Jump to content
Cultivated Reef

Recommended Posts

New sticks purchased, they start arriving next Tuesday. Β All πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦aquaculture, evenly split my budget between Frag Garage and New Dawn Aquaculture. Β The Jack-O-Lantern Leptoseis and Bling Bling cyphastrea already in there are Fragbox Cultured Corals. Β Everything else is from the other 2.

Β 

Existing Ricordea florida are wild from assorted vendors.

Link to comment

PJ’s Gumbo v3

Β 

This is now split between both tanks, on top of their 20ml phyto each daily, and the AcroPower that will be dosed in this tank when the sticks are back.

Β 

Even Days

2/3” LRS

1/4 tsp RR

10 drops Oyster Feast

1 drop min s

4 drops Coral Amino

25ml Β tank water

Β 

Odd Days

2/3” LRS

1/4 tsp Coral Frenzy or 0.1 tsp Coral Sprint (any probiotic food on hand)

10 drops Oyster Feast

4 drops Coral Amino

25ml tank water

Β 

Link to comment

Love it, everything (icluding acros) eat it. Β My goni is thriving, but I don't know everything's favourite. Β But I'll tell you my NON-encrusting LPS (Blastos and Goni) are absurd on the gumbo, so you may see crazy results if it's just the OF. Β Start with a few drops, it'll move your nutrients so go slow if that's a concern.

  • Like 1
Link to comment

I love OF,that stuff is amazing. My old Acan's LOVED it. I mixed with lps max,reef roids and sps max and talk about an EXPLOSION of growth. I also spot fed every polyp though,so that helped with wasted food.Β 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
13 hours ago, PJPS said:

New sticks purchased, they start arriving next Tuesday. Β All πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦aquaculture, evenly split my budget between Frag Garage and New Dawn Aquaculture. Β 

I get all my stuff from Mitchell at New Dawn. Fantastic guy and amazing tanks. He's opening his storefront about 3 minutes from my house. I'll have to take out a 2nd mortgage on my house because I'll be there every weekend guaranteed. I just watched a Reef Bum podcast with Adam from Frag Garage and he seems like a stellar guy. I'll have to order from him one of these days.
Glad there's some quality Canadian coral shops around! 🍁

Β 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
34 minutes ago, Koleswrath said:

I get all my stuff from Mitchell at New Dawn. Fantastic guy and amazing tanks. He's opening his storefront about 3 minutes from my house. I'll have to take out a 2nd mortgage on my house because I'll be there every weekend guaranteed. I just watched a Reef Bum podcast with Adam from Frag Garage and he seems like a stellar guy. I'll have to order from him one of these days.
Glad there's some quality Canadian coral shops around! 🍁

Β 

They've both stepped up to refill the tank :). Β It was all sickeningly Canadian - Two really nice dudes out west helped a disabled guy in Ontario in a tough spot. Β Adam's shop has the jaw dropper sticks, Mitchell's is a bit more of a full aquaculture spot (inverts, fish, gorgs, softies, LPS, SPS). Β Both are the best coral spots in Canada, depends more what I'm shopping for.

Β 

If I want the absolute best/nicest coral in Canada, Frag Garage, no question. Β If I want some snails and wider selection and less $pendy, NDA, no question. Β Although I've only bought SPS from NDA, and while it's not as crazy as Adam's stuff, Mitchell's stuff is the next best <- I mean this as flattery :).

Β 

If you do try Adam's farm, he's got a few sick pieces for not bananas money. Β I love the Toxic Slimer (actually a neon florida), and the FG Hyacinthus. Β You can fill your boots with Adam's less expensive stuff and have a mindblowing SPS reef. Β But there are $350 frags if you're after the big name stuff. Β Mention Pat sent you, Β and pay by etransfer, you'll get nicer frags πŸ™‚Β 

  • Like 1
  • Agree 1
Link to comment
4 hours ago, PJPS said:

Love it, everything (icluding acros) eat it. Β My goni is thriving, but I don't know everything's favourite. Β But I'll tell you my NON-encrusting LPS (Blastos and Goni) are absurd on the gumbo, so you may see crazy results if it's just the OF. Β Start with a few drops, it'll move your nutrients so go slow if that's a concern.

Do you not recommend target feedings?

Link to comment
11 minutes ago, ml86743 said:

Do you not recommend target feedings?

If you have a plate or some other big single polyp lps, probably wise.  Target feeling anything else seems like needless work.  I broadcast feed a lot multiple times a day so I get to watch everything eat multiple times a day 😊.  Returns off, tank flow unchanged.  The Pavlovian reaction out of the fishWhen you turn off the Return Pump is kind of funny.

Β 

Voice type really went crazy on the capitals there 😊

  • Like 1
Link to comment
  • PJPS changed the title to πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦πŸŒ²The Boreal Forest πŸŒ²πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦

The few sticks still hobbling along may be growing again, calcium dropped 40ppm overnight. Β Lately (past 4 days) it's been sluggish. Β Aftermath and restocking video soon. Β Picked up a tripod ready webcam for quicker video setup than dslr and all that. Β It's so fiddly that with my disability I NEVER bother. Β Hopefully this low effort approach will result in more content.

Β 

Verbally, sticks ae brown from being under lit while we got the water back in shape. Β The leather killing a bunch of sticks dropped demand, removing the leather increased demand, meetin demand caused it to spike as more acros fell (alk or leather?), at which point all dosing stopped. Β It took another week for the AFR to clear out and stop yoyoing the alk.

Β 

Mixing the AFR 4:1 and still dosing as directed next time. Β 2:1 was still too fiddly in 60L of water

Link to comment
On 3/6/2023 at 4:46 PM, ml86743 said:

Do you not recommend target feedings?

This dude doesn't do it for his big LPS and they look very happy.

If you broadcast feed heavy, everything stays well fed. Β Don't let the nutrients get crazy, but NO3=15 PO4=0.3 is my current target. Β Mild carbon dose to get PO4 into the coral, herbivores to deal with the algae, tank looks great (if bare).

Β 

Β 

  • Like 1
  • Wow 1
Link to comment

Preparing the tank for the FG order coming tuesday. Β Curious to see what Adam sends. Β Gave him a budget and the only other constraint was all FG lineage coral. Β So no RR or Vivid, allΒ πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦Β aquacultured pieces from the ocean.

Β 

All SPS going in are 100%Β πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦Β aquaculture. Β The following Tuesday it's NDA's time to shine.

Β 

e: he just talked me into a couple of smooth skins, so I’m dialling back the intensity just a bit. Β I figured there’s bound to be a couple of spots where is smooth skins will do decently.

Link to comment
7 hours ago, PJPS said:

Preparing the tank for the FG order coming tuesday. Β Curious to see what Adam sends. Β Gave him a budget and the only other constraint was all FG lineage coral. Β So no RR or Vivid, allΒ πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦Β aquacultured pieces from the ocean.

Β 

All SPS going in are 100%Β πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦Β aquaculture. Β The following Tuesday it's NDA's time to shine.

Β 

e: he just talked me into a couple of smooth skins, so I’m dialling back the intensity just a bit. Β I figured there’s bound to be a couple of spots where is smooth skins will do decently.

Why no RR? They'reΒ πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦

Link to comment
1 hour ago, joshthebox said:

Why no RR? They'reΒ πŸ‡¨πŸ‡¦

RRC is, but they’re both pricy and I thought they’d closed (March mentioned it a while back. Β But yes, if I had the $cratch, RRC pieces qualify for sure. Β I can’t afford $300 for 1” of crazy that I’ll kill in a nano πŸ˜‚

Link to comment

Gave up on the cali tort and rosaria, they're beyond saving at this point 🀬.  Down to 2 brown acros and 2 rough looking montis.  The digi is coming back, the rainbow? not so much.  The salinity has been bumpy the last 2 weeks, so I assume that's most of it, salinity swings anger SPS quiickly.

Β 

Filter floss clogging ####ed with the water level, ATO kept refilling since the water level would drop near the sensor. Β Now there's no mechanical flow blockage on the side the return pump draws from, just a skimmer in the 2nd back chamber on Β that side. Side benefit - slower flow through the bio media on the other side, meaning longer contact time. Β Salinity hit 29 ppt (1.022ish). Β I like to stay at 35 ppt (1.026ish)

  • Sad 1
Link to comment
35 minutes ago, PJPS said:

Gave up on the cali tort and rosaria, they're beyond saving at this point 🀬.  Down to 2 brown acros and 2 rough looking montis.  The digi is coming back, the rainbow? not so much.  The salinity has been bumpy the last 2 weeks, so I assume that's most of it, salinity swings anger SPS quiickly.

Β 

Filter floss clogging ####ed with the water level, ATO kept refilling since the water level would drop near the sensor. Β Now there's no mechanical flow blockage on the side the return pump draws from, just a skimmer in the 2nd back chamber on Β that side. Side benefit - slower flow through the bio media on the other side, meaning longer contact time. Β Salinity hit 29 ppt (1.022ish). Β I like to stay at 35 ppt (1.026ish)

Man my ATO went on the fritz awhile back..piece of carbon escaped the bag and lodged itself in the float switch..

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
43 minutes ago, ml86743 said:

Man my ATO went on the fritz awhile back..piece of carbon escaped the bag and lodged itself in the float switch..

I love the ATO itself, it's never messed up (autoaqua AWC), but the flow being restricted dropped the level at the return, causing it to trip. Β Live and learn. Β I knew of this issue for a while, but it never did all too much. Β But miss 1 day of floss change...

Β 

Failure point 97 identifiedΒ πŸ™„

  • Like 1
Link to comment

JFC

Β 

NO3: 30 (i’m not sure what’s behind this, but that level shouldn’t be problematic)

PO4: 0.7 πŸ˜΅β€

Β 

I pulled out the rowa 7 days ago roughly, as I was concerned Β it was the reason the ATO kept going off. It certainly was part of it, but maybe I should’ve put it back somewhere else?  🀬🀬🀬

Β 

Putting in a massive bag (double my usual rowa) trying to get that down to something approaching normalcy. Β I will be testing quite frequently for the next few days.

Β 

The complete lack of algae or any other nuisances, made not even think to look at nutrients. Β My CuC is too effective, there should at least be an indicator that the phosphates have gotten that high in a nano πŸ˜‚.

Edited by PJPS
Clarify plan to lower PO4
Link to comment

Frag Garage pieces are in the tank, after temp acc and dip/rinse. Β Adam out did himself, there are some unexpected treasures in there. Β Pics/vid once the polyps are back out.

Β 

E: polyps are out on Β almost everything, the Tangerine Shortcake is pretty dope. Β The hyacynthus and toxic slimer (florida) look great. Β Waiting for Adam to ID the rest of his surprise box :). Β I think I see FG Dragonslayer and a replacement grape soda.

  • Like 1
  • Wow 1
Link to comment

Never got around to the photos, but here’s what a very fine gentleman named Adam Sutherland sent after I took delivery of the mystery box. Β This is way above and beyond what I’d expect any retailer to provide, but he understands my situation and goes a bit above and beyond for me ❀️.

Β 

image.thumb.jpeg.c55c4402a7d69456430fbc22bda92a50.jpeg

  • Wow 2
Link to comment
15 minutes ago, mitten_reef said:

Hey, look, you got a replacement grape soda. πŸ˜€

Β 

some nice frags, that red humulis looks interestingΒ 

Yeah, I love that thing, glad to have it back 😁. Β That humilis is yet to be released from what I can tell, I was asking him a bit if he had a humils, and mystery surprise, he’s been hiding it πŸ˜‰. Β The shortcake is a funky orange, the name fits.

Β 

I did ask for more of that toxic slimer, that is an absolute steal. Β Cheap, amazingly bright, and not your usual yongei slimer (it’s a florida). Β The polyps look like it’s a montipora if anything, and it’s hardy AF.

  • Like 1
  • Wow 1
Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recommended Discussions

Γ—
Γ—
  • Create New...