Come with me on my Custom 77 Gallon setup

[MyMonkey]

Wow. Excellent work. Glad I found your thread.

 

[Stile2]

Thanks guys,

I can't wait for the new garage to start construction. Fish Room, Fish Room!!!

We get the last quote next Wednesday, so hopefully soon after that we will start.

I still need to learn more about the photography stuff. I can't seem to get a good picture of my Oregon Tort. The blue of the coral seems to throw the camera off. I working on it.

Keith

 

[Stile2]

I moved the Female Mandarin to the fuge. Should be lots of food and no competition. So hopefully she'll fatten up. I am hoping that after she fattens up I can move her back into the display.

We'll see how it goes. Still haven't found time to hook up my new dosing machine. Still hand dosing.

 

[Stile2]

I tested Alk and Calcium yesterday and they were both off the charts. Alk 12.06 dKh and Calcium 516 ppm.

I have a question. I had just recently within 15 minutes dosed my DIY two part (following the Randy Holmes Farley receipe).

How long does it take to equalize, or dispurse through the system? I am going to test again this evening, just to be sure.

Thanks
Keith

 

[bklynmet]

I think alk needs about 24hrs according to directions on the off-the-shelf two part I use. pH can be measured soon after dosing. I don't know about calcium - though it wouldn't suprise me if it is along the same lines as alk.

 

[Stile2]

thanks,
That makes me feel better. I'll test tonight and see.
Keith

 

[bklynmet]

Yup. Keep us posted.

 

[bklynmet]

Greetings Keith. How are things going with your tank? Any updates?

 

[xtrstangx]

I love the Sailfin tang.. My LFS has one thats in one of his coral display tanks, he says we can have it if we can net it out... They are fast!

 

[Stile2]

thanks for checking in guys,

things are pretty stable with the tank. I am still manually dosing Randy's three part. I think I have finally got it down to keep stable pH, Alk, Calc, and Mag.

I moved the Female Mandarin tothe fuge where she is gaining weight like no body's business. I will eventualy move her back to the display. The six line wrasse has calmed down about the Male Mandarin. So I am hoping that when I put back in the female that he won't freak out.

One strange thing happened, One of Digitata's was broken into three pieces when the lights came on. My only guess is the Urchin was moving around at night and just cracked it. All the pieces seem healthy. I 'll have to glue them to new locations.

Not a lot else is going on with the tank. We break ground for a new garage, master bedroom, laundry room in two weeks (plans are at the city for permits), plus my Master's classes are kind of kicking my behind lately. So I haven't had a lot of time.

I'll be doing a major clean of everything during the Thanksgiving week (as a teacher we get the whole week off this year). I'll get some new pictures. Really wish I had a 105mm Marco lens for my Nikon D50. But anyways.

Keith

 

[bklynmet]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8523236#post8523236 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Stile2
thanks for checking in guys,
...
I'll be doing a major clean of everything during the Thanksgiving week (as a teacher we get the whole week off this year). I'll get some new pictures. Really wish I had a 105mm Marco lens for my Nikon D50. But anyways.

Keith

Cool to hear your getting a handle on things. Since getting my pH probe three weeks ago, I now know my pH has been running on the low side and swinging wildly day/night. Been working on a regiment to get the pH up and stable. Got it stable so it swings no more than 0.05 but cannot get it to consistently stay above 8.1 with controlled kalk dosing with ATO at night. Gotta be the excess CO2 in the house - since its cool out and windows are closed nowadays

I'm selling my Nikon 4500 (digital) and minolta X700 (manual SLR with autowinder, lenses, etc..) so I can get a D50.... wife's got a sony 7.2mp camera pocket camera but I just like the feel of SLRs and the quality of a Nikon's lense. My 4500 takes awesome quality photos - printed 11x14s without noticing pixels - because the lens does the magnification and not the software. But wished it were a SLR (lens intercahngeability as well as easier manual control and focusing) so the next step is getting it's cousin the D50 Any complaints about it on your part?

 

[gkarshens]

I love my D100! I don't think you will regret it. My only complaint is the white balance setting doesn't allow you to set it using something white. It just has multiple settings. I found the Shade setting pushed +3 is the best for tank photos. Other than that it is the best camera I have ever owned!

 

[Stile2]

The D50 will use a photo to set white balance. I have yet to try it, but when I do I will use melev's method. Put a white piece of PVC in the tank and take a picture of that. That way the white your using is in the proper lighting.

I love my D50. Just wish I knew how to use it better. And of course the macro lens.

Keith

 

[gkarshens]

Where is that setting? I haven't been able to find it.

 

[Stile2]

I'll describe it on the D50 hopefully the D100 menu look the same.

Go to camera setting with Picture Quality etc. select the White Balance

Below Shade is Preset Select that

There is Measure and Use Photo , Select Use photo, then just select one of your photos.

Hope it's the same.

Good Luck,
Keith

 

[gkarshens]

Thanks. There is something similar but I will have to play with it to figure it out.

 

[Cprowler]

I love my D70 but want the 105mm Marco lens also. :rolleye1:

 

[Stile2]

Some sad news. I lost my Sailfin Tang today. He seemed fine yesterday and ate last night. No signs of ich or other disease.

Don't know what happened. Water is stable. Will run full battery of tests on Wednesday.

 

[bklynmet]

Sorry to hear that.

 

[CPT. MURPHY]

Fantastic looking tank!

CPT.