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Update #2:

 

Recovering pieces:-

 

Green favites: 

 

20201120_094922.thumb.jpg.40fd425c1a8f853da312b21a40e69a2e.jpg

 

Tricolor blasto (looks a *bit better today compared to yesterday) :

 

20201120_094945.thumb.jpg.58371609230b9c4b1c74afc8648bad9a.jpg

 

Mixed blasto colony:

 

IMG_20201120_094848_557.thumb.jpg.2bdacf4de6460495daa052cc92d6f673.jpg

 

Memphis now clings on to the purple monti: 🤗

 

IMG_20201120_094718_513.thumb.jpg.45ee3e835f5781faeeece7d1087aaf67.jpg

 

Prowler lurking: 

 

IMG_20201120_095128_774.thumb.jpg.8a7d4258266f1ca23f93398678e769e3.jpg

 

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Update #3:

 

Growth of new zoa polyps on various zoa frags in the reef: 🥰

 

Mint greens:

 

IMG_20201120_095240_474.thumb.jpg.96f15855d5038dd14c2fe85ad0e998bb.jpg

 

AOGs:

 

IMG_20201120_095240_473.thumb.jpg.e2e639e5f27ac570d1a6e5277a9e55a5.jpg

 

Sparkling reds:

 

IMG_20201120_095240_472.thumb.jpg.5ffd62cfb6753756f20564d592b93aa8.jpg

 

Tubbs blue:

 

IMG_20201120_095240_471.thumb.jpg.a4730b2071c7aac5ab5aca5948f9dc4f.jpg

 

I looked at the LA Lakers today - they don't look good at all and one out of the three polyps is dangling off the Zoa Tower. 😭

 

I wish I could save them somehow. Otherwise, it looks like I'll have to try again with a new frag - but this time, I'll stick it to the Zoa Ledge. 

 

My LFS also had Midas, Sakura (unfragged) & Incinerators (unfragged), so I might pick up those morphs in the future too. They also had these odd shimmery pink zoas (not to be confused with AOGs) - I'll check back in Dec. to see what they have in stock. 

 

Would love to pick up a small frag of red monti too. 🤔

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This was one of the frags that was heavily affected by Zoa Pox in my previous picoreef - it has since recovered & now grown out quite well:

 

20201120_171849.thumb.jpg.dce531cd01ef4fe0758b5ac8e64c46bc.jpg

 

IMG_20201120_171815_763.thumb.jpg.0f75771838522ce533c148304d1a6cd2.jpg

 

Fairy dust zoas:

 

IMG_20201120_172105_831.thumb.jpg.4d28edad553420850960e85a4389bec3.jpg

 

I think my red hornets are bleaching: 😓

 

IMG_20201120_172017_527.thumb.jpg.69116223d840f4f18a61a2fc1acec8a8.jpg

 

A part of the Zoa Garden:

 

IMG_20201120_172156_964.thumb.jpg.7bd7d96cde304c49d20cfec3baa92245.jpg

 

Memphis: 🦀

 

IMG_20201120_172227_147.thumb.jpg.9edb8ecca08a5de59523668735356a5c.jpg

 

Benny lurking:

 

IMG_20201120_172301_264.thumb.jpg.0197dde3d8f823bd1cb1bf3541f6e0bd.jpg

 

Stomatella snails are already out:

 

IMG_20201120_173207_814.thumb.jpg.950c0a2d644c2d68f38c77614d97b281.jpg

 

IMG_20201120_173512_342.thumb.jpg.b03b2111b860f4123673e615f385725a.jpg

 

Benny: 🥰

 

IMG_20201120_173235_193.thumb.jpg.068d78118b37a38608fce6dda8c4fac4.jpg

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I have a gut feeling my PO4 levels have hit 0ppm. Right now I have an unhappy forest fire digi (no PE), a small bald spot (???) on my purple encrusting monti & the centers of my red hornets are white. All three changes occurred today afternoon onwards. 🤔

 

Yes, it could be the intensity of my lights as well - not ruling that out, but I've seen this happen to my pico before, and I've lost a few frags because of it. 😞

 

More testing needs to be done tomorrow. 

 

What I don't understand is why/how it hit zero so quickly. I have three active fish pooping in this thing, and the Zoa Ledge is literally a piece of dry rock - which I'm sure leaches phosphates (or will, eventually). Once I get to the bottom of it, I'll try to find a way to find balance again. Stability comes with time, but balance is still necessary in running a mixed reef. 

 

I'll keep my eye on the declining/upset pieces. I'm up for a WC in 3 days and I topped off the water today, but if anything swings south, I'll quickly WC the system by 50%. 

 

(Before anyone asks, I'm not using any anti-phosphate media, and the rest of the tank - including all coral & non-coral livestock are fine)

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How high is the light off of your tank? im looking at getting one for my 7.5 cube startup and mainly want to keep LPS with maybe a birds nest or pocilloporid. I have seen you having trouble with burning a few things, is it really that strong?

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8 hours ago, PieMan2k said:

How high is the light off of your tank? im looking at getting one for my 7.5 cube startup and mainly want to keep LPS with maybe a birds nest or pocilloporid. I have seen you having trouble with burning a few things, is it really that strong?

Bulb sits exactly 12" above the waterline. And yes, it is quite powerful. 😕

 

Most of the corals are okay with it, but some aren't. 😕

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Today I dropped by my secondary LFS to pick up a few things, but I've decided to share a bit of their DT's pics & vids with all of you. 😊

 

The store has a very large, colorful tank by the main entrance, and it's stocked with various types of fish & corals. 

 

Today, I noticed they had a very cool boxfish in their DT: 

 

20201121_150703.thumb.jpg.cbaafb888fe13232efaa0edaf63a6df5.jpg

 

20201121_150730.thumb.jpg.30ab113a86050be8091731182746dd0d.jpg

 

IMG_20201121_150610_162.thumb.jpg.865a65eb246cd5e5fc8d95193cfab182.jpg

 

IMG_20201121_150610_161.thumb.jpg.7fda5427e5df5bd625b023e3f4b1471a.jpg

 

IMG_20201121_150610_180.thumb.jpg.f6e1a5967dd7e20b2e71355cfbf1e97b.jpg

 

IMG_20201121_150610_164.thumb.jpg.60d33fe0a5d1379e2ac65d2b089ee364.jpg

 

It was a very inquisitive fish, and quite fun to watch:

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CH2Ck4ljpSm/?igshid=19fsnetorwgo4

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Their maroon clown pair has been there for quite a while though:

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CH2CpLxDxyk/?igshid=heov0tccwprm

 

And here's the female trying to rescape the tank: 😄

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/CH2Cvl9DmjC/?igshid=gi7rvul21zsm

 

They had a new large collection of biohazard bounce shrooms on one corner of the sandbed:

 

20201121_150937.thumb.jpg.3f7c7f5cddbacc46246cb0e1abb467e5.jpg

 

20201121_151010.thumb.jpg.bccf12fde669c3ce528dfc5ba26c1b8f.jpg

 

IMG_20201121_150859_998.thumb.jpg.0bb990a8f4b1d93af0fefb6b12133ff6.jpg

 

IMG_20201121_150900_000.thumb.jpg.31d27af1127df88f6e0b081d91822ea5.jpg

 

IMG_20201121_150900_008.thumb.jpg.5fb5bcb6918e758324221c4303dc79c2.jpg

 

Which was obviously very pricey. 😮

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Back to the pico - I'm having trouble with these pieces:

 

IMG_20201121_170037_378.thumb.jpg.95b12b97df1f0086f87d7236b8812265.jpg

 

IMG_20201121_170037_375.thumb.jpg.308dc368972567171b5eca98955995cd.jpg

 

IMG_20201121_170037_376.thumb.jpg.7571158b1f7797da14c589153c73108b.jpg

 

IMG_20201121_170229_834.thumb.jpg.959af3b8588ee7f68f8019d9af6a6eb5.jpg

 

IMG_20201121_171315_796.thumb.jpg.34e097f0f0cb5edc6ca6ed4334f5b1f8.jpg

 

And I found out why through testing. I'll type out the full levels later (am about to have dinner shortly) but my Mg, Ca & kH are okay. 

 

My Nitrates are only 2ppm and my PO4 is showing 0.03ppm to 0.25ppm, although yesterday it was 0ppm. I checked on the kits and turns out they both expired this year, which could be the reason behind all the inconsistencies. 

 

Will be ordering new kits, but I think a combination of low nutrients & intense lighting is affecting certain coral pieces. For now, I've unplugged my PAR38 & temporarily set up the Chihiros & Aquazonic LED strips as the main light for this reef. 

 

I *might be ordering a 30W PAR38 bulb online and swap out my current 54W one for the 30W bulb. It'll still be intense, but not as much as the light I'm getting through my current PAR38. 🤔

 

Also, my LA Lakers finally opened up today, but they look terrible:

 

IMG_20201121_170124_330.thumb.jpg.14d718a9da98cd6824c5f99720b355d4.jpg

 

Wish I had been more proactive in dealing with this lighting issue sooner, but I tried clamping it to some books on the metal rack next to the tank, and failed, so I wasn't sure what else I could do during the interim if finding & purchasing a special clamp, like the one A.m.P. showed me. 😓

 

Really sucks because it looks like I'll be losing a few things regardless. Hopefully, I can still save the red hornets zoas - thinking of scraping them of the Zoa Ledge, sticking them to a frag plug, then putting the plug on the sandbed. 

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So this is my current light set up:

 

IMG_20201121_171531_275.thumb.jpg.ee0c227c0d3145fe9e231690e81fc8d7.jpg

 

I think, given time, the forest fire digi & purple encrusting monti can make a comeback because there is still mild PE on both pieces:

 

20201121_172417.thumb.jpg.1cfae7aaaa0bb5968778f193d4089fd6.jpg

 

IMG_20201121_171409_035.thumb.jpg.5c24ab35a5200c83ebefb4b3bb1d1cd9.jpg

 

The other corals - especially LPS, appear to be doing fine. Hungry lobo:

 

IMG_20201121_170401_508.thumb.jpg.9a1e001522a4a04a8eecc7ae4431539a.jpg

 

Fish are all okay too - Dusky peeking:

 

IMG_20201121_170505_127.thumb.jpg.8440237c7271b2633311291b83bdea1e.jpg

 

IMG_20201121_170158_362.thumb.jpg.2be9e096a427e3ee31de796916c2c71b.jpg

 

Benny:

 

IMG_20201121_170329_256.thumb.jpg.0074efad295efd1800cb3e87da12dea3.jpg

 

The Critters of Chaos just chillin' : 😄

 

IMG_20201121_165901_694.thumb.jpg.cb02a7938283b290d80d4f5849e91abf.jpg

 

I'll try to do a 5G WC tomorrow. I changed the floss today, but I'll probably change it out again and rinse the carbon-sock too. 

 

Glass & sand are clean, so there is no need for additional CUC. The Zoa Ledge has a light layer of diatoms on it, but that's expected. 

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Parameters of the Nano:

 

NO3 = 2ppm ---> Kit has expired

PO4 = 0.03ppm or 0.25ppm (Quite hard to tell apart the colors) ---> Kit has expired

Calcium = 425ppm

Magnesium = 1300ppm

dKH = 7.0

Salinity = 1.025

 

Will need to increase kH dosing - possibly from 6 drops to 8 drops, then maybe half a capful in the future. 

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A shrimp molt for breakfast? 😄 :

 

IMG_20201122_102153_327.thumb.jpg.d08f6f707c905e2d3c31c290a129dff6.jpg

 

Tubbs blue: 

 

IMG_20201122_102232_127.thumb.jpg.58fadd2ae01ce3c61f6b199124093248.jpg

 

AOGs:

 

IMG_20201122_102309_370.thumb.jpg.7133708ceacfe826603692e7a39d5eec.jpg

 

Purple encrusting monti seems to be recovering - mild PE spotted: 👍

 

IMG_20201122_102356_780.thumb.jpg.b752c8cb63f512d55aaa86e49b005a2a.jpg

 

IMG_20201122_102356_779.thumb.jpg.1487289bd01dc54a75110742ac46e203.jpg

 

The micro-goni:

 

IMG_20201122_102449_972.thumb.jpg.1798b0cb28f82af943bed433de6f55ea.jpg

 

Nepthea still hasn't opened up because I just turned the lights on: 🤗

 

IMG_20201122_102524_241.thumb.jpg.dd3e156e85a14d06790aad9fed771ac3.jpg

 

I couldn't find a 30W PAR38 LED bulb for sale online, so I'm trying to get a secondhand R60 unit from my primary LFS. I have a R60 over my large reef, and it's wifi-controlled with dimmable channels, so I'm hoping my LFS will have an extra light which they're willing to sell to me. 

 

If I can't get a R60 from them, then it looks like I'll have to save up to buy a new one from a local vendor, which is quite expensive. During the interim, I *might have to pick up another cheap budget light to support the tank - in case my current two units can't do so (this is only if I can't get the R60 from my LFS, otherwise, I'll stick on to both my light strips until I can buy the R60 from them). 

 

😕

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Water change time! 🤗

 

IMG_20201122_113835_710.thumb.jpg.549214cd07930fdbb8b9f532a82bd6c9.jpg

 

Changed out only ~4G as opposed to the original 5G. Filter floss still appeared to be clean, bit it should trap dirt from basting the sand & rocks today, so I'll change it tomorrow. 

 

Tank after WC:

 

IMG_20201122_113916_808.thumb.jpg.64dbfb64754fd2edeb87c084a7c65a3f.jpg

 

Corals look better under the old lights, but the PAR38 came in handy during the WC, when I had to remove the old lights & lids to do maintenance in the tank. I wouldn't be able to look into the tank properly otherwise, but I just plugged in the PAR38 for the WC period, and I could check up on all the non-coral critters to make sure they were still healthy & okay.  👍

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Update #1:

 

Memphis parked himself on one of my shrooms for a while:

 

IMG_20201122_151326_062.thumb.jpg.d9e9519652083eadf2e566b8904a468e.jpg

 

IMG_20201122_151326_063.thumb.jpg.7dd89b8491c39ca3f4d92c6a57f6b76a.jpg

 

But eventually scuttled back to the lobo: 😅

 

IMG_20201122_175004_334.thumb.jpg.5f406e9f391c1885a210960285af16a7.jpg

 

Dusky was very active: 😊

 

IMG_20201122_175045_186.thumb.jpg.115e65b8cb68ae88781e4e637d6051ab.jpg

 

Found a tiny clove polyp on the Zoa Tower. Can you spot it? 🤗 :

 

IMG_20201122_151532_283.thumb.jpg.9ababb74f86cdc2bf7dda19f5b31d6a5.jpg

 

Random mess: 

 

IMG_20201122_151658_927.thumb.jpg.9a2ef0e09dc556ca4459fef6153c17c8.jpg

 

The montihat's color is pale, but I think it can recover in time. 👍 :

 

IMG_20201122_151434_707.thumb.jpg.ef114a633bf7df020782a4c2c3fb2482.jpg

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Update #2:

 

Rainbow brain looks like a dinner plate! 😅 :

 

IMG_20201122_174927_335.thumb.jpg.7acd0d597293bc8dd2eb155a8c47dcd0.jpg

 

Love the sparkling red zoas: 

 

IMG_20201122_175151_031.thumb.jpg.2654f3c82e101ee82aa5f722ad36455b.jpg

 

I took a few topview shots, using my Aquazonic LED light strip *only. This time, I could finally capture almost-accurate colors of all my zoas & palys. 🤗

 

Here's the Zoa Ledge:

 

IMG_20201122_175334_342.thumb.jpg.c14f458961f1253a8b95bf041eba32fd.jpg

 

This pic was taken with the Chihiros strip on as well: 

 

IMG_20201122_175334_344.thumb.jpg.50de41574eca8e374a713587b68deb43.jpg

 

Here's the Zoa Tower (under just the Aquazonic strip) :

 

20201122_175628.thumb.jpg.60a457ac4bdf5e84497abe4a471c432f.jpg

 

20201122_175701.thumb.jpg.f21e832bc5f3349f5ddef663ad343cb6.jpg

 

Overall view of the Zoa Garden:

 

IMG_20201122_175548_431.thumb.jpg.956d597645c9b60a8ad087c4b6458189.jpg

 

I'm going to keep an eye out for more morphs - even normal ones that I currently don't have, like Eagle Eyes zoas, Green Implosion palys etc. 👍

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  • Snow_Phoenix changed the title to Snow's 10G Critters of Chaos (TOTM)

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