DaveFason Posted October 19, 2018 Author Share Posted October 19, 2018 Hurricane Michael did a number on us in Greensboro. With most of the city without power for multiple days, we had five days without power. Running back and forth between the two tanks was a full time job but everyone lived! The tank is now running NERO5 pumps. I am really impressed. Photos this weekend! -Dave 5 Quote Link to comment
DaveFason Posted October 30, 2018 Author Share Posted October 30, 2018 After a good scrubbing and water change the tank is back on track after running on limited on a generator for five days. The good : Nero5 Pumps - Absolutely love these. The control and BLE connection is ground breaking. It is so simple, fast and seamless. Quite operation and gentle wide flow. Using @inTank filter pads in baffles has been extremely beneficial. The water clarity has been the best in years. On/Off Duo - Running only 36w and the colors and growth has been perfect. It took me a bit to get used to not having the same amount of light but enjoying the simplicity. Bubble algae is starting to dissipate and becoming easier to manage. The bad : Aptasia is still growing. I will be ordering peppermint shrimp to take care of that from Reefcleaners. Sections of glass are nearly impossible to scrape. Not a huge issue but hate seeing coralline and gunk on those sections. PAR : People ask about this all the time. I find not to chase numbers but give the corals consistent feedings, parameters and light. Overall I can't complain. I love this tank and the progression over the past year. -Dave 6 1 Quote Link to comment
MrObscura Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Have you used peppermint shrimp before? I have a few aptasia and looked into them but heard too many people complain about peppermints going after corals as well. For now I've just been hitting them with aptasia x as they pop up. If they ever get out of hand, which hopefully they won't, I'll probably try to get some aptasia eating nudibranch. Quote Link to comment
Lula_Mae Posted October 30, 2018 Share Posted October 30, 2018 Glad your tank survived the stupid hurricane. I was so worried when Florence came through, I had to work the whole weekend! I think Michael hit you guys a lot harder than where I am near Charlotte. Quote Link to comment
hinnenkm Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 The tank looks great as always and glad everything survived! I wouldn't go the peppermint shrimp route either.... I've lot many acans to them and have talked to quite a few more people who have lost lps because they shrimp had a test for it. I would go with berghias, possibly a matted filefish, or a molly miller blenny if you need to get rid of it. Love seeing updates! Quote Link to comment
Andreww Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 Aiptasia-X has worked very well for me. You just have to go back a couple times after a few days to give them another dose. Ive killed 10 or so so far with 3 doses spread 10 days apart and theres no sign of them anywhere. The problem with peppermint shrimp is many people get the wrong kind. Just because LFS advertises them as such that doesn't mean its the one eating aiptasia. One is from Caribbean and the other from Pacific. That is not to say that every Caribbean one will eat Aiptasia. Give them a try nonetheless if you want a more natural approach but keep an eye on them. Lysmata wurdemanni is the one you want. Quote Link to comment
MrObscura Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 Even the correct shrimp will often go after corals as well, making them too risky imo. When the solution can end up doing more damage than the problem it's not worth it. Quote Link to comment
DaveFason Posted October 31, 2018 Author Share Posted October 31, 2018 23 hours ago, MrObscura said: Have you used peppermint shrimp before? I have a few aptasia and looked into them but heard too many people complain about peppermints going after corals as well. For now I've just been hitting them with aptasia x as they pop up. If they ever get out of hand, which hopefully they won't, I'll probably try to get some aptasia eating nudibranch. I have and they worked well. The biggest issue is large polyp corals with some shrimp. If you feed them meaty foods the shrimp can come in and pull them out. Shrimp won't "eat" corals. 21 hours ago, Lula_Mae said: Glad your tank survived the stupid hurricane. I was so worried when Florence came through, I had to work the whole weekend! I think Michael hit you guys a lot harder than where I am near Charlotte. Thanks! It hammered us here. As you know the amount of rain we had for weeks. I heard we were hit by a microcell that put it on us. For over half the city be without power was nuts. USPS was closed! 13 hours ago, hinnenkm said: The tank looks great as always and glad everything survived! I wouldn't go the peppermint shrimp route either.... I've lot many acans to them and have talked to quite a few more people who have lost lps because they shrimp had a test for it. I would go with berghias, possibly a matted filefish, or a molly miller blenny if you need to get rid of it. Love seeing updates! Thanks! 12 hours ago, Andreww said: Aiptasia-X has worked very well for me. You just have to go back a couple times after a few days to give them another dose. Ive killed 10 or so so far with 3 doses spread 10 days apart and theres no sign of them anywhere. The problem with peppermint shrimp is many people get the wrong kind. Just because LFS advertises them as such that doesn't mean its the one eating aiptasia. One is from Caribbean and the other from Pacific. That is not to say that every Caribbean one will eat Aiptasia. Give them a try nonetheless if you want a more natural approach but keep an eye on them. Lysmata wurdemanni is the one you want. I use pickling lime ( cheap alternative ) and it works well. But does not destroy them. I have a source for good ones. 🙂 2 Quote Link to comment
MrObscura Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 I've never used them but I've seen Vids of shrimp clearly eating coral and heard many people complain about them doing so. I mean if they'll eat anenemes... Quote Link to comment
Lula_Mae Posted October 31, 2018 Share Posted October 31, 2018 The peps I had ripped skirts off my zoas so I've no doubt they'd have eventually moved from merrily ripping skirts off to merrily eating them lol. Quote Link to comment
DaveFason Posted November 1, 2018 Author Share Posted November 1, 2018 I'll get a new top down this weekend. You can see the growth across the board. Aug 17 - October 18. What has done really well? Montis - Grow like weeds. Amazing color. Zoas/ Palys - The tank is high nutrient and I think that is the reason they do so well. Favias - Left corner. They grew very fast then halted. I think this is due to them being so close to each other. There are four within ~3". Chalices - Amazing grow and color. Easy. Mushrooms in the center - I love and hate these. They pack a killer sting but are gorgeous. Starting with one and now have four. Acros - Very top is a purple tip acro. Growing very well but color is so-so. I contribute this to not staying on top of parameters and high nutrients. I lost the Walt Disney ( besides one polyp due to power outage and light being off for eight days ). Frogspawn - Grows like a weed and has been fragged a handful of times. Duncan - I had to move to the back as it was to large! This being a true mixed reef has done extremely well for my lack of really trying. I let the corals tell me what they need rather than doing what I think. I will be adding a dosing schedule for 2-part finally as I simply need it. This tank likes less light. The growth has been much better once I switched away from the Quad. Future plans ? Dosers. Green slimer for a branching/tall acro. Large frag discs to mount corals that are having trouble growing on sand. Add dwarf moray eel? Start adding KALK on a dosing schedule for a higher PH. Video this weekend! -Dave 5 Quote Link to comment
Paleoreef103 Posted November 1, 2018 Share Posted November 1, 2018 Gorgeous job as always, Dave! Love the tank! 1 Quote Link to comment
DaveFason Posted January 4, 2019 Author Share Posted January 4, 2019 Life has been crazy. Here is a quick update of the tank. -Dave 8 Quote Link to comment
Andreww Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Everything looks very good Dave. Don’t you secretly want to throw some more sticks in there? 😄 Quote Link to comment
DaveFason Posted January 4, 2019 Author Share Posted January 4, 2019 1 hour ago, Andreww said: Everything looks very good Dave. Don’t you secretly want to throw some more sticks in there? 😄 Honestly no. While I do get a little jealous of seeing SPS on Facebook, I absolutely love how simple this tank is. I forgot to mention. The skimmer has been off for three weeks. 2 Quote Link to comment
teenyreef Posted January 4, 2019 Share Posted January 4, 2019 Awesome! I like how this tank is demonstrating how beautiful things can be in a simple tank that doesn't require lots of maintenence. 1 Quote Link to comment
DaveFason Posted January 5, 2019 Author Share Posted January 5, 2019 14 hours ago, teenyreef said: Awesome! I like how this tank is demonstrating how beautiful things can be in a simple tank that doesn't require lots of maintenence. Thanks John. I can't stress how much I enjoy the tank with the " Simple Tank " method. I feel confident when I leave town for a few days to a week or just want to skip a week of water changes. The one issue is the aptasia but I will work on that down the road. Side note I have been doing freelance writing and photography for outdoors/fishing. Here is a write up in a online magazine. I will also have a couple of my pictures published in a printed magazine next month. Whoop! I may take a few macro stills today as well. The tank is looking sexy. 4 Quote Link to comment
Christopher Marks Posted January 5, 2019 Share Posted January 5, 2019 Love the underwater tank tour Dave, such a beautiful mixed reef! Congratulations on the magazine gig, your photography really makes the article pop! 1 Quote Link to comment
DaveFason Posted January 23, 2019 Author Share Posted January 23, 2019 Tank has been on cruise control and things are looking great. I have changed my feeding and light scheduling for the past few months with great success. Bubble algae is really starting to recede and aptasia is starting to get under control. Growth has been amazing in most corals. Current corals that are taking off. Setosa and @micoastreefing Monti's Purple tip acro Mummy eye and pink chalice Palys Frogspawn Growth not so hot : Favias - I think they are to close to each other Rainbow chalice - Who knows Feeding : Brightwell ReefBlizzard - Large and small - 1 scoop - Daily Brightwell MicroBacteria7 - 7 drops - Daily PE Mysis Dry Food - 3x a day Water Changes : Friday morning - 5-10g depending on the look of the tank. Lighting Schedule : 80% - Royal blue, cyan/blue and violet 30% - Mint ( Right side only ) - I took the mint offline on the left side to create a more blue look. The montis have never looked better. Photos : Enjoy! -Dave 5 Quote Link to comment
DaveFason Posted January 29, 2019 Author Share Posted January 29, 2019 The tank is really coming along. Hope you enjoy! Enjoy in 4K. 3 Quote Link to comment
Bato367 Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 Amazing colors, looks awesome! 1 Quote Link to comment
tmc1313 Posted January 29, 2019 Share Posted January 29, 2019 Nice video Dave, as always. Where is your WD Acro? Did you lose it? No need to answer, I just looked back and saw you lost it during a power outage. 1 Quote Link to comment
DaveFason Posted January 29, 2019 Author Share Posted January 29, 2019 49 minutes ago, Bato367 said: Amazing colors, looks awesome! Thanks! 35 minutes ago, tmc1313 said: Nice video Dave, as always. Where is your WD Acro? Did you lose it? No need to answer, I just looked back and saw you lost it during a power outage. Yep. The power outage got the best of it. After two long outages and a snow storm. Looking around for a new one but not in a rush. Honestly I really want a efflo and slimer! 😛 Quote Link to comment
DaveFason Posted May 22, 2019 Author Share Posted May 22, 2019 New camera. Getting WB and colors adjusted. Needs some work but getting there! 2 Quote Link to comment
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