Mike's 120 reef ready build

[Tonyscoots84]

Tank looks awesome great job mike.... What are you doing to get your tank to look like that :bigeyes:

 

[MikeC]

Tank looks awesome great job mike.... What are you doing to get your tank to look like that :bigeyes:

Thanks Tony lol
Well I went BB about 4 months ago and Im loving it.
One realization I had is that a tank needs to be maintained and that we are never done

 

[Tonyscoots84]

Very true especially wit bb. Good job mike

 

[E.intheC]

Looks great but why no sand? It doesn't look natural.

 

[MikeC]

Looks great but why no sand? It doesn't look natural.

lol

 

[isnyc300]

looks great but why no sand? It doesn't look natural.


:d

+1

 

[E.intheC]

+1

I was just kidding around. I like this tank a whole lot and don't even notice the starboard (also... Check my signature). I'm a huge BB supporter.

 

[TommyP]

Looks great I love the bb. Awesome job mike.

 

[duke62]

Great looking tank Mike. Im going barebottom as well. Im tired of sand beds leaching nitrates into the tank.

 

[MikeC]

Thanks guys

 

[samksy]

Awesome, clean looking tank. What have are the positive side of going BB, that you notice in you tank?

 

[MikeC]

Thanks everyone

Awesome, clean looking tank. What have are the positive side of going BB, that you notice in you tank?

Let me first say I don't hate (shallow) sand beds and do believe both can be successful with proper maintenance & husbandry.
With that said for my predominantly SPS reef tank I have no interest in having poop as a pet or feeding algae,micro algae,pods,worms or anything except the higher up's
My goals are to remove organic compounds & prevent inorganic compounds thus removing food for algae to grow.
(Please see my sign for more on this.)

Positives for me are:

1.The over all learning and understanding why things work in my tank and not just doing things because that's what I was told by the so called experts. I do believe to many reefers do things to their tanks and don't truly understand why they are doing It. (Again read my sign) and if your happy with your tank then don't and have a great day, happy reefing. I'm not looking to debate or argue with anyone

2.I like a clean look! I'm not into a tank that looks like the bottom of the bay. I use to swim in some pretty nasty stuff as a kid under the smiths point bridge, maybe that had something to do with it lol. I would rather my pretty colors be in my corals rather than in my sand bed

3.I have always dosed two part and I went from dosing 192mil per day with sand of each Ca & Alk to 24mil of each per day after going BB. It is amazing how much sand absorbs Ca & Alk lol.

4. As far as maintenance the settling tank is a dream! All my detritus settles in the settling tank and only in one area of the DT, that is in the front left corner in the one inch gap around the cutting board (easily siphoned out each week)

5. Over all water looks cleaner(less particles)

6. Corals look healthier and have better color.

 

[FMF0331]

Just reviewed your build thread again, i'm amazed how far it came along.
P.s the mystery wrasse i got from you is so well behaved.

 

[MikeC]

Just reviewed your build thread again, i'm amazed how far it came along.
P.s the mystery wrasse i got from you is so well behaved.

That's good news glad you both are happy

 

[jackson6745]

This tank looks awesome Mike. You're doing an amazing job with it.

I have a question about the cal/alk usage. I was BB in my 120 for a while and my 2 part usage was still high. With such a major reduction in dosing for you I am curious if you have seen lees growth in coral or coraline?

 

[MikeC]

This tank looks awesome Mike. You're doing an amazing job with it.

I have a question about the cal/alk usage. I was BB in my 120 for a while and my 2 part usage was still high. With such a major reduction in dosing for you I am curious if you have seen lees growth in coral or coraline?

Thanks Jackson

less growth? not really that I noticed.
Some of my coraline on my overflows had died off after going BB (it turned white)
But is coming back now strong. I'm not really sure why it died off.

My peramiters are.
Ca 415-420
ALK 7.7
Mag 1400
I don't amp up my coral anymore by adding extra 2part
it is just not needed and I would rather have great color than growth at this point anyway. I'm not looking to sell anything lol but don't get me wrong I still see growth with great color just no need to have your Ca at 450 & your Alk at 11Dkh its wasteful.

 

[samksy]

Mike, tx for the long detail post. I'm so tempted to go BB now....lol! My tank has been sucking up alk and cal Like crazy and hated all the ditris flowing in the water column. But I have wrasses and mandarin and a sleepy head goby.....oh well, I'll have to wait a bit.

 

[piranhapat]

Mike, By removing the sand do you feel that. You also protected your glass from scratching. Because now and than as much as I try to clean the glass without scratching it. I get a few light scratches.

 

[MikeC]

Mike, tx for the long detail post. I'm so tempted to go BB now....lol! My tank has been sucking up alk and cal Like crazy and hated all the ditris flowing in the water column. But I have wrasses and mandarin and a sleepy head goby.....oh well, I'll have to wait a bit.

:shhh: Don't tell the wrass police but I have a yellow coris wrass:Yikes:
but dont worry just as their wrasses told them they needed sand to sleep mine told me he is not stressed eating and sleeping fine

 

[MikeC]

Mike, By removing the sand do you feel that. You also protected your glass from scratching. Because now and than as much as I try to clean the glass without scratching it. I get a few light scratches.

I guess ?I mean I never (thankfully) scratched my glass but I did have that 1/2 inch on the bottom of the DT that was never really clean