ormet's 60g DSPS "Lazy Reef"
- Thread starter ormet
- Start date
bmullikin1
New member
Beautiful tank, love the scaping and coral placement, red turf algae is some nasty stuff, perhaps some mexican turbos, bulldozers but they like most algae's
sahin
Ultimate Reefer
:beer:
With a good macro, even shooting algae can be fun!
This is the first patch of algae i discovered in my tank when i got home from vacation. I have hit it with hydrogen peroxide 3 times to no avail. It has doubled its size in a month. Red Turf i think?
Somewhat later i discovered a few more on the other island. This patch is slightly receding with no treatment:
A few of these, maybe 3 "clusters" halv an inch in size. Don't know what they are:
To the naked eye this just looks lke green fuzz: Only on the left island in depressions or where the flow is low:
Finally ... some red slime. When i just set up the tank and put the "cured" dead rock in i had a massive outbreak. Now i have 2 patches. Only on the left island.
There is really not a lot of algae at the moment. And i hope to keep it that way. Hopefully the coralline algae will cover my rocks faster.
Hello Ormet. Chasing numbers is something I admit I used to do. However, nowadays I only chase numbers when a tank is new or when nutrients are high and algae needs to be controlled, especially if the tank is stocked with corals. I would love to setup a tank from scratch and run it a year at least with no fish or corals. But this is not always possible.
Right now, it is probably coming upto 3 months that my tank hasnt required any GFO to maintain PO4 below 0.03ppm. Algae is non existent. I did utilise lots of GFO at the start and once I got to a level where PO4 stays low by itself, I can now rely simply on the filtration to deal with PO4. No need for GFO now. As long as I dont get too much algae, I will let PO4 climb as high as needed without affecting my SPS colours.
The red slime bacteria will go away as the tank stabilises. However, IME unlike the usual Green Hair Algae, the other ones in the other photos can exist in very low nutrient systems, as I've had them before.
The Red one I believe is Gelidium - Easily breaks off into little bits.
The Green one (3rd pic) is Cladophoropsis - this one feel tough like wire. Hard to pull off the rocks. I think the stuff in pic 4 maybe same stuff, just new growth.
The red algae is eaten by the large Mexican Turbo snails. Many UK reefers used them to get rid of this red turf algae as we call it.
As for the green one, it really looks like Chaetomorpha, but I wasnt able to eradicate it even with placing the rocks in the dark for 2 months.
There is a guide called Nuisance Algae Guide or something like that I came across years ago that explains what can eat this stuff etc...I lost all my links now. But if you search it may still exist.
These algaes didnt actually grow too fast to be honest. But I found them a nuisance simply because they were in my tank.
Anyway, keep up the good work. :thumbsup:
ormet
Just one more frag
Thank you
Thanks! Hard to come by mexican turbos here in sweden, also i find them on the HUGE side .. along with urchins that seems to be the best option for algae.
2x Coral+, 2x Blue+Forgot to ask, what is your T5 combo and what do you run the LED's during peak times?
I love this coral, how long have you had it?
I have a very similar one, but mine is VERY slow grower.
I run the LEDs at 40% atm, will raise it again. Had it at 60% but i believed my pink Millepora was bleaching. No change after i lowered to 40% tho, and now my Desalwi is browning ... Don't know if it is the light change or the dreaded AEFW are back.
The coral is an Aussie echinata, i have more pictures of it here:
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2401472
Only had it for a few weeks. Bought it from extremecorals.de, shipped overnight from germany ... 170 euro total
Kirkwood77
New member
I subscribe to your lazy reef school of thought. 6 months after my first child was born I upgraded from a 55g to a 120g. 4 months after my 2nd child was born I downgraded from the 120 to a 60g. The maintenance requirement going from 55g to 120g was marginal but the maintenance requirements going from 1 kid to 2 kids was exponential.
Tank looks great. I enjoy watching people fine tune their established SPS systems. I've recently been having better results dosing amino products (seachem Fuel, 2LF AcroPower) at the peak light cycle. Also after years focused on minimizing nutrient import and maximizing nutrient export I'm coming around to providing more nutrient import and maintaining heavy nutrient export. I'd like to get my NO3 in the detectable-2ppm range. This is posing much more difficult than I thought. I guess my bio filtration is pretty darn good.
Tank looks great. I enjoy watching people fine tune their established SPS systems. I've recently been having better results dosing amino products (seachem Fuel, 2LF AcroPower) at the peak light cycle. Also after years focused on minimizing nutrient import and maximizing nutrient export I'm coming around to providing more nutrient import and maintaining heavy nutrient export. I'd like to get my NO3 in the detectable-2ppm range. This is posing much more difficult than I thought. I guess my bio filtration is pretty darn good.
sahin
Ultimate Reefer
My all time fav!
My Echinata is only a small frag. :lmao: No chance of catching up the growth of your colony.
However, I have two varieties: The Aussie version which is blue and white, and one that looks like the original Aquascene IceFire: Blue tips with mint green base.
ormet
Just one more frag
Thanks!
Let me tell you ... if i had known 2 small children would have been this much work compared to 1 child .... I would have used my tank money for a nanny!
For the moment i think i have fine tuned myself in the wrong direction. Or rather i seem to have fine tuned my A. desalwi into a turd. I'm home on parental leave for 8 months so its hard not to fiddle every day. Tank looked best when i was working during the days and spending time with my kids during the evenings and had no time for tinkering
I too am striving to have detectable nitrates. I just actually dosed some NaNo3 just to see what happens. I did dose Amino's (and lowered LED intensity, and added trace elements to my balling canisters) and some corals respond well and other are turding on me.
I will be sure to bring my cutters when i go to London next. I will hire Kevin if i need to, i saw some choice pieces in your tank thread that will not be safe!My Echinata is only a small frag. :lmao: No chance of catching up the growth of your colony.
However, I have two varieties: The Aussie version which is blue and white, and one that looks like the original Aquascene IceFire: Blue tips with mint green base.
So, the reason for starting this thread. Show problems and get help
My Bicolor millepora, is no longer bicolor but pink. That is ok, i love the color of it. What i don't love is what i will show here in three images:
It's been like this for a few months now with these bleached patches. This colony was a fast grower earlier, not so much now. It sits high, but not higher then other acros that thrive.
It did have a rough time when i had all acros on frag racks for AEFW treatment. I dropped it and some rock in a bucket so it kinda broke all tips
They have all healed.This is what it looked like fresh into my tank, under Razor 160w. (please pretend you don't see the cyano)
http://glasscage.orm.nu/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/millebicolor.jpg
I might be imagining but i kinda see the tendencies for those bleached parts (The coral was mounted differently then)
Any thoughts?
sahin
Ultimate Reefer
Ormet, those bleached patches could be due to several reasons; AEFW and the associated dipping, aggressive nutrient removal or even lack of flow.
I've had patches like that in the past due to all the reasons I mentioned. You can notice that the areas that are bleached looking, the tissue appears to be thin.
But the good news is that given stable conditions, good water and flow, those parts will recover.
Also with dosing nitrates, AA and trace elements all at the same time, you don't know which one is useful and which caused the turding. :headwally:
Since you are lucky to stay at home for 8 months (and play with the kids :celeb1: ) change one thing at a time and see response over 3 weeks at least and then move onto next one.
I've had patches like that in the past due to all the reasons I mentioned. You can notice that the areas that are bleached looking, the tissue appears to be thin.
But the good news is that given stable conditions, good water and flow, those parts will recover.
Also with dosing nitrates, AA and trace elements all at the same time, you don't know which one is useful and which caused the turding. :headwally:
Since you are lucky to stay at home for 8 months (and play with the kids :celeb1: ) change one thing at a time and see response over 3 weeks at least and then move onto next one.
ormet
Just one more frag
Wow i'm flattered! Thanks!
Thanks buddy. I appreciate your input and advice. In my heart i know that i must only do one change a month. But my brain goes :clown: and i mess it up. Good to hear there is hope for it.
Yes i think so too
Just 3-4 more then i'm good.Hey Peter, nice to see you drop in here. and thanks! I don't think that 4% weekly has any impact on the po4. Since november and up until a week ago i only relied on the skimmer to export po4. A week ago i started to dose tiny amounts (0.1ml 2x a day) of 24% acetate to prepare for *drumroll* Zeo. Just to much time on my hands since i started my paternity leave
So starting this weekend, i will embark on a 3 month Zeo evaluation.
ormet
Just one more frag
Had some time to take some shots from above just to show the difference it makes. Especially for non fluorescent coral
This one i don't know what it is but it is a fast grower and pretty from above
Mostly grey/brown from the front
My desalwi w/o blue/purple tips
My pink mille that i hope will recover
This looks best in the sun. Intense pink
This has been with me for a time, 1" frag 2 years ago.
I bought this from extremecorals.de on chance, it was called "Nanofrag special" but looked mostly beige when it arrived. Now it is my favourite
Horrible pic, it sits in the back of the tank so i just aimed the camera and hoped for the best. Cant complain on the color!
This is a success story, it was a few tips of living tissue on a mostly dead skeleton i picked up from LFS. Now its an amazing piece
This was once purple all over. I hope it will happen again.
This one i don't know what it is but it is a fast grower and pretty from above
Mostly grey/brown from the front
My desalwi w/o blue/purple tips
My pink mille that i hope will recover
This looks best in the sun. Intense pink
This has been with me for a time, 1" frag 2 years ago.
I bought this from extremecorals.de on chance, it was called "Nanofrag special" but looked mostly beige when it arrived. Now it is my favourite
Horrible pic, it sits in the back of the tank so i just aimed the camera and hoped for the best. Cant complain on the color!
This is a success story, it was a few tips of living tissue on a mostly dead skeleton i picked up from LFS. Now its an amazing piece
This was once purple all over. I hope it will happen again.
Pny
New member
Ok, your skimmer must do an excellent job... Interesting that you choose to go from a very low maintenance, "lazy reef", to high maintenance, zeovit. Testing the extremes, huh?Hey Peter, nice to see you drop in here. and thanks! I don't think that 4% weekly has any impact on the po4. Since november and up until a week ago i only relied on the skimmer to export po4. A week ago i started to dose tiny amounts (0.1ml 2x a day) of 24% acetate to prepare for *drumroll* Zeo. Just to much time on my hands since i started my paternity leave
glaukos
New member
Wow...amazing corals and amazing colors ormet!
I love the "nanofrag special"!!
Great job!
I'm sure your mille will recover:thumbsup:
Sahin's tips where great!
Also maybe it's just the crab that stayed a bit more to these spots.
When coral is big they move more frequent and do not stay in the same spot for too long.
In smaller corals i've often seen the same damage,even from bandits.
Just my 02 cents
Thanks for the pics!
I love the "nanofrag special"!!
Great job!
I'm sure your mille will recover:thumbsup:
Sahin's tips where great!
Also maybe it's just the crab that stayed a bit more to these spots.
When coral is big they move more frequent and do not stay in the same spot for too long.
In smaller corals i've often seen the same damage,even from bandits.
Just my 02 cents
Thanks for the pics!
ormet
Just one more frag
I guess one can say that. From the beginning i started keeping corals i felt i wanted to find the way with the least amount of maintenance & gear. And i feel i have found it, kind of. During these 2,5 years the only other method that ever did interest me was Zeo, and now i have the time to try it.
My "lazy" philosophy is very TheThinkTank 2005/6 as advocated by spanky and a few others. And i think all well working properly dialed in and maintained skimmers could do it using this method. With regards to bio load of course.
Thanks! I have enjoyed your thread since the start, but have never commented in it for some reason.
My door is always open for fellow acropora enhusiasts! Nice of you to stop by my thread here Andreas!U better lock your door. I might roaming around when u least expect it
Hope to meet u in a near feauture!
/Andreas
