Mark's 150 (NanoBox Retro)

[markalot]

Finally got some topdowns, using a new shorter topdown box.  I can't get really wide angles, but I can do wider than before.  Here we go.

 

 

 

Palmer's Blue just might, maybe, finally, be showing more blue.  It hates my tank.

 

 

Pinkish milli up high

 

The colony down low, which has some better colors IMO.

 

 

 

[markalot]

One of the two frags that survived the apocalypse.

 

The other, which appears to be tabling.  

 

 The Lokani is movable, I just don't know where to move it.

 

 

Horrida still goes through dieback and then rapid growth.  Seems to prefer the level of flow just below where it gets skin stripped off.

 

Red Robin is good from this angle, but mostly grey brown.

 

 

 

Have to get above the waterline to get this shot.

 

FTS

[slowngreen]

Some of those sps are TOO big, better send me some 

[duncan-junkie]

TEACH ME!!!!! 

[Mariaface]

1 hour ago, duncan-junkie said:

TEACH ME!!!!! 

 

Right?!

[markalot]

3 hours ago, duncan-junkie said:

TEACH ME!!!!! 

 

2 hours ago, Mariaface said:

 

Right?!

 

Thanks   Bigger tanks are easier, remember I can't grow acros in my 40 gallon without them going full turd.  #1 lesson is to stop reacting and keep Alk steady.  Low Alk is better than high Alk.

 

Merry Christmas everyone!

[slowngreen]

How much Cal and Alk do you have to dose daily on this tank?

[markalot]

On 12/26/2017 at 7:36 PM, slowngreen said:

How much Cal and Alk do you have to dose daily on this tank?

Missed this, sorry for the late reply.  

 

120ml each part daily.  I have to purchase TLF concentrated C-Balance in gallon jugs monthly.  A Calcium reactor would easily pay for itself, but I don't like changing things.

[Polarcollision]

Jeeeesus, Mark. I start feeling good about my acro growth and then I look at your tank. You've certainly hit a fabulous growth and color stride. I want so many of your corals and a bigger tank now. Thank you.

[markalot]

On 12/30/2017 at 5:01 PM, Polarcollision said:

Jeeeesus, Mark. I start feeling good about my acro growth and then I look at your tank. You've certainly hit a fabulous growth and color stride. I want so many of your corals and a bigger tank now. Thank you.

 

Thanks Polar!

 

I'm steeling a picture from another forum and posting it here for those of us worried about PO4 levels.

 

This is an Orange Passion at .2 PO4. 

 

[mitten_reef]

 

52 minutes ago, markalot said:

 

Thanks Polar!

 

I'm steeling a picture from another forum and posting it here for those of us worried about PO4 levels.

 

This is an Orange Passion at .2 PO4. 

 

Is this orange passion yours as well?  (You said you stole a pic from the other forum.)

 

The rest of the tank looks amazing! What's the fuzzy guy right above the milka stylo? Is that a rainbow stylo of sort? 

[markalot]

2 hours ago, micoastreefing said:

 

Is this orange passion yours as well?  (You said you stole a pic from the other forum.)

 

The rest of the tank looks amazing! What's the fuzzy guy right above the milka stylo? Is that a rainbow stylo of sort? 

 

I don't have an Orange Passion, I don't pay that much for corals.     There's another greenish with pink tips stylo above the purple stylo, it's a slow grower and not, IMO, very attractive.  

[mitten_reef]

14 minutes ago, markalot said:

There's another greenish with pink tips stylo above the purple stylo, it's a slow grower and not, IMO, very attractive.  

 

 

Shoot, I meant in this little fuzzy guy on the other side of the tank, not the one right next to the purple stylo.

[markalot]

18 hours ago, micoastreefing said:

 

 

 

Shoot, I meant in this little fuzzy guy on the other side of the tank, not the one right next to the purple stylo.

That is a J&L Orchid Stylo.  Looks good with polyps out but, if it's possible, the colors are a bit garish.  With polyps retracted, which this one does seemingly once a month, it looks very odd.    I have this one, a frag on the left side, a frag in the sump, and one in my 40 gallon.  The timing is different in the 40 from here but they all will retract polyps for a day or so about once a month.  Been doing this for over a year now.  Crazy coral.

[4x5]

Tank looks incredible Mark, so nice to see those colonies getting so big. 

[markalot]

On 1/8/2018 at 2:46 AM, 4x5 said:

Tank looks incredible Mark, so nice to see those colonies getting so big. 

 

Thanks Shaun, sorry for the very belated reply.  I have had it, just cranked the doser up to 150ml daily, which means I am now at $50 a month to feed this beast.  It's time to pick the acros I like and I know do well in less than ideal water and chuck the rest.  I need to find some local SPS growers so I can give these things to good homes.    I probably won't do anything for a few months, too lazy, but it needs to happen.  I'll make sure to get plenty of pictures.   

 

KH 6.0.  Grrrr.

[4x5]

5 hours ago, markalot said:

 

Thanks Shaun, sorry for the very belated reply.  I have had it, just cranked the doser up to 150ml daily, which means I am now at $50 a month to feed this beast.  It's time to pick the acros I like and I know do well in less than ideal water and chuck the rest.  I need to find some local SPS growers so I can give these things to good homes.    I probably won't do anything for a few months, too lazy, but it needs to happen.  I'll make sure to get plenty of pictures.   

 

KH 6.0.  Grrrr.

Wow that’s a lot of juice.  Any thoughts on moving the a Ca reactor?

[markalot]

13 hours ago, 4x5 said:

Wow that’s a lot of juice.  Any thoughts on moving the a Ca reactor?

 

I thought about it but it's a recipe for disaster since I've never run one before.  Obviously it would pay for itself rather quickly ... it's one of those things where I'm being stubborn so I'll give myself some time to think about it and see if I change my mind.   I can't even figure out what size I need.  Based on ratings for SPS systems it appears cost with everything will be around 1K ... I might just switch to BRS bulk 2 part and hope I can dial it in.  One benefit I have is that TLF C-Balance is a high concentrate compared to the others so switching and maintaining the same dose will underdose instead of overdosing.

 

Ok, a quick check.  BRS 2 part (Randy Recipe One) requires 107ml to raise Alk by 1KH in 150 gallons, which is the exact same as TLF C-Balance.  The BRS Two part pre-portioned for us lazy people is $13 for a gallon which is about my monthly usage.   

 

That would be a savings of over $400 a year, give or take additional trace and minor elements.  

 

Who's the dumb ass now?    

[jedimasterben]

1 hour ago, markalot said:

Who's the dumb ass now?    

Hey now, don't be putting words in our mouths.

[xiaoxiy]

Have you tried trading frags for two part? 

[markalot]

 

[vlangel]

Wow!

[xiaoxiy]

I swear Mark. Even if you just fragged a few smaller pieces from the green slimer, you could cover your 2 part cost and probably a bit more!

[markalot]

20 minutes ago, xiaoxiy said:

I swear Mark. Even if you just fragged a few smaller pieces from the green slimer, you could cover your 2 part cost and probably a bit more!

 

That's what everyone else does, I think I just want it to keep growing.  I've fragged a few sticks taking aim at other corals, which I swear it does on purpose.   You can see where it laid a hand on both branches of the blue stag, but it lost a short battle with the horrida. 

 

In other odd news, both the slimer and now the pink milli are able to kick xenias butt.  I need to get a good picture of the lower pink milli doing it, the number of filaments it sends out is nothing short of amazing.  

[markalot]

14 hours ago, vlangel said:

Wow!

Thanks Dawn!