Uses fluorescent AB+ (and powdered food) to visualize flow direction over several days, then places stinging corals (gonies vs Bernardpora) so their tentacles sweep opposite ways and coexist.
A heavily loaded Red Sea Reefer 350 mixed reef on the 30th floor of a NYC apartment, run on a budget with a homemade daily food blend and kalkwasser as the backbone. The reefer credits elevated pH, stable alkalinity, and careful flow mapping (via AB+ dye) for explosive SPS and LPS growth, with SPS like digitata literally growing out of the water.
Uses fluorescent AB+ (and powdered food) to visualize flow direction over several days, then places stinging corals (gonies vs Bernardpora) so their tentacles sweep opposite ways and coexist.
Deliberately positions torches under the gyre in a gentle bouncing motion instead of one-direction slamming, which he believes tears torch flesh at the sharp mouth edges and kills them.
Pushes 'low-light' SPS (digi, cyphastrea) to 800-1000 par, crediting elevated pH for the immunity and strength that let corals tolerate such high light without stress.
Skips evap covers and keeps temp low so cooling fans run most of the day, driving the evaporation that pulls in kalkwasser and helps hold pH high in a hot high-rise apartment.
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Filtration
IceCap
Curve Elite 5
Protein skimmer
Air intake runs through a recirculating CO2 scrubber — part of the pH-above-all approach targeting 8.6-8.7.
Lighting
EcoTech Marine
Radion XR15
Display lights ×2
One over each end of the tank, bracketing the budget center bar — premium edges, cheap middle.
