Aquaph8's 225 Build

[aquaph8]

your corals are looking Brett
thanks for the update

Thanks Pete

Looks awesome Brett!
BTW the third picture does look like ice fire echinata that could use a tad bit more light

Thanks aquainas, Not bad for $5 huh. I would move it up but space is getting kinda limited.

Very nice Brett. Isn't it great when things start to click? BTW, I don't think that's the Icefire or an A. echinata. The corallite structure is too compact. More like a very nice and happy looking A. tenuis. Either way, a great looking coral by any name.

Thanks Kenny, Its taken me ten years to get here and I think Im finally getting it, LOL. Me and SPS have a pretty bad track record. I think it has a lot to do with where my life has taken me to be honest. Ive settled down and find myself home with the familly these days and the tank fits better than ever. I think your right about tenius, Im liking the greenish yellow base with the blue tips. Ive never been good with names.

Interesting.. Nice score whatever it is.. I just scored a bottlebrush type coral at my local reef club this past Sunday. Turned out to be a granulosa I believe. In researching, I finally realized that bottlebrush is not a species but a certain growth pattern that you will find in enchinatas, granulosa, torts and maybe even turaki. All these years in the hobby... that was news to me. LOL!

It funny, you never know what your gonna get. Some of the ugliest corals turn out to be spectacular over time. LOL, thats all news to me, Ive always envied people that can look at a coral and tell you all about it.

tank is coming along just nicely brett.evrything looks healthy and vibrant


vic

Thanks Vic, Im glad to see yours going as well, looking forward to seeing it all come together.

+1 Brett... and we love the wrasse!

Thanks M and T, I look up to your tank so much. I think the C. marginatus is one of the most under rated wrasses there is. It may be kinda common but is such a beautiful fish. I see them sit in the LFS all the time, its amazing how boring they look under low lighting, then you get them in the reef and they blow you away.

Love the setup! Will be tagging along.

Sorry again for my late reply to your PM bud. Glad to have you along for the ride. Thanks for all the nice comments, it means a lot.

 

[aquaph8]

T5 guys, how high would you have my fixture hanging over the tank? Ive thought about lowering it a bit but I dont want to mess with a good thing.

 

[swissgaurd]

if you have a good thing dont mess with it
how high is it now

vic

 

[aquaph8]

Its about 10" above the water. Also how long are you guys running your T5's?

 

[swissgaurd]

i usually run them from 8 to 10 " above water surface
10 hrs total

all lights on for 6 hrs
blues 2hrs before and 2 hrs after

vic

 

[aquaph8]

Ive been running 7 hrs, I dont have a dawn/dusk set up yet. Its just on/off for now. I need to get another PC4 for the RKL.

 

[jbanks]

I run mine about 8 inches off the surface of the water. Remember that T5's give you about a 3 inches spread of light per tube so that covers your 36 inches without requiring you to raise them too high at all.

 

[aquaph8]

I didn't know that, you teach me something new every day. How many hours are you running Jon?

 

[Reef_Noob]

Hi Brett,
If ya observing growth, corals holding colour and PE when lights are ON it would be better not to mess with it. Sometimes even a small adjustment can create a mess.
So if ya feel the corals are happy then maintain it this way IMHO.

But gradually increasing the duration of time they are ON would be a better idea.
If you ask me uv got the light in a pretty good position coz the tank looks nuisance algae free, which is a great thing.

 

[jbanks]

Nine hours total with dusk/dawn being 1 hour in the beginning and 1 hour in the end.

 

[DanW]

Hey nice to see things are going great. The corals look happy and the rubrimarginatus has great color :thumbsup:

 

[aquaph8]

Hey nice to see things are going great. The corals look happy and the rubrimarginatus has great color :thumbsup:

Thanks Dan :beer:

 

[aquaph8]

So the muelleri has gone through two prazi treatments now and seems healthy as can be. He's eating out of my hand now and devouring black worms like there going out of style. I thought about moving him to the DT but I can't get myself to do it. I think I need a little shove. My biggest fear is how he'll react to the welcoming committee. The yellow tang and Borbonius anthias are my big concern. You guys ever have issues with letting them play with the other kids, LOL My wife thinks Im nuts cause of how attached I get to my fish. I was grumpy for 3 days when I lost the sqare anthias.

 

[prop-frags]

So the muelleri has gone through two prazi treatments now and seems healthy as can be. He's eating out of my hand now and devouring black worms like there going out of style. I thought about moving him to the DT but I can't get myself to do it. I think I need a little shove. My biggest fear is how he'll react to the welcoming committee. The yellow tang and Borbonius anthias are my big concern. You guys ever have issues with letting them play with the other kids, LOL My wife thinks Im nuts cause of how attached I get to my fish. I was grumpy for 3 days when I lost the sqare anthias.

Use an acclimation box. They really do help a lot. You get to see which ones are going to be causing a fuss and gives them time to simma-down-now.

 

[aquaph8]

Use an acclimation box. They really do help a lot. You get to see which ones are going to be causing a fuss and gives them time to simma-down-now.

I always use one, I agree it helps. This particular fish makes me nervous still though.

 

[prop-frags]

Brett, we completely understand you being nervous about the new babe. Not sure if it is feasible in your situation, but temporarily partitioning off a section of the tank can give the new fish a chance to get comfortable and establish it's territory while avoiding aggression issues. We have friends that have used this technique when adding Angels, especially conspecifics.

 

[Garage1217]

That lamarks angel is stunning! Have been looking for one. Monday, if all works out, I am picking up a female watanabe angel, another one of my faves.

 

[Reef_Noob]

So the muelleri has gone through two prazi treatments now and seems healthy as can be. He's eating out of my hand now and devouring black worms like there going out of style. I thought about moving him to the DT but I can't get myself to do it. I think I need a little shove. My biggest fear is how he'll react to the welcoming committee. The yellow tang and Borbonius anthias are my big concern. You guys ever have issues with letting them play with the other kids, LOL My wife thinks Im nuts cause of how attached I get to my fish. I was grumpy for 3 days when I lost the sqare anthias.

Can relate to this jittery feeling when ya hav your fav fish about to get into the DT.
If ya very worried partition the tank with the bullies on one end and let the new guys get to feel at home.
I would like to be grumpy when my fish or corals die but only if my wife allows me to be grumpy lol
Most of the time the grumpiness has to buried inside me deep and camouflaged with a smiling face

Do post pics of them new guys in the tank with all the grumpy bullies on the other side of the partition

 

[aquaph8]

Going for it. Im not seeing alot of aggressive actions today but I guess we will see when I release him.

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[gimmito]

Good luck Brett !