Big Changes in my SPS Reef Tank

I am BACK with an update on my Innovative Marine 170 gallon EXT NUVO SPS dominant reef tank. The acropora in the tank struggled for a few months over the summer and I had a little bit of burnout... but I am back at full force. It took me some time to get this thing back into a condition I am happy with and now share with everyone else.
If you want some background info on my system, my last update should cover most if not all questions about the system.
• SPS Reef Tank Upgrade:...
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[@OrigTaRanTaDo]

Long format sounds great

[@NBurgReef]

Okay cool. I still probably cut out about 10 minutes of rambling out of this vid and was thinking of cutting out more, but I guess there is a market for longer videos. I personally like to hear how other reefers think and enjoy the longer videos.

[@GrahamStephan]

Thanks for sharing your experiences on STN...I'm going through the same thing. Colonies I've grown out from frags over 3+ years are suddenly STN'ing from the base, then a Red Dragon started RTN'ing out of nowhere. Can't find a cause, either. My best guess is that whatever it is, it spreads to other corals if it's not contained. Could be bacterial. Best of luck! Beautiful tank.

[@NBurgReef]

I don't think the hobby is there yet to fully address what's happening with RTN/STN. I know a lot can be linked to bacteria, either primary or secondary infection of compromised corals. I ended up buying oxalinic acid (like cipro but not used in humans) to do a full tank treatment, but things started to turn around before I could start the treatment, so I didn't. My experiences is most that started the slow, slow tissue loss didn't get better and slowly died. But, if you cut a healthy piece and dip in iodine, it had a good chance of regrowing fine. The red dragons are known to just start dying for no reason, so clipping a health part would be a good idea. I haven't seen an update on your tank in a while, how's it doing otherwise?

[@GrahamStephan]

@@NBurgReef The tank is doing great! Besides the random STN on a few SPS, it's gotten to a point where I've had to remove colonies to make space. I've just let everything continue to grow and it's gotten to the point where I can barley see any of the rock anymore. Will post an update in the next few weeks!

[@DirectCherry]

Seeing those triggers' mating rituals was really cool! Thanks for sharing!

[@NBurgReef]

Yeah, I thought they were fighting at first. pretty neat to watch even though it was destructive.

[@Mangeeknetwork]

I enjoy the longer videos, great job, cheers!

[@NBurgReef]

Thanks! I'll the longer format then!

[@FriendM2010]

Bye Bye! No seriously, thanks for sharing your awesome reef tank. Inspired. 🤓🤘

[@NBurgReef]

🤘Thanks!

[@libardo-kb5gs]

Would you talk about IPS tests and sand grain sizes..? Good aquarium and videos.

[@danriver12345]

Looks much better. I just added sand to my reef

[@NBurgReef]

Sand is nice, and hopefully worth the effort to keep it clean!

[@samdunwell9362]

Looking beautiful mate Longer videos are better 😊

[@NBurgReef]

Thanks!

[@jobekinobe6281]

Love the longer format. Great to see you added sand. I'm a sand lubber. :P I'm coming back from neglecting my tank too just around the same time.

[@NBurgReef]

Welcome back! lol

[@EnchantedReefs]

Gorgeous tank! Adding sand to mine was one of my best decisions for my reef.

[@NBurgReef]

lol, I hate taking care of it, but it does look much much nicer than the bare bottom.

[@daniel-saltyinvestments984]

Really super update; thanks. Enjoyed format, length and walkthrough.

[@NBurgReef]

Thanks!

[@lorenzobosforo6697]

Awesome job! Looks amazing 👏

[@NBurgReef]

Thanks!

[@Vroomy1986]

Stunning reef aquarium!!

[@NBurgReef]

Thank you very much!

[@whatthereef]

Love all those sticks!!

[@NBurgReef]

Thanks!!

[@ttown918]

Great tank. Inspirational.

[@NBurgReef]

Thanks!

[@SlingFox13]

Love the long format!

[@NBurgReef]

Thanks for the input! seems to be a consensus among commenters.

[@JohnnyBlankify]

Hello, I got into the hobby about 1 year ago now. I have a bunch of mixed corals, mostly LPS and softies with a few SPS pieces and plate corals. It is very frustrating when you buy a coral, put it into the tank, see it really explode like there's no tomorrow and think "Wow it is doing amazing" then sadly the day after tomorrow issues start to appear. In my case I love fish and I love movement in the tank, so I have some torches and sometimes if it is not my clowns killing my torches it is my dwarf angels nipping away at everything. I guess we cannot have the best of both words 'literally' right hahaha. You have some very beautiful corals in there, I also found over the past several months when the tank was completely stable I tried to use the corals that did well with all the fish and aquarium shenanigans and 'frag' or 'split' them from the bigger existing ones that grew out and could handle the tank situation. It is such a sensitive hobby to be in, and unless going full leather corals I don't see it being easy in any case. There was a point where I thought I will get a massive carpet anemone and do clown tank only lol!

[@NBurgReef]

It’s gets easier over time but never ‘easy’. There’s a reason why most of my fish are in the ‘beginner fish’ category 🤣

[@JohnnyBlankify]

@@NBurgReef At the moment for fish I have 1 Blue Tang (Dory / Blue Hippo), 1 Yellow Tang, 1 Yellow Tail Purple Tang, 1 Mimic Tang, 1 Foxface Rabbitfish, 1 Pacific Blue Tang, 1 Sailfin Tang, 2 Dwarf Angels - Flame angel & Coral Beauty (RIP Corals haha), 2 Diamond Gobies, 1 Lawnmower Blenny, 2 Maroon Clownfish, ( I can't remember if I miss anyone, I think I got them all written down, I am at the office now lol.)

[@NBurgReef]

@@JohnnyBlankify that’s a lot of tangs! I hope your tank is big, lol.

[@JohnnyBlankify]

@@NBurgReef We've got a lot of tangs you are right. And they all get along very well, thats because we got them all when they were literally so small, almost still invisible! It is a peninsula tank, the Neptunian MG180 - About 700L +-. It is made here in China, and they are really good priced here too. Well, speaking of which. Red Sea tanks also made here, and when you go to the local factories you can literally buy any of their tanks for 50% of their asking price just without the brand name 🤣🤣

[@queencityreefs]

Enjoyed this episode 🔥👏👌💯

[@NBurgReef]

Thanks bud!

[@zachary_smith1]

Ouch on losing that whole colony. Beautiful tank tho

[@NBurgReef]

Yeah, its sad to see a few years worth of growth go literally overnight. Woes of acropora.

[@dnobxela68]

Great update! Glad to see the Tomini, Melanaurus, and sand star have settled in

[@NBurgReef]

Yep, I was worried about the yellow tang being a dick, but it seems to ignore the Tomini.

[@RyanS2023]

I think that we all experience those lulls in the hobby. Unfortunately many people give up and call it quits when that happens. I think the best decision is to just wait it out because the lull will end and the spark always seems to come back. Glad you waited it out! Your tank looks beautiful, and I think better with the sand bed! I also prefer the longer format too because your advice and commentary is very valuable to the rest of us who strive to have a tank even half as nice as yours!

[@NBurgReef]

Thanks! I actually have been thinking about doing a video on how to set up and design a burn-out proof tank and how to avoid calling it quits by making things easier. Too many people run 'hot rod' tanks but then when they get burnt out, its too much stuff to maintain.

[@mutagen1]

You have a dream there. Can you maybe make a video about your light? I also have the Straton gen 1 and I would be interested wich settings you have. Thank you

[@NBurgReef]

I've had a few people ask, so I will at some point.

[@abrahamaponte3787]

Looks real good with the sand

[@NBurgReef]

Thank. I agree, it looks much brighter.

[@andrew5762]

Love all your vids , what do you feed your corals and how often , also your paramilitaries plz

[@NBurgReef]

I did, then I started to get a lot of those branching hydroids, so I have slowed down. Haven't noticed much change in corals, so I think I am done feeding them... I just feed my fish heavy and let them feed the corals 💩

[@garycumbo1092]

Great video and I appreciate all the content with keeping acropora. Can I trouble you to show us how to work the ATI Stratton and what settings you use with sps ? Your help would be greatly appreciated

[@NBurgReef]

I am hoping to, but might be about to get busy, so may be a while.

[@FullBroMoto]

What has your experience with those triggers? What kind are they? Have they been playing nice with corals and inverts? Awesome video

[@NBurgReef]

they were great. they would occasionally carry a hermit shell around but they can’t really get in it so I would say invert safe and 100% reef safe. their mouths point upwards so they must almost go upside down to eat something off the rocks. they did frag a lot of sticks for my because they’re clumsy and big, but don’t eat them. It got bad when they started mating which is why i rehomed them.

[@Dibilibix27]

In terms of dosing what are you doing ? Great Video! Thanks

[@NBurgReef]

ESV B-Ionic 2 part and kalkwasser. I do like 5-7ml of sodium nitrate per day, but probably doesn't have an effect anymore.

[@max81chipman23]

Very nice long video, can you share information your vacuum sand tools please,,,my tools is take forever 😮

[@NBurgReef]

Yeah, I am going to make a Deep cleaning video, but I use a python brand long or large gravel vac. I pinch the hose when it fills up with sand to lessen the flow thru the tubes so the sand drops. If you hold it straigh up and down (90 degrees or perpendicular to the botttom) it will suck up a lot of sand, but then tilt to about 45 degrees and the sand will fall out of the syphon. Good way to stir it up without sucking it all up in the waste water.

[@aslamabraham4555]

Still looks tops, barebottom or with sand, Incidentally, which sand did you go with. Thanks

[@NBurgReef]

Caribsea Live Sand - Special Grade. its a little bigger than typical sand so it doesn't blow around as much.

[@meinriff2704]

I'm glad your sps is working well. Can you please show us your color chart?

[@NBurgReef]

Yeah I probably should do a quick light video.

[@Gracjan1987]

Did the centropyge bispinosa eat corals in your aquarium ?

[@NBurgReef]

No. it’s in its nature to nip everything in the tank, not just rocks and coral, but it does no harm. new additions get nipped more which may affect polyp extension but after a while it stops when it realizes it’s not food. I’ve never had a dwarf angel eat coral, just nip.

[@boosterman7023]

Are you doing anything to combat the brown spots on your sandbed? Mine looks just like it and I believe they are large cell amphidiniums.

[@NBurgReef]

Not really other than syphoning every week with water changes and adding sand cleanup crew. Mine looks like diatoms in person, but could be 'sand dinos' like you suggested. Maybe I should pull out the microscope and look.

[@tylerl.4699]

What preset/settings do you run your stratons on?

[@bruhman8005]

Also interested

[@NBurgReef]

I will make a lighting video soon. TL:DR - peak 75% for 6 hours, long ramp up and down, custom color programs: both blues 100%, white 33%, violet and UV around 50% cyan and red 0%. Cyan washes out colors and I think is a terrible addition but it does add PAR if you don't mind the color loss.

[@buruskeee]

What’s up man. I have a similar setup (5x2x2 instead of 2.5 width though) but with 2x ATI Stratons. I have 3 MP40s, I put 2 on one side and 1 on the opposite. What flow schedule are you running with your new setup? Can you screenshot it and link the photo? Thanks!

[@NBurgReef]

One of my MP40s is pre-mobius, so that one is just reef crest. The other is mostly reef crest with a 30 minute long pulse (2 sec on 2 sec off) every other hour during the daylight hours. The MP40s are off set so they're not pointing directly at each other so I get a little bit of swirling in the tank which is good.

[@buruskeee]

@@NBurgReef Thank you for this! Do you believe you won't have problems with growth structure for the left quarter and right quarter of the tank this way? Since they will primarily be getting single direction flow?

[@NBurgReef]

@@buruskeee No because they're random so sometime high sometime low so the flow changes, and I still have the Tunze Stream 3 in the back that pushes more than both of them so it acts as additional randomness. I also use these lower flow areas for lower flow corals like LPS.

[@rickgordon6243]

What lights are them?

[@NBurgReef]

ATI Straton Gen 1

[@rickgordon6243]

Thank you

[@jcfaur77]

Where are you located? Do you sell/ship?

[@NBurgReef]

Washington DC. I only sell locally at this point… but someday I will.

[@jcfaur77]

@@NBurgReef darn. I'm really trying to get my hands on some golden rod anacropora