Pete's 280 log

[chrismunn]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14293705#post14293705 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by psteeleb

the Rics I thin out (kill)

the thought of that makes me cringe just a little bit

i might be going to dallas for the first time tommarow? unfortuantly its for work so i wont have any time to wander around the city, but it should be interesting to see the area for the first time. i went to houston last friday for work. ide been there before for macna though.

 

[psteeleb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14298207#post14298207 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Hop
Everything looks so healthy pete! I really like the purple tip prostrata and the digi!

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14299669#post14299669 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by crvz
I also like the blue polyp digi. I've never seen one quite so nice before.

I got that coral when I bought my live rock and initial sps frags from someone breaking down his tank. At the time that digi was all tan. He mentioned it was suppose to be the German blue polyp digitata but was very disappointed in it as it never colored up. For the first year and a half it was just a tan weed coral in my tank, but the past few months it has been getting bluer and bluer. I'm pretty sure the blue started shortly after I changed my lighting, including going to Lumabright reflectors.

 

[psteeleb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14300238#post14300238 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ReefEnabler
awesome pics as always....

do you know what the difference is between the SLS lumatek and SLS galaxy?? I've always wondered. was there something special about the way the lumatek runs the 12k bulbs???

all I know is they are made by the same company, or at least marketed by the same company. They may be made by two entirely different manufactures.

The warenties look the same (both 5 years) and they are both e-ballast that claim to be very energy efficient. The Galaxy claims to be 99% and the lumateks 95%+. Personally I don't buy the 99% that's way up there unless they measure efficiency different then I learned.

the interesting thing is the MSRP on the Lumateks are higher then the Galaxies but you can buy them for less. Initially I heard the Lumateks were built for hydroponics but decided to market the aquarium hobby to expand their market.

As far as my actual experience; they do burn bulbs brighter and whiter them my old Hamilton Magnetics. So much so I am considering going with a higher kelvin next time I change out bulbs. right now I'm not sure but I may stick with the 12ks on the 250s and go with some 20s on my 400s.

I also tried an older 14k Coralview but it looked identical to the Reflux 12ks. I did not test them, it was just a visual observation.

 

[psteeleb]

tested the parameters tonight 9:00, I usually only check Alk and occasionally Mg

Temp = 80.8 (but it was warmer today, was running in the high 78s), per RK2 and floating temp

Ph = 8.15 - it's been all over the place, but seems to be more stable now within 0.2 - 0.3 each day (per RK2)

DKH = 7.5 (salifert)
Ca = 480 (salifert)
Mg = > 1500, I was at 1380 2 weeks ago and have been adding about double normal. I'll test again later to confirm as I didn't expect it over 1500

Po4 = 0, undectectable (salifert)
No3 = 0.3 (salifert)


Corals; some look great and some are not so great. I think they are not happy with the alk swings

My big staghorn has some basal STN that appears to have stopped. It's all on the bottom side of the bottom branches, so it could be a flow / light issue. But this coral has never given me issues even when my tank was just starting up.

The new unknown acropora sp from nextwave has some stn on another branch (lost one branch form the dead clam). I'll have to continue keeping an eye on it as I may have to cut it up but don't want to. Darn maricultured sps

Both my chips colonies have lost a lot of their green color, but stil have their purple/blues. At first I thought it was just my main colony but it's both, so I assuming for now it's water parameter related. Maybe the high Mg. :rolleye1:

I still have cyno but the clean up crew seems to be making a dent in it. Detritus is still an issue, so I'm considering a DE filter to run every once and a while.

 

[psteeleb]

Mg tested right on 1500 tonight
------------------------------

now on the lighter side of the reef

I used to always think you have to be pretty darn impressive to earn 5 stars,




but,












if a snail can do it (especially an Astraea) now I'm thinking any one can do it.

hope you can make out the 5 asterina stars, all in a perfect line, on the astraea snail :lol:

 

[melev]

That's hilarious! :lol:

 

[chrismunn]

how random is that!?! thats pretty funny!

 

[psteeleb]

that new aqua-cultured unknown coral continues to STN so I trimmed it some.

post trimmed main piece

trimmings

the sunset monte has really picked up it's vibrance since I've been running the 400s

purple tip prostrata

some unknown teal acro

the main chips colony has started to look better

a. austera (normal lighting 250w 12k reflux)

 

[psteeleb]

now onto the fuzzier side of the reef

pocciliopora

green purple pocciliopora

green birds nest

green and yellow stylo

not an SPS but I guess they could be called fuzzy zoas - and some rics destined to be nuked

 

[psteeleb]

the new LPS are all looking great - some even have offspring

the new ORA frags all look great but I'll have to get some top down pictures of them as the side shots have too much shadow

speaking of shadows, love the look of "the blob"

 

[melev]

Things are looking good overall, Pete. That one coral that is STNing will hopefully stop, settle down, and recover.

 

[psteeleb]

thanks Marc - I'm keeping my fingers crossed for exactly that.

a few more shots from tonight

colorful fish

yellow tang taking advantage of the closed loop being off and cleaning the Penductor of algae

one of my pigs

I'm not going to say what this is - but Tony wants some

FTS

 

[psteeleb]

I spotted these on one of my Astrea snails. I'm pretty sure they are pyramid snails that also prey on clams. Up till now I've never seen any in my tank. I suspect they came in on my latest cleanup crew additions. I checked the clams and a few other snails and did not see any. But regardless, it's something else I'll have to keep an eye out for. Even more reason to get a Halichoeres wrasse or two.

 

[melev]

Yeah, that does look like pyrams to me too. So are you going to use Astreas as bait and remove them as discovered?

Btw, I'm going to be doing a Keyscritters group buy in a couple of weeks. If you need more snails, let me know. So far it is me and chappy, and I've not posted anything on DFWMAS yet.

 

[gotasplinter]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14337314#post14337314 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by psteeleb




FTS

I havnt read throu the hole thread, but what Iv read looks great. one quistion what is the cage in front of your tank on the bottom?

 

[psteeleb]

thanks splinter

that cage is over my clams, it keeps the fish away. I have at lest one fish that is a clam nipper. believe me, the clams are much happier with the cage over them.

 

[njdevilsfan]

pete tank looks great
please dont just kill the rics
i am in the process of changing my 60 gal zoa grow out tank to a ric grow out tank per my wifes request
i will pay you for them
im off work till wednesday so if you get inspired to start cutting i could swing by and buy them from you

 

[psteeleb]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14345791#post14345791 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by njdevilsfan
pete tank looks great
please dont just kill the rics
i am in the process of changing my 60 gal zoa grow out tank to a ric grow out tank per my wifes request
i will pay you for them
im off work till wednesday so if you get inspired to start cutting i could swing by and buy them from you

When I can I will cut them off and put them I my 29g to grow out. If they aren't accessible I inject them, but even then they tend to release parts that take over someplace else.

I use to have a small plastic box in the main tank that I put all the softies and rock rubble in. The box was attached to my overflow grating so it got lots of flow and light. After a few days the softies would attach to the rock rubble and I would sell them for a buck or so each depending on what they were. I got rid of the softie box as it was just one of those clear plastic fruit containers and was not very aesthetic looking in the tank

I plan to use some black egg crate to make another softie box with hopes that it will blend in better with the overflows.

 

[psteeleb]

zoa preditor?

zoa preditor?

anyone ever see anything like this on a Zoa?


It's the yellow thing that looks like it's wrapped around the stalk.

kind of looks like a sponge or tunicate

 

[melev]

Sponges on zoanthids are rarely a good thing. Better to peel it off.