LPS/Softie 40 breeder tank

[xlzerolx]

The PVC over flow is great! One of the best functioning things i've made. I have taken off the strainer though because it wasn't skimming the surface very effectively. I might have to dremel the plastic in between the strainer to allow for more intake flow

[violinist]

Whoah how did I miss this. Love your scape!

[nanoreef-R]

No skimmer?

[xlzerolx]

Whoah how did I miss this. Love your scape!

 

Thanks!

 

No skimmer?

 

Yes skimmer! It's hanging on to the refugium, under the tank. It's a deltec MCE 600. you can see it in some of the previous photos. it's a retangular looking thing

[xlzerolx]

Went shopping yesterday and came back with 2 tank raised clown fish:

 

This is my first fish i've ever kept so i'm not sure how often to feed them. Right now i feed twice daily 4 hours apart with freeze dried cyclopeeze. They seem to be ignoring the reefroids and frozen mysis . They seem to want to stick together for the most part so that's a good sign. I haven't noticed any aggression to one and other.

 

I also spotted this frag for $20 at the LFS. It looks promising, it had some good looking purplish tips, but I have no idea what it is.

[redkneecoral]

i like that acro, color looks good

[xlzerolx]

New stuff from this weekend

 

 

 

 

The ATi 6 bulb is too bright. I'm only using 4 of the 6 bulbs now, hopefully this will stop some paling and bleaching.

[xlzerolx]

So I ended up using all six bulbs in the ATI again and dropping the fixture about 6 inches from the surface ofthe water. I think the result is quite good so far. I was afraid of bleaching the corals, but moving the fixture lower seems to have improved things. I did some moving of stuff around in the tank. Stopped dosing calcium for now.

Added a sixline wrasse a 3 weeks ago (?) and a elegance (was an impulse buy) and it was in bad shape when i bought it, let's see how it does in the tank. THe birds nest has really pinked up

 

Anyway here are some shots

 

 

 

 

 

[xlzerolx]

I purchased an emerald crab about a week ago. And today it spawned some babies O.o. I missed the actual spawning because I was in the shower.

When I got out and looked in my tank I saw white dots every where and though to myself " oh great... now what's wrong with it?" On closer inspection the white dots were skitting around in random directions against the flow and they had eyes! I turned the pumps off and grabbed my camera to take a video and post on here what was going on.

After filming I noticed my emerald rab on one of the higher rocks with it's bottom shell open, and then it hit me!

Crab babies!

I managed to get 2 shots one of the crab with the flap open, cleaning it out i think? It's really blurry but you can sort o make it out.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOSiuaCVrnY

 

and the other ones of the crab larvae(?) pretty neat to watch flitting around.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVmDxQ60HZs

 

Unfortunatley the actinics were on at the time so the video isn't very great.

[redkneecoral]

all your sps are looking great especially that pink bird's nest, I like love it makesme jealous that i don't have one yet lol. in time i will.

 

Liked your vids, awesome seeing the larvae all over in the currents.

[xlzerolx]

Well about 2 months ago something bad happened witht his tank.... I don't think it likes bio pellets. Which is weird because everyone else seems to love them . Lost almost all my SPS. I was quite disheartened and am trying to get everything back up to it's normal status but changing the theme to LPS and softies.. I have huge algae problems right now, mainly on the botom glass which sucks. I attribute this to taking the tank off of carbon dosing after I stopped the pellets..

Anyway here's the sad state it's in now.... The remaining SPS seem to be ok buit most seem to be receding.

I am slowly starting up with vodka again.

[redkneecoral]

bro am sorry to hear of what has been going on in your tank. I feel for you of what you have lost.

So what are you going to do now.

[FLIPbmw]

tough loss. I've experimented with sps for the past year (before deciding to invest heavily). Over the summer I lost quite a handful of SPS frags and colonies. Frags don't end up growing as quick as many people post and hardly sells for much over here. I myself did a teardown of my tank yesterday, new aquascape and new decision for corals.

 

It's a loss, but looks like a tiny one! It could have been worse. Live and learn and move on to coral that you feel would survive a struggle because you don't want to be faced with this situation again. GL!

[xlzerolx]

Thanks for the kind words redknee and FLIP. As for know I am slowly stocking with easier to kee corals. Mainly LPS. And am battling an algae breakout. But hopefully things will stabilize.

[xlzerolx]

Things seem to be settlling down a bit. Still have a green lawn on some of the bare bottom which I'm weeding out.....

 

The duncan coral started hosting a clown 3 weeks ago.... of course the coral had no say in it lol.

It doesn't seem to mind so i'll refrain from moving it elsewhere.

 

 

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_uD37-EOQFU

 

I also moved the chaeto that was in the sump to the display tank wedged behind the rocks a la gobyinpeace style so that it would get more light. It did not seem to be doing very well in the sump. I'm hoping that this will give it a better chance for keeping the nitrates in check.

 

 

 

 

The lighting was also knocked down to 2 bulbs, and the corals seem to be responding well. I have a KZ coralight 2 in the back and a KZ superblue in the front and the colour is pretty damn good.

 

 

Finally a full tank shot and a video

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gNWMyDYbcM

 

[xlzerolx]

A quick update with pics. Things are going good so far. Everything seems to be ok .

Here are some quick photos:

 

Full tank shot:

 

Some new corals I've added.

 

Long tentacle plate:

 

 

A fox coral I got cheap from a LFS because it had a lot of dead heads.

 

 

A new green and orange brain:

 

 

A pavona frag:

 

 

And some shots of other corals:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have started feeding the tank with fauna marins LPS food. And wow! this food is amazing! The corals just eat it up even the ones that wouldn't take mysis or any other foods. I have noticed a slight improvemnet in colour although it's too soon to say for sure.

[Rabidgerbil38]

Awesome tank! I'm sad to hear about your tank crash, I'm sure the sps craving will be back soon

 

How come just 2 of the 6 bulbs? Trouble acclimating the lps the first time?

[xlzerolx]

Been a while since I updated. Here's the latest shots:

 

 

 

[wesley42079]

Nice setup.

 

I just recently ordered the ATI 6x36 Sunpower. Any recommendations before I put it up above my 40 breeder? I'll be stocking mostly lps and chalices.

 

Also, are you still just using 2 bulbs?

[xlzerolx]

Well From what I learned, the 6 bulb set up is overkill for a 40 breeder for keeping anything sps included imo. Lps started losing colour for me and not extending as much. I would recommend hanging it very high up. if you're going with 6 bulbs and it's not dimmable. Or at least have 2-3 bulbs as acitinic to reduce the amount of PAR / light. I have since moved on to LED's for about a year. Was not happy with them.

Right now I'm on the 4 bulb ATI dimmable at 50% on each channel. fixture is about 6 inches from the surface. so in a way i guess you could say I'm still using 2 bulbs but with a better colour mixture. Those last pics were from when I still had LEDs.