Rocket's 125 Gallon

[Rocket]

Thank you Fewskillz,

 

I've been debating for a long time now on which new lens to add to my arsenal of Canon equipment.

 

I'm using a Canon T1i 15mp CMOS DSLR

 

I have the kit f3.5-5.6 18-55mm

f4-5.6 17-85mm IS USM

 

I'm either wanting the excellent Canon Telephoto EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Autofocus Lens

or

Delve into the crisp distortion free area of PRIME lenses...

Like the Canon Normal EF 50mm f/1.4 USM Autofocus Lens

or the more likely more useful indoor lens with good low light possibilities>

Canon Wide Angle EF 28mm f/1.8 USM Autofocus Lens

[Rocket]

Yup, I got a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM Macro Lens!

 

Teaser:

[Rocket]

Well it has been incredibly too long since I have updated this thread. It is late and the upload just finished. Here is a sample, I'll have more coming this weekend. Shot with my new Canon 60D. 100mm f/2.8L macro

 

[Rocket]

Picture Update as Promised:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As always, my flickr link has tons more pictures.

[Rocket]

A mate dropped off some corals for holding/keeps. He's not sure if he is going to take them back. But needed a clean healthy tank to house them in for the time being.

 

I guess I am coral watching for a while, no problem I clearly have enough room.

 

The Yuma looks in good shape, its quite small about half the diameter of a dime.

 

A 4 head hammer coral I would classify as barely healthy. It has only been 24 hours and only a few tenticals have expanded 1-3mm. All 4 heads are bright neon green, very cool look.

 

The Tourch is the one I worry about, Looks like it fell or something. Has 2 heads. 1 head I don't believe will make it. I can see the skeleton and tissue in between. The other, larger head, is ok, the center mouth though is much larger than I suspect it should be. It has yet to expand or inflate.

 

On a side note, I have a first edition SRO-2000, with the Bubble blaster 2000 pump. Well couple weeks ago the pump went, just seized up. Called my supplier and they took care of the warranty. The new pump I have looks identical, but the sticker information is much different. Including the wattage rating! Woot 25w instead of 30w! I'm all for power savings. And seems the G.P.H. or air L.P.H amount has increased. I had to dial the gate valve more open. The reaction chamber has many more times the amount of micro air bubbles now, looks like cotton-candy!

[Rocket]

Torch:

 

Yuma:

 

Hammer:

[Rocket]

Death in the tank:

 

3.5 year old Emerald crab.

 

Story:

 

I got the crab way back 2007 when I started up my AP24. It was on of the few first purchases. Eating my bubble algae problem, and then later helping with a bryosis outbreak. Soon growing much larger than it should have.

 

Moved it to the 42 hex in 2009, was doing great. I bought a blue tang since I was moving to the 125 in a week. The 3rd day of having the tang I found it in the claws of the Emerald crab, gnawing huge chunks out of the side.

 

Since this incident Evil crab was banished to the sump of the 125.

 

Today I found the crab not in its usual hiding spot. Definitely dead.

 

Today I am conflicted. I'm happy its gone, but sad that I don't have a crab anymore.

 

But definitely will not be getting any crabs any time soon.

[Rocket]

Water change: 30 gallons. 12 cups of D-D H2Ocean Magnesium Pro PLUS Salt Mix.

 

This is the second WC after depleting 3 buckets of Oceanic.

 

I really like the response my corals have with the D-D H2O. I don't have to boost alkalinity as much like I did with the Oceanic brand. I don't have much SPS corals so calcium levels stay with range during the WC's intervals.

 

The salt dissolves fast, but it does leave a small residue. I'll have to clean my mixing trash can once a year.

[Rocket]

[tyty22]

i really like the detail of that last shot

[Rocket]

Thank you!

 

The 3 new corals are doing well and recovering. I'll have shots of then soon.

 

[PIPS]

nice tang

what equipment do yuo shoot with ?

[Rocket]

The recent photos are with my new 60D and 100L Macro. Sold off all of my various camera products to purchase that combo. I absolutely love them. I also have a 24-70L as my walk around, but for tank shots nothing compares to the 100L. Although my stitched tank photo below is shot with the 24-70L on a canon T1i. I'll have to redo that shot soon.

[Rocket]

Fantastic! I just ordered my first ever coral online, from LiveAquaria.com (Wisconsin) Sunday. They are due to be delivered Today (Tuesday). and then I read this:

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL ILLINOIS...

NORTHEAST ILLINOIS AND NORTHWEST INDIANA.

 

.DAY ONE...OVERNIGHT.

 

WEATHER HAZARDS EXPECTED:

 

THUNDERSTORMS:

DAMAGING WINDS IN EXCESS OF 70 MPH.

BRIEF TORRENTIAL DOWNPOURS.

OCCASIONAL CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING.

AND POSSIBLY A TORNADO.

 

AREAS AFFECTED AND TIMING:

 

THE ENTIRE OUTLOOK AREA AFTER MIDNIGHT.

 

DISCUSSION:

 

THUNDERSTORMS ARE LIKELY TO DEVELOP ALONG AND AHEAD OF A COLD

FRONT OVER MISSOURI AND RACE RAPIDLY NORTHEASTWARD ACROSS

NORTHERN AND CENTRAL ILLINOIS LATE TONIGHT AND INTO EARLY

TUESDAY MORNING. GIVEN THE INTENSITY OF THE DEVELOPING STORM

SYSTEM...EXTREMELY POWERFUL WINDS ALOFT...AND UNSEASONABLY WARM

AIRMASS IN PLACE THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR THIS LINE OF STORMS TO

PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS. WHILE NOT HIGH...THERE IS EVEN A THREAT

FOR A TORNADO OR TWO WITH THESE STORMS.

[Rocket]

I took today off. 1. to receive the corals. 2. My head is about to explode with this pressure change stuff going on at the moment. *blah* Couldn't even sleep but a few hours.

[Rocket]

New corals are doing great. opened/extended! The rescued corals are responding well to a clean water environment.

 

 

Next goal in the tank is to figure out a way to spread the ricordeas. The originals are glued (11) but the rest (30ish) are on the rock naturally. On top of that I cannot figure out the originals. I have a reference photo but they seemed to have shifted? I want to turn the entire right side base into a huge ricordea garden. I love these guys.

 

Tools I have: Bone cutters(7 inch) tweezer (8 inch) and scalpel. Do I just cut them at the base? or cut a section off them?

[adam87]

Nice tank. Have you went to mid west coral farms in Highland Park? It's a really nice store. And they have tons of coral. Two weeks ago I got a really nice red flower pot for $10.

 

http://midwestcoralfarms.com/index.php

[Rocket]

Adam I never heard of them before, Read some reviews on RC after you posted that. Very nice. I will plan on visiting them next pay check.

 

This coral is the only one that came dislodged from the packaging. It is coming back and starting to green up.

 

[Rocket]

Sneak peak. This coral was rather large for a frag:

 

[Rocket]

And the whole coral frag!

 

[Rocket]

[adam87]

Nice SPS.

[Rocket]

Thanks adam!

 

Rescue/tank crash/gift hammer.

[Rocket]

And the whole Hammer, 4 heads total.

 

[Rocket]

I also got this coral as a rescue/gift. It is a Yuma I believe.

 

 

Then couple days later this little one shows up on the other side. Very small.

 

 

Enjoy!