View Full Version : Myka's 69 SPS Tank 2015
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Nov%2019%202015%208%20-%20Copy.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Nov%2019%202015%208.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Nov%2019%202015%207%20-%20Copy.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Nov%2019%202015%207.jpg
This next one is a wild Aussie mini colony. I'm not sure how it will do, but I am hoping it will be ok. It looks like it will be a stunner. It has a green/teal base to it and bluish tips. It didn't like the Bayer dip.
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Nov%2019%202015%204.jpg
This one I think looks like a spath, but I think it is a Bali piece which makes me think it must be papillare. I sent an email to CC to find out where it came from. It also didn't like the Bayer dip. It was much brighter.
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Nov%2019%202015%203.jpg
I added the Pintail Wrasse to the display last night after lights out. This morning I didn't see him, but as soon as I fed the tank he showed up for breakfast. He's swimming around, but definitely hanging out by the powerheads because the Royal Gramma is harassing him. I'll be watching like a hawk today to make sure the RG isn't being too much of a jerk or he will have to go. The RG didn't bother the Yellow Coris (H chrysus) at all when he was added a few weeks ago, bu the YC is bigger than the Pintail. The Pintail is much smaller than the RG. Of course this is after yesterday when I exclaimed to a friend that my RG was a model citizen, unlike his. Of course, right?! :facepalm:
Unfortunately, the Flavo Anthias didn't make it through PraziPro treatment. The Prazi caused the Anthias to be anorexic, and even though I moved him out of the medication, he didn't recover. Even more unfortunate is that I ordered two more while the Anthias was still doing well, and they'll show up next week. So far, I haven't had any Anthias make it through my PraziPro treatment - they go downhill right away. I'll have to rethink my treatment protocol.
I traded some frags with a friend yesterday and came home with a Green Dragon, a Lime in the Sky stag, and a very pretty unidentified Acro from a Bali mariculture piece. I'll take some pics when the white lights come on.
Yesterday I finally climbed up in the attic and got the lights hung from the ceiling since I gave up on my hanging brackets. Finally the tank looks finished. Now all that is left is to organize the dry side of the sump area - cords need to controlled and the ADJ powerbars need to be mounted. Oh, and I still have to redo the return plumbing from the pump to the bulkhead and replace the QuietOne with the Eheim and get that tee installed so I can use the return pump to fill my buckets for WCs instead of pulling water from the display. The hold up there is that I can't find any 3/4" SCH80 ball valves with slip/socket ends.
Madreefer
11-23-2015, 12:36 AM
Yesterday I finally climbed up in the attic and got the lights hung from the ceiling since I gave up on my hanging brackets. Finally the tank looks finished. Now
Ok let's see a tank shot with lights, stand etc.
And I'd ditch the RG:lol:
Proteus
11-23-2015, 12:38 AM
Ok let's see a tank shot with lights, stand etc.
And I'd ditch the RG:lol:
I have 5 rg in my tank ime there all show no real balls
Ok let's see a tank shot with lights, stand etc.
And I'd ditch the RG:lol:
We had such a beautiful sunny day today that I should have taken pictures earlier with the natural sunlight. It's just not the same with lamps.
The RG is being bossy by flaring at the Pintail, but hasn't actually made any contact with it. The Pintail has been hanging out by the powerheads, frag rack, and return plumbing, but it doesn't seem stressed at all. It's pretty comfortable with captivity - it's been in my QT for awhile. I tried to catch the RG today, but that was sooo not going to happen. I think I'll leave it be for now, but I don't think the RG will be a permanent fish for the tank.
I have 5 rg in my tank ime there all show no real balls
Yeah, they flare and charge, but they don't usually cause any physical damage.
Don't mind the ADJ powerbar sticking out from behind. :o
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Nov%2022%202015%203.jpg
I'm probably going to replace the upright corner pieces of the stand with walnut and add a beer ledge next year. I'm not liking the solid grey color.
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Nov%2022%202015%2011.jpg
If you look real hard you can see some baby sticks!
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Nov%2022%202015%209.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Nov%2022%202015%207.jpg
Proteus
11-23-2015, 01:32 AM
Looks great
Madreefer
11-23-2015, 02:08 AM
Looks good Mindy!!
Beer ledge?? That'll put dimples in your ass:biggrin:
Looks great
Thanks! It's a work in (slow) progress.
Looks good Mindy!!
Beer ledge?? That'll put dimples in your ass:biggrin:
:lol: Only if I remove the beer from the ledge and consume it (which is pretty likely!).
Proteus
11-23-2015, 02:22 PM
You stand turned out amazing. I somewhat agree about the corner pieces, a contrast would look great.. You got mad skills mindy
don.ald
11-23-2015, 02:28 PM
Nice clean look!
I use the same auto feeder. Simple and will never over feed .
You stand turned out amazing. I somewhat agree about the corner pieces, a contrast would look great.. You got mad skills mindy
Thanks Nick. I think it would look good to match the floor.
Nice clean look!
I use the same auto feeder. Simple and will never over feed .
Thank you. :) I still have to clean up the tank itself though - that ugly MaxiJet on the left is temporary. I have a Gyre, but it has a cracked cord - hopefully that will get dealt with soon and I can get that ugly thing out of there. The frag rack isn't usually in there either, but it has a Space Invaders Pectina frag on it right now holding it up high so it's easier to feed it.
That auto feeder is the bomb. For $20 it's a good investment. It's also slim and doesn't look too bad. Sitting up there on the light it doesn't get any condensation in it or salt spray. It feeds the fish pellets twice a day and then I feed them frozen twice a day.
hillegom
11-23-2015, 05:06 PM
Is that feeder a fish mate?
It does look slim.
I have an eheim which works ok for me but does not blend in as well.
Is that feeder a fish mate?
It does look slim.
I have an eheim which works ok for me but does not blend in as well.
Yes it is. I bought them in bulk when I had the MO hatchery going and now I have about a dozen left. 4 years on most of them and only one dud so far. Pretty good $20. Plus, if they mess up they just stop working - they won't overfeed.
don.ald
11-24-2015, 01:24 PM
Yes it is. I bought them in bulk when I had the MO hatchery going and now I have about a dozen left. 4 years on most of them and only one dud so far. Pretty good $20. Plus, if they mess up they just stop working - they won't overfeed.
Not sure if you can find these in Canada anymore?
Not sure if you can find these in Canada anymore?
I bought them from Dr Foster & Smith, but they quit selling them. I have found them on amazon.ca and amazon.com
I've been experimenting with AcroPower. Before the mini-crash, I was dosing 1 cap (5 mL) every 2nd day plus a bunch of other foods as I was attempting to get some nutrients in the tank. I had been doing this for only 2 weeks when the mini-crash occurred, and I stopped all dosing at that point.
The directions on the AcroPower bottle say 5 mL per 25 gallons once a week or as often as daily. So I figure this time around I'll dose everyday since it's the only thing going into the tank at this point besides fish food, but keep it light. So I was dosing 2.5 mL every evening into 80 gallons of volume, so that's like less than 1/6th of the recommendation. On Monday morning I noticed cyano on the tip of one rock. Well crap! So I didn't dose on Monday or Tuesday evening and the cyano is gone now.
I'm going to try doing a larger dose once a week and see what happens. This should "flood" the water, let the Acros absorb it, then get it out of the system via skimmer. This should all happen pretty quickly, maybe a few hours. So the tank will have the AcroPower in it only once per week for a few hours rather than everyday for maybe an hour (guesstimating the times here). I'm thinking I'll try 1 cap (5 mL) once per week which is still less than 1/3 dose.
Proteus
11-25-2015, 01:21 PM
I have read a few threads that claim the same as you have.
I was planning on using salifert aa. As my po4 is 0.006 and no3 undetectable.
In the short time did u notice better pe or any other benefits
I have read a few threads that claim the same as you have.
I was planning on using salifert aa. As my po4 is 0.006 and no3 undetectable.
In the short time did u notice better pe or any other benefits
The trouble with AA's is that if your tank doesn't need them, it's going to cause trouble. I'll try this other dose and see if it does anything. If it's a no go, then I'll take the hint that my tank doesn't need it. :D
I didn't notice any difference in the tank (even pre-mini-crash). The tank is starting to color up again since the mini-crash and I noticed that just in the last few days, but I think the timing is just coincidental. Maybe not though, who knows for sure.
Proteus
11-25-2015, 01:38 PM
I have been apprehensive at adding a supplement to the tank and instead have been raising bioload.
Problem Is I have some acros that are just a pain in the ass to colour up while others are great looking. I have great pe on acros and growth is good..
I have been overfeeding also but I believe. That has contributed to a little bout of valonia.
I would like to try but don't want to run into problems
I have been apprehensive at adding a supplement to the tank and instead have been raising bioload.
Problem Is I have some acros that are just a pain in the ass to colour up while others are great looking. I have great pe on acros and growth is good..
I have been overfeeding also but I believe. That has contributed to a little bout of valonia.
I would like to try but don't want to run into problems
Valonia lives off of fairy dust, I'm pretty sure. It actually lives off of very, very little nutrients. It's the last algae to leave in Zeovit tanks and other similar ULNS. Try moving your less colorful corals to a spot of higher or lower light - it might not be nutrients at all.
Proteus
11-25-2015, 02:17 PM
Valonia lives off of fairy dust, I'm pretty sure. It actually lives off of very, very little nutrients. It's the last algae to leave in Zeovit tanks and other similar ULNS. Try moving your less colorful corals to a spot of higher or lower light - it might not be nutrients at all.
I did pick up a one spot for the valonia but to no surprise is not touching it lol. I have manually removed 98% of it.
I will def try to relocate some of the pieces that are not colouring the best but my tank only has 11"of water lol.
I am going to borrow my friends par matter to see where it's at for the prices that are struggling to colour
Thanks mindy
I will def try to relocate some of the pieces that are not colouring the best but my tank only has 11"of water lol. I am going to borrow my friends par matter to see where it's at for the prices that are struggling to colour
Thanks mindy
I think you will be surprised how much the PAR drops off near the edges of the tank. I have one spot in my tank that is actually at the top of the rocks in the back corner of my tank (about 4" from the side/back) and it has half the PAR than the sand in the middle of the tank! So I can put a lower-light Acro up there.
So I had plans to stock some rare wrasses in my tank, and had the LFS on the hunt for me, but now I have a 15-day dive trip to the Philippines planned for February, so my spending needs to be controlled! I was going to just wait on stocking, but I was at the LFS and there were two of the nicest Carpenter's Wrasses that I've ever seen (not including pictures lol) and on Black Friday sale for $15! :eek: So I brought home a huge super male and he's in the QT right now. He's very shy - took him two days just to swim around.
The corals and frags I got at Canada Corals are looking good with the exception of one that has burned tips. I'm not sure why. I want to double check the alkalinity against the Salifert kit I'm using, but the LFS is out of Hanna alkalinity reagent and so am I.
The previous corals in the tank have either made a full recovery or have not recovered at all. Weird. There are 4 pieces that look terrible and have not recovered the areas that STNed (SSC, lovelli, florida, exquisita). The rest of the corals have recovered the STNed areas almost completely (Hawkins, setosa, Garf, capitata, etc).
Proteus
12-01-2015, 02:55 PM
"I want to double check the alkalinity against the Salifert kit I'm using"
I have always found inconsistent results from different alk reagents on hanna.. I strictly use salifert now for alk test
Craigdillman
12-01-2015, 04:20 PM
So I had plans to stock some rare wrasses in my tank, and had the LFS on the hunt for me, but now I have a 15-day dive trip to the Philippines planned for February, so my spending needs to be controlled!
I'm jacked for you, me and my wife just got back from 30 days in Indonesia and did diving all around and went on a dive boat in raja ampat, we were strongly looking at philipeens but last minute changed to Indonesia. I will have to get my act together and edit my go pro footage faster cause the diving in philipeens and indo is crazy . Have you guys been there before ?
I have always found inconsistent results from different alk reagents on hanna.. I strictly use salifert now for alk test
I've heard lots of people say that which seems to be correlated to having the reagent open for a period of time. I go through it super fast, so it's never open for longer than a couple months, max. My Hanna and Salifert are always within 0.25 dKH of each other.
I'm jacked for you, me and my wife just got back from 30 days in Indonesia and did diving all around and went on a dive boat in raja ampat, we were strongly looking at philipeens but last minute changed to Indonesia. I will have to get my act together and edit my go pro footage faster cause the diving in philipeens and indo is crazy . Have you guys been there before ?
Wow, 30 days!!! I wish! I would have to totally rearrange life to get away for that long. Yeah, post some vids already! I'm going sans hubby, and neither of us have been anywhere in Asia before, I'm pretty pumped!
My Pintail jumped out!!!!! :puppydog: I have no idea how it got out. :twitch: It doesn't fit through the weir. It doesn't fit through the screen mesh. The screen wasn't off. The only thing I can think of is that it jumped out when I lifted the front of the screen to put food in.
RIP Pintail. :cry:
The Aussie Acro I picked up from Canada Corals 3 1/2 weeks ago is starting to color up in the last week. I think it is Acropora microclados, but I'm not sure. I think it's going to color up to be a Strawberry Shortcake type with blue tips. The tips are baby blue right now, but my picture doesn't really show it.
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Dec%2010%202015%203_1.jpg
Scythanith
12-11-2015, 11:54 AM
Nooooo, not the pintail!
Nooooo, not the pintail!
I swear, I am not allowed to keep fish worth more than $50. They always have something stupid happen.
Here are a few that might be fun for you guys to try to identify! :D
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Sept%2025%202015%2049.jpg
No one ever correctly guessed this one... it's Green Star Polyps growing on an old gorgonian skeleton.
Zoaelite
12-11-2015, 05:33 PM
I was excited, thought someone might of discovered pulsing xenia that glows green!
Tank is looking great as always, sorry to hear about the Pintail! If it makes you feel any better I found my last mystery wrasse crispy ON TOP of my mesh screen. Starting to get the feeling that wrasses can teleport on command...
Levi
Looks like things are trucking along. That gsp is trippy!
xenon
12-12-2015, 07:38 AM
The Aussie Acro I picked up from Canada Corals 3 1/2 weeks ago is starting to color up in the last week. I think it is Acropora microclados, but I'm not sure. I think it's going to color up to be a Strawberry Shortcake type with blue tips. The tips are baby blue right now, but my picture doesn't really show it.
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Dec%2010%202015%203_1.jpg
It's looking AMAZING!
I am going to order more of it from that supplier. :biggrin:
Looks like things are trucking along. That gsp is trippy!
It gets everyone. They're like, "Is that a gorgonian?" I'm like, "Yep." They're all, "What kind?" Me, "Special GSP kind." Them, "Woah, it's branching GSP?" Me, "Nope, it's special kind."
It's looking AMAZING!
I am going to order more of it from that supplier. :biggrin:
I know, eh?! :D I knew I saw potential.
I want one!
I'll make frags someday, if not, maybe Dan will get his paws on more. :D
Well, 10 weeks after the mini-crash (ugh, it's been a long haul) I think I'm finally starting to enjoy the tank again. I've been adding some corals - 3 wild Aussie Acros (inc the one above), and a few maricultured mini-colonies. With a few bigger pieces interspersed it's starting to look nicer - you can actually see corals, not just rock! http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/images/smilies/grlaugh.gif I just did this week's water change and glued down frags/mini-colonies that are doing well. I've had some trouble adding frags, but my mini-colonies are all doing really well. Everything is pale though as nutrients are nonexistent. I'm not doing anything to "fix" this other than feeding the fish 4-5x per day. I've seen a patch of green cyano near the anemone and diatoms are a bit more lush than I'd like, so I added a half dozen Ring Cowries a couple days ago. I still have a fair bit of Bubble Algae as my two Emerald Crabs who almost had it cleaned up perished during the mini-crash. I found a little haven of Aiptasia anemones in a nook that I nuked - hopefully they won't rear their ugly head again.
I tested alkalinity a couple days ago, and it was 6.85 dKH so I dosed up to 7.2 dKH, then another up to 7.6 dKH. That's the first time I've dosed alkalinity for 12 weeks! Finally, the growth is superceding my water changes again. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif
All I'm dosing these days is 3 drops per day Sponge Power which I've been doing for the last 3 weeks.
I'm almost done a bucket of H2Ocean, and I'm going to order up a bucket of Aquaforest Probiotic Reef Salt which I'm excited to try out.
I added a Gyre XF150 to the mix, and I've been able to run it on a quick pulse at 50% with some careful positioning. PE has improved significantly since this addition after a couple days of them getting used to it. I still have the two 6055 running full blast too. With the Gyre supposedly pushing 4200 gph at 100%, I guess I have it somewhere around 2000 gph? Plus 3000 gph from the two 6055. So, ramping 3000 to 5000 gph total? Or 45-75x turnover. Sounds nice to me. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/images/smilies/smile.gif
I'll try to get some pics tonight when the lights are on full.
Here's some pics from tonight of new goodies.
Humilis from Coral Master
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Dec%2019%2019.jpg
A maricultured piece. I haven't tried to ID it yet. The tips are actually very bright blue, but my white balance took it out.
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Dec%2019%2014.jpg
This it a frag from a maricultured piece that I'm told looked like an SSC when it came in. I'm interested to see what happens. Everything in my tank is pale, but it's pink with blue tips.
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Dec%2019%2025.jpg
This is a brand new maricultured piece. It has faded quite a bit in the few days I've had it. At the LFS it had lots of pink/salmon in the tips, orange corallites, and green base. I can't wait for it to color up - I think it could be a real stunner.
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Dec%2019%2026.jpg
This is a wild Aussie Acro. I haven't ID'd it. I got half, and Scythanith got the other half - appears to be a tabler. Solid lime green for now - not too exciting.
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Dec%2019%2017.jpg
Maricultured "Wolverine".
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Dec%2019%206.jpg (http://s85.photobucket.com/user/Myka82/media/69%20SPS/Dec%2019%206.jpg.html)
Another wild Aussie Acro - tenuis I believe. It arrived at the LFS very pale. I was pretty sure it would RTN on the first night, but it's hanging on. Scythanith has the other half of this one too. The blue that is on the tips is cobalt color, and the center of the corallites is lime green. Lots of polyp extension near the base, but not much at the tips.
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Dec%2019%2012.jpg
maron6977
12-20-2015, 03:27 AM
Looks good . Nice stuff !!!
Any full tank shots lately ?
Apo Reefer
12-20-2015, 03:45 AM
Wow! Wow and wow! Gorgeous! :wink:
Looks good . Nice stuff !!!
Any full tank shots lately ?
Thank you! I was thinking I should post a fts soon. I'll do that soon.
Wow! Wow and wow! Gorgeous! :wink:
Thank you, it's starting to come along.
rattler
12-25-2015, 11:53 PM
Wow Mindy great job a true labor of love! With the x-mas break right now catching up on tank journals and getting excited to resurrecting the bio cube with mucho modifications. Great job and awesome tank and journal!
looks awesome! What did you end up using for sand?
Wow Mindy great job a true labor of love! With the x-mas break right now catching up on tank journals and getting excited to resurrecting the bio cube with mucho modifications. Great job and awesome tank and journal!
Thank you for your comments. :) The tank survived my being out of town for 6 days even though the top off chamber ran out of water (surprisingly), and the return pump wasn't really pumping anything anymore.
looks awesome! What did you end up using for sand?
Funny you ask because a week ago I gave in and added about 4 cups of a random coarse mix I had laying around. The coarse mix is about half crushed coral (a smooth, round type), and half Caribsea Super Reef. I added that to the 3/4" or so of Caribsea Special Grade that's in there (which I found too uniform looking).
The rocks have a bunch of bacteria on them, as if I was overdosing a carbon source, but I'm not dosing anything except Sponge Power. The rocks have had this bacteria bloom for probably 6 weeks now, and it's getting annoying. The water hasn't been super clear in a long time, and the filter pads feel slimy when I change them out. I'm not sure what's causing, but hopefully it will cycle out soon. I'll dose some CoraL Snow tonight and see if that helps.
A few FTS from just now.
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Dec%2026%202015.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Dec%2026%202015%202.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Dec%2026%202015%204.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Dec%2026%202015%203.jpg
WarDog
12-27-2015, 01:09 AM
Looks good, but don't let Brad see those frag plugs.
Looks good, but don't let Brad see those frag plugs.
Haha, those aren't glued down. I remove the plugs when I glue them down. My pics aren't very good though, I've never been good at FTS, pics always look washed out.
Aquattro
12-27-2015, 02:01 AM
I remove the plugs when I glue them down.
As do all serious reefers...
WarDog
12-27-2015, 02:03 AM
Sheesh.
Aquattro
12-27-2015, 02:35 AM
Sheesh.
In time, young Jedi, you will learn :)
In time, young Jedi, you will learn :)
I think you meant Padawan.
Ram3500
12-27-2015, 05:52 AM
:biggrin:I think you meant Padawan.
Aquattro
12-27-2015, 05:57 AM
I think you meant Padawan.
I'm new at this, gimme a break!
Here's a pic of the bacteria growth on the live rocks. I'm not doing any carbon dosing, so I'm kinda wondering if this growth may be due to my using a very small amount of live rocks (only 28 lbs). I bought a couple liters of Siporax in October, maybe it's time to get that online. I dosed 3 mL Coral Snow last night (80 gallons net), and it seemed to knock the bacteria back a bit this morning, and there is better PE today than yesterday.
http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/12/27/3f5b64c0a2e02f458aa687ec7f881a78.jpg
maron6977
12-28-2015, 03:32 AM
FTS look great !
Howie
12-28-2015, 04:03 AM
Tanks looking good Mindy!
Duckhams
12-29-2015, 09:19 PM
A member from another forum and myself have both had the 'white fuzz', it eventually went away after a few weeks without much effort or worry about it. Though I did add a few scarlet hermits to the cleanup crew. I wouldn't panic over it, but holding off on the dosing is a good idea.
Proteus
12-30-2015, 02:50 AM
I also had the white fuzz. It was worse in low light areas. Lasted a month then just went away. Never did find out what it was
FTS look great !
Tanks looking good Mindy!
Thanks guys. :)
A member from another forum and myself have both had the 'white fuzz', it eventually went away after a few weeks without much effort or worry about it. Though I did add a few scarlet hermits to the cleanup crew. I wouldn't panic over it, but holding off on the dosing is a good idea.
Some of the guys over on RC think it's an alga, not bacteria. I'm not sure. To me it looks just like what happens when you dose too much MB7 or VSV. I have lots of Scarlet Hermits in the tank - none of my CUC touches it.
I also had the white fuzz. It was worse in low light areas. Lasted a month then just went away. Never did find out what it was
This is different then, it's only in lit areas.
Duckhams
12-30-2015, 07:14 PM
Curious. The plot thickens! Keep us posted on it.
Last night I added a big male Pintail and a really nice Carpenter's Wrasse to my QT. The Carpenter's Wrasse has really nice coloring and was eating at the LFS, but it's in very rough shape. I give it 50/50. They'll both get a FW dip today.
So I skipped the last two nights of Sponge Power dosing, and that along with the two doses of Coral Snow seem to have knocked the bacteria (alga?) back quite a lot (60-70%?) compared to last weekend. Today is WC day, and now I think of it, I've also been dosing Prodibio BioDigest which is due today, and I will not dose it.
Some pics from New Years' Day. :) I took the closeup pics and then proceeded to do a water change and big clean up; I took a toothbrush to the rocks scrubbing and siphoning the Bubble Algae, and the bacteria (algae?). I also scraped the back wall real good and cleaned the powerheads. Plus I did another round of glue/epoxy/glue to the frags that have been doing well and I've decided where to put them. After that cleared I took a new FTS at the end.
I'm liking where this one is going:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Jan%201%202016%2029.jpg
I don't care what anyone says, I love the blue and green contrast on the Montipora "crapitata".
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Jan%201%202016%2026.jpg
For a mariculture piece, it has really held it's color well. Only faded a sniff at first, and I think it's back to the color it was when it came out of the bag at the LFS. I need to try to get an ID on it, and maybe get another one with different color:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Jan%201%202016%2024.jpg
A bit bleached and not sure why.
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Jan%201%202016%2021.jpg
Hawkin's "Echinata" mostly recovered from the mini-crash:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Jan%201%202016%2011.jpg
The corallites on this papillare are neon, but my camera didn't pick it up well:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Jan%201%202016%209.jpg
This SSC has always been super fussy for me - the first one to lose color and the last one to gain it back, but it's tough as nails! At least it's showing some color again. It's been turd brown ever since the mini-crash and grows sooooo slow that it hasn't covered the STN'd tips yet.
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Jan%201%202016%202.jpg
FTS after scrub/clean.
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Jan%201%202016%2032.jpg
Craigdillman
01-03-2016, 02:49 PM
Looking good always nice to see the pieces come back after
See Warren? Frag plugs were removed when mounted on the rocks! ;) Except that one papillare that's not glued down yet (I can't find a happy place for it), and it fell off the rocks now anyway and is back on the sand. :lol:
What kind of lighting do you guys keep your SSC (Strawberry Shortcake) under? I have it at the top of my rock formation on the right-hand side. After reading "The Farm" journal on RC and seeing the most ridiculously neon yellow Acro ever, he mentions BLASTING yellow Acros with light to get the nicest color. So I'm kinda thinking I want to put a yellow Acro in that top spot where the SSC is. The left side is only for tabling Acros, so a Wolverine or other bush-type yellow would have to be on the right. I have stags mingled around in the back of the tank, so a yellow stag could go on the left and be blasted, but they grow upright so fast that I don't think yellow is a good option for a stag. Plus, I still want an exquisita for a stag, and I've never seen a yellow exquisita. I'd love to find a Banana Lokani.
Oh, and how the heck do you guys get nice FTS???? This has ever eluded me! Mine always look washed out, never colorful. My tank looks a lot better than my FTS.
Looking good always nice to see the pieces come back after
Yes, it sure is! There are a couple others that STN'd almost to death, but still have like a dime-sized patch growing. :lol: I've been taking pics to follow their progress too.
Aquattro
01-03-2016, 03:03 PM
See Warren? Frag plugs were removed when mounted on the rocks! ;)
I noticed :)
Proteus
01-03-2016, 04:45 PM
Looks good!
I'm assuming that the "algae" was feeding on the silicates in the sponge power?
As for yellow acros I put my pink lemonade at the highest point I could and it has gone crazy yellow and exploded with growth.
Keep the pics comming
Looks good!
I'm assuming that the "algae" was feeding on the silicates in the sponge power?
As for yellow acros I put my pink lemonade at the highest point I could and it has gone crazy yellow and exploded with growth.
Keep the pics comming
If it was/is algae, then yes that's the likely culprit. If it's bacteria, then I'm not sure what the culprit was/is. If it is algae, I do wonder why the Coral Snow had such a reducing affect on it.
Pink Lemonade...hmm, yeah that's a good yellow one if it stays yellow. I know it's green and pink for a lot of people. I was trying to avoid the Pink Lemonade since it's fairly similar to the SSC (especially if it tends towards green rather than yellow) and I have limited space, but yeah if it's really yellow that would look good.
Proteus
01-03-2016, 05:55 PM
I would almost speculate that the coral snow was being caught buy the "algae" and with the particulate holding organic matter may have feed the bloom.
But I'm only guessing
You may find it cheaper to switch to food grade bentonite rather than coral snow.
A $9 bag from Amazon has lasted me over a year
I would almost speculate that the coral snow was being caught buy the "algae" and with the particulate holding organic matter may have feed the bloom.
But I'm only guessing
You may find it cheaper to switch to food grade bentonite rather than coral snow.
A $9 bag from Amazon has lasted me over a year
Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but the Coral Snow seemed to knock back the algae/bacteria, not fuel it.
Bentonite, eh? I've never really looked into what was in it. I assumed it was something calcium-based. From Wiki: "Bentonite is an absorbent aluminium phyllosilicate clay consisting mostly of montmorillonite." Where did you get this information? I'm assuming it's a "best guess" sort of a thing since Zeovit won't actually say what's in their products.
Proteus
01-03-2016, 06:45 PM
Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but the Coral Snow seemed to knock back the algae/bacteria, not fuel it.
Bentonite, eh? I've never really looked into what was in it. I assumed it was something calcium-based. From Wiki: "Bentonite is an absorbent aluminium phyllosilicate clay consisting mostly of montmorillonite." Where did you get this information? I'm assuming it's a "best guess" sort of a thing since Zeovit won't actually say what's in their products.
My bad I read in your post that you stopped the sponge power and coral snow. (misread)
It was reef central where I originally found out about bentonite. Some holistic people also eat it as a way to clear toxins from digestive tract
I stopped Sponge Power, but upped the frequency of dosing Coral Snow. I was only dosing Coral Snow maybe once a month on average, and right now I'm dosing it every 3 or so days to help with this bacteria/algae since it seems to be making a significant difference. The effect of the Coral Snow dosing showed up before I stopped the Sponge Power, but maybe the stopping of the Sponge Power has helped as well. I'm not totally sure at this point. Once it's all cleared up I'll start the Sponge Power dosing again and see if it comes back. :D
ALBERTA REEF
01-08-2016, 02:55 PM
Your tank looks great.
Your tank looks great.
Thank you, I'm glad you like it. :)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
My tank is suffering zero nutrients again...
SG 35 ppt (calibrated with 35 ppt solution)
Cal 405 ppm (new Salifert kit), 390 ppm (end of an Elos kit) <--- this is usually 400-410 ppm
Alk 6.8 dKH (new Hanna reagent), 6.85 (new Salifert kit) <--- this is usually 7.0-7.2 dKH
Mg 1240 ppm (Red Sea Pro)
NO3 0 ppm (Salifert), 0 ppm (Red Sea Pro)
PO4 0 ppb (Hanna)
Dosing kalk, and needs a bump up I see. :)
A few weeks ago I was getting a whiff of nutrients and the tank was looking better. Now the nutrients are gone, and everything is uber pale again. I do have some fluffy brown algae growth everywhere that I'm not sure what it is. It's particularly growing on the powerheads and back glass. It starts by looking like diatoms, but then gets fluffy if I don't scrape it off. It comes off super easy like diatoms. I added some more clean up crew to try to help: 6 Ring Cowries (2 weeks ago), 3 small Turbos, Peppermint Shrimp (had a couple tiny Aiptasia and he got em), 1 small female Emerald Crab (bubble algae is getting out of hand too).
Another thing that I hesitate to mention is pH. Ever since day one with this tank, I haven't a reading over pH 7.7. I am using a calibrated handheld meter. It's probably a decade old, maybe more. Every time I calibrate it I read the solutions with the meter first and they always read 7.0 and 10.0. Then I calibrate and they again read the solutions at 7.0 and 10.0. Today pH just before the white light cycle is 7.6. I've tried messing around with opening windows, and that doesn't help. I want to do with pH test with outside air, but it's been really cold here (-30C), so the water will freeze before the 1 hour aeration is done. Today it's only (-6C) so I'll see what I can do to get it done today. I'll use a big jug of water and put it in a cooler with a heat pack maybe. :lol:
The skimmer has been driving me nuts overflowing lately, so I put a couple sheets of eggcrate under it to prop it up a bit. It was in 8 5/8" of water, and now it's in 7 7/8" water.
I cleaned the back glass and powerheads 2 weeks ago, and this is what they look like now:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Jan%2023%202016%2045.jpghttp://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Jan%2023%202016%2044.jpg
Here are some of the worst affected pale corals:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Jan%2023%202016%2014.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Jan%2023%202016%2010.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Jan%2023%202016%2030.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Jan%2023%202016%2021.jpg
Here's that nice wild Aussie Acro, and it's paled as well. It has a little nubbin growing where I took a frag off and the colors are looking quite nice, though still pale. Right now the tips of the corallites are looking neon yellow in person.
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Jan%2023%202016%2037.jpg
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Jan%2023%202016%2036.jpg
I don't have much exciting to report. I bought a browned out maricultured A. plana yesterday. Not much for PE yet - it did not enjoy the Bayer dip.
So I was talking to the LFS owner and he said the "plana" came is as a desalwii. It looks too bush-type to be desalwii to me, but I sure am hoping! That's the coral I miss the most from my old SPS tank. To me, plana and desalwii are impossible to distinguish until you have a good growth pattern established - if it tables it's desalwii, and if it's a bush it's plana. :)
Here it is today, starting to show a bit of color, but not much.
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Jan%2023%202016%2029.jpg
In comparison, here's a known plana frag that I ordered (it arrived brown as a turd). With close pics like these though, it does appear that the corallites are shaped differently. Hmm...
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Jan%2023%202016%2032.jpg
Here's that maricultured mille (or prostrata?) that's an interesting color. I still can't quite get the burnt orange color of the tips on the camera. It's certainly different than a typical Sunset Mille.
Polyps out:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Jan%2023%202016%2043.jpg
Polyps in:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Jan%2023%202016%2012.jpg
A new smooth skin I bought yesterday that came in as caroliniana. I could believe that, but maybe multiacuta? It was brighter when it first arrived at the LFS, but it's been there awhile. Can anyone spot Little Kenny's cousin Tiny Tim? He thinks he's tough enough to handle insecticide, but I told him only adults are allowed to choose to be exposed to that type of drug, and when he's 18 he can decide then. Hopefully Snoopy (the Yellow Coris H chrysus) will leave him alone, or he'll have worse problems than a close call with insecticide! :eek:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k43/Myka82/69%20SPS/Jan%2023%202016%2034.jpg
Proteus
01-24-2016, 04:20 PM
Not sure about your ph meter but I have a old one I bought when I was studying botany. I found that if I tried to use it directly in dt that I would get low readings. But when I too water out of tank I would get higher readings.
I could only attribute it to the lights affecting the probe. Not sure if it's accurate but may be worth a shot with yours just to see
Not sure about your ph meter but I have a old one I bought when I was studying botany. I found that if I tried to use it directly in dt that I would get low readings. But when I too water out of tank I would get higher readings.
I could only attribute it to the lights affecting the probe. Not sure if it's accurate but may be worth a shot with yours just to see
Thanks for the idea, and actually I unconsciously did this yesterday. :) I removed a 2L jug of saltwater from the display and set the jug into a cooler. I tested pH at 7.8 in the tank, and also in the jug. Ironically that's the first time I've seen it hit 7.8. I aerated the jug outside for 3 hours, and then tested pH at 8.0. So there's definitely some CO2 in the house affecting the tank, and I'm trying to figure out if I'm going to do something about that or not. Running a line outside won't work since it gets so cold I think it will affect the tank too much. A CO2 scrubber is probably the only reasonable option, but then I'd have to monitor pH all the time and replace the media. So I'm not sure I like that idea either.
SoloSK71
02-11-2017, 03:21 AM
:bump:
:madgrin:
:banplease:
Any updates?
Charles
:bump:
:madgrin:
:banplease:
Any updates?
Charles
Yeah! The corals have grown in the last year and they're not pale anymore! ;)
Did you ever figure out a solution to the growth on the powerheads and glass? I've been dealing with the same stuff since forever!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Did you ever figure out a solution to the growth on the powerheads and glass? I've been dealing with the same stuff since forever!
It seemed to just cycle out on its own. A Blue Tuxedo Urchin liked to eat it, which helped as well.
I haven't taken pics of the corals in a few months, so I'll do a photo shoot today and post up some pics.
WarDog
02-11-2017, 09:44 PM
No pics = :boink:
Dearth
02-11-2017, 10:17 PM
No pics = :boink:
She has been hanging around Kien too long ....🤓
https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/695/32006901644_cc466ac9f9_z.jpg
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https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2665/32849951185_91d43a685c_z.jpg
Today:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2674/32809143876_237e0a9e7c_z.jpg
Jan 1, 2016:
https://c1.staticflickr.com/3/2273/32726448821_489a0bbe8d_z.jpg
Zoaelite
02-12-2017, 03:25 AM
:jaw::jaw::jaw:
mseepman
02-12-2017, 03:27 AM
Wow, no surprise your tank is looking great Mindy! Nicely done.
duncangweller
02-12-2017, 03:35 AM
Corals look really healthy. Nicely done.
ReefMadness
02-12-2017, 04:07 AM
there are some really intense pieces in that tank. great work!
hillegom
02-12-2017, 04:29 AM
Beautiful. What have you done to get such intense colours. Big difference from last year!!!
Your photo skills have come a long way too
Mad jelly
:jaw::jaw::jaw:
Wow, no surprise your tank is looking great Mindy! Nicely done.
Corals look really healthy. Nicely done.
there are some really intense pieces in that tank. great work!
Beautiful. What have you done to get such intense colours. Big difference from last year!!!
Your photo skills have come a long way too
Mad jelly
Thanks for the comments everyone. :)
The magic ingredient for my tank is Zeovit Pohl's Xtra which is dosed 2 mL every evening after I turn off the skimmer (I just remove the skimmer cup, goes back on in the morning). Aside from the Aquaforest 1+2+3+, that's the only thing being dosed into the tank. Well, I add 2.5 mL Coral Snow once every week or two, and I try to remember to add 6 drops or so of the ProBioS once a week, but I often forget. The particulate feedings (Reef Roids, Reef Chili) really didn't seem to make a difference for the corals, same with AcroPower when I tried that. I'm told that Xtra is ammonia, nitrate, and aminos. Seems to be what the tank needs, and simpler than adding all the other things.
The bright red/burgundy algae all over the rocks is what drives me nuts (and the Bubble Algae) - gives the tank a very dark look. The urchins eat it, but they don't eradicate it. Oct, Nov, Dec I was inconsistent with waterchanges - once a month or so and I noticed colors fading on the Acros. Last week and this week are the first two "weekly" water changes I've done in awhile, and things have started to perk up. Water column nutrients are still pretty close to zilch - NO3 <0.25 ppm, PO4 <0.01 ppm.
Lighting is 6-bulb ATI dimmable. Blues for 12 hours 100%, Whites I've been ramping up in time and intensity, now at 7 hours 100%. PAR through the tank is 200-400 tested yesterday, but I need to switch out some bulbs...
WarDog
02-12-2017, 02:25 PM
Looks really nice Mindy, good work!
I swear, everybody has that one nuisance algae in there tank. Thought about those new medications? I am hearing (and seeing) positive results in peoples tanks.
Galizio
02-12-2017, 04:12 PM
Nice pics!!!
Ryanerickson
02-12-2017, 05:51 PM
Sps is looking great looks like pohls has really helped, have you thought about trying vibrant to zap the bubble algae? Been told it works well.
Looks really nice Mindy, good work!
I swear, everybody has that one nuisance algae in there tank. Thought about those new medications? I am hearing (and seeing) positive results in peoples tanks.
Thanks Warren, your turn now. ;)
Sps is looking great looks like pohls has really helped, have you thought about trying vibrant to zap the bubble algae? Been told it works well.
I'm too chicken to try any of those meds. It's my own fault. I'm just not in there removing it manually enough. None of my client tanks have this issue - there's no way I'd let it happen. But my own tank, it slides... ugh.
Nice pics!!!
Thanks!
DKoKoMan
02-13-2017, 05:23 AM
Your acros definitely coloured up from the beginning! So nice and the contrast in colour really draws the eye. Great work!
Galizio
02-13-2017, 03:13 PM
Lol, I do not understand why my message only showed "great pics"...
Wanted to know about your skimmer routine as I read is off a night time. Do you have a set schedule or just goes off every single day?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
crimper
02-13-2017, 03:26 PM
Great progress there Mindy, all corals seems very happy and vibrant. Thanks for sharing.
Just a question though, I noticed there is no fish on the current photo, did you remove all your fish?
Amadod2
02-13-2017, 04:31 PM
Mindy how long have you been using Xtra? i been contemplating on which coral additive to give my corals colour. i tested my P04 today and it still reads 0, even after i added 4 anthis over the past 3weeks. i heard Acropower is good, how long did you use it for with no results?
Your acros definitely coloured up from the beginning! So nice and the contrast in colour really draws the eye. Great work!
Yeah, it took me a long time to figure this tank out. It was just too clean, and I couldn't get anything to work.
Lol, I do not understand why my message only showed "great pics"...
Wanted to know about your skimmer routine as I read is off a night time. Do you have a set schedule or just goes off every single day?
I was turning it off at night, but was thinking that's not a good idea (gas exchange), and someone else mentioned that too, so now I just remove the cup at night and put a tupperware container or it so it doesn't spray everywhere. In the morning I put the cup back on. I've been thinking to experiment with leaving the skimmer on 24/7 again, but it's bad timing with there being no fish in the display right now.
Great progress there Mindy, all corals seems very happy and vibrant. Thanks for sharing.
Just a question though, I noticed there is no fish on the current photo, did you remove all your fish?
Yeah, they're in a QT. When I added the Perchlet I didn't quarantine him because my QT was was full of clients' fish. Unfortunately he introduced Ich. Fortunately it was a very mild strain and they all lived with it since July last year. I felt bad for the fish though, and decided to medicate them. I needed to remove the Tomini Tang and Yellow Coris anyway since they were getting too big for the tank.
Mindy how long have you been using Xtra? i been contemplating on which coral additive to give my corals colour. i tested my P04 today and it still reads 0, even after i added 4 anthis over the past 3weeks. i heard Acropower is good, how long did you use it for with no results?
I used AcroPower daily for 5 months. I started adding Xtra daily on Nov 4th, so it's been over 3 months now.
Just because a product is a good product doesn't mean your tank needs it. This is the same reason why some people claim "crazy results" from starting potassium dosing or some kind of amino acids dosing. If your tank needs it, there will be a noticeable affect. If not, there will be little affect.
Amadod2
02-14-2017, 01:18 AM
I picked up pohls xtra special today because all my corals are pale, but I think I'm going to do half the dose three times weekly to get started.
Galizio
02-14-2017, 01:49 AM
I was turning it off at night, but was thinking that's not a good idea (gas exchange), and someone else mentioned that too, so now I just remove the cup at night and put a tupperware container or it so it doesn't spray everywhere. In the morning I put the cup back on. I've been thinking to experiment with leaving the skimmer on 24/7 again, but it's bad timing with there being no fish in the display right now
Ah ok, I was asking because I was thinking to turn my off every once in a while because the wife sometime complain when we watch a movie lol.
Sad to ear about your issue with ich, hope you are able to put the fishes back in the tank soon... good luck
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I picked up pohls xtra special today because all my corals are pale, but I think I'm going to do half the dose three times weekly to get started.
That sounds like a good place to start. Hopefully it helps you. You might get some diatom bloom at first from the aminos in it.
Ah ok, I was asking because I was thinking to turn my off every once in a while because the wife sometime complain when we watch a movie lol.
Sad to ear about your issue with ich, hope you are able to put the fishes back in the tank soon... good luck
Fish back in the display in 68 days. I'll actually probably set up a temporary system for them while we wait for the display to be ready again. I need my QT for clients' fish. :)
crimper
02-21-2017, 04:12 AM
The magic ingredient for my tank is Zeovit Pohl's Xtra which is dosed 2 mL every evening after I turn off the skimmer (I just remove the skimmer cup, goes back on in the morning). Aside from the Aquaforest 1+2+3+, that's the only thing being dosed into the tank.
Mindy, quick question regarding Aquaforest 1+2+3+... How do you dose them, I mean... do you dose them all at once or do you wait for a few moments before dosing the 2+ then the 3+? What's the best time to dose these?
Thanks.
Mindy, quick question regarding Aquaforest 1+2+3+... How do you dose them, I mean... do you dose them all at once or do you wait for a few moments before dosing the 2+ then the 3+? What's the best time to dose these?
Thanks.
I wouldn't recommend using any type of balling method without a doser. Balling meaning "plus trace elements". The reason is you'd do adding a bit shot of trace elements at every dose which isn't recommended by most. The exception would be if you're not dosing very much, then it wouldn't matter. The timing doesn't matter too much, though if I was not using a doser I would probably dose in the evenings after the lights are out so that the corals are more likely to take up the elements than say, algae. Dosers will add the 3 parts anywhere from 5 minutes to 30 minutes apart. I would definitely wait longer than "a few moments".
crimper
02-21-2017, 08:41 PM
I wouldn't recommend using any type of balling method without a doser. Balling meaning "plus trace elements". The reason is you'd do adding a bit shot of trace elements at every dose which isn't recommended by most. The exception would be if you're not dosing very much, then it wouldn't matter. The timing doesn't matter too much, though if I was not using a doser I would probably dose in the evenings after the lights are out so that the corals are more likely to take up the elements than say, algae. Dosers will add the 3 parts anywhere from 5 minutes to 30 minutes apart. I would definitely wait longer than "a few moments".
Thanks for your reply. Yah I have a doser and been dosing 2 parts since day 1. What frustrates me is it hard to keep the ionic balance and needs to do a reset from time to time and not chase numbers... that's why I want to try the AF Balling.
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