700 gallon tank, or how i spent my daughters inheritance

[nate82]

eh wait till drfosters has another $30/bucket of reefcrystals sale shipping's a flat 17 bucks and you'd have all new water for a little over $300

 

[salty joe]

I wonder how much PAR is lost due to the glass between the 400W bulb and the algae screen when the glass is spotless. And then how much is lost when the glass is not clean.
Would it be worthwhile to get a 70W sodium and place it just far enough from the outside of the algae sceen to get the needed coverage and check the PAR? I'm thinking maybe you can get more PAR from 4 70W sodiums mounted on the outside than a single 400W mounted on the inside. Big reflectors made of white plastic sheet material could be fitted from the lights to the screen. Like you, I try real hard to squeeze every single watt as hard as I can.

BTW, if I owned those crosshatches, I'd be more concerned that the coral might hurt the fish than the other way around. I make it a point not to be jealous of other people's stuff, but those triggers of yours are making it hard on me.

 

[Reefski's]

i too worry about the triggers. LOL they are just the coolest fish. esp the male following me around all the time. i don't think the coral will hurt them. the skin/scales are very much like sandpaper, not slick like most fish. the trigger resting on the coral has spurred it to produce sweepers that have killed the nearby Acro.

i am going to give the AFT a test the way it is. four lights might be a bit less electricity but i would need a new mounting system for the lights. on the outside i have acrylic to keep the water in the tank so there is a barrier there as well.

reading today.
PO4 0.20 ppm
nitrate 7.0 ppm
Ca 420 ppm
Mg 1350 ppm
dKH 13

pH 8.15
ORP 350

Carl

 

[Reefski's]

so i did a water change of about 10%, cleaned the veiwing pane, and added NSW with 0.06 ppm PO4 and the next day the PO4 level was 0.51. why?

dead stuff in the NSW that doesn't measure until after in the tank and processed by the life in the tank?

Beware the bristleworm! i moved a couple big Frogspawn pieces into the tank and moved some stuff around. after i looked like this. the finger always peels after touching the Zoanthids.

the Elegance seems to be growing as does the Montipora.

 

[melev]

I similarly got stung by my Rose BTA recently, and I'm doing what I can to avoid scratching that itch.

 

[Reefski's]

Marc-you are so right. it is very itchy and i don't want to put anything like cortisone cream on it because i stick my hand/arm in the tank everyday.

Carl

 

[BigJay]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13680730#post13680730 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
I similarly got stung by my Rose BTA recently, and I'm doing what I can to avoid scratching that itch.

I hear you there. Mine always gets me on the forearm when cleaning the tank, it itches like crazy.

The SPS corals surviving exposure to air doesn't surprise me too much, they just experienced low tide. :lol: I'm happy to see that mess worked out all right.

 

[Reefski's]

yes, a low tide episode with one difference. low temps! i suppose a storm in the tropics at low tide might bring lower temps and a freshwater rinse for a period of time as well. probably not down to 60 degrees though.

i did lose a couple more frags but the rest seem to being ok today.

they are hardier than we think. i think many people continually stress their corals by keeping them at unnaturally low temps like 77 degrees.

 

[gig]

great thread! simply awesome setup!

 

[BigJay]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13680938#post13680938 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Reefski's

they are hardier than we think. i think many people continually stress their corals by keeping them at unnaturally low temps like 77 degrees.

What would you say is a natual temp to keep corals at?

My heaters don't let the water get much lower than 78.5, is that too cold? The daytime high is around 80.5 with the lights on.

 

[Reefski's]

read this article by Dr. Ron Shimek for temperature info
http://www.ronshimek.com/salinity_temperature.html#

J.E.N. Veron noted coral expert says 81 degrees is optimum in his book "Reefs in Time"

 

[fote03]

Great build other than buying an island that has a reef right off shore u have spent her inheritance well.

 

[Reefski's]

thanks, it's all spent and then some. that is a great idea about the island. or maybe just an island nation like Fiji or Northern Australia. i could sell it all and move somewhere tropical and really be able to retire. now there is no retirement in sight.

my wife says no money left to finish the enclosure cabinet. roofing has been slow this year.

no money for more corals either. just have to let the ones i have grow in. i do have some still in other tanks for now, still to go into the main tank.

Carl

 

[makolonj]

Could we see some recent FTS?
Perhaps a couple with the moon lights on?

 

[Reefski's]

i cleaned the tank today so i will try to get some shots tomorrow. there is only one moon light and it is only on one corner so nothing much there to see.

an interesting thing about the moon light- the Pajama Cardinal is in one area of the tank during the day. at night it is right under the moon light.

the FTS don't look like much though. all the corals are small by comparison to the tank.

Carl

 

[Reefski's]

CW from the OC, and Gooli-thanks for the idea,

i have a new method of Aiptasia control if you can get the rock out of the tank.

no FTS yet but here is a couple pix.

 

[Kent E]

What does fried aiptasia smell like?

 

[ransomed4ever]

Hope you're wearing eye protection. Wouldn't take much for trapped moisture in the rock to boil and basically blow that section of the rock up.

 

[Otto2]

My Bangaii cardinals at night stay right under the moonlight. I think they like to pick at the pods swimming through the light.

 

[gig]

that Sailfin Tang is friggin awesome!