Hi, Shane. You should test for PO4 and run a PO4 'sponge' if over 0.03ppm.
Also, you mentioned carbon 24/7. I did it like this 15 years ago but rarely
run carbon these days. If I use it, I only use it for a few days then
discard. You will find many arguements for and against carbon.
In regards to Hydno....I have a parent colony about 8 inches across from side
to side and about 6 inches high depending on how often I get cuts from it. It
does very well in an 80 gallon display tank about 20 inches under 175watt
10KK Germans and 2 48' 03 Actinics. Actinics come on at 0900, off at 2115. MH
on at 1030, off at 1830. Also in this tank is a very colorful Acro. Millepora
with brilliant purple coralites. It was a frag from a trade 5 months ago. It
mounted on LR about 4 inches under the water line. It has phenomenal growth
and is now about ready to cut from. Also is a parent colony of brown on blue
Montipora (high in the tank also). It grows very well and has supplied
numerous frags. Also is a green Montipora that requires very little light and
is kept low in this tank. And more...
Prop tanks are somewhat different. I could care less about asthetics. I use
400watt 10KK Ushio by itself over 45 gallon breeders for SPS frags and some
high light demanding LPS. On softies prop tanks I use 4 48" VHO 1/2 blue 1/2
50/50. These tanks look fantastic and work great for buttons, Xenias, star
polyps, and coralline growth on future LR for frag mounting. SPS (except
green Montipora/Stylo) and clams (except Deresa and Squamosa) generally do
not thrive under these conditions. They do very well under 10KK Ushio alone,
however. I have one remaining Iwasaki 6500K bulb that is near death. I
despise it and it is soon to be tossed in the garbage where it belongs. I
have one 10KK+ Blueline bulb that burns very blue like a 12KK Starburst. This
bulb washes color for viewing but SPS seem to do well under it. I might use
more of these if they last longer than 6 months (longer life being the only
real benefit of 6500K bulbs). Ushio 10KK 400 watt bulbs go at least a year.
They are very crisp white and by far my favorite prop bulb. I have new
electronic ballasts on a couple of tanks and these are fantastic. No heat, no
noise. Bulbs should last longer on these ballast and my electric bill should
be lower. I will probably replace all tar MH ballasts with electronic ones if
the tar ones would ever die (PFO and Hamilton....can't kill them) VHO all IC.
Usual water parameters on prop systems are Ca+ >450, dKH >12, pH 8.0-8.35,
Nitrate < 2ppm, Phosphate <0.03, Mg+ >1400, NSW Iodide and Sr. I do NO water
changes and use DI then RO for top off and replacement water. I use Kent on
one system, IO on one, and Reef Crystals (IO) on another. I like Kent but
find it harder to 'tweak" than IO. IO is cheaper and easier to play with plus
it mixes really fast.
I use Super Calc Gold reactor media on one system but Caribe Sea A.R.M. on
two other CRs ....A.R.M. is the best I've found so far and what I'll use in
the future. Filtration is DSB/LR (all), and high efficiency skimming (all)
24/7. Aside from heavy feeding at least 3 times a week and rare Iodine and
Strontium addtions there are no additives used. I am considering adding
either clam filtration or more refugiums. I have not had good success with
mud/mangrove. I have had very good reduction of Nitrate and Phosphate with
DSB refugiums with macralgaes. For algae controll i use Margarite snails,
black foot Trochus snails, assorted crabs, Nassarius snails, Queen Conch
(trying to breed), and Strombus snails (that we raise). Temps run from 76 to
85. I do not run chillers. Higher temps seem to work fine but if you go over
82 watch things carefully. It is true that "bad shit happens" when temps get
too high for too long.... Well this is everything I know. I need to get back
to my day job now (not coral farming).....Later!
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