D Z Posted October 8, 2014 Author Share Posted October 8, 2014 For nitrate and ph, I still use my old Seachem basic test kit, but will probably get a salifert or red sea when it runs out. I use a hanna for testing phosphate, and red sea for calcium, alk, and mag. The hanna checkers definitely make it easy as you do not have to compare colors and what not, but they are quite expensive. I would definitely recommend one for phosphate, though. Link to comment
theishkid Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Yea I was thinking about getting the phosphate and the calcium checker. Link to comment
D Z Posted October 27, 2014 Author Share Posted October 27, 2014 Man, I just realized I haven't posted on this thread in 2 weeks.....been way too long. Honestly, I haven't had much to say regarding this tank. Not much has changed, it has just been moving along nicely. I have been so busy with remodeling the house that it has been a struggle to even find the energy to feed the tank at the end of the night. Friday, while talking to AlexB, I realized that I hadn't even done a water change in 4 weeks or so. So I did a water change Friday night and a bunch of water testing to see where things were at. Ph: 7.9 Nitrate: 1-2ppm Phosphate: 0.06 Calcium: 400 Alk: 7.5 Mag: 1380 Then, after the water change: Calcium: still at 400(dosed 12.5ml of reef code A, so it should be up closer to 420 now) Alk: 7.7 Mag: 1400(need to just let this come down a bit, but not bad) So all in all, not too bad. I would like the phosphates slightly lower, but it is not bad where it is at. I am seeing some algae growth, but nothing to be too worried about. The rocks are definitely starting to have some color to them, not just the bright white like when the tank was brand new. I still have a long ways to go before I can consider this to be matured, but I feel like I am on the right track. I have been having some difficulties with keeping everything 100% happy lately. Both of my cyphastrea frags have not been the healthiest. I have a hard time finding a spot that is not too much light, without having them hidden off on the right side of the right rock structure. I am starting to think I may just leave them over there to heal up and then just sell them and put the money towards something that would be better fit for this tank. Everything else seems to be happy, though. So coral con was this weekend. Unfortunately, I was way too busy working on finishing up the nursery for my son that is about to be born into the world. My wife is about 2 weeks from her due date, but the doctors are saying it could be any day now. When I started the nursery 2 weeks ago, it was purely a bare room, bare white walls, no moldings, nothing. Not bad for 2 weeks of work on top of normal daily life. Here is a picture I took on Saturday after we finished somewhat setting things up: 20141023_220020 by cchsoracle, on Flickr Luckily, I can say that having good friends can really come in handy. AlexB hooked it up and grabbed me a couple frags while he was at CoralCon on Saturday! He is going to hold on to them for me for a couple weeks until I can get past the birth of my new son. As anxious as I am to get them, I know they are in good hands so I couldn't be happier. Here are some shots that he sent me of the 2 new pieces: Pearlberry IMG_1033 by cchsoracle, on Flickr Pink Lemonade IMG_1032 by cchsoracle, on Flickr Other than that, I don't have much else to report other than a couple pictures that I took on Saturday: 20141025_195738 by cchsoracle, on Flickr 20141025_195745 by cchsoracle, on Flickr 20141025_195758 by cchsoracle, on Flickr I am really having trouble with FTS, but here is the best I got. 20141025_195727 by cchsoracle, on Flickr Link to comment
Alex B Posted October 27, 2014 Share Posted October 27, 2014 Everything looks good man. Gotta fill up they ricordea garden Link to comment
D Z Posted October 27, 2014 Author Share Posted October 27, 2014 Everything looks good man. Gotta fill up they ricordea garden. Thanks bro! Yeah, I'm still planning on grabbing a couple more from you when I come to get the Pearlberry and Pink Lemonade. Link to comment
D Z Posted October 28, 2014 Author Share Posted October 28, 2014 I have become so busy in life lately, that finding the time and energy to feed the tank has become quite the chore. I usually try to throw some NLS pellet in when I get home from work, but I don't always remember. Then, right before I go to bed, usually after the lights have already gone off for the night, I have just started making these concoctions to just dump in....lol. Last night was: a squirt of Oyster Delight a drop of MB7(haven't dosed this in quite a while) a drop of ZeoBak a drop of Coral Vitalizer .5ml of Pohl's Extra I just mix it all together with a little RODI and dump it in. So far, I have not seen anything negative come of it, but my question is: Is there anything bad that could happen by mixing food that the coral and fish will ingest with bacteria supplements like MB7 and ZeoBak? In other news, I tested my Calcium and Alk again last night. Calcium was spot on 420 and Alk was just a tad low at 7.5. I dosed about 3ml of Alk which should put me close to 7.8. Now I just need to monitor every couple of days to try to figure out what my average drop is so I can try to get a good dosing schedule down. I don't expect it to be much as I only have 1 acro for SPS, but I still do need to stay on top of things and want the levels stable for when I add the Pearlberry and Pink Lemonade in a couple weeks. Link to comment
D Z Posted November 5, 2014 Author Share Posted November 5, 2014 No tank related news as i havent even seen the tank in 2 days but im happy to announce my newest frag! Baby Cole! 7lbs, 20inches, born as the sun came up at 6:31am yesterday morning. 20141104_112239 by cchsoracle, on Flickr Link to comment
Reefkid88 Posted November 5, 2014 Share Posted November 5, 2014 Congrats man,that's awesome !! Link to comment
D Z Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share Posted November 6, 2014 Congrats! Thanks! Congrats man,that's awesome !! Thank you....its been a very exciting 48 hours. Link to comment
hey Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 congrats, welcome to the club of sleep deprived daddies! Link to comment
Alex B Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 You need a bigger tank for that frag. I hear they are super fast growers!!! Link to comment
metrokat Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Congratulations on the new frag!!! Link to comment
ninjamyst Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 congrats!!!! remember low flow and low light with frequent feeding in the beginning =) Link to comment
Dramad1 Posted November 6, 2014 Share Posted November 6, 2014 Congrats on the new baby Link to comment
D Z Posted November 6, 2014 Author Share Posted November 6, 2014 congrats, welcome to the club of sleep deprived daddies! Thanks! I have a 4yo too so been there, done that. You need a bigger tank for that frag. I hear they are super fast growers!!! LOL! Congratulations on the new frag!!! Thanks! congrats!!!! remember low flow and low light with frequent feeding in the beginning =) Awesome! Ill leave that to mommy! Congrats on the new baby Thank you! Link to comment
hey Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 My first one has slept all night every night since 6 weeks, 7p-7a lol, my second will pull this wake up randomly every hour or so the entire night crap that kills me the next day, or even just wake up at 4am and decide you know what its play time. He's 6 months so hopefully we will be getting away from that shortly lol. Link to comment
lilmatty5dimes Posted November 7, 2014 Share Posted November 7, 2014 congrats on the new addition to your family. i would say in 2 weeks thats a killer job on the nursery. Link to comment
D Z Posted November 11, 2014 Author Share Posted November 11, 2014 My first one has slept all night every night since 6 weeks, 7p-7a lol, my second will pull this wake up randomly every hour or so the entire night crap that kills me the next day, or even just wake up at 4am and decide you know what its play time. He's 6 months so hopefully we will be getting away from that shortly lol. Gotta love that wanting to party in the middle of the night. My little guy still has his nights and days mixed up, so we have been up a lot through the night. It was definitely to be expected, just gotta get through the next couple of weeks and it should get better. Luckily, he is as cute as ever so even when completely exhausted, he still makes you smile every time! congrats on the new addition to your family. i would say in 2 weeks thats a killer job on the nursery. Thanks man, it was definitely crunch time. Glad I got it done when I did! So a friend of mine has let me temporarily borrow her DSLR! Figured I would share a couple more pictures of our beautiful baby Cole. IMG_5166 by cchsoracle, on Flickr These feet are just so cute! IMG_5065 by cchsoracle, on Flickr IMG_5125 by cchsoracle, on Flickr IMG_5114 by cchsoracle, on Flickr And this was the view from the hospital. Was a pretty cool place. For anyone in the central Florida area that is having kids, do yourself a favor and check out Winnie Palmer. Such an amazing experience. IMG_5138 by cchsoracle, on Flickr And I might have used the DSLR for my tank too....shhhh! Plate starting to split! IMG_5201 by cchsoracle, on Flickr Duncans IMG_5197 by cchsoracle, on Flickr My awesome purple torch IMG_5193 by cchsoracle, on Flickr Acans looking all puffy IMG_5189 by cchsoracle, on Flickr IMG_5206 by cchsoracle, on Flickr Unknown Acro IMG_5214 by cchsoracle, on Flickr Ric Garden that I need to add more to. IMG_5207 by cchsoracle, on Flickr An our beloved Scampi IMG_5210 by cchsoracle, on Flickr I got a chance to take a couple interesting natural daylight pics. I don't even usually get to see my tank through the day like this, so this was fun. IMG_5185 by cchsoracle, on Flickr IMG_5188 by cchsoracle, on Flickr Last but not least, some FTS at an angle and from the side IMG_5242 by cchsoracle, on Flickr IMG_5248 by cchsoracle, on Flickr Link to comment
D Z Posted November 11, 2014 Author Share Posted November 11, 2014 Also, wanted to record my latest water testing. Happy to say I think I have found a balance: Nitrate: under 1ppm Phosphate: 0.0 Calcium: 425 Alk: 7.8 Mag 1400 Link to comment
lilmatty5dimes Posted November 11, 2014 Share Posted November 11, 2014 Great shots of the little man. He's a cute one. Tank looks great. Link to comment
D Z Posted November 12, 2014 Author Share Posted November 12, 2014 Great shots of the little man. He's a cute one. Tank looks great. Thanks! Link to comment
aquariumlover10 Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 Have you trained the shrimp to eat out of your hand yet? Link to comment
ninjamyst Posted November 12, 2014 Share Posted November 12, 2014 cute pictures of Cole, and your tank looks amazing. Link to comment
D Z Posted November 12, 2014 Author Share Posted November 12, 2014 Have you trained the shrimp to eat out of your hand yet? Yes, actually it wasn't hard at all. When I bought the shrimp, I asked the LFS employee if he minded if I put my hand in the tank to see if it would clean my finger, and it did. First night home, I fed the tank with mysis and it loved it. I just held a mysis by the tail and it swam up and flipped over, grabbed onto my fingers and started eating the mysis. My wife now calls him a carnivore for eating mysis, lol. Feeding time is always fun cause both of my clowns eat from my fingers as well. cute pictures of Cole, and your tank looks amazing. Thanks bro! He is such a cutie, and so photogenic! Tank is starting to come together. I can't wait to get my 2 pieces from Alex B. It will help fill out the left side as I am planning on placing them on the top of the left rock structure. I need to get some more rics to fill in the garden too. And Some more zoas to just generally fill things in and bring it all together. Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.