40 Gallon Breeder reef tank build...

I tried taking a shot on full actinic. I wish I could get that "glow" that the corals have under actinic...

actinic.jpg
 
Swope2bc said:
Yeah, I hear that! The tanks look sweet in pictures, but nothing like they do in person.
Click to expand...

That's for sure. The biggest problem with photographing a tank is lighting. What looks optimal to the eye (or even optimal for corals) creates many photographic hot spots and shadows and it's difficult to get a good balance between the two and still render it in a photo the way it looks to the naked eye.
 
I've never tried it but I'm assuming your using a DSLR for your shots. Could you do a custom WB, and place your gray card under the same lighting to set it?
 
stingeragent said:
I've never tried it but I'm assuming your using a DSLR for your shots. Could you do a custom WB, and place your gray card under the same lighting to set it?
Click to expand...

Actually, no. I'm using an extremely old, crappy and cheap point and shoot where the battery compartment door won't even stay shut with tape and I have to hold it closed while I take the photos so it doesn't turn off accidentally mid shot. LOL.

I guess I'm just used to how it functions and never bothered to use any other auto settings on it. Perhaps taking a pic in night mode might offer some different results under actinic.

I'd love a DSLR but if I buy one, then that's less to spend on corals. ;)
 
Aw, gotcha. Depending on the brand it may let you set a custom WB. I had an old canon point and shoot (when I say old was like a 2004 model), and I could do it on there. Usually if the point and shoot will let you manually set the shutter/aperature, you can also set a custom WB.
 
I'll be getting a new addition tonight. Couldn't bring it home straight from work so I'm picking it up later. It will be my last fish addition and it's a Beauty!
 
He's still a bit shy and hard to photograph. He's getting more used to his surroundings and does come out at feeding time. I don't think he knows he's the biggest fish in the sea yet. ;)

Can't wait until he's out and about on a regular basis to get some great photos. He's the most beautiful Coral Beauty I've ever seen. It has a lot of brilliant reds on his face, throat and belly (much more so than others I've seen). Brilliant blues, purples, reds, yellows, oranges, etc.

It's my last and final fish addition which puts my count up to 8 total, which is enough for my display tank (together with my sump I have about 70 gallons total water volume).

coralbeauty.jpg
 
Swope2bc said:
I love him!!! You and I will end up with almost identical stock.
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Thanks. He's doing really well in my tank and has been doing great for quite a while now at my LFS. As mentioned previously, none of my fish have spent time in a QT. They all have been observed for over a month before purchase though. ALL of them were fish that resided in one of three frag tanks at my LFS, so all those tanks have coral in them, so no copper treatments, etc. I would only buy fish from one of those three tanks because they are treated differently.

This particular guy came in about a month ago and I asked one of my guys to put him in one of the frag tanks as I wanted this one in particular because he is so much more colorful than others I've seen. He's fat, happy and aside from being a bit shy (being the new guy in the tank), he comes out for feeding and is eating very well. I can't wait until he starts roaming around the tank. Plenty of algae for him to eat and I also have seaweed for him.

Yeah, having a 40 gallon tank does kind of limit the choices a bit and I think I have the perfect blend of inhabitants that all use different areas of the tank, have different feeding habits, and all work well together.

Can't wait to see you tank stocked.
 
Swope2bc said:
I've been watching a pair of black ocellaris. That may come home soon.
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There are some really interesting clownfish color variations now. We carry a lot of different kinds at my LFS. Every time some come in I have to check them out. Mine are just the natural variety.

Still hard to get a decent pic that isn't blurry but my Coral Beauty is now swimming all over the place. He has his favorite place under an overhang (right below the rock in the pic to the right of him), but he is getting more and more comfortable checking out the whole tank now. None of the other fish seem to care he's there.
 
Mine are just Ocellaris.

My Coral Beauty seems to LOVE swimming throughout all the caves in the rockwork, occasionally making an appearance out front although it's not for very long. This was the best pic I could get of him out front. Horrible pic, very blurry, colors are all wrong (camera must be freaking out with all the colors of the CB). At least he's getting pretty comfortable for only his second day in the tank.

Gotta get a full tank shot with ALL 8 fish in one shot. Challenging. I've taken a few with all 7 (at the time), but getting these all together for a group shot will be quite the challenge.

coralbeauty2.jpg
 
ZeeSparrow said:
What a gorgeous fish! Your tank is looking fantastic, Mark. I could be jealous... ;)
Click to expand...

Thanks. He fits right in with the others. They all have their favorite hangouts and hiding spots without encroaching on any others and they all kind of have their own swimming and feeding space too. A great community of fish.

Your tank is bigger than mine so you have more options for fish and coral.
 
Nothing new here really. I lost a Banghai Cardinal for no apparent reason. None of the fish look unhealthy nor did he specifically.

Everything else is doing fabulous.
 
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