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Polarcollision's Nuvo 24: March FTS


Polarcollision

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Polarcollision

Brightwell doesn't use soil microbes as far as I know, but older products from other groups did. Dr. Tim's and Brightwell I believe are marine microbes.

 

And as far as being right all the time, he is correct often, but he makes mistakes. We all do. He's brilliant, a PhD in chemistry, so he is 100% reliable for chemistry-related things. He's probably 98% reliable in biological sciences, including microbiology. I'm not trying to ruffle feathers, I just think he is either mistaken, or just mispoke in this case. I understand his point - there is no legitimate data concerning any of these products (actually something I want to do).

 

I think I may bring in some Microbacter7 and check it out on the microscopes here in lab. See what we see.

 

I sent Dr. Tim an email from my work email asking about some of his claims. We'll see what he says. Same for Brightwell.

 

Want me to mail you my expired bottle to see how long they may or may not live? I went back and read the thread again. After our conversation, I understand him in a different light. I think he was saying that there's not legitimate data and that it doesn't make sense to him that you have to keep adding the product if it's growing.

 

Standing by for your results! Exciting!

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Polarcollision

I'll have to keep an eye out for a BG monster chalice! I have a low light area that it would be great in :).

For the first time ever I have actual PAR readings for the tank. The BGM is getting ~90 PAR for 6.5 hrs and a slow ramp up and down over 4 hrs each. Much dimmer than I estimated

 

The SPS at the top of the tank were getting only 220 PAR. So... acclimation mode to around 350 PAR through Nov 24. I expect the chalice will be just fine with ~150 PAR considering the tank it came from.

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I would not go above 300 PAR unless you've already adjusted your PAR readings X 1.2 to compensate for the average 20% error of most PAR meters with LED's. It's October, need new pictures!

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Polarcollision

I would not go above 300 PAR unless you've already adjusted your PAR readings X 1.2 to compensate for the average 20% error of most PAR meters with LED's. It's October, need new pictures!

This is news to me... Whatcha talkin about? :-) It was an apogee mq-200 meter set to sun. Meter owner said it reads 3% low on blues but that it is accurate. I trust yours and his opinion--what do you make of his? I don't want to fry my tank! :-)

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This is news to me... Whatcha talkin about? :-) It was an apogee mq-200 meter set to sun. Meter owner said it reads 3% low on blues but that it is accurate. I trust yours and his opinion--what do you make of his? I don't want to fry my tank! :-)

 

The Apogee meter under reads blue LED's by 10%. Since most LED fixtures consist of a majority of blue LED's you will be about 10% low. Not sure where I got 20%, it might have been reading RC concerning bleaching corals under LED lights.

 

http://www.apogeeinstruments.com/light-intensity-measurements-for-light-emitting-diodes-leds/

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Polarcollision

The Apogee meter under reads blue LED's by 10%. Since most LED fixtures consist of a majority of blue LED's you will be about 10% low. Not sure where I got 20%, it might have been reading RC concerning bleaching corals under LED lights.

 

http://www.apogeeinstruments.com/light-intensity-measurements-for-light-emitting-diodes-leds/

 

Ah, OK. At peak daylight, when the meter read 300 PAR (400 at the concentrated spot on the green bird), the lights were:

 

20% Cool white // // -4.2 error

2% Deep red //

21% Green // 520-535 nm // +5.8% error

62% Royal blue (x2) // 540-465 nm // -10.7% error

63% Deep Blue (x2) // 430-450(?) // -20% error

50% Violet // 415 nm // -30-50% error

 

I'm sure there's complex math that will give an exact percentage of under reporting, but I'm going to 'gut' estimate and say 20% like you originally thought. If I want 375-400 as a peak average (Dana Riddle has an article stating photoinhibition is 700 PAR for the green bird) then I should be aiming for 80% of desired value as read by the meter. So the highest I want to go is a reading of 320 from the meter. Assuming my math is correct... Even if the PAR is actually lower, this increase is still very roughly 1/3 more light than they're current;y getting.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In other FANTASTIC news, no DIATOMS on the sand bed today!!!! I changed the carbon block and mechanical filters on the RODI and then did another 80% water change with newly made water. They could still come back slowly, but this improvement is HUGE! Some of my zoas had started to crinkle a little at the edges instead of opening fully over the last week, but they're looking better today as well.

 

Also have been dosing expired Microbacter7 every other day. Even if there are no live bacteria left in the bottle I figure there's a chance the vinegar and nutrients will feed bacteria already in the tank as if I'm carbon dosing. Tuned the skimmer a little wetter just in case I'm wrong on that.

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Polarcollision

Good read Deb! Still extremely impressed with the amount of information in your threads. I think I'll be following along now as well as looking into a wrasse.

 

Glad it's helpful! I figure it can't hurt to document my 'learning experiences'. :-)

 

Is that your husky in your profile pic? Trade you the wrasse for the dog.

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Polarcollision

Haha! Yep met him when I came home from deployment he was so much lighter in that pic.

 

Just a quick question how is the male mccoskers doing now?

 

I'm trying to remember when I got him. I think it was a month after setting up the tank, so 10 months now. I spent some time looking for good quality pellets to feed him. His reddish salmon coloring has really popped since then, though he hasn't regained the bright blue flasher lines. I think it takes females or other males to revert back to that super male state. Sometimes I'm tempted to just get another male flasher of a different species, but hold back just in case the internet is wrong and they fight. Still, when he swims under the green/red/violet/white LED puck he almost looks fluorescent salmon colored.

 

Still my favorite fish. As the other more timid fish live out their lives, they'll be replaced with other wrasses - a leaopard wrasse first and then a fairy wrasse. Just love their personalities.

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Polarcollision

Your photographs are amazing! I'm trying to figure out what settings to use, along with lens. The colors and details in your pictures are superb.

 

Thanks 717tank!

 

I use a 100mm macro on a full frame camera. For the super zoom shots there's also a 200mm bellows. Any camera with comparable zoom will get a similar level of detail. Color balance is tricky with LEDs. I find it easiest to shoot when whites are at peak, using a custom white balance off the sand or a white card.

 

I think you just helped me make up my mind on a carpenters for my 38g

 

Share pics when you have it!

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Polarcollision

Thanks for the tips! What do you set your apperature and shutter speed at? And what do you use for your full tank shots?

 

Sometimes I'll step back and use the 100mm for FTS because there's no barrel distortion to correct. Sometimes I'll use my landscape lens, a 17-40mm.

 

You'll have to experiment with shutter speed. Faster speeds around 1/500 stop quick motion, but I run into a phase imbalance between the shutter and the LEDs cycling with speeds faster than around 1/50. So pumps off to reduce movement.

 

I like the look of bokeh and narrow DoF on macros, which you get with a large aperture. Probably around 2.8 or 4. It also lets in more light for faster shutter speeds.

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Polarcollision

In other FANTASTIC news, no DIATOMS on the sand bed today!!!! I changed the carbon block and mechanical filters on the RODI and then did another 80% water change with newly made water. They could still come back slowly, but this improvement is HUGE! Some of my zoas had started to crinkle a little at the edges instead of opening fully over the last week, but they're looking better today as well.

 

Also have been dosing expired Microbacter7 every other day. Even if there are no live bacteria left in the bottle I figure there's a chance the vinegar and nutrients will feed bacteria already in the tank as if I'm carbon dosing. Tuned the skimmer a little wetter just in case I'm wrong on that.

 

A little update on the diatom situation in case it helps anyone down the line: Somewhere between adding the fighting conch, dosing the expired Microbacter7, changing the carbon and mechanical filters in the RODI, and increasing skimming the diatoms are 90% gone. There's a small cyano outbreak, but it's a tiny patch that can easily be siphoned out next water change. Also, the brown snot tentatively ID'd as zoox dinos is completely resolved as well. Overall things are looking up!

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Polarcollision

I called IM to get their feedback for things to do to minimize the tank cracking.

 

They said the three most common causes of failure are an unlevel base so that pressure is not dispersed evenly. They said the forces are dispersed well via the pedestal as long as the stand is stable. My water level is a little less than 1/8" higher in front than back, which even though it's slight should be corrected. The other is installing echotech's MP10 (or larger) since the vibrations weaken the glass over time. And the last (obvious) was to make sure the stand is stable enough that if you climbed on it and jumped it would be just fine.

 

They also said that they have less than 1% failure rate and that they usually happen 2-3 months into setup. That's actually not as dire a rate as it seems from reports on the boards. Helps put my mind at ease with so many reports of cracked tanks.

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Polarcollision

November FTS and updates. Pictures! Notice the WHITE sand?? So happy the diatom bloom is done.

 

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More recovery progress: This one had about a pea-sized nub left after the crash. Now it's about the size of a quarter and one of the fastest growing SPS in the tank. It had huge problems with the coral pro salt alk swings and I almost gave up on it. Fortunately the regular RedSea salt levels make it happy. I think there's even a haze of green base threatening to make an appearance. Crossing fingers...

ilqRd4J.jpg

 

Growing. Polyps are out quite a bit more. Still not completely happy. Wish I knew what to do to get the purple base back.

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Oompa Loompas. You can see remnants of red algae that traps detritus and contributed to the diatom and dino bloom

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The red is starting to come out in the rainbow stylophora.

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Green slimer is happy. Camera sensor gets overloaded by the color. It's a little less glowy in my tank

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Help me get this lokani to color up. It should be a pretty blueish purple, instead of the glorious poopy brown. It is growing, but just barely.

 

 

 

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Same problem with this one. Should be a hot pink/magenta. I've got poop. :-( What do I do to color it up?

 

 

 

u0Dxv3L.jpg

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Great pics!

 

Steady Alk and the right amount of light should color those up. If that doesn't do it then it might be too much white light from the LEDs.

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Polarcollision

Nice looking tank- lots of diversity and color

 

Thanks! I like waaaaay to many corals. :-)

 

Your tank looks so much bigger than it really is :wub:

 

You know, I've heard that before and it catches me by surprise. I wonder if it's all the small frags growing in?

 

Great pics!

 

Steady Alk and the right amount of light should color those up. If that doesn't do it then it might be too much white light from the LEDs.

 

:-) Thanks Mark! I was about to say my alk has been steady until I checked it again tonight. 5.5 again. Ugh. That bird growth is making me chase alk too much. I added the max 1 dKH to bring it to 6.5. At least it was caught before the forest fire digi bit it again!

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  • Polarcollision changed the title to Polarcollision's Nuvo 24: FTV & new Apex

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