Chris's IM30 - Cheap camera experiment

[--chris--]

11 hours ago, HookedOnAquariums said:

What are your plans for the 30L now that you have this beast of a tank

I would love to squeeze this into the main floor of our house but it would dominate every room it would fit in with its presence.  I might still do it but it’s a tough One.... I really want to use it but I don’t want it to be distracting because of its size.  I really like a tank to contribute to the room...not be the centerpiece.

 

it would fit nicely in my office, but it would be a waste.  I’m the only one in there 99.9% of the time.   I don’t even do video conferences for others to enjoy it lol.

 

but I’m not ready to get rid of it either 😏

[--chris--]

I forgot to post this pic of the monti.  It’s just barely starting to get a growth rim (top edge).   Hopefully in a month I’ll be posting an update with lots of growth!

 

 

[--chris--]

So there’s a lfs near where I am staying in NJ.   Kind of thinking I’ll try and bring some frags back with me tomorrow when I fly home.  Need to do some research....

[--chris--]

I ended up skipping the lfs / coral through the airport thing... last day in the office was rough and weather was poor.  I just wanted to get to the airport lol.

 

 

However I came home and found the green toadstool looking like this.

 

Wth?  I’ve had it over a year and it’s grown from a small fresh cut piece of rim to this, very slow growing.   I don’t want to lose it now!

[mitten_reef]

2 hours ago, --chris-- said:

I ended up skipping the lfs / coral through the airport thing... last day in the office was rough and weather was poor.  I just wanted to get to the airport lol.

 

 

However I came home and found the green toadstool looking like this.

 

Wth?  I’ve had it over a year and it’s grown from a small fresh cut piece of rim to this, very slow growing.   I don’t want to lose it now!

Did it get stung? 

[--chris--]

I don't think so, the nearest coral is the monti posted above which is about 6" away. It looks like it got stung, but nothing is near it.  Today it is totally closed and shriveled up. 😕

 

I am considering cutting it off the rock and moving it further down towards the bottom (Where I should have put it in the first place). 

 

[--chris--]

Our first coral (10+ years now) is making a comeback!  

 

 

[--chris--]

This poor toadstools looking like shit.

 

 

[--chris--]

And the super man shroom I lost when it blew off the frag plug a year ago.   It was about 1/8” in diameter.  Now there is two! And each about 1/2”.  Nice surprise, I thought this was long gone.

[mitten_reef]

To answer your thread title - yes. 

 

[specore]

45 minutes ago, --chris-- said:

This poor toadstools looking like shit.

 

 

Sometimes they can be moody for no apparent reason.  Pretty bulletproof, bet it bounces back. 

[--chris--]

14 minutes ago, specore said:

Sometimes they can be moody for no apparent reason.  Pretty bulletproof, bet it bounces back. 

I’ve had two prior to this one, one was tough as nails and the other was.... not.

 

Of course the green one was the not-tough one.  I hope your right though!

[--chris--]

Setesoa and purple encrusting monti.

[--chris--]

The tank they came from (not mine)....

 

Also the mushroom referenced above (the ten year old purple shroom), this is the tank that held onto them for me for a few years while I was between tanks.   Look how they took off!

[--chris--]

I found my old photobucket.  I forgot how many Zs and Ps I had...

 

 

 

[--chris--]

Ughhh...my favorites....

 

 

 

[--chris--]

I did a 20% WC yesterday because I missed the last two weeks WC (studying for a cert consumed all my time, but I did PASS!).  I noticed the "growth" edge on the purple monti has turned a light purple/lavender color.  When it was first put in it was a start white (see above).  I think that is a good sign?  

 

I have also come to the conclusion that I need better nutrient management.  While the chaeto & light in the rear chamber have made a HUGE improvement, I am still seeing small patches of GHA growing very slowly.  While my Red Sea tests indicated 0 & 0 for Po4 and No3 I know that isn't true because of the algae growth and coloration in the coral.  

 

So the question is, should I increase WC volume and/or frequency to manage nutrients OR look at combining the chaeto with a source of carbon (dosing)?  

[--chris--]

Who's ready for a timewarp?

 

My first tank, ~50 gallon w/sump.  Deep sand bed and pile of rocks!  The back panel of glass cracked while I was home (thank god), I was able to run and get buckets and drain it before it dumped all the water on the hardwood floor.  I knew so little about this hobby.....

 

This is probably the best photo I got out of that tank (notice that blue shroom making another appearance):

 

This was the tank that replaced that one (no sump):

 

The only truly yellow coral I ever had.  It was sold as a zoa, looks like a zoa but didn't last more than a few weeks.  It was the most intense, highlighter yellow I have ever seen.  

 

 

 

And a tiny frog from my backyard:

[--chris--]

While removing frags from plugs and gluing in place last night (plugs kind of drive me nuts) my wife mentioned that the "wobbly'ness" of the stand always bugged her.  And she's right.  I am not a fan of the stand either. 

 

Maybe its time for a replacement, DIY of course 🙂 I have built a few stands in the past using the "Rocket Engineer" method, which I will admit is overkill but it works for someone like me with limited tools and moderate skills.  This would be a big project because of the need to drain the tank, but it would give me a chance to fix a lot of small nagging issues (electrical routing, fuge light placement, angle of the tank/stand, level, etc...

 

Just something kicking around in my head.  Also the 36x24 Miracles tank is for sale on R2R.  It feels weird listing here where I have bragged about the price I paid 😕

[HookedOnAquariums]

4 hours ago, --chris-- said:

While removing frags from plugs and gluing in place last night (plugs kind of drive me nuts) my wife mentioned that the "wobbly'ness" of the stand always bugged her.  And she's right.  I am not a fan of the stand either. 

 

Maybe its time for a replacement, DIY of course 🙂 I have built a few stands in the past using the "Rocket Engineer" method, which I will admit is overkill but it works for someone like me with limited tools and moderate skills.  This would be a big project because of the need to drain the tank, but it would give me a chance to fix a lot of small nagging issues (electrical routing, fuge light placement, angle of the tank/stand, level, etc...

 

Just something kicking around in my head.  Also the 36x24 Miracles tank is for sale on R2R.  It feels weird listing here where I have bragged about the price I paid 😕

Oh that tank is you! If i had money that thing would be mine this instant

[--chris--]

I really wanted to keep it but.....my wife is right (whoa...).  That size tank in our living room will look goofy.  No judgement on anyone here, just personal preference 😄

 

I could keep it and set it up in my office, but that would mean (a) less focus on my primary tank (this one) and (b) I would have to get rid of my shallow 48*24*12 *future* reef tank I have been planning on putting in my office for about a year.  

 

It's best I just sell it, use the money for something fun (like maybe a new(er) DSLR or an Apex) and keep the attention on my nano.  

 

After all, the nano is just starting to get populated!  My buddy with the 180 (posted above) stopped by this morning and dropped off branching meteor shower cyphastrea and Cornbred Rainbow Infusion palys (3-4 polyps).  Both are in the tank now.  Then tomorrow I hook up with @micoastreefing while in GR and pick up a truck load of frags!  A huge thank you ahead of time, the line up he has curated is amazing!  

 

My tank will be quite full after Saturday.  I might need to stop buying coral for a bit to see how the tank does.  

[--chris--]

I met up with @micoastreefing, he loaded up my tank and I got everything mounted!

 

super glue covered fingers, a relocated toadstool and a bunch of happy frags.  No issues with travel time nor with the new tank so far.   Thanks again!  Everything looks great, and my tank is finally filled up!

[mitten_reef]

1 hour ago, --chris-- said:

I met up with @micoastreefing, he loaded up my tank and I got everything mounted!

 

super glue covered fingers, a relocated toadstool and a bunch of happy frags.  No issues with travel time nor with the new tank so far.   Thanks again!  Everything looks great, and my tank is finally filled up!

It was very nice to meet you.  Glad to see that the frags did well with the travel.  will be following along on their progress.        

[--chris--]

Everything is looking great.  But I can't find my battery charger for the ol' G5 so no good pics.  

 

I am playing around with the idea of dosing carbon since the chaeto is not able to consume all of the excess nutrients.  I wouldn't need to dose much, but I also don't want to kill off the chaeto and create a compound-death-by-dosing scenario.  

[HookedOnAquariums]

On 11/27/2018 at 5:32 AM, --chris-- said:

Ughhh...my favorites....

 

What is this zoa? I need it in my life...