Ricky's 120 Stony Coral Garden

[Rickyrooz]

PAR Values

I am currently running two (8 month old) 250 watt Phoenix 14K metal halides with Lumatek dimmable ballasts on HQI mode and two (two month old) 54 watt UVL Super Actinic T5's.

 

[troywalkerphoto]

nice tank!

 

[jackson6745]

You're getting a lot more par than my 400w radium. I am 250 on my sandbed, 350-400 mid tank, and 500-700 up high.

 

[Rickyrooz]

You're getting a lot more par than my 400w radium. I am 250 on my sandbed, 350-400 mid tank, and 500-700 up high.

Thanks, I think I am getting a lot of reflection from the bare bottom. If you look back to when I had sand, the PAR was a lot less even with the rock work being taller.

 

[lcj2046]

Very Beautiful setup!! Congrads! Happy Reefing

 

[Rickyrooz]

Its been two months since my last update and the tank looks great! I installed a three pump dosing unit in June for calcium, alkalinity and kalkwasser. The corals grow much faster with the stable parameters. I added one liter of DeNitrate rocks to help lower my nitrate from 25ppm but after a months use they have not dropped at all. Today was the first water change in two months, I have been frustrated with the tank and took a step away from the tank but now I am back.

 

[MikeC]

:thrash:Looking Good man

 

[samksy]

Wow wow!!! Nice colors! Your tank looks fantastic!

 

[jackson6745]

Ricky why do you chop the bottom of your tank off in the pics? SPS look awesome man but if the BB bothers you just add some sand With all the acans that you have growing on the bottom, I'm sure it looks awesome BB

 

[Rickyrooz]

Ricky why do you chop the bottom of your tank off in the pics? SPS look awesome man but if the BB bothers you just add some sand With all the acans that you have growing on the bottom, I'm sure it looks awesome BB

I have a wooden border around the bottom of the tank than comes up about an inch and a half. I crop the wood out of the pictures, when I had sand, the sand bed was high enough to show the acan's in the pictures.

 

[FastUno]

Nice colors!

Is that 3 years worth of SPS growth on MH's?

 

[Rickyrooz]

Nice colors!

Is that 3 years worth of SPS growth on MH's?

Three years this coming October

 

[Rickyrooz]

Quick Update

The tank may look like it did not grow much over the past few months because I fragged a lot of coral this summer. I will let the corals heal and grow out more before I take more pictures.

My favorite coral, it grew a lot from the last picture, once it colors back up it will look hot! (pink with yellow tips)

Ricky's Poison Ivy

 

[MikeC]

Tank looks great man congrats!

 

[arthurk0722]

Nice looking tank!! Very jealous

 

[Rickyrooz]

Happy 2015, since my last post I have changed out my UVL Super Actinic T5's for ATI Pure Actinic 03. I borrowed a PAR meter and surprisingly the level was higher on the ATI bulb despite The Grim Reefer's findings in 2007. I have also taken the ATI Power Cone 250 I-Series offline because it does not pull out much waste and the frag tank I have running does not utilize a protein skimmer and the nutrient levels are 0 ppm even with daily feedings and fish in the tank. It is very nice not hearing the protein skimmer running anymore. I will keep everyone updated with my results.

 

[Rickyrooz]

Well I guess it's about that time. My tank is almost 9 years old and I discovered the lower seam is leaking water. I will be tearing down the tank tomorrow and I will either find a new tank or stay out of the hobby.

 

[usctom]

Well I guess it's about that time. My tank is almost 9 years old and I discovered the lower seam is leaking water. I will be tearing down the tank tomorrow and I will either find a new tank or stay out of the hobby.

That sucks. I hope you find a new tank quickly.

 

[jackson6745]

Get a new 120, the transfer won't be so difficult. Hope you stay in the hobby. Good luck!

 

[Rickyrooz]

Everything is in two holding tanks. I will attempt to repair the seals with new silicone. If that does not work then I will look for a replacement tank.