New 210g - Portugal

[Joao Monteiro]

I really wouldn´t say that. I think in my case was due to my holidays. My father kept an eye over the tank but when I came back, my kh dropped frm 9.5 dkh to 5.5 and I had almost 0.5 Phos.
He overfed and didn´t manage the kalk reactor very well.
That´s when the color started to change, but it kept growing so I didn´t worry that much.

I don´t use the "light power" I see in most of the tanks here in RC. Maybe its because of the cost of electricity, but here in Europe, usually, the tanks run with less light. I think water quality and food is more importante than light for the corals.

My tank is not deep (only 22 inch) but I only use (4x) 150w MH with 10.000k + 3x80w T5 (2 actinics + 1 of 6.500 k) and I really think is enough.

So its 840 w for 210g

 

[Adrianto29]

I also agree with your comments on light power.

I give live rotifer to my SPS everyday, keep my Phosphate undetectable and Nitrate below 5 ppm, and use Active Carbon to keep water clarity.

I think the above things will keep the color of the SPS.

Let's see our SPS color after a few months.

 

[Joao Monteiro]

Long time no see....

So, let me update you on the tank.

I´ve removed some 3 ou 4 big LR and put them in the sump and fuge. That allowed me to create more open areas, give some corals space to grow and the fish more area to swim around.

This is the outcome (you may compare with the previous pics).

FTS

Left

Right

As you may have noticed...there´s a "new king in town". A big Acropora palifera that a good (very good...) friend of mine gave me, because he didn´t have room for it anymore and he wanted it in a known tank and not fragged into pieces (that would problably happen if he sold it away).

Here´s the big boy (suffered a bit in some branches with the transport - not enough water in the bucket - but it will recover )

Here you can see it again in a different angle - a picture showing the color contrast with the male lyretail anthia and the other corals.

Last Saturday night, I´ve also introduced the 8 Ghost cardinals (Apogon leptacanthus). They´re still adapting - and don´t show (yet) the stricking blue of their eyes -, but this may give you an idea of the effect they (will) have in the tank

 

[Joao Monteiro]

And, as a final note, I´d say that.... the corals are growing well

 

[Marco Madeira]

Very nice Tank !! Beautiful landscape and nice corals !! The room behind the tank is very nice and very well bilt. Congratulations Joao !!

 

[Adrianto29]

Excellent growing .... amazing

 

[Joao Monteiro]

The issue is: how long will it take for the corals to outgrow the tank, once I start using the calcium reactor...?

 

[Joao Monteiro]

Hi there,

There´s a new king in (my) town.

After 2 month QT I just added my Scribbled angel.

Here it is:

Cruising the tank with the QT buddy, a Ctenochaetus truncatus (do you also call it Kole tang, like the C. strigosus ?)

]

 

[Joao Monteiro]

(...)

Feeding time

Cleaning station

And the FTS

 

[roushboy2857]

Awsome!

 

[Alphabet]

Very Nice!!

 

[Tyreef]

nice

 

[sleevasteve]

Beautiful!!

 

[subREEFed]

nice looking tank! and a fellow portugee, i have family in Tercera. how nice it must be to drive to the ocean to get water... i like it

 

[Joao Monteiro]

Tks guys,

One of the things I really enjoy is to recover corals. Like this Acropora "staghorn" (formosa, problably:

July, 1 (when I got it)

November, 4 (2 dif. angles)

 

[jmaneyapanda]

Hey Joao:

How is the scribbled faring? I just recently put mine in the display. He ate all the incidental sponge that was growing, and has worked a couple of zoanthids, but otherwise, so far, so good. And eats like a pig! From hand, too! The only clam he has "bothered" was my big squamosa that has some sponges growing on he shell, but has done much at all. I'll get you a pic when I can.

 

[Joao Monteiro]

Hi,

Mine is also doing fine. So far no trouble with any coral and eats perfectly and every food I put in the tank!

 

[Angel*Fish]

Beautiful angel! My Singapore (same genus as Scribbled) has never nipped at anything. But he wil steal food from Euphyllia. Would love to have a Scribbled like you, but my tank's only 100g anyway.

How are your Apogons doing? I have 4 who only school when something's going on the tank - otherwise they divide off into 2 pairs. I've wondered if adding a few more would somehow convince them to school.

 

[Joao Monteiro]

Hi Marie,

The Apogons hang around the large piece of rock in the right side of the tank (you may see it in a full tank picture). They don´t move a lot but stay together (the 8).

When the move round the tank - I have an automatic feeder in the left side that feeds pellets 2x day-, they do it as a school

 

[Angel*Fish]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8682830#post8682830 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Joao Monteiro
Hi Marie,
When they move round the tank - I have an automatic feeder in the left side that feeds pellets 2x day-, they do it as a school

That strikes me as funny for some reason- they make the trip together -lol. They aren't the most adventurous fish in the tank are they? I keep threatening mine - I've told them if they don't start hanging out in a single group, I'm going to buy a triigger. But that never scares them - all they do is stare at me, flicking their dorsal spines a little.