Greg Z's NC12 DX

[gregzbobo]

Right now I'm leaning toward a 6-line wrasse or perhaps a yellow watchman goby, the goby I've seen a few times locally, haven't seen a 6-line in a long while though, and the last one I DID see seemed pretty sickly in the LFS tank. Not sure I want to order one online, one: expensive, two: its pretty darn cold and might be risky to ship, three: both of those choices are known jumpers and honestly I've not yet read enough about a 6-line to know what they eat or how they are with corals, other than they are known to go after big amphipods, pyr. snails, and other such tiny invert foods.

 

Gonna do some researching over the weekend, Heck, maybe I'll get both, I believe my tank has enough capacity to handle 3 fish total max.

[SPARTAN VI]

Right now I'm leaning toward a 6-line wrasse or perhaps a yellow watchman goby, the goby I've seen a few times locally, haven't seen a 6-line in a long while though, and the last one I DID see seemed pretty sickly in the LFS tank. Not sure I want to order one online, one: expensive, two: its pretty darn cold and might be risky to ship, three: both of those choices are known jumpers and honestly I've not yet read enough about a 6-line to know what they eat or how they are with corals, other than they are known to go after big amphipods, pyr. snails, and other such tiny invert foods.

 

Gonna do some researching over the weekend, Heck, maybe I'll get both, I believe my tank has enough capacity to handle 3 fish total max.

 

I recently developed a soft spot for the yellow-headed jawfish. It has a beautiful blue color and a bright yellow head. Seems to swim around vertically and pokes its head around inquisitively. I'd need a deeper sand bed to keep one though.

[gregzbobo]

I ordered some zoas from franknreef on here, they are bam-bams, some whamn watermelons, and he sent a freebie "mystery" zoa that I've no idea what its "trade" name is, if any. They seem to be doing well so far.

 

All my corals seem to have no problems so far with the LEDs, although my mushrooms and ric no longer open as wide. The GSP is starting to color back up some, the tentacle tips are a nice neon green now. The trumpet acted weird the first week, but seems to have acclimated nicely and is inflating normally again now. It also seems to be starting a couple new heads, time will tell.

 

Still too early to tell how growth is going to be under the LEDs, but one zoa rock I had seems to be budding somewhat faster now, so I assume theres enough of an energy surplus for it to be able to reproduce itself more quickly.

 

Right now all my rock-mounted zoas and mushrooms are on the sandbed, my ric is on a ledge about 2-3" above the sand, as is the trumpet. I'm going to raise the trumpet back to the spot I had it before in another week or so, and put my big zoa rock where its sitting now I think.

 

It may seem a waste to some, but I am starting to lean toward making this tank a zoa garden, with maybe a couple more LPS. I'm wanting a plate, and I may try some acans. I'm joing my local reef club, right now I don't know a soul locally who keeps a reef tank, plus the info and tips will be a good thing, not to mention club members always giving/trading frags.

[gregzbobo]

Picking up a Tyree LE Flowerpetal cap frag hopefully this weekend from Dr. Paul Whitby, 2" frag, mounted, $30.

 

Pic of the parent colony in his display aquarium:

 

[gregzbobo]

New acqusition:

 

 

Tyree FlowerPetal, just short of 3" wide at the largest span. Still acclimating to the LEDs, but I think its gonna look great, especially if the polyps ever decide to come out, they are VERY blue...

[gregzbobo]

Not knowing much about exactly what growth actually LOOKS like on sps, Monti. caps. in particular, I've noticed a white edge around the rim that is noticeably further away from the "wrinkles" on the coral above. I'm certainly hoping this is growth, and not bleaching, as the polyps that are beginning to appear around the edge are a nice bright purplish-blue.

 

Kinda weird how this coral looks a dirty brown when the lights are off, but when the LEDs come on its a bright green, and the polyps are a fairly pure violet with my mini-mag flashlight pointing at it, but bright purplish-blue with the LEDs. I'm real glad I got outta my reefing funk and turned this tank around.

[weeber]

that monti cap is sweet.

[gregzbobo]

Just wanted to show how bad this tank had gotten, the following pic was taken

August 11th '08, its the only pic I took that year of this aquarium. Took it while resting during a water change, I had a fairly shattered foot at the time, so waterchanges were a challenge to say the least.

 

 

Pretty bad huh. I was having great coralline growth from using TAP water for topoffs, but lordy the cyano was horrid. Lights are off right now, and I am going to my first local reef club meeting about a half hour after they are supposed to come on, taking the hood with me to get PAR readings, so when I get home after, I'll see about taking a current FTS.

[gregzbobo]

Just got my first birthday present from a very good friend of mine. Vortech MP10. I installed it on the left wall of the tank blowing to the right, and right now have it set to about 40%-50% reef-crest mode. I JUST got it put in the tank (3am today) so was not able to really see how my various cnidarians will react to it, but my firefish really seems to enjoy riding the varied currents it produces.

 

It DID seem to me that the "polyps" of my monti extended a bit further than before once the sandstorm settled out from me fiddling with the thing, will be able to better tell tomorrow or friday night (morning actually) when I get home from work.

 

BTW, the monti. has really taken off, growing quite well and seems to be encrusting the rock its glued to, I do believe I'm ready for some other SPS, AFTER I get my hands on a small orange fungia, saw a few on DFS Divers Den that looked quite purty.

[thewire]

where is the updated FTS?

[gregzbobo]

Bambam zoas. Slow growers, but getting better since I shaded them.

 

Mixed zoa rock.

 

NEON green mushrooms.

 

Dunno if these are named, but I call 'em pinkys.

 

I think these are radiactive dragon eyes? Started as 3 polyps on that rock some months ago, now more like 12-13.

 

Watermelons, with some other color morph on the same rock.

 

Orange Digitata. I hate those plastic plugs, but I'll get over it, and I'll probably move it Monday, as its behind-above-and left of my flowerpetal cap, don't want them growing into each other.

 

I took all these with my iPhone, seems to actually turn out better than my point and shoot Canon, go figure.

 

Almost forgot a pic of my birthday toy.

 

A tank shot snapped on January 31st with my Canon POS I mean P&S. All the rest were taken February 13th.

 

I took this FTS pic 5 minutes after I turned 35 on the 15th.

 

Taken 10 minutes after my 35th. Tyree Flowerpetal.

[gregzbobo]

Just wanted to do a comparison of growth on my monti. cap. Here it is a day or so or so after I got it:

 

Here it is now:

 

Not bad for 40 days I think. One can really see it in how its starting to scroll there at the edge that's pointing in on itself. Looks like 54watts of high-power LEDs WILL grow SPS corals in an NC12 AIO tank.

[animalmaster6]

Great tank!

 

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[redkneecoral]

congrats on your B-day present, must be a good friend.

 

Your bam bams looks to be more bright compared the last time you posted them.

I love those radioactive mushies, i want one, lol, serious i do. All of your zoas seems to be doing well too.

The monti seems to have brighten up too.

Looking great, so you must be doing something right. lol

[gregzbobo]

congrats on your B-day present, must be a good friend.

 

Your bam bams looks to be more bright compared the last time you posted them.

I love those radioactive mushies, i want one, lol, serious i do. All of your zoas seems to be doing well too.

The monti seems to have brighten up too.

Looking great, so you must be doing something right. lol

I sure hope I'm doing something right, it'd definitely be a first. haha.

 

Yea, the bambams are opening much wider than before since I shaded them, one of the original polyps pretty much gave up and melted away, it never was doing very well since I got it, but the other two have started budded off one more polyp each, so the colony as a whole is better for sure.

 

I'm amazed at how well the cap is doing, I know they are pretty forgiving, but the gentleman I got the "frag" from told me that particular morph is a bit tougher than your common orange monti. cap. I quoted "frag" because in honesty, it was huge compared to what you might buy online or in a store.

 

The digi seems really happy, polyps are very well extended and it really seems to enjoy the random flow from the MP10 and the occasional blast it gets from the Hydor flo device (I put it back on).

 

Almost all the zoas open up alot more since being moved, the only ones still not opening very wide is the largeish mixed rock that I couldn't find a shady spot for.

 

Speaking of shade, the mushroom rocks will hopefully get some shade eventually from the cap and start to open a bit wider, at least that was my thinking when I placed the cap where it is now.

 

Does anybody think I should move the orange digi.? I don't want it and the cap. to grow into each other and make war, this being such a small tank I just wasn't sure if the spot I put it is far enough away or not.

[gregzbobo]

Well, I just pulled the trigger on a JBJ 28g Quad, got it with the stand for 300 bucks, and ordered a 15# bag of Fiji Pink dry-sand to put in it along with the dry stuff I had left from the NC12 build.

 

Its going to be a while before I get it setup, still need to get a few minor things, like an RO/DI system, an RKE, oh, and live-rock of course, and I plan to do a totally DIY LED retro in it, I'll do a leaktest, but otherwise its not even gonna get wet till it has LEDs. I MAY have to use optics this time since its nearly 2 feet tall, probably gonna go with 80° optics if I do, don't want to fry whats up high.

 

I REALLY wanted to get a Cadlights 39g Signature, but decided I just did not have the space, not to mention funds.

 

I plan to keep the NC12 around, maybe use as a grow-out/frag tank. It certainly has the lighting to do so.

 

Hopefully I won't need a chiller, with the LEDs putting no heat into the water, I may be alright, otherwise I'll blow a fan over the open rear chambers and DIY an ATO for it.

[redkneecoral]

looking forward on seeing what you'll do next

[gregzbobo]

I just got a GARF Bonsai acro frag the other day from a local reefer, acclimated it on the sand till just about an hour ago, then moved it up higher and shut off the center lighting strip, will leave that light strip off at least a few days to be sure its not gonna bleach out.

[redkneecoral]

looking forward on seeing the pic of your new acro.

Sounds like to me you know what you're doing.

[urbaneks]

Well, I just pulled the trigger on a JBJ 28g Quad, got it with the stand for 300 bucks, and ordered a 15# bag of Fiji Pink dry-sand to put in it along with the dry stuff I had left from the NC12 build.

 

Are you planning on breaking the 12g down or running 2 tanks? I have the 28g Quad as well. You will love the tank.

[gregzbobo]

Are you planning on breaking the 12g down or running 2 tanks? I have the 28g Quad as well. You will love the tank.

Gonna have to at least partially break it down, its sitting in the spot I plan to put the 28. But I'm just gonna partially drain it and get a friend to help me move it to a temporary spot until the 28g cycles, put in a CUC, then move my fish and softies. Wait 6 months then gonna move my stonies to it.

 

But not even gonna put wet water in it till I retro LEDs into it.

[gregzbobo]

Ordered an RKE w/NET this week, along with an ALC module, Spectrapure flush-kit and a DA floatswitch w/bracket. Also received order from DFS including heater, salt, thermometer, plug-in GFCI, and faucet adapter for RO/DI.

 

Received the Spectrapure ProPlus RO/DI system earlier this week also and hooked it up to my bathroom faucet. I like it. 15TDS in to the DI housing, zip out.

 

Thinking of setting up the RKE on this tank for a while while I go about getting the rock for the 28, along with LED parts to retro it. I'll cycle that tank under the stock lights while sourcing/receiving parts for the LED build.

[gregzbobo]

Well, did some testing on the RKE system, got my router more or less setup to allow access outside my LAN, although I need to do a bit more research on setting it up for email notifications.

The ALC I got was essentially dead, going through the RMA process right now to get it replaced.

 

 

I should get a box of DIY LED parts today from Nanotuners, ordered 13 each of CW and RB emitters, as well as a pair of Meanwell 60-48D drivers, and a batch of thermal pads to attach them. I figure 26 Cree emitters should be more than enough to keep nearly any photosynthetic corals/clams, probably should get at least 150watt halide intensity, if not more. I can also always install wide optics to increase PAR somewhat if need be.

I still need to order up a heatsink, thats next, this stuff is for my NC28 build I'm slowly working on.

[Tyron]

man you have got to tell me where you got those bam bam zoas from, along with the green neon mushroom. are they really puffy is it how they are sitting on the rock?

[gregzbobo]

man you have got to tell me where you got those bam bam zoas from, along with the green neon mushroom. are they really puffy is it how they are sitting on the rock?

 

Bam bams I got from someoone on here, the green 'shrooms really are pretty puffy, when they decide to open fully. They aren't big on doing that as much under my leds, but they sure are bright green under them. I got those at a LFS here in OKC.