Mark's 150 gallon
- Thread starter markalot
- Start date
HuskerBioProf
New member
I'm glad to see the PhosphRX success. I am switching over to that from running GFO now. With GFO, I would have 0.00 phosphates for 3 weeks and then a big spike as soon as the GFO ran out. If I didn't catch it in time, I had an algae bloom. It also was a huge pain to dig out the reactor and replace the GFO so frequently. I am going to follow what you did with the phosphate RX to see if that makes it easier to maintain low (but detectable) phosphates.
markalot
...
Thanks Dom!
That's what I figure as well but there is that risk that at some point the lanthanum will cause harm. So far though nothing but success.
Thanks Dave, it's certainly been an adventure.
---
So we went on a short 5 day vacation and thankfully the tank did well. I fed twice a day auto feeder with pellets and nothing else. KH started close to 7 and ended up close to 6.7 using fully saturated Kalk in the topoff. I can increase evaporation a little but it will soon be do$er time.
Since being back I've restarted PhosphateRx but only a drop a day for now. I should test, maybe I will, but so far too damn lazy. Glass has to be cleaned daily at the moment, up from every 2 to 3 days. Some corals look better, I swear, but the entire tank looked shockingly good after not seeing it for a few days.
Snapshots with the kit lens.
Lokani, mmmmmmmm
SSC
The bird and the ugly peach dragon growing at the same speed.
One branch of the blue stag showing new growth, finally, but still horrible color.
Going to nickname this big red since it came from a very large piece. Colors are a bit better than this photo depicts, the reds and pinks very saturated.
The Red Robin also continues to show deeper reds.
Cousin It looks to be a simple Pink milli, and I'm happy with that. Lots of pinks showing on top, from the front still a little lacking.
The other milli is still lacking and has been placed on the boot list. Big red is going to need space so this needs to do something or be sent to the frag rack. I figure 2 more months unless I really need the space.
For the horrida fans, if you can see the skin, a nice blue / turquoise with light purple growth tips. I'm blasting it with flow and it responds with even more polyp extension and new growth.
Finally my monti cap experiment. The purple cap has glued the rocks I sat on it stronger than super glue, I know because I knocked it when pulling Xenia and moved the entire structure. I'm also happy the the little red cap blasted a piece of the purple and is now growing up and over it.
reefmutt
Active member
+1
I really like that pale dragon as well. I think I have the same coral.. if I get up the courage to take some photos of my reef, maybe I'll post a shot.
Mark, your corals are growing really nicely and they are looking so good.
Great feeling huh?!?
Nice job!
And yes... mmmmmmmm lokani.
markalot
...
Thanks all, always appreciated!
To try and color up the millis I have added the dreaded AquaBlue special to my bulb mix. *shudder* It doesn't look so bad this time around but we'll have to see if I can tolerate it for more than 2 weeks.
With the ABS tank details are easier to see and the fish show up a lot better.
Lucky photobomb. I lost all but these two and I thought the smaller one in back was a goner but it appears these two have paired up and the smaller one might be the male? Similar behavior to the clownfish at times and they tend to sleep near each other, with the male living in the valida.
To try and color up the millis I have added the dreaded AquaBlue special to my bulb mix. *shudder* It doesn't look so bad this time around but we'll have to see if I can tolerate it for more than 2 weeks.
With the ABS tank details are easier to see and the fish show up a lot better.
Lucky photobomb. I lost all but these two and I thought the smaller one in back was a goner but it appears these two have paired up and the smaller one might be the male? Similar behavior to the clownfish at times and they tend to sleep near each other, with the male living in the valida.
markalot
...
Here's what I'm trying to color up ... Cousin It. You can see the bright pink on some of the coralites but it's stuck, either due to light or water params. Going to try the light for at least a month to see if anything changes.
I was lazy and didn't turn the pumps off so it's mainly a mass of polyps.
Watching this unknown as well. It will get a nice purple pink, then brown, then return.
I was lazy and didn't turn the pumps off so it's mainly a mass of polyps.
Watching this unknown as well. It will get a nice purple pink, then brown, then return.
markalot
...
Finally took some topdowns to try and judge how things are doing.
I've increased the violet channels on my LED fixtures by 25%, I'm now running more daylight bulbs than blue ... but I failed again to tolerate the ABS. I replaced it with a coral+.
PhosphateRx: 2 drops daily
MicroE (AquaForest): 2 drops daily
SpongePower: 5 drops daily
Lugols (new): 2 drops daily
I occasionally feed Reef Roids, usually 3 times a week, and I occasionally dose CaNO3. Until I get serious about both I feel like colors will continue to ebb and flow.
Katropora - getting there, but still needs brighter purples which, in this tank, seem to be directly related to Nitrates > 0.
Red Robin doing quite well.
This one ... colors change weekly, for a few days red will be better, then fades back to brownish.
Cousin It continues to turn a more even pink. Look at those polyps, this thing does look like an animal.
I need a silly name for this one.
My other milli is meh. Some pink, some blue, some purple, even some green lower down.
Lokani
I've increased the violet channels on my LED fixtures by 25%, I'm now running more daylight bulbs than blue ... but I failed again to tolerate the ABS. I replaced it with a coral+.
PhosphateRx: 2 drops daily
MicroE (AquaForest): 2 drops daily
SpongePower: 5 drops daily
Lugols (new): 2 drops daily
I occasionally feed Reef Roids, usually 3 times a week, and I occasionally dose CaNO3. Until I get serious about both I feel like colors will continue to ebb and flow.
Katropora - getting there, but still needs brighter purples which, in this tank, seem to be directly related to Nitrates > 0.
Red Robin doing quite well.
This one ... colors change weekly, for a few days red will be better, then fades back to brownish.
Cousin It continues to turn a more even pink. Look at those polyps, this thing does look like an animal.
I need a silly name for this one.
My other milli is meh. Some pink, some blue, some purple, even some green lower down.
Lokani
milsaltnewbie07
New member
Dang Mark that tank is on fire!!!! Holy crap is incredible how its turned arround. Dang
Hentz
New member
Mark, what in the world bro!!
These colors are insane
As for that beautiful pink one;
What about:
- Pretty in Pink Acro
- 50 Shades of Pink Acro - Multiple shades of pink in the acro.
- Pink Lady Acro - Classic name from pink ladies in Grease!
- Pink Ribbon Acro (Breast Cancer Awareness) - Can never go wrong with this one!
- Screaming Diva Acro - Being pink and incredibly vibrant, I believe Screaming Diva is pretty cool!
Idk.... Just some random names I guess haha
These colors are insane
As for that beautiful pink one;
What about:
- Pretty in Pink Acro
- 50 Shades of Pink Acro - Multiple shades of pink in the acro.
- Pink Lady Acro - Classic name from pink ladies in Grease!
- Pink Ribbon Acro (Breast Cancer Awareness) - Can never go wrong with this one!
- Screaming Diva Acro - Being pink and incredibly vibrant, I believe Screaming Diva is pretty cool!
Idk.... Just some random names I guess haha
Last edited:
DiscusHeckel
Acropora Gardener
The latest pictures look stunning. My favourite is the tricolour in this latest set.
Unbelieveable Mark. Your colors are out of control! Congrats on maybe the best recovery that I have ever seen.
Hentz had some good names for the pink and purple acro, I liked the Screaming Diva the best. You definitely have naming rights for the piece. I suggest calling it your designer coral that you developed so that you may drive the value of your frags. lol.
It is hard to believe that you achieved this much beauty this quickly.
The Cousin It is coming along nicely. Is it preferring high or low light?
Hentz had some good names for the pink and purple acro, I liked the Screaming Diva the best. You definitely have naming rights for the piece. I suggest calling it your designer coral that you developed so that you may drive the value of your frags. lol.
It is hard to believe that you achieved this much beauty this quickly.
The Cousin It is coming along nicely. Is it preferring high or low light?
markalot
...
Thanks Bulent. By tricolor, is that the one with the bright green polyps or the giant valida?
Ha, Pink Fart.
The thing glows pink with yellow polyps under blue lighting. "Vintage Hollywood Clown Pants".
Thanks Kev.
- - - - - -
KH is locked in at 6.7 with a fully saturated Kalk and timed dosing.
I was putting in 3 drops of PhospohateRx every morning but I have increased Reef Roid feeding to 1/2 tsp every other day and added another drop of PhosphateRx in the afternoon. In addition I continue to increase the violet channel on my LED's, this time turning on the read BML strip violet channel which consists of 405nm and 420nm LEDs. So far this has produced positive changes for all corals.
Also now adding (daily):
2 drops Kalum (Potassium, I like the droppers so doing this daily rather than adding a cap of Potassion once a week).
2 drops Lugols (will this help the blues? )
I finally got rid of the frag rack in front, adding one to the left side instead. Next step is for me to get off my butt and take some of these frags into the LFS.
LED only pics, just after the T5's shut down.
Left side would look a lot better if the Blue stag would finally return to blue. This side ended up having most of my brown acros.
Last edited:
