Pete's 280 log

[psteeleb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12991917#post12991917 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kar93
Marc, let us know how it goes. It's not out till friday over here but there is a special screening on wednesday, tickets are double the price but all viewers get a free poster.

my son and I really liked the move. my wife and daughter did not. It walks the fine line on good and evil, hence the name "dark night". I enjoy comic book movies; if they can work them into a reality situation, and this does just that. Otherwise, they are just too hokey (and too spandex - like the earlier versions), as they will dance around and try to avoid the fine lines of the good and evil sides of humanity.

 

[psteeleb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12991925#post12991925 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by kar93
Everything is looking great, Pete. Glad to hear everything is back on track and doing good now.

thanks Kane - I just hope the AEFW's are behind me. I'm keeping an eye out, and working in preventative measures just in case.

I noticed some additioanl basal STN this weekend, and found my Alk to be low (no signs of anything else, but I am going to dip this one coral). It just points out that I need to get on with getting my additive situation updated and automated (Kalc and Ca reactors)

 

[BigJay]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12992314#post12992314 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by psteeleb
thanks Kane - I just hope the AEFW's are behind me. I'm keeping an eye out, and working in preventative measures just in case.

I noticed some additioanl basal STN this weekend, and found my Alk to be low (no signs of anything else, but I am going to dip this one coral). It just points out that I need to get on with getting my additive situation updated and automated (Kalc and Ca reactors)

I'm going to look into what Ashlar has setup before I run and get a cal reactor: Basically the same two part solution that we use, but he has a pair of relatively inexpensive dosing pumps to keep everything "regular".

PS: I still love the small pocillopora frag that you gave me (the one you rescued from a stinging by another coral). It's still doing well in my tank.

 

[psteeleb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12992581#post12992581 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BigJay
I'm going to look into what Ashlar has setup before I run and get a cal reactor: Basically the same two part solution that we use, but he has a pair of relatively inexpensive dosing pumps to keep everything "regular".

I just want to get away from manual dosing period. It's looking like twice a day may not be enough and even though I slowly pour in my Alk I must get precipitation as its constantly dropping faster then Ca. So, eventually I'll need to go to 3 dosings or more a day, or, suffer the Ph swings with larger portions.

Don't get me wrong, dosing two part is a great, inexpensive, route to take but as a tank matures and demands go up, so do the dosing requirements, what was once a minor inconvenience is becoming a nuisance.

 

[BigJay]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12992757#post12992757 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by psteeleb
Don't get me wrong, dosing two part is a great, inexpensive, route to take but as a tank matures and demands go up, so do the dosing requirements, what was once a minor inconvenience is becoming a nuisance.

Point taken, I'm probably going to hate this a year from now.

 

[psteeleb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12992874#post12992874 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BigJay
Point taken, I'm probably going to hate this a year from now.

I'm almost 2 years on 2 part, the biggest issue I have is I travel a lot during the week and the last thing I want to deal with is thinking; 'did I dose the tank this morning before I left?. Or having to explain dosing protocol to someone when we are on vacation. I've heard too many stories about things gone wrong when someone else (not the owner) dosed a tank.

hey - how are the new LPS doing?

 

[BigJay]

When did you switch from once per day to twice per day? Was there a "breaking point" (ie 100ml per day) that made you change your mind because of the ph swings?

I agree that it's a PITA, that's why I want to head it off with a couple of small dosing pumps connected to the aquacontroller. I'm thinking of something like 1ml or so per minute, scheduled for multiple five minute intervals throughout the day instead of one big dose in the morning.

 

[psteeleb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12993214#post12993214 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BigJay
When did you switch from once per day to twice per day? Was there a "breaking point" (ie 100ml per day) that made you change your mind because of the ph swings?

I agree that it's a PITA, that's why I want to head it off with a couple of small dosing pumps connected to the aquacontroller. I'm thinking of something like 1ml or so per minute, scheduled for multiple five minute intervals throughout the day instead of one big dose in the morning.

I started using 2 part around 6 months. I had sps from the get go, so I always had Ca/Alk consumers. In the begining I suspect my consumption demands were being met by water changes and dosing "purple up".

I don't recall exactly I started to dose twice a day but it was probably around a year ago. Up till then one dose only swung my Ph by 0.15 or less, but as the dosing increased to over 4 oz a day the Ph swing approached 0.2. So, I started to split the dosing.

I now dose 8 oz a day (each) and I'm not keeping up with the demands. With dosing 8 oz a day, over a two week period my alk dropped from just over 8 to just over 6. So it's time to up the dosing some more.

 

[BigJay]

8oz per day?

Wow! That means you go through a gallon of each additive every 16 days.

That's outrageous, a calcium reactor is definitely in order.

 

[psteeleb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12993629#post12993629 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BigJay
8oz per day?

Wow! That means you go through a gallon of each additive every 16 days.

That's outrageous, a calcium reactor is definitely in order.

that sounds about right - baking some more baking soda as I write this

 

[chrismunn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12993629#post12993629 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BigJay

That's outrageous, a calcium reactor is definitely in order.

ide say so, why havent you added a ca reactor already pete?

 

[Aquarist007]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12993629#post12993629 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BigJay
8oz per day?

Wow! That means you go through a gallon of each additive every 16 days.

That's outrageous, a calcium reactor is definitely in order.

Have you considered Randy's two part mixture---alot cheaper

 

[psteeleb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13002685#post13002685 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chrismunn
ide say so, why havent you added a ca reactor already pete?

A Ca reactor is in the plans for later this year

 

[psteeleb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13003468#post13003468 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by capn_hylinur
Have you considered Randy's two part mixture---alot cheaper

that's what I'm using now, inexpensive and effective

I love the stuff

 

[psteeleb]

Love that PE at night

Love that PE at night

I took a couple pictures of the PE at night

blue tip stag

blue green table

horrida

prostrata

and the blob

hope you enjoy

 

[psteeleb]

I took a bunch of pictures today - mostly top downs as Marc inspired me to do so with his post on the sps forum

Pink Jade from MakoJ - not to pink but I have high expectations

GH Aqua Delight from MakoJ

front of the AD and a rare mojano nem (I'm selling them cheap)

a top down of the blob

and front shot

 

[psteeleb]

some of the blue polyp plate

a blue tabling acro from Ryan (SERVO)

a blue tenuis from Ryan (I lost my two larger colonies but had this small frag on my frag rack)

the blue ten looks so nice I had to post another picture

Oregon Blue Tort frag from MakoJ - it's starting to encrust nicely

 

[psteeleb]

forgot what this lil guy is called (I'll have to go back and check)

frags (love the colors)

more frags

random shot of a frpg spawn

Green Birds Nest

 

[melev]

Very nice pictures. So the cardboard trick worked?

 

[psteeleb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13024342#post13024342 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Very nice pictures. So the cardboard trick worked?

Thanks Marc

I used my hand but I was still getting a odd reflection on the far corner shot. I think it was coming from underneath. I dodnt transfer any over to photobucket, but I may later to show you what I mean