waynemah
01-27-2015, 10:19 PM
Back in the game!
I purchased a used RSM250 and decided to try an ultra simple (lazy) approach to reefing. I'm taking chances on things that I felt were imperative to keeping a reef tank and implementing technologies that keep the water as consistent as possible.
Skimmerless:
During the years of keeping my 225 alive, maintaining the skimmer was one of the least satisfying jobs. I've always felt a strong skimmer is crucial to having a successful reef. This is a great opportunity to try something that others have had success with.
Tap Water:
Eliminating unwanted chemicals/nutrients from source water has always been the goal, but it comes at a cost of maintenance and funds. Recently a friend of mine with a very successful tank discovered he was pouring high TDS water into his system, with no real effects. This is always something I can adjust later, but for now using tap water is easy and essentially free.
Weekly-Bi-Weekly water changes:
I'll be performing water changes every week to start and hopefully move to a bi-weekly schedule. The total volume changed would be 10G which is around 15%.
Auto Top Off:
I'm running a Tunze nano ATO unit connected to a 5G pail. The evaporation at the moment is 1G per day (which feels pretty high). I treat the tap water with a pond grade water treatment solution.
Dosing:
I will be dosing Calcium, Alkalinity and some sort of carbon source. For now I will perform a weekly water test to keep the parameters in check. Dosing will be performed with a cheap Jebao 4 pump unit. So far the unit works flawlessly and is an excellent value at $120 shipped. Carbon source is vinegar for now, but I will likely introduce a small amount of Vodka in the mix. I may consider the 4th unit to dose Peroxide for fish health and algae growth.
Lighting:
After switching to T5 from LED on my 225 I was sold. I will continue with the stock lighting and ATI bulbs. I haven't changed out the stock bulbs yet, but will be going with 3 Blue+, 2 Coral+ and 1 Purple+.
http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa364/waynemah/D8A218B2-A252-4A64-B135-44A086EB7B5D_zpsmpjlsns1.jpg (http://s1194.photobucket.com/user/waynemah/media/D8A218B2-A252-4A64-B135-44A086EB7B5D_zpsmpjlsns1.jpg.html)
http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa364/waynemah/4BFC66A4-C5E4-40A2-9136-ADB3C4375C8C_zpsk4qrbh0g.jpg (http://s1194.photobucket.com/user/waynemah/media/4BFC66A4-C5E4-40A2-9136-ADB3C4375C8C_zpsk4qrbh0g.jpg.html)
http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa364/waynemah/37B33826-8B26-4053-9536-62C8DED5FBAC_zps8knyim0a.jpg (http://s1194.photobucket.com/user/waynemah/media/37B33826-8B26-4053-9536-62C8DED5FBAC_zps8knyim0a.jpg.html)
http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa364/waynemah/BF7237B1-2D09-45BD-AF3C-067486DD7B4F_zpsel2hcur4.jpg (http://s1194.photobucket.com/user/waynemah/media/BF7237B1-2D09-45BD-AF3C-067486DD7B4F_zpsel2hcur4.jpg.html)
http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa364/waynemah/D2E9CBA9-6C09-4941-8808-8BA5300AEC22_zpsrbsmxzqj.jpg (http://s1194.photobucket.com/user/waynemah/media/D2E9CBA9-6C09-4941-8808-8BA5300AEC22_zpsrbsmxzqj.jpg.html)
Tester SPS frag, seems to be doing well so far. Color hasn't change since I bought it.
http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa364/waynemah/D75DC971-A18B-4B07-BA69-0885E6AD9CD2_zpsk3owssiw.jpg (http://s1194.photobucket.com/user/waynemah/media/D75DC971-A18B-4B07-BA69-0885E6AD9CD2_zpsk3owssiw.jpg.html)
I purchased a used RSM250 and decided to try an ultra simple (lazy) approach to reefing. I'm taking chances on things that I felt were imperative to keeping a reef tank and implementing technologies that keep the water as consistent as possible.
Skimmerless:
During the years of keeping my 225 alive, maintaining the skimmer was one of the least satisfying jobs. I've always felt a strong skimmer is crucial to having a successful reef. This is a great opportunity to try something that others have had success with.
Tap Water:
Eliminating unwanted chemicals/nutrients from source water has always been the goal, but it comes at a cost of maintenance and funds. Recently a friend of mine with a very successful tank discovered he was pouring high TDS water into his system, with no real effects. This is always something I can adjust later, but for now using tap water is easy and essentially free.
Weekly-Bi-Weekly water changes:
I'll be performing water changes every week to start and hopefully move to a bi-weekly schedule. The total volume changed would be 10G which is around 15%.
Auto Top Off:
I'm running a Tunze nano ATO unit connected to a 5G pail. The evaporation at the moment is 1G per day (which feels pretty high). I treat the tap water with a pond grade water treatment solution.
Dosing:
I will be dosing Calcium, Alkalinity and some sort of carbon source. For now I will perform a weekly water test to keep the parameters in check. Dosing will be performed with a cheap Jebao 4 pump unit. So far the unit works flawlessly and is an excellent value at $120 shipped. Carbon source is vinegar for now, but I will likely introduce a small amount of Vodka in the mix. I may consider the 4th unit to dose Peroxide for fish health and algae growth.
Lighting:
After switching to T5 from LED on my 225 I was sold. I will continue with the stock lighting and ATI bulbs. I haven't changed out the stock bulbs yet, but will be going with 3 Blue+, 2 Coral+ and 1 Purple+.
http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa364/waynemah/D8A218B2-A252-4A64-B135-44A086EB7B5D_zpsmpjlsns1.jpg (http://s1194.photobucket.com/user/waynemah/media/D8A218B2-A252-4A64-B135-44A086EB7B5D_zpsmpjlsns1.jpg.html)
http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa364/waynemah/4BFC66A4-C5E4-40A2-9136-ADB3C4375C8C_zpsk4qrbh0g.jpg (http://s1194.photobucket.com/user/waynemah/media/4BFC66A4-C5E4-40A2-9136-ADB3C4375C8C_zpsk4qrbh0g.jpg.html)
http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa364/waynemah/37B33826-8B26-4053-9536-62C8DED5FBAC_zps8knyim0a.jpg (http://s1194.photobucket.com/user/waynemah/media/37B33826-8B26-4053-9536-62C8DED5FBAC_zps8knyim0a.jpg.html)
http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa364/waynemah/BF7237B1-2D09-45BD-AF3C-067486DD7B4F_zpsel2hcur4.jpg (http://s1194.photobucket.com/user/waynemah/media/BF7237B1-2D09-45BD-AF3C-067486DD7B4F_zpsel2hcur4.jpg.html)
http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa364/waynemah/D2E9CBA9-6C09-4941-8808-8BA5300AEC22_zpsrbsmxzqj.jpg (http://s1194.photobucket.com/user/waynemah/media/D2E9CBA9-6C09-4941-8808-8BA5300AEC22_zpsrbsmxzqj.jpg.html)
Tester SPS frag, seems to be doing well so far. Color hasn't change since I bought it.
http://i1194.photobucket.com/albums/aa364/waynemah/D75DC971-A18B-4B07-BA69-0885E6AD9CD2_zpsk3owssiw.jpg (http://s1194.photobucket.com/user/waynemah/media/D75DC971-A18B-4B07-BA69-0885E6AD9CD2_zpsk3owssiw.jpg.html)