My 65G Shallow Reef Tank

[DiscusHeckel]

The new fish is beautiful Bulent

I have cyano lately but like Matt i don't change things to get rid of cyano when the acros are looking happy with things just the way they are. As you said it's just an imbalance and over time the good bacteria numbers will take care of the cyano.

Thanks Andrew. My BFC is now 2.46. Ouch .... Siporax had better kick in soon before NO3 is off the charts. I may have to run some phosphate adsorber passively too at some point in the future due to increased feeding, but so far PO4 appears to remain between 0.015-0.03 mg/l.

Regarding cyanobacteria, I do not disagree with you. In fact, I initially thought that having a mild form was a very good thing because every time I siphoned them off, I effectively exported nutrients. However, it becomes a different matter when they start to smother most surfaces and come back a day after they are siphoned off.

 

[reefmutt]

The new fish is beautiful Bulent

I have cyano lately but like Matt i don't change things to get rid of cyano when the acros are looking happy with things just the way they are. As you said it's just an imbalance and over time the good bacteria numbers will take care of the cyano.

Hm.... I'd like to hear your tune if you were having the cyano Armageddon I am having, Andrew.
I haven't changed anything.. I continue to add a multitude of cyano promoting ingredients, in hopes of it going away.. So far no good..
Odd creature, that cyano..

 

[DiscusHeckel]

Salifert Trace hard dosing comes to mind. I do not know if Andrew still uses this product, but I still remember warning him about it. My troubles started four years ago when I started to broadcast feed my tank with Reef Nutrition's Oyster Feast. Some tanks are not suited to feeding tank as opposed to feeding fish only due to nutrient export mechanism employed.

 

[mhucasey]

Bulent, subscribed! I don't spend very much time browsing threads Im not already subscribed to, but I do look up build threads for people I interact with on Reef Central, for some reason your thread slipped through without subscription till now.

The tank looks really good, I love your fish selection and mature colonies Question for you - are you able to access photobucket from where you are? If you post your pictures to Photobucket you can embed them in the thread, which makes viewing a lot easier. Its free to create an account there and really easy to upload pictures to the account.

 

[DiscusHeckel]

Hi Matt,

Thanks for subscribing to my thread.

I have a photobucket account, but I got lazy recently and decided to use RC's file upload tool instead.

I have just uploaded this photo, which I took last night, to photobucket to reengage with that site. Note that red marks on the rocks and glass are not cyano. They are encrusted algae.

 

[mhucasey]

Hi Matt,

Thanks for subscribing to my thread.

I have a photobucket account, but I got lazy recently and decided to use RC's file upload tool instead.

I have just uploaded this photo, which I took last night, to photobucket to reengage with that site. Note that red marks on the rocks and glass are not cyano. They are encrusted algae.

It's looking really good , I think that blue tort is the same variety as one I have in my tank. Does it have green highlights on the inside of its coralites? Thank you for posting the photos on photobucket, it makes it much easier to view especially on mobile devices.

 

[DiscusHeckel]

It's looking really good , I think that blue tort is the same variety as one I have in my tank. Does it have green highlights on the inside of its coralites? Thank you for posting the photos on photobucket, it makes it much easier to view especially on mobile devices.

Thanks.

The blue coral in that picture is not Acropora tortuosa. It is a wild Acropora gomezi. It is solid blue with blue/dark purple polyps.

 

[joshky]

Hi Matt,

Thanks for subscribing to my thread.

I have a photobucket account, but I got lazy recently and decided to use RC's file upload tool instead.

I have just uploaded this photo, which I took last night, to photobucket to reengage with that site. Note that red marks on the rocks and glass are not cyano. They are encrusted algae.

That's a really beautiful photo, I love the purple monti weaving around the acros. Or did you place those acros on top of the monti? Either way it looks really cool.

 

[DiscusHeckel]

That's a really beautiful photo, I love the purple monti weaving around the acros. Or did you place those acros on top of the monti? Either way it looks really cool.

Thank you Josh.

The two big colonies, Acropora gomezi and Acropora nasuta, and the montipora monaseriata were placed on the same rock away from each other. In April 2014, I placed the montipora and A. gomezi together and then added Acropora nasuta to the group in December 2014. Finally, I slotted an Acropora Tenuis frag into a hole in the rock a few days ago (refer to the original photo in my previous post). The montipora is a vigorous grower and was fragged on many occasions as a result, which allowed me to raise funds to satisfy my reef hoarder urges.

 

[reefmutt]

Hi Matt,

Thanks for subscribing to my thread.

I have a photobucket account, but I got lazy recently and decided to use RC's file upload tool instead.

I have just uploaded this photo, which I took last night, to photobucket to reengage with that site. Note that red marks on the rocks and glass are not cyano. They are encrusted algae.

I really like this shot as well.. It's very cool how the monti is growing amongst the acros..
Liking really nice, Bulent.

 

[DiscusHeckel]

Thank you Matt.

Here is an FTS, which I have just taken. The glass could have been cleaner.

To get a proper digital DSLR camera with a proper macro lens, how much am I expected to spend? I probably cannot afford the top of the range ones...

Thanks

 

[mhucasey]

Thank you Matt.

Here is an FTS, which I have just taken. The glass could have been cleaner.

To get a proper digital DSLR camera with a proper macro lens, how much am I expected to spend? I probably cannot afford the top of the range ones...

Thanks

Looking very good! You sir, were not lying about your clean sand. I am envious for sure. Those green stags are growing like weeds - if only the blue or red stags grew as fast. Keep up the good work and thanks for the FTS!

 

[reefmutt]

looking really good, Bulent! Some of those colonies are dense!
your setosa is also a monster.
I love those anthias.. great colour.
I'm a canon guy.. the standard 100ml macro by canon is about $600, I think, and a mid level camera body is probably pretty close to that as well..
usually they sell lens/body kits which don't include a macro, however, so it will probably be extra..
this isn't so bad since a macro lens is not ideal for general photography..

 

[joshky]

After I get my tank further along I want to upgrade to a Nikon 5200, since I already have a few Nikon lenses. I've also been putting off a macro lens purchase for far too long, but things keep getting in the way. Hopefully I can buy one for Christmas. I'm planning on stealing Sahin's lens, the Tamron 90mm, which you can get for around $200-250 on eBay for virtually any camera body, just be sure to buy the right one.

Nice looking FTS update by the way!! Things sure have changed since that flashback photo with the clams and checkerboard wrasse up there!

 

[DiscusHeckel]

looking really good, Bulent! Some of those colonies are dense!
your setosa is also a monster.
I love those anthias.. great colour.
I'm a canon guy.. the standard 100ml macro by canon is about $600, I think, and a mid level camera body is probably pretty close to that as well..
usually they sell lens/body kits which don't include a macro, however, so it will probably be extra..
this isn't so bad since a macro lens is not ideal for general photography..

Thanks Matt, do you mind telling me which Canon model you own? Someone who takes stunning photos on a UK forum uses Nikon D750 with Tamron 90mm macro lens. I have just checked the Nikon's price, which seems to be more than what my fish tank cost me (over £1200). :eek2: However, the Tamron lens seems much more affordable (£~280). I may have to go for a second hand camera.

After I get my tank further along I want to upgrade to a Nikon 5200, since I already have a few Nikon lenses. I've also been putting off a macro lens purchase for far too long, but things keep getting in the way. Hopefully I can buy one for Christmas. I'm planning on stealing Sahin's lens, the Tamron 90mm, which you can get for around $200-250 on eBay for virtually any camera body, just be sure to buy the right one.

Nice looking FTS update by the way!! Things sure have changed since that flashback photo with the clams and checkerboard wrasse up there!

Nikon D5200 seems a lot more affordable (sigh of relief). I am not a photographer, but there must be a big difference between D750 and D5200. I will read reviews on D5200.

Josh, what do you mean by "just be sure to buy the right one". Are camera bodies and lenses not standard?

Thanks for your compliments gentlemen about my corals.

Matt, I am letting my setosa spread to adjacent rocks. I have even attached one branch to an existing green Montipora digitata colony. I would rather look at an orange Montipora than a green one. As you say some corals are really dense. I cannot reach certain sections of glass for cleaning. Acropora gomezi is also under partial shade because of Acropora aspera on the left hand side. I was going to fragment this coral very heavily in the new year. But I had to bring this forward after receiving an email from my lfs this morning. My lfs notified me that a fish (Genicanthus semifasciatus), which I ordered just under a month ago, had arrived and had been reserved for me:

All being well, I am going to collect her in two weeks time. It is going to be the most expensive fish in my collection. Hence, I am going to have to take some chunky frags (e.g. 5" X 4") to my lfs to offset the purchase cost, hence changing the timetable for fragging.

 

[reefmutt]

Nice angel! I love the genicanthus angels..
Next time I seem some bellus, I will add a couple more to my tank to have a male and a few females..
My current camera is an Eos 70d and I most often use my canon 100m macro L lens..
This is not top of line but it is higher end equipment.
This equipment is not, however, necessary to achieve top quality photos..
If you go to the first page of my build thread, the macro photos there were taken with an Eos 20d and a non L 100m canon macro. And the slightly wider shots were actually taken with a waterproof canon point and shoot camera.
A dslr will give you more consistent and less frustrating results than the point and shoot but these days, the technology is so good, you don't have to buy super high end equipment to get good results..

 

[cFloor]

Your tank is looking amazing! I think you will be very happy with your new fish, one of my all time favorites.

 

[joshky]

Bulent, Tamron is like an off brand lens maker, so just be sure to get the one that works on the camera body you purchase; ie. it'll say for Nikon, Canon, Sony, Pentax etc. etc.. It shouldn't be too hard once you know what body you'll be purchasing.

Beautiful angel btw!!

 

[DiscusHeckel]

Your tank is looking amazing! I think you will be very happy with your new fish, one of my all time favorites.

Thank you. I cannot wait to get her.

Bulent, Tamron is like an off brand lens maker, so just be sure to get the one that works on the camera body you purchase; ie. it'll say for Nikon, Canon, Sony, Pentax etc. etc.. It shouldn't be too hard once you know what body you'll be purchasing.

Beautiful angel btw!!

Thanks for your advice. I will start to read about cameras. My wife is an artist and we often take pictures of her art work to publicise it. What type of lens we need for this sort of photography?

 

[glaukos]

Loved the fts:beer:
I like it when a tank has mature big colonies.
Bulent what's that sps at the back on the upper right side?

Those stags will need a bigger home soon
Is an upgrade in your future plans?