Solitaryensis
Supporting Member
Thanks, Arnold! The clams been doing well and has grown ever so slightly. Thanks again for the clam!
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Soli’s 80 Gallon Shallow Build
- Thread starter Solitaryensis
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Thanks, Arnold! The clams been doing well and has grown ever so slightly. Thanks again for the clam!
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Solitaryensis
Supporting Member
Couple updated shots below. Tank seems to be chugging along.
Good news: I got a new clump of chaeto about a month ago and along with a new light it looks like I’m finally able to grow chaeto. It’s not growing super fast but def. does seem to be growling finally. Hopefully it really takes off soon.
Most of the LPS and SPS seem to be growing well but I am questioning my Alk and calc uptake. I am dosing about 11ml per day to keep my alk at 8.2 and calcium around 450 which seems awfully low. Alk is being measured by a Hannah checker. Thoughts?
Bad news: I still can’t seem to grow zoas and mushrooms. I recently added chemi pure blue in case there was some chemical warfare but that does not seem to have made a difference. So frustrating that my SPS are growing so well but I can’t keep a mushroom alive!
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Good news: I got a new clump of chaeto about a month ago and along with a new light it looks like I’m finally able to grow chaeto. It’s not growing super fast but def. does seem to be growling finally. Hopefully it really takes off soon.
Most of the LPS and SPS seem to be growing well but I am questioning my Alk and calc uptake. I am dosing about 11ml per day to keep my alk at 8.2 and calcium around 450 which seems awfully low. Alk is being measured by a Hannah checker. Thoughts?
Bad news: I still can’t seem to grow zoas and mushrooms. I recently added chemi pure blue in case there was some chemical warfare but that does not seem to have made a difference. So frustrating that my SPS are growing so well but I can’t keep a mushroom alive!
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MolaMola
Supporting Member
Wow, looks awesome! 11mL sounds low to me; I dose more than that daily in my 22g. But your corals look healthy and growing. Do you do frequent water changes that replenish the Ca, Alk?
I like those frags on the tonga branch up top that you were worried was too high. Think of it as a much nicer alternative to a magnetic frag rack stuck on the back wall. The open water under that branch looks very cool and highlights the awesome branch itself.
Still weird about no luck with shrooms and zoas. Is your water too polished?
I like those frags on the tonga branch up top that you were worried was too high. Think of it as a much nicer alternative to a magnetic frag rack stuck on the back wall. The open water under that branch looks very cool and highlights the awesome branch itself.
Still weird about no luck with shrooms and zoas. Is your water too polished?
Solitaryensis
Supporting Member
Thanks! I actually don’t change my water very often - maybe once every 3-5 weeks. I hadn’t checked my alk in months and it dropped to 7.5 so I’ll up my dosage. But I agree with you, it still seems awfully low.
My water is most def. not too polished. I have fairly high nitrates and phosphates which makes this mystery all the more difficult to understand. You’d think the zoas and chaeto would be thriving and the SPS not so much in this environment but it’s exactly the opposite.
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Solitaryensis
Supporting Member
Quick update here. I was getting a fair amount of shadowing on the sides with my Radions so decided to pick up the Aquatic Life T5 hybrid system. Not thrilled that the brackets are offset but really happy with the color. This is bay far the best light combo I’ve ever had. I love the adjustability of LEDs but the T5 gives off such an even and pleasant light distribution.
Anyone else running this combo out there? Would love to get your opinions on bulbs. I am currently running 2x blue plus and 2x coral plus. While I like the color of the T5 alone, it seems a bit too white for my taste with the LEDs on. Thoughts?
Also decided to start the process of removing the sand bed. I love the look of sand but was running into issues with sand blowing around and dead spots. I am still having issue with bringing my nitrates down so I figured removing the sand couldn’t hurt. Its a hard look to get used to and I still wonder if I made the right call but time will tell.
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Anyone else running this combo out there? Would love to get your opinions on bulbs. I am currently running 2x blue plus and 2x coral plus. While I like the color of the T5 alone, it seems a bit too white for my taste with the LEDs on. Thoughts?
Also decided to start the process of removing the sand bed. I love the look of sand but was running into issues with sand blowing around and dead spots. I am still having issue with bringing my nitrates down so I figured removing the sand couldn’t hurt. Its a hard look to get used to and I still wonder if I made the right call but time will tell.
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Solitaryensis
Supporting Member
I run t5 led combo for couple of years now. Very satisfied with the results. My setup is hydra 52hd and 4 t5's. I use aqua blues and coral plus
Nice! What LED do you use and what kinds/combos of T5 bulbs?
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sfsuphysics
Supporting Member
Give me until the weekend and I'll let you know how I like my led-t5 combo
Going for 2 coral plus, 2 blue plus and 2 UVL actinic (had the bulbs from a long time back never used), with my home made led fixtures
Going for 2 coral plus, 2 blue plus and 2 UVL actinic (had the bulbs from a long time back never used), with my home made led fixtures
ofzakaria
Guest
I rotate between ATI and giesemann. I change bulbs every 8 months. Which I believe is important.
Solitaryensis
Supporting Member
ofzakaria
Guest
You mean the led?
I run AI david baxiby profile.
sfsuphysics
Supporting Member
David Baxiby?
Saxby?
Saxby?
ofzakaria
Guest
Ha ha. Do not txt and drive lol.
Yes saxby!
Solitaryensis
Supporting Member
No, I mean the T5 bulbs - what color bulbs do you use?
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ofzakaria
Guest
I mentioned it earlier.
2 aqua blue and 2 coral plus.
I think changing the bulbs regularly is crucial. While I know it's not proven beyond reasonable doubt but I see correlation between old bulbs and cyano.
Also I can almost tell when my t5s are getting old where my alk consumption skow down. Which I think it had to do with spectrum shifting and coral slow down growth a bit.
Solitaryensis
Supporting Member
ofzakaria
Guest
Btw I did in the past kessil+led. I had the kessils mounted in the middle of the canopy with 2 t5 on each sides. I followed the design brs did on their brs 160.
I used kessil canopy mounting bars and screwd in the t5 fixtures on both sides.
If you do not have canopy it's easier to go with the led t5 combo fixture brs sell. It's easily mountable and allow for most common led fixtures to be integrated with the t5.