Diggman's BC29 journal (currently out of commision)

[noobwithatank]

If you guys would have gone straight with the sunpod you could have saved me some $$$$ j/k

 

Looks like I might have a new upgrade to do!!

 

How much can you get for a lid with 4.36 upgrade?? Maybe I should get the sunpod and just keep the stock lid for an unexpected emergency?

 

 

for just the uninstalled upgrade brand new i got 150 canadian. but since i had to get it shipped over here i lost 20 bucks. i should have gone with the sunpod at first.. but.. u know.. save a few bucks here.. get more zoas! at least that was the plan.. hah.

[basser1]

I've thought about going with the 4.36 upgrade for a long time, but I have an opportunity to pick up a 24" Current Outer Orbit for what the price of a Sunpod would be. This has 1 150W metal halide and 2 65W actinics and 4 LED's. So.it looks like I may be joining the "topless" club as well!

[TUDIZZLE]

I was wondering how the light is without any antinics. I know my LRS uses only MH on it's reef tanks and when I bring something home and put it in my tank the colors really pop because of my antinics. Was there a noticable difference without the blues?

 

I like the idea of the orbitor with the blues too, but isn't that fixture too large for a BC29?

 

Also how much has your evaportion increased Digg- I am sure not having to use fans helps limit evaporation.

 

thanks for any info

 

Dizzle

[diggman08]

thanks guys, im lovin it!!!. it is something else... save your money on the 4.36 even though it is nice and puts out good light.. there is no comparison.

TUDDZILE i just sold my 4.36 Upgraded hood for $200, which is dirt cheap..

The Sunpod without the actincs looks awsome,, becaue it has a 14k bulb, you dont need actinics... i have noticed a slight increase of Evap, but not significant.. hopefully i wont need the extra fans...

 

so now it looks like we have a new level of the BC club... once you graduate, you can join the TOPLESS BC CLUB.. .hhehehe

[basser1]

I like the idea of the orbitor with the blues too, but isn't that fixture too large for a BC29?

 

 

Dizzle

 

The fixture itself will probably overlap a couple inches on each side. The mounting legs are adjustable and should fit. I saw a pic on another site where a reefer put one on his BC29 and it looked good. I'm thinking I may give this a try, and if it doesn't work out, I'll put it up for sale.

[ge0]

Well hell, looks really great. How is the heat doing on your tank?

[diggman08]

78-79, steady.. im very relieved.. i even got a digital therm. to be sure and thats what it reads.. i may be selling my aquatek fans.. their still in the box brandnew.. but, im gonna wait because after a week or so im gonna increase my light period to 8 hours, its at 5 now.

[diggman08]

Results after treatment 2. they seem to be recovering well, besides the bleaching.. hopefully they will regain full color after time

 

heres a few new pieces from zoanuts...

Blue Eyed Suzzies

Monitpora (removed from plug and glued into in rockwork)

whoohoo my gorilla nips are spreading finally.

 

 

 

 

Peppermint bout to get sunburnt

shroom lovin the new light( glows green under HQI) (brown under PC)

[John30507]

Any tips on convincing(sp?) my parents to let me order something from zoanuts?

[TUDIZZLE]

I was about to request more pics and you beat me too the punch.

 

The color of that mushroom alone may have me going topless.

[Isodore]

Any heat or evap issues with the sunpod? I was thinking of placing a piece of acrylic or glass over the tank to prevent any extra evap. Any suggestions or thoughts about this?

[diggman08]

thanks Tudd, pics dont do justice at all..

John just tell them youll clean your room or something

Isodor i havent had any heat issues yet, evap is slightly more than with the hood on but not much... you dont really need a piece of glass over the tank.

[diggman08]

i like the new NR layout... sweet.

[divecj5]

TOPLESS BC CLUB.. .

 

Now that's what I'm talking about

 

Sweet new frags bud....loving the blue eyed palys. I was just checking his site the other day and just about went crazy. He has some great stuff but I just need to contain myself and be content with what I have right now.

 

That monti looks nice and happy where you have it....nice polyp extension. How high do you have it in the tank?

 

Glad to see that the dragon eyes are making it through the Furan2 treatments...they are looking better and better all the time.

[diggman08]

thanks dive, i have the monti around mid level all the way to the left in tank.. if you look in the FTS its on that branching looking rock on left midway up.. imhoping it will spread all on it.. yeah i need to have self control too over zoanuts..lol.... o , i have some awsome green palys coming in tom.. or wed i ordered from a member on here.. i cant wait to get em.

[diggman08]

whewwhoo.. wait till u guys see what i got comin from zoanuts this week.. prepare to be amazed.. im still freakin out

[diggman08]

few pics of my Lab..lol coral treatments, frags, and whatnot are done here. treating most of my zoas in Furan 2 as you can see... ( third and final treatment i hope)

look at all the zoanuts boxes..ahhh im broke

[diggman08]

and heres the new MONEY SHOT under the new HQI.

the colors are just something else.. zoas/palys look just amazing under 14k HQI

[divecj5]

Good lord man....you must just direct deposit part of your paychecks into Dustin's account Just kidding, he has great stuff so I can see how you would order so often. Can't wait to see the new shipment.

 

I love the little operating station you have going there....gorilla glue and all.

 

Tank is looking nice and healthy under the new lights. I can't remember, did you decide to acclimate to the lights?

[diggman08]

thanks dive.... i should get my shippment from them tomorow.. i also have a order from a NR member coming in tom. too.. some awsome green Palys ive been wanting..

 

no i didnt do the acclimation.... i just cut my light cycle to 5 hours. i willl eventually move it up to 8 hours

im runnning my blue LEDS with the hqi during day, and 2 hours before and after my white LEDS are on. then at night blues. the blue Leds are only off when the White LEds are on.. what is your schedule dive???

[diggman08]

some zoas ive been having for a while under new lights.. the centers and rims glow green now!!( they were freebie a frag)

[divecj5]

Looking good man....as far as lighting goes, here's what I do:

 

-Blue LEDs run 24/7

-White LEDs turn on at 10:30 am

-MH on at 11:30 am

-MH off at 8:30 pm

-White LEDs off at 9:30 pm

-Blue LEDs cranking away.

 

Seems to keep things nice and happy and I am able to enjoy the reef lite up at night while watching tv, etc. I have actually read that there are people that actually run their main lights overnight if they work odd hours. Doesn't really matter what time you run it as long as you don't switch up it all the time Fish might go crazy on you...

[diggman08]

haha... i want to slowly increase my main lighting to as long as yours..... had to go the da#@ post office this morning and pic up my order from a NR member on here... they brought it yesterday while i was at work and didnt leave it...it was signature waived too... newayz their some Green palys.. ill have pic later or tom....

woohooo zoanuts order coming in later today!

[Zoanuts]

few pics of my Lab..lol coral treatments, frags, and whatnot are done here. treating most of my zoas in Furan 2 as you can see... ( third and final treatment i hope)

look at all the zoanuts boxes..ahhh im broke

 

 

Send me my boxes back bro they are expensive! LOL You Toppless BC looks fantactic. Your order should be there soon.

[gheagney]

Hi everyone. I am running a BC 29. Have had the tank for about 6-7 months, but for various reaons the tank has been slightly neglected. When I bought the tank from the lfs, he had already put the sand and water in the tank and had it cycling for several weeks. Once I got it home it continued to cycle with just the sand and water. After a few weeks, a couple chromis were added and some snails. Then I added a skimmer from Sapphire. I also added about 25 lbs of rock, with about 15 or so lbs being base rock and about 10 being live. Other than the skimmer the only modifications I've made were to widen the flow from the 1st to 2nd chambers and I am running a branched loc line set up.

Soon after I added the base rock, I started noticing brown diatom on the sand and the base rock started to turn a real flourecent lime green color. This has since turned to a deeper green color. It isnt a hair algea and I don't have a problem with algea on the glass. The live rock added doesn't seem to be unhealthy. The coraline looks ok. I am getting little spots of coraline starting to grow on the back wall and I've seen small pink spots growning on the base rock. The back wall also has some larger brown/green spots growing on it and I've noticed a pinkish purple algea in a few spots on the glass just below the sand bed. Does this sound bad? I was expecting more coraline growth by now. I'd like to get things straightened out and eventually start adding stuff to the tank. As of now it is pretty bare.

I am planning to check all the parameters and doing a water change in the next few days just to get an idea of exactly where everything is. I will post some pictures soon just to give everybody a better visual of what I am talking about. I know it's hard to diagnose without seeing and knowing the parameters, but I am just wondering if anybody has any initial thoughts on the situation and any ideas to get things back under control.

I will also note that I have a deep sand bed. It averages about 2 to 2.5 inches above the glass all the way around. And I am still running the stock lights. The actinics are on from about 10 am to 10 pm and the 10k lights kick on from about 12:30 pm to 6:30 pm.

Hope to get a few thoughts form you guys. I've seen alot of good looking tanks on here and hopefully I can get mine looking good soon too. Thanks, Gene