My 110 Gallon Peninsula SPS Tank [Archive] - Canreef Aquatics Bulletin Board

sweet ride

11-07-2010, 02:20 AM

Just wanted to share my just over 1 year old SPS dominated system with everone.

System:
Display Tank Size: 60 x 18 x 24 Peninsula rimless tank by Miracle Aquarium with centre overflow
Sump: 40 gallons breeder
DT Lighting: 2 Aqua Medic 250MH with 14K DE Phoenix bulb ● 2 T5HO 54w retrofit with KZ Super Blue ● DT Custom LED Moon Light
Sump Lighting: 6500K Power Compact
Water movement: Return Pump Poseidon PS4 ● Powerhead Koralia Evo 1400 X 4 on Wavemaker & 2 Modded Tunze 6045 Nano Streams
Other equipment: DA Reef Keeper Lite wtih ORP, PH & Temp Monitor ● American Pinpoint PH &Temp Monitor
Filtration: Euro-Reef RS180 skimmer ● NP Bio Pellets ● GFO Pellets ● Carbon in a TLF Phosphate Reactor
Calcium and Alkalinity Additives: BRS 2 part solution dosing 120 ml throughout the day
Live Rock/Sand: <100lbs Mix Live Rocks ● 90lbs Sugar Size Sand
Water: RO/DI unit 6 stage Aqua-safe model 100gpd ● Instant Ocean Salt Mix

Parameter:
Temp: 77.5F
Salinity: 1.025
PH: 7.8
Calcium: 450
Alkalinity: 7.50
Magnesium: 1450
ORP: 420
Phosphate: ZERO
Nitrate: ZERO

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4080/4822375107_3079639001.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/4822375055_9bc47acf8f.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4028/4677229564_84e2444755.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4035/4677229688_760129c8ba.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4822990822_779679e92e.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4076/4822374531_a16bce9bfb.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4822375431_d6375df40d.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4822374863_5dc3dda166.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4134/4822374671_68fbed838f.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4822374309_7c377eb30c.jpg

sweet ride

11-07-2010, 02:22 AM

A few more,

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1266/4676598953_e7049689c0.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4021/4676598307_53827cb203.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/4822990918_5ca161e386.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4822374501_23c99352dd.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4010/4676598601_bd78072c56.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/4822374375_9c1871b41d.jpg

sweet ride

11-07-2010, 02:23 AM

and a few FTS.

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4051/4609336565_3a858626e8.jpg http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1277/4609336345_e96d527ddf.jpg

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1243/4609336493_f3c2431d28.jpg http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1332/4609945634_63897ba851.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4050/4609945348_0fb5fa2222_o.jpg

sweet ride

11-07-2010, 02:26 AM

and a few non sps

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/4627394491_b7df3bc258.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3393/4627394385_9027ee82c9.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4023/4627998914_55ed1b0dc3.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3388/4627395149_8e505f4481.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3378/4627998982_b01b144429.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4043/4627394425_1ed3f8ed55.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4055/4627998310_1db4fa5f96.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4037/4627998664_f992d9ab1b.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/4627394601_5c5fab2ea9.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4034/4627394863_9573b0a66d.jpg

sweet ride

11-07-2010, 02:39 AM

and here are a few top down shots

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/5064684495_4a83e97aeb.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/5064678439_8b246ee0b1.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/5065290942_8ed8a53cd3.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5064679079_8cc13272c2.jpg

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/5065290536_574a889779.jpg http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4147/5064679251_1b44540cfa.jpg

Dez

11-07-2010, 02:39 AM

Sweet tank man! I'm actually even more impressed by the photography. I can't take any good pictures of my aquarium it seems. Your photography is amazing.

lastlight

11-07-2010, 03:17 AM

Wow for both FTS and the corals/pictures! Thanks for sharing you've got a living piece of art there I love the rockwork!

chris88

11-07-2010, 03:17 AM

I agree your photo skills are impressive and your tank looks great. What program do you use to edit the photos?

hillegom

11-07-2010, 04:07 AM

I agree
Your photography skills are impressive

Youngster Dan

11-07-2010, 05:17 PM

Thanks for sharing. You have some skills, very purdy.

lorenz0

11-07-2010, 06:09 PM

gorgous tank.

sweet ride

11-09-2010, 01:26 AM

Sweet tank man! I'm actually even more impressed by the photography. I can't take any good pictures of my aquarium it seems. Your photography is amazing.

Thanks for the nice compliments Dez! as taking picture of your tank just keep shooting and you will get better.

Wow for both FTS and the corals/pictures! Thanks for sharing you've got a living piece of art there I love the rockwork!

Thanks for the nice compliments lastlight!!!!!

I agree your photo skills are impressive and your tank looks great. What program do you use to edit the photos?

Thanks for the nice compliments chris88!!!!! I use Photoshop CS2 to crop and put my signature on the pictures.

sweet ride

11-09-2010, 01:28 AM

I agree
Your photography skills are impressive

Thanks for the nice compliments hillegom!!!!!

Thanks for sharing. You have some skills, very purdy.

Thanks for the nice compliments Youngster Dan!!!!!

gorgous tank.

Thanks for the nice compliments lorenz0!!!!!

Delphinus

11-09-2010, 01:46 AM

Wow!! nice work!!!

Lance

11-09-2010, 01:49 AM

Excellent! :biggrin:

Kryptic4L

11-09-2010, 01:49 AM

I dub thee master of the 18" wide tank... How you pulled it off is beyond me, I bow to you bonsai master.

cwatkins

11-09-2010, 04:46 AM

What camera and lens are you using? Those images are beautiful!

sweet ride

11-10-2010, 01:15 AM

Wow!! nice work!!!

Thanks for the compliments Delphinus!!!!

Excellent! :biggrin:

Thanks for the compliments Lance!!!!

I dub thee master of the 18" wide tank... How you pulled it off is beyond me, I bow to you bonsai master.

Thanks for the compliments Kryptic4L!!!!that is just too funny!!!!

sweet ride

11-10-2010, 01:20 AM

What camera and lens are you using? Those images are beautiful!

Thanks for the compliment cwatkins!!!! pictures were taken with Canon 50D and 100mm macro for the macro shots, and 18 to 200mm for the top down shots and FTS.

sweet ride

11-17-2010, 05:01 AM

Had the camera our so I thought I'd share a few pics. Enjoy!!!

"Purple Polyp Bird's Nest"
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TONmB2vGgzI/AAAAAAAAAB8/Dc4ZTwZ0rgw/s720/IMG_4202%20%28Large%29.jpg

"Ponape Bird's Nest"
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TONmLEZvvWI/AAAAAAAAACQ/GaMNLimVuvo/s720/IMG_4207%20%28Large%29.jpg

"Bird of Paradise"
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TONmK71JCNI/AAAAAAAAACI/oyyVzxrrgaE/s720/IMG_4205%20%28Large%29.jpg

"ID Me Please"
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TONl2bOIJxI/AAAAAAAAABs/iWop8bpnIe0/s720/IMG_4197%20%28Large%29.jpg

"ID Me Please"
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TONl2SKvuDI/AAAAAAAAABw/w_0YXweUhEA/s720/IMG_4199%20%28Large%29.jpg

"Ausi Yellow Porites"
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TONmB3ffRDI/AAAAAAAAAB0/Z5vHWGmBRG0/s720/IMG_4200%20%28Large%29.jpg

sweet ride

11-17-2010, 05:01 AM

a few more....

"Forest Fire"
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TONmLCjTDsI/AAAAAAAAACM/uDELEhHHgpY/s720/IMG_4206%20%28Large%29.jpg

"ID Me Please"
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TONmCNDHRRI/AAAAAAAAACE/_lDxiQOqEJ0/s720/IMG_4204%20%28Large%29.jpg

"ID Me Please"
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TONmB-Ux11I/AAAAAAAAACA/pJRbn8fOLcQ/s720/IMG_4203%20%28Large%29.jpg

"Kandlelight"
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TONl2cfQGFI/AAAAAAAAABo/upWlokPi-HM/s720/IMG_4196%20%28Large%29.jpg

"ID Me Please"
http://lh5.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TONl2JHdZSI/AAAAAAAAABk/kns0pz6lQB8/s720/IMG_4195%20%28Large%29.jpg

"Purple Monster"
http://lh6.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TONl2FuSbaI/AAAAAAAAABg/UO4ElaWz5-M/s720/IMG_4192%20%28Large%29.jpg

Delphinus

11-17-2010, 05:49 AM

Fantastic photos!!

What are you taking the photos with?

globaldesigns

11-17-2010, 05:51 AM

Wow!!!! Again a very big WOW!!!

The FTS are spotless, your coral colors are incredible... I have to say some of the best I have seen.

Makes me very envious, something I am striving for. Great Work!!!

gucci17

11-17-2010, 01:45 PM

That is beautiful! Never knew there were other people from good 'ol Mississauga on this board as well! :biggrin:

Do you ever put up frags for sale?

sweet ride

11-18-2010, 12:40 AM

Fantastic photos!!

What are you taking the photos with?

Thanks Delphinus!!! the last photos were taken with 50D/100mm macro.

Wow!!!! Again a very big WOW!!!

The FTS are spotless, your coral colors are incredible... I have to say some of the best I have seen.

Makes me very envious, something I am striving for. Great Work!!!

Thanks globaldesigns!!!

That is beautiful! Never knew there were other people from good 'ol Mississauga on this board as well! :biggrin:

Do you ever put up frags for sale?

Thanks gucci17!! PM me if you want to checkout the frags I have kicking around.

fishytime

11-18-2010, 04:51 AM

Truly some stunning pics there.........and some sweet sticks too!:wink:

viperfish

11-18-2010, 05:41 AM

That aquascaping (among other things of course) is out of this world! I'm so jealous!

Myka

11-18-2010, 05:47 AM

Excellent photography! When you use a macro lens like that does it make the backgrounds real black or is that something you're doing in CS2? Jeez, my Canon G7 just got uglier! :lol:

Your aquascaping is really great too! My tank is a standard 90 gallon...same as yours, but 48" instead of 60". You have done a great job with the rock considering the width and height. I wish I had the patience to do that!

Btw, I'm pretty sure this coral is Montipora samarensis "Forest Fire". I have one, and it looks just like yours.
a few more....

"Orange with Green Tip Digitata"
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TONmLCjTDsI/AAAAAAAAACM/uDELEhHHgpY/s720/IMG_4206%20%28Large%29.jpg

sweet ride

11-19-2010, 05:03 AM

Truly some stunning pics there.........and some sweet sticks too!:wink:

Thanks fishytime!!!!

That aquascaping (among other things of course) is out of this world! I'm so jealous!

thanks medhatreefguy!!!!

Excellent photography! When you use a macro lens like that does it make the backgrounds real black or is that something you're doing in CS2? Jeez, my Canon G7 just got uglier! :lol:

Your aquascaping is really great too! My tank is a standard 90 gallon...same as yours, but 48" instead of 60". You have done a great job with the rock considering the width and height. I wish I had the patience to do that!

Btw, I'm pretty sure this coral is Montipora samarensis "Forest Fire". I have one, and it looks just like yours.

Thanks Myka!!!! no the macro lens doesn't blackout the background. I don't adjust this in CS2 ether. they are black because am shooting through the aquarium and the whole room is typically pitch black with the exception of the aquarium lights. I also under expose the picture when am shooting them.

As far as the rock work believe it or not i had a mock-up aquarium and made papermaches first to see exactly what i wanted to do and how I wanted it to look, from there I put the rocks together oh and the rocks are not glued just pegged.

thanks for the positive ID on that coral. I'll make a note of that one.

Myka

11-19-2010, 02:19 PM

Thanks Myka!!!! no the macro lens doesn't blackout the background. I don't adjust this in CS2 ether. they are black because am shooting through the aquarium and the whole room is typically pitch black with the exception of the aquarium lights. I also under expose the picture when am shooting them.

As far as the rock work believe it or not i had a mock-up aquarium and made papermaches first to see exactly what i wanted to do and how I wanted it to look, from there I put the rocks together oh and the rocks are not glued just pegged.

thanks for the positive ID on that coral. I'll make a note of that one.

Ok thanks. I do the same thing as you with the room dark, and I underexpose as well - maybe not enough? A guy on here sphelps takes photographs in a similar style as yours where the background is blacked. I'm still trying to figure out how because it sure makes the corals pop out in the photo!

Papermache? Hehehe. I tried to peg my rocks, but ran out of patience, so mine are zip tied. You must have a lot more patience than me.

sweet ride

11-19-2010, 08:19 PM

Ok thanks. I do the same thing as you with the room dark, and I underexpose as well - maybe not enough? A guy on here sphelps takes photographs in a similar style as yours where the background is blacked. I'm still trying to figure out how because it sure makes the corals pop out in the photo!

Papermache? Hehehe. I tried to peg my rocks, but ran out of patience, so mine are zip tied. You must have a lot more patience than me.

The other trick that i've read in another forum is use a black pancake spatula. This might be a little easter specially if you have some room behind the coral you wanted to take pictures of.

patience me, nope. but am not happy ether if I don't get what I want.

Stones

11-19-2010, 09:59 PM

Ok thanks. I do the same thing as you with the room dark, and I underexpose as well - maybe not enough? A guy on here sphelps takes photographs in a similar style as yours where the background is blacked. I'm still trying to figure out how because it sure makes the corals pop out in the photo!

I'm sure when someone asked Sphelps how he takes his photos against a black background, he said he uses a photoshop program to black out the background. I'm assuming this is made much easier by taking the pictures in complete darkness and under exposed to already have more contrast between the coral in focus and the background.

Myka

11-19-2010, 10:08 PM

The other trick that i've read in another forum is use a black pancake spatula. This might be a little easter specially if you have some room behind the coral you wanted to take pictures of.

patience me, nope. but am not happy ether if I don't get what I want.

Hey good idea! I'm going to try that out! Meh, I'm never happy with how my reef is... :twised:

I'm sure when someone asked Sphelps how he takes his photos against a black background, he said he uses a photoshop program to black out the background. I'm assuming this is made much easier by taking the pictures in complete darkness and under exposed to already have more contrast between the coral in focus and the background

Ya he does that with some photos, but I don't think he does that to all of them.

sweet ride

11-20-2010, 04:20 AM

Ya he does that with some photos, but I don't think he does that to all of them.

can someone post some of the links to his photos please, wouldn't mind checking it out.

gucci17

11-24-2010, 03:12 PM

Thanks gucci17!! PM me if you want to checkout the frags I have kicking around.

Man I would love to but it would only be a tease lol.

I am just in the midst of setting up my first sw tank. I'm nowhere near ready to add sps :mrgreen:. I will definitely be contacting you down the road! lol

I just saw your frag pack on a local forum GTAA. I'm pretty sure it will get snatched up quick.

Boomboy

11-26-2010, 05:38 AM

this is the best fish porn ive seen in a while. :) Man those are great shots,

can i haz coralz?

lobsterboy

11-26-2010, 06:36 AM

very nice stuff, photo skills are dope

sweet ride

11-27-2010, 02:19 AM

Man I would love to but it would only be a tease lol.

I am just in the midst of setting up my first sw tank. I'm nowhere near ready to add sps :mrgreen:. I will definitely be contacting you down the road! lol

I just saw your frag pack on a local forum GTAA. I'm pretty sure it will get snatched up quick.

LOL your absolutely right, they didn't last!!! and by all means when you tank is setup let me know and I'll help you stock up your tank!

this is the best fish porn ive seen in a while. :) Man those are great shots,

can i haz coralz?

ammmmm...... thank you Boomboy!!!!!

very nice stuff, photo skills are dope

thanks lobsterboy!!!!

sweet ride

12-19-2010, 05:57 AM

just a few updated FTS!!

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TQ2pOZleuMI/AAAAAAAAADg/XKp7_saxrXs/IMG_4409%20%28Large%29.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TQ2pOVu51zI/AAAAAAAAADk/yd_2PzE7lTU/IMG_4411%20%28Large%29.jpg

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TQ2pOtLPf3I/AAAAAAAAADo/5UIOvP1ksq0/IMG_4414%20%28Large%29.jpg

chris88

12-19-2010, 03:57 PM

wow beautiful tank and aquascape!

sweet ride

12-19-2010, 06:53 PM

wow beautiful tank and aquascape!

Thanks for the compliment chris88!!!

riceboy

12-19-2010, 07:02 PM

Wow that looks amazing. Hopefully I can achieve this in my tank once I get it.

globaldesigns

12-19-2010, 07:34 PM

I HATE YOU!!! Really I do! :lol:

Just kidding, but you do make my tank look like a joke.

Great work.

sweet ride

12-19-2010, 10:33 PM

Wow that looks amazing. Hopefully I can achieve this in my tank once I get it.

Thanks for the compliment riceboy!!!!! am sure your system would look even better in time!!!!

I HATE YOU!!! Really I do! :lol:

Just kidding, but you do make my tank look like a joke.

Great work.

Thanks for the compliment globaldesigns!!!! what are you talking about, your system does look good as well. your coral just need time to mature.

rocks

12-30-2010, 05:00 AM

Wow you have some awesome photos and a beautiful tank. You are the photography master. Hope to see more pics in the future:lol:

sweet ride

12-30-2010, 07:00 PM

Wow you have some awesome photos and a beautiful tank. You are the photography master. Hope to see more pics in the future:lol:

Thanks compliments rocks!!!!

more photos to come!!!!

sweet ride

01-13-2011, 03:34 AM

Here is my first photo of 2011.

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TS565A8BR-I/AAAAAAAAAEA/_B48UgVwMYs/s720/IMG_4624.jpg

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TS565Nj0pfI/AAAAAAAAAEE/qIC48pNb56A/s720/IMG_4629.jpg

I got home today and the first thing that greeted me was the tank that has OD in Alkalinity am going to say about 1/2 to 3/4 of a gallon. Unfortunately I don't have anyone else to blame but me. I was adjusting the setting on the timer for the dosing unit yesterday and I forgot to set an end point for one of the setpoints.

the Hanna Digital displayed 214 (11.96 DKH) to most people this is somewhat borderline in my case when my reading is typically at the 130 range (7.25 DKH) this is a big jump. The first reaction is I got to do some water change which I will be doing momentarily, after I had a chance to take it all in I remembered high ALK = low CAL so i've been dosing CAL slowly. My calcium yesterday night was at 440ppm and after the initial test was taken it was a measly 240ppm.

As it stand the only visible casualty so far is my sixline wrasse, and possibly an orange and a blue linkia starfish. As per my SPS from what I can see they still have there normal polyp extension.

Anyways got to run a do a quick water change hopefully to stabilize the system.

BlueTang<3

01-13-2011, 03:56 AM

Hope you get by here with out any losses love your tank.

mseepman

01-13-2011, 03:54 PM

Very sad to hear this...this is a beautiful tank.

chris121277

01-13-2011, 04:16 PM

That is one absolutely stunning tank man, I hope everything pulls threw for you......*fingers crossed*

Delphinus

01-13-2011, 04:32 PM

Oh no.. :( Man alive, it's always something that gets you when you let your guard down.

Been there or at least in similar if not identical circumstances ... I feel for you! Best of luck with the recovery and hope the losses are reasonably contained at this point. Sorry about your sixline and linckia's.

Douglas

01-13-2011, 08:34 PM

My goodness, I hope you can save it. I was just debating adding an auto doser to my tank. Now I'm a little concerned. I'm sure this is a rare occurance. Good luck, beautiful tank.

sweet ride

01-14-2011, 01:06 AM

Hope you get by here with out any losses love your tank.

thanks BlueTang<3, so far no further lost to be reported.

Very sad to hear this...this is a beautiful tank.

thanks mseepman, hopefully I'll be able to salvage a few favorite corals.

That is one absolutely stunning tank man, I hope everything pulls threw for you......*fingers crossed*

thanks chris121277, am hoping too aswell.

Lance

01-14-2011, 01:46 AM

Oh No! Man, I hope things work out for you. Beautiful tank.

spawn

01-14-2011, 01:55 AM

Bummer dude! Hopefully the corals don't turn out burned.

sweet ride

01-14-2011, 01:57 AM

sweet ride

01-14-2011, 02:01 AM

My goodness, I hope you can save it. I was just debating adding an auto doser to my tank. Now I'm a little concerned. I'm sure this is a rare occurance. Good luck, beautiful tank.

Thanks Douglas, I have no regret about adding the auto doer as this is a complete user error.

It's more like dont work on critical/detrimental items when you’re tired. and always double check and triple check everything.

fishytime

01-14-2011, 03:49 AM

EEEEEEEEEEEK.....sorry to hear about your fishues.....it sucks to loose stuff, but it REALLY sucks when its your own dang fault(Ive been there too)hope everything is ok mang....

wayner

01-14-2011, 04:00 AM

That is one Beautiful Aquascaped Tank, sorry to hear about the alk mishap, chin up and back at er. :wink:

jphong

01-14-2011, 05:10 AM

Awesome tank, love the colors! Simple layout but chaotic with all the SPS

sweet ride

01-14-2011, 08:49 PM

Awesome tank, love the colors! Simple layout but chaotic with all the SPS

thanks for the compliment jphong. as far as the SPS I wish I could control how they grow, best I could do is prune them. again thanks for the feedback!!!

That is one Beautiful Aquascaped Tank, sorry to hear about the alk mishap, chin up and back at er. :wink:

thanks for the compliment wayner!

EEEEEEEEEEtEK.....sorry to hear about your fishues.....it sucks to loose stuff, but it REALLY sucks when its your own dang fault(Ive been there too)hope everything is ok mang....

thanks fishytime!! your right I dont have anyone else to blame but my self. as per what wayne said chin up and back at er again.....

the silver lining on this is that now I can add more fish & corals....

jphong

01-14-2011, 08:57 PM

thanks for the compliment jphong. as far as the SPS I wish I could control how they grow, best I could do is prune them. again thanks for the feedback!!!

Actually I meant that as a GOOD thing lol, it came out wrong. I love how the layout is clean but the craziness of the corals adds that "zing" haha love that word.

Maybe it has to do with that ying-yang thing

sweet ride

01-15-2011, 04:06 AM

Actually I meant that as a GOOD thing lol, it came out wrong. I love how the layout is clean but the craziness of the corals adds that "zing" haha love that word.

Maybe it has to do with that ying-yang thing

LOL!!! it's all good, never took it the wrong way.... Thanks for clarifying it!!!

.... ying-yang..... lets not go there!!!!

sweet ride

01-31-2011, 03:36 AM

Here are a few photos taken today, am just hoping that the system will stay status quo after 1/2 gallon of alkalinity was dosed in the system within 3 hours about 2 weeks ago.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TUY0KU-fhuI/AAAAAAAAAEY/JS8Ajc6lW-g/s720/IMG_4758%20copy%20%28Large%29.jpg

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TUY0Z1I5qoI/AAAAAAAAAEk/__tCCPRWj6o/s720/IMG_4772%20copy%20%28Large%29.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TUY0KUVA2AI/AAAAAAAAAEc/MurTwHod1rU/s720/IMG_4769%20copy%20%28Large%29.jpg

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TUY0ZxS6ToI/AAAAAAAAAEs/rfUqt3kU9lI/s720/IMG_4774%20copy%20%28Large%29.jpg

http://lh5.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TUY0KsCsOtI/AAAAAAAAAEg/MBNEvcjnMcI/s720/IMG_4770%20copy%20%28Large%29.jpg

http://lh6.ggpht.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TUY0Z6IQBEI/AAAAAAAAAEo/9Czix3mnGhI/s720/IMG_4773%20copy%20%28Large%29.jpg

Delphinus

01-31-2011, 03:55 AM

sweet ride

01-31-2011, 04:28 AM

Glad to see they are not looking so bad. When you showed that picture of a white tank I feared much worse.

Sorry if you've answered this already but how old is the tank? Love the density of corals. My tank has a lonnnggggg way to go to match this :lol:

thanks! the system is less than 17 months old, the corals are about 11 to 13 months old. 95% of the corals that I have were purchased as a frag.

sweet ride

02-04-2011, 04:28 AM

kien

02-04-2011, 05:04 AM

Absolutely love your tank. I can't wait to read your TOTM write up :)

Leah

02-04-2011, 05:08 AM

Beautiful :biggrin:

muck

02-04-2011, 05:10 AM

Fantastic progress. Love the growth. :biggrin:

mseepman

02-04-2011, 05:49 AM

Fantastic tank! Love the setup and those corals are amazing!

sweet ride

02-04-2011, 09:53 PM

Absolutely love your tank. I can't wait to read your TOTM write up :)

Thanks for the compliments kien!!!! is that a TOTM nomination!!!! joke!!!!

Beautiful :biggrin:

Thanks for the compliments Leah!!!!

sweet ride

02-04-2011, 09:54 PM

Fantastic progress. Love the growth. :biggrin:

thanks muck!!!

Fantastic tank! Love the setup and those corals are amazing!

thanks mseepman!!!!

BrentC

02-05-2011, 12:15 AM

Very nice! Great inspiration and something to look up to. (:

sweet ride

02-05-2011, 03:06 PM

Very nice! Great inspiration and something to look up to. (:

thanks for the compliments BrentC!!!!

Aquattro

02-05-2011, 03:11 PM

I can't wait to read your TOTM write up :)

Just thinking the same thing!! :)

sweet ride

02-05-2011, 08:51 PM

Just thinking the same thing!! :)

thanks Aquattro!!!!

okay am starting the writeup!!!! now someone just need to nominate me!!!! jokes!!!!

but really thanks for the compliments!

sweet ride

03-10-2011, 03:13 AM

I had the camera out last time I did a water change and thought that I would TRY to snap some top down shots. All photos was taken with a standard 18 to 200mm lens.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TXhMx4zbIYI/AAAAAAAAAGM/BArxRKck_v4/s720/IMG_5082%20copy%20%28Large%29.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TXhM1oyP1oI/AAAAAAAAAGs/xtUz98JQN00/s720/IMG_5080%20copy%20%28Large%29.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TXhM1LOgmGI/AAAAAAAAAGk/EQRXrlTK-B8/s720/IMG_5079%20copy%20%28Large%29.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TXhMzyniYJI/AAAAAAAAAGc/khn0cNeG6iQ/s720/IMG_5073%20copy%20%28Large%29.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TXhM0f4KUcI/AAAAAAAAAGg/NaWBZnXSkvE/s720/IMG_5076%20copy%20%28Large%29.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TXhMyV3d1GI/AAAAAAAAAGQ/TYwPSB9aL6I/s512/IMG_5053%20copy%20%28Large%29.jpg https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TXhMzOO_eNI/AAAAAAAAAGY/MkS5M_ntDn0/s512/IMG_5051%20copy%20%28Large%29.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TXhMwDPqvBI/AAAAAAAAAGE/SGxta4qMBVY/s720/IMG_5038%20copy%20%28Large%29.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TXhMxArz7RI/AAAAAAAAAGI/TpKhoT86BHE/s720/IMG_5039%20copy%20%28Large%29.jpg

Stones

03-10-2011, 01:57 PM

Sunee

03-10-2011, 04:50 PM

Absolutely gorgeous. The colours and different textures of the corals are beautiful!!

sweet ride

03-10-2011, 11:40 PM

Awesome pics as per usual! Do you shoot with all of your bulbs on or just blues? The colors of your acros are so intense its crazy. Reason I ask is the sandbed appears quite dark/dull in your photos or is this because you shoot underexposed?

Thanks Stones!!!! as per the last set of photos your correct in both points, all of them were taken with actinic bulbs only as well as shoot under exposed. Most of the time I just use the MH when doing a photo shoot.

Absolutely gorgeous. The colours and different textures of the corals are beautiful!!

Thanks for the compliments Sunee!!!

Snappy

03-10-2011, 11:50 PM

Stunner stuff!
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h210/Trainer02/applausemd3-2.gif

spawn

03-11-2011, 12:42 AM

This setup is absolutely one of my favorites on Canreef, happy to see that it looks to be in good health still. Also it's awesome to see the progressive shots, they give quite a good time line as to what one who takes great care of their Reef can hope to achieve.

sweet ride

03-11-2011, 08:18 PM

Stunner stuff!
http://i65.photobucket.com/albums/h210/Trainer02/applausemd3-2.gif

Thanks snappy!! one day I wish my system would look close to your system.

This setup is absolutely one of my favorites on Canreef, happy to see that it looks to be in good health still. Also it's awesome to see the progressive shots, they give quite a good time line as to what one who takes great care of their Reef can hope to achieve.

Thanks spawn! the progressive shots also let me know that the corals are actually growing!!!!

kien

03-12-2011, 03:09 PM

sweet ride

03-12-2011, 06:31 PM

Wow those pics are stellar as usually. :)

Hey, I just read your specs again and noticed that you were running NP bio pellets with GFO. Are you still doing that? Reason I ask is because the manufacturer doesn't recommend that but I do it :). I've found that the pellets alone only drop phosphates so low and not much lower , for me anyway. With just pellets phos sits around .1, with GFO it drops to pretty much zero.

Thanks kien!!!! Yes am still using GAC/GFO in conjunction with the bio pellets. As per parameters I never actually had any problem with just running the bio pellets, but one thing that I notice is that when I don't run GAC/GFO my water clarity doesn't seem to be as clear, then again it could just be my perception.

kien

03-12-2011, 06:37 PM

Thanks kien!!!! Yes am still using GAC/GFO in conjunction with the bio pellets. As per parameters I never actually had any problem with just running the bio pellets, but one thing that I notice is that when I don't run GAC/GFO my water clarity doesn't seem to be as clear, then again it could just be my perception.

Cool, glad to see I'm not the only one living on the edge! :lol:

Ya, I notice the same thing with GAC. It really helps to clarify the water. Sorta makes sense as it is meant to take out certain chemicals from the water column that could otherwise yellow the tank water. You really notice it when you replace the GAC with a brand new batch. The next day the tank is crystal clear :D

Another question, I noticed that you dosed two part for Alk and Calc but there is no mention of magnesium? Do you dose it?

sweet ride

03-12-2011, 09:26 PM

Cool, glad to see I'm not the only one living on the edge! :lol:

Ya, I notice the same thing with GAC. It really helps to clarify the water. Sorta makes sense as it is meant to take out certain chemicals from the water column that could otherwise yellow the tank water. You really notice it when you replace the GAC with a brand new batch. The next day the tank is crystal clear :D

Another question, I noticed that you dosed two part for Alk and Calc but there is no mention of magnesium? Do you dose it?

I do not dose magnesium on a daily basis. I do however monitor my magnesium on a monthly basis and when it does drop thats when I add epson salt.

I do have a question for you regarding the photos that you take, how do you take those amazing top down shots? do you use a viewing box or just turn your flow off in the system and just shoot above the water?

kien

03-13-2011, 12:10 AM

I shoot with a top down viewing box and turn off the powerheads. You can easily make one out of acylic or buy them at LFS. I bought mine cuz I was too lazy to make one. :)

sweet ride

03-13-2011, 04:29 AM

I shoot with a top down viewing box and turn off the powerheads. You can easily make one out of acylic or buy them at LFS. I bought mine cuz I was too lazy to make one. :)

Thanks for the info, I'll have to get a hold of one. I did try to use some sort some sort of a viewing box but unfortunately I don't have sufficient room between the top of the water and the bottom of the light fixture, as I have a canopy, the camera just wont auto focus nor manually focus. Do you remove/move your light when your doing your top down shots or do you just navigate around them?

es355lucille

03-13-2011, 04:30 AM

Thats one beautiful tank Sweet Ride! WOW. I really enjoyed the great photography as well! Nice job!

Brad

sweet ride

03-13-2011, 06:45 PM

Thats one beautiful tank Sweet Ride! WOW. I really enjoyed the great photography as well! Nice job!

Brad

thanks for the nice compliments!!!!

MarkoD

03-15-2011, 03:38 PM

i really like your aquascape. did you secure the rocks together somehow or are they just stacked?

sweet ride

03-16-2011, 02:22 AM

i really like your aquascape. did you secure the rocks together somehow or are they just stacked?

I use 1/4" acrylic rods to secure the rocks together.

MarkoD

03-16-2011, 03:34 AM

so you just drill the rock and put the rods through? do you glue the rod to the rock? add silicon?

sweet ride

03-17-2011, 12:06 AM

so you just drill the rock and put the rods through? do you glue the rod to the rock? add silicon?

That is correct the rocks were drilled, I was planning to use epoxy as an extra security but I found that with the acrylic rods only the structure was secure enough so I opted not to use any. Allot of people that do use acrylic rods also use epoxy to support the structure.

MarkoD

03-17-2011, 12:07 AM

thanks for the info.... but where can i get acrylic rods?

cale262

03-17-2011, 12:18 AM

thanks for the info.... but where can i get acrylic rods?

Sabic PolymerShapes
16536 117th Avenue NW
Edmonton, Alberta
Tel: 780-451-1650

MarkoD

03-17-2011, 12:24 AM

thanks :)

sweet ride

07-28-2011, 01:16 AM

Just a few full tank progression shots.

August 17th, 2009

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TUuIj9K-e0I/AAAAAAAAAE4/Ew5iurrV9jA/s720/August%202009.jpg

September 3rd, 2009

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TUuIkLl_ANI/AAAAAAAAAE8/huzMd7tMKNk/s720/September%202009.jpg

February 27th, 2010

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TUuIkgTsSrI/AAAAAAAAAFE/UAtjYLXqaW0/s720/February%202010%28right%29.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TUuIkUyrlvI/AAAAAAAAAFA/Sv2Kx0NPZxs/s720/February%202010%28left%29.jpg

May 13th, 2010

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TUuI7SHfdPI/AAAAAAAAAFM/sUF4SYsxGhg/s720/May%202010.jpg

Dec. 18th, 2010

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TUuI74KsP1I/AAAAAAAAAFU/W4GCySuiOwI/s720/December%202010%20%28right%29.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TUuI7oYcpXI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/salgUXWDMUk/s720/December%202010%20%28left%29.jpg

July 27th, 2011

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-KnB84Mh7msQ/Ti-G-Wv0aOI/AAAAAAAAAKo/6-RyRHSEedY/s1024/IMG_5656%252520copy.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ieO933jf1Ds/Ti-G-m6il9I/AAAAAAAAAKg/65TUxu5fAIc/s1024/IMG_5651%252520copy.jpg

It’s been awhile since I’ve updated this, so I figure take a few shots of the system before a start changing some stuff. As you can see in the progress shot above I haven’t been having that much luck with the system. Over the last 4 weeks I’ve decided to change over from MH to a full T5 Lighting as a result I’ve had a few casualties some small frag , and some colonies as seen in the above picture, I’ve also lost significant amount of colors. Am hoping that over the next few months the system will recover in its glory days!

Boomboy

07-28-2011, 01:31 AM

i still want.

Myka

07-28-2011, 02:01 AM

Dez

07-28-2011, 02:09 AM

Man, so sorry to hear about your losses. I dig the general look of the tank. Your tank was empty on Aug 17, 09. I got water and rock in my tank on Aug 16, 09. It's neat to see similar aged aquariums.

sweet ride

07-28-2011, 02:14 AM

I love this tank. I'm taking inspiration from this tank for my new 48x20x24" 100 gallon tank that I'm moving my current 90 into. I have always really enjoyed the look of a minimal rock layout like you have done, but have yet to be able to duplicate it!

I'm sad to hear about your lighting troubles. Why did you switch away from halides?

I've always wanted to try out a complete T5 setup as I've seen some great results with them.

I was forced to switch to the T5 fixture as one of the UV glass on the MH DE broke and I could not find a replacement glass fast enough.

Good luck with your new build! and as always thanks for the compliments!

sweet ride

07-28-2011, 02:22 AM

Man, so sorry to hear about your losses. I dig the general look of the tank. Your tank was empty on Aug 17, 09. I got water and rock in my tank on Aug 16, 09. It's neat to see similar aged aquariums.

Thanks man! even the pictures on May 13th, 2010 I can believe how small those corals were and how much more rocks I have then! am not 100% down as the way I look at this is the glass is half full, for a while every time I go to the LRS I tell my self I wish I had extra space for those SPS and now I do!

Myka

07-28-2011, 05:13 AM

I've always wanted to try out a complete T5 setup as I've seen some great results with them.

I was forced to switch to the T5 fixture as one of the UV glass on the MH DE broke and I could not find a replacement glass fast enough.

Good luck with your new build! and as always thanks for the compliments!

You couldn't just go to a glass shop?

I'm sure you will get good results provided you picked a fixture that is well-suited to your tank, but I think it will be a few months at least before you're really on the turn around. Lighting is probably the biggest thing to change. Time will brighten things up!

sweet ride

07-28-2011, 05:30 AM

You couldn't just go to a glass shop?

I'm sure you will get good results provided you picked a fixture that is well-suited to your tank, but I think it will be a few months at least before you're really on the turn around. Lighting is probably the biggest thing to change. Time will brighten things up!

actually I did! to several of them and even I even went to 2 LRS, the store is that the 2 LRS doesn't keep them in stock and as per the glass shops those were special orders. On the side note I did order them anyways and I actually have to extra backup now just in case I do decide to go back to MH!

for now I will bite the bullet, and deal with the lost corals, just got to keep telling my self more space for those SPS that I've always wanted!

chris88

07-28-2011, 06:39 AM

Myka

07-28-2011, 03:38 PM

actually I did! to several of them and even I even went to 2 LRS, the store is that the 2 LRS doesn't keep them in stock and as per the glass shops those were special orders. On the side note I did order them anyways and I actually have to extra backup now just in case I do decide to go back to MH!

for now I will bite the bullet, and deal with the lost corals, just got to keep telling my self more space for those SPS that I've always wanted!

Well it would have been a special order for tempered glass, but you could have used a chunk of Lexan or even regular acrylic in the meantime. Lexan and acrylic actually block UV better than glass. Lexan won't warp, but regular acrylic will, so acrylic would just be a short term fix.

I hear you on the space issue! Losing corals always sucks though.

sweet ride

07-29-2011, 02:41 AM

Is the only thing that changed was a switch in the lights. I can't believe going to t5's would cause this. what kind of halides did you run before and what T5's are you running now? Your tank was amazing, not to say it isn't now but i am curious about the changes caused by lighting.

I was running 2 Aqua Medic 250MH with Phoenix bulb DE 14K, and now am running a tek light 6 bulb fixture with 1 KZ Figi Purple, 2 Giesemann Actinic +, 2 KZ Super Blue, 1 ATI Blue Plus. The system was also running with 1 MH only for almost a week before I switch to the T5 fixture. I know what your saying I just hope I can get those colors back again with whatever corals I have left.

Well it would have been a special order for tempered glass, but you could have used a chunk of Lexan or even regular acrylic in the meantime. Lexan and acrylic actually block UV better than glass. Lexan won't warp, but regular acrylic will, so acrylic would just be a short term fix.

I hear you on the space issue! Losing corals always sucks though.

I just checked out the tank again and it seems that some of the corals are still stressed. I will probably frag a few more of my favorite and move it to a buddy's tank.

sweet ride

08-23-2011, 06:12 AM

Just a quick update, after almost a month of a lot of TLC, I think the system is staring to turn around fingers crossed. The basic issues like RTN, STN, and a lot of burnt tips is staring to subside. I have finally pulled the plug on the bio pellets after having to clean and dry them for I can't even remember how long! for the time being I will start dosing vodka again.

I think the corals are staring to adjust to the switch from the MH to T5. I've been playing around with the bulb combo almost week after week. at this point in time I have 1 14k, 1 fiji purple, 1 actinic and 3 blue or 20K bulb. The photo period is now at 6 hours and 10 hours. thanks for everyone help and input on this part!

am still having issue with keeping the PH just over 7.7 day time and 7.5 night time (Pinpoint & RKL) I've restarted dosing kalk as part of the ATO. I also have a fuge in reverse photo period. Am also battling HA due to the coral die off, this are most visible in burnt tips so am manually removing them for the time being and hope that those tips will re-grow again and choke the heck out of all the HA!

I have yet to added any new live stock to the system, but a couple of notable SPS that I lost and will be replacing once am confident that the system is 100% up and running again they are Strawberry shortcake, blue tort, ice fire, karl kadlight.

Anyways enough chit-chat for now here are a few updated pics, and just for comparison pics from last December, one day how I want the system to look again.

Aug. 22nd, 2011

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-OhFL2ya0LR0/TlM63uPJFqI/AAAAAAAAAL0/LObdMDhtg1w/IMG_5706%252520copy%252520%252528Large%252529.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-6skC3qrCCJw/TlM64kvby_I/AAAAAAAAAL4/kHTAVMZJI8k/IMG_5713%252520copy%252520%252528Large%252529.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-ssfxr56WbP8/TlM64u8qS0I/AAAAAAAAAL8/TI9KgdQGYvI/s576/IMG_5703%252520copy%252520%252528Large%252529.jpg

Dec. 18th, 2010

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TUuI74KsP1I/AAAAAAAAAFU/W4GCySuiOwI/s720/December%202010%20%28right%29.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TUuI7oYcpXI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/salgUXWDMUk/s720/December%202010%20%28left%29.jpg

Myka

08-23-2011, 06:43 AM

sweet ride

08-23-2011, 10:55 PM

Yikes, sorry to hear you are still having such a battle. I'm not up to date on what you've been up to, but I know you changed from MH to T5, and you also switched from vodka to bio-pellets?

Were you having nutrient issues? It sounds to me like you are, seeing as the low pH level. Do you use GFO? Are you seeing any cyano or just the hair algae? What skimmer are you using? Have you tested for ammonia, nitrate, and phosphate?

If it makes you feel any better it still looks good from far. ;)

oh thanks Myka! I just hope that am in the right side of the fence now! Ya I did the MH to T5 and it's actually from bio-pellets to vodka as i've also been having issue with the pellets clumping up. (this pellets have been in my system just over a year before I finally pulled them out)

As far as test kits are concern I wouldn't say that am having any nutrient issue, salifert says that I don't have any tractable nitrate, and hanna checker says zero phosphate. I also run GAC and GFO and I have always run them in my system. As far as skimmer is concern am using a euro-reef RS-180, I would say more that sufficient for my system. The only thing that I have not tested yet is the ammonia. I will be bringing a sample to one of the LFS and get them to check it for me.

Sunee

08-24-2011, 02:31 PM

Glad to hear you think you're past the worst. Hope you get the full colour back.

sweet ride

08-26-2011, 03:13 AM

Glad to hear you think you're past the worst. Hope you get the full colour back.

I certainly do hope that am out of the weeds!

Myka

08-26-2011, 04:32 AM

oh thanks Myka! I just hope that am in the right side of the fence now! Ya I did the MH to T5 and it's actually from bio-pellets to vodka as i've also been having issue with the pellets clumping up. (this pellets have been in my system just over a year before I finally pulled them out)

As far as test kits are concern I wouldn't say that am having any nutrient issue, salifert says that I don't have any tractable nitrate, and hanna checker says zero phosphate. I also run GAC and GFO and I have always run them in my system. As far as skimmer is concern am using a euro-reef RS-180, I would say more that sufficient for my system. The only thing that I have not tested yet is the ammonia. I will be bringing a sample to one of the LFS and get them to check it for me.

If nutrients aren't an issue, why not drop the vodka too? Do you have any friends that could check phosphate with D-D or another high sensitivity kit? I had that same skimmer on my 90 and it did a good job as long as it wasn't overflowing (which it did often!). I just switched to a SWC 180 Cone. If you use any ammonia products like Prime, AmQuel, etc make sure they use a salicylate kit, not a Nessler. You can check nitrite too...will tell you if there was ammonia present recently.

I can't believe so many "numbers" are good, but there is so much havoc! Have you checked pH at all? Preferably with a meter, not a kit.

sweet ride

08-28-2011, 04:38 AM

If nutrients aren't an issue, why not drop the vodka too? Do you have any friends that could check phosphate with D-D or another high sensitivity kit? I had that same skimmer on my 90 and it did a good job as long as it wasn't overflowing (which it did often!). I just switched to a SWC 180 Cone. If you use any ammonia products like Prime, AmQuel, etc make sure they use a salicylate kit, not a Nessler. You can check nitrite too...will tell you if there was ammonia present recently.

I can't believe so many "numbers" are good, but there is so much havoc! Have you checked pH at all? Preferably with a meter, not a kit.

I finally had a chance to stop by the LFS and they checked the water sample that I brought, all test was done with salifert test kit. They tested the water for nitrate, nitrite & ammonia, all the test came back ok. Oh and I've never used any ammonia product.

As per the skimmer it have always worked well for me also, there was only several times that I could remember the skimmer overflowed.

The only number that am having an issue with is PH. This is monitored 24/7 via american pinpoint PH monitor and Reef Keeper Lite. The probes are calibrated on a monthly basis. I have now been adding kalk to the system for about a week and still no luck. the PH continue to hover just over 7.7 day time and 7.5 night time.

Myka

08-28-2011, 05:28 AM

sweet ride

08-28-2011, 09:43 PM

Tests ok, as in 0? Or did they carry a value?

Ah ha, I knew it would show up as pH. You have big fish in there? Some tangs maybe? How do you treat your sandbed? How deep is it? Any conchs or other stirrers/sifters? What kind of sand? You buy it new?

test all came back with zero or no value. what do you mean by "Ah ha, I knew it would show up as pH"?

Ya I have 3 tangs in the system. what do you mean by how do i treat the sandbed? The sandbed is around 1" to 1 1/2" deep. I have nassarius snails & cerith snail, I also have 3 wrasse as well as 2 clown fish that keeps the sandbed stirred up. I have sugar size and yes they were purchased new.

Myka

08-28-2011, 10:19 PM

sweet ride

09-02-2011, 02:21 AM

How do you treat it as in, what do you do with it? The sandbed is probably trapping more crud than you think. I vacuum mine with a gravel vac while doing waterchanges. Makes a big difference. I think your low pH is probably caused by a large bioload.

because am using sugar size sand, vacuuming it is out of the question. I have tried this several times and because of it's size all the sand just end up in the bucket with the water.

any recommendation in helping me raise the ph without affecting the alk or ca?

sweet ride

09-02-2011, 02:45 AM

As the system recovers I would like to share a handful of pics of the corals that are starting to recover.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-3TbGoblKbAg/TlnROz-sLrI/AAAAAAAAAMg/FCFP-O_aLB0/s800/IMG_5742%252520copy%252520%252528Large%252529.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-5R6Ng_m9vYc/TlnRNDcn7xI/AAAAAAAAAMM/Og5L038xt6o/s800/IMG_5750%252520copy%252520%252528Large%252529.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-xCLQsZSebOw/TlnRNy00sXI/AAAAAAAAAMU/rwdb7jiUVyA/s800/IMG_5734%252520copy%252520%252528Large%252529.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-BG48oIuI9WU/TlnRNJ41JzI/AAAAAAAAAMQ/KlMgpfvC-Mg/s800/IMG_5733%252520copy%252520%252528Large%252529.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-HxrePRDYhd4/TlnROqHpAZI/AAAAAAAAAMc/RPXwr12PpNs/s800/IMG_5736%252520copy%252520%252528Large%252529.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-mMDP6c-FHt4/TlnRM0NcJqI/AAAAAAAAAMI/9kO62OZiH3o/s800/IMG_5725%252520copy%252520%252528Large%252529.jpg

fishytime

09-02-2011, 02:59 AM

:shocked!:those macro shots are amazing!

fishytime

09-02-2011, 03:03 AM

how exaclty again are you maintaining your DKH?

sweet ride

09-02-2011, 04:28 AM

:shocked!:those macro shots are amazing!

Thanks for the compliments fishytime!!!!

how exaclty again are you maintaining your DKH?

I've always used BRS 2 part, but as we speak I've also added BRS Kalk to help with significant PH drop.....

lastlight

09-02-2011, 04:57 AM

Certain folks on the board have their own characteristic look to their photos. I always enjoy staring at yours you shoot and process some sweet pics =)

kien

09-02-2011, 05:01 AM

ZOMG those polyps are going to eat me!!

mseepman

09-02-2011, 05:29 AM

Wow, those shots are amazing! Makes me want to quietly delete every picture I've ever taken of my tank and start over.

fishytime

09-02-2011, 12:55 PM

are you baking your sodium bicarbonate?........

Parker

09-02-2011, 01:25 PM

pics of the corals that are starting to recover.

Those are recovering corals? Well now I'm depressed....

Sunee

09-02-2011, 02:23 PM

Your photography skills are incredible! Glad to see the corals are recovering. What is the coral in the last picture! Thanks.

sweet ride

09-02-2011, 05:39 PM

Certain folks on the board have their own characteristic look to their photos. I always enjoy staring at yours you shoot and process some sweet pics =)

as always thanks for the kind words lastlight!!!

ZOMG those polyps are going to eat me!!

LOL watch-out!!!! only wish your were around the area as I wouldn't mind getting a few frags from your collection!

Wow, those shots are amazing! Makes me want to quietly delete every picture I've ever taken of my tank and start over.

Thanks for compliments mseepman! don't delete them just keep taking more photos, sooner or later I will be asking you for some photo taking pointer!

sweet ride

09-02-2011, 05:53 PM

are you baking your sodium bicarbonate?........

Actually I use Sodium Carbonate (Soda Ash) from BRS.

Those are recovering corals? Well now I'm depressed....

don't be as am sure the rest of your system is doing much better than mine!

Your photography skills are incredible! Glad to see the corals are recovering. What is the coral in the last picture! Thanks.

Thanks for the kind words Sunee!

The last photo is a picture of Meteor Shower Cyphastrea. when this was given to me in the beginning of the year there was barely 3 polyps!

Myka

09-03-2011, 01:08 AM

because am using sugar size sand, vacuuming it is out of the question. I have tried this several times and because of it's size all the sand just end up in the bucket with the water.

any recommendation in helping me raise the ph without affecting the alk or ca?

You can still vacuum sugar sand, but it takes good technique. :) Use a short hose so you can put your thumb over the end, or use soft hose so you can pinch it (you can get different wall thickness, thin is easier to pinch). Buy a vacuum with a small hose, like 1/4" ID so the flow isn't so fast either. Then just shove it into the sand, and as soon as the first bits of sand get a little way up the vacuum pinch it off so the sand settles, you can play around with it like that and get the detritus out without the sand.

I bought a vacuum (I think Hagen..?) that uses a 1" pipe for the vacuum part. I bought a 36" piece of 1" pipe (it's used for undergravel filter uptakes) and cut the pipe to be just a tad shorter than how deep my water is. Looks really well. The extra length helps to get the detritus out while leaving the sand in the tank.

Low pH has many causes. The most common being either high bioload or too much CO2. Do you ever open the windows in your house for fresh air? Check for an oily film on the water surface. Pretty much any skimmer works well for off-gassing CO2, but if the house has concentrations of CO2 then all the off-gassing in the world won't help. Bioload also lowers pH as fish poop is acidic, and there are also acids released when organics are broke down through the nitrogen process. Sometimes if everything is "good" simply dripping kalkwasser at night as part replacement for calcium and alkalinity dosing will keep the pH from falling so much at night which enough to keep the pH higher during the day too.

Madreefer

09-03-2011, 02:09 AM

People actually vacum the their sandbeds still? Why would'nt you just get a proper cleanup crew rather than disturb the sandbed? The less your hands are in the tank or anything else disturbing things the better. Your tank looks awesome, i'm no expert but just leave things as is. The ph is'nt that bad. Theres lot of threads on here that discuss that very topic. With most of them ending with "if it aeint broke dont fix it"

Myka

09-03-2011, 05:02 AM

People actually vacum the their sandbeds still? Why would'nt you just get a proper cleanup crew rather than disturb the sandbed?

What do you mean "still"? Clean up crews aren't "new". :lol: I have plenty of critters in my tank that help keep things clean, but they don't make up for the fact that the tank is a tiny closed system, and not a giant open reef. As far as I am concerned the sand is purely aesthetic. Stuffing a few animals in the tank doesn't make up for what I consider to be good maintenance practices.

I used to leave the sandbed alone. I practiced that for years...ok a decade at least. Now I vacuum...

Madreefer

09-03-2011, 05:15 AM

Sorry. I'm so silly. Should have never questioned an expert.

Myka

09-03-2011, 05:23 AM

I'm not an expert. Haven't written a book yet. ;)

Madreefer

09-03-2011, 05:28 AM

Well you just about got one written in your signature.:razz: Good info but some of us lazy reefers do things different. oops I huess were kinda hijackin. Maybe the moderators will clean it up for him.

Myka

09-05-2011, 04:45 PM

Being lazy is exactly why I wrote those! Then us lazy reefers can just provide the link and say "go read this". :lol:

Aquaria

09-21-2011, 04:09 PM

sweet ride

09-26-2011, 04:47 AM

just a couple of random shots....

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-8J5x4lGXvW0/ToAA_MoHMnI/AAAAAAAAAO0/UJqCNH0K__U/s800/IMG_5866%252520%252528Large%252529.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-GV3dDW-bBHU/ToABBLg6ZoI/AAAAAAAAAPE/zGT-8bLNb5o/s800/IMG_5869%252520%252528Large%252529.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-a3fPmf3gXPo/ToAA_1dcamI/AAAAAAAAAO8/KM0qqS80p4o/s800/IMG_5905%252520%252528Large%252529.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-bisy7ul02lA/ToABCAdf8zI/AAAAAAAAAPI/LHnBInkUrwM/s800/IMG_5871%252520%252528Large%252529.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-D2L6xuymzgE/ToABAtWnkII/AAAAAAAAAPA/qX2aN5vy_4Q/s800/IMG_5868%252520%252528Large%252529.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-EQhS3unm65w/ToABC1U439I/AAAAAAAAAPU/zuwDnph2f8g/s800/IMG_5901%252520%252528Large%252529.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8rtWjggqYHQ/ToABCPAiaPI/AAAAAAAAAPM/CXlGyP5fcwU/IMG_5872%252520%252528Large%252529.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-erkvUrZ3F4k/ToABCt5leKI/AAAAAAAAAPQ/kuDv8BqSWb0/IMG_5885%252520%252528Large%252529.jpg

Dez

09-26-2011, 04:47 AM

Awesome.

sweet ride

09-26-2011, 04:55 AM

Idk About that myka your one of about 10 people who's views I regard very highly so in my eyes you are an expert. Now dude wicked tank and photography I barely know how to use my camera let alone take anything of value lol hope to see mOre pics soon. Yours is one of the tanks that is my inspiration for my new peninsula although much smaller thinking 30lx18x18 anyway great job and thx for the ideas

thanks for the kind words! and good luck with your new build!

I do have to agree with you as far as myka is concern she has very good points and could be very well considered as one of the experts in this site.

sweet ride

09-26-2011, 04:58 AM

Awesome.

thanks dez! the tank is coming along! the funny thing is that I still have that itch in my hand to take it down and start over again.....

sweet ride

09-26-2011, 05:08 AM

You can still vacuum sugar sand, but it takes good technique. :) Use a short hose so you can put your thumb over the end, or use soft hose so you can pinch it (you can get different wall thickness, thin is easier to pinch). Buy a vacuum with a small hose, like 1/4" ID so the flow isn't so fast either. Then just shove it into the sand, and as soon as the first bits of sand get a little way up the vacuum pinch it off so the sand settles, you can play around with it like that and get the detritus out without the sand.

I bought a vacuum (I think Hagen..?) that uses a 1" pipe for the vacuum part. I bought a 36" piece of 1" pipe (it's used for undergravel filter uptakes) and cut the pipe to be just a tad shorter than how deep my water is. Looks really well. The extra length helps to get the detritus out while leaving the sand in the tank.

Low pH has many causes. The most common being either high bioload or too much CO2. Do you ever open the windows in your house for fresh air? Check for an oily film on the water surface. Pretty much any skimmer works well for off-gassing CO2, but if the house has concentrations of CO2 then all the off-gassing in the world won't help. Bioload also lowers pH as fish poop is acidic, and there are also acids released when organics are broke down through the nitrogen process. Sometimes if everything is "good" simply dripping kalkwasser at night as part replacement for calcium and alkalinity dosing will keep the pH from falling so much at night which enough to keep the pH higher during the day too.

so base on your recommendation I've gave vacuuming the sanded a second try, this time i used one of the ball valve that came with the TLF reactor, it still pickup a little bit of sand but this time I can live with it!

I do open the window around the tank whenever am around. I've also started using kalk as part of the ATO, the ph have increased a little am around the 7.8 now during the day and 7.6 at night time.

People actually vacum the their sandbeds still? Why would'nt you just get a proper cleanup crew rather than disturb the sandbed? The less your hands are in the tank or anything else disturbing things the better. Your tank looks awesome, i'm no expert but just leave things as is. The ph is'nt that bad. Theres lot of threads on here that discuss that very topic. With most of them ending with "if it aeint broke dont fix it"

Madreefer thanks for the kinds words! I do have cleanup crew a lot of them! I do believe in the saying "if it aeint broke dont fix it" but it this case I do believe that improving my ph will also indirectly impact the system in a good way.

Myka

09-26-2011, 05:33 AM

Idk About that myka your one of about 10 people who's views I regard very highly so in my eyes you are an expert.

I do have to agree with you as far as myka is concern she has very good points and could be very well considered as one of the experts in this site.

Thanks for the kind words guys. :o I am not an expert though, no letters after my name.

so base on your recommendation I've gave vacuuming the sanded a second try, this time i used one of the ball valve that came with the TLF reactor, it still pickup a little bit of sand but this time I can live with it!

I do open the window around the tank whenever am around. I've also started using kalk as part of the ATO, the ph have increased a little am around the 7.8 now during the day and 7.6 at night time.

Ah, very good! I am glad to hear you have seen an improvement, and that you have managed to vacuum the sand. It really does make a huge difference...especially in tanks with high bioloads. It is not common practice though.

I do believe in the saying "if it aeint broke dont fix it" but it this case I do believe that improving my ph will also indirectly impact the system in a good way.

I agree. Small changes can make big differences, but small changes dont usually wreck havoc. I dont usually like to mess with pH, but your pH was really quite low. pH is a result of problems, not so much a cause of problems so it can be a good indicator.

Snaz

09-26-2011, 02:40 PM

sweet ride

09-26-2011, 11:07 PM

The glass is so clean! Razor on stick to keep it that way?

The Hammerhead Float - Magnetic Glass Cleaner and a lot of elbow grease. I use to use razor but because of the fine substrate it cause more harm than good....

sweet ride

09-26-2011, 11:13 PM

Thanks for the kind words guys. :o I am not an expert though, no letters after my name.

Ah, very good! I am glad to hear you have seen an improvement, and that you have managed to vacuum the sand. It really does make a huge difference...especially in tanks with high bioloads. It is not common practice though.

I agree. Small changes can make big differences, but small changes dont usually wreck havoc. I dont usually like to mess with pH, but your pH was really quite low. pH is a result of problems, not so much a cause of problems so it can be a good indicator.

I could tell from the water that I extracted that it helps as the water that was pulled out was fairly murky.

Ya the funny thing is that I also have an OPR monitor and although the reading is not as high as before it is still hovering at around the 400 range. The next one that I will give a try is the BRS CO2 Absorbent hope this one does the trick!

sweet ride

11-22-2011, 05:02 AM

it's been awhile since I've updated this so here is a quick update, it's not exactly SPS, but more of a reefer!!!

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-f4qoTY3h5HA/TsrtNVBaYKI/AAAAAAAAAUg/siN9XyX6QEY/s640/IMG_6733%252520ver%25252002%252520%252528Large%252 529.jpg

Leah

11-22-2011, 05:04 AM

They don't sell those at pet stores out here. :sad:

fishytime

11-22-2011, 05:16 AM

I hate to be the one to tell you this,but.......those arent reef safe:mrgreen:.....congrats just the same:biggrin:

Delphinus

11-22-2011, 05:28 AM

Congrats!

sweet ride

11-22-2011, 02:06 PM

They don't sell those at pet stores out here. :sad:

lol! you got to be in the know to get one of this!!!!!

I hate to be the one to tell you this,but.......those arent reef safe:mrgreen:.....congrats just the same:biggrin:

Thanks fishytime!!!! but i was told he was!!!!!

Congrats!

Thanks Delphinus!!!!!

Leah

11-22-2011, 03:08 PM

Congrats! I think he is one to keep...and not throw back. :biggrin:
Did you get just one or do you have more?

sweet ride

11-22-2011, 05:51 PM

Congrats! I think he is one to keep...and not throw back. :biggrin:
Did you get just one or do you have more?

Thanks Leah!!!

He is the second one, I have a four year old daughter as well!

lastlight

11-22-2011, 05:57 PM

Congrats! You're going to get a lot more sleep if you get'em on the doser :mrgreen:

sweet ride

11-23-2011, 07:44 PM

Congrats! You're going to get a lot more sleep if you get'em on the doser :mrgreen:

Thanks lastlight!!!! that's not a bad idea!!!!

sweet ride

12-24-2011, 08:15 AM

I cant believe that this system will be celebrating it's third Christmas, so I thought I'd see how far the system has gone! just a few side notes, this summer wasn't very friendly with the system as I ended up loosing significant amount of frags and colonies and the remaining corals also lost significant amount of color. It seems like this time last year was still the best the tank have seen.....

Happy Holidays everyone!!!!!

Winter 2011/2012

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ZSFOr-h5fl8/TvWRDCmcexI/AAAAAAAAAcw/gV1Tm839a58/s800/IMG_7228%252520copy%252520ver%25252002%252520%2525 28Large%252529.jpg

Winter 2010/2011

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TUuI74KsP1I/AAAAAAAAAFU/W4GCySuiOwI/s800/December%202010%20%28right%29.jpg

Winter 2009/2010

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TUuIkgTsSrI/AAAAAAAAAFE/UAtjYLXqaW0/s800/February%202010%28right%29.jpg

Winter 2011/2012

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-HLC9OCjxSJE/TvWRCaCS_6I/AAAAAAAAAco/X2icO0S7P2c/s800/IMG_7233%252520copy%252520%252528Large%252529.jpg

Winter 2010/2011

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TUuI7oYcpXI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/salgUXWDMUk/s800/December%202010%20%28left%29.jpg

Winter 2009/2010

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_h7u0sNXy6f8/TUuIkUyrlvI/AAAAAAAAAFA/Sv2Kx0NPZxs/s800/February%202010%28left%29.jpg

Leah

12-24-2011, 11:47 AM

Wow! Tank is Beautiful!!!! :mrgreen:

sweet ride

12-24-2011, 06:19 PM

Wow! Tank is Beautiful!!!! :mrgreen:

Thanks Leah!!!

mseepman

12-25-2011, 04:48 AM

Any chances at a full tank shot including the surround area of the tank? I'm going to be doing a peninsula in my new house we're building right now and every tank I see gives me more ideas.

sweet ride

12-27-2011, 07:14 AM

Any chances at a full tank shot including the surround area of the tank? I'm going to be doing a peninsula in my new house we're building right now and every tank I see gives me more ideas.

as per your request! and good luck with your new build!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-p940843CE9I/TsmhjRUIHkI/AAAAAAAAAT4/w5LSScRYRWo/s800/IMG_6662%252520ver%252002%2520%2528Large%2529.jpg

lastlight

12-27-2011, 07:51 AM

That's a beauty =)

Skimmerking

12-27-2011, 04:02 PM

Wow that looks great man.

mseepman

12-27-2011, 05:52 PM

Wow, thank you so much for getting me that picture!

sweet ride

12-29-2011, 06:29 PM

That's a beauty =)

Wow that looks great man.

Thanks Folks!!!!

Wow, thank you so much for getting me that picture!

your welcome!!!!

sweet ride

07-01-2012, 01:18 AM

here are some Canada Day long weekend update!!!!

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-EfrkB6M2mPQ/T-9gKMb9LvI/AAAAAAAAAfA/WoJU7nKYDqQ/s720/IMG_9309%2520%2528Large%2529.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-49XSzz0e8cU/T-9gPfkVlnI/AAAAAAAAAgU/kdn2N7izyNs/s720/IMG_9344%2520%2528Large%2529.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-lFi-03V79GM/T-9gP7kKHZI/AAAAAAAAAgc/rahHE1MILHQ/s720/IMG_9346%2520%2528Large%2529.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-VBXexcL02_g/T-9gKFNuDMI/AAAAAAAAAe4/_VNLEP9WsRM/s720/IMG_9313%2520%2528Large%2529.jpg

sweet ride

07-01-2012, 01:20 AM

here are a few more.....

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-M1hNs89iHVA/T-9gM05n4AI/AAAAAAAAAfs/8hQIYTebe2Y/s720/IMG_9329%2520%2528Large%2529.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-IUExzISQ84Y/T-9gNsFcXQI/AAAAAAAAAf0/4BO2RPfdR2w/s720/IMG_9330%2520%2528Large%2529.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-e6lSTE1iaiU/T-9gMOrFssI/AAAAAAAAAfc/P-fedqCe-N8/s720/IMG_9323%2520%2528Large%2529.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Oy_TWyLY9nQ/T-9gLeO4ysI/AAAAAAAAAfU/5a13ZphUXE0/s720/IMG_9320%2520%2528Large%2529.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-kntofpsE2Ic/T-9gMd5nqbI/AAAAAAAAAfk/I5zcyYDVPlo/s720/IMG_9327%2520%2528Large%2529.jpg

All photos were taken with actinic lights only.

Aquattro

07-01-2012, 01:22 AM

Beautiful pics and pieces!

Cugio

07-01-2012, 05:51 AM

Beautiful tank as always. Do you feed your corals anything specific? Are you still running a fuge, GAC & GFO?

sweet ride

07-01-2012, 01:32 PM

Beautiful pics and pieces!

Beautiful tank as always. Do you feed your corals anything specific? Are you still running a fuge, GAC & GFO?

Thanks for the kind words peeps!!!!

I feed the system Nutra-Kol Complete Feed twice a week, indirectly this feeds the SPS. The fuge has been converted to an SPS grow out in my sump, and yes am still running GAC & GFO.

Rice Reef

07-01-2012, 04:52 PM

[QUOTE=sweet ride;727824]here are some Canada Day long weekend update!!!!

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-EfrkB6M2mPQ/T-9gKMb9LvI/AAAAAAAAAfA/WoJU7nKYDqQ/s720/IMG_9309%2520%2528Large%2529.jpg

Very nice pics and a gorgeous tank! What kind of sps is this? I really like it!:biggrin:

fishoholic

07-01-2012, 06:00 PM

Beautiful!

sweet ride

07-02-2012, 12:14 AM

Myka

07-26-2012, 02:17 AM

I'm glad to see you're still around and rockin the SPS! Lookin good as usual. :)

Stones

07-26-2012, 11:13 AM

As per usual, looking good man! Thanks for sharing some updated pics.

sweet ride

07-27-2012, 04:52 AM

I'm glad to see you're still around and rockin the SPS! Lookin good as usual. :)

As per usual, looking good man! Thanks for sharing some updated pics.

As always thank you to both of you!!!!!

sweet ride

07-27-2012, 04:53 AM

here are a few random photos!!!!!

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-7S16V-P3HI0/UBIZ0Yk2FkI/AAAAAAAAAik/p-iZbfQxYaw/s720/IMG_9644.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-V2ChIDl2Lfs/UBIZ64u2ivI/AAAAAAAAAjg/9PbkliqktTM/s720/IMG_9670.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-qhkaAV0qpXk/UBIZ0XGugKI/AAAAAAAAAig/rRpJc7VErLE/s720/IMG_9636.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lWBvn0HCJec/UBIZ8Fm8CrI/AAAAAAAAAjo/YnQ2-M_gq58/s720/IMG_9672.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZdZ0Tk680rw/UBIZ3QEbLwI/AAAAAAAAAi0/pO-i5sW5lfk/s720/IMG_9658.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-JcLvuxRq80M/UBIZyaiOeeI/AAAAAAAAAiM/jPxNFyQLXWM/s720/IMG_9621.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-BJsB66mKUYY/UBIZ4a1oU3I/AAAAAAAAAjA/KM4rTBjjjUI/s720/IMG_9653.jpg

sweet ride

07-27-2012, 04:54 AM

...... here are a few more

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_LU8tc3R_-o/UBIZ8sNJa-I/AAAAAAAAAj4/PToURLvmTtY/s720/IMG_9675.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-NdFYNgi8_9Y/UBIZyjXuv4I/AAAAAAAAAiY/af7-Hs4_rRc/s720/IMG_9633.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-MUSvBcNaXKA/UBIZ6Neg4tI/AAAAAAAAAjU/Qlcav9VI9Ag/s720/IMG_9663.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-pNhpNlF4aFA/UBIZ9yxMi0I/AAAAAAAAAkA/Nu_o25c6KoU/s720/IMG_9680.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-rMhdsLu0CuM/UBIZ46jnLmI/AAAAAAAAAjQ/rrmFq3iJl_4/s720/IMG_9661.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-WJNTWlyPUds/UBIZ9DHO5tI/AAAAAAAAAjw/KCP3f4mYGD8/s720/IMG_9679.jpg

gregzz4

07-27-2012, 04:56 AM

Kook pics

What's your camera and lens ?

NightShadeFairy

07-27-2012, 03:16 PM

Stunning photography work.. :)

sweet ride

07-29-2012, 04:42 AM

Kook pics

What's your camera and lens ?

Stunning photography work.. :)

Thanks folks!

All photos were taken with canon 50D + 100mm macro.

reefermadness

07-29-2012, 04:44 AM

very awesome Ian!

Snappy

07-29-2012, 06:05 AM

[quote=Rice Reef;727894]

Thanks for the compliments!!!!

Sorry I am really bad with coral names, am sure someone can ID this!
Looks like Acropora plana to me. Maybe A.desalwii but I am leaning more towards plana.
Sweet looking specimens & nice photography!

Sunee

07-30-2012, 02:03 PM

Abosolutely gorgeous photos!! Really nice corals too.

FishyFishy!

07-30-2012, 04:23 PM

Holy photography! Killer pics and a beautiful setup.

sweet ride

08-05-2012, 03:31 AM

very awesome Ian!

Thanks Darryl! that new coral would be a very nice addition! Thanks!

[quote=sweet ride;727959]
Looks like Acropora plana to me. Maybe A.desalwii but I am leaning more towards plana.
Sweet looking specimens & nice photography!

Thanks Snappy!!! as per the coral am leaning more towards A.desalwii as I've seen a lot of Acropora plana and this one doesn't look like any of the one that i've seen.

Holy photography! Killer pics and a beautiful setup.

Abosolutely gorgeous photos!! Really nice corals too.

Thanks FishyFishy & Sunee!!!!

daplatapus

08-05-2012, 04:52 AM

Sweet photo's sweet ride!

sweet ride

08-07-2012, 08:06 PM

Sweet photo's sweet ride!

thanks daplatapus!!!!

sweet ride

08-07-2012, 08:06 PM

WOW it's been practically 3 years since I've started this tank!

What worked for me - dosing kalk as part of the ATO, feeding the system NutraPlus Complete Feed as well as dosing vodka. At one point in time or another I have stop feeding/dosing and I have seen negative effect in the system, once I restarted with them the system tends to get better.

Things that I've changed - lighting system from 250DE MH to 6 bulb T5 fixture. Even thought I've always thought of changing to T5 before I've always procrastinated, the turning point or what have forced me to move forward was when the UV glass from the MH broke. The other thing that I've change was salt, I moved from IO to Kent, so far i've used close to 400 gallons (2 boxes) of the kent salt. Overall I have to say the system is more stable and am starting to see a lot of growth again as well as the corals are starting to color up again.

looking back here is how the system look in 2009 when I first set it up.....

August 17th, 2009

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-JC1-OekVUao/TUuIj9K-e0I/AAAAAAAAAE4/dpeurmCtK_4/s912/August%25202009.jpg

September 3rd, 2009

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZPC3j2XUypI/TUuIkLl_ANI/AAAAAAAAAE8/jiHsP665gnc/s720/September%25202009.jpg

..... the system in 2010

May 13th, 2010

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-oIcGAxlpPl4/TUuI7SHfdPI/AAAAAAAAAFM/KdZFbHkpnO0/s720/May%25202010.jpg

Dec. 18th, 2010 - from my point of view this is what am still trying to achieve again

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cHpJ-zbnKD0/TUuI74KsP1I/AAAAAAAAAFU/yS-DM2J2aXY/s912/December%25202010%2520%2528right%2529.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-fazfFz6ATiU/TUuI7oYcpXI/AAAAAAAAAFQ/TqSe6PyUOgk/s912/December%25202010%2520%2528left%2529.jpg

..... the system in 2011

January 12th, 2011 - user error dosing pump put around 1/2 to 3/4 gallon of ALK in the system

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-MVyxTuQKZoI/TS565A8BR-I/AAAAAAAAAEA/W2qYTWmyqpQ/s720/IMG_4624.jpg

July 27th, 2011 - the lowest point of the system looking back this is the result of the UV glass breaking as well as a bad batch of salt

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-KnB84Mh7msQ/Ti-G-Wv0aOI/AAAAAAAAAKo/6-RyRHSEedY/s912/IMG_5656%2520copy.jpg

Winter 2011/2012 - the system is starting to recover again

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-HLC9OCjxSJE/TvWRCaCS_6I/AAAAAAAAAco/X2icO0S7P2c/s912/IMG_7233%2520copy%2520%2528Large%2529.jpg

..... the system in 2012

August 6th, 2012 - the system has done a complete 360 compare to last summer from my point of view

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-U2AkqWIgiLc/UCEn9yr0zeI/AAAAAAAAAlI/0J6090xmJAM/s912/IMG_9716.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-UvVtbKyg2t4/UCEn9znwijI/AAAAAAAAAlM/x-5YojmCIe0/s912/IMG_9719.jpg
side note, funny how this two photos was taken with 2 ATI Coral+ bulb only, the color of all the corals with the exception of that pink looking birdsnest is correct.

Next steps - prune some of the larger colony such as that birdsnest to make room for more colourful sticks!!!!

mseepman

08-07-2012, 10:54 PM

Obviously your patience has held things together despite the challenges. It looks really nice right now, love the two islands.

daplatapus

08-08-2012, 01:40 AM

Obviously your patience has held things together despite the challenges. It looks really nice right now, love the two islands.

Agreed, I'd love to re-aquascape mine to look similar. Well done.

sweet ride

08-08-2012, 02:14 AM

Obviously your patience has held things together despite the challenges. It looks really nice right now, love the two islands.

thanks for the kind words mseepman!!!! if there is one thing that this hobby taught me it's to be patient!!! having two island is almost like having two different tanks! the first will never look like the second island!!!!

Agreed, I'd love to re-aquascape mine to look similar. Well done.

thanks daplatapus!!! the idea behind the two island is to provide the fish enough room to swim and still have enough room for corals!

fishytime

08-08-2012, 03:51 AM

I agree....the islands look great :thumb:.....I hope they are secure tho, looks like if you get any more growth, they may get top heavy and topple:mrgreen:

Stones

08-08-2012, 02:44 PM

It's nice to see the progression your tank has gone through. Too bad about the pseudo-crash but it seems the longer a person keeps a reef tank, the more inevitable a tank crash becomes.

Are you running all of your top off water through a kalk reactor or do you run a pH regulated system via a controller whereby the system only gets topped off with kalk when the pH is low? I've been contemplating doing this for some time now as the pH in my tank is usually <8 even during daylight hours.

sweet ride

08-09-2012, 01:34 AM

I agree....the islands look great :thumb:.....I hope they are secure tho, looks like if you get any more growth, they may get top heavy and topple:mrgreen:

Thanks fishytime!!! as far as am concern they are secure enough!!!! knock on wood!!!! When I get more growth I will just have to keep pruning!!!! frags anyone!!!!

It's nice to see the progression your tank has gone through. Too bad about the pseudo-crash but it seems the longer a person keeps a reef tank, the more inevitable a tank crash becomes.

Are you running all of your top off water through a kalk reactor or do you run a pH regulated system via a controller whereby the system only gets topped off with kalk when the pH is low? I've been contemplating doing this for some time now as the pH in my tank is usually <8 even during daylight hours.

I have to agree with you a system crash major or minor is inevitable. It could be a simple as a bad batch or salt, accident or even user error! funny looking back they always said it comes it threes, himmmm guess those were my three from last year!!!

Currently am not using any reactor/stirrer but one has been ordered!!! I just mix them in a one gallon container and the ATO feed directly from it. I've always been changed as far as PH is concern, I could never get them over 8 day or night so a ph regulator is never needed how ever I do have a PH monitor attached to my RKL.

sweet ride

10-22-2012, 07:09 AM

I was playing around with the camera and I thought I share a few photos! All photos were taken under 2 ATI coral + only.

still working on taken photos under LED, any advice is greatly appreciated!!!!

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1GFrGt-XA04/UITqnZwTq6I/AAAAAAAAAog/3FM1Y0iYxK4/s720/IMG_9904%2520%2528Custom%2529.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r42YxiMQX-U/UITqyuJkz2I/AAAAAAAAApM/qtPXcuzt_zw/s720/IMG_9941%2520%2528Custom%2529.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-zLmVkJKkUuI/UITqs1kxQlI/AAAAAAAAApA/h149C3n-1lg/s720/IMG_9907%2520%2528Custom%2529.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/--qF0wP4J08E/UITqn77FE1I/AAAAAAAAAoo/FyFqG4wZmmc/s720/IMG_9894%2520%2528Custom%2529.jpg

sweet ride

10-22-2012, 07:10 AM

...... and a few new addition that one day am hoping to replace some of the current corals in the system.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-JZJw94mV9fc/UITqnSfnZKI/AAAAAAAAAoc/6RziQt-NwXU/s720/IMG_9881%2520%2528Custom%2529.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-BFcJjvz2BLM/UITqsgtFt8I/AAAAAAAAAo8/oVf295KhHRA/s720/IMG_9916%2520%2528Custom%2529.jpg

...... not the color that I was hoping to get but am liking the current color morphs!!!
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-9uqVI_KKTlU/UITqsYDjhUI/AAAAAAAAAo0/XvAPepT4rJo/s720/IMG_9913%2520%2528Custom%2529.jpg

...... and a group shot
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-UFM5Nxm2nQc/UITqzJZcxoI/AAAAAAAAApQ/SeHU9G7vpNc/s720/IMG_9946%2520%2528Custom%2529.jpg

Stones

10-22-2012, 09:02 AM

Great photos and amazing looking corals as per usual.

So did you upgrade your lighting to a mix of LED and T5's as I noticed you were asking for tips for taking photos under LEDs?

kien

10-22-2012, 01:10 PM

Looking real good man! I have major tank envy right now!

______
Sent from the future on my iPhone 10 using Tapatalk

ashr

10-24-2012, 05:10 AM

Your tank is amazing, something that I would like to have one day... Love the rock scape and all your corals/fish. Once I am in my own house this is the size and idea I would like to go.

So I found some info on dosing Vodka. Now I have my tank around 0.00 for NO3 and PO4 and I also use a reactor for my phosphates but I dont think its doing to much of anything right now. Would it be worth it to start looking at dosing vodka?

sweet ride

10-26-2012, 03:19 AM

Great photos and amazing looking corals as per usual.

So did you upgrade your lighting to a mix of LED and T5's as I noticed you were asking for tips for taking photos under LEDs?

Thanks Stones!

I added 2 RB all blue one on each side of my ATI fixture for viewing purposes I like the color that the two RB gives with 2 ATI Coral + to me this is the most natural look as far as my system is concern. Unfortunately when I do take photos of the tank it they come out two blue even when I use a gray card.

Looking real good man! I have major tank envy right now!

______
Sent from the future on my iPhone 10 using Tapatalk

Thanks Kien your too kind!

Your tank is amazing, something that I would like to have one day... Love the rock scape and all your corals/fish. Once I am in my own house this is the size and idea I would like to go.

So I found some info on dosing Vodka. Now I have my tank around 0.00 for NO3 and PO4 and I also use a reactor for my phosphates but I dont think its doing to much of anything right now. Would it be worth it to start looking at dosing vodka?

Thanks ashr!

Those two parameter that you mention looks good, how is the rest of your system why would you want to make a change in your current system?

sweet ride

11-25-2012, 03:08 AM

Here is a quick FTS update! For the most part the system is doing okay I would have to say that the growth rate of the corals are just fine! the front island corals are now officially touching the back island corals! As per color I lost a little bit of color here and there and the most noticeable are deep green on some of the acros, and the purple seems to be on the lighter side. As per the rest of the color dark and light blue, yellow, light green they all seem to be fine. Any suggestion and or recommendation regarding how to tweak the colors of the corals is greatly appreciated!

November 24th, 2012 - Fall 2012 Update

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8arGY5HTkaw/ULGPjPYFEEI/AAAAAAAAAp4/ZCtsisHRrc4/s912/IMG_1543%2520%2528Custom%2529.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-ywL_fTdILcw/ULGO3Bh8l7I/AAAAAAAAApw/n1ipu8HcUdw/s912/IMG_1541%2520%2528Custom%2529.jpg

Photos was taken under two ATI Coral+ and two Reef Brite one XHO and one normal output both are all blue. I would have to say that for viewing purposes this is the one that I like the best.

kien

11-25-2012, 04:50 AM

Awesome! But how the heck do you grow SPS in the shadows?!?! What sorcery is this?!

Sunee

11-26-2012, 02:32 PM

Gorgeous!! How I wish my little frags and colonies would grow like that. A beautiful tank!

sweet ride

12-08-2012, 05:40 PM

Awesome! But how the heck do you grow SPS in the shadows?!?! What sorcery is this?!

As always thanks Kien!!!! it's the Kein type of sorcery!!!!

Gorgeous!! How I wish my little frags and colonies would grow like that. A beautiful tank!

Thanks Sunsee!!!! don't sweat it, those frags that you have will be colonies in no time! and those colonies that you have will be growing like weeds!!!!

riceboy

12-08-2012, 06:04 PM

I vote this tank as the next tank of the month or season lol. It's crazy how your sps are growing. What's your maintenance schedule like and dosing?

sweet ride

12-09-2012, 01:46 AM

I vote this tank as the next tank of the month or season lol. It's crazy how your sps are growing. What's your maintenance schedule like and dosing?

riceboy your too kind! thank you!!!!

the system maintenance is as follow, 10 gallon water change weekly the skimmer and glass is also cleaned at the same time, carbon and GFO change monthly. I dose CAL & ALK around 50ml of each 4 times a day I also dose 5ml of vodka and 4 ml of coral snow daily.

kien

12-09-2012, 04:17 AM

riceboy your too kind! thank you!!!!

the system maintenance is as follow, 10 gallon water change weekly the skimmer and glass is also cleaned at the same time, carbon and GFO change monthly. I dose CAL & ALK around 50ml of each 4 times a day I also dose 5ml of vodka and 4 ml of coral snow daily.

Is coral snow food for the corals?

lastlight

12-09-2012, 06:38 AM

Gorgeous scape and coral wow! I'm guessing you strap t5s to the sides of the tank for a few hours during the day to keep those shaded ones purdy =)

sweet ride

12-09-2012, 03:07 PM

Is coral snow food for the corals?

I wouldn't say coral snow is a food but more of another filtration devise per say! I use this along side the vodka, as most people are aware sometimes the use of carbon such as vodka could kick start red slime this coral snow keeps the red slime in check.

on a side note here is what they say about this product "Coral Snow neutralizes undesirable acids and is a solution against slime algae and cyano bacteria."

Gorgeous scape and coral wow! I'm guessing you strap t5s to the sides of the tank for a few hours during the day to keep those shaded ones purdy =)

thanks lastlight!!!! strapping T5's on the side of the tank now there is a new enovation!!!!

sphelps

12-09-2012, 03:19 PM

Your tank looks fantastic and I love the contrast in your pictures. Truly amazing work all around.

sweet ride

12-11-2012, 02:57 AM

Your tank looks fantastic and I love the contrast in your pictures. Truly amazing work all around.

Thanks for the kin words sphelps!!!

sweet ride

03-11-2013, 05:08 PM

Here are a few update photos..... all taken under two ATI Coral+ and two Reef Brite one XHO and one normal output both are all blue.

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-7XzXixFqerI/UT4AyEBCouI/AAAAAAAAAsA/w-lX5bGg2p4/s720/IMG_0004%2520%2528small%2529.jpg
this one was given to me as RR Avengers, as you can see it's completely different to what you would typically see when you google RR avengers - will ask Jay again to verify........

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-tafRdrWC2KE/UT4H0Daas7I/AAAAAAAAAsg/odxGJTx4B_M/s720/IMG_0006%2520%2528small%2529.jpg
this one is suppose to be RR Red Dragon.....

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-1IXn606HaCE/UT4Hz4sX3EI/AAAAAAAAAsU/qDFeMM0XOfM/s720/IMG_0005%2520%2528small%2529.jpg
this is what I was able to save about a year ago from my old blue tort. If I didn't know any better I would say this is not the same coral....

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-lFJqdzDsjiE/UT4H0OQigZI/AAAAAAAAAsk/O0C4AU2OOgs/s720/IMG_0012%2520%2528small%2529.jpg
and this one is the RR Purple Dragon not purple at all.... this is more of my system than anything else as it was purple when I first got it..... hopefully it will bounce back.....

kien

03-11-2013, 05:12 PM

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-7XzXixFqerI/UT4AyEBCouI/AAAAAAAAAsA/w-lX5bGg2p4/s720/IMG_0004%2520%2528small%2529.jpg
this one was given to me as RR Avengers, as you can see it's completely different to what you would typically see when you google RR avengers - will ask Jay again to verify........

Wow, those look great! ya, this one looks like a Fire & Ice enchinata to me. And your "red dragon" looks like my blue dragon.

lastlight

03-11-2013, 05:41 PM

wow that first pic is just stunning! the details and colours are incredible thanks for sharing.

Jaws

03-11-2013, 07:33 PM

Beautiful Tank. Hopefully you haven't already answered this question in this thread but I'm just curious how you attached your live rock to each or are they just placed very strategically?

sweet ride

05-17-2013, 04:15 PM

Wow, those look great! ya, this one looks like a Fire & Ice enchinata to me. And your "red dragon" looks like my blue dragon.

thanks kien! ya, that one does look like fire and ice enchinata, as I have one of those also just need to get a good photo of it! I didn't even know there was a blue dragon!

wow that first pic is just stunning! the details and colours are incredible thanks for sharing.

thanks for the kind words lastlight!!!

Beautiful Tank. Hopefully you haven't already answered this question in this thread but I'm just curious how you attached your live rock to each or are they just placed very strategically?

Thanks Jaws! the rock work are pegged together using a 1/4" or 1/2" acrylic rods. I was originally going to use epoxy but after I pegged them I didn't see the need for it anymore, since then sponges and encrusting corals made the structure even more attached to each other.

sweet ride

05-19-2013, 06:18 PM

Here are a few update photos..... all taken under two ATI Coral+ and two Reef Brite one XHO and one normal output both are all blue.

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-NldQwbDTXFk/UZhiVR9Ix0I/AAAAAAAAAxM/z1ku4tAbKZ8/s720/IMG_2146%2528small%2529.jpg
grown from a frag, this is probably one of my bluest coral unfortunately it doesn't completely show in the photo.

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-LVOiXDkp1JU/UZhiT6J4YOI/AAAAAAAAAw8/-7_H9tLp5aQ/s720/IMG_2151%2528small%2529.jpg
this one was id'ed as exquisita acropora from a reliable source

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-UFM5Nxm2nQc/UITqzJZcxoI/AAAAAAAAApQ/SeHU9G7vpNc/s720/IMG_9946%2520%2528Custom%2529.jpg
here is the same coral last year as you can see the tips are stating to turn yellow/green. it's just not a pretty blue coral!

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-jMDSupSZnLU/UZhiUgha0yI/AAAAAAAAAxA/xypGddGkHkA/s720/IMG_2157%2528small%2529.jpg
here is my icefire echinata with full polyp extention

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2zJUiMQYA2U/UZhiUzIrBpI/AAAAAAAAAxI/lxlXugdVKRs/s720/IMG_2172%2528small%2529.jpg
here is the same icefire echinata without polyps

noy

05-20-2013, 01:01 AM

amazing corals and photos!

sweet ride

05-22-2013, 01:15 AM

amazing corals and photos!

thanks noy!!!!

ScubaSteve

05-22-2013, 01:40 AM

How have I missed this thread? This tank is awesome!

sweet ride

05-31-2013, 04:08 AM

How have I missed this thread? This tank is awesome!

thanks for the kind words ScubaSteve!!!!!

sweet ride

05-31-2013, 04:09 AM

As much as I like to view the system up close ie. my head right in to the glass!!!!! I also enjoy looking at the system a little further back, so I thought why not share it with you guys and see what you guys thing....

Here is my view from the left side. The TV in on this side of the room, and when ever the baseball game gets out of hand I find my watching the system more the game.
https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-nS1rNKMyTvE/Uagd9ocZOrI/AAAAAAAAAxs/ZJFKsphilOw/s720/IMG_2192%2520%2528small%2529.jpg

Here is the view from the right side. This is what everyone see when they first walk in to the room.
https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-8BHxLA4UcSk/Uagd9vfjRGI/AAAAAAAAAx0/dHZ8uipFnL4/s720/IMG_2187%2520%2528small%2529.jpg

ensquire

05-31-2013, 06:21 AM

Wow, That's a gorgeous tank

Simons

05-31-2013, 02:23 PM

very nice tank, one of the nicest I have seen. Well done.

kien

05-31-2013, 02:46 PM

as always (except for that one time when it didn't) tank is looking slick man!! Really love that GSP wall. I keep thinking about doing that to my overflow wall but I'm terrified to try LOL.

sweet ride

06-01-2013, 02:36 AM

Wow, That's a gorgeous tank

very nice tank, one of the nicest I have seen. Well done.

thanks for the kind words ensquire & Simons !!!

as always (except for that one time when it didn't) tank is looking slick man!! Really love that GSP wall. I keep thinking about doing that to my overflow wall but I'm terrified to try LOL.

thanks Kien!!!! I can't believe it's been almost two years since incident. there are still a few corals that am still trying to find again..... maybe you have a few of them that you can send my way!!!!!!! as per the GSP overflow so far so good! so long as you dont have any rockwork near the wall it's all good!

on a side note you got to teach me how to get those very clean photos!!!!!! if my photos are good! yours are amazing!!!!!

Myka

06-01-2013, 03:14 PM

sweet ride

06-03-2013, 03:10 AM

Your tank looks great as usual! I have a very similar A exquisita that has also been ID'ed as such. Does yours get neon green highlights on the tips of the corallites? It took almost a year to acclimate to my tank, and frags that I've given away have been terrible to acclimate too.

as always thanks for the kind words Myka!!!! Yes the exquisita does have neon green highlights on the tips of the corallites. This is one of my original frag in the system and I've seen a little bit of the neon green highlights before but not as promenant as now.

Gone Snorkelin'

06-03-2013, 04:04 AM

WOW!

Thanks for sharing.

sweet ride

06-04-2013, 03:45 AM

WOW!

Thanks for sharing.

wow indeed!!!! thanks Gone Snorkelin!!!!

neoh

06-04-2013, 04:08 AM

:laluot_23:

It's alright I guess.

neoh

06-04-2013, 04:08 AM

nah, it's pretty inspiring. Thanks for sharing.

Myka

06-04-2013, 04:39 AM

as always thanks for the kind words Myka!!!! Yes the exquisita does have neon green highlights on the tips of the corallites. This is one of my original frag in the system and I've seen a little bit of the neon green highlights before but not as promenant as now.

It's a fussy piece, eh? Very changeable. Mine was doing real good until I cleaned my return pump near Christmas and didn't realize the darn stag was sticking out of the water by 3". :o

sweet ride

06-05-2013, 12:39 AM

:laluot_23:

It's alright I guess.

I know what you mean, there is still a lot more room to improve specially with the color.

nah, it's pretty inspiring. Thanks for sharing.

thank you for the kind words neoh!!!!!

It's a fussy piece, eh? Very changeable. Mine was doing real good until I cleaned my return pump near Christmas and didn't realize the darn stag was sticking out of the water by 3". :o

hopefully you didn't have your lights on...... the yellow/green acro behind it fades every time i do a water change coz just like you about 3" of is exposed to the air and my lights are on, so since then I've cut my water change from 20 gallon to 15 gallon just to ensure that this coral stays in the water.....