Thought you all might be interested in my over the weekend findings. Tested
for Phosphate. Found the levels to be at about .5 to .7. Now, this is on a
Red Sea test kit, so I have no idea exactly how accurate it is, but even so,
these levels are high, as I suspected.
As I had mentioned in previous emails, I have never treated for phosphate.
Well, I am treating now. I am using Sea Chem Phosgard (I think its called)
at full recommended dosage. Will test again in 4 days and see if it comes
down.
Also, my other 55k bulb and IceCap ballast are on their way to IceCap to be
tuned. Hopefully I will get these back by end of next week. I have the
replacement 50/50s on their way and will replace those as soon as the new
ones get in. We will see what kind of difference this makes as well. Beyond
that, I moved one of the MHs over a bit from the middle towards the side so
now the green acro and hydnophora are not getting quite as much light.
Not sure if high phosphates can cause loss of colors in coral. I know it
inhibits growth, so hopefully the phosphate removal will at least solve that
mystery.
That's it....
Shane C.
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [SMTP:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Friday, March 23, 2001 10:24 AM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: Help with SPS
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!
________________________________________
LEAVING THE LIST
================
To stop receiving messages you will need to send a message to
[EMAIL PROTECTED] with a command to remove you from the list.
The list manager controls who belongs to the list.
For example:
--------------------------------------------------------------
From: John Doe <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: <not needed>
UNSUBSCRIBE
--------------------------------------------------------------
________________________________________
LEAVING THE LIST
================
To stop receiving messages you will need to send a message to
[EMAIL PROTECTED] with a command to remove you from the list. The list
manager controls who belongs to the list.
For example:
--------------------------------------------------------------
From: John Doe <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: <not needed>
UNSUBSCRIBE
--------------------------------------------------------------
