Mark's 150 gallon

[markalot]

Pictures post cataclysm.

So in short here's what happened.

While working on the right side of the tank the big shelf shifted just enough to send the Lokani tumbling into the glass. Finally some frags ... no, wait, the damn thing put a scratch in the glass where it hit. Good grief. From that point on things just got worse. As I tried to fix it the SSC came loose and as I grabbed it to prevent damage I knocked the piece holding the horrida and it came loose. Is this some kind of cruel joke?

While the horrida was on the sandbed I took a picture. Look how blue the base is.

The left side rock structure has been an issue for a while now so since all hell was breaking loose, why not. It's basically a volcano like structure with the center being pieces of those fake rocks sticking up. None of it was glued and the structure was shifting so I did a lot of two part, shoving and gluing to get it fairly stable again. I broke a few pieces doing this but I have to say, now that things are done, I kind of like the results.

Mid reconstruction with the pumps off and the horrida base drying on the rock structure. I lifted and moved this branch piece to the right to make sure the horrida is getting the same PAR it was near the center of the tank.

After that was done it was time to reconstruct the blue stag. Here's the best growing tip that I managed to break but save.

And here is the new left side structure with the stag rocks glued in place. These are getting about 50 par more than they used to so hopefully they might decide to color back up.

One other benefit of moving the big branch over is the red planet like acro gets some extra space between it and the slimer beast.

Oh yea, when the shelf shifted the huge Valida came loose. I turned it completely around and was impressed to find a healthy base and really good color on the back side. It's jammed between two millis now but has room to continue growing in back and front.

FTS's

Left

Right

Tested KH to make sure I didn't shake up the tank too much and end up with an Alk spike. I was surprised to find it pretty low, 6.5 or a little less. Dosed it up to 6.8 with 2 part.

 

[ADVRESOURCE]

Mark,

Read this entire post. WOW! You've been through a lot. But, you have figured out a lot. Your corals are looking spectacular. Your photography skills are very good. You mentioned that you don't like the Nikon? Why not?

Bugs, Lights, ALK swings, P, NO3...dosing! That's a Netflix Original!!!

It took around 1200 posts to find out that you have an Apex. Have you considered small daily water changes using the DOS peristaltic pumps. I do 2.5 gal of fresh saltwater a day. That may eliminate the need for dosing trace elements. I tied my 20gal frag tank to the main sump. I was having a terrible time with dosing without Alk swings until I tied the two together. It also eliminates the need to measure Alk in the salt mixture since the rate of import and export is over a longer period that a massive water change.

The CARx idea requires a lot of testing and adjusting, too. It a very slow game changer compared to dosing Kalk.

You have gotten very nice results. Power to the SPS Reefer!!! It's surely not easy. Congratulations on your successes.

 

[ADVRESOURCE]

Oh, with regards to PH. Having a lot of surface water movement allows for better gas exchange and PH rises. I have a CA RX and my PH swings between 8.11 (lowest, when corals have slept all night) to 8.23 (during photosynthetic period, when corals use CO2).

Don't do anything in fug on reverse light cycle.

Then, you won't have to rely on fresh air hose or KALK.

 

[markalot]

Thanks ADV, and good job plowing through the entire mess of a thread.

The Nikon will occasionally not take a picture, something that should never happen with a digital camera. It's a dumb design and is apparently a leftover from the film days. I have missed a few moments with both the tank and worse, family, where the camera looks to be ready but the picture fails to take. because it felt something wasn't ready.

Apparently this can be remedied by using one of the continuous focus settings but that mode is difficult for me to use. Full manual will always work, of course, but Canon camera owners don't seem to have these complaints.

Grass is always greener ....

I have considered continuous water changes, I'm in a basement and I could run light weight water and waste lines in the ceiling, but I have yet to do anything. I do enjoy getting up to the tank daily, so far.

PH has not been an issue since I started using Kalk in the topoff and doing a fixed timed topoff schedule. I'm at saturated Kalk at the moment and it's not keeping up so the doser will have to come on soon to make up the difference.

 

[ADVRESOURCE]

I dose MG through the DOS system daily. CA and ALK are capable of DOS dosing but, currently NO need. Since my system is balanced.

I use 1/4" flexible tubing for the delivery and removal of water. I go from 5 gallon canister for fill. And, I drain to a 5 gallon canister so that I can monitor import and export. I have a canister rack of seven 5 gallon canisters with one empty for export. Don't know what your basement situation is but, if there's room it's way more stable than large water changes.

What's your setup?


Interesting about the Nikon.

 

[markalot]

I've got everything within 20 or 25 feet. Laundry tub, floor drain, and RO/DI setup. Even if I don't do automatic regular changes it would be nice to hit a button and do a slow change.

Right now I'm in the mode where I do not do water changes unless something unexplained is off. I do regular (well, regular for me) water changes on a 40 gallon but not in here since export seems to be a good match for import at the moment.

 

[ADVRESOURCE]

If you ever consider the daily water changes, you can reference my posting in the large reef tank forum. This SPS hobby is definitely NOT a set it and forget it deal. But, I rarely have to touch the water unless a frag falls.

All that you're doing is working out great. Keep up the success story!!!

 

[markalot]

Topdowns with my better lens (35mm fixed Nikon)

Cousin It (blue overdriven in this photo for some reason)

Red Robin

Top half of the 'Katropora'

Broke a branch but it didn't seem to alter the color.

The Lokani took a tumble, hit and scratched the glass, then landed in a Poci. I removed it quickly but you can still see the damage on the skin. This is one tough coral.

 

[kevlow]

Spectacular. Stunning colors and growth.

Your Cousin It has surpassed all other CIs that I have seen. The skin has more color and is brighter. The only drab, dark hairs appear to be down low. Do you have any ideas as to what has helped develop these traits?

Beautiful Lokani. What par would you say this is getting?

Thanks again. Inspiring photos.

 

[markalot]

Spectacular. Stunning colors and growth.

Your Cousin It has surpassed all other CIs that I have seen. The skin has more color and is brighter. The only drab, dark hairs appear to be down low. Do you have any ideas as to what has helped develop these traits?

Beautiful Lokani. What par would you say this is getting?

Thanks again. Inspiring photos.

Hi Kev, thanks.

No clue why the colors are developing like they are. CI is not as pink as those photos, I left the back LED strip on and I think this is what caused the blue to be all wonky. It's pinkish and bright, but not a pure pink. It does have a nice pink glow under actinic. I also don't know why the polyp extension has lessened as it's colored up. Were the long polyps a way of getting healthy?

The Lokani is right at 400 - 420 PAR.

Daily Dosing:

3 drops PhosphateRx
2 drops MicroE
2 drops Kalium
5 drops SpongePower
1 drop Lugols
10 drops AcroPower (getting kind of carried away with this one)
2 squirts of ReefRoids plus 2 other coral foods mixed with RODI (just started this last week)

I tested PO4 with the Elos high rez and had a hard time getting any color to show, which indicates < .03, so I backed off PhosphateRx by a drop. I'm feeding Reef Roids every other day and this will sometimes throw off the Hanna Checker.

 

[markalot]

Here's a more accurate picture of Cousin It with the blue LED bars off.

It's just not quite pink.

Tried to stop down the lens and get a full colony picture of the 'Katropora'. Top half is the older colony, the bottom half is all new growth.

 

[markalot]

One more.

Moving the left structure around allowed me to get the blue stag up higher and over to the right a little, under more PAR. You can see on this branch how the process of getting the blue back is proceeding ever so slowly.

 

[Rickyrooz1]

Mark,
What is this one called?

 

[Pife]

Mark,
What is this one called?

Mouth watering, delicious ! :bounce1:

 

[FloformAustria]

oh my... Mark what beautiful pictures... :bigeyes:

keep those coming

 

[markalot]

Mark,
What is this one called?

Hi Ricky,

that is an unnamed, wild I believe, purchased from Pacific East Aquaculture. Big piece, got it for cheap, then killed 3/4 of it. I got really lucky.

This is what it looked like:

 

[kevlow]

Hi Kev, thanks.

No clue why the colors are developing like they are. CI is not as pink as those photos, I left the back LED strip on and I think this is what caused the blue to be all wonky. It's pinkish and bright, but not a pure pink. It does have a nice pink glow under actinic. I also don't know why the polyp extension has lessened as it's colored up. Were the long polyps a way of getting healthy?

The Lokani is right at 400 - 420 PAR.

Daily Dosing:

3 drops PhosphateRx
2 drops MicroE
2 drops Kalium
5 drops SpongePower
1 drop Lugols
10 drops AcroPower (getting kind of carried away with this one)
2 squirts of ReefRoids plus 2 other coral foods mixed with RODI (just started this last week)

I tested PO4 with the Elos high rez and had a hard time getting any color to show, which indicates < .03, so I backed off PhosphateRx by a drop. I'm feeding Reef Roids every other day and this will sometimes throw off the Hanna Checker.

That is a very good question regarding the PE as a way to get healthy. I have a couple pieces [one is a blue Teni] that started growing and are experiencing their best color ever, yet PE has reduced or disappeared. Does this mean all their nutritional needs are met and there is no need to feed?

That interesting that your Lokani is located in high par and loving it. I was always taught that they were deep water and low light. Mine was in 200 but very white and slow growing. Now it is on the line going from 300 to 400 and is responding well.. I guess I should have had it there all along.

How many ml is 10 drops?

Thank you for the info write up. That is good to know along with seeing the results in your photos.

 

[markalot]

Hi Kev, thanks.

Not sure how many ml is 10 drops. I will have to find something to measure it with.

Ending my weekend photo obsession with macros. This is of the CI milli and you can see the brown remaining near each polyp. I'm not sure what it's capable of looking like but I thought this view was interesting.

This is the other milli that still has thick brown polyps and a purplish skin.

The color shows up better out of focus, as in this shot of my two accidental frags of the pink acro and that mili.

Another hairy monster with red/pink skin

and finally my Sarmentosa. THis one also from PEA and had pinkish tips in the original photo but has shown no pink for me.

 

[rburns24]

-
10 drops is about .5 ml.
-

 

[deaclauderdale]

You can send me that accidental frag...jk. I know that 'Cousin-It' has morphed a bit on you, but it does look stunning in its new iteration. Also things are really looking great overall, good job with sticking things out and battling to restore your reef to its glory. So many reefers would have and have given up when faced with what you went through not to long ago.

Reef keeping is life!