chrishayes Posted January 23, 2011 Share Posted January 23, 2011 dont think im sayin your doing anything wrong, just trying to pinpoint what it is that they are missin. sounds like params are in order, light is strong enough however with my 28 and a 150w phoenix FOr my acros and millis they HAVE to be in the very upper 1/5 of the tank in order for color and growth to maintain acceptably. I know this cause I move cuttings around the tank and alow them to encrust to see where they prefer I just think it isnt giving them long enough if you just place a frag plug somewhere looking for it to be "happy" then mounting it. Im talking about looking for its sweet spot! Its just easier to do with small cuttings. I mean if they dont look good after you feel its been long enough, well, that spot isnt right. All my rambling is just meant to ask you to try a frag up higher as with the height of your tank, i dont think you have enough par hitting them. This would answer it. What was it in your old tank that was different that allowed you to keep BN and caps looking good? Just tryin to help the reason I say all this is that if I hade a soft leather coral near my acros I garauntee it would melt Link to comment
Chyendra Posted January 23, 2011 Author Share Posted January 23, 2011 I've made a lot of changes lately (lighting, flow, dosing) , and I think everything just needs sometime to adjust. So far, everything is going smoothly, and my frags are responding really well. I agree with you that every coral has it's own sweet spot that it likes, and thrives best in. I think my frags need some more time to adjust in the positions that I've put them so that I can decide IF they need to be moved. I have to glue everything down as soon as it's in my tank, otherwise I risk my urchins picking up my frags and carrying them away (only to drop them into my anemone... ) I keep new frags in the sand bed initially and try to slowly adjust them to my lighthing, but everyday they sit there is a risk they will get abducted by an urchin. It's not too hard to remove frags glue down with superglue. i use superglue/expoxy combo when I really want to cement them in place. My monticap has always thrived, in this tank and the last. They are definetly the easiest SPS to care for. I'm not sure why my pink birdsnest did so well in my pico... I'm still trying to figure that out... probably having a 70w MH over a 5 gallon tank had something to do with it Link to comment
chrishayes Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 This guy is the highest in my tank at about 2" under surface! when I had it lower it would totally brown out. It of course doesnt show on camera but it is a light lavender with lavender tips. This is from the same mother colony. 5" below surface on the sand bed im currently looking for the optimum spot for this one, it is doing much better about 4" under surface here And in this photo you can see how different a few inches away from optimum can be. The branching frag is about 4" lower than the browned out frag above it but the browned out guy is outside the main throw of the halide Just tryin to show how just a few inches closer or further away can make a HUGE difference. Link to comment
chrishayes Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 I've made a lot of changes lately (lighting, flow, dosing) , and I think everything just needs sometime to adjust. So far, everything is going smoothly, and my frags are responding really well. I agree with you that every coral has it's own sweet spot that it likes, and thrives best in. I think my frags need some more time to adjust in the positions that I've put them so that I can decide IF they need to be moved. I have to glue everything down as soon as it's in my tank, otherwise I risk my urchins picking up my frags and carrying them away (only to drop them into my anemone... UHHHH man Ive nver understood how folks could have an urchin...and you got 2! I keep new frags in the sand bed initially and try to slowly adjust them to my lighthing, but everyday they sit there is a risk they will get abducted by an urchin. It's not too hard to remove frags glue down with superglue. i use superglue/expoxy combo when I really want to cement them in place. Nah, im talkin bout just cuttin a tip off a branch of each and gluin that to a piece of rubble. (I HATE frag discs, I have an acro on one right now and it is KILLIN me) THen put them up higher in a rack. My monticap has always thrived, in this tank and the last. They are definetly the easiest SPS to care for. I'm not sure why my pink birdsnest did so well in my pico... I'm still trying to figure that out... probably having a 70w MH over a 5 gallon tank had something to do with it The fact your cap is thrivin in your new tank makes me think you have your coral too low for sure. Mt caps are about 6" below surface and really the red cap is always slightly bleached lookin with the exceptions of the places where it is shaded. That tells me that its getting too much light. I struggle with wanting to move it daily, but it was one of the first corals in my tank and has laid down SO much calcium skeleton that it would probably be impossible to remove at this point. So my point is that if a red cap looks good under the same conditions your acros are under then it is VERY likely that they arent getting enough light. Link to comment
Twinn Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 pic's of the Midas Blenny look awesome. Link to comment
Chyendra Posted January 24, 2011 Author Share Posted January 24, 2011 Thanks Twinn, I've been trying to get some better ones but he's so fast and always moving. I might have to use flash to get a clear picture. Just recently I noticed that his dorsal fin is getting a strip of blue along the top edge, so cool Link to comment
Chyendra Posted January 25, 2011 Author Share Posted January 25, 2011 !!! My clownfish picked up my porcelain crab and tossed him out of the RBTA!! Happily he landed in my plate coral and has been chilling there since. Midas Blenny (he always looks that ticked off) Link to comment
gutterguy Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Future TOTM!!!! The midas blenny is awsome, I may have to research them more to be an addition to my 40 Cool story about the clown and the crab. Keep up the good work!! Link to comment
chrishayes Posted January 26, 2011 Share Posted January 26, 2011 Man that midas is sick! Link to comment
Chyendra Posted January 26, 2011 Author Share Posted January 26, 2011 Future TOTM!!!! Thanks... I think it has a long way to go though. Maybe once I have some nice SPS colonies growing. The Midas blenny changes colors too. When he's sleeping, or stressed out, the front half of his body turns dark brown instead of pink/yellow. It's pretty cool. Link to comment
redkneecoral Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 Future TOTM!!!! I agree, i love it Link to comment
Chyendra Posted February 1, 2011 Author Share Posted February 1, 2011 Local frag swap this weekend was awesome!! some many amazing frags, I had to becareful not to bring home too many Here's a few I did pick up Blue cloves polpys! Steve Elias Blue Staghorn Blue Acropora Tenuis Blue tip Green Slimer Green Milli Pink Table Milli I know the SPS frags aren't much to look at now, but they have loads of potential I also picked up a serpent star, since I've been reading that they are the only starfish that would do well in a nano tank. He comes out during feeding time but I haven't gotten a good picture of him yet. Link to comment
ngoodermuth Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Nice new frags! I did okay at our local swap too, and didn't end up blowing my budget I really like your blue stag horn- I thought about grabbing one myself but opted for tri-color acro instead. Link to comment
timdanger Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 (I wish I had a hanna meter) i never was able to get phosphates (or nitrates) to show up on a typical titration test kit, so i got one of the handheld hanna colorimeters for christmas, thinking that there was no way my phosphates were really ZERO... tested 4 times so far -- 0.00 on every test. several different possible conclusions to draw from that, but it's just something to think about before spending $50 on that instead of putting it toward, e.g., an mp10. Link to comment
Chyendra Posted February 2, 2011 Author Share Posted February 2, 2011 I really like your blue stag horn- I thought about grabbing one myself but opted for tri-color acro instead. Thanks! I love it too! so far it's keeping it's color pretty well. I got a tri color acro too, but it's totally brown and boring right now, I'm waiting for it to color up a bit before taking pics. i never was able to get phosphates (or nitrates) to show up on a typical titration test kit, so i got one of the handheld hanna colorimeters for christmas, thinking that there was no way my phosphates were really ZERO... tested 4 times so far -- 0.00 on every test That's too bad Tim, however, I hope that's my situation! I guess I'll just keep up with my GFO changes and hope for the best. A hanna meter is probably 3rd on my priority list right now, I want to get a controller next time I have some extra cash so that I can keep my temp more stable, add an auto-top off, and monitor my pH swings. After that I'll think about a vortech or a Hanna phosphate meter. I'm running out of room for frags so that gives me a little incentive to save my money for better equipment Link to comment
timdanger Posted February 2, 2011 Share Posted February 2, 2011 A hanna meter is probably 3rd on my priority list right now, I want to get a controller next time I have some extra cash so that I can keep my temp more stable, add an auto-top off, and monitor my pH swings. After that I'll think about a vortech or a Hanna phosphate meter.I'm running out of room for frags so that gives me a little incentive to save my money for better equipment i bought an apex lite from tbaquatics a few months back -- LOVE it. it is just such a great thing to have. you can't beat being able to log in to your reef while you're away on vacation just to make sure things have been going alright. Link to comment
Chyendra Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 Pics of the whole set-up with my new canopy. I'm so proud of my staining skills Link to comment
uwwmatt Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Nice frags. I really wish I had room in my tank to get a bunch of stuff at the swap like you. I only ended up nabbing two. Link to comment
Chyendra Posted February 4, 2011 Author Share Posted February 4, 2011 I'm pretty much maxed out of space at this point... if I want to give things room to grow There were SO many nice frags at the swap, I'm glad I only brought a small amount of cash (and stayed away from the vendors accepting credit cards!) I'm happy with what I picked out, my tank needed more blue Link to comment
mygolfisslow Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 looks good fellow 45cube reefer. your cardinals are so tiny and cute. and i love midas blennys, my buddy had one and he was super cool untill he spent the night on the floor midas+open top= keep up the good work Link to comment
Needreefunds Posted February 6, 2011 Share Posted February 6, 2011 Sweet new additions! Canopy came out awesome! Great work! Link to comment
reef-luva Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 ...love the new frags...but the RBTA is my favorite....so sweet!! Link to comment
tyty22 Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Awesome tank. i really like the stand and canopy, did you build them? I thought i read you modified,"tweaked" the overflow. What did you to it?? Link to comment
d9hp Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 Damn that canopy looks amazing! Great looking SPS frags too. Link to comment
Chyendra Posted February 11, 2011 Author Share Posted February 11, 2011 Thanks for all the encouraging comments! A guy in my local reef club built the stand and canopy for me from beautiful mahogany wood. He left it unfinished, and I did the staining and finishing. It is definitely the nicest piece of furniture in my house. I love the stand design, because it's just a very basic wood skeleton that the tank sits on, and it's covered with a decorative shell. So I can slide the cover forward to access my sump from the sides if I need to. I can't say that I have the best overflow plumbing design. This is my first tank with an over flow, and my first time plumbing and it's been a little rocky. I will try to take some pictures of the plumbing because explaining it w/o pics would be hard. Link to comment
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