Pat's 120

[pterfloth]

Welcome

I have decided to start this blog on my 120 gal SPS dominated tank that I have recently converted to UltraLITH-Fauna Marin treatment. I could find very few blogs and thought that there should be more.

The tank is about 5 years old and began as a FOWLER. Three years ago I converted it into a softy tank and introduced my first SPS, a digitata 18 months ago. Over the past 12 months I have been slowly converting to a primarily SPS and LPS tank.

Tank/Pumps
120 gallon 48x24x24 tank, single drilled corner overflow
40 gallon sump
1000 gph return pump
4x Koralia 3 powerheads
MSX-200 Extreme Skimmer with mesh mod Sicce 2500 pump
100 micron filter bags on return
500 ml carbon in TLF reactor

Lighting
2x400w MH Geisemann 13K
2x54w Geisemann Actinics

Full Tank Mar 4/09


Pocilli Mar 4/09


Yellow Green Acro Mar 4/09


Purple Acro Mar 4/09


UltraLITH Fauna Marin Treatment
I began using the Ultra Amin Special Mixture 2 months ago and have noted a dramatic increase in coloration. This stuff works. If I miss two days the difference is noticable.

One week ago I began the full UltraLITH program. Using the UltraLITH calculator, I began with 250 ml UltraLITH, 3 ml UltraBak, 3 ml UltraMin and 3 drops of UltraBio. I am now up to 5 drops of UltraBio for this week and increased the UltraLITh to 500 ml.

So far I have noticed a decrease in film on the glass, cleaning every two days instead of every day. My skimmer is also producing a thicker, fouler skimate.

I am hoping for increased coloration, a cleaner tank, less cyano on the sand bed and the elimination of some minor hair algae.

I'll try to keep things up to date.

Happy reefing my friends!

Mar 5/09
Everything looking good. Soaking my next 250 ml of UltraLith in preparation for addition to reactor.

Tested nutrient levels today. Phosphate 0.01 ppm (photometer), Nitrate 2 ppm, Calcium 420 ppm, Alkalinity 120 ppm.

Expecting my Aquacontroller Jr to arrive within the next couple of days. Also ordered two used Tunze 6000's and Tinze Multicontroller 7094 with 6091 wavemaker from a fellow reefer on ReefCentral. Gonna be rocking soon!

Mar 9/09
Everything looking good.

Test results:

Phosphate: 0.01 ppm
Nitrate: 1 ppm (lowest ever!)
Calcium: 420 ppm
Magnesium: 1470 ppm
Alkalinity: 135 ppm
pH: 8.38

Up to 750 ml of UltraLith now. No UltraBio as per UltraLith Calculator guide. Still adding 3 ml of UltraBak and UltraMin daily. Adding 2 ml of Ultra Amino SPS every day.

Cyano on sandbed and on live rock reduced. Hair algae still present in a few place. Film on glass reduced but still cleaning glass every two days.

No change in coloration of SPS.