Jump to content
Coral Vue Hydros

The Great Salt Lake Reef, Stay Tuned for 2.0


evan127

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 427
  • Created
  • Last Reply

So, in the future I'm planning on moving to Utah. (Specifically Provo.)

 

How does the tank deal with evaporation and is the temperature harder to keep stable?

 

I'm currently residing in Mississippi.

Link to comment

Provo is super up and coming!

 

My total water volume is about 65g. My system is in my basement which never gets above 73F really. I currently have an evaporation rate of just about a gallon a day. That's running my tank at 81-82F

P.S. If you don't have AC and just have a swamp cooler I'm sure the evaporation rate will most likely be much higher.

Link to comment

My tailspot is easily one of my favorite fish I've ever owned. Always is in the water column and when I'm near the tank he hides in his barnacles and stares at me. When he sees my hand go to the surface he comes out and watches it closely with that surprised expression that they always have, haha.

Link to comment

I love my tailspot blenny. I had one about 7 years ago and was easily my favorite fish. I think the tailspot I have now is a close second to my sixline ;)

 

My dragonface pipefish is doing well, but hasn't really spent any time on the rock work. It just keeps to the sand bed (which is fine oolitic sand, no food there) until the pipefish gets tired of the spot its in, makes a lap around the top of the tank and ends back on the sand bed.

 

My rock work has TONS of critters on it. So does my sump with two basketball size bushes of chaeto.

 

I spent a few nights (ok, like every night :happydance: ) leading up to the arrival of my pipefish inspecting my tank with a flashlight and "taking inventory" of all the critters before even buying the pipefish. Hopefully the pipefish finds my rock work and begins chowing down. Until then, the dreaded red bug infestation continues...

Link to comment

So, last night I saw my little pipefish among the rock work. I changed my moonlighting from mimicking the actual lunar calendar to just a steady 3% moonlight of royal blue at 50% from 9pm to 3am. Maybe this encouraged the pipefish to explore the rock work at night?

Link to comment

The reef survived a TEN HOUR POWER OUTAGE today. Everything appears fine, luckily enough. I "turkey basted" the hell out of the tank today with the windows open in the basement. Temps got down to low 70s (damn red bugs are still around though).

 

Will update further

Link to comment

So, I thought I would make a few updates and observations on this quiet and dreary morning.

 

1. The tank survived great on October 1st with a ten hour power outage. Everything made it fine. In fact, things kind of look better oddly enough. The tank is in my basement. It rarely gets above 75 degrees or under 68 degrees down there. Luckily, here in SLC, the temps were in the mid to high 70s on the first. My tank dropped to 75.4 according to my Apex when it booted back on. While the power was out, I opened the window directly adjacent to the tank and used a turkey baster to shoot air into the tank for 5 minutes every half an hour.

 

2. I ordered an EcoTech Vortech battery backup. Duh! Not going to risk it anymore. Especially since this winter is supposed to be snowpocalypse. (I've heard that the last 3 years... SLCers know what I am talking about)

 

3. I dipped my acropora carduus (red dragon) in a Coral RX solution in the hopes of getting rid of these damn red bugs. First attempt a few weeks ago did not work at all. I think it actually worked this time. I will have to double check, but it should be clean :)

 

4. I am switching salts. I am going to start using HW. I've heard nothing but good things. I love that its man made and super pure. Oh, and the 160 gallon mix rating is measured at 1.025sg/35ppt so no more math to figure out how much a bucket will actually last me. :happydance:

 

5. I am also going to start trying Zeovit Pohls Xtra. I thought I'd give it a try. And here come the flamers.... (If this thread wasn't dead inside... -_- )

Link to comment

Good observations Evan! Cept imma have to correct a few things. First, off it's rainy ,not dreary. We live in the desert... enjoy the rain! Go splashing around in some puddles while they're around.

 

Kinda disappointed it took RMP 10hrs to get power back on. How many ppl were without? Never saw a hiccup in WVC

 

Red planet? I see no red planet. CAUSE NO PICS! Part of keeping a good journal is taking lots of pictures. Might also be why the thread is so quiet. We have horrible imaginations. ;)

Link to comment

I definitely enjoy the rain!

 

It was just for our street. It was a scheduled outage for repairs.

 

Red dragon. ;) I also have a red planet. That's doing alright

 

I will update with pics this weekend

Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...

Someone said this thread is lacking in the picture department. So, after a sensor cleaning...

 

Side shot

22313741330_ed7d00e4bf_k.jpg

DSC_0330 by Evan Cronshaw, on Flickr

 

SPS Rock

22475705736_d24cbfb976_k.jpg

DSC_0343 by Evan Cronshaw, on Flickr

 

The newest addition

21878966254_963f09939e_k.jpg

DSC_0364 by Evan Cronshaw, on Flickr

 

And this is why I love chromis

22313748420_e8a61fd163_k.jpg

DSC_0363 by Evan Cronshaw, on Flickr


Looking right

22512757891_f5d4203251_k.jpg

DSC_0329 by Evan Cronshaw, on Flickr

 

Looking left

21880496043_4cdd4b6a28_k.jpg

DSC_0331 by Evan Cronshaw, on Flickr

 

Some of my favorite pieces

21880485403_fb96ba47bb_k.jpg

DSC_0326 by Evan Cronshaw, on Flickr

Link to comment

So, a few updates are in order.

 

First; PICTURES!

 

Second; I have been using this Radion graph for the past few months:

22475941166_cb4f08f334_h.jpgScreen Shot 2015-10-26 at 3.20.11 PM by Evan Cronshaw, on Flickr

 

So far I really like this graph a lot. It took some time to hone in on the right intensity with adequate growth. That 5 hour peak is 100% on all blues/UV and 55% white, 45% green and 45% reds.

 

Third; I have been using Pohls Xtra Special and I love it! Holy sheetski! I am on day 22 and corals have never looked like this before. Very happy with it.

 

Fourth: Battery backup, battery backup, battery backup :)


Woah. Your SPS island is incredible!

Are there any big fish in there?

 

Thanks! I really appreciate that Harry! I am losing my Bonsai to STN :(

 

I took out my lyretail anthias a while ago because she was beating my chromis school to death.

Link to comment

 

 

Thanks! I really appreciate that Harry! I am losing my Bonsai to STN :(

 

I took out my lyretail anthias a while ago because she was beating my chromis school to death.

Any chance of taking a few frags off the bonsai? Might save a few.

 

Your colors looks amazing... might be PMing you for that Radion program! I also have a gen 2 radion with wide angle lenses :)

 

Also might have to try Pohls Xtra Special.... I haven't used any supplements really and am jealous of the colors I see!

Link to comment

Any chance of taking a few frags off the bonsai? Might save a few.

Maybe. I think I have waited too long though to save anything substantial

 

Your colors looks amazing... might be PMing you for that Radion program! I also have a gen 2 radion with wide angle lenses :)

Thanks! I think its more the Radion than the PXS to be honest. PM and I will send you the etg.

 

Also might have to try Pohls Xtra Special.... I haven't used any supplements really and am jealous of the colors I see!

So, I over did it at first and had a bit of cyno and I am still waiting out the diatoms in the sand. Try a different Radion program first and then go from there.

Link to comment

Yea, I kinda did. I have a good regiment now.

 

Diatoms are lingering still. But the cyno is under control. And the brown gelatinous looking algae is being eaten by my tailspot so I don't really mind that stuff.

Link to comment

Dunno why you decided to post pics all of the sudden. It WAS all quite in here, then Harry finally gets a good look at the tank and freaks out. Now you're stuck with him. :lol:

 

The tank is really looking quite good and thank you posting pics.

Also this way, if the Bonsai does die, you'll have something to remember it by.

Link to comment

I got my DSLR sensor cleaned :) Thats why!

 

Hahaha, I'll take Harry in my thread! It'll spruce up the place and make it more entertaining.

 

Thanks, I really really appreciate that. Don't get me started on coral skeletons. You should see my closet..... :o

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions


×
×
  • Create New...