"Bulletproof Reef" Setup from day One

Lionel · 07-11-2004, 04:52 PM

This is my first reef tank, and After seeing with my own eyes in person the success that garf.org's bulletproof reef system is capable of, there was no other way that I would consider setting up this tank.

My Hardware is as follows.
125 Gallon Tank with Stand
Six Maxi-Jet 1200 Powerheads
Two 250W Ebo-Jager glass heaters
190 Pounds of CaribSea Seaflor special grade reef sand
An "eco-sand" plenum built to garf specifications
Three IceCap 430 VHO Ballasts Driving Six 72'' 160 watt VHO Bulbs. I use a Two-to-One ratio of two URI Super Actinic bulbs to One 50/50 URI Bulb. total system wattage is 960 watts

The system is wired for eight 72'' VHO bulbs, the last two will be added a few months down the road in preparation for the addition of SPS corals. the last two bulbs will bring the total wattage to 1280

I am going to follow the recommended supplement dosing schedule as found on www.garf.org

a picture of the tank with plenum in place and the aragonite sand already added will be posted as soon as i can find a new pair of batteries for my camera. :-)

reefman_MC · 07-12-2004, 01:07 PM

Sounds good. Although I don't agree with Garf on everthing they seem to be very successful. Will you be using Seachem stuff.

Lionel · 07-13-2004, 06:09 PM

yes, I am going to use the seachem supplements as per garf's specifications.
those pictures will be posted in a day or two, sorry for the delay. I work in the oil industry and we're very busy =D

Jason McKenzie · 07-13-2004, 07:22 PM

Very anxious to see your long term results. I followed Garf's Supplement regime for about a year and could never maintain CA or Alk levels to my liking. I will be very interested in your findings.

J

P.S. Can't wait for the pics

inwall75 · 07-14-2004, 04:42 AM

I can't wait to see pictures either. Setting up a new tank is exciting. Congratulations!!!

Even if you are using their bulletproof Seachem recipe, it is important to test all of your parameters on a regular basis. Garf has done a lot of great things for the hobby but naming their recipe as bulletproof wasn't one of them. There is no such thing as a bulletproof reef recipe. If there was, 3reef wouldn't even exist because no one would have any problems. Let's think about this.

You have 2 125g tanks. One contains a 3 foot long snowflake moray eel with only only mushrooms and zooanthids. The other tank contains a relatively small bioload but is stocked with SPS corals, a couple clams, and maybe a few softies.

The calcium needs of the 2 tanks vary widely. The nitrate problems of the two tanks vary widely.

If you treated both of these tanks the same based on a "recipe" without regular testing, you are waiting for disaster. It's the "recipe" and word "bulletproof" that bother me.

Test, test, test. Do regular water changes with a quality water source and a quality salt. NEVER overfeed (it's tempting but there are more problems other than nitrates). Maintain your tank well. Read 3reef a lot. There are a lot of great posts here.

dx7fd2 · 07-15-2004, 06:05 AM

I agree with Inwall...a recipe for chems is not the answer but perhaps a good starting point...every tank is different.

PFC, are you going to be using the GARF Grunge? I am really interested in that aspect of their reef setup. I am very curious about what is included in this substance as I think it could be used, in lesser amounts than they want to sell you, to help get a tank started. I know the benefits of using LS, but you really have to trust the source of the LS. GARF maybe controversial, and I know they, like everyone else, has to be profitable, but I think that their live products are probably very clean. (just a guess) Let us know how it is going!! [smiley=2thumbsup.gif]

Drew

Lionel · 07-15-2004, 07:06 AM

My grunge will be here tomorrow, if fedex dosent screw up delivering the rest of my equipment today

Craig Manoukian · 07-15-2004, 07:17 AM

Amen, amen, amen I say to you Inwall!

I will go even further and tell you that if you take two identical tanks with the exact same set-up they would not run identically. Too many variables with sand, fish, corals, inverts, rock, warter flow, etc.

Test, test, test before adding any supplement. It's way harder to get things out of the tank than to put them in.

cannon2222 · 07-15-2004, 07:45 AM

[quote author=Craig_Manoukian link=board=Newbie;num=1089600768;start=0#7 date=07/15/04 at 10:17:15]It's way harder to get things out of the tank than to put them in.[/quote]

You couldn't be more right my friend.

phil

Lionel · 07-15-2004, 01:16 PM

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