ML's 14 IM Peninsula

[TheKleinReef]

whoa those reds are so vibrant, I've always had troubles with reds.

[ml86743]

On 8/31/2023 at 7:55 AM, Mitch0605 said:

Hey ml just in case you don’t know, Redsea offers icp results of all of their salt batches, you just need the number off your bucket. Might help with you iodine etc numbers as a baseline if you do another icp or have any more troubles. Not KISS but fun to know! https://g1.redseafish.com/mybatch/

 

WOW that's right haha!  I totally forgot....Thank you!

[ml86743]

On 8/31/2023 at 9:23 AM, TheKleinReef said:

whoa those reds are so vibrant, I've always had troubles with reds.

The TnT anacro has surprised me to this point, I've always thought they were kind of dull looking but the piece I have is almost "highlighter".  

 

I can't get me purples to really pop at all right now..

 

 

It's been a minute y'all!  I was in Montana in early September doing some trout fishing..(I'll leave some pics)

 

Tank is pretty much where I left it.  I have some cyano and "general" dirtiness rearing it's head.  I still have some zoas looking off and the main blasto colony is regressing a little (was doing this before I left) .  SPS are still popping and the tenuis I added is crushing right now.  Color has increased 10x and poly extension is great.

 

I'm honestly considering transitioning to an SPS dominated setup at this point.  I'll attach a few crappy cell pics 🙂

 

My only theory for the unhappy zoas and blastos is my underwhelming mag numbers.  Having a really hard time keeping it above 1210-1230, which isn't even horrible BUT I have heard accounts of LPS corals showing signs of regression at lower numbers.  I'm working on bringing it up with the "Ocean's Blend Magnesium" product.  Anybody have any insight about this idea?  Tana/Fish pics below!

 

OH I already had to move the pectinia..started to sting the leptastrea xD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ml86743]

It's been a minute!  Not much has changed, dealing with a cyano outbreak as you'll see.  I also rearranged the front rock off and made it more of a straight drop.  Still not too happy with the scape, I'd like to open up the back more but we'll see.

 

Here's an October FTS and some random pics. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Reefkid88]

Looking UHMAZING !!!! 

[ml86743]

20 hours ago, Reefkid88 said:

Looking UHMAZING !!!! 

Thank you!!! Just gotta clean up a few things..I would like to upgrade the light too, get some more coverage up front.  You got any old NB's laying around??????????

[Reefkid88]

I don't actually. I had a ton,but I never had time to fix them and a bunch were messed up so I basically sold them for what I paid for everything. I sowwie. 

 

 What about a ReefBrite supplemental kit ? 

[ml86743]

4 hours ago, Reefkid88 said:

I don't actually. I had a ton,but I never had time to fix them and a bunch were messed up so I basically sold them for what I paid for everything. I sowwie. 

 

 What about a ReefBrite supplemental kit ? 

I was thinking about strips..Kinda curious about the AI Blades too.  I've seen some tanks running them without any supplementation, i could probably get away with one over the front. 

[Reefkid88]

The blades are so expensive. They are nice,multiple channels and super thin but whew are they pricey. 

[debbeach13]

I saw just yesterday that they are less expensive now than when they first came out. BRS and TSA both have the 30" grow about $80 less.

[ml86743]

4 hours ago, debbeach13 said:

I saw just yesterday that they are less expensive now than when they first came out. BRS and TSA both have the 30" grow about $80 less.

I'll check em out last I saw the 12 inchers were like $165.  Deb, do you have any experience with the blades?

 

6 hours ago, Reefkid88 said:

The blades are so expensive. They are nice,multiple channels and super thin but whew are they pricey. 

Right, I don't think the reefbrite strips have the same controllability...not that it's the only thing I'm looking for but it is nice.  

[Reefkid88]

They don't. I think the are adjustable 10% at a time if I'm not mistaken. 

 

 The glow is still $187. 

[ml86743]

21 minutes ago, Reefkid88 said:

They don't. I think the are adjustable 10% at a time if I'm not mistaken. 

 

 The glow is still $187. 

Yah that's quite the price tag lol..You have any experience with the strips? 

[debbeach13]

12 hours ago, ml86743 said:

Deb, do you have any experience with the blades?

I do not. I have been seriously watching them. I am still on the fence. I think I can actually get away with just one grow strip. You know from U-tube videos, My 20L has been running for months with just 1 Current USA strip. the other strip kept flickering, so I removed it. The unit "The Loop" is frozen and will no longer let me change the program.  The tank is LPS and softies. but if I need a second and of course then I would want the glow. That puts it over my comfortable price range. 

1st I was nervous about the wiring, then about the uneven look because people were reporting a whiter on one end and bluer on the other. Always the price was a concern! The glow has gone up. It appears to be much more popular and a very good supplemental strip light option. 

[ml86743]

7 hours ago, debbeach13 said:

I do not. I have been seriously watching them. I am still on the fence. I think I can actually get away with just one grow strip. You know from U-tube videos, My 20L has been running for months with just 1 Current USA strip. the other strip kept flickering, so I removed it. The unit "The Loop" is frozen and will no longer let me change the program.  The tank is LPS and softies. but if I need a second and of course then I would want the glow. That puts it over my comfortable price range. 

1st I was nervous about the wiring, then about the uneven look because people were reporting a whiter on one end and bluer on the other. Always the price was a concern! The glow has gone up. It appears to be much more popular and a very good supplemental strip light option. 

Thanks Deb!

[ml86743]

Howdy y'all.  It's been a minute! 

 

I'll keep it short and sweet:

At the end of the cyano plague, so thats good.

Lost the strawberry shortcake acro:( at some point my alk was fluctuating rapidly after I had nutrients bottom out..

Several zoas frags, leptastrea, 1x ricordea are still showing signs of discomfort.

Best guess is somewhere along the lines of a bacterial imbalance or trace element deficiency.   I've been doing small 1 gallon water changes 3x a week to get my PO4/NO3 down to more favorable numbers.   We're looking at .15 PO4 now and 15 NO3 from almost .3 and 25 respectively.  

 

Ordered some PNS probio to try and see if may help with any imbalance that may be occurring..

 

Lots of stuff is growing and looks great tho!  No other ill affects on any other SPS. 

 

PICS!  Dont make fun of em i was in a hurry:)

 

 

 

 

 

This jawbreaker cap is doing wonderfully..frags soon?

 

 

This lovely chalice has been taking off, I'm proud of the piece and I love it.

 

 

Sweet Acans i probably paid too much for.

 

 

[ml86743]

Went ahead a scooped a blade.  Trying to knock out some of the shading in the tank.  Initially I plan to just have it rest using the supplied mounts, looking into some DIY and use the pre-cut M8 holes so I can angle the fixture as I please.  

[ml86743]

Any apex wizzes on here?  Probe are reading but graphs have dropped out.  When I try to update it completes the progress bar but does nothing after and remains the old version.  Tried via apex local and fusion.  Got an error message via apex local saying there was connection issues during the update..

 

I've submitted a support ticket..

 

Control still works and it seems like it's still following the programming.  

[ml86743]

Got in touch apex, I believe they're going to have to send me a new unit..sigh..

[ml86743]

New unit came through, all is well on that front.

 

Still dealing with cyano and now a touch of dinos!!!

 

Good news is that it's mostly relegated to the SB, whereas last bout I had dinos all over my rocks...which is good..right?  I guess that means the LR has some good stuff on it keeping the nasties away.  I've suspended all coral foods..particle stuff and amino's.  

 

I read somewhere the other day that it'll take more than a year for dry rock to fully establish a successful microbial community....who knows man.

 

Nutrient levels are good and so are the other mainstay params.  Alk has been locked in 7.5-8 range for awhile and I'm still seeing some excellent growth from SPS.  With the cooler weather and windows open in FL my pH generally peaks at 8.2 during the day now...my jawbreaker breaker cap will need to be fragged soon haha..anecdotal evidence higher pH really drives rapid growth.  After adding the blade, I have noticed improved color on most of the previously shaded sides of the SPS.  The RR Tropicana Anacro is really starting to develop some nice orange hues:):):)   

 

I'm beginning to believe this is just not a tank I can keep most zoas in successfully.  The AOI's and green palys are the only group that stays consistently healthy and grow.  It's such a foreign concept for me, personally, to have SPS essentially doing the best out of anything..

 

LPS are fine.  Acans/blastos/chalices/pectinia are solid and growing.  

 

I'm seriously considering pulling the rocks and either rinsing the SB or removing it completely.  It's ugly with the cyano and I'm sick of looking at it..

 

 

[Koleswrath]

2 hours ago, ml86743 said:

I'm seriously considering pulling the rocks and either rinsing the SB or removing it completely.  It's ugly with the cyano and I'm sick of looking at it..

Rinse it. Follow Brandon's method and you'll want to do it once a year after seeing how well it works. Just be prepared to use a shit ton of water. 

[Justind823]

Tank is looking good aside from the algae issues! I have a bout of dinos going on right now from nutrients bottoming out - still working on it! 

 

How's the blade working out for you? How did you end up mounting it? 

[ml86743]

On 12/1/2023 at 1:32 PM, Koleswrath said:

Rinse it. Follow Brandon's method and you'll want to do it once a year after seeing how well it works. Just be prepared to use a shit ton of water. 

Exactly what I was thinking.  After my camping trip this weekend I think I'm going to collect a few totes to place the rock work/fish in.  I think I would probably drain the tank empty the sand rinse it clean and then just leave it to dry in the sun for a few days on some baking sheets.  Next WC add it back in..or keep it out...still unsure.

 

On 12/1/2023 at 4:26 PM, Justind823 said:

Tank is looking good aside from the algae issues! I have a bout of dinos going on right now from nutrients bottoming out - still working on it! 

 

How's the blade working out for you? How did you end up mounting it? 

Thanks!  After stating that my nutrients were in good shape I have had several bouts of bottomed out NO3 and PO4 since the last post.  I've been dosing daily to keep some in the water, but I've seen improvement overall.  I added the drop-in UV back to the tank as well to help clear up any free floaters, the may need to be changed but I think overall things are looking up.  Hoping to have it mostly clear before the relatives come over around Christmas..  I actually completed a DIY coral snow treatment I saw over at reefsite and I do think it helped with overall cyano coverages.  I will probably use this method going forward after each WC.

 

I really like the blade so far.  I can get a really nice spectrum with the available led colors,  The spread is phenomenal, if I were to re-light this tank completely I'd go with two grows (which I may end up doing at some point).  I do love my maxspect and it had done a wonderful job with great spectrum, the only downside is I do see a good deal of shading. 

 

As for mounting..it's still just sitting right on the tank rim haha!  I don't hate the look at all but I think the elevated tank mounts will be the route I end up choosing.  The mounts they provide in box kind of conceal the whole unit which is nice because it does prevent some splash from hitting the body.

[ml86743]

Picture Dump!!

 

I moved all the wiring for controllers and stuff under the stand.  It was just too messy looking outside of the tank.  Battling cyano still but things are moving in the right direction.

 

Enjoy the pics!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Reefkid88]

Man,this this is hitting a stride right now and looking amazing. How are you like the Jump led ?