like you'll have) and the proof in his tank, I think the $10-$15 more per 200gallon box is probably worth it, and is usually obtainable from anywhere from $40-$45 through a local store or group buy. Yah I am going to have to use either IO or IO-RC. I tested my tank this morning for alk and it was down to 8 dkh from when I mixed it up at 11 dkh. So there has been some precipitating going on and I am not sure if it is how I mixed it or what. I have always been a mix and dump kind of person. I think this mentality came from when I was using Salinity as it did not store well mixed. What process do you guys use when mixing up IO or IO-RC? I'm hoping you will notice that we are an incredibly lucky club this way, as "the going rate" does not seem to apply to a lot of corals and equipment I see around. This is an incredibly generous, and albeit, spoiled location! Well every area has their nice and cheap coral because everyone propagates those corals. Just for an example, out in Colorado, Midas golds, rastas, scrambled eggs, blue hornets, and red hornets sell for about $1-$5pp vs out here I am seeing Blue hornets selling for $50 PP. I have not been in the area long enough to figure out what the nice and cheap corals are out here. But I am sure "the going rate" does applies here its just for different things that are more used out here vs things used in other areas. SLC the cheap salts were Oceanic: $40 per bucket and Salinity: $55 per bucket Colorado: Kent 200g boxes $35-39, Fritz : $40-45, IO $35-40, and IO-RC was $50 Here: IO: $39-$50 After typing this I did just realize that location might also play a part in this as well as most salts are manufactured in the south west. I didn't much care for your aquascape originally, but looking at it all in with the water and the step back FTS, I really do enjoy it a lot! Can't wait to see what you do with it, I love me some tonga branch. Thanks, It will look even better once its covered in acros :P The bottom right piece of branch in the sand is going to be a zoa garden. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon August 21, 2015 Author Share August 21, 2015 Awesome news! My levels are within range for my first fish! I also have coraline and diatoms growing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon September 15, 2015 Author Share September 15, 2015 Well added 2 firefish a week ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon September 15, 2015 Author Share September 15, 2015 Also last week added some green slimmer and purple slimmer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon September 15, 2015 Author Share September 15, 2015 And today I got a care package! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon September 15, 2015 Author Share September 15, 2015 I wonder what is in this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon September 15, 2015 Author Share September 15, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon September 15, 2015 Author Share September 15, 2015 There is a second level of pee cups. and starting to float them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
08can-am September 15, 2015 Share September 15, 2015 Holy cow thats a lot of frags Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime September 15, 2015 Share September 15, 2015 That's a package Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon September 15, 2015 Author Share September 15, 2015 There was about 110 frags Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon September 15, 2015 Author Share September 15, 2015 Some Hallucinations... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pizzaguy September 15, 2015 Share September 15, 2015 Man your brave... Can't wait to see them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sethsolomon September 15, 2015 Author Share September 15, 2015 Now to break out the DSLR Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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