Pete's 280 log

[psteeleb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13222885#post13222885 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BigJay
If you don't mind, I'd like to watch the kalk reactor setup and learn something. I'm planning on doing that myself. The ATO parts shipped today, so I'll get that done in short order.

The pocci is doing fine except that a crab keeps knocking it over. I need to glue that in place, I'll have to call you later and borrow a small bit of putty.

The stag frag is doing about the same. I'm not sure that it cares much for my relatively new tank (4 months). The white tips have finally colored up.

The small monti frags that you gave me came back from the dead, these were the pieces that you rescued from your sand bed. One has encrusted a rock and is growing strong, the other is looking better and finally starting to grow.

I hear you on doing more with the tank. This Saturday I did a 20% water change, scrubbed coralline algae off the tank glass, cleaned out my durso pipe strainers (my God that was a mess), vacuumed the top of my sand bed, cleaned out my sump, wiped all of the salt creep from the inside of my cabinet, cleaned out my carbon reactor and changed the media, cleaned out my GFO reactor and added more media, ran a pipe cleaner through the reactor manifold tubing, cleaned the skimmer thoroughly, carefully cleaned the glass on my halide pendants, cleaned dust off of the VHO bulbs, cleaned off the center brace, blasted detritus off of the rocks with a powerhead, and spilled 10 more gallons of water on the floor from my sump from an unattended siphon causing me to mix more salt water and do an additional 5% water change all because of a phone call from a telemarketer that wouldn't take "no" for an answer so I had to hang up on him. Yes, a waterchange can be an all-afternoon event, I had to do my yardwork on Sunday after church and a boyscout event.

Sounds like you had a busy weekend

I'll give you a call when I set that reactor up. I want to run an electrical outlet over there, but can do with an extension cord to get it up and going.

that's cool about the monte - I had written that one off

 

[psteeleb]

I put together a quick clam cage out of eggcrate and zip ties. It kept floating so I zip tied some rock to it. I hope it provides enough light and keeps any fish away from them until they get over their paranoia

 

[Holyreefer]

Man i'm going back to the Mr Forth Worth....

"Hey boo"! LOL

 

[psteeleb]

you guys are just asking for trouble :mad2: :furious:

 

[ReefEnabler]

that's a cool clam defense shield there pete

i somehow doubt that you need to worry about it blocking too much light, but just throwing out there that it could possible be made with an acrylic top piece, although you'd have the added effort of keeping the acrylic clean.....

 

[psteeleb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13229198#post13229198 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RyanBrucks
that's a cool clam defense shield there pete

i somehow doubt that you need to worry about it blocking too much light, but just throwing out there that it could possible be made with an acrylic top piece, although you'd have the added effort of keeping the acrylic clean.....

thanks Ryan

The clams looked much better today, my wife was even surprised on how fast they adjusted to not being as spooked. The two small ones still cower when a fish swims over but the Maxima seems to not be bothered anymore. I think I'll leave the cage in place till the weekend and pull it off for a day or so keeping a close eye on them and the fish.

 

[psteeleb]

I was up in Denton thsi evening helping my daughter move and left the big 400s on. They were the only lights on when I got home, I don't think I like the colors of the Reflux 10ks that much especially without the atinics. Things just look to yellow. I sure the corals like them but I think I'll go with the 12 or 20ks next time I buy some.

picture of some frogspawn under just the 10ks- usually it's green with purple tips under my normal lighting

 

[ReefEnabler]

According to James Fatheree, it is a normal response when a clam retracts it's mantle due to a sudden change in lighting, such as the passing of a fish overheard. In fact he even suggests doing a "hand shadow test" when buying a clam from a LFS to see if the clam reacts to the shadow of your hand. He speculated that the lack of response could either be a sign of poor health....... or a sign that the clam is desensitized by too many shadows

wonder how long it will take with no nipping going on for your clams to become desensitized to the passing shadows.

 

[psteeleb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13236325#post13236325 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by RyanBrucks
According to James Fatheree, it is a normal response when a clam retracts it's mantle due to a sudden change in lighting, such as the passing of a fish overheard. In fact he even suggests doing a "hand shadow test" when buying a clam from a LFS to see if the clam reacts to the shadow of your hand. He speculated that the lack of response could either be a sign of poor health....... or a sign that the clam is desensitized by too many shadows

wonder how long it will take with no nipping going on for your clams to become desensitized to the passing shadows.

that makes sense - when I first got these clams they closed every time a fish went over or a person came close to the tank but opened right up. After a while they seemed to get use to the fish. But after coming back form vacation I noticed they were mostly closed and very timid, then I saw the nip marks so someone got to them and they may need to get comfortable again. Thanks for the insight on that.

 

[BigJay]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13236160#post13236160 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by psteeleb
I was up in Denton thsi evening helping my daughter move and left the big 400s on. They were the only lights on when I got home, I don't think I like the colors of the Reflux 10ks that much especially without the atinics. Things just look to yellow. I sure the corals like them but I think I'll go with the 12 or 20ks next time I buy some.

Good choice, my tank has three of the 250 watt Reeflux 12K's on it. The colors are great, with the VHO actinics they are even better. If you want to get a good look at the lighting, let me know.

 

[psteeleb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13237879#post13237879 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by BigJay
Good choice, my tank has three of the 250 watt Reeflux 12K's on it. The colors are great, with the VHO actinics they are even better. If you want to get a good look at the lighting, let me know.

that's what I'm running now for my main lighting. The supplemental 400s are currently the 10ks and are just too white/yellow for my liking. I love the look of the Reflux 12's, these are the ones that need replacement next and most likely I'll go with the same. But when I get around to replacing my 400's I just don't know what I want to do yet. They are there to replicate the high intensity sun in mid day and may leave them as 10ks or may do something extreme and go with 20ks

 

[Ricecakeguy]

wow, awesome set up

 

[psteeleb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13238998#post13238998 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Ricecakeguy
wow, awesome set up

thank you

 

[psteeleb]

I'm very glad to say the clams were almost open to their full selves today. this is not a very good picture as I'm taking it through uncleaned scratched glass. I would say the clam cage is a total success. My wife continues to be amazed at their recovery, as she thought they were goners. you can even see where the mantles are growing back from being nipped off at the edges, the new skin appears more brown.

 

[chrismunn]

so all that brown on the edges is tissue that has re-grown after being nipped at? i looks more like something was EATING the clam!

that little cage is pretty creative. :thumbsup:

 

[psteeleb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13242075#post13242075 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chrismunn
so all that brown on the edges is tissue that has re-grown after being nipped at? i looks more like something was EATING the clam!

that little cage is pretty creative. :thumbsup:

yep ignoring the cyno

I just hope it was a fish that got out of it's feeding schedule and not some worm like Marc found - but I've been checking late at night and nothing, plus I think a worm could get through the eggcrate, so I'm pretty sure it was a fish

 

[psteeleb]

a few pictures from tonight

mandy showing off as usual

Jaba - thinking what about me - aren't I pretty

blue shrooms

the blob (acropora sp)

main blue tort colony - lots of new growth on the tips

 

[psteeleb]

I also got a picture of the purple gorg - it seems to be very happy lately

 

[ReefEnabler]

lol pete, I betthe blenny is thinking "why can't I get to the clams?!?!"

 

[chrismunn]

that gorgonian is awesome! i love the furry stuff, pocilliporas, gorgonians ext... very nice!