5g sps and some sps discussion

[danh]

I'm rebooting my Spec v to SPS. I've taken out the big rock that had some zoas, gsp, mushrooms and stylo. The stylo is why I decided to reboot to SPS. It's been in there for close to year probably after getting it from Brett. I just laid the plug on top of the main rock. I've fragged it 3 times and gotten BIG (considering it's in a 5g) pieces each time. When I took the rock out I expected to be to break off 90% of it, including the completely encrusted plug. There was no way that was happening. It had encrusted in several places, inches down. Crazy growth.

For most of that time I had it under the stock Evo light. I got the A80 from a member at the last frag swap so I guess about a month and a half ago, whenever that was.. I made the change, added some more sps and then realized that the A80 is really too weak. The best I could find about 150 par in the top of the tank. I thought about a upgrading to the 160 but then realized that would keep the shadowing I was already seeing so I moved the Evo light mount. I also found that the Evo should be around 100 par at the bottom. So this MAY put me at about 300 at the top. I added it but turned the A80 down a little bit.

I have taken pieces of this stylo home as well and get poor poly extension. Maybe it's shock from what was  <150par to what's probably higher than that in my 140g with a A360 and a T247? I've tried to move them out from directly under either or both lights but the pieces couldn't recover.

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[danh]

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[danh]

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[danh]

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[danh]

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[danh]

Stuff looks really good so far. That larger piece of SPS at the bottom has almost completely recovered already.



This, though, seems odd to me. Ca has no problem staying at 420 with the kalkwasser but alk is steady at mid 6. I will probably just start adding some 2 part as well but thought that normally they are consumed similarly and shouldn't have a difference like that?

 

[hiimsean]

Looks cool. I'm about to start up a pico soon too.

 

[dball711]

Stuff looks really good so far. That larger piece of SPS at the bottom has almost completely recovered already.



This, though, seems odd to me. Ca has no problem staying at 420 with the kalkwasser but alk is steady at mid 6. I will probably just start adding some 2 part as well but thought that normally they are consumed similarly and shouldn’t have a difference like that

My main SPS tank consumes much more ALK than Calcium.

 

[danh]

I haven't seen the situation yet in my big tanks where kalkwasser doesn't replace it at roughly the same rate that it's consumed. I'm going to have to get a refill for my alk test and some tools to help me dose 2 part in a 5g at work.

 

[bcavalli]

For some reason my tank consumes a higher rate of Alk vs Calcium as well.  I am having to dose Alk with 2 part.

 

[danh]

I feel like this tank has really good coloration and growth. Should I really try to raise my alk?

I'm also considering putting an ATO in this tank. I normally have someone top it off on Saturdays but one to two days over the weekend without top off is probably helping to keep my alk down. I've got a smart ato that should fit I'm just worried about a few gallon mess of salt water in my office if it fails on. I don't think my employer would be very happy about that.

 

[bcavalli]

If your absolutely sure your Alk level is accurate (get a second test kit or drop by your Lfs) to confirm your numbers.  I would bring it slowly up to 8 DkH or so.  Ill have to look it up but, I believe if you have 9dkh and your Calcium is 418 thats balanced between the two.

Im not familiar with that ATO.  But, I know the JBJ ATOs (thats what I use) have dual float switches and a timer on the max amount of water that can be added for multiple fail safes.  An overflow wouldn't be very good at the office.  

 

[danh]

I think an ATO would be helpful as well. You see the tank. I have a small Smart ATO and I think the sensor is small enough to fit in the pump chamber. I'd have to make sure the flow rate is low enough not to make a mess. Understanding I'm not getting a controller for a 5g at work, other than a very small ATO container are there any other ways to help ensure I don't leave a mess in the office at work??? My smart ATO at home has gotten stuck on several times and it's normally not that much of a deal. The 5g might be able to hold .5 gallons extra. A .5g ATO reservoir seems a to defeat the point...

 

[bcavalli]

Hopefully someone else can chime in on a ATO suggestion.  There has to be a simple solution out there with so many pico tanks setup.  

 

[hiimsean]

I used a JBJ on my old 5gal tank. It has two floats. It never failed on me on that tank. Granted the floats are a little large but they do the job. You could probably remove most of the guard to make it smaller profile.

 

[Adam]

https://www.saltwateraquarium.com/osmolator-nano-3152-auto-top-off-tunze/?utm_medium=googleshopping&utm_source=bc&gclid=CjwKCAiA0IXQBRA2EiwAMODilyPJFXbG4DCGW3zhZ1-aEBaqX1N2O8hpWk9xuqNlt7f5inM5wY2JlBoCITUQAvD_BwE">Tunze Osmolator Nano</a>

Keep a look out for one of these used. They come up from time to time here and on R2R. You also might find a Black Friday deal on one too.

I have one running on my coral QT tank and the pump sits in a 5gal water jug. Haven't had an issue with it over filling in the year I've had it. Checking the float is part of my routine maintenance, surprisingly it stays pretty clean. Got it used from a member here.

 

[dball711]

How about a gravity fed top of, no moving parts.

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[danh]

Does that allow air inlet tube only allow air to replace the space in the top jug if the water level gets too low? I could possibly do that but I don't think that would help all that much with messes. It seems just as likely to make a mess.



Is the sensor on the JBJ or the Tunze small enough to fit in the pump chamber of the Spec v???

 

[dball711]

&lt;blockquoteDoes that allow air inlet tube only allow air to replace the space in the top jug if the water level gets too low? I could possibly do that but I don’t think that would help all that much with messes. It seems just as likely to make a mess.&gt;

Shouldn't make a mess at all, water can only flow out if the water lever is below the air inlet tube meaning when the water level rises the flow stops (must use a rigid container and not something flexible like a pop bottle.

 

[danh]

I get that part. I lost my office as part of a new project I am working on for the next two years or so. The tank is a little more in the open. The container placement and siphon stop line are probably too risky.