Zach's 75G Build

My reefcleaners order should be in today Getting a refugium completed with some mangroves - nitrates are staying low ( under 10 ), but I want them at 0

 

Mine are at zero. Now Ijust need to see about my PO$. Got some GFO headed my way.

I'm on nights this weekend and I was keeping an eye on your tank.;D I noticed your moon lights are on all night. I decided to give my tank total darkness for 5 hours a night. Even thought the leds do not seem like much, my corals never opened with them on. You should see them an hour after lights out. Feeding away. I give cyclopeze, rotifers, and eggs later at night.

Any way, seeing how they respond and the growth and health I saw after doing that, I'm sold on total darkness.

 

Tank stalker ;D lol

That's a good idea - I'll have my moonlights shut off for several hours per night - maybe keep them on for an hour or two after lights off, and an hour or two before lights on, and off the remainder of the time. That's an interesting observation, thanks

By the way, Mangroves consume phosphates, from what I understand. Maybe add some to your fuge - I'm actually adding mine to my sump for now, and then setting up a 20 gallon long as a display refugium, with a small section actually above water so I can get some crabs / etc. that like to crawl out of the water from time to time. Will be lit by 2x24watt T5 lights, one 10k and one 6500k.

 

Just updated my Apex code for lighting.

Moonlights - Turn on 2 hours prior to Actinics
Actinics - On for one hour
Metal Halides - Turn on, with Actinics on
Metal Halides - Shut down after 6 hours. Actinics then stay on for another hour.
Moonlights then turn on and stay on for 2 hours. ... then darkness

 

display fuge???? where would you keep this at??? under the tank or off to the side.

I dont have a fuge yet waiting til I get my side cabinets.... Would be cool to have a fuge on display

 

Off to the side is where I plan it. Just have another return pump from sump and then drain back down.

Looks like the plans are delayed, as my reefcleaners order didn't arrive for some reason. Getting with John to find out what's up.

 

When I redid my plumbing.... i had the intake to sump tee off where I have a 3/4" line capped off to my future refugium. Flow will be controlled by ball valve. Fuge will be slightly higher than sump. I will have a drilled hole in the side. Piped back to sump. So gravity is taking place for water to return to sump.. no pumps (less outlets taken up).

 

I grow cheato and have no NO3, good growth and no algae. My Cheato does not even grow much. But I have been using a API PO4 kit and appearantly it is useless for our applications. So I ordered a Merck kit and some GFO. I will see what my PO4 is at and see if low levels help me out. I don't think my water is bad now, but I'm all for less algae, better growth and color. We'll see.

All my corals practically turn themselves inside out after lights out. Check it out some time... it's cool.

 

01:50 MST and all is well. Tank is looking good.;D

I need a web cam.

 

2 new ricordia and some Idaho Grape cap added to the tank last night.

Also, note to self, turn off the RO/DI before going to bed. Floods in the bathroom and laundry room at 5:30 in the AM aren't fun.