Bommie SPS (Uwdanno)

[uwdanno]

On ‎10‎/‎16‎/‎2018 at 9:58 AM, Lula_Mae said:

Hope you keep the zoa rock, it's neat! And that gorg is huge lol. For the one that's overrunning--I believe Natalia uses a line of superglue to help contain unruly corals and wonder if something like that might help? I think she applies as needed with water changes. I don't know much about sps or how visible it would be. 

Definitely keeping the zoa rock, though I may relocate it to the foot of the SPS rock and make a new structure on the right. I'll give the glue a shot. The growth rates are STRESSING me out! I am really worried that the Psammy could end up choking all the SPS out. If I can't stop it, at some point next year I will have to frag into colonys and restart the rock.

 

On a positive note - I officially sold the Jawbreaker colony last night! My LFS now has 50 Jawbreakers to sell.

[uwdanno]

Rescape is slowly coming into place. Still need to get rid of the Frogspawn and green Favia. Sorry for the wild cell phone colors

 

 

 

[dferrari13]

Your tank makes me pissed I didn't go with the 20 gallon 😫 looking great!!

[uwdanno]

My encrusting corals are choking out my SPS. The SPS is so dense at the top that i can’t get to encrusting corals to stop them. I am positive within a year they encrusters will be covering and killing my SPS colony’s. I am thinking fragging the big chucks of SPS colony’s and doing a complete rescape with brand new rock dry rock (BRS). Basically old rocks out- new rocks in.

 

I would cycle all the new dry rock in a bucket for two months but I am curious what it’ll do to the stability of the tank and how my SPS will react with the newly cycled rock. Has any done this?

[MrObscura]

What kind of uncrusting corals? I have some encrusting montis on my rock  near my other sps and I'm getting a little nervous about them encroaching on them. 

 

I've seen some people say they overgrown everything while others say they lose out to anything they touch, so I was just going to leave them be, but now idk. I might attach them to the back glass instead while they're still frags. 

[Joevember]

I just read through this whole thread, you have a very nice lookin tank! 

I'm going to have a very similar setup to you, and have a couple questions. How high do you mount your radion? And what glass cleaner do you have?

[uwdanno]

17 hours ago, MrObscura said:

What kind of uncrusting corals? I have some encrusting montis on my rock  near my other sps and I'm getting a little nervous about them encroaching on them. 

 

I've seen some people say they overgrown everything while others say they lose out to anything they touch, so I was just going to leave them be, but now idk. I might attach them to the back glass instead while they're still frags. 

The Psammocora. Its a really cool encrusting/branching coral. Very vivid green and has a cool fuzzy look too it. 

 

If you have encrusting corals, I would definitely advise you to try to isolate them on an island or rock put them in a place that you can control growth. I'd bet on them beating out your SPS. 

 

14 hours ago, Joevember said:

I just read through this whole thread, you have a very nice lookin tank! 

I'm going to have a very similar setup to you, and have a couple questions. How high do you mount your radion? And what glass cleaner do you have?

Thanks, its been a fun journey. My guess is my Radion is ~11 inches from the top of the tank. I am using a custom schedule but the lights peak at 83% intensity. 

 

In other news. I did a notable rescape and added two SPS - Red Dragon and Luminizer Acro (from Vivid). I'll post pics once the sand bed settles again. 

[Polarcollision]

On 10/28/2018 at 10:24 AM, uwdanno said:

My encrusting corals are choking out my SPS. The SPS is so dense at the top that i can’t get to encrusting corals to stop them. I am positive within a year they encrusters will be covering and killing my SPS colony’s. I am thinking fragging the big chucks of SPS colony’s and doing a complete rescape with brand new rock dry rock (BRS). Basically old rocks out- new rocks in.

 

I would cycle all the new dry rock in a bucket for two months but I am curious what it’ll do to the stability of the tank and how my SPS will react with the newly cycled rock. Has any done this?

I did when it became clear aptasia had won. I used cycled rock from the LFS. It’s been 2 years on the new rocks and I don’t regret the trouble of making the swap. I think nitrates, ammonia, nitrites and phosphate have to be more closely monitored for a while, but pH, alk, and Ca were more stable with the fresh rock and sand.

 

kalk paste with a syringe on the encrustedrs?

[MrObscura]

I think I'll be moving my encrusting montis to the back glass. 

[uwdanno]

Current scape. I just need a to find a new home for the Gorg and I am done.

 

 

[Joevember]

Looks great! Awesome colors on those sps.

[Jax15]

Hi Uwdanno, 

 

I've followed your tank for a while, I absolutely love it. The scape, the growth, the livestock diversity - it's been a model to me of what's possible with a nuvo 20 and reefing with limited water volume. I have a similar setup:

 

Nuvo 20 Fusion 

Nanobox Duo +M light 

Reefglass skimmer 

Autoaqua ATO

Doser feeding BRS 2 part

Vortech mp10 powerhead

 

It's been doing okay, but I've had a lot of depressing coral loss and not much growth. After it hit 1+ year old it stabilized a bit, and I had a renewed commitment to keeping it uber stable. But I just cant seem to get results like what you have here. So I'm hoping you can share your thoughts and strategy once again. What do you ultimately attribute your success to? Are there any special things you do? Do you tend to keep you lights higher/dimmer, any particular spectrum? Do you use a par meter for coral placement? Your tank looks amazing, I'd love to try and learn from your success. 

 

My params stay pretty constant around:

 

Temp - 78 +/- 1 degree

Sal - 1.025

KH - 9.4, with about .5 fluctuation 

Cal - 440

Mg - 1400

Phos - <0.25

No detectible nitrates/nitrites

Ph - 7.9 morning - 8.2 night

 

I use RODI, RedSea coral pro salt, 15-20% WC every 10-12 days or so, dose small amount of Red Sea Coral Colors trace elements 1x between water changes. 

 

See photos. Any ideas for a fellow reefer?

 

 

[Jax15]

Quick ping 🙂

[uwdanno]

On 11/9/2018 at 1:09 PM, Jax15 said:

Hi Uwdanno, 

 

I've followed your tank for a while, I absolutely love it. The scape, the growth, the livestock diversity - it's been a model to me of what's possible with a nuvo 20 and reefing with limited water volume. I have a similar setup:

 

Nuvo 20 Fusion 

Nanobox Duo +M light 

Reefglass skimmer 

Autoaqua ATO

Doser feeding BRS 2 part

Vortech mp10 powerhead

 

It's been doing okay, but I've had a lot of depressing coral loss and not much growth. After it hit 1+ year old it stabilized a bit, and I had a renewed commitment to keeping it uber stable. But I just cant seem to get results like what you have here. So I'm hoping you can share your thoughts and strategy once again. What do you ultimately attribute your success to? Are there any special things you do? Do you tend to keep you lights higher/dimmer, any particular spectrum? Do you use a par meter for coral placement? Your tank looks amazing, I'd love to try and learn from your success. 

 

My params stay pretty constant around:

 

Temp - 78 +/- 1 degree

Sal - 1.025

KH - 9.4, with about .5 fluctuation 

Cal - 440

Mg - 1400

Phos - <0.25

No detectible nitrates/nitrites

Ph - 7.9 morning - 8.2 night

 

I use RODI, RedSea coral pro salt, 15-20% WC every 10-12 days or so, dose small amount of Red Sea Coral Colors trace elements 1x between water changes. 

 

See photos. Any ideas for a fellow reefer?

 

 

Sorry for the delay! I work in retail and its madness this time of year.  Your tank looks REALLY nice. I love the scape and corals so far!

 

Honestly it sounds like you are doing everything right. Nothing jumps out to me as a flag.  What are you running for filtration? To me, I have to attribute the well being of my take with 15-20% water changes every week, no exceptions. When my tank is at its best, its because I have been diligent on WC's for months. There is nothing better. I am currently going through a rough patch and its because I haven't been able to keep up with water changes. I wish I had amazing advice, but I rarely test my water parameters and I don't use a par meter. I keep it really basic and simple

 

I wouldn't stress it too much. I lost a lot of corals along the way and still don't know why. If I were you, I'd just stay the course and let things continue to find their groove. It will come around. 

 

Related/unrelated - I am really considering moving to an LPS tank. SPS is the real test of a reefers patience but I am finding myself more drawn to the movement in tanks now a days.  I am mentally drawing up plans to make the switch. 

[Joevember]

3 minutes ago, uwdanno said:

Sorry for the delay! I work in retail and its madness this time of year.  Your tank looks REALLY nice. I love the scape and corals so far!

 

Honestly it sounds like you are doing everything right. Nothing jumps out to me as a flag.  What are you running for filtration? To me, I have to attribute the well being of my take with 15-20% water changes every week, no exceptions. When my tank is at its best, its because I have been diligent on WC's for months. There is nothing better. I am currently going through a rough patch and its because I haven't been able to keep up with water changes. I wish I had amazing advice, but I rarely test my water parameters and I don't use a par meter. I keep it really basic and simple

 

I wouldn't stress it too much. I lost a lot of corals along the way and still don't know why. If I were you, I'd just stay the course and let things continue to find their groove. It will come around. 

 

Related/unrelated - I am really considering moving to an LPS tank. SPS is the real test of a reefers patience but I am finding myself more drawn to the movement in tanks now a days.  I am mentally drawing up plans to make the switch. 

Yes! LPS is the way to go!!! Sps might have better colors, but lps has the best shape and patterns.

[uwdanno]

Just now, Joevember said:

Yes! LPS is the way to go!!! Sps might have better colors, but lps has the best shape and patterns.

Fully agree. I find myself starring at my gold torch and jawbreakers more than anything in the tank. I cant wait to have a rock full of hammers and torches. It feels good to be researching new corals I am not overly familiar with. 

[Joevember]

1 minute ago, uwdanno said:

Fully agree. I find myself starring at my gold torch and jawbreakers more than anything in the tank. I cant wait to have a rock full of hammers and torches. It feels good to be researching new corals I am not overly familiar with. 

Half of the rock in my IM 20 is dedicated to torches 😁

[ninjamyst]

Heh you will switch back to SPS one day =P.  Just get a bigger tank for mixed reef.

[uwdanno]

10 hours ago, ninjamyst said:

Heh you will switch back to SPS one day =P.  Just get a bigger tank for mixed reef.

 

I think I will keep my Setosa, Ponape, and Slimmer in the LPS tank. So it'll definitely be a mixed reef. 

 

I am just feeling unmotivated by SPS lately. I feel like I researched and focused on them so heavily that I don't find them as interesting now. LPS seems a bit like a new world to me again. 

[ninjamyst]

9 hours ago, uwdanno said:

 

I think I will keep my Setosa, Ponape, and Slimmer in the LPS tank. So it'll definitely be a mixed reef. 

 

I am just feeling unmotivated by SPS lately. I feel like I researched and focused on them so heavily that I don't find them as interesting now. LPS seems a bit like a new world to me again. 

I like fuzzy SPS, best of both worlds.  What LPS are you looking to get now?  

[uwdanno]

On 11/27/2018 at 5:45 PM, ninjamyst said:

I like fuzzy SPS, best of both worlds.  What LPS are you looking to get now?  

Fuzzy sticks are the best. Millie's are my fav. 

 

I have two pieces of the shelf rock coming from BRS. I want to keep a similar set up to current with the two islands. Right island will stay the same - Birdsnest, Setosa. Lepto, Zoas and Chalice. The left rock I want to use the shelf rock to create a torch landing. I am thinking 3-4 various colored torches. Below the shelf I want to do small gardens on the sandbed - Acan, rock flower nems, Jawbreak. The torches aren't super colorful so I want to make up for that with vibrant gardens. The gardens will be tight to the rock structure so the overall all look and sandbed resemble Bommie style

 

I'm finding myself getting inspiration from the @DaveFason thread often now.  I love all the Favias and Chalice's. 

[DaveFason]

25 minutes ago, uwdanno said:

Fuzzy sticks are the best. Millie's are my fav. 

 

I have two pieces of the shelf rock coming from BRS. I want to keep a similar set up to current with the two islands. Right island will stay the same - Birdsnest, Setosa. Lepto, Zoas and Chalice. The left rock I want to use the shelf rock to create a torch landing. I am thinking 3-4 various colored torches. Below the shelf I want to do small gardens on the sandbed - Acan, rock flower nems, Jawbreak. The torches aren't super colorful so I want to make up for that with vibrant gardens. The gardens will be tight to the rock structure so the overall all look and sandbed resemble Bommie style

 

I'm finding myself getting inspiration from the @DaveFason thread often now.  I love all the Favias and Chalice's. 

@uwdanno glad you think the same.  I have a few SPS that I love but the colors and simplicity of the above makes it hard to beat. After you mention it, I need to update my thread.

[uwdanno]

New build thread! Same tank but pulling all the existing rock out and putting in new shelf rock. 

 

 

A

[Scorched]

On 11/27/2018 at 8:28 AM, uwdanno said:

 

I think I will keep my Setosa, Ponape, and Slimmer in the LPS tank. So it'll definitely be a mixed reef. 

 

I am just feeling unmotivated by SPS lately. I feel like I researched and focused on them so heavily that I don't find them as interesting now. LPS seems a bit like a new world to me again. 

Good luck with the new rock and scape Dan.  Let me know if you are fragging off or getting rid of some of the SPS.  I'd love to get a piece of my Ponape and Psammacora back.

[uwdanno]

6 minutes ago, Scorched said:

Good luck with the new rock and scape Dan.  Let me know if you are fragging off or getting rid of some of the SPS.  I'd love to get a piece of my Ponape and Psammacora back.

100% will have the Psammacora for you. Are you still working downtown?