6 Months On
Six months sure has come around rather quickly since moving up to the new tank.
Mechanically everything is working great. The new simpler design for the sump is working perfectly, sock changes, water changes and maintenance is spot on. The Ghost overflow is dead silent. I kept with the 2 Radion G4 Pros with the filters and they have proven to be more than enough to handle the bigger tank, not even running at 100% - brilliant lights.
Surprisingly, I had no algae problems whatsoever with the changeover, big relief.
Additives wise, I have kept up with Red Sea Reef Energy A&B with quite noticeable growth results. Plus Reef Roids mixed in twice a week.
I tried Red Sea Colours A,B,C & D for about 3 months and to be honest saw no noticeable improvements.
Switched to Reef Essentials Green, Red & Purple. I don’t need sunglasses on to look at my corals but there has certainly been a substantial colouring up across the range in 2 months.
For Phosphate and Nitrate control I have continued with half a dozen bags of Siporax, a sump section full of chaeto and a very minimal dosing of NoPox. I tend steer away from rectors and stay with medium that remain constant and don’t fluctuate in their effectiveness.
I’m currently trialling Kallwasser to take a bit of a load off my Randy’s dosing and help bump up my pH (yeah I know, don’t chase pH) it really has put the pH at a better level but haven’t seen any effect on my Calcium etc. Early days and see if I feel like continuing with the mixing and settling process.
Fish wise, I’m still keeping low numbers. I decided to move my Talbot Damsels on, they were real arseholes. I was able to get another cleaner wrasse after they were gone. They killed the last one. Then I added a beautiful Powder Brown Tang. He has worked out so well, fat and healthy and fitting in perfectly with the others.
The fish really have so much more room with the larger tank and the different scape that allows them to do figure 8’s rather than just swim up and down the front of the tank. It has completely changed their swim pattern for the better.
Still feeding them once a day, Mysis, chopped prawn and scallop, formula 2 pellets, and nori every second day.
I tried 3 months of doing no water changes, although there was no madly noticeable differences one way or the other in tank quality I decided to go back to 8L daily changes. (Approx 15% per week) It only takes me a couple of minutes to turn it over.
I have to say, the softies have really plumped up since being back on the changes, so good to see.
See how the next 6 months go.
Mechanically everything is working great. The new simpler design for the sump is working perfectly, sock changes, water changes and maintenance is spot on. The Ghost overflow is dead silent. I kept with the 2 Radion G4 Pros with the filters and they have proven to be more than enough to handle the bigger tank, not even running at 100% - brilliant lights.
Surprisingly, I had no algae problems whatsoever with the changeover, big relief.
Additives wise, I have kept up with Red Sea Reef Energy A&B with quite noticeable growth results. Plus Reef Roids mixed in twice a week.
I tried Red Sea Colours A,B,C & D for about 3 months and to be honest saw no noticeable improvements.
Switched to Reef Essentials Green, Red & Purple. I don’t need sunglasses on to look at my corals but there has certainly been a substantial colouring up across the range in 2 months.
For Phosphate and Nitrate control I have continued with half a dozen bags of Siporax, a sump section full of chaeto and a very minimal dosing of NoPox. I tend steer away from rectors and stay with medium that remain constant and don’t fluctuate in their effectiveness.
I’m currently trialling Kallwasser to take a bit of a load off my Randy’s dosing and help bump up my pH (yeah I know, don’t chase pH) it really has put the pH at a better level but haven’t seen any effect on my Calcium etc. Early days and see if I feel like continuing with the mixing and settling process.
Fish wise, I’m still keeping low numbers. I decided to move my Talbot Damsels on, they were real arseholes. I was able to get another cleaner wrasse after they were gone. They killed the last one. Then I added a beautiful Powder Brown Tang. He has worked out so well, fat and healthy and fitting in perfectly with the others.
The fish really have so much more room with the larger tank and the different scape that allows them to do figure 8’s rather than just swim up and down the front of the tank. It has completely changed their swim pattern for the better.
Still feeding them once a day, Mysis, chopped prawn and scallop, formula 2 pellets, and nori every second day.
I tried 3 months of doing no water changes, although there was no madly noticeable differences one way or the other in tank quality I decided to go back to 8L daily changes. (Approx 15% per week) It only takes me a couple of minutes to turn it over.
I have to say, the softies have really plumped up since being back on the changes, so good to see.
See how the next 6 months go.
