I have been selling my Oregon tort frags way to cheap
- Thread starter reeflover62
- Start date
JPMagyar
New member
Obviously I have nothing scientific, but I believe its the "whole enchilada" that is pushing my growth.
At the moment my tank seems to have really hit a stride. No algae problems, perfect stability, plus unlike in past years I'm dosing a few items: 1) Carbon - very very small amounts of Red Sea NOPOX to keep nitrate and phosphate at "ideal" levels 2) weekly feeding of Salifert Amino Acids, Brightwells ReefSnow, and Brightwells Zooplankton 3) weekly iodine and potassium and 2 part B-Ionic. I have a calcium reactor but I run it so it doesn't quite keep up with the alk and calc so that way I can add a little ESV B-I every week. I believe the trace elements in B-I do make a difference in coral health and the list of trace elements included is quite extensive. Lastly, the frag is about 8 inches directly under a 250 watt Radium bulb that runs 8 hours a day plus it gets 14 hours of light from 2 Giesemann T5 Super Actinics and 2 Giesemann T5 AquaBlues. So it's getting a TON of light.
In short, I think stable parameters, high light, moderate flow, weekly feeding, and really clean water are all contributing to optimize growth. Hopefully I can sustain this formula for a long time
JB NY
Active member
I have had this coral twice in two different systems. Once back in 2004 and again in 2010. but I don't member it be a difficult coral, it just grows painstakingly slow. While I think it is great because it is very blue. In all honesty, the other blue torts out there, look very similar, yes they might have a tad bit of green or purple in them but once you have a nice colony they still look pretty awesome.
Here was mine under 250 watt Aquaconnect MH and Geisseman T5 Actinic+ about midway in the tank.
Here was mine under 250 watt Aquaconnect MH and Geisseman T5 Actinic+ about midway in the tank.
reefmutt
Active member
I'm following this thread just for the 'tort porn' 
Loving it!!
A dream coral for me.. Now, if Greg can grow his piece out, I'll be traveling across Canada in person to pick a frag up.... Maybe one day.
I got a piece of supposed OT from a local shop with great connections but I don't think it's a true OT.. Polyps aren't totally blue and there is a fluorescent green ring around the new growth corralite.
JP, you mention the new things you are doing in your system and one of them is dosing small amount of nopox to maintain 'ideal levels'..
What's your definition of 'ideal' nutrient levels?
Now, keep up the pics!!
Loving it!!
A dream coral for me.. Now, if Greg can grow his piece out, I'll be traveling across Canada in person to pick a frag up.... Maybe one day.
I got a piece of supposed OT from a local shop with great connections but I don't think it's a true OT.. Polyps aren't totally blue and there is a fluorescent green ring around the new growth corralite.
JP, you mention the new things you are doing in your system and one of them is dosing small amount of nopox to maintain 'ideal levels'..
What's your definition of 'ideal' nutrient levels?
Now, keep up the pics!!
JPMagyar
New member
I'm following this thread just for the 'tort porn'
Loving it!!
A dream coral for me.. Now, if Greg can grow his piece out, I'll be traveling across Canada in person to pick a frag up.... Maybe one day.
I got a piece of supposed OT from a local shop with great connections but I don't think it's a true OT.. Polyps aren't totally blue and there is a fluorescent green ring around the new growth corralite.
JP, you mention the new things you are doing in your system and one of them is dosing small amount of nopox to maintain 'ideal levels'..
What's your definition of 'ideal' nutrient levels?
Now, keep up the pics!!
I've always been one to shoot for "natural" levels, but for years I ignored my phosphate and nitrate because I didn't have an algae problem and my corals were colorful, but now I'm in my own personal competition to get photos of yellow, pink, and red corals that are as colorful as Kryzstof Tryc so that means maintaining an Ultra Low Nutrient level. At the moment I am testing with a:
Hanna HI736
and the
Red Sea Pro Nitrate kit
but I ordered the
Hach NI-14
On the Hanna Phosphorus checker I shoot for 1-2 ppb. I got to that number by reversing the NSW level of 0.005 ppm phosphate
(0.005 x 1000)/3.0661 = 1.6 ppm phosphorus
and on the Nitrate kits I essentially strive for zero since NSW is 0.1 ppm and the test kits only have resolution of 0.2
Interestingly enough I find that my phosphorus will vary from 0 to 10 ppb but I can increase my NOPOX to about 30 ml max in a day and it will knock it back to 1 to 2 within 24 hours.
Since I started this new regimen I'm also dosing Salifert Amino Acids and Brightwells ReefSnow and Brightwells Zooplankton plus I'm testing for Potassium now and trying to keep the levels slightly above 400 ppm.
All that to try and grow corals as colorful as Kryzstof . . . I know . . . I must be nuts
Funny thing is so far so good and all my corals seem to be doing fantastically well at the moment.
Last edited:
reefmutt
Active member
I've always been one to shoot for "natural" levels, but for years I ignored my phosphate and nitrate because I didn't have an algae problem and my corals were colorful, but now I'm in my own personal competition to get photos of yellow, pink, and red corals that are as colorful as Kryzstof Tryc so that means maintaining an Ultra Low Nutrient level. At the moment I am testing with a:
Hanna HI736
and the
Red Sea Pro Nitrate kit
but I ordered the
Hach NI-14
On the Hanna Phosphorus checker I shoot for 1-2 ppb. I got to that number by reversing the NSW level of 0.005 ppm phosphate
(0.005 x 1000)/3.0661 = 1.6 ppm phosphorus
and on the Nitrate kits I essentially strive for zero since NSW is 0.1 ppm and the test kits only have resolution of 0.2
Interestingly enough I find that my phosphorus will vary from 0 to 10 ppb but I can increase my NOPOX to about 30 ml max in a day and it will knock it back to 1 to 2 within 24 hours.
Since I started this new regimen I'm also dosing Salifert Amino Acids and Brightwells ReefSnow and Brightwells Zooplankton plus I'm testing for Potassium now and trying to keep the levels slightly above 400 ppm.
All that to try and grow corals as colorful as Kryzstof . . . I know . . . I must be nuts
Holy smokes! That's a lot of reengineering.. But yeah! So far so good! Do you have a link to a thread with your progression? I gotta follow along!
Yes krystof's tank is like its from another planet...
Thanks for the detailed info!!
CJBuckeyes
New member
Received my OT frag from reeflover62 today. Almost nearly lost it when fedex tried to push my delivery by 24 hours, but luckily I was able to pick it up at the distribution center after saying it was a live animal.
Chris was super nice to deal with. Hooked me up with a fat little frag, can't wait for it to color back up after the 36 hour trip.
Chris was super nice to deal with. Hooked me up with a fat little frag, can't wait for it to color back up after the 36 hour trip.
reefmutt
Active member
Glad to hear it made it to you 'in one piece'
We are going to need pics pretty soon!!
Last month I aquired a piece is supposed OT from a Toronto supplier who says he went to the states to get his original piece..
Here a couple photos of it with a new shoot growing off at the base..
I'd love opinions on wether any of the experts on this coral may think it's the real thing or not..
Side view:
Top down:
We are going to need pics pretty soon!!
Last month I aquired a piece is supposed OT from a Toronto supplier who says he went to the states to get his original piece..
Here a couple photos of it with a new shoot growing off at the base..
I'd love opinions on wether any of the experts on this coral may think it's the real thing or not..
Side view:
Top down:
tfp
Active member
Proven corals that have stood the test of time are the best
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/96757491@N02/17400265293/in/dateposted-public/" title="Intense Blues"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8794/17400265293_d54a2e8edc_o.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Intense Blues"></a>
<a data-flickr-embed="true" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/96757491@N02/17400265293/in/dateposted-public/" title="Intense Blues"><img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8794/17400265293_d54a2e8edc_o.jpg" width="1024" height="768" alt="Intense Blues"></a>
CJBuckeyes
New member
Glad to hear it made it to you 'in one piece'
We are going to need pics pretty soon!!
Might not be seeing pics of this one. It's still bone white after 3 days, I think it may be a goner.
The quest for an OT continues..
reefmutt
Active member
Ouch.. Too bad.. But if it isn't growing green algae all over it, just leave it.. It could come back..
I have a pearlberry frag that has been in my tank for 8 months. It went from nice blue with polyp extension to stick white, to brown, back to white, maybe even green for a while and recently, it has begun to polyp again and get its blue back..
If it ain't dead as a door nail, don't take it out..
I have a pearlberry frag that has been in my tank for 8 months. It went from nice blue with polyp extension to stick white, to brown, back to white, maybe even green for a while and recently, it has begun to polyp again and get its blue back..
If it ain't dead as a door nail, don't take it out..
rovster
New member
Wow this thing is slow. Mine has maintained a deep blue color but at least the entire tonga base its on is almost encrusted to the edge. Branches maybe thickened a little and a little more definition in the nubs but I guess that's not bad for 2.5 months. I figured at least 3 years before I had anything to brag about lol!!
The orange crush behind it on the other hand is sprouting a ton of nubs and looks totally different
The orange crush behind it on the other hand is sprouting a ton of nubs and looks totally different
