reefjedi's RSR 250 Mixed Reef

[reefjedi]

This is my Red Sea Reefer 250. It's about a year old. For a few months all my fish died and I went fishless and after that for many months nothing grew. But things are finally kind of growing... I still have no idea what I'm doing though.

 

[Patio]

Looks great! Love the montis

 

[reefjedi]

Thanks Patio! I really like how the monti is growing but it's starting to take over that side of the tank. Here's a top down shot of the monti:

 

[reefjedi]

Top down shot of my birdsnest that somehow survived all my mistakes:

 

[reefjedi]

Found this picture of my tank from a year ago. It's come a long way!

The white coral skeleton sitting on top of the tank is a birdsnest that I impulsively decided to hydrogen peroxide dip to kill a bit of algae growing on it. I ended up killing the whole thing.

 

[max_nano]

That gap rock looks cool, and a good way to keep it away from the rest of the rock work. Does it host your clowns?

 

[xcaret]

The force is strong with your reef

 

[reefjedi]

That gap rock looks cool, and a good way to keep it away from the rest of the rock work. Does it host your clowns?

Yeah, it’s hosting the clowns. Unfortunately the GSP is starting to branch out And bridged a 1 inch gap to the next rock. Time to frag it.

 

[Baykes]

bridged a 1 inch gap to the next rock.

View attachment 17252

Whoah! A plating gsp???

 

[Coral reefer]

Whoah! A plating gsp???

I’ve seen them do that when they have nowhere else to go

 

[max_nano]

Yeah, it’s hosting the clowns. Unfortunately the GSP is starting to branch out And bridged a 1 inch gap to the next rock. Time to frag it.

View attachment 17252

If you’re close to SF I’d give you some zoas for a good sized frag, I have a good spot for some
Also check out the supporting member program, it’s a great way to get coral and equipment from local reefers. And you get access to the DBTC (don’t break the chain) which allows you to give frags to other reefers in case you lose your main colony

 

[Squist]

Looking good! Congrats on your 1-year!

 

[reefjedi]

Just became a member!

I fragged some of my gsp. Do you think members will be interested in it? Or are most members beyond the common soft corals?

 

[Newjack]

the club has lots of member new and old, You might find a newbie that would like gsp frag. It’s the thought that counts.

 

[reefjedi]

Ok, just posted it in Pay It Forward. I already have one person coming today. I guess I'll see if there's any interest.

 

[ofzakaria]

Nice system.
What's your latest parameters?
What's your system details and equipments?
Filtration?
Biofiltration?
Dosing?
Lights?

 

[reefjedi]

Nice system.
What's your latest parameters?
What's your system details and equipments?
Filtration?
Biofiltration?
Dosing?
Lights?

Alk 8.4
Ca 420
Mag 1450
Phosphate 0
Nitrate 5-10

I am dosing BRS 2 part and Tropic Marin C (balling method) via doser.

For filtration I’m running an Axiom X-120 skimmer. I have a 24w AKCE light over a 3 gallon fuge (converter ato) with chaeto I only turn on when I test high nitrates or feed very heavily and see more algae than I want in display. I have vinegar on the 4th channel of my doser when I need it but currently not running due to low nutrients.

I hand dose acropower when nutrients get low too or feed Coral Frenzy.

I test phosphate and nitrate regularly and sometimes have to dose it because my system starts to shift towards ULNS.

AI Hydra 26 x2. I run my lights strong. No access to par meter but my zoas on the bottom are flat and hugging the rocks. SPS seem to like it though.

Zoas and shrooms grow quickly, Euphyllia and candy canes are growing new heads, SPS growth was good until it slowed down recently. I’ve been testing Alk regularly but not Ca assuming it would be used up equally but not so. A few weeks ago I tested Ca at 380 and so I had to adjust. Do you know why that might happen?

Also, I wasn’t getting a whole lot of coralline for a while even though I saw SPS growth, but after I adjusted Ca I’m seeing more on my pumps. Not so much on my rocks yet.

 

[ofzakaria]

Looks great. System seems to be stable and tuned. Kudos.

Am never a fan of dosing nitrate and phosphate..but hey, if it's working for you that all it matters.

Why you think your nutrients are low? Is it low bioload?
Are you sure po4 is actually zero? Did you deal with cyano latley?

 

[reefjedi]

Great questions. I had 0 nitrates because I was skimming heavily and I wasn't feeding as much and I clean my filter socks religiously. I've upped my feeding to 6x / day and that seems to have helped. Fish look happier too. I don't have to dose nitrates as much anymore but it does drop.

Bioload is yellow tang, hippo tang, velvet wrasse, 2 clowns, 3 chromis and a midas blenny.

I always test 0 phosphates but I see algae growth and have to clean glass every few days. I use salifert and it's always 0. It's hard to tell but one of the guys at Neptune said to use two vials and have one with only tank water and compare them side by side, and I do that and they vials look the same. I only dose phosphates when my zoa skirts look a little thin. I'll .03 to .05ppm and by end of day it will be 0 again.

I have dealt with cyano when I ran my fuge for 12 hours / day, which is why I started dosing phosphate and nitrate (and the colors/growth not being so good). Now I only turn on my fuge light every few days for 6 hours or so after heavy feeding.

 

[Coral reefer]

Hate to say it but that blue tang isn’t gonna fit in there long...