Mark's 40B and 46 bow

[markalot]

stop it and give me your sps.

 

One day man, just keep at it. Oh, and don't crash your tank as bad as I did.

 

In other news, last night I spotted a bit Berghia Nudi chomping down on an aptasia last night. The aptasia's have been moving around so I was hoping the 5 berghias I put in there were active, but this is the first time I've seen one. Compared to the Montipora eating nudibranch these guys are sexy.

[markalot]

Woops.

 

40

 

kh 6.4, Mg 1200, Ca 450

 

46

 

kh 7.5, Mg 1250, Ca 500

 

Looks like I need two cap full of Alk every day to keep up.

[gena]

Visited my local store and was pleasantly surprised to find some new corals, including a damaged stylophora with brilliant green polyps. For $10 I can't resist.

 

I LUV the colors. What a deal!!!!!

[metrokat]

Are you dosing any amino acids or carbohydrates or trace elements for color?

[markalot]

Are you dosing any amino acids or carbohydrates or trace elements for color?

It doesn't seem to be working, but ...

 

Brightwell Coral Amino: 10 drops a day, they recommend 20.

 

Kent Coral Vite: snake oil IMO, but on sale. Just started yesterday.

 

Reef Roids: proven to increase growth, no data on color

 

Reef Chili: smells like poop, similar to the bag you gave me, must be good.

 

My colors will look good for a week, then fade. I "corrected" the low alk problem in my 40 and colors have faded. Might need to drop KH back down to 7 instead of running around 8.

 

The 46 has been an almost constant 8.5 KH and colors are decent, but nothing spectacular.

[metrokat]

I wouldn't dose the coral amino daily as that will lead to nutrient build up. Reef roids and chilli are good foods.

You can try trace elements like potassium and iodine. Kent makes an all in one which also has strontium called Essential Elements.

Zeph is using Acrow power by TLF and likes it, I have yet to try it. One last thing: phytoplankton.

[markalot]

I have said negative things about Eric Borneman in the past, and questioned is actual talent, but I always like to review and re-visit to make sure I'm not making a false assumption. I've been reading his old locked MarineDepot forum for thoughts on coral colors.

 

He always kept a browner tank, he said he liked the look of a more natural reef setting with just hints of the vivid colors. If you are a forum member you can see some pics he posted of his tanks. At times he seems like an egotistical ass, but at others thoughtful but demanding of accuracy. Anyway some good reads over there.

 

My takeaway on color is that I seem to be having a low food issue, as Kat pointed out weeks ago. If I wasn't I would have brown colorless corals, instead I have pale colorless corals. There are some fun threads on color loss and thoughts about how to expect algae, cyano, and other issues when feeding is increased, BUT STICK TO IT and the tank will eventually balance.

 

The thread I'm visiting right now is talking about issues with Zoevit and pale corals, but really is an early version of carbon dosing and pale corals.

 

http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic106755.aspx

 

another color thread: http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic105817.aspx

 

Did I mention I have been dosing vinegar to the 40 and that seems to coincide with more faded colors again. May algae issues are gone, my red planaria (flatworm) issue is subsiding, and my corals look like crap again. Yay for me!

 

 

 

 

 

[metrokat]

Balance is what it is all about. How does that balance happen? PURE STUPID LUCK! and a lot of sleepless nights trying everything else.

Alright, 'nuf kidding. I truly think "time" is the best way to get a balance.

[markalot]

Balance is what it is all about. How does that balance happen? PURE STUPID LUCK! and a lot of sleepless nights trying everything else.

Alright, 'nuf kidding. I truly think "time" is the best way to get a balance.

I agree. I learn more from doing it wrong anyway.

[markalot]

Quick update.

 

The 40 is now running with a bit less light and higher nutrients.

 

-front-

Purple+

AquaticLife 420/460 (a dimmer blue bulb)

Coral+

AquaticLife 420/460

Purple+

Blue+

-back-

 

I've removed the Phosguard and am running with just a small bag of carbon. I am continuing to dose Vinegar for Phosphate and Nitrate removal via the skimmer. If colors don't continue to increase I will back off the vinegar as well.

 

I've also added another fish, which makes this tank a little over stocked. I'm trying a six line wrasse again for hunting flatworms and monti nudis. Reports say he leaves the berghia alone ... I hope! They were out last night finishing off two aptasia on my blue polyp rock. GO TEAM!

 

As far as color, the only positive change I've noticed in the last few days is my strawberry colored acro is starting to get some blinding red spots on it. Note how white the skin of my Forest Fire digitata in the center of the tank is. Skin should be a nice green. This FTS is untouched, except for some exposure compensation, from the camera, but the camera white balance is set so the color looks natural in the viewfinder.

 

[markalot]

A few changes to the 46 as well.

 

I changed the surface skimmer box into a bubble trap for the skimmer output. It's not a perfect fit but the magnets hold it in place. I cleaned both my WP25's because they were getting clogged with bubble algae. While I was at it I removed all the remaining pumps since I have opened up the rockwork a bit. I am planning on putting a 450 GPH pump back under that big rock on the left, once I have it cleaned up.

 

I lost the rainford goby. I know he was around just before I turned the pumps off to get my last set of tank pics, so I really hope I did not kill him when I turned the pumps back on. The neon goby in the 40 was resting inside the WP25 and I caught it and waited till he left, but I don't remember checking in the 46.

 

It may have been an accident, it may have been lack of food since my peroxide treatment, or it may have been something else.

 

anyway ....

 

Today was water change day and I was able to vacuum the sand, easily. I'm not sure why I thought I couldn't with the small grain size, but it was not a problem. Removed a lot of dark brown smelly muck, similar to what i can get out of the 40. Some spaghetti worms died in the process, but I was able to save a few of them.

 

I have removed Phosguard from this tank as well and I am NOT dosing carbon. Just a small bag of carbon in the HOB filter plus chaeto in the mini fuge. Feeding in here has been increased as well, fed the same items on the same schedule as the 40.

 

Color has been steadily improving, and corals moved over from the 40 have shown a marked increase in color, however my second frag of Forest Fire digitata lost all it's green and has not regained it.

 

[markalot]

... and some short videos mainly to show water movement.

 

The 40 has an MP10 on the left in reef crest mode, full power, and a WP25 on the right, second to lowest voltage, wave mode but purposely long to avoid a standing wave.

 

 

The 46 has 2 WP25's both running in Else mode (similar to reef crest but more random). Pumps are running at the lowest voltage, highest speed.

 

[markalot]

I can't stop staring at all these virtual dive tours.

 

http://catlinseaviewsurvey.com/surveys/great-barrier-reef-and-coral-sea/saunders-reef

 

 

I rented a PAR meter from a store I didn't know had one to rent. $6 to rent it until Monday. I have written down a lot of numbers I will post this weekend, but the short version is, in the 40, I have about 340 par in the middle half way down, and 310 on the bottom except for lower values near the side edges. My quick analysis is that because my lights sit just a few inches above the water, and due to the design of the Aquatic Life reflectors, the bottom of the tank receives light from more sources, which means my PAR dropoff is not as much as I would like.

 

In the 46 I had 110 near the middle! I lowered the single T5 to sit near the glass and raised it to 190. Corals had been growing and coloring up slowly, more colorful than the 40, so I will have to ponder these values.

 

Oh, and I did all initial testing in the 40 with the sensor in a fixed spot, glass lids in place. I removed and cleaned the rather dirty glass lids and replaced and it raised the PAR by 5. FIVE.

 

I will do more extensive testing this weekend.

[markalot]

Ok, some PAR details for my tank. Keep in mind these values are applicable for my fixtures and my tank only, however the change in values can give us all an idea what bulbs are brighter than others and by how much. Age of all bulbs tested varies but none have been in use for more than 6 months. Fixtures are Aquatic Life 2 bulb married together (as designed) to make a 6 bulb unit.

PAR meter placed at the measurement location, and my collection of bulbs.



So here's how I tested ...

With a dirty glass lid in place covering all bulbs I used the following.

--BACK--
Blue+
Aquatic Life purple
--test bulb--
Coral+
turned off
turned off
--FRONT--

I kept replacing the bulb in the --test bulb-- slot and measuring PAR. I waiting until PAR maxed, fell, then stabilized as the fixture warmed up, then took the reading. I would say this took about 10 minutes per bulb.

Remember, this measurement is having all the bulbs above + the bulb below. I'm interested in the PAR difference, not the actual PAR value.

247 : ATI Coral+
247 : ATI Aqua Blue Special
243 : ATI Purple+
243 : ATI Blue+
240 : AquaticLife 10000K
231 : Coralife 6700K
217 : AquaticLife Blue 420/460

 

If we take into account the error rate under various lights: http://www.apogeeinstruments.com/aquarium-par-meters/ I think the Blue+ number can probably be increased by a solid 10%, which would yield 267. The Coral+ bulb is advertised to be 50% Blue+, so that would increase it's PAR to 260. Estimates of course. I have no idea how to judge the AB Special.

 

After making measurements I made the following selections with all 6 lamps on, waited 15 minutes, and took a PAR reading ...

 

--BACK--

Blue+

Coral+

AB Special

Coral+

Blue+

Purple+

--FRONT--

 

PAR in the same position above was 345.

 

Moving the sensor down ...

 

 

This position measured 250 PAR

[gena]

Interesting! I need to rent a PAR meter....just out of curiousity. I still love your green slimer the best.

[markalot]

All day today was spent measuring PAR in the 46.

 

A picture makes this easier.

 

 

Yellow numbers are T5 (Coral+, Coral+) in back and a BuildMyLED custom 24" strip in front, angled back.

 

Green numbers are all BuildMyLED. Same fixture in front, 2 24" fixtures in the back. One the standard reef spectrum and a second a custom one I made that simple alternates 6500K white and Royal Blue.

 

Based on these tests I switched to all LED in here now, and dimmed the back fixtures so the spot between the Poci and Birdsnext is reading 200.

 

I will do pumps off PAR readings in the 40 tomorrow.

[markalot]

Results for the 40, red numbers are the initial bulb setup, yellow numbers after I reduced PAR by putting actinics in the front.

 

[markalot]

My reasoning for lower lighting levels is from this incredible photo thread: http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2231380&highlight=forest+fire&page=2

 

Under intense lighting (PAR greater than 300) for this specific coral, I lose the green base (it turns white). Once I placed the coral under a PAR level of 230, I regained my green base.

 

So, for the time being, I am running with the dual actinics and a PAR of 190 for this coral so I can see what happens. I also tried a Blue+ and actinic but that put me at a PAR of 235. I could place an AquaticLife Blue bulb in one of the slots if I want a little more blue. I did not measure but based on past performance that should put PAR right around 210.

 

There is a slight hint of green near the top left of the coral which is being shaded by the purple stylo, so the idea less PAR is better seems to be true.

[markalot]

Based on the above, and because this is my last day with the meter, I adjusted the LED strips on the back of the 46 so the Forest Fire in there gets 206 PAR. This gives me some room since the meter is underestimating the blue.

 

If I owned one of these meters I would never have time for anything else.

[Felicia]

Looks like you've been busy with that PAR meter. I like the most recent FTS's for both tanks. Everything is looking great. I really like the color of the light on your tanks. I like the purple tone that it has

[Walker]

Good work with the PAR meter. I should do that for my tank... although at this point all corals have encrusted and are growing so I dunno how valuable the information is (other than for my knowledge).

 

Your tanks look great . I am impressed that you can run an MP10 and a WP25 together in the 40 - I would have thought that would have been overkill.

[markalot]

Good work with the PAR meter. I should do that for my tank... although at this point all corals have encrusted and are growing so I dunno how valuable the information is (other than for my knowledge).

 

Your tanks look great . I am impressed that you can run an MP10 and a WP25 together in the 40 - I would have thought that would have been overkill.

 

Thanks for visiting. I could really use more flow in the 40. The SPS love the extra flow so I had to remove most of my LPS to the other tank.

[Walker]

Thanks for visiting. I could really use more flow in the 40. The SPS love the extra flow so I had to remove most of my LPS to the other tank.

Ah, that makes more sense. I would have been tempted to add an antisync'd MP10 if I had less euphyllias.

[markalot]

I lost my Wrasse in the 46. He had jumped a week ago, first into the surface skimmer box, then out and behind the tank into a pile of dog hair. I put him back into the tank and he appeared but slowly got worse. First it appeared his tail was partially paralyzed but he was still eating, then not eating, then gone.

 

Yesterday I moved my clownfish from the 40 into the 46. Hopefully he'll be happier here with more things to play in than the 40, but much like in the 40 he stays sideways under the filter output. Hey, at least it's familiar to him or her. Silly clown. I've seen him go half way down in the tank once to check out the firefish, then back up to the top. I suppose a second clown is an option but I've had this one for over a year and introducing a new one does not sound like fun.

 

So, last night after all this excitement I'm looking at both tanks and comparing the same corals. The 46 has incredible color and it's getting better every day without me doing much of anything. Why?

 

Is it the skimmer? I have an Eshoppes skimmer on the back set to skim fairly wet, I empty once every 3 or 4 days. The skimmer on the 40 is never reliable, and right now I'm on day 5 with just a little bit of brown skimmate in the cup. I like having the HOB refugium on the 40, but I am not using it as a refugium, just some extra water volume (a measly 4.5 gallons). I am tempted to abandon it (it's a CPR combo refugium skimmer) and get a new skimmer that's more reliable.

 

I measured phosphates in the 40 using a Red Sea pro kit and I actually have a color I can see, which would put my levels at about .08. Hmmm. I decided not to do anything about it yet.

 

I'm thinking about light, and the fact the 46 has always been a lower light tank and the SPS (no acros) have better color. I actually increased the light in the 46 after doing all my PAR measurements, so will the color start to wash out?

 

Finally, I lost two heads off of one of my branching Frogspawn. It has always set next to my wall frogspawn, both puffed up side by side. The other day I noticed the wall puffed up big time and covering two o fthe heads of the branching. I moved the branching to find the two heads closed up tight. The next day both these heads started shedding tentacles and melting into a clear whitish goo. Now only a single live head remains. Ugly.

[bencollinz]

I'm going through a similar situation with my whipfin fairy wrasse. she hasn't eaten (that I've seen) in a week now, is never out, just stays under her rock in her cocoon.