NP Biopellets Update

The colors of the corals have increased dramatically since the addition of the NP Biopellets but the algae is still there and actually has worsened. The skimmate inside the skimmer has darkened and looks almost black. As you can see from this picture of my frag rack the algae has gone nuts. The rocks look clean but where the tangs and snails cannot get to the algae has taken over (aka. the nutrient levels haven't dropped yet with the addition of the Biopellets).

More Australian Eye Candy from Live Aquaria

Aussie Blue Acropora Gomezi $79.99

Australian green Acropora Robusta with purple tips $199.99

Aussie Pokerstar Montipora $99.99

Australian pink Acropora Hyacinthus $169.99

Aussie Bushy Blue Acropora Tenuis $139.99

Australian purple and green Acropora Granulosa $149.99

Aussie Staghorn Acropora Hoeksemai $89.99

Incredible Australian purple Acropora Nasuta $169.99

Fiji green and blue Acropora Austera $99.99

Australian super blue Acropora Tenuis $139.99

New Pictures

I recently purchased a Vortech MP40w. I took out all of the Koralia powerheads and run just the Vortech. I currently have the pump set on short pulse mode. Here are a few pictures from earlier today.

Sunset Montipora

Tyree Montipora Undata

Mean Green Zoanthid

Right side of the tank with the new Vortech MP40w

NP Biopellets

I am testing out the NP Biopellets to try and reduce my phosphate levels to 0.00 ppm, they are currently at 0.07 ppm according to the Hanna Phosphate Photometer and I still have hair algae growing on the overflow and on my frag rack. I added 500mL of the Biopellets in a Phosban 550 reactor powered by a Maxijet 900. The pellets look like vanilla chocolate chips and sink when placed in water. I will add 10 drops of Brightwell MB7 in front of the maxijet daily to help cultivate a bacteria population on the biopellets. I am starting with 500mL of Biopellets but in three to six months I will run a total of 1L of Biopellets.

Video of Stan's tanks

I went back to Stan's the other day and brought my new camcorder to take a video.

New video

Here is a video I took today with my new HD camcorder!




I also posted the video on Vimeo.

New Frags

I picked up 13 new frags last night. Some of the names that I remember are the Tubs Mystic Blue, Green with Pink Tip Florida, Undata, Apple Berry, Seasons Greetings, Mike Paletta Blue Acro, Pink Hyacinthus with Ice Blue tips, some staghorns and four varieties of Granulosa and Loripes.

Stan's 180 & 120

Tonight I went over to Stan's (SMCOOLER) to trade some corals and check out his new aquascape in his 180 gallon. He has all of his tanks connected to a Bubble King 300 External protein skimmer. He runs 400 watt Reeflux 10K bulbs on his display tank with no supplementation. He uses both Vortech MP 40's and Tunze Streams. He runs a ZEOvit system and uses 6 liters of the ZEOlith rocks (his colors are amazing). He runs a chiller and calcium reactor as well as a kalkwasser reactor and doses two-part.

He has the best frag tank, he has two 48"x24"x12" frag tanks. One is lit by a 400w Ushio 20K and the other is lit by a 400w Reeflux 10K and a 250w Radium 20K.

This is his 180 gallon reef ready tank

This is his 120 gallon tank

Wendy's 180

Over Thanksgiving break I visited Wendy's (JerseyWendy) beautiful 180 gallon reef tank that was lit by eight 80 watt T5's. Here are some stats and pictures.
180 gallon reef ready tank
Eight bulb 60" 80 watt IceCap T5 Retrofit
Bulb Combo from front to back:
ATI Blue Plus
Giesemann Pure Actinic 03
ATI Aquablue Special
GE 6,500
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Blue Plus
She uses two-part for calcium and alkalinity and doses magnesium as well as amino acids
Octopus Extreme 250 protein skimmer
Two Vortech MP40 powerhead
One Hydor Koralia 4 powerhead
Carbon and phosphate media are run in a TLF reactor