Derek's 225g - Magnifica / SPS Reef

[psidriven]

What do you dose along with your 2 part? Chaetogrow, tm elements, etc? I’m also getting good growth now but chasing better coloration.

 

[derek_SR]

What do you dose along with your 2 part? Chaetogrow, tm elements, etc? I’m also getting good growth now but chasing better coloration.

Literally just posted about this on the prior page I am dosing CG now.

 

[derek_SR]

So I had an old 48" T5 hybrid fixture - gave it to @Kensington Reefer for a while, then gave it to @under_water_ninja for a while. After seeing Kenny's new tank and texting with @dangalang I got a bit of a wild hair and decided to get the fixture back and use it myself!

Before: 6x A8SE, 2x quantas

Now: 4x A8SE, 4x 48" T5 bulbs

Some quick and shitty cell phone pics, sorry for all the glare:

Spread or death!!!

 

[psidriven]

Literally just posted about this on the prior page I am dosing CG now.

Sorry, I did read it but my question wasn’t clear. Are you using TM “Elements” A+K along with CG and ESV 2part? I couldn’t tell if you stopped the TM or not.

 

[derek_SR]

Sorry, I did read it but my question wasn’t clear. Are you using TM “Elements” A+K along with CG and ESV 2part? I couldn’t tell if you stopped the TM or not.

All good - I have stopped adding A+K to my 2 part mix. It's expensive stuff and I was adding a LOT (like 1,000ml into 5,000ml - my 2part was basically 20+% trace elements), but without actually getting any elements to show up on ICP. I started with a very small CG dose (6ml a day into my 300g system) and immediately started getting iron and manganese readings on ICP. And it's way cheaper.

I am still using ESV yes, although ESV does not ADD traces net - it simply adds traces to offset the dosing. There have been several good articles and podcasts on this, but the bottom line is that what ESV does is good (prevents your water from getting diluted over time) but it isn't the same as dosing additional trace elements.

 

[PjFish]

What brand & color combo t5 bulbs?

 

[derek_SR]

What brand & color combo t5 bulbs?

AquaticLife 48" T5 Hybrid fixture w/ ATI bulbs - 2x coral plus and 2x blue plus. This is just the bulbs that were in there, but seems to be a traditional combo?

 

[derek_SR]

Really loving these T5s. I'm seeing PE on my Rich's Beefy Blue Stag - have NEVER seen PE on this coral before. Things seem pretty happy in general and I'm actually digging the whiter, bathed-in-light look during peak hours.

Tank is now 2.5 years old:

 

[Kensington Reefer]

Winner winner chicken dinner!
Scrumptious!

Bigger box recommended

 

[PjFish]

Do you think the 48” T5’s are adequate vs 60”

 

[derek_SR]

Do you think the 48” T5’s are adequate vs 60”

I'd prefer to have a 60" fixture, but T5 hybrid fixtures are pretty hard to find. And you know what they say ....rung what ya brung.

It actually seems pretty OK, the chunk of tank on the left that isn't under the T5s is where most of the LPS and less demanding SPS is anyway.

 

[iani]

I have 48" t5s over a 60" tank as well.