Oldude's Little Reef on the Prairie
- Thread starter Oldude
- Start date
I have a cheato chamber in the sump and it keeps getting smaller & smaller so I think the crabs must be eating it as well as the garbage.
Yes it is one of those not so famous - Loonie Grab Crab.
Here is a video I made today shooting top down with a go pro. It picked up a lot of pump noise so I added some music on You Tube ( then it got stuck with the 'edited video' title but the picture is raw & untouched). There are some very shakey parts because I had to switch hands while moving past the euro bracing while trying to keep the camera submerged. Anyway with this view there is nowhere for the frags & non-performing corals to hide but it is what it is.
I recently started dosing Color Elements (about 3 weeks ago) but instead of the recommended manual once a week method I thought I would try adding it to the dosing tanks with the balling however I think this may not be the way to go as I have had some RTN/STN, browning out of some corals & tip burn in others - even lost some color in a few clams - (likely over dosed). That said there are some corals that were not negatively affected so I'm not sure what to make of it all yet.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/l7AXUJtIseA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
I recently started dosing Color Elements (about 3 weeks ago) but instead of the recommended manual once a week method I thought I would try adding it to the dosing tanks with the balling however I think this may not be the way to go as I have had some RTN/STN, browning out of some corals & tip burn in others - even lost some color in a few clams - (likely over dosed). That said there are some corals that were not negatively affected so I'm not sure what to make of it all yet.
<iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/l7AXUJtIseA" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
Newbie Aquarist
Reefing is my middle name
That is some cool shooting there Oldude.
Thanks Wayne. This was the first time I've ever used a go pro - you can't see what you are recording since it has no viewing screen so it will take some getting used to.
Rescue frags
Rescue frags
All the pictures in this post have been grown out from tiny frags, most 1/4" or less taken from colonies that died and a tiny frag was all I could save. Most are still small even though most have literally been years in the making.
This first piece has been getting nursed along for at least 3 years now and I don't even remember what the acro species is anymore and won't know until it grows out a bit more but it's finally looking like it wants to take off. :smurf:
Lava chalice - now about 3" across (not from the big colony above)
A.kimbeensis
A.horrida
neon green formosa
Blue polyp acro from Fiji - not sure of the species (grown from a single growth tip end and re-rescued after an AEFW attack killed most of it off.
Bonsai
Rescue frags
All the pictures in this post have been grown out from tiny frags, most 1/4" or less taken from colonies that died and a tiny frag was all I could save. Most are still small even though most have literally been years in the making.
This first piece has been getting nursed along for at least 3 years now and I don't even remember what the acro species is anymore and won't know until it grows out a bit more but it's finally looking like it wants to take off. :smurf:
Lava chalice - now about 3" across (not from the big colony above)
A.kimbeensis
A.horrida
neon green formosa
Blue polyp acro from Fiji - not sure of the species (grown from a single growth tip end and re-rescued after an AEFW attack killed most of it off.
Bonsai
green dragon - one of my favorite corals - unfortunately it is hard for me to capture it's true essence with my limited camera skills & equipment.
Grown from a frag off a wild acro from Fiji
a.exquisita
Euphylia cluster - taken using a flash
dragon soul favia
Cyphastrea decadia
Blue Tort
Heliopora coerulea AKA blue ridge coral (FYI - those white stringy things are sponges)
Grown from a frag off a wild acro from Fiji
a.exquisita
Euphylia cluster - taken using a flash
dragon soul favia
Cyphastrea decadia
Blue Tort
Heliopora coerulea AKA blue ridge coral (FYI - those white stringy things are sponges)
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Scythanith
Premium Member
So next time I come by Calgary can I swing by your house 
I will bring a cooler, beer, and a fist full o' cash!
I will bring a cooler, beer, and a fist full o' cash!
So next time I come by Calgary can I swing by your house
Forget the beer and make it two fistfulls of cash & it's a date.
Just kidding - you are welcome to stop by anytime.
Yesterday I was noticing a few corals were coloring down and upon further investigation realized the center 250 W bulb in my 6 foot fixture was burned out or so I thought, so I changed the bulb which as luck would have it had broken chards of glass internally however I thought it should still work. Unfortunately it didn't so now I am unclear if it is just the bulb or maybe the ballast. If it is the ballast I am considering replacing the fixture with new lighting as this unit is about 9 years old. I am still not 100% sold on LED but not sure I want to stay with MH and T5's are too much hassle & pretty expensive due to the fact I would then have 24 bulbs to replace every 6 months. Looking for ideas if anyone cares to share their thoughts.
Scythanith
Premium Member
So far I am honestly liking my LED Mitras. I have never used MH's but used T5's pretty extensively in the past. The Mitras controllability and adaptability is what has me so enamoured with them. Are they the easiest thing to use, no not really. But is the work worth it, in my opinion yes. The Mitras are a little shy on the uniform "pop" I'd get with the right T5 bulb combination, but they have the point source lighting light shimmer like a MH source. But don't get me wrong, you can still make the corals glow like crazy with the royal blues and hyper violets mixed with some reds/yellows/green. The only spot I see any disco effect is right along the edge of the tank where the light goes through the euro bracing. If you had a centre brace it may be more noticeable? I don't miss changing T5 bulbs though
The lights themselves are small, light, easily taken apart and modular in nature to accommodate upgrades.
My two cents.
The lights themselves are small, light, easily taken apart and modular in nature to accommodate upgrades.
My two cents.
Thanks for your comment - I have lots to think about.So far I am honestly liking my LED Mitras. I have never used MH's but used T5's pretty extensively in the past. The Mitras controllability and adaptability is what has me so enamoured with them. Are they the easiest thing to use, no not really. But is the work worth it, in my opinion yes. The Mitras are a little shy on the uniform "pop" I'd get with the right T5 bulb combination, but they have the point source lighting light shimmer like a MH source. But don't get me wrong, you can still make the corals glow like crazy with the royal blues and hyper violets mixed with some reds/yellows/green. The only spot I see any disco effect is right along the edge of the tank where the light goes through the euro bracing. If you had a centre brace it may be more noticeable? I don't miss changing T5 bulbs though
The lights themselves are small, light, easily taken apart and modular in nature to accommodate upgrades.
My two cents.
