Biocube 29 build
- Thread starter RedStangGA
- Start date
RedStangGA
New member
Nah, she's just a good old loyal dog. She was my wife's birthday present nearly 12 years ago but she sticks to me most of the time. Where I'm working, she's laying down!
bymers42
New member
My wife and I have a cat (we were renting and dogs weren't allowed. im def a dog person and used to think I hated cats) that I gave her as a X-mas present a few years ago and he definitely favors me too.
Funny how it works out.
RedStangGA
New member
Yes it is.
Couple more pics too!
Some coolZoa's
Pseudo FTS with all 5 fish present and accounted for!
RedStangGA
New member
Yes and yes. Though I wonder if I should have thrown in a couple WW and NW as well. I like the blue look though.
RedStangGA
New member
Sorry, Neutral White and Warm White. This isn't an area that I dug into much. Most people seem to go with Cool White(CW) and Royal Blue(RB) so that's what I did. I'm happy with the result but do wonder if it would look better with a more varied color spectrum.
BowieReefer84
New member
It does look better. I have 10rb, 4b, 2ww, 2nw, and 6cw. Before I had 12rb and 12cw. The change has balanced things out. I had the original 12/12 for around 10 months, and just switched over. I will need to wait longer to determine the effect on my corals. The change is minor, but is better. If you have not yet built your fixture you mine as well incorporate ww, nw, and b as the cost is basically the same.
RedStangGA
New member
I might pick up a couple and retrofit them in at some point.
Also, I love my Apex!
So yesterday morning I'm sitting at work and open up my Apex page. Low and behold the temp has dropped down to 77.6. No big deal except the heater is supposed to kick on at 78 and according to the apex it is on. I keep an eye on the temp and an hour later it's dropped down to 76.9. So I call the wife and she runs down to the fish room, grabs my mixing water heater, drops it in the back chamber, plugs it in, and lets me know which port it's plugged into. Then I'm able to remotely configure that port and get the second heater on line.
Without the apex I wouldn't have even known that my temp was dropping fast. Pretty sure my wife opened up the windows to take advantage of the fall weather and the 50w heater just couldn't keep up.
Do you have email warnings set up with the apex?
Also... you've had the LEDs for a couple of weeks now, right? how are the corals responding? any problems or concerns?
Did you acclimate your corals to the LEDs, and are you slowly ramping up to full intensity? just curious how you're using them.
FYI: linking up the vortech and apex is pretty cool... I set up a series of profiles so that when I use one of the feed cycles (one that I reserved for when I feed mysis shrimp), the MP10 runs through a series of states (off.... then slow.... then NTM... then back to reefcrest).
Also... you've had the LEDs for a couple of weeks now, right? how are the corals responding? any problems or concerns?
Did you acclimate your corals to the LEDs, and are you slowly ramping up to full intensity? just curious how you're using them.
FYI: linking up the vortech and apex is pretty cool... I set up a series of profiles so that when I use one of the feed cycles (one that I reserved for when I feed mysis shrimp), the MP10 runs through a series of states (off.... then slow.... then NTM... then back to reefcrest).
RedStangGA
New member
I do but I had it set up for a temp probe failure so it would send an email if temp was below 52.
Coral's seem to be responding great. My montipora cap has grown significantly. Zoa's and Paly's seem happy. Blasto's looked a little rough at first so I dropped the intensity down and they're back to loving life. Acan did great as well. Kenya tree has been off and on. At the most I run RB's at 50% and whites at 40% unless I'm showing them off. I've also cut the photo period way back while battling the light algae issues.
Can't wait to get the WXM module. I know it'll be fun.
On the algae front I discovered one of my newb mistakes. My RO unit doesn't have a DI cartridge. I thought it did and never thought twice about it. The DI cartridge should be delivered this week. I'm still only getting 2-3ppm TDS so it isn't high but it's not zero.
I'm hesitant to do any more water changes until I get the DI in as I'll just be wasting salt. I'm seeing a few light pink patches of sand again 5 days after my last water change.
Also thinking I need a larger CUC. 5 hermits and 7 snails. Thinking 5-10 more snails of various types, a fighting conch, and maybe 2-3 more hermits. I like the hermits; fun to watch.
I've decided to fight algae with algae... I just ordered some chaeto and some flame algae from reefcleaners. And threw in a dozen or so snails. I originally bought 15 snails, but 4 have definitely died that I know of. The past week or two it seems like there are fewer snails around.
Don't get margarhita snails... I didn't research enough and apparently they like cooler water and died within a couple weeks.
I've been nervous about getting hermits due to the stories about them killing snails and/or eating corals. Have you had any problems? How many hermits do you have now and what kind?
By the way... thanks for the recommendation on the tailspot blenny. I moved him from QT last weekend, and he's been really fun to watch. as soon as I dropped him in, the yellowtail damsel went to bully him a little bit... but the blenny fought back, and now they aren't bothering each other.
Don't get margarhita snails... I didn't research enough and apparently they like cooler water and died within a couple weeks.
I've been nervous about getting hermits due to the stories about them killing snails and/or eating corals. Have you had any problems? How many hermits do you have now and what kind?
By the way... thanks for the recommendation on the tailspot blenny. I moved him from QT last weekend, and he's been really fun to watch. as soon as I dropped him in, the yellowtail damsel went to bully him a little bit... but the blenny fought back, and now they aren't bothering each other.
RedStangGA
New member
Yeah, I'll be going the cheato route as well at some point.
I only have 5 hermits and they've left coral alone. Not sure about the snails but I don't think the hermits killed them. I have 2 blue, 2 red, and soem sort of white one.
My larger clown tried intimidating the blenny and the blenny blew it off. Now both clowns, the blenny, and the six line all swim around with each other like they're best buds. Fun to watch. Glad you like yours. Beautiful fish and fun to see where it perches.
RedStangGA
New member
Added an aquatic life 115 skimmer last Sunday. The skimmate is getting progressively darker. Emptying it out every other day right now.
Over all tank is doing well. Amm/Trite/Trate's are all 0. Still getting some reddish stuff on the sand over time. Need to pick up a phosphate kit but the water I'm putting in is 0 TDS.
Still love the LED's and the MP10! I'm letting it mature a bit more before adding in any more corals.
Over all tank is doing well. Amm/Trite/Trate's are all 0. Still getting some reddish stuff on the sand over time. Need to pick up a phosphate kit but the water I'm putting in is 0 TDS.
Still love the LED's and the MP10! I'm letting it mature a bit more before adding in any more corals.
Hey RS,
How's the 6-line? any aggression with your tank mates?
I'm thinking adding a fourth (and final) fish, and want something that'll swim around a lot and have been curious about the 6-line. knowing you have one... how's it been as a tank mate?
I'm probably getting the rapid led kit in a couple weeks... and waiting until the end of the month to get a VDM to hook it up to the apex. any issues with yours?
How's the 6-line? any aggression with your tank mates?
I'm thinking adding a fourth (and final) fish, and want something that'll swim around a lot and have been curious about the 6-line. knowing you have one... how's it been as a tank mate?
I'm probably getting the rapid led kit in a couple weeks... and waiting until the end of the month to get a VDM to hook it up to the apex. any issues with yours?
RedStangGA
New member
No aggression at all. In fact, since I brought it home the blenny is far more visible swimming around the tank and the little clown doesn't hide as much. Now if the goby would just stop being so skittish. It's been a great addition to the tank so far and it's been nice having a fish that lives in the water column along with the clowns. No idea where the thing hides at night though!
No issues with the rapidled kit or the vdm. The only downside I can think of is it's not easy to "tune" the light exactly how you want it. A slider or something as a control on the web page would be cool but I use virtual outlets instead to set intensity in 10% increments. Oh, if you use the meanwells you won't be able to use the LED's as moon lights. The meanwells cut off at a little under 10%. The whole family loves the lights. The RB's do make some of my zoa's and paly's really pop.
