NewZealandReefie Posted October 3, 2011 Author Share Posted October 3, 2011 Why thank you We had to pick up some phosphate absorbing media last night as the phosphates are detectable at the moment and our SPS have paled out quite dramatically. It's the only thing we can think of that could be causing it, well, that or our lights have shifted spectrum. We'll look in to getting new bulbs if getting rid of the phosphates doesn't work. Link to comment
NewZealandReefie Posted October 6, 2011 Author Share Posted October 6, 2011 New FTS taken tonight. Some beer and boredom = new scape. It's made a bit more room for some new corals we're expecting (with grow out space). At some point we may decide to add a bit more height, but that said as the SPS grow they'll give it the look of more height anyway. Link to comment
halfpint Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 I like it. Looks more "open." What bulbs do you have right now? What temp? Are the colors in the photos very close to what you see IRL? I personally think it would look good to add either a large colony of LPS or another moderately-sized rock on the left side, building it up a wee bit higher. The uniform height still looks good though. . Link to comment
NewZealandReefie Posted October 7, 2011 Author Share Posted October 7, 2011 Thanks HP. We have 2x 250w 14k Aqua One bulbs, they came with the fixture. They're quite blue/purple, we like the colour they give the tank. Yes, the colours in the photos we've been taking since we bought our new camera a few months ago are very true to life. A lot of what the tank needs now is time to grow out. I must resist the urge to buy pretty things and spend my money elsewhere, I do need a new toaster, so there's that lol... We would like a bit more height all in all, as you suggest only on the one island. I'm not a fan of symmetry. To do this and have coral on that rock that won't get bleached by the lights, we'll probably have to raise the lights up a bit, they're not far above the tank. We've played around with the height of the lights a bit recently and we're not too keen on the shimmery effect and the shadows we get in the corners of the tank by having them up higher. Link to comment
halfpint Posted October 7, 2011 Share Posted October 7, 2011 That is quite the dilemma you are in. I do like the color (not colour ) your lamps produce. Very deep blue/purple. Link to comment
NewZealandReefie Posted October 7, 2011 Author Share Posted October 7, 2011 Oh piffle, yes we spell things differently as a kid I used to spell it color but since that's 'wrong' here I had it trained out of me lol. Same with commonly using Z's. Realize/realise etc. Yeah, I was really happy with the bulbs when I first got them home and on, I had been expecting them to be a lot less blue and more white so the reality was a pleasant surprise. Especially as the fixture only has two 8w blue led's to supplement the colour so if it hadn't been the colour I wanted it would have meant buying another fixture. Link to comment
NewZealandReefie Posted October 16, 2011 Author Share Posted October 16, 2011 Ciedre has been working on silencing the tank over the last couple of weeks, gotta say he's done very well. We paid a visit to Mico plumbing last weekend and picked up a 25mm to 32mm adapter to connect to our overflow so it was drawing in enough water to fill the overflow pipe down to the sump as this was a BIG issue we had. Sounded like a waterfall in the corner of the lounge and was starting to drive us a bit insane. All fixed now, silent as silent can be. Skimmer has been properly silenced as it was making quite a racket. Ciedre scrubbed out the eheim return pump as well, now we just need a new filter sponge for it, the current one has the remains of a few bristle worms lodged in it. Next up is a cover for the back of the stand. Ciedre bought a piece of scrap corflute home from work last week so now we just have to get round to cutting it to size, notching for cables and nailing to the back of the cabinet. Once that's in place I'll be able to remove the cover over the fireplace (which ummm... is kinda behind the tank heh). It is now bearable to be in our lounge again lol Link to comment
saltwatercoral Posted October 16, 2011 Share Posted October 16, 2011 Man just finished going through it all and you have a amazing tank! I'm getting my 120 up and running as well. I have a good part of what I need, but a few more things are needed. Do you have any pointers for a new reefer! I see u use the red sea coral pro salt. That was what I was going to use. Do u like it or would u recommend something else? How do u keep your tank so clear! I have seen some other tanks but yours very clear! Check out my equipment and tell me what ya think please, or if I messed up on some of it. Thanks! Link to comment
NewZealandReefie Posted October 17, 2011 Author Share Posted October 17, 2011 Thanks for the compliments SWC. I'm at work at the moment (tisk tisk, naughty me) but when I get home tonight I'll take a look over your equipment and let you know my personal opinion. To be honest, Red Sea salt is the only salt that I can buy direct from any of my LFS. If I wanted to use something else I'd have to order it from Auckland and pay for shipping and I really CBF with the hassle. Having said that, I am happy with the results I've had from using it. Back when I was running my RSM130 I didn't dose anything over and above weekly water changes, now with the 120 I only dose cal and mag. I don't really have any special measures as such to keep the tank clean, just regular water changes and a magfloat for the glass. In terms of algae on the sand and rocks my fish, an urchin, 2 hermit crabs, snails etc keep that under control for me. BTW, I love my vortech Link to comment
NewZealandReefie Posted October 17, 2011 Author Share Posted October 17, 2011 You too Link to comment
Deleted User 6 Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 one side of the tank should be twice as tall as the other. something like this: minus the hair algae. #### i wish i still had that 40b. sigh. Link to comment
NewZealandReefie Posted October 17, 2011 Author Share Posted October 17, 2011 I know, I'm doin' it wrong. We've got plans to get some more rock at some point, right now though there are other expenses taking priority. You'll just have to get a new 40B then won't you Link to comment
Deleted User 6 Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 You'll just have to get a new 40B then won't you right now though there are other expenses taking priority. Link to comment
NewZealandReefie Posted October 17, 2011 Author Share Posted October 17, 2011 Lol, yeah kid and all that. One day though! Link to comment
saltwatercoral Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 Thanks for the compliments SWC. I'm at work at the moment (tisk tisk, naughty me) but when I get home tonight I'll take a look over your equipment and let you know my personal opinion. To be honest, Red Sea salt is the only salt that I can buy direct from any of my LFS. If I wanted to use something else I'd have to order it from Auckland and pay for shipping and I really CBF with the hassle. Having said that, I am happy with the results I've had from using it. Back when I was running my RSM130 I didn't dose anything over and above weekly water changes, now with the 120 I only dose cal and mag. I don't really have any special measures as such to keep the tank clean, just regular water changes and a magfloat for the glass. In terms of algae on the sand and rocks my fish, an urchin, 2 hermit crabs, snails etc keep that under control for me. BTW, I love my vortech Thanks for the help! I want to get 2 mp40's but... In time. Link to comment
NewZealandReefie Posted October 17, 2011 Author Share Posted October 17, 2011 I want a second one but yeah... they cost a lot lol. From experience, 2 on opposite ends of the tank would be fantastic. You could have them running at half power which means they'd be nigh on silent and you'd be able to make the most of the wave functions. That's the only thing to be said for vortechs, they do make little (I stress only little) bit of noise, keeping them clean minimises this but you'll never make them 100% silent since the motor is on the outside of the tank. Some people replace the bearings in them themselves, which I'm going to look at doing once the warranty has expired, before then I ain't messin' with it! Link to comment
saltwatercoral Posted October 17, 2011 Share Posted October 17, 2011 I want a second one but yeah... they cost a lot lol. From experience, 2 on opposite ends of the tank would be fantastic. You could have them running at half power which means they'd be nigh on silent and you'd be able to make the most of the wave functions. That's the only thing to be said for vortechs, they do make little (I stress only little) bit of noise, keeping them clean minimises this but you'll never make them 100% silent since the motor is on the outside of the tank. Some people replace the bearings in them themselves, which I'm going to look at doing once the warranty has expired, before then I ain't messin' with it! No doubt! I would be afraid to mess with it at all, even after the warranty expires. O, and r u talking about 2 on both sides of the tank... 4 total? If thats so then that's almost 2k!!! OUCH Link to comment
NewZealandReefie Posted October 17, 2011 Author Share Posted October 17, 2011 Nah, not on a 120. One on each end would be more than sufficent. See now my dream tank would probably have a few MP60's... but ya know my dream tank in my mind is about 3m long lol. Link to comment
NewZealandReefie Posted October 17, 2011 Author Share Posted October 17, 2011 Bit of a photo update. Here's a quick comparison I put together of Spock. On the left is emaciated, pale, weak Spock a few days after we bought him home from the LFS, on the right is Spock today fat, colourful and full of personality: Snapped a sweet picture of little Sly, although not perfectly in focus I think it's pretty neat: This I just feel like sharing, it's a tiny torch we've been nurturing for a few months now, a local reefer gave it to us a while back. It was about a cm big when we got it and has grown a fair bit since then. I love the colours, it's a rather fetching pale purple with very pale turquoise tips. Maybe those colours are just rare here but I've never seen one like it before or since. The guy who gave it to us has a very impressive full colony (8-ish heads from memory the last time I saw it). I did take an FTS but it was #### so I'll wait till I get a better one. Since it's coming in to summer now I have to wait for it to get dark to get good shots of the whole tank or I get awful reflections off the glass. Link to comment
NewZealandReefie Posted October 19, 2011 Author Share Posted October 19, 2011 New FTS Got 3 new sps yesterday and bought some putty to stick some loose frags down tonight. Got a bit sick of the hermit crabs knocking everything over as per usual. The new stuff is looking pretty sad after its time in the importers quarantine tank and the overnight shipping to Wellington but we're looking forward to it colouring up. Link to comment
hooligan_78 Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 Do you just use putty to glue your frags? Link to comment
NewZealandReefie Posted October 19, 2011 Author Share Posted October 19, 2011 This time, yes. I've used super glue gel and/or putty before too though. Bought putty last night on the way home, got home, found out no glue left... made do. It depends on the size of the frag as well. Some of the things I was sticking down last night are more small colonies than true frag sized. Link to comment
hooligan_78 Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I always had trouble when using putty. Seemed like it always caused my corals to start bleaching. I stick with gel, which I always seem to be out of... Link to comment
NewZealandReefie Posted October 19, 2011 Author Share Posted October 19, 2011 I try not to let the putty touch the flesh of the corals as I've seen others have problems with bleaching. With littler corals I tend to glue them to a small piece of rubble rock first, then putty on to the base rocks, helps ensure the putty isn't touching anything but rock. Also means I can hide the blobs of putty under the rubble rock. Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.