Bare bottom with cooked live rock *need advice*

[xenon]

This is going to be a 90g reef ready bare bottom (starboard) SPS tank. I got the Coralife 48" Aqualight Pro with 150w X 2 MH on timers.

My 95lb of live rock is now 100% cooked.

I bought a sequence barracuda pump for my closed loop that will push 4000gph thru an Oceans Motion 4way. I am using a Mag9.5 to return from my 40g breeder sump (no fuge). That’s roughly 50x turnover.

I bought a Euro Reef RS135 skimmer and 100 micron filter socks. I got all of the Salifert test kits, spectrapure maxcap ro/di system.

Did I miss anything?

Any feedback would be GREAT!

[pledosophy]

Calcuim reactor, Top off unit, I'm sure some more stuff. Possibly a UV.

[xenon]

Originally posted by pledosophy
Calcuim reactor, Top off unit, I'm sure some more stuff. Possibly a UV.

Ah! forgot to mention my top-off will be a dose pump from a 15g resevoir.

I am not sold on UV's yet. I need to research that more.

This is where I get confused. Do I really "need" a calcium reactor? Could I not just add it into my system from a bottle?

[xenon]

This is my new tank, just before its about to go into the wall.

The bg is actually navy blue but its hard to tell with this bad pic. I decided to use vinyl for the bg because I made a real mess painting my last tank.

The two 1.5" bulheads will have strainers on them. Those holes will be feeding my closed loop and my returns will be from the top.

[jiggly75]

You don't have to get a calcium reactor. It will save you time not having to dose every day if you do have one though!

[xenon]

Originally posted by jiggly75
You don't have to get a calcium reactor. It will save you time not having to dose every day if you do have one though!

Could I not just add calcium in my 15g resevoir for top-off?

[drummereef]

Kind of hard to measure tank demand vs evaporation rate. I would suggest using a good 2-part supplimentation. Randy's works great and it's cheap.

[dkh0331]

I don't run a Calc Reactor on my BB 110. I drip kalk and every week add a little 2 part.

I siphon every week replacing 2-3 gals and then do a 20 gal change every 4 weeks.

Run your skimmer wet. Once you get ready for SPS's watch your light timing. I run my MH's 5-1/2 hours a day. I am thinking of dropping that down to 5. Some BB'ers go even lower.

I do inject a little ozone, I keep my ORP at 383.

I feed heavy and export heavy. That's what BB allows you to do IMPHO.

Good Luck !!!!

David

[jdircksen]

have you thought about a controller? aquacontroller, reefkeeper, etc

[SDguy]

You don't NEED a calcium reactor, but it makes life SOOOO much easier. I've done it both ways, FWIW. And mine is a mixed reef. Honestly, I bet most SPS people will tell you it becomes a "must have" piece of equipment, especially once things start growing.

[King-Kong]

For a BB tank, I would recommend NOT using a Ca reactor.

It will introduce phosphates and probably keep your Ca and Alk higher than you need it.

Instead, go with kalkwasser, and you probably wont even have to try hard with it.

[SDguy]

?? OK. My tank works differently I guess. Feel free to elaborate on your reasonings

BTW, introduction of phospahtes from your reactor media compared to your fish food isn't even something I give a second thought.

[gman0526]

Originally posted by xenon

This is where I get confused. Do I really "need" a calcium reactor? Could I not just add it into my system from a bottle?

No you don't and yes you can.

[xenon]

Good advice so far...

[Weatherman]

Originally posted by SDguy
You don't NEED a calcium reactor, but it makes life SOOOO much easier. I've done it both ways, FWIW. And mine is a mixed reef. Honestly, I bet most SPS people will tell you it becomes a "must have" piece of equipment, especially once things start growing.

I really almost does, unless you like dosing two-part all the time.

Even with a bare-bottom tank, if you are successful at keeping hard coral, you'll likely reach a point where saturated kalk just isn't enough. Then, the best plan is to keep going with the saturated kalk and use a calcium reactor to make up the difference. By using both, the kalk will offset the excess CO2 and depressed pH problems reactors often produce.

[Weatherman]

Originally posted by xenon
Did I miss anything?

Temperature controller running heater, fans or a chiller.