Learning/rebuilding from my epic fail

[reefmutt]

Awesome new pieces!

I would like your opinion on the PL. I see a few that are predominately yellow with some pink tips and green base. Most seem to have your coloration of green with yellow on the tips. Is this a different strain? ; or is it a lighting issue [ as in too low par] or a trace element issue?

Hey Kevin, thanks! I've been spending way too much money since I saw the tank coming around. The minute I saw positive growth and colour changes, I went a bit crazy..
I think PL is PL and it is dependent on intense light for best colour, and obviously a nice happy solid system. I have two pieces. The one up high next to the OP has the most yellow. I have another piece that is lower down and partially shaded and it is much more green.
Here's a shot of my higher piece from back in may when I think it looked its best.. I'm sure isninhave lower nutrients, as well, it would be more yellow.

 

[reefmutt]

Matt,

Where did you get the Aussie corals from? Raging Reef?

I transhipped with a local importer.
Raja has access to that importer, as well but he's got other sources that I have no access to, so I end up at his shop buying tons more corals..

I love the new additions Matt. I wish I could find a pink lemonade as a wild-collected colony.

Thanks Bulent. I have no idea where it originally came from.. hard to believe that there was only one coral like that.. maybe it came from a region that is now closed to collection. If I could ship you some I would!

Happy you're back. Happy holidays. Your tank is coming back around. It looks pretty great to me.

Thanks, man, happy holidays to you too!
Many colours are not the same or not as intense but it is all moving in the right direction.

Reefs are resilient -- There will always be the "oh crap" moment when something goes wrong, and an inevitable loss or two -- But your tank is bouncing back beautifully already

Thank you! I hate the 'oh crap' moments.. especially when they are done on purpose.

Glad to see that the tank is coming around. Looking forward to see pics of your vibrant colors...

Thanks Nick, the vibrant colours are coming in bits and drops. Getting there!

Nice pickups Matt!

Thanks Tim
Here's a new pick up: not sure which way it will go for colour.. looks blue purple but it is really pale


Couple new photos of old corals
Here's a new front shot:

And corresponding top down:

 

[reefmutt]

Hi Matt

Nice pictures those last ones. I lost several weeKS of reading. I am kind of feeling "what is going on". I read on these last postings that "you are recovering...". Happy to hear that. But looks like you and Biggles had problems. I will need to go back in your thread to see what happened.

I still need to find the Matt's thread (California Matt). To check how is he doing.

Let see if I have the energy to post an update of mine.

Best my forum friend!!!!
Daniel

Hey Daniel, no need to go back and read about an alk drop caused by myself.. I have a couple more corals that are 50/50 but most are coming back very well.. time to look forward!

Hi Matt,
Great scores indeed, that pink one had me at the edge of my chair Seems like a re-bound is in the works. Every one of us has these moments, I am still recovering myself from alk spike and tip burn, started with one, then 5 others followed suit, like the flu being passed around a home, ugh... Glad to see things heading in the right direction, and kudos to you for staying strong and hanging in! Best regards

Hey Perry, thanks for the encouragement! I'm too addicted to stop, I think.. just too addicted..

Here's a few more top downs..


This shot is from the very back, top left. I have a hard time photographing these guys because they are so far back. The baby blue piece didn't really notice the alk issue.. nor did the green one. The red planet beside was actually a dormant broken turd up until the drop, it is now peeking up.

You can see that the apple jax/ pink tip lost all its red ends and was totally browned out. The green is intensifying and some subtle red growth is reappearing.
The pale purple green one is also coming back..
Here's how it used to look: from end of July


I got more..
Cool close up:


Tennuis trio. The light one was sold to me by coralfarms as RR Pink Lady. The other two are no names. I want them to all grow together like schnitzel's sticks!


I got more just have to walk the dog.. the dog!
He's getting big and fluffy

 

[Pife]

Cute dog.

 

[Usernam Invalid]

Great to see the tank on the upswing. As always love the pics

 

[drawman]

I'm really digging that tenius trio! Glad to see things are on the mend Matt.

 

[reefmutt]

Cute dog.

thanks! He's grown quite a bit.

Great to see the tank on the upswing. As always love the pics

Thanks. I'm going to try to keep it in the upswing this time..

Here's a coral that didn't even stop growing during the alk debacle. From Fragbox. Called cyclops. No longer looks anything like what I originally bought but it's getting pretty neat.

I hope the red highlights get more pronounced.

The top frag has started to encrust again but never lost its colour. The bottom one totally browned out but has regained colours but no growth. When this was healthy, it had amazing red polyps. I hope I can get them back

That top frag is from Raja and it promises to be a masterpiece! Raja's words.
here's the lower piece from the front

Upper:

I'll post some more tomorrow..

 

[FloformAustria]

really like those recent pictures Matt!

i am on the road to recovery too... corals moved into the tank again and they have suffered during the restart...

Cheers

 

[markalot]

Excellent, nice to see everything turning back around ... but I think we all knew this would happen quickly for you. Those colors are fantastic IMO.

 

[kevlow]

Excellent, nice to see everything turning back around ... but I think we all knew this would happen quickly for you. Those colors are fantastic IMO.

I second that.

It seems though, both of your tanks post problems have surpassed their original sates. Same with Dan's.

Well played, Gentlemen.

 

[reefmutt]

I'm really digging that tenius trio! Glad to see things are on the mend Matt.

Thanks, Tim. I'm trying for the Schnitzel sticks feel. I love what he did with all of his..

really like those recent pictures Matt!

i am on the road to recovery too... corals moved into the tank again and they have suffered during the restart...

Cheers

Thanks, Flo. I'm going to check out your latest shots.

Excellent, nice to see everything turning back around ... but I think we all knew this would happen quickly for you. Those colors are fantastic IMO.

Thanks Mark, I appreciate tha! Felt like forever!! And it's not quite over.. still watching a couple pieces.

I second that.

It seems though, both of your tanks post problems have surpassed their original sates. Same with Dan's.

Well played, Gentlemen.

Very nice of you to say Kevin but I'm not quite at Mark's or Dan's level yet. I'm not showing anybody the half dead pieces or ones that may still not make it but I know the tank is ok, in general, because of all the positive signs.
Here's a neat shot of 'the head of the monster'. My nauti spiral monti is just pouring itself around the lower part of my reef but it is beginning to reach upwards as well. I see a battle in my future...
I think I posted this shot yesterday.. anyways from the top:

Now, here it is reaching for the stars, so to speak.


Here's my pale rider 'red dragon'
What do you think, Mark, is it the same as yours? Doesn't look quite the same..

 

[markalot]

I like yours better due to the slight green tips. Mine has no color other than the brownish striping. It does glow orange under blue LED.

 

[Bdial]

Wow. That's an awesome shot.

 

[reefmutt]

I like yours better due to the slight green tips. Mine has no color other than the brownish striping. It does glow orange under blue LED.

I have mine about 8 inches below a coral+, blue + and pure actinic.. maybe it's getting more par? I actually really like the peachy color of yours. Grass is always greener!

Wow. That's an awesome shot.

Thanks, Man!

My Hawkins is still green but growing again.


My larger colony of JD.. it turned brown, and began receding from the base. This what many corals did before they rtned. This guy stopped receding and now has a distinct line between live flesh and dead base which indicates to me that it may make it. It went totally green and now has a hint or two of red. I am really crossing my fingers on this one..


Last shot I think.. the twins with a new (colour splash) addition at the bottom..

 

[markalot]

Great shots by the way, I love seeing all of them.

I actually just lowered mine down a little to compensate for lowering the lights. When I first got it recession started when PAR went much above 350. Hopefully I can leave it well enough alone now and see what happens as it grows up.

 

[kevlow]

I stand impressed! Those first two pics are impact shots. The twins with color splash are impressive as well.

 

[reefmutt]

Great shots by the way, I love seeing all of them.

I actually just lowered mine down a little to compensate for lowering the lights. When I first got it recession started when PAR went much above 350. Hopefully I can leave it well enough alone now and see what happens as it grows up.

I find that coral almost always has bouts of rtn and then it stops. I can clip the base and reglue over and over. Doesn't matter. Always dies at the base. This time, I glued it and leaned a branch against a rock as well so that it would be stable as it grows.
I might break a piece off and glue it down low to see how it does..
Thanks, Mark. It's such a good feeling when things are moving in the right direction!

I stand impressed! Those first two pics are impact shots. The twins with color splash are impressive as well.

Thanks again, Kevin.

Here's a couple more new pieces..
JF aquadelight. From Fragbox. Encrusting well but a little funky so far. But it is starting to bud..


Burning man. Also from Fragbox.


A very interesting piece from Canada Corals..


And an old beat up and forgotten red planet which has also decided to improve for me..

It was brown and then it started to get green at the base and has greened up and gotten the metallic sheen which always means a coral is really revving up..

 

[DiscusHeckel]

Absolutely lovely Matt.

 

[Acronic]

The top frag has started to encrust again but never lost its colour. The bottom one totally browned out but has regained colours but no growth. When this was healthy, it had amazing red polyps. I hope I can get them back

That top frag is from Raja and it promises to be a masterpiece! Raja's words.

Upper:

I'll post some more tomorrow..

I would have to agree with Raja here. He knows his sticks.

Ps- your a bastard and I'm jealous of your tank

Pps- can I borrow a frag? Promise I'll give it back

 

[Acronic]

Oh and a real question. I've probably asked you this already but do you maintain K?