Mark's Nanobox Powered 40B -retired-

[1.0reef]

The problem is that LADD has also sold some deformed pairs recently.

[jedimasterben]

The problem is that LADD has also sold some deformed pairs recently.

Not from Bali Aquarich. They're one of the top breeders in the world, crossbreeding with wild clowns so they get hardier fish and they don't sell their culls like ORA and a lot of other farms that just pump out thousands and thousands at a time.

[markalot]

I had the macro lens out, took a few pictures to track acro progress. Let's see if I can keep the Katropora colored up.

 

So far no change, which is good.

 

KBG, which should be a good green.

 

The pink bird, man oh man, it turned any dosed nitrates directly into sex appeal.

 

My random Stylocoeniella frag.

[teenyreef]

The Katropora looks so nice!

[markalot]

I did a water change today, the first in 2 months. Cyano was creeping back so I sucked most of it out of the front along with more of the sandbed.

 

Browned a bit but still happy enough.

 

This frogspawn is so much brighter than any other euphyllia I have.

 

 

I moved the red goni back to the big tank, it is just to big and was stinging everything around it. There are times when I want this tank to be all motion (softies, lps). I think I will give the Acros a little longer to color up, I want to prove to myself I can do it under all LED, then I'll re-evaluate what corals I have in here.

 

 

[vlangel]

I would say mission accomplished! I think all the coral in this tank have beautiful color!

[markalot]

I would say mission accomplished! I think all the coral in this tank have beautiful color!

 

Thanks Dawn!

 

I keep looking at the picture of the 'frogspawn' above and it sure does look more like a hammer than a frogspawn. Hmmm.

[teenyreef]

 

Thanks Dawn!

 

I keep looking at the picture of the 'frogspawn' above and it sure does look more like a hammer than a frogspawn. Hmmm.

That's funny because I was just thinking how it looked a lot like my hammer. Tank is looking great!

[Mariaface]

Definitely looks like a hammer

 

Awesome shots!

[zooman72]

 

Thanks Dawn!

 

I keep looking at the picture of the 'frogspawn' above and it sure does look more like a hammer than a frogspawn. Hmmm.

 

That's funny because I was just thinking how it looked a lot like my hammer. Tank is looking great!

 

Definitely looks like a hammer

 

Awesome shots!

 

Actually, I think it is a E. cristata - a.k.a. "grape coral"...

 

Oh, and nice work!

 

Not that I don't appreciate SPS corals (seriously love the scroll of a big M. capricornis), but I have long desired the movement from LPS and various soft corals, and the fact that they are more "forgiving" than SPS makes it easier to love them...

[beav9900]

 

 

He belly was concave but now is filling out, looking much better than just two days ago. I really do think the back wall of algae helps the algae and pod eaters.

 

What's the blue coral here?

 

Grumpy

Great pic!

[DaveFason]

Tank is looking great Mark.

-Dave

[markalot]

 

 

 

Actually, I think it is a E. cristata - a.k.a. "grape coral"...

 

Oh, and nice work!

 

Not that I don't appreciate SPS corals (seriously love the scroll of a big M. capricornis), but I have long desired the movement from LPS and various soft corals, and the fact that they are more "forgiving" than SPS makes it easier to love them...

 

 

Thanks Zoo. Wow, I didn't even consider a grape coral, I haven't had one for years. FOr some crazy reason I thought they woudl be less colorful than the popular varieties.

 

Great pic!

 

Thanks beav.

 

Tank is looking great Mark.

-Dave

 

Thanks Dave.

 

So removing the goni made me snap, this tank is boring and is starting to look the same as my 150. I don't need all these SPS in here, I need something different from the other tank. The fact I have a grape coral underlines that point ... why do I have that thing tucked in a back corner?

 

So yesterday evening under blue lights I started a rescape. So far nothing has left the tank, just moved around while I figure out what I have to work with. While I was working I found a snail shell on the zoas ... how did that get here. I tossed it in back. Left the tank to dry my hands, came back and the shell was on the Zoas again.

 

Tossed it in back and this time waited. The basslet comes out with this shell, bigger than his head, and spits it out on the zoas. All the fish in here have awesome personalities.

 

So here is the fts after part 1. I put the nanobox in photo mode to take the picture. I want the goni back in here so now I need to figure out where and what I have to remove. Not much has changed other than to scoot and lift up the big pile which is where all SPS that stay here will go. I also hadded a few broken bits of fake stem rock (plastic) with openings large enough for a shrimp but not for Mr Chew. I will need to add peppermints again, tiny baby aptasia everywhere.

 

[zooman72]

Thanks Zoo. Wow, I didn't even consider a grape coral, I haven't had one for years. For some crazy reason I thought they would be less colorful than the popular varieties.

 

I have actually seen them quite a bit here in my neck of the woods, but they are usually labelled as torch or hammer corals. One of the LFS here actually have a couple with really nice coloration (one I saw was a combo of green and orange), but since they don't usually get the polyp extension seen in many hammers or torches, most inexperienced hobbyist just consider them odd morphs...

 

I do envy/ covet your purplish Klyxum sp. - I have been on the lookout out for one locally as I refuse to pay what LiveAquaria or DiversDen want for them...

[markalot]

 

I have actually seen them quite a bit here in my neck of the woods, but they are usually labelled as torch or hammer corals. One of the LFS here actually have a couple with really nice coloration (one I saw was a combo of green and orange), but since they don't usually get the polyp extension seen in many hammers or torches, most inexperienced hobbyist just consider them odd morphs...

 

I do envy/ covet your purplish Klyxum sp. - I have been on the lookout out for one locally as I refuse to pay what LiveAquaria or DiversDen want for them...

 

That one sprig in front looks like a Colt coral but I believe its Capnella. It's very hard to the touch and spreads all over the place and rapidly. It just went through a phase of bending and breaking branches to spread. I saw something called a Colt coral in a local store and it was fantastic with a deep pink coloration in their T8 lit tank. $125 bucks.

[devilsadvocate]

Tank looks great! Love that leather in the corner.

[markalot]

Tank looks great! Love that leather in the corner.

 

Thanks da.

 

Day 2 of the rescape. Didn't remove any corals yet, will probably make a trip to the LFS after thanksgiving.

 

 

I need to get rid of some of those old T5 bulbs.

[teenyreef]

I'm jealous that no matter what you do with the scape it still looks great

 

That basslet with the snail shell cracks me up

[markalot]

I'm jealous that no matter what you do with the scape it still looks great

 

That basslet with the snail shell cracks me up

 

Thanks teeny.

 

So who forgot to tell me PhotoShop has a de-haze option as part of the camera raw filter? It destroys some of the finer detail but does a pretty damn good job.

 

Other than removing the various extra corals I think I'm mostly done. The goni is bigger than I thought it was and it touched the torch a few times but nothing seemed to happen?? I want a gold torch again, it would look awesome just to the right of center. It still makes me sick to remember my old gold torch that I lost when the 150 hit a bad patch. $25 tiny frag grown to 6 big heads.

 

FTS, de-hazed

[teenyreef]

I really like the new scape, Mark, it's well balanced in shapes, sizes, textures, and colors.

 

And that dehaze option is the bomb. So I guess I'm the one that forgot to tell you Like anything else it's easy to make things look oversaturated, but it really helps eliminate glare and cloudiness and make the picture look much more true to life.

[markalot]

How easy is the Gyre to clean?

 

The Tunze pump I have in here is a monster and at full flow will knock water out of the tank. I could really use it on my 150 so I'm thinking about a gyre but it needs to be easy to clean. The Jaebo, while it NEEDS cleaned more oftten, is one of the easiest to clean ... quick disconnect, bring to the tub, etc. This Tunze is damn hard because you have to drag the controller around with it. Perfect for the big tank where I can turn off the pump and point at it and the Foxface will clean it up for me.

[Arce]

How easy is the Gyre to clean?

 

 

When i had the original one when it first came out it was a pita to clean but honestly i think i only had to clean it once. I would still get one though, such an awesome pump. If it wasnt overkill on a 20 id buy one with the black friday deals.

[markalot]

 

When i had the original one when it first came out it was a pita to clean but honestly i think i only had to clean it once. I would still get one though, such an awesome pump. If it wasnt overkill on a 20 id buy one with the black friday deals.

 

This tank grows algae like crazy, everywhere, so that's a concern.

[Arce]

 

This tank grows algae like crazy, everywhere, so that's a concern.

Well iirc you had to pull the cages off to get to the rotors which was annoying and there were smaller parts that had to be taken out. I still think its worth it though. I'm just saying its not like a mp10 that only needs the cage to be pulled off to get to the blades.

[markalot]

Well iirc you had to pull the cages off to get to the rotors which was annoying and there were smaller parts that had to be taken out. I still think its worth it though. I'm just saying its not like a mp10 that only needs the cage to be pulled off to get to the blades.

 

If the cages are easy to take off then that may be all I need, it's the cage that gets clogged in here and except for the front you can't pull anything off a tunze. MP10 is the best for cleaning but I don't want another one.