rigleautomotive's Tank Pics Thread

[SPotter]

I have been using both the KZ and Salifert kit with the results being very similar. I do like the salifert kit better as its a little easier to use. I had sent my water to AWT for testing and some of the levels were right on but some were very different. K was one of them....my testing was showing readings of 390-400 and they said my K level was 187. So I am debating whether or not to increase my daily dosing or follow my results.

 

[rigleautomotive]

In a situ like that I would rely on close observation as my guide.probability would side with your test kits.What salt have you been using for the last year?

 

[SPotter]

In a situ like that I would rely on close observation as my guide.probability would side with your test kits.What salt have you been using for the last year?

I have been using tropic marin pro reef. I keep meaning to test the K level when I make a fresh batch of water but seem to forget. What salt are you using?

 

[rigleautomotive]

Yes,that is what I was getting at.You will know if the #s are bogus when you test a batch of salt mix.TMPR should be close to 300 ppm if not more at 1.026 sg.If your kits read close to this I would believe them.I would also discuss this with AWT.They may do a retest to help verify.

I use IO and tweak Ca and Mg with CaCl and MgCl.

 

[SPotter]

thanks for the info Dan!!!

 

[jroovers]

Yes,sure.

I shoot in raw with no enhancement being done in the camera.Depending on the image there are some variables in these settings but a general idea of what I move to get rid of the obstacles when shooting reef tanks will be covered.

I use CS 4 as this is the newest version I own.
I first open the raw image and slide the temperature to the right until the image comes to look like what the eye perceives when looking at the DT
I then look at exposure and remove any over exposed spots that may be offending.
I then look at brightness and if the subject is too dark I try to lighten.
I then move the black slider to make the subject be the most appealing and make the background less obtrusive.
I then move the clarify slider to the right until the image has good detail but not too digital looking
I then move the vibrancy and saturation until the color starts to be as intense as seen by the naked eye while looking at the actual coral in the display.
I save it in JPEG

Thats it.lol.Now some of you can appreciate how much effort goes into posting updates for you guys
Hope that helps.practice helps and talking to guys like Gary Parr will not hurt.He has taught me a few tricks but I am a novice compared to many RC members.
I also use Ken Rockwells site early on to get a feel for Nikon and its quirks.GL

Thanks. That isn't too different from my approach, but I use LR3.

 

[gbru316]

Gorgeous tank.... would love to have a tank even half as amazing someday.

Off topic (sort of), I was at That Fish Place last weekend and noticed some frags with (Rigle) after the name of the coral. Are they, per chance, yours?

 

[rigleautomotive]

Gorgeous tank.... would love to have a tank even half as amazing someday.

Off topic (sort of), I was at That Fish Place last weekend and noticed some frags with (Rigle) after the name of the coral. Are they, per chance, yours?

Thank you

Yes,they do sell some corals I have grown.

 

[rigleautomotive]

Update :

I had to remove the huge Derasa clam from the system.I have been battlung the negative effects of keeping such a large clam in captivity and it did some damage yeaterday which prompted me to remove it from the system.As time goes by the clam tries to take up more space and widens its area by opening very large stretching the mantle taunt.As years pass it moves the structure slightly which cause avalanches of acro colonies.The area around the clam became very difficult to grow coral in(as in this zone.) also I assume due to some chemical warfare or just the constant movement of the rock structure.The spawning events that occur yearly also raise concern as it fouls the tank terribly.It is close to 2o inches and weighs around 25 lbs at the present.I am truly torn over removing it and have some residual angst but the Reef looks much better suited for coral growth now.I am temporarily housing it in a frag system in the basement but all indicators are now pointing to it residing the rest of its life at the Long Island Exhibition Center and public Aquarium.It has been with me about 18 years and I never thought that when I purchased it as a 4 inch baby from a Chinese restaurant/pet shop owner that I would have it this long and it grow so large.

Anyway the new aqua scape is and will start to fill in and look more natural.I have planted a few new acroporas that have crazy potential and colors so we will see how they look in time.I will post images of the new scape,minus the clam when things start to look a bit less disturbed and a new FTS will be in order.It looks very much different then what was seen previously.Thank you all for looking and following my quest.This page needs some color so here are a couple shots from before the rescape and a couple of a calfo nem tank I currently keep.

 

[rigleautomotive]

The top two images were taken at water change time so they are dry or exposed to air I should say.The pigments are still very visible even dry and with a more natural Kelvin

 

[cFloor]

I can imagine how difficult that must have been to make the decision to pull the clam. I'm sure it'll be for the best and it sounds like he has a great home coming his way.

 

[aqua80]

great idea to pass this clam to a public aquarium...
any pics of that clam back then and now ?

new aquascape... sounds like it's time for a FTS

 

[dieselkeeper]

Thanks for the kind comments
The yearly clean out gets done in three weekly water changes with a 1/3 portion of the rock being removed each week.A 50 gallon water change is done at this time.1/3 of the bottom gets cleaned to the glass each week until the whole bottom is done.I remove pest corals(zoos etc) and invasive corals from the colonies and areas and frag any corals that have overgrown there space at this time also.

How do you remove the pest coral/zoos? I'm currently upgrading to a 200 gal from a 120 gal.and there is green mushrooms on every rock. They was mostly growing in the shaded areas. Thanks

 

[rigleautomotive]

 

[rigleautomotive]

How do you remove the pest coral/zoos? I'm currently upgrading to a 200 gal from a 120 gal.and there is green mushrooms on every rock. They was mostly growing in the shaded areas. Thanks

hammer/chisel,bone cutters and various saws.No easy method but well worth the results.

 

[REEF SMAC]

Nice update.:thumbsup:

 

[x2uranium]

I remember when I first met you, you barely knew how to take a picture. Now your a pro. Nice photog skills amigo.

 

[dieselkeeper]

Can you elaborate on how you get rid mushrooms and zoos. I seen zoos get burned with mini torch. Only to have them return.

 

[westreef]

Dan, when you do your yearly clean up, I guess you must have to separate the corals from the rocks and put them somewhere with same water parameters, etc. And then re-glue everything back. Looks like a lot of work. And would some corals can't handle the change and die? Of course, if you could do it, it is great.

 

[rigleautomotive]

Nice update.:thumbsup:

Thanks,there will be a real update with a FTS as soon as I get some time and the left pillar fills in a bit.Still looks a bit empty where the clam resided

I remember when I first met you, you barely knew how to take a picture. Now your a pro. Nice photog skills amigo.

Yea man,it is a process.Took a year or two with the Nikon before I felt comfy with it.Thanks

Can you elaborate on how you get rid mushrooms and zoos. I seen zoos get burned with mini torch. Only to have them return.

Its not pretty but I use a chisel and a hammer(like a caveman sculptor) and chip off areas with zoos etc...These are traded to the LFS for supplies.I also use a tile saw and diamond band saw and slice thin slabs off with the pest corals attached

Dan, when you do your yearly clean up, I guess you must have to separate the corals from the rocks and put them somewhere with same water parameters, etc. And then re-glue everything back. Looks like a lot of work. And would some corals can't handle the change and die? Of course, if you could do it, it is great.

The acro colonies and the Reef structure are somewhat modular and several colonies can be removed at once like this.The Reef crest acroporas at the tops of the Reef come out in sections on cantaloupe or larger pieces of rock.Some colonies are on there own Rock base and others share.I have a rubbermaid tub set up temporarily in the fish room when I begin the process.I only do 1/3 of the tank at each weekly interval and skip a week in between sometimes to give time for recovery.The tub gets filled with tank water and corals are placed in this for the clean out process.I vacuum the bottom in this section down to clean glass and re-stack the corals as close to there original location and angle to the light source as humanly possible.The system gets a 55 gallon water change at this time .This breathes life into a older mature Reef .It has been said that this is one reason that I have not had the old tank syndrome/melt down that many tanks experience.The dreaded TOTM curse if you will.


Thank you ALL for the kind comments and for following my thread.