Mark's 150 gallon

[Wazzel]

Good luck dealing with the palyies. My wife wants some in the new tank and I keep telling her no.

 

[markalot]

Good luck dealing with the palyies. My wife wants some in the new tank and I keep telling her no.

Thanks Mark.

Someone has informed me that the overflow covers slide out and sure enough they do! That takes care of 90% of the polyps growing on the overflows. :celeb1:

I'm tempted to take them outside in the cold and snow and eat popcorn while they freeze to death. :uzi: The cold might damage the cover though, so I suppose I won't.

 

[Wazzel]

Thanks Mark.

Someone has informed me that the overflow covers slide out and sure enough they do! That takes care of 90% of the polyps growing on the overflows. :celeb1:

I'm tempted to take them outside in the cold and snow and eat popcorn while they freeze to death. :uzi: The cold might damage the cover though, so I suppose I won't.

It is not cold enough to damage the plastic. Just do not toss it in the snow as soon as you walk outside. The contact may cause it to warp from the temp shock. After it cools down to ambient you can toss it in the snow. Also, let it warm back up before putting it in the tank.

 

[markalot]

I might go the freeze route then.

The tank water already smells different, and much better. I am very happy I went this route instead of continuing to tolerate it. I swear the frags on the two side frag racks already look better.

A few more pics from last night.

The Palmers blue milli is brown but a healthy brown so I'm happy. The acro in front, on the right side, is what I think a common green milli but it was in a spot surrounded by those polyps and < 300 PAR so it will be fun to see if it colors up more.

Tracking the 'Fundip' tenuis. Might have browned a tad but still looking very good.

 

[mhucasey]

Im glad you are seeing a positive change. Hopefully it continues in the same way.

 

[markalot]

Im glad you are seeing a positive change. Hopefully it continues in the same way.

Thanks Matt.

PO4 now nearly undetectable, NO3 5. Both dropped significantly since last measurement.

 

[cFloor]

Wow, you my friend, have been busy! It'll be so worth it once you're finished. Your tank will look better than ever in no time.

 

[markalot]

Wow, you my friend, have been busy! It'll be so worth it once you're finished. Your tank will look better than ever in no time.

Thanks for the encouragement, things are going well ... so far. Took the day off for snow today so I could get more work done.

Overflow panels removed and scrubbed. Right side rocks moved a bit to ensure nothing touched any tank edge, and moved one larger rock in front to the sump to help increase flow. Stirred the gravel vigorously and now with the increased flow I have some blowing sand when the pumps are running full blast. Success!



A 2 inch trench of sand is between the rocks and the overflow. Just in case I miss a pally it should not be able to easily jump the distance without me noticing.

The right side is not very pretty but I think I'm mostly done. I like the shelf and the fish like the area below it. The left side will use the tricks and should look completely different. Hopefully the contrast between the 2 will look good.

Thankfully both stags have held their color pretty well.

Not sure how I ended up with two slimers ....

 

[nemodan]

Hi Mark. ... incredible work done there. The tank already looks better. You has courage to do that with so many pretty SPS. And worked !!!!'

There is a picture in your previous posting that I can see palies in the right overflow. Have those gone ? That is why you wrote "I am mostly done" under that picture ?.

All the Best and incredible job done !!!

Daniel

 

[biggles]

I really feel for you Mark, had to a similar thing once and it's horrible work pulling apart what you've struggled so hard to create. :hammer:

The one great thing about this is you've come such a long way with your acro keeping that you really should feel confident placing shapes and colors exactly where you really want them to create nice contrasts.
As bad as you think things look in those last pics i can assure you the display looks more colorful than 50% of the SPS tanks on here buddy. I think the cleanup and reboot will blow the old display away

 

[markalot]

Hi Mark. ... incredible work done there. The tank already looks better. You has courage to do that with so many pretty SPS. And worked !!!!'

There is a picture in your previous posting that I can see palies in the right overflow. Have those gone ? That is why you wrote "I am mostly done" under that picture ?.

All the Best and incredible job done !!!

Daniel

Thanks Daniel,

Most of those are not on the removable panel so I will have to carefully remove using a scraper while sucking water out. Maybe this weekend. My bigger concern is the ones on rocks still. The main center support rock has 15 or so polyps on it so I will have to do some kind of balancing act to get it out of there.

I really feel for you Mark, had to a similar thing once and it's horrible work pulling apart what you've struggled so hard to create. :hammer:

The one great thing about this is you've come such a long way with your acro keeping that you really should feel confident placing shapes and colors exactly where you really want them to create nice contrasts.
As bad as you think things look in those last pics i can assure you the display looks more colorful than 50% of the SPS tanks on here buddy. I think the cleanup and reboot will blow the old display away

Thanks Andrew, appreciate the encouragement. I feel good just getting rid of those damn things!

 

[markalot]

Took topdowns searching for the scourge. I only found one spot on a support rock that I will try and paste and keep an eye on. Giving the tank a couple days off then will work on the overflows this weekend.

There are a number of crap brown acros now, only showing pictures of the ones that aren't too obscene.

Way back of the tank. I'd need scuba gear to get back there. :lol:

Browned Valida

Right above it under 550 to 600 PAR is the Fundip Tenuis. Holy crap.

I also put Cousin It on a branch so I could get it back under 450 PAR. Still doing well *crosses fingers*

Next to it is my Kentucky Bluegrass unknown. Is this a smooth skin? Apparently it needs >300 PAR to stay colored in my tank.

I accidentally took a pic of the Miami Orchid and it turned out pretty well.

So here's one of the tank mysteries and why I snapped and decided to focus on getting rid of the pallys.

Frag of the big aussie reddish acro. It has browned a bit but stayed healthy.

8 inches to the left and a little lower down, the parent.

 

[markalot]

The teal stag has turned a bit more green and shows a few spots of brown but remains in good condition IMO.

I LOL at the Lokani. I swear this had browned out yesterday, not a spot of blue, and today ... maybe I should just chuck all the brown acros right now and stick to the ones that never seem to have any issues.

Left frag rack didn't get the brown out message.

The miagi like tort with really nice purple tips.

These are frags of some maricultered pieces that STN'ed. Have been brown for a long time but now coloring up very slowly. I'm just a sucker for the unknowns.

 

[mhucasey]

Took topdowns searching for the scourge. I only found one spot on a support rock that I will try and paste and keep an eye on. Giving the tank a couple days off then will work on the overflows this weekend.

There are a number of crap brown acros now, only showing pictures of the ones that aren't too obscene.

Way back of the tank. I'd need scuba gear to get back there. :lol:

Browned Valida

Right above it under 550 to 600 PAR is the Fundip Tenuis. Holy crap.

I also put Cousin It on a branch so I could get it back under 450 PAR. Still doing well *crosses fingers*

Next to it is my Kentucky Bluegrass unknown. Is this a smooth skin? Apparently it needs >300 PAR to stay colored in my tank.

I accidentally took a pic of the Miami Orchid and it turned out pretty well.

So here's one of the tank mysteries and why I snapped and decided to focus on getting rid of the pallys.

Frag of the big aussie reddish acro. It has browned a bit but stayed healthy.

8 inches to the left and a little lower down, the parent.

That is really fascinating, does the water flow from the Palys toward the colony?

 

[markalot]

That is really fascinating, does the water flow from the Palys toward the colony?

Yes, but it should also flow up through the frag rack into the MP40. Perhaps because it's coming up the plug protects it? Perhaps it's something on the rocks? Perhaps it's a combination of too much strontium and higher light? The frag rack right at 200 PAR while the parent is 350ish.

 

[mhucasey]

Yes, but it should also flow up through the frag rack into the MP40. Perhaps because it's coming up the plug protects it? Perhaps it's something on the rocks? Perhaps it's a combination of too much strontium and higher light? The frag rack right at 200 PAR while the parent is 350ish.

If its higher light then its something that the LEDs are doing, it has to be. I have 14 bulbs 8 inches off the water, and the SPS reef is only 13 inches from waterline to the bottom, and that isn't happening.

 

[markalot]

If its higher light then its something that the LEDs are doing, it has to be. I have 14 bulbs 8 inches off the water, and the SPS reef is only 13 inches from waterline to the bottom, and that isn't happening.

LED's add 70 PAR max and I've been running blue only at 50% ... these are 3 watt leds run at 1.5 watts and spread out, nothing like a DIY LED fixture would put out. The frags racks on each side are supplemented with old BML 16K fixtures and add about 50 PAR.

Not ruling it out, but I have doubts. The parent colony has been in the tank for 6 months and i used to run the blues at 100% and whites at 40%. I just keep having these weird issues that make no sense to me. I do NOT run carbon on a regular basis so I suspect the pally population got to the point where the water was simply polluted. I know the water smelled different. But, of course, I just don't know. I need to continue to eliminate causes.

 

[mhucasey]

LED's add 70 PAR max and I've been running blue only at 50% ... these are 3 watt leds run at 1.5 watts and spread out, nothing like a DIY LED fixture would put out. The frags racks on each side are supplemented with old BML 16K fixtures and add about 50 PAR.

Not ruling it out, but I have doubts. The parent colony has been in the tank for 6 months and i used to run the blues at 100% and whites at 40%. I just keep having these weird issues that make no sense to me. I do NOT run carbon on a regular basis so I suspect the pally population got to the point where the water was simply polluted. I know the water smelled different. But, of course, I just don't know. I need to continue to eliminate causes.

You are probably right, its something in the water, i was just trying to reassure you that the amount of light wouldn't have caused it at least from the T5 source.

 

[Big E]

Many times it's not about par, but spectrum..........too much of a good thing or not enough of the right spectrum hitting the coral.

 

[plyle02]

Progress Mark,
You are going to see some whacky things unfold as your biology changes, just have water prepared to do some larger water changes. I think this, and running some well rinsed carbon will help as you clear out the madness. Looking forward to your next design, I am sure it will be awesome.