jedimasterben Posted July 25, 2013 Author Share Posted July 25, 2013 Took the purple gorg out today. Clipped all of the ends off of it and any branches that had any algae or dead bits, and put it back in, an hour later and I see some polyp extension!. Also took out the goniopora I got from reef chicks (that thing didn't particularly survive shipping, just went downhill, was pretty in places though ) and the big wall hammer. le sigh. I those pieces together cost around $120 or so. Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted July 27, 2013 Author Share Posted July 27, 2013 Went to the coast today. I went to the LFS I wanted to go to last weekend, picked up four $5 SPS pieces. Two digitatas (one brown, one purplish brown), one green birdsnest, and one greenish-greyish acropora without branches (but encrusted on the plug like you wouldn't believe). Also picked up a neon green-polyped leather at petco, it was 50% off and I've been looking at it for months now. There was only one guy working back there and a few people to take care of, so he put in a little single polyp of a zoa and a small red mushroom. Glued them to their own little bit of rock because I couldn't figure out where I wanted them. While I was over there, I stopped by one Asian grocery to find some masago (capelin eggs). Unfortunately, all they had was flavored (has soy sauce and a few other things). Matt Wandell (of the California Academy of Sciences) has said that really they just need to be rinsed really well and should be fine, so I did just that. Rinsed them for around 3 minutes or so, and they went from a bright orange color to a dark yellow (the eggs start out as a light yellow right out of the fish). Dumped them in, and the fish immediately went apeshit. I'm a believer.... and I think that armed with them, I may be gearing up for Psuedanthias tuka.... The caulerpa is definitely out of control, and I'm gonna need to trim it back, it is actually dying in places and breaking apart, which gets all over the powerheads. I have to say, these Tunzes need to be cleaned far more often than the Vortechs since they have smaller intake holes. Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted July 27, 2013 Author Share Posted July 27, 2013 Oh, and just ordered the Salintiy expansion and Wifi attachment for the Reef Angel. That thing is getting hooked up finally! Huzzah! Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted July 27, 2013 Author Share Posted July 27, 2013 The green digitata I got last week (and broke into pieces) has now covered over some of the white spots where it was broken off. Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted July 28, 2013 Author Share Posted July 28, 2013 Went BACK to the coast today to pick up a 29g tank and a 10g tank from Petco to take advantage of the last few days of the $/gallon sale. While I was there, I went to an LFS to poke around, and I saw something I've never seen before, but have drooled over on Liveaquaria. Lori's anthias, Psuedoanthias lori This one is hiding a lot and has rested the entire time it's been in the tank. The ride home must have stressed it out a lot more than the other, they ate like monsters in the store. POLYPS! moar polyps Photobombed Check it out. The pink goniopora in the center and the orange echinata behind it, I had completely written off about a month ago. The green digitata has been like that for several months now, hasn't grown, but hasn't receded. This is the broken green digi - it has almost completely covered over the breaks. And maxi-minis just because. I moved the powerheads around, now one is in the far back left corner next to the overflow, and the other is in the far right side on the back of the tank, both point towards the middle. I like the flow they give there, and it looks a bit better IMHO. Tomorrow I'm going to thin out the caulerpa forest. I think I might move the rockwork around a bit to move it forward and put the caulerpa all along the back of the tank. Might look like a green, flowing backdrop, might look like crap, I'll find out. Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted July 28, 2013 Author Share Posted July 28, 2013 Just ordered pairs of 3000K Bridgelux and 5600K Bridgelux and 50° Ledil reflectors for the new planted 40B (what this old sump will go to). Hopefully I can get it all done before Mariah gets back Link to comment
Deleted User 4 Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Hey man, I noticed you have a royal gramma. How are you liking the fish? I'm planning on getting one. Link to comment
metrokat Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 New Anthias is cute. But you didn't QT, still playing with fire Benny. The pictures look good, I'm so happy you are (possibly) going slow with this tank. It really is the best thing you can do for your system. Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted July 28, 2013 Author Share Posted July 28, 2013 Hey man, I noticed you have a royal gramma. How are you liking the fish? I'm planning on getting one. They're great little fish. Very shy, they do not like large or boisterous fish, and they need places to hide. I do not have enough variation in the rockwork as it is, and it is not the happiest right now. One would die very quickly from stress in your tank. Plus they get to their adult size fairly quickly, which is about 3.5". You need to either stick to stuff like gobies (neons are great, so are rusty) and other small stuff like barnacle blennies, or get a tank that is larger than eight gallons. New Anthias is cute. But you didn't QT, still playing with fire Benny. I know, but you don't QT either. The pictures look good, I'm so happy you are (possibly) going slow with this tank. It really is the best thing you can do for your system. Yep, now to let it sit for a while and see if those corals start adding on more mass. I'll hopefully be able to get the glass cut for the new sump baffles by Tuesday, then I should be able to put it on the tank by Thursday. I actually still have the baffles from the 20 long I had in the beginning, but they're only 10" tall, which would make the return section a whopping six gallons - which means that, by default, the pump would pull in air 24/7. Link to comment
Deleted User 4 Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 I'm getting one anyways. Lol. But yeah, thanks for the tips. Link to comment
eitallent Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 Ben, looks like everything is smooth sailing for you! Excellent. Link to comment
gena Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 New anthias is REALLY cute! Did you name it Lori? Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 I kinda thought about it lol, but what would I name the other one? That one still doesn't look so hot. Was laying in the same spot that it was yesterday, the other one is hanging out with the leopard wrasse all day, roaming around. Picked at some Hikari mysis, didn't inhale it yet, but it was watching the leopard wrasse, and started going after tiny bits. So the purple gorg that I have so much trouble keeping algae growth off of had some algae growth again. WTF?!?! There is no algae anywhere else in the tank! Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 So if I started building small evil clusters (single Bridgelux, two RB Luxeon M, two blue Rebel, four hyper violet), do you guys think they would sell? Cost would be around $300 and would light a roughly 18" cube-ish, I'd have to get one built and get the PAR meter out to test it out. Would be on a MakersLED heatsink, two-channel manual dimming or 0-10v control (PWM would be different drivers with no manual dimming, but would be available at a bit less cost). I'll be selling my LEDs that I'm using currently (the Rebels, not the evil cluster I just built) in the same fashion unless someone wants me to build a fixture for a larger tank. If anyone has interest in that, PM me. Link to comment
eitallent Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 I am sure they would sell if you got the word out. Nice images and documentation (spectrum graphs and PAR data) would be great too. Marketing is everything when there is so much competition out there. Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 I wasn't particularly thinking of getting THAT fancy, really (I mean heck, it is still just DIY), but good ideas Link to comment
gena Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 I kinda thought about it lol, but what would I name the other one? That one still doesn't look so hot. Was laying in the same spot that it was yesterday, the other one is hanging out with the leopard wrasse all day, roaming around. Picked at some Hikari mysis, didn't inhale it yet, but it was watching the leopard wrasse, and started going after tiny bits. So the purple gorg that I have so much trouble keeping algae growth off of had some algae growth again. WTF?!?! There is no algae anywhere else in the tank! True...I overlooked that you got two. I was just so fascinated with the one cutey (and her two buddies) smiling in the photo. Wonder what's up with your gorgs? Link to comment
eitallent Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 I wasn't particularly thinking of getting THAT fancy, really (I mean heck, it is still just DIY), but good ideas I think your Jedi LED light skills are worthy of fancy. Plus it may help the LED challenged, like me, to understand what they are getting and more likely to buy from you. Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 True...I overlooked that you got two. I was just so fascinated with the one cutey (and her two buddies) smiling in the photo. Wonder what's up with your gorgs? I have no idea. I went home for lunch today, and the lights had been on for around 1.5 hours (they come on at 11ish) and the gorg had full polyp extension, even over the little bit that had algal growth. WTF All my SPS looked happy, too I think your Jedi LED light skills are worthy of fancy. Plus it may help the LED challenged, like me, to understand what they are getting and more likely to buy from you. Very true, but most people only look for PAR numbers, and usually don't even know what it actually means, but more is better, but cheap is best. Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 Glass is ordered and should already be cut, but will be picked up tomorrow. Also, remind me not to put light power into xanthophylls! http://www.reefsmagazine.com/forum/reefs-magazine/145122-light-intensity-requirements-shallow-tidepool-coral.html Link to comment
hung8489 Posted July 29, 2013 Share Posted July 29, 2013 Also, remind me not to put light power into xanthophylls! http://www.reefsmagazine.com/forum/reefs-magazine/145122-light-intensity-requirements-shallow-tidepool-coral.html Please provide cliff notes version of this article... Link to comment
jedimasterben Posted July 29, 2013 Author Share Posted July 29, 2013 I don't know if I really can lol, but here goes: Photosynthesis uses certain pigments. Chlorophyll and peridinin are what do the bulk of photosynthesis, with certain lesser pigments filling in the blanks. If a coral is exposed to too much light, the Xanthophyll pigments start to take over and absorb light to prevent damage to the zooxanthellae. The xanthophyll cycle is what acts, and converts the diadinoxanthin pigment to diatoxanthin, using most of that extra energy (light) they are receiving, and releasing it as heat. So, the coral is heating up inside, but is being protected from too much light. Even in shallow water corals, the photosaturation and photoinhibition levels are very low - in the 150-300 PAR range, surprisingly. Link to comment
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