Diggman's BC29 journal (currently out of commision)

[divecj5]

Now that's what I'm talking about pic wise. I am by no means a pro but I would say with about 95% certainty that you are just dealing with sand on the polyps that's irritating them a bit.

 

In the last picture, the white pieces look a little too large and way too much like the substrate to be pox. I think that pox are really small white dots and are only on the stalks themselves.

 

I could be wrong so I will let others chime in first. I would try and pick up the rock out of the sand, unless it's huge, and give it a good shake or hold it in the flow of a powerhead to make sure you get all the sand out of there. Then see how they do once they get over being ####ed about being shaken.

 

Honestly though, the polyps look nice and plump and healthy in my opinion.

 

If you look here: http://zoaid.com/articles004.php from the pics the pox look more like blisters than what it looks like in your pics....

[diggman08]

thats what i think to.... maybe i forgot to blow the sand of for a couple days and they closed up with the sand in there mouths or something of that nature..

[TUDIZZLE]

I had a few white dots on some of my zoa's as well. I pulled the frag out and tried to pull and srape them off only to realize that they were on the inside. They always open and look good I just was afraid it might have been zoapox, but maybe it is just some swallowed substrate? Do zoa with pox still open?

[diggman08]

yup thats what mine do. they open fine and look healthy.. maybe it takes awhile for them to push the substrate down out out their system, as you can see in the first pic above, it looks like its trying too.

[diggman08]

well ive decided to take the next big step.. METAL HALIDE BOYS!!

 

Dive, why didnt u go with 250wtt sunpod?? to much wattage? to much evap??

i will prob go with the 150 like you did... just wondering thought.. the 250 is only 50bucks more....hmmmm riskky... i dont have an ATO either, im guesing i will have to do alot of toppoffs.. if you could just tell me a bit about your experience so far with the sunpod, as far as temp, evap, timed lighting, adjusting coral to the change,etcc.. everything..lol.. so i can be prepared

[ge0]

Digg - are you running the Stock canopy?

 

I have been working on a fan mod for my canopy. Basically cutting a 4-inch by 9-inch whole and installing a 4-set cooling fan. The only probem is I cant seem to find enough room if I do the 4.26 Nanotuners lighting mod.

 

I lookward to seeing how your lighting mod comes out.

[diggman08]

Geo im running the nanotuners 4.36 mod, in stock hood, i have the upgraded fans, temp stays 77-79 always.. which will be up for grabs when i get my sunpod soon.

[John30507]

Im not trying to hijack, but I didn't want to start a whole thread for this, and I know that there are a lot of bio cubers that read this thread.

 

Oceanic should make the back wall higher, to prevent fish from jumping over. My clown did it today. I was cleaning the glass when I realised that my fish was not there. I looked for any trace of anything. I thought to look into the back and there is was, stressed and sideways on the drip tray with very little water.

[diggman08]

just super glue some plastic across the back about 2 inches high

[divecj5]

Woohoo....glad to hear you will be stepping up to the Sunpod and halide experience I'm telling you, you will not be disappointed. I never really thought that I would be that excited about halides versus T5s but it really makes things pop in my opinion.

 

Enough of that As far as how I decided between the 150w or the 250w, I actually just never really contemplated it since I was deciding between the 70w or 150w. From what I have read from others that run the Sunpod fixtures on similar size tanks, you will NEVER be limited with the 150w over the tank. I'm not sure what the 250w would be like over the tank but I would think that it would just increase the heat and add to evaporation. It's totally up to you of course, but considering we both like zoas and rics and you have quite a bit, I would just stick with the 150 since you will already have to acclimate them to the new light.

 

As far as experiences with the lights, I will start off with the acclimation that I did: I was trying to decide between using egg crate versus using some sort of screening at first. I was out at my parent's house and they had some thick porch screening scraps laying around so that made the decision for me. What I ended up doing was just taking the screening and draping it over the tank at first and then just cutting out a really rough outline of the tank so that there was some overhang on every side. In my case I used two sheets but again it was pretty thick and tightly woven screening. Once I got the sunpod, I just pinned the sheeting underneath the support legs of the fixture and tried to get it tight so the screening would rest on top of the water. It kind of did this anyway at the end since I was lifting it up here and there to feed but it wasn't a big deal.

 

For acclimating to the light, I just started off with running the lights for about 6 hours for the first week with the two sheets on there. You can start off with more but this is just what I did and I didn't have anything bleach on me. I did this for a week and then took off a sheet. For the next week, I ran the lights for 7 hours with the one sheet left on. I then took the sheet off and ran with nothing over it for about a week at 7 hours. Right now, I run the blue moonlights full out all day and night. I have a timer turn on the white LEDs an hour before the MH turns on til about an hour after the MH turns off. I actually like the white LEDs the most

 

Granted I run my apartment pretty cool, probably around 72-73 during the day and cooler at night, I haven't had any real problems with heating. I ended up getting the Aquatek 2 fan fixture from Ebay and it has worked great. Honestly, it's a little loud and whiney for my taste but I have gotten used to it and just turn the TV up a notch when it's on. I will probably replace with something quieter but it's not a priority now. It took a bit of tinkering with how long to run the fans but this is what I do and it keeps the tank rock steady between 77 and 78.3 for the whole 8 hours the halides on:

 

-halide turns on around 12:00 pm. and runs for about an hour without any fan

-after the first hour, fans turn on for 15 minutes and then off for 15 minutes

-so it's on and off every 15 minutes until about an hour before the halide goes out.

 

I haven't had any problems running this way for about a month now.

 

Even though you aren't running an ATO, I don't think you should have a problem with evaporation. I have my fans blow about 50% at the fixture and 50% at the surface of the water. I fill up my ATO 2 gallon reservoir for topoff every 4-5 days and I never let it get to the bottom. At most, I would say I evaporate only about 1/4 gallon a day at most.

 

Sorry for the long post but just wanted to help you out since I had to search around a lot for all the info. Better to have it all in one spot.

 

When are you planning on getting the fixture? I bought mine from PetMountain and it took about 3 business days to get it. A little slow but shipping was free and it was about $75 cheaper buying it there than on Drs. F&S and anywhere else.

[diggman08]

thanks Dive thats just the info i needed.. yeah i was going to go with pet mountain as you did... im prob going to order next week sometime, maybe sooner.... do you think since i have 144wt. 4.36 upgrade,, i wont have to do as much as you did with the acclimation and all??? i need to find someone to buy my factory hood with 4.36 upgrade, anyone interested PM me

 

i agree i think ill stick with the 150wtt.. just make sure it is 20" right?

[divecj5]

Cool...can't wait to see what your tank looks like with it running on there. It's going to be awesome.

 

As far as acclimation, I'm not sure either way if you will have to do less or not. I would think so but you can always just see how they react and go from there.

 

Yeah, just make sure it's the 20 inch one and you are good to go.

 

Glad the info. was helpful....hope it wasn't too much.

[Obi Juan kenobi]

How much is the sunpod gonna hit you for Digg?

[diggman08]

Dive, no it wasnt to much.. thats why im on this site... you learn something new everyday in this hobby.. and thats the truth..

 

NEss, its gonna run me around 230$$ free shipping!!

[diggman08]

well looks like i got impatient, and just ordered my SunPod,, woowhooo

 

o and i ordered some Furan 2 too, why not free shippping

[divecj5]

Hahaha...awesome. I knew you wouldn't be able to hold out til next week. Congrats and I'm sure you were like me....hoping and praying that the delivery drivers would speed and get it to you early.

[diggman08]

u read my mind..haha.. i need that furan 2 bad also.. the dragon eyes arent looking so good ihope they can rough it out till the delivery..

 

if you run the blue led's with the MH does it give any more blue effect.. or are they just drowned out by the MH..

[divecj5]

It does make a little difference running the blue LEDs with the halide but not really that much of a difference. The stock bulb is a really nice balance of light....gives corals plenty of pop but it's not 20k blue.

 

I think that I am going to try a Phoenix 14k when I replace the bulb....which won't need to be til February

 

So the dragon eyes are still looking kind of bad?

[diggman08]

yeah their getting bad,, more white dots,, i hope the furan 2 hurries up and gets here... i will be highly upset if i lose my fav. zoa's

 

great i just got an email.. the Furan 2 was out of stock.. so they gave me a credit.... Crap!! guess ima have to orrder it from somewhere else..

[ge0]

Are you buying to capsules or the Furan 2 powder? I cant find the capsules anywhere.....

[diggman08]

im getting the powder, i think the pill version is obsolete.. i just order some for $11 bucks shipped.

[yardboy]

I am so bummed about those Dragon Eyes. Have you seen signs of the infection on any other zoanthids. I keep looking at mine wondering if I'll lose anything, but I've never seen any signs of it on any of mine.

I hate it when corals get sick.

[diggman08]

the other ones dont have any spots on them, althoug they are not opening fullly, some fully closed , but some are fully opened, i dunno my whole system screwed up now.

[kingnitro1]

Diggman,I sent you a PM.

[diggman08]

PM replied