Reef Rain - A Cube's Life [Bc14]

[Rain24]

Sorry about Ruby Don't let it discourage you though. She could have just been at the end of her life span.

 

Thanks, Gena. Poor Meg. I keep checking that she's okay every few minutes now that Ruby's gone. I swear, I am such a noob still. I'm hovering over the tank. Did I mention we had a tank avalanche and my frogspawn did a faceplant in the sand tonight? It's on it's third regluing, poor thing.

[gena]

I think you'll feel better once you start doing water changes with the salt you mixed yourself!

 

An avalanche? Those are my worst fear. I never glue my rocks together because I never want to do something so permanent. I hope your frogspawn isn't too peeved now

[Rain24]

Yup, I haven't glued yet because I'm not 100% sold on the "scape" (a.k.a. what the rock stacks into more or less). The frogspawn looks mad in the morning, mouth open, I can see it's skeleton "fins" almost poking through. But right now it's all inflated, mouth closed. We'll see if it's better tomorrow. I did another little water change with the new water.

[jojoe972]

Any update on the coral or bryopsis?

[Rain24]

Any update on the coral or bryopsis?

 

Hey Jojoe! Thanks for swinging by. The frogspawn looks like its dividing into two mouths. So, nope...not dead after all. The "baby" acan heads are not so baby anymore. When I bought it, the frag looked like it had three heads plus one small and and two that the guy insisted were new heads but I honestly didn't believe him. But he was right! Plus there are two more, so now it looks like eight heads so far.

 

The duncan has some nub on the side that might be a new growth and the zoas also have little growths that seem like new heads forming.

 

The bryopsis is being dealt with. I need to check for dead spots in the tank and there is a problem rock that needs to be dipped. It's also water change day.

 

Alk is low still - 5.7 dKH. I've mixed up some baked baking soda dissolved in some DI water. We'll see what happens!

[jojoe972]

Well it sounds like things are moving the right direction. Glad to hear after waiting a few years. You should shot some pics of the coral when you get a chance.

 

Good Luck with the baking soda.

[Nano sapiens]

It's quite a process to get a tank back into tip-top shape, but it looks like you are on the right path. Keep at it and it will get better!

[shaner014]

Hopefully everything cleans up soon for ya. I cant imagine you giving up after waiting this long haha

[gena]

I like the sounds of all that new growth!!!!! What does the alk test at with newly mixed saltwater (before you put it in the tank)?

[Polarcollision]

Pics?

[Rain24]

Well it sounds like things are moving the right direction. Glad to hear after waiting a few years. You should shot some pics of the coral when you get a chance.

 

Good Luck with the baking soda.

 

Let's hope they are moving in the right direction! Okay, I'm going to post new pics!

 

It's quite a process to get a tank back into tip-top shape, but it looks like you are on the right path. Keep at it and it will get better!

 

Thanks for all the tips, Nano sapiens. I'm trying!

 

Hopefully everything cleans up soon for ya. I cant imagine you giving up after waiting this long haha

 

It's getting there, slowly but surely. There are times I wish things would go by faster, but I know that slow and steady is what works in this hobby.

 

I like the sounds of all that new growth!!!!! What does the alk test at with newly mixed saltwater (before you put it in the tank)?

 

Hi Gena! The new saltwater is coming in at 9.9dKH but I tested my tank yesterday and it's back down to 5.4 dKH. I need to boost that. Water changes aren't cutting it. But yes, I'm getting growth still, so I need to get the alk in line so that it doesn't slow all this growing going on.

 

Pics?

 

Coming up!

[Rain24]

Photos

December 24, 2012 - Birthday Corals!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/reefrain/8319029780/'>
Yes, we went to the LFS for my birthday.

My husband got me an Acan lord frag and a Duncan frag.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/reefrain/8319031602/'>
Acans on 12/27/2012

http://www.flickr.com/photos/reefrain/8317973407/'>
Duncan on 12/27/2012 before it was moved to the sand bed

http://www.flickr.com/photos/reefrain/8317973233/'>
The zoas fragged themselves so this piece got moved to this ledge.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/reefrain/8317973571/'>
Frogspawn on 12/27/2012

http://www.flickr.com/photos/reefrain/8369010422/'>
Frogspawn with two mouths now, 1/9/2013

http://www.flickr.com/photos/reefrain/8367943211/'>
A pic from the side, 1/9/2013

http://www.flickr.com/photos/reefrain/8367943391/'>
Under actinics - not quite true to color.

Outer ring is more greenish under these lights.

[gena]

Looks fabulous! I really love your rockwork. The frogspawn looks great too!!!! Love the green that has really come out on it

[Rain24]

Looks fabulous! I really love your rockwork. The frogspawn looks great too!!!! Love the green that has really come out on it

 

Thank you. But sadly, I call that scape "the wall" lately since it seems to produce dead spots in the back and on the sides.

[gena]

Can you rearrange things to avoid the dead spots? How can you tell there are dead spots? Detritus accumulating? I probably have that too.

[Rain24]

Can you rearrange things to avoid the dead spots? How can you tell there are dead spots? Detritus accumulating? I probably have that too.

 

Not sure if I can rescape since these rocks only seem to only want to stack one way and I don't want to move the frogspawn at the moment since it seems happy where it is. And yes, there's detritus in the back and sides and algae in the corners.

[ward827]

Love the new pics, Rain. Hadn't seen them. Everything looks really good!
As far as the dead spots, are the rocks right up against the back wall? If so,

maybe move them out a little for better circulation in the back.

I had some dead spots so I changed my return and koralia to make a cross
current, like an X. With the return being higher, on the left and pointed at the surface a little
for gas exchange and the koralia being on the right glass, lower and pointed across towards the left front corner.

 

The currents bounce off the glass. Seemed to help. 2 cents. W-

[jojoe972]

Hey Rain!

 

Maybe you should get an MP10 for your deadspots?!?!?!

[Rain24]

Love the new pics, Rain. Hadn't seen them. Everything looks really good!

As far as the dead spots, are the rocks right up against the back wall? If so,

maybe move them out a little for better circulation in the back.

 

I had some dead spots so I changed my return and koralia to make a cross

current, like an X. With the return being higher, on the left and pointed at the surface a little

for gas exchange and the koralia being on the right glass, lower and pointed across towards the left front corner.

 

The currents bounce off the glass. Seemed to help. 2 cents. W-

 

I studied your FTS, Ward. Looks like I'm going to have to try to do this cross current thing at some point.

 

My rocks are not right up against the wall, there's probably 1/2" to 1" at the narrowest spots back there (a few points where the rocks sticks out towards the back). I probably should move it up a bit and lose some sand real estate. Or maybe a chisel would be good at some point. I've always been too chicken to break up the rocks.

 

Hey Rain!

 

Maybe you should get an MP10 for your deadspots?!?!?!

 

Jojoe, do not tempt me!!! How am I going to justify that to the husband? A powerhead that costs more than the tank itself! We have to ease him into it. I'm letting put in some corals that he likes so he's invested in the tank as well. Let's see...Valentine's Day is coming up. Who needs jewelry? Just get me stuff for my tank, right?

[Polarcollision]

 

Under actinics - not quite true to color.

Outer ring is more greenish under these lights.

WOW!!!! I could stare at this one all day. Gorgeous!

[jojoe972]

Jojoe, do not tempt me!!! How am I going to justify that to the husband? A powerhead that costs more than the tank itself! We have to ease him into it. I'm letting put in some corals that he likes so he's invested in the tank as well. Let's see...Valentine's Day is coming up. Who needs jewelry? Just get me stuff for my tank, right?

 

That is what you should do......He should be addicted by now. You have had the tank up for over two years!!!!

[Rain24]

WOW!!!! I could stare at this one all day. Gorgeous!

 

Thanks, PC! Here's another one for you. I just discovered the K setting on my camera's white balance. Too bad it only goes to 10,000K. Don't they know that we need more than that? My lights are probably about there anyway, though these were shot under actinics.

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/reefrain/8371657654/'>

 

 

That is what you should do......He should be addicted by now. You have had the tank up for over two years!!!!

 

He's happy until it's time to scrub the rocks and change the water. I'm still softening him up. He wants fish - let's hope we can agree on the type.

[jojoe972]

should be able to their is a ton to choose from. There has to be a few that you both will agree on.

[Polarcollision]

Thanks, PC! Here's another one for you. I just discovered the K setting on my camera's white balance. Too bad it only goes to 10,000K. Don't they know that we need more than that? My lights are probably about there anyway, though these were shot under actinics.

 

Very nice! I'm going to want to get my hands on a baby when it grows out. Until then I'll just covet your acan. :-) Do you have a custom white balance option on your camera? If so, set it to the white sand and the camera will get you pretty close to what we see with our eyes.

[Polarcollision]

Hey Rain - here's an update on the superglue algae treatment. No new sprigs of algae have popped up and the rocks are super clean. Yay! Never did get brave enough to try peroxide, but its in my back pocket just in case.