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Coral Vue Hydros

Mark's 150 (NanoBox Retro)


markalot

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Wow, some serious progress over the weekend Mark but I really like the direction you are taking. Personally I prefer the less rock approach, makes things a little less cluttered and really makes the focus on the corals, particularly when you have large SPS colonies, also increases water flow around the rock which is good for keeping detritus suspended in the water column. I know you have always liked the the more rock approach but I really like what you are doing here :).

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Just want to say I love that giant green staghorn.

 

Thanks.

 

I would totally post a picture of just my cleaner shrimp. ;)

 

fVd6OBE.jpg

 

My Jedi Mindtrick Monti is starting to color up. This browned and half died soon after I added it. Pally juice?

jk0YXLr.jpg

 

Side shot. I am going to get another Mag Rock.

FL4hx4I.jpg

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My Jedi Mindtrick Monti is starting to color up. This browned and half died soon after I added it. Pally juice?

 

 

 

Is that a thing? My jedi frag did exactly the same thing a little bit after being added, then started to color up and repeated. I just finished smothering all of the palys in the tank and it started making progress again; polyps are back out and happy while the flesh is healing up like a champ. I think the apple berry did the same, but it colors up a lot faster.

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Is that a thing? My jedi frag did exactly the same thing a little bit after being added, then started to color up and repeated. I just finished smothering all of the palys in the tank and it started making progress again; polyps are back out and happy while the flesh is healing up like a champ. I think the apple berry did the same, but it colors up a lot faster.

 

Ah,

 

I have a tiny spec of apple berry left on a plug. Whenever I would kill pallys it would die back. Some corals must be extremely sensitive while others are not.

Take mine, it's up for grabs.

 

I only see a tree, I don't see the mag rock in the garage sale. Do you have the large or Junior?

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Thanks.

 

I would totally post a picture of just my cleaner shrimp. ;)

 

 

Sometimes it's easy to forget how some of the most simple and cheapest things in this hobby are the most enjoyable.

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I could not tolerate my frag rack solution so I re-did it so stag island can be enjoyed without the rack getting in the way.

 

XDm4w8Z.jpg

 

I'm not happy with the superman fortress stick in the front either, it takes away from the island. I need more spots for corals so I'm perusing different tanks I like to see what looks good.

 

This solution does restrict flow and makes it difficult to clean the sandbed on the left side (right side can be raised). Not ideal at all, I need to purge a lot of these frags.

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Markalot! It sounds like you're aquascaping!

Who are you and what have you done with Mark?!

:):flower:

 

I think the end result will prove it's still me. :D

 

So ORP is useless but a fun curiosity, right?

 

So out of curiosity, why has my ORP been rising since the weekend rescape?

SCTW4gQ.png

 

Again I'm looking askance at that other big shelf rock. From the LFS that changed owners, looked like a giant efflo skeleton, source unknown, previous owner unknown.

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It is done, for now. I have to solve my collector problem before I can really finish the tank. I'm happy. The pallys are gone, and nothing was lost.

 

See, all done.

 

16emCXb.jpg

 

Oh...

EQ4FdvT.jpg

 

Seriously.

zDtRLbl.jpg

 

I raised the frag area up for flow, and I'm using my DIY frag rack on the left glass to hold stragglers.

 

Another view.

1Lsi8gL.jpg

 

From the chair.

1f8hMeP.jpg

 

First step is to recognize you have a problem, right? I'm a fragaholic.

 

I do like collecting though so it may stay like this a while. I love looking at my frags.

Wow, I had some catching up to do with your tank! Big changes...and hey, its what you enjoy about the hobby that should matter. If you love collecting and looking at frags, you put that rack where you can see and enjoy them. Thats what I say!
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So here's where I'm at today. My hands and arms are chapped, damn saltwater. :D

 

DOaelRb.jpg

 

vSzIiwC.jpg

 

I have a few coral placement ideas, still working on it though.

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I like the new scape! the green slimer looks beautiful standing out by itself. Kind of like a saguaro cactus in the desert B)

 

So I hate to say this because I love frags. But to me, the white eggcrate kind of sticks out and distracts the eye from the main structure of the tank. I like the idea of having a dedicated frag area, but have you thought about some kind of frag rack that blends in more? Do they make clear egg crate? I don't think the frags themselves look bad, it's just the rack itself.

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I like the new scape! the green slimer looks beautiful standing out by itself. Kind of like a saguaro cactus in the desert B)

 

So I hate to say this because I love frags. But to me, the white eggcrate kind of sticks out and distracts the eye from the main structure of the tank. I like the idea of having a dedicated frag area, but have you thought about some kind of frag rack that blends in more? Do they make clear egg crate? I don't think the frags themselves look bad, it's just the rack itself.

 

I just made it so it's super white, but yea, I would like to get something darker or somehow eliminate it all together.

 

Oh, duh.

 

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/black-egg-crate-for-aquariums-2-x-2-square.html

 

That was easy. :)

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Lots of goodies arrived today. 2 mag rocks (getting a third 'aged' rock from Kat), 2 mag frag plugs, and my fake reef branches (resin rock). This stuff is cool, nice shape and lots of places for acros.

 

So don't tell anyone but 3 days ago I dosed Zeospur 2. The first time I used this stuff at 1/4 dose and nothing happened. This time I used 1/3 dose and almost nothing happened except for the teal stag which has lost most of it's brown. Perfect! :D I looked hard but did not see any changes for the positive or negative to any other acros.

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Lots of goodies arrived today. 2 mag rocks (getting a third 'aged' rock from Kat), 2 mag frag plugs, and my fake reef branches (resin rock). This stuff is cool, nice shape and lots of places for acros.

 

So don't tell anyone but 3 days ago I dosed Zeospur 2. The first time I used this stuff at 1/4 dose and nothing happened. This time I used 1/3 dose and almost nothing happened except for the teal stag which has lost most of it's brown. Perfect! :D I looked hard but did not see any changes for the positive or negative to any other acros.

Hmmm, that's interesting!

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I was wrong, these maricutured frags really changed over the last few days. This is a new color for me.

 

P2D8COQ.jpg

 

 

So here's the largest piece placed in the tank. Scape wise it doesn't work that well, at least now, but it provides a lot of spaces for frags and the fish love it.

qejLbSW.jpg

 

2Ru8yzv.jpg

 

V1PEjqq.jpg

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I could not tolerate my frag rack solution so I re-did it so stag island can be enjoyed without the rack getting in the way.

 

XDm4w8Z.jpg

 

I need to purge a lot of these frags.

 

Holy changes Mark! Looks really good tho, definitely liking the less rock look. It can be limiting in where you can place things but it helps you to be more selective as well.

 

1 thing I would consider if it were my tank is scraping the background.... I know you've vetoed it before but I think with the new scape it would be a nice fresh start there as well and with a more open look may be even more appealing now then ever. Also adding with adding the mag rocks it will likely help them and the corals on them stand out a bit more and look more like islands in the distance and add more dimension/ depth to the tank. Just a thought :)

 

If only my tank was up to par right now I'd try to convince you that purge = ship LOL

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Holy changes Mark! Looks really good tho, definitely liking the less rock look. It can be limiting in where you can place things but it helps you to be more selective as well.

 

1 thing I would consider if it were my tank is scraping the background.... I know you've vetoed it before but I think with the new scape it would be a nice fresh start there as well and with a more open look may be even more appealing now then ever. Also adding with adding the mag rocks it will likely help them and the corals on them stand out a bit more and look more like islands in the distance and add more dimension/ depth to the tank. Just a thought :)

 

If only my tank was up to par right now I'd try to convince you that purge = ship LOL

What do you mean? Purge DOES equal ship!

 

To me at least :)

 

He has more room for frags on his frag rack than I do in both my tanks put together :lol:

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