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Update. 28 months since going skimmer free just water changes, ATS, and 1/2 cup of carbon per week. Tank is doing awesome. I get a slight brown on the sandbed towards the end of the week after siphoning it takes about 3 days for it to show up again, minor nusiance other than that tank has done great.
Sorry Don't have as nice of camera and they turned out pretty blue but you can at least get an idea.
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/atta...1&d=1399501008
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/atta...0&d=1399501008
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/atta...2&d=1399515568
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Very nice. Will be our Tank Of The Moment :)
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Really a beauty
Congratulations
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5 month update, This coming January 2015 will be the 3 year mark of ATS scrubber as main filtration, no skimmer:
I unfortunately lost the nice orange hammer coral during our vacation in August, had to replace it with a metalic orange one until I can get a better piece in the spring. I did a little re-arranging to get the LPS grouped more together, that left the other side mostly acans and zoas. Not sure I like it but will see.
Outside of the orange hammer, no other fish or coral losses. Tank has been doing steller overall. Scrubber does excellent job with my nitrates but the phosphates do start to creep up slowly. For now just add an extra water 40g water change to correct it. Exploring using Lacl3 in a reactor with floss periodically to handle the phosphates, don't plan to use it regularly just when the phosphates start to creep up on the .1 - .12 range when algae/cyano seems to start popping back up. Phosphate levels around .06 - .08 seems to be the sweet spot for my tank combination of decent growth and great colors when kept in that range.
So here is the fluffy side after rearranging:
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/atta...9&d=1413908821
The "Not so Fluffy" side:
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/atta...0&d=1413908847
And full tank shot to put it all back in perspective:
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/atta...8&d=1413908789
Not sure I'll keep it this way, likely will go back to a more even mix to try to keep it a little more balanced looking. Still fun to tinker.
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Sweet tank! Do you have any pics of your scrubber? Do you still have the packed frag tank too?
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The link in my signature, click on filtration tab for the scrubber pics/details.
I did repurpose the 5' frag tank, I now use it to house my pond fish in the winter time. Being all glass with lots of surface area just too hard to keep heated in the cool basement during winter the pond fish are fine with room temp water so it's a good fit. 800w of heaters would run 24/7 and still could keep within 2-3 degrees of target with the 5' frag tank + 180g show.
I went back to just using the 60g sump as the frag tank. It still holds 400-500 frags. Instead of growing out any acros/sps in the frag tank, I'm just going to trim and trade/sell as fresh cut at local club meetings.
I am in process of attaching a 29g in wall montipora dominant tank that will be tied to this system. Goal is to have it up and running by Thanksgiving. I have to reroute some electrical lines where the little inwall tank will go so that has slowed down the project.
I recently started using LaCl3 for phosphates. Phosphates are never real bad but slowly over time will creep up to about .1 - .12 and will start getting some cyano here and there and sandbed won't be as clean. I bring it back down around .06 ish with 2mil of LaCl3 diluted in ro/di and slowly added to a 5micron filter to remove the precipitate so it doesn't hurt the fish. Normally when would start to creep up I'd squeeze in an additional 40g water change and that won't be necessary.
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Jan was the 4 year anniversary of Algae Scrubber the main filtration. No skimmer.
Here is an updated pic.
Back in April-July 2015 there was an issue that never got identified where Acropora only had very slow recession from the bottom up. Nothing was solving it and most acropora perished over a 3 months period. I tried fragging them and the new frag would then also start to recede. So a number of acros were lost. Rather than trying to replace them, I decided to go with existing corals I already owned that are less sensitive.
I haven't required any GFO, I manage phosphates by regulating food. When test for phosphates and they are rise just back off on the feeding to find the equalibrium between import and exports. I still feed more than most conventional skimmer setups do ( 3-5 times per day ) so it's not a matter of starving the fish.
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/atta...0&d=1458315289
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Still, couldn't be a simpler way of keeping nice corals.
BTW your link is not working.
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Update, fixed my website link. Most of the site is updated, still have to add more details to the additives page regarding the Zero water change method I'm using:
Month 53 since ATS as main filtration, no skimmer. Started in Jan 2012. ATS keeps nitrates at near undectable levels, phosphates hover around .06-.08ppm. I can manapulate the phosphate levels some by simply increase or decrease feeding. I still feed way more daily than ever did with a skimmer. For years I haven't messed with any GFO and have no troubles keeping in the .06-.08ppm range but recently I have been playing around with adding 1-2 tablespoon of GFO to my weekly carbon and can easily get to .02 but haven't seen any reason to keep it that low. Tank seems to do best in the .06ppm phosphate range. I have noticed when I do add 1 or 2 tablespoons of GFO to the carbon that is does mess up algae harvest that week so it must be a balance thing with nitrate/phosphate that I am disturbing so I only going to use GFO sparingly and if I see algae issues start to pop up.
Month 15 since going to a near Zero water change philosophy. Started in March 2015. The only water changes have been accidental spillage or trade/selling frags replacement. I estimate that totals less than 40g in the 15months. I use the Triton Tests to monitor elements levels. HW Trace-tip, trace-tip2, miro-tip comercial products as the daily trace element supplements. Kalkwasser still for Alk/CA. Mostly DIY additives to make monthly adjustments to keep all other elements levels in check. Working out quite well. The last Triton test results was earlier this month and everything looking good and within range. Only exception is that sulfate levels have been dropping ( now at 670ppm ) so I'm switching to a Magnesium sulfate (epsom salt ) for Magnesium supplment ( currently its a 7/1 mix of Magnesium Chloride and Magnesium Sulfate ) in hopes that will get sulfate levels back near 900ppm. Other than that, my dosages seem to be right on and will get more accurate as time goes on and more Triton test results. Goal is just 2-3 Triton tests per year. I've done 3 thus far in the first 15months.
http://algaescrubber.net/forums/atta...6&d=1467310150