Mark's 180 Starfire upgrade

[mpoletti]

I still have my D40x and I was tying to get the wb set on my D90. Since the expodisc was set on my D40x still. I took two quick shots about 5 mins ago. The exposure was off a bit, but that camera is sometime easier to work with in coral shooting that the D90 as I am so used to it

Larger aperature

Smaller aperature

 

[Ian]

The cat's outta the bag :lol:

 

[mpoletti]

The cat's outta the bag :lol:

I'm glad you like your piece

 

[mpoletti]

Phase II of the "the sand syphoning project" is over and there was a lot more damage this time around. Lets just say that I am going to have to relocate my echinata colony :sad1:

I will do a few tests tomorrow or Sunday to make sure the water is spot on. I usually do not worry to much when only changing 35-40 gallons in a water change. But since I have done two 75 gallon water changes in back to back weeks, I better keep an eye on the tank. Either way, I want to give the tank a week or two to balance itself out. Some of the corals lightened this week with their new locations and the drop in nutrients. Just because I was so lazy this summer is no reason to stress the corals overnight.

 

[Oldude]

I still have my D40x and I was tying to get the wb set on my D90. Since the expodisc was set on my D40x still. I took two quick shots about 5 mins ago. The exposure was off a bit, but that camera is sometime easier to work with in coral shooting that the D90 as I am so used to it

Larger aperature

Smaller aperature

Oh my that is sexy!!:eek1:

 

[Dejavu]

Phase II of the "the sand syphoning project" is over and there was a lot more damage this time around. Lets just say that I am going to have to relocate my echinata colony :sad1:

You didn't lose it?!? I hope thing settle down for you soon. Did you finish what you wanted to do with your "the sand syphoning project" or have you just given up on it?

 

[mpoletti]

You didn't lose it?!? I hope thing settle down for you soon. Did you finish what you wanted to do with your "the sand syphoning project" or have you just given up on it?

No Brian, I just knocked the colony off the base. I was going to have to trim back the PPT as it was shading it. Now I will no have to trim any pieces for my friends off the front, but from the back when it is growing into the ponape torch; I know, its rough

As for the sand "project". I have no idea why I am doing it. I convinced myself that I have silicates trapped in the old sand and even though I doubt that is the truth, I just want to cross one more item off my list. I did notice plenty of snail shell during the vacuuming, so I will need to some more snails.

 

[mpoletti]

Oh my that is sexy!!:eek1:

Thanks Greg. I have had it for a few months and its different because the base isn't just pink like so many of the others.

 

[mpoletti]

These aren't the coolest or sharpest pictures, but I did want to try to get a picture or two as I was refilling the tank yesterday.

 

[DanW]

Cool picts Mark. How much more do you have left in the sand project? I'm keeping an eye on your project as I may go down the same path at some point. Please keep us updated on your progress and how your parameters & corals react.

 

[Ian]

VHO + Green = AWESOME!

 

[mpoletti]

Cool picts Mark. How much more do you have left in the sand project? I'm keeping an eye on your project as I may go down the same path at some point. Please keep us updated on your progress and how your parameters & corals react.

Thanks Dan. I checked the Salinty and ALk last night and they were fine. I will test my po4 later on in the weekend and I am hoping for .05 or lower. I do not know when the last time my po4 has been lower than that. The colors on a few of my "canary" corals have lightened so I am definitely curious to see how it will test.

 

[mpoletti]

I'd just say

VHO = AWESOME!

 

[Tony Romano]

What were you doing to sand? Cleaning?

 

[mpoletti]

What were you doing to sand? Cleaning?

Removing; possibly replacing, possibly not.

 

[Tony Romano]

What kind of sand? What size, how deep? I am going for 1 inch or less and cleaning freaquently. I am removing a bunch of aragonite and crushed coral from my big tank. Too much crap ended up in mine, I see now I should have been vacuuming all along. I made mistake of treating it like a DSB.

 

[mpoletti]

I have a mixed sandbed of different grains of aragonite; mostly #2 and #3 with some finer sand mixed in. I have had some decent results with the larger grade stuff from natures ocean aragonite gravel #4

 

[Dejavu]

No Brian, I just knocked the colony off the base. I was going to have to trim back the PPT as it was shading it. Now I will no have to trim any pieces for my friends off the front, but from the back when it is growing into the ponape torch; I know, its rough

As for the sand "project". I have no idea why I am doing it. I convinced myself that I have silicates trapped in the old sand and even though I doubt that is the truth, I just want to cross one more item off my list. I did notice plenty of snail shell during the vacuuming, so I will need to some more snails.

Well I'm glad you haven't lost anything. The last time I removed sand about 5 yrs ago it didn't go well, but I have learned alot since then.

 

[mpoletti]

Brian, I have had troubles in the past as well. That is why I did larger water changes along with removing the sand I did. I'd say I've removed about 50% of my sand and I have been concentrating on removing the tougher parts; behind the rock work and in the caves. I still have the large stuff in the front. I am really happy with the way its been progressing and I have never seen my water this clean. I guess that is what happens when you replace 140 gallons in two weeks, extra prodibio and removing the smaller sand that was always floating around.

 

[Tony Romano]

Brian - I work the sand very gradually. Also I have micron bags on all returns when I do.

Big mistake I made was not rinsing better before adding to tank, second error was to go too deep.