New 125 On The Block - Watch The Process! *Pictures Inside*

[hossb21]

Wow all i can say is Awsome , I have read you thread from the begining to end and it's pretty neat. Makes me want to go get every thing a start all over. Good luck with the tank, look foward to all the updates.

 

[TJcop]

CeeGee: Regarding the ID's of the above corals, I believe one is a Pavona and the other is a Pocilipora (sp?). The last is Favites. All require high light good flow. One of the best books I bought was by Eric Borneman (it's upstairs and the title escapes me). It has just about every coral ID'd and their captive requirements.
When I had the algae issues, I was told that my LR & sandbed were leeching PO4. I mentioned that my kit didn't show any PO4, and I was advised that it was being consumed by the algae as fast as it was being produced, resulting in a false reading.

 

[TJcop]

New bulbs and pics!

New bulbs and pics!

Here's the pictures of the tank with the new bulbs. The bulbs are 250w DE HQI Phoenix 14K's. Very crisp white/blue. I still am using my actinics to help with the "pop". So far I am very pleased with the bulbs and I am curious to how they will burn in over the next 100 hours. It's very hard to capture the true colors with a camera, but this is close.

 

[TJcop]

Also, had to toss two of the frags that were RTNing. Dr.Mac's had already credited me for them, since they looked bad upon receipt. Can't blame Mac's, just one of the hazards of winter shipping (bottom of shipping bocks was cold). Everything elses his fully extended (even during the day!) and is looking healthy! :thumbsup:

 

[CeeGee]

so were you pulling rocks out and scrubbing them to rid the hair algae or did you just let it ride?

I gotta get this stuff outta here. My tank looks like crap. I am afraid to start adding corals with this stuff everywhere.

 

[TJcop]

I pulled lots out by hand, then allowed my blenny and snails to attack the rest of it. Did water changes and watched my levels. If you look earlier in my thread, some people advised that most tanks will go through several algae cycles. I know what you're going through...but it will stop.

 

[CeeGee]

Man I hope so. I can't think of anything I am doing wrong. I really appreciate you answering my questions.

 

[TJcop]

Well, my Six Line Wrasse committed suicide today. I didn't know things were so bad...we never talked.

 

[[e]]

I didn't know things were so bad...we never talked.

maybe that was the problem..

seriously sorry about your loss. but, your tank looks amazing! pat yourself on the back for such a beautiful job.

 

[ReefWraith]

Hey TJ... how's it going? Been a while since I've checked in with you (though I watched the RTN event closely). The tank looks great. Why the change in your avatar though?

 

[TJcop]

e: Thanks for the comments. I personally don't catagorize my tank as "amazing", but I'm working on it!

ReefWraith: Yes, long time no post! The tank is coming along, and so far the new frags are doing just fine. The avatar? Well, it was time for a change, and I think it's quite fitting....no? :thumbsup:

 

[Todd March]

Are ya on the "Z" wagon yet, TJ....?

 

[TJcop]

Not yet, Todd. I'm very excited about starting it, but I still have to finish the new equipment room and install the new sump/refuge/prop tanks. Then I'm going to switch over to "Z".

 

[TJcop]

Another setback. Just came home to find that a powerhead had fallen (friggin' suc(k)tion cups!). This caused one of my acros to fall into my slipper. Those two decided to fight it out and it looks like the acro lost. It's got some white spots on the bottom of the colony.
Also, a huge section of my sand bed got blown away and is covering everything. I'm currenlty blowing off the sand and trying to fill the hole that was created. I'm also running a micron filter to help clear up the water. On top of this...I leave for vacation in 12 hours and I have a non-reefer watching the tank.
At least the nitrates/amm/etc all test at 0.

 

[TJcop]

Ok, things don't look so bad anymore. Polyps are out on the Acros, even the damaged one. Should I worry about the colony RTNing on me, or will it heal itself?
Everything is settling back down...now I'll only worry alot while I'm gone (as compared to worrying a TON).

 

[phishphan]

If the colony still has some live tissue, it has a pretty good chance of recovering. I had the same thing happen in my tank: SEIO blew an acro into my Hammer. I pulled it out and located it in another part of the tank and it has totally recovered. ...Took about 1 month.

 

[gliebig]

TJ,

With the phoenix bulbs, do you think they look nice without the actinic supplements? I'm thinking about getting them. I like just a very sublte hint of blue to all white.

 

[TJcop]

Gliebig: I run my bulbs with the actinics. I don't know how they look without them, but I can imagine that they would have a really nice blue hue to them. The actinics help with the "pop" factor on some of the flourecent corals.

 

[CPT. MURPHY]

looks great !

 

[TJcop]

Well, I just took a huge plunge...and ordered Tunze Streams! I've been unable to get the flow I want/need in this system for SPS. I think flow is the only thing I haven't properly addressed, and I feel that this is why some of my SPS keep RTNing on me.
I ordered 2 Tunze 6000 and the 7095 controller. Hopefully they'll be here this week.
The obligatory pics will follow