thanks daplatapus!!!!

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/-J...t%25202009.jpg

September 3rd, 2009

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Z...r%25202009.jpg

..... the system in 2010

May 13th, 2010

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-o...y%25202010.jpg

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

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-c...right%2529.jpg

https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-f...8left%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/-M...0/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/-K...6%2520copy.jpg

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

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-H...Large%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/-U...2/IMG_9716.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-U...2/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!!!!

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.

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!!!!

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

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:

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.

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!!!!

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.

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/-1...ustom%2529.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-r...ustom%2529.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-z...ustom%2529.jpg

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/--...ustom%2529.jpg

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

https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-J...ustom%2529.jpg

https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-B...ustom%2529.jpg

...... not the color that I was hoping to get but am liking the current color morphs!!!
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-9...ustom%2529.jpg

...... and a group shot
https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-U...ustom%2529.jpg