Montipora Fields of Bikini Bottom 🗿 Old School Mullet

[seabass]

I got goodies from Unique Corals today.

This was part of their anniversary live sale.

 

As part of the event, they included some coral glue with every order.

 

 

I removed the plugs and dipped the corals for 20 minutes in ⅔ cup of saltwater and 10 ml of Bayer.

 

 

As you can see not all of these are montiporas, so not all are for this tank.

I'm still not yet sure which ones will end up in this pico, but the Superman Monti most likely will.

 

A few weeks ago, I received a previous order from Unique.

 

I'll stock the Montipora Fields with corals from these two orders.

[748S911]

sweet!

[seabass]

Stupid diatoms are still blooming.  I thought I got past this stage in my bucket; but I think by moving everything, along with the new light, rejuvenated it.

I don't like keeping corals through this stage.  Looks like my 40 gallon tank will house the corals for awhile longer.  Although I still want an April FTS with the corals in place.  I guess we'll see if it works out that way.

[This guy is extra salty]

44 minutes ago, seabass said:

Stupid diatoms are still blooming.  I thought I got past this stage in my bucket; but I think by moving everything, along with the new light, rejuvenated it.

 

I don't like keeping corals through this stage.  Looks like my 40 gallon tank will house the corals for awhile longer.  Although I still want an April FTS with the corals in place.  I guess we'll see if it works out that way.

At least it isn’t dinos 😂 

[kimberbee]

Just catching up - I really like your diorama!!

[fishfreak0114]

I love the concept of this tank, Spongebob was my childhood!

[Wendy]

Can we at least see some pics of your frags with polyp extension & colors?

Ya know just so we get an idea what you have going into your pico (;

[seabass]

1 hour ago, Wendy said:

Can we at least see some pics of your frags with polyp extension & colors?

Tomorrow.

[SeaFurn]

On 4/26/2019 at 2:11 AM, seabass said:

Stupid diatoms are still blooming.  I thought I got past this stage in my bucket; but I think by moving everything, along with the new light, rejuvenated it.

I don't like keeping corals through this stage.  Looks like my 40 gallon tank will house the corals for awhile longer.  Although I still want an April FTS with the corals in place.  I guess we'll see if it works out that way.

Keep stirring that sand...burn up the silicates.

I’m just hoping I have an April FTS with water in the jank. 

[This guy is extra salty]

2 minutes ago, seabass said:

Tomorrow.

 

[seabass]

FTS: 04/30/19

 

I broke up an orange Digitata ($39).

 

Also a purple Digitata ($34).

 

Here's the orange portion of a grafted orange and green Monti Cap ($59.00).  The mixed portion will go into another tank.

 

Part of an orange Setosa ($39.00).

 

I also broke up part of a Superman Montipora ($39.00).

 

 

[ef4life]

Looks really good. That Superman frag is really going to be awesome once it grows out some.

[SeaFurn]

Looking good!

 

Is that the rock you got from the LFS that had all the vermitid snails or some from your other tanks? Either way, it’s nice and even has coralline! 

[seabass]

19 minutes ago, SeaFurn said:

Is that the rock you got from the LFS that had all the vermitid snails

Yep, been scraping them off with a dental scaler for a month.  Also removed about a dozen asterina stars, and three unidentified limpets.  This is the only true live rock I have.  Everything thing else in other tanks started off dry.

[Clown79]

Tank looks great. It's so cute!

[Tempestas]

Tank's really looking great. Can't wait to see everything grow out.

[This guy is extra salty]

[seabass]

Thanks everyone!  I appreciate it.

 

Here's my heating solution (with the heater cord and probe exiting the intake tube opening).

 

Both the heater and probe sit behind the filter cartridge.

I thought about cutting an opening in the top for the cords, but routing it out the intake opening worked just as well.

[yoshii]

Nice! Those pieces will look really nice as they grow out

[seabass]

I don't hate my light fixture; but compared to my T5 fixtures, I'm not really in love with the spectrum either.  So I've been looking into switching some of the diodes (basing it loosely on a SB Reef Lights layout).  I'd like to remove most the warm whites and red diodes, as well as adding 420nm and more cold white diodes.

[seabass]

I purchased five 20,000K, five 12,000K, and five 410-420nm beads.  I'm shooting for less red and more white (with the white leaning more towards blue).  However, I'm not 100% sure how I'll use them yet.

[yoshii]

Looks like you already have it all planned out! Good luck with the process

[seabass]

A thank you to @jedimasterben for his suggestions about my black box mods.  He suggested that I replace the original red and green LEDs and see what that looks like.  Also, that red, amber, and green spectrums are important, but are better provided by warm whites, than dedicated red and green diodes.

 

He said the manufacturer probably used more 460nm than 450nm LEDs to save money (although 450nm is preferred).  However, I can't tell the difference by looking at them, maybe they are all the same.  He suggested more 450nm and maybe a few 470nm (ice blue).  So I guess I'll keeping the current white LEDs and replace the red and greens.

[MetaTank]

I'm still not sure enough of my electrical engineering skills to attempt something like this yet...lol.

 

Or maybe I just need to buy a soldering iron 🤣

 

I like the proposed changes. Hopefully you achieve the desired spectrum with the new LEDs!!

[seabass]

I had a bit of build up on the glass.  So I did a complete water change and cleaned the sand and glass walls.

 

Here's a natural daylight FTS after the cleanup.