Java's Artisan II 70 - Lots of Pics and Growth

[HarryPotter]

I think that's super common in clams, sorry

[JavaJacketOC]

Got bored, pic dump.

 

[JavaJacketOC]

All ordered, let the automation begin:

 

Jebao Programmable Auto Dosing Pump DP-4

Soft Tube Fixture Holder for Dosing Pump Air Pump (4 Tubes) Acrylic Made

2 of Lustroware B-2276AA Screw Top Keeper Round Food Container with Calibration, 50.7-Ounce, Blue

TmallTech 1/4" inch White Fittings Bulkhead Connector Tube Quick Connect for RO Unit (Pack of 2)

 

I'll be picking up some rigid and flexible airline form the LFS tomorrow or the next day after work.

 

Initially just going to dose ME Alk (25 ML/Day) and ME Cal (40 ML/Day) but will probably add Mag when I finish off the Kent Tech M and mix up the ME Coral Mag. Also thinking about dosing the ME Amino Acid on this as well but want to get the larger volume stuff going before I work on something that I'll dose 1ml-2ml per day of.

 

Sidenote - I'm thinking about mixing the next ME Cal at 3/4 gallon vs 1 gallon so that the amounts of Alk/Cal I'm dosing are closer to 25ml/25ml. After switching from B Ionic to ME I noticed it took more ME Cal to maintain 440.

 

I think I'm going to reduce dosing of the Brightwell Iron Supplement or possibly even stop all together. I'm not positive but I'm pretty sure it's part of what's causing the gooey diatoms on my sand bed (Thanks to Stella for helping me identify) and could have possibly contributed to the demise of my clam (based on another thread I read about clam issues and only identifiable change being iron dosing).

 

I'll get pics of the setup over the next few days. I added a small cabinet next to the tank to store all my crap, going to set up the pump in there to avoid space concerns in the stand and potential humidity issues affecting the mechanics of the pump. I'll just need to restructure some stuff and work on cord management.

[JavaJacketOC]

I found a small, short patch of bryopsis on the middle rock behind my pocci....no idea where it came from but FML. Going to pull the rock out this weekend and peroxide nuke the patch. I really don't want to raise my mag again with Kent Tech M. Hopefully I can get it all with the peroxide and call it a day.

 

Happy Friday the 13th

[jack1978]

I found a small, short patch of bryopsis on the middle rock behind my pocci....no idea where it came from but FML. Going to pull the rock out this weekend and peroxide nuke the patch. I really don't want to raise my mag again with Kent Tech M. Hopefully I can get it all with the peroxide and call it a day.

 

Happy Friday the 13th

You have a dremel? Put a diamond wheel on it and cut out a plug of rock that the shit is on, then pour some peroxide straight on the rock just because.

 

You got some nice pieces in there.....love the Setosa and favia.....

[JavaJacketOC]

You have a dremel? Put a diamond wheel on it and cut out a plug of rock that the shit is on, then pour some peroxide straight on the rock just because.

 

You got some nice pieces in there.....love the Setosa and favia.....

 

No dremel but the pocci is still on the original plug, it's just glued to the rock so I can get it off pretty easily. I'm not sure if I got it from the pocci or what. It's pretty small but I'm gonna nuke the patch tomorrow, one way or another.

 

I also need to do some rescaping on that side of the tank...really don't love it anymore so this will be an excuse to do that as well.

 

Thanks, the setosa has really gotten nice over the last few months. It was very much a safety orange color when I got it, not much dimension. It now shows some pinks in the new grown areas under my lighting but the orange is very bright.

 

I have a "Peace Favia" from Coral Collection. I'll get a pic of it, it's really nice as well.

[JavaJacketOC]

You have a dremel? Put a diamond wheel on it and cut out a plug of rock that the shit is on, then pour some peroxide straight on the rock just because.

 

You got some nice pieces in there.....love the Setosa and favia.....

.

Here's the peace favia from coral collection

 

 

Some others

 

 

 

Got the doser set up...just need to bulkhead the containers, waiting on my acrylic tubes to get here from BRS.

 

[JavaJacketOC]

I finally decided to supplement my LED's with T5's. I ended up using 2 Nano Tech 24" units by making a simple bracket and mounting to my LED. I tried a Coral + / Blue + combo but didn't like it so ended up with 2 Blue + and it came out good. I'm going to have to fiddle with the white and blue channels on my LED but for now it works.

 

 

 

I'd been looking for some type of rock grazer and was kinda set on a small Mimic tang but I haven't seen one that looked like it'd live for more than a day. I came across this Kole tang at a LFS and decided to snag it. It's a little bigger than I wanted but it looks good so I just went with it. My Allardi clown didn't know WTH to think of it.

 

 

 

FTS

 

[jack1978]

Tanks looking great.....how you liking the T5 supplimentation?

[spectra]

I say good job on the T5s...........I am an old school reefer and T5s and MH are my favorite!

[JavaJacketOC]

Tanks looking great.....how you liking the T5 supplimentation?

 

Thanks. So far so good, I added the first bulb a few days ago and the second today. Going to run them for 6 hours starting 30 min before my daily peak and running for 30 min after. I turned my LED's down a little but I plan to lower the fixture down to about 8-10" above the water over the next few weeks and see what happens. I've had it about 18" off the water for better light coverage, T5's are fixing that so I can move it back down now.

 

I say good job on the T5s...........I am an old school reefer and T5s and MH are my favorite!

 

Thanks, I considered going full T5 and even though about MH at one point but don't want to deal with the heat caused by MH

[spectra]

 

Thanks. So far so good, I added the first bulb a few days ago and the second today. Going to run them for 6 hours starting 30 min before my daily peak and running for 30 min after. I turned my LED's down a little but I plan to lower the fixture down to about 8-10" above the water over the next few weeks and see what happens. I've had it about 18" off the water for better light coverage, T5's are fixing that so I can move it back down now.

 

 

Thanks, I considered going full T5 and even though about MH at one point but don't want to deal with the heat caused by T5's.

 

I dont think T5s cause much heat. MH yes on the heat.

 

I am running a ATI hybrid and no issues at all with heat. Tank has a small fan on it and temps outside were 90 plus......temp in the garage 80 plus and tank stayed at 77.......

 

My new set up will be a 8 bulb with 2 pulled out and 6 arrays from Dave.

[JavaJacketOC]

 

I dont think T5s cause much heat. MH yes on the heat.

 

I am running a ATI hybrid and no issues at all with heat. Tank has a small fan on it and temps outside were 90 plus......temp in the garage 80 plus and tank stayed at 77.......

 

My new set up will be a 8 bulb with 2 pulled out and 6 arrays from Dave.

 

Oops, meant MH's.

[spectra]

 

Oops, meant MH's.

 

Yep those do some heat I had a old set up on a 33 gallon oceanic years ago and it would heat up quickly........

 

Hell if I had the means to distribute the heat MH would be my choice all the way!

[JavaJacketOC]

The "cyanotoms" on my sandbed seem to be clearing up. Still unsure what the cause was but I cutback on reefroids and stopped dosing all of my Brightwell products. I'm going to start dosing them again one at a time and see if anything triggers a growth spurt.

 

The Kole tang I picked up last weekend is about as useful as a poopy flavored lollipop. It doesn't graze on the rocks at all...I've seen it pick at the sand and it eats pellets but it's useless if it doesn't help keep my rocks clean...it's gonna get the boot if things don't change in the near future.

 

Took some pics

 

Aqua SD Highlighter Tenuis

 

 

 

Kinda like a Garf Bonsai

 

 

 

Turquoise Fire Digitata

 

 

 

The Aqua Hammer

 

 

 

Plates

 

 

 

 

Neon Brain

 

 

 

Shrooms, Favia and Bowbanki

 

 

 

Ponape with the blue legged hermit that thinks it's an acrocrab. It's literally always on the birdsnest even when I throw it across the tank, it's back the next day.

 

 

 

Rhodactis and pink chalice

 

 

 

Tri Color Tort (really hoping this will blue up now that it'll be getting more light)

 

 

 

Random RR Asia piece...finally starting to grow

 

 

 

 

RR Asia Loripes

 

 

 

Maiyagi Tort

 

 

 

ORA Red Planet that I can never get a good picture of. Looks pink from the front, greenish pink from the top down. It's growing and has PE for days so whatever.

 

[jack1978]

Dude, nice update!

Great pieces in there.

My Kole wouldn't touch algae.....pellets and Mysis. ...and other meaty things.

And he loved to poop.....your corals will love him.

[JavaJacketOC]

Dude, nice update!

Great pieces in there.

My Kole wouldn't touch algae.....pellets and Mysis. ...and other meaty things.

And he loved to poop.....your corals will love him.

 

Ugh, i read good things about Kole's and the guy at my LFS (also pretty active on local forums and not generally a bullshitter) said Kole's are usually the best grazers pound for pound. I feel cheated, lol.

[jack1978]

 

Ugh, i read good things about Kole's and the guy at my LFS (also pretty active on local forums and not generally a bullshitter) said Kole's are usually the best grazers pound for pound. I feel cheated, lol.

 

I was told the same thing.........LFS had one in a 300+ gallon reef....always grazing.

Mine always cruised the rockwork, but never touched anything green. Maybe they have more natural activities in large reefs?

Still, one of my favorite fish. He might grow on you.

[metrokat]

Looks good Java.

[el fabuloso]

FTS

 

 

 

Well hello there, pretty tank.

[JavaJacketOC]

 

 

Well hello there, pretty tank.

 

Thanks little buddy. I need to update my thread...lots of stuff.

[el fabuloso]

Dat wrasse

[DaveFason]

Things are looking great!

[JavaJacketOC]

Things are looking great!

TY sir

[JavaJacketOC]

It's been a while...too busy cruising other people's threads to update mine.

 

Added 6 pounds of Fiji Mud to the Fuge

 

Lost both Carpenters wrasses, one of the Ruby Headed Wrasses and the original FoxFace

 

Added Katherine's Wrasse, Pink Margin Wrasse and 2 Red Stripe Cardinals

 

Added a Hippopus Clam, Tiger Cucumber, Long spine urchin and an abalone. I feel like my rocks are significantly better looking with the long spine and the abalone.

 

Finally getting my sand bed under control. Considered a reset as suggested by other members but decided it was too drastic. Have been siphoning the sand bed every few days and am seeing improvement although the diatoms still come back a little.

 

Have been playing with dosing KNO3, was going to do the spetracide but Two Guys Corals now sells it from GreenLeafAquariums.com for about the same price as it would be to buy spectracide but already in a fine granule. Have done the following:

 

Mixed 4.5 tsp KNO3 to 1 gallon RODI

Tested 5ml of KNO3 solution to .5 gallons of saltwater (tested 0 nitrates before adding the KNO3

Resulted in 20ppm nitrate

 

So with the solution I can get 2 ppm per gallon per ml so I decided to dose 60ml per day to see if my tank has any issues. So far I am not seeing any increase in algae growth but it's only day 2 I'm going to do it for 5-7 days then test nitrate to see if there is any residual before I put it on the doser, at which point I'll probably increase the strength of the solution so I can dose less volume. I'm hoping to get some better colors in my coral, I've never been able to measure nitrates in my tank despite how much I feed.

 

Updated FTS below (used a cannon elph instead of iPhone..still can't seem to get a true to color shot)...I'll be getting some growth pics of the ones I photo dumped above...my Pink Lemonade is growing into a nice little colony along with a few others.