December Frag Swap

[FreshReefer]

Here is the link to the meeting info where the frag swap will be held.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1743955

Go there and take a look because this meeting will be one you don't want to miss.

I would like to open this thread to suggestions on what the theme for this swap should be. The only frags I have are branching SPS so that will be my vote.

I will try to edit this post once we have come to an agreement. I am doing this so we can get max participation since it will be nearing the holidays.

Owen

 

[kokaneejr]

Owen,
I second the branching coral frag swap as I have some too. I also will bring some toadstool frags if anyone wants any for the free pile.

I am also hoping my frag of the Sunset Monti is ready to go. :rollface:

Craig.

 

[Reef Bass]

Branching sps? I have a few of those...

Good idea Owen. Thanks!

 

[FreshReefer]

Wow I couldn't get on the board for over a week. I expected this thread to have at least a few responses. For those who attend this meeting will be huge.

To have some success with the swap people have to post what they want to bring.

 

[treesmoker]

im excited, our christmas party/meeting's are alway great!:beer: i'll be bringing a piece of this acro that i got at a frag swap about two years ago. it was a tiny 1/2" frag and now it's huge. this pics from a year ago, it's even bigger now.

 

[FreshReefer]

Beautiful Jake. You have some really pretty corals in your tank. Thanks for the support. I am going to bring a purple acro you gave me that has grown out a little.

Owen

 

[northbay-reefer]

That coral looks like Northbay-reefer red table

 

[shaneh]

so SPS it is?

I'll still trying to figure out what is normal growth rate for SPS. My LPS grow well and softies but SPS is a slow but steady. I guessing it probable depends on the coral, water chem and placement. I jus think some of my stuff should grow faster.

 

[northbay-reefer]

Shane, once you hit the sweet spot, your sps will take off and you will not be able to keep up with the trimming chore.

 

[treesmoker]

thats cause it is.

 

[shaneh]

humm still trying to find my sweet spot....what do you guys keep your cal/alk at? my tank has a low cal demand and the coralife salt has 520 to start so when i do a wter change i add Alk to get it to 10. Then i put it in the tank...it stays at 9 alk and 500 for a few days then i start to dose alk...i almost never add cal. but my coraline is finally starting to really take off. Every day new spots.

 

[northbay-reefer]

sweet spot for me is alk at 7-8, cal 420, mag 1350, this is when my corals color is at its best ... anything higher with alk tend to cause problems

 

[shaneh]

my cal is way to high for my tank then, should i use a diffrent salt like IO for a while to lower it to = out the cal and Alk? when your cal is too high is this waht they mean whjen they say your water is too hard? With Cal too high could this be the slow growth?

 

[northbay-reefer]

Let your corals consume it before dosing again, in the mean time keep testing the water to make sure, I wouldn't change anything other then that. You want gradual change.

What test kit are you using for dkh?

 

[Reef Bass]

+1 for Tom's recommendations for alk, ca and mag levels and for making gradual changes.

I like my alk about 8, ca about 425, mag about 1350. I test about every two weeks and make small adjustments to my automatic dosing to keep the levels where they should be.

Shane, if I were to guess, you're used to soft corals' faster, more obvious growth rate. Corals that lay down hard calcium carbonate skeletons just don't grow as fast. However, when you have your water and lighting dialed in, hard corals do grow appreciably and you'll notice substantial growth monthly, maybe even weekly depending on the coral. And you'll be particularly aware of their growth when they start colliding with each other and you have to prune!

 

[shaneh]

starlife test kit and API both say the same 500-510...so it is high. I haven't dosed cal almost ever it is just in my salt....you think hold off on water changes to let the coral take it in and just keep the Alk at 8. I'll just feed less to keep the nitrates down....but my cow fish is a hog he eats 5-8 large mysis in the morning and at night.

 

[northbay-reefer]

API is a good test kit, if you haven't dose cal and your cal stayed high then this mean you don't have a lot of hard corals to consume cal ?

 

[seminolecpa]

That coral looks like Northbay-reefer red table

FWIW Treesmokers piece looks more like a valida then your table to me.

 

[northbay-reefer]

Bryan, depending on the flow and the amount of light, I have two of the same coral, one table out like this and the other is more branchy so am not sure, but his growth pattern do look like a valida

 

[shaneh]

yep tom your right only like 4 SPS

I always win LPS or zoas fine with me! but yeah i need to either up the cal demand or lower the cal