Living my 75G SPS Dream Tank - Monthly Pics

[Patrick Cox]

Well, I have been busy this weekend. Did some work on the tank, bought some fish that are now in QT, and added several corals. Here is an updated FTS with some new coral macros. Thanks for looking!

FTS - 04-14-2013

Green Slimer (Vivid)

Neon Super Green Acro (Vivid)

ORA Plum Crazy

ORA Purple and Green Acro

ORA Red Planet

Vivid Pearlberry Invader

 

[scarface70706]

nice setup. i noticed we have the same skimmer and you have a rubber pad underneath it. does it help noticeably with the vibrations?

 

[Patrick Cox]

nice setup. i noticed we have the same skimmer and you have a rubber pad underneath it. does it help noticeably with the vibrations?

Thanks. I can't recall if I was getting vibration without the pad but I certainly don't get any vibration with the pad. Here is what I bought. It fits perfectly under the skimmer...

http://www.amazon.com/Casabella-Bla...id=1366025277&sr=8-2&keywords=silicone+trivet

 

[mykol reef]

really nice set up. You use calcium reactor or dosing pump.

 

[zoous]

Very nice tank. Keep up great work.

 

[dvanacker]

great start!

 

[machodik]

Nice and clean set up.

What is your present water parameter? you mentioned you have some nitrate and phosphate, will those affecting your corals? I have seen you have some soft corals too.

I am also amzed with SPS but still trying to research some more before adding them into my present tank that still dominantly with some fish. plan to have a little combinations of softties too to add beauty to the landsaping of my tank. but definitely working towards to reduce my fish population

 

[Patrick Cox]

really nice set up. You use calcium reactor or dosing pump.

Thanks! I am dosing B-ionic 2-part using BRS Dosing pumps.

Nice and clean set up.

What is your present water parameter? you mentioned you have some nitrate and phosphate, will those affecting your corals? I have seen you have some soft corals too.

I am also amzed with SPS but still trying to research some more before adding them into my present tank that still dominantly with some fish. plan to have a little combinations of softties too to add beauty to the landsaping of my tank. but definitely working towards to reduce my fish population

Thanks. My nitrate and phosphate levels have come down quite a bit. Nitrates are .05-.10 and phosphate is .07. Actually my phosphate was .03 and then I let my GFO expire and my phosphate jumped up to .19 but it has come back down after changing my media.

On my corals, I don't have any soft corals in this tank. I do have some frogspawn and a duncan. My clownfish are hosting in the frogspawn so I will likely keep them. Everything else will likely be SPS.

On fish, I currently have 3 small fish in QT, all ORA fish. A Yellow Assessor, a Blackline Blenny and a neon goby. These small fish will add some more interest to my tank but hopefully keep the bio load fairly low. I don't plan to add any large fish. I have also been feeding a small amount of oyster feast once or twice per week. But not a whole lot.

This is still a very young tank but I feel good about the direction I am headed.

Thanks for your comments and good luck on your journey!

Pat

 

[CRJ]

Very neat! Its amazing how tanks with such similar starts can go in such different directions!

Looks like i need to catch up!

 

[Patrick Cox]

Well, I thought is was time for an update. I am getting some good coral growth but some of my corals are a bit pale. Joe the Coral for example has good growth but pale color. I just recently started feeding and also dosing Pohl's Xtra so I am hopeful this will help. Here are recent parameters:

Temp: 78
Salinity: 1.026
PH: 8.2
Alk: 8.2
Ca: 430
Mag: 1320
NO3: 0.02
PO4: 0.0

And now to the pictures...

Joe the Coral

Green and Purple Acro:

ORA Red Planet:

Plum Crazy:

Pink Milli:

Strawberry Shortcake:

Pearlberry Invader:

Bali Green Slimer:

Frogskin:

Thanks for looking!

 

[Arc Drafter]

Common FTS today! Looks really nice!

 

[sahin]

Nice corals! :thumbsup: FTS?

 

[xfactor1315]

Very nice tank. I like the aquascaping alot.

 

[Patrick Cox]

Common FTS today! Looks really nice!

Sorry! Here it is!

 

[Showdizzle]

Dat pink birdsnest. Looks really good awesome tank.

 

[igot2gats]

Did you light acclimate your SPS (start on the sand bed, and work them up the rock), or did you just place them on your rock work?

 

[rpjaws74]

very nice selection of corals indeed

 

[Patrick Cox]

Did you light acclimate your SPS (start on the sand bed, and work them up the rock), or did you just place them on your rock work?

Hi,
I did not place them in the sand bed. I did run my light fixture at 75% for a week or two but that is about it. All of these frags had been growing under metal halide lighting with similar pars to what I am getting so I was not really worried. The only coral I am having problems with is the pink birdsnest. It is very pale and I am not sure why. I was thinking nutrient deficiency because my tank is pretty low PO4 and NO3 so I am now feeding some and dosing KV Xtra. We will see if that helps. I am getting good growth on all other corals but my colors aren't great so I am hoping the Xtra will help with that. Will keep everyone updated.

Thanks,
Pat

 

[dowtish]

Amazing tank and build. Thanks for sharing

Where are you ordering all your ORA corals from?

 

[Patrick Cox]

Amazing tank and build. Thanks for sharing

Where are you ordering all your ORA corals from?

Thanks. My LFS can order from ORA so he has ordered for me a couple of times. I bought some of their fish as well. I also order corals from Vivid but not any ORA. Thanks for looking.