the_bandit
Member
In East Valley. Guadalupe and Ellsworth. I hit Aquarium Arts and Pets Inc.
SPS Care
- Thread starter the_bandit
- Start date
kraylen
Member
Originally Posted by The_Bandit
http:///forum/post/3205623
In East Valley. Guadalupe and Ellsworth. I hit Aquarium Arts and Pets Inc.
Awesome, I lived on Sossaman and Baseline 2004-06.... If you get a chance you should hit AboutTheReef and AZ Seabottom.. awesome stuff. I'm driving down today from CA with my brother and starting him up a 12g AP so he can get hooked also.
You should get involved with F.R.A.G.
http:///forum/post/3205623
In East Valley. Guadalupe and Ellsworth. I hit Aquarium Arts and Pets Inc.
Awesome, I lived on Sossaman and Baseline 2004-06.... If you get a chance you should hit AboutTheReef and AZ Seabottom.. awesome stuff. I'm driving down today from CA with my brother and starting him up a 12g AP so he can get hooked also.
You should get involved with F.R.A.G.
kraylen
Member
Originally Posted by BTLDreef
http:///forum/post/3205649
Kraylen, I have had no issues with the Red Sea PRO test kit for Ca. I've tested it against salifert as well and get almost the same exact readings. The regular red sea calcium test is the one that absolutely sucks.
Just speaking from experience.. I use several test kits, I don't rely on just one. Bad experience before
http:///forum/post/3205649
Kraylen, I have had no issues with the Red Sea PRO test kit for Ca. I've tested it against salifert as well and get almost the same exact readings. The regular red sea calcium test is the one that absolutely sucks.
Just speaking from experience.. I use several test kits, I don't rely on just one. Bad experience before
stanlalee
Active Member
I'll throw my 2 cents in.
a) API calcium test are as good as any (that is close enough to the more renouned brands to be neglibly different). within 20ppm of ELOS everytime for 1/3 the cost and I have used them for 5yrs now and trying more expensive brand only leads back to API because its never different enough to spend 2-3x the money. As soon as if turns anything from pink (purple, dark pink) the next drop will be the end point. people try to perfect match the supplied end point. once a drop changes it from pink it only takes one more drop to reach the end point. I trust the calicium kit alot more than the nitrate kit since 0 and 5 look exactly alike (yellow and yellower). when your dealing with very low nitrate levels that kit isn't very helpful. its only good if you have enough to turn it some orange. I still use them though: any yellow with no orange = good enough (nitrate is not an important test for me anyway once a tank is established). Likewise dKH test is as good as any and if its not resolute enough simply double the test fluid and read it in .5 dKH instead of 1.0s. SALIFERT dKH kits on the other hand are WAY OFF. they test WAY off every other kit on the market. dont believe me just try it. test salifert with elos, api and something else (in my case tetra). Salifert is 2dkh off every other kit which all test the same. APIs phophate test is ABSOLUTELY USELESS. any test that doesn't read to .00 resolution is useless.
In the end we all probably have our own preferences but let it be YOUR preference based on YOUR experiences with them not somebody elses (as you see we all have varying oppinions)
b) a steady dKH of 8 is perfectly fine and there is no reason to obtain higher (or not to). the ocean is 7dKH. Studies show faster growth with higher dKH (above 9) but for SPS tanks in particular I think more people than not try to maintain 7-9 especially those doing carbon dosing since zeovit instructs to keep it below 9. I really dont think it matters much but I 8-9 has always been the sweet spot for me (not so high its way off natural ocean parameters, not so low if it drops a little unexpectedly your gonna crash).
once again dKH is mostly a matter of preference. some like 7dkh and some like 12dkh.
c) digitata have feeding tenticles? thats news to me.
all this advice/recommendations were probably never needed. If you can keep LPS happy and have enough experience to test and maintain alk/ca you can easily keep birdsnest and digitata. some of the acro's may take alittle more mojo keeping on top of the unmeasureables (where your eyes tells you there are too many nutrients or not enough ect where everything test fine).
a) API calcium test are as good as any (that is close enough to the more renouned brands to be neglibly different). within 20ppm of ELOS everytime for 1/3 the cost and I have used them for 5yrs now and trying more expensive brand only leads back to API because its never different enough to spend 2-3x the money. As soon as if turns anything from pink (purple, dark pink) the next drop will be the end point. people try to perfect match the supplied end point. once a drop changes it from pink it only takes one more drop to reach the end point. I trust the calicium kit alot more than the nitrate kit since 0 and 5 look exactly alike (yellow and yellower). when your dealing with very low nitrate levels that kit isn't very helpful. its only good if you have enough to turn it some orange. I still use them though: any yellow with no orange = good enough (nitrate is not an important test for me anyway once a tank is established). Likewise dKH test is as good as any and if its not resolute enough simply double the test fluid and read it in .5 dKH instead of 1.0s. SALIFERT dKH kits on the other hand are WAY OFF. they test WAY off every other kit on the market. dont believe me just try it. test salifert with elos, api and something else (in my case tetra). Salifert is 2dkh off every other kit which all test the same. APIs phophate test is ABSOLUTELY USELESS. any test that doesn't read to .00 resolution is useless.
In the end we all probably have our own preferences but let it be YOUR preference based on YOUR experiences with them not somebody elses (as you see we all have varying oppinions)
b) a steady dKH of 8 is perfectly fine and there is no reason to obtain higher (or not to). the ocean is 7dKH. Studies show faster growth with higher dKH (above 9) but for SPS tanks in particular I think more people than not try to maintain 7-9 especially those doing carbon dosing since zeovit instructs to keep it below 9. I really dont think it matters much but I 8-9 has always been the sweet spot for me (not so high its way off natural ocean parameters, not so low if it drops a little unexpectedly your gonna crash).
once again dKH is mostly a matter of preference. some like 7dkh and some like 12dkh.
c) digitata have feeding tenticles? thats news to me.
all this advice/recommendations were probably never needed. If you can keep LPS happy and have enough experience to test and maintain alk/ca you can easily keep birdsnest and digitata. some of the acro's may take alittle more mojo keeping on top of the unmeasureables (where your eyes tells you there are too many nutrients or not enough ect where everything test fine).
the_bandit
Member
Your advice is much appreciated Stanlalee.
I find for some reason when I test Calcium with the API tests, its always ready extremely high and when I take it in to my LFS to get it tested, it always come back lower. They test with Salifert kits. Most of the API are good and I will probably use them until they run out. I just find calcium never to be as accurate as I would like. I only plan on using the Calcium Salifert test kit. API are good for most others and as long as its fairly accurate Im not in any immediate danger.
My dKh has always stayed at around 8-9 so I guess Im ok not worrying about that for now
It seems that the Digit does have white/clear tenticles that come out after the lights are off. Maybe they are feeders or maybe I have a different SPS
I dont plan to go any further with SPS until I have totally succeeded with these and they become larger healthier colonies. I may try Monti but other than that Im sticking with these. Im also going to plan a larger tank with many SPS.
I find for some reason when I test Calcium with the API tests, its always ready extremely high and when I take it in to my LFS to get it tested, it always come back lower. They test with Salifert kits. Most of the API are good and I will probably use them until they run out. I just find calcium never to be as accurate as I would like. I only plan on using the Calcium Salifert test kit. API are good for most others and as long as its fairly accurate Im not in any immediate danger.
My dKh has always stayed at around 8-9 so I guess Im ok not worrying about that for now
It seems that the Digit does have white/clear tenticles that come out after the lights are off. Maybe they are feeders or maybe I have a different SPS
I dont plan to go any further with SPS until I have totally succeeded with these and they become larger healthier colonies. I may try Monti but other than that Im sticking with these. Im also going to plan a larger tank with many SPS.
the_bandit
Member
Update!
Pink Birdsnest is turning pink
Digit is developing "ridges" showing lots of growth.
Green BN great polyp extension.
No RO/DI unit, calcium, or test kits yet
Pink Birdsnest is turning pink
Digit is developing "ridges" showing lots of growth.
Green BN great polyp extension.
No RO/DI unit, calcium, or test kits yet
btldreef
Moderator
Originally Posted by The_Bandit
http:///forum/post/3209092
Update!
Pink Birdsnest is turning pink
Digit is developing "ridges" showing lots of growth.
Green BN great polyp extension.
No RO/DI unit, calcium, or test kits yet
Glad to hear everything is going well
http:///forum/post/3209092
Update!
Pink Birdsnest is turning pink
Digit is developing "ridges" showing lots of growth.
Green BN great polyp extension.
No RO/DI unit, calcium, or test kits yet
Glad to hear everything is going well
the_bandit
Member
Just bought my first 75 GPD RO/DI 4 Stage Economy System from xxxxxxxxxxx
Just in time. Im starting to get alot of brown algae all over. Should be here in close to a week. Cross your fingers it comes here earlier.
Just in time. Im starting to get alot of brown algae all over. Should be here in close to a week. Cross your fingers it comes here earlier.
btldreef
Moderator
Originally Posted by The_Bandit
http:///forum/post/3209996
Just bought my first 75 GPD RO/DI 4 Stage Economy System from xxxxxxxxxx
Just in time. Im starting to get alot of brown algae all over. Should be here in close to a week. Cross your fingers it comes here earlier.
Congrats
http:///forum/post/3209996
Just bought my first 75 GPD RO/DI 4 Stage Economy System from xxxxxxxxxx
Just in time. Im starting to get alot of brown algae all over. Should be here in close to a week. Cross your fingers it comes here earlier.
Congrats
the_bandit
Member
I do have a question though.
Right now I do a 5g water change every wednesday. Is this enough for a 40g BR and 20g L sump?
When I get the RO/DI unit, I'd like to get as much pure water in the tank as possible. Should I do a large (maybe 15-20g) water change or just keep on my regular scheduale and keep adding RO/DI water? I dont want to shock the system and upset my SPS. I asked on another forum and they said to be careful so you dont stress or upset the SPS.
Right now I do a 5g water change every wednesday. Is this enough for a 40g BR and 20g L sump?
When I get the RO/DI unit, I'd like to get as much pure water in the tank as possible. Should I do a large (maybe 15-20g) water change or just keep on my regular scheduale and keep adding RO/DI water? I dont want to shock the system and upset my SPS. I asked on another forum and they said to be careful so you dont stress or upset the SPS.
stanlalee
Active Member
Originally Posted by The_Bandit
http:///forum/post/3210236
I do have a question though.
Right now I do a 5g water change every wednesday. Is this enough for a 40g BR and 20g L sump?
When I get the RO/DI unit, I'd like to get as much pure water in the tank as possible. Should I do a large (maybe 15-20g) water change or just keep on my regular scheduale and keep adding RO/DI water? I dont want to shock the system and upset my SPS. I asked on another forum and they said to be careful so you dont stress or upset the SPS.
the answer to that is depends. I do 5g every two weeks on my 30g/10g sump NOW but earlier in its maturity I did as high as 10g every week. If you are doing 5g weekly without issues so far no need to change it.
http:///forum/post/3210236
I do have a question though.
Right now I do a 5g water change every wednesday. Is this enough for a 40g BR and 20g L sump?
When I get the RO/DI unit, I'd like to get as much pure water in the tank as possible. Should I do a large (maybe 15-20g) water change or just keep on my regular scheduale and keep adding RO/DI water? I dont want to shock the system and upset my SPS. I asked on another forum and they said to be careful so you dont stress or upset the SPS.
the answer to that is depends. I do 5g every two weeks on my 30g/10g sump NOW but earlier in its maturity I did as high as 10g every week. If you are doing 5g weekly without issues so far no need to change it.