JBNY's 270G tank thread
- Thread starter JBNY
- Start date
Yea JB, Im in the OCD category as well. My wife loves that i focus it on the tank lol.
thanks for the answers and im glad i can connect to someone along with a selct few others that have thriving SPS tanks in NYC.
You are correct in not over doing things and keeping them simple but then again we know nothing is that simple in the SPS world. I feel like too much GAC or GFO and the corals show it, too little and the corals show it. drives me nutz. theres almost no fine medium.
so i cut it down to less than half the recommended dosage and just change more often and take them offline for a week before changing it out so i can see what effects its having on the corals.
I really hate seeing my acros either bleaching or browning and then getting algae on their tips after browning. its like whatever im doing is just never spot on. I know youve been there and seeing your tank gives me hope one day ill have sticks reaching for the the air. thanks for your post, it really inspires and gives us clues as to what and how this can be achieved.
thanks for the answers and im glad i can connect to someone along with a selct few others that have thriving SPS tanks in NYC.
You are correct in not over doing things and keeping them simple but then again we know nothing is that simple in the SPS world. I feel like too much GAC or GFO and the corals show it, too little and the corals show it. drives me nutz. theres almost no fine medium.
so i cut it down to less than half the recommended dosage and just change more often and take them offline for a week before changing it out so i can see what effects its having on the corals.
I really hate seeing my acros either bleaching or browning and then getting algae on their tips after browning. its like whatever im doing is just never spot on. I know youve been there and seeing your tank gives me hope one day ill have sticks reaching for the the air. thanks for your post, it really inspires and gives us clues as to what and how this can be achieved.
I think people tend to overuse both GFO and GAC.
For GFO I use about 1/8 cup per 100 gallons to start with. On my 180 gallon SPS I only used 1/4 changed out monthly. On this tank, when I was using it, I stated out with 1/4 cup and as time went on I ended up using just under 1/2 cup.
For carbon, regular carbon I used to use 1 cup per 100 gallons. Half that if I was using ROX carbon. I never had problems with those amounts. When people have problem using carbon, I don't think it is stripping too much nutrients from the water rather it is clearing up the water so more light gets in the tank and you end up with bleaching. I run ozone on my tanks for water clarity so the effect of carbon on water clarity is less than some others who do not run ozone.
Bleaching IME is from giving the coral too much light too quickly, basically not acclimating it to your lights. Browning is just to opposite, not enough light. When I am placing corals in the tank. I start it in the bottom and if it does not lighten in 48 hours move it to the middle and do the same thing. If your corals are at the top and they are still browning I would look to see if there is enough light, if so, something is out of sorts with the tank.
Bleaching and browning was my big problem for the last few months. Basically all I did was water changes and kept the tank as stable as possible. People forget that you can start a tank brand new and as long as you can keep the paramters stable you can get good coloration with SPS right off the bat, tons of people who upgrade their tanks do it all the time. So when things are not working start doing water changes.
For GFO I use about 1/8 cup per 100 gallons to start with. On my 180 gallon SPS I only used 1/4 changed out monthly. On this tank, when I was using it, I stated out with 1/4 cup and as time went on I ended up using just under 1/2 cup.
For carbon, regular carbon I used to use 1 cup per 100 gallons. Half that if I was using ROX carbon. I never had problems with those amounts. When people have problem using carbon, I don't think it is stripping too much nutrients from the water rather it is clearing up the water so more light gets in the tank and you end up with bleaching. I run ozone on my tanks for water clarity so the effect of carbon on water clarity is less than some others who do not run ozone.
Bleaching IME is from giving the coral too much light too quickly, basically not acclimating it to your lights. Browning is just to opposite, not enough light. When I am placing corals in the tank. I start it in the bottom and if it does not lighten in 48 hours move it to the middle and do the same thing. If your corals are at the top and they are still browning I would look to see if there is enough light, if so, something is out of sorts with the tank.
Bleaching and browning was my big problem for the last few months. Basically all I did was water changes and kept the tank as stable as possible. People forget that you can start a tank brand new and as long as you can keep the paramters stable you can get good coloration with SPS right off the bat, tons of people who upgrade their tanks do it all the time. So when things are not working start doing water changes.
There is a thread on RC, search "regulator for your calcium reactor" in the lighting forum. Basically you are buying used or surplus parts off ebay and using that to build a regulator. Some of the smaller parts are new like the needle valve and the solenoid, but they are not always available so you have to be patient and search for the part and bid when they are available, a bit of a pain if you want a reg quick but if you are patient you can get stuff that would cost easily over a grand if it were new for about $150 which is what I think it cost me all total. The guy alanle who stared the thread is very helpful.
Current state of the tank. First time trying to put up a video, a little shaky, I'll do better next time.
reboot of the tank 5 months in.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=-0lHAxB-QnA
reboot of the tank 5 months in.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=-0lHAxB-QnA
- Location
- North Jersey
This is a really amazing set up that you have. Thanks for posting all of this information. I am a little frustrated right now with the lack of growth that I'm getting and I wonder if I just need to change more water, as I am pretty good with all other parameters. This is very inspiring.
- Location
- Garden city
Very nice certainly have the touch with sps ......wish I did
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
- Location
- Syosset Long Island 11791
sweet! how did you take the pics of the SPS. Ever use a go pro?
- Location
- Riverhead - Long Island NY
Looking awesome !
Great color
Great color
- Location
- Deer Park,Long Island,11729
:thrash:Looks great Joe:thrash:
Last edited:
- Location
- Franklin Square, NY
Tank looks great!....the colors are really popping. I see you added Purple Queens. I had them as well and 3 - 4 years seems to be there life span for me with my largest turning male. They were aggressive eaters once settled in after about a year even attempting to take full size PE mysis. Do you still have the yellow assessors? I have only one for about a year and is very seclusive swimming upside down in its cave only swimming in open water during feedings.
BTW you missed a good meeting with Joe Y doing his thing which really packed them in with a lot of New and some old faces I have seen in awhile.
BTW you missed a good meeting with Joe Y doing his thing which really packed them in with a lot of New and some old faces I have seen in awhile.
Looking awesome !
Great color
Thank you!
Thanks. I am really happy with the color and growth!
Glad to see you are still around too. I agree it should look sick in another year or two!
Thanks Mike! I heard that the purple queen were not long lived, so I am planning on trying to add some more into the mix every year or two. Hopefully having a group of them that are eating will make it easier to get newcomers to start eating and I can keep a nice sized group going for a while.
I do still have 6-7 of the assessors left. A few still hide in the caves of the tank, but 4 of them are out in the corners all the time.
I heard the last meeting had lots of people who had not been to a meeting in some time, I was sorry to have missed it.
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