Soulpatch's 150 SC build

[soulpatch]

Not a bad haul for a single frag. You can now bank that and start investing in new fancy frags like Rakie has been... And then when those grow out and you sell frags, you can put that sold frag money towards all of that maintenance hardware you have to buy.

Give me a shout next time you're in NYC. We can catch up for a beer in the city after your meeting, or grab dinner on your way to the airport (I live 10 minutes from LGA, assuming you're not driving to the city).

Right now looking to make enough for some gear like alk monitor and frag swap set up.

I'll be in NYC Oct 4-7 but not sure I have any time to meet this trip...

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[soulpatch]

Sold couple more frags this week. Pics below.

Going to go in with my lfs in October to set up a frag tank. Apparently things I thought were basic corals are flying out of his store and I have way more to cut. Hoping I can do decent at the swap to potentially convince wife on a grow out tank.

Reef- not sure if the tenius came from you but since I dont know a name it's been dubbed soulpatch blue flame tenius

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[soulpatch]

Some more pics of items just for heck of it.

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[ReefWreak]

Now you're just showing off....

Does the tenius have a larger colony in your tank, or just that frag? I can't really tell from the frag.

Those are all really some super looking corals though. You and Rakie have blown the SPS game straight out of the water.

 

[soulpatch]

Now you're just showing off....

Does the tenius have a larger colony in your tank, or just that frag? I can't really tell from the frag.

Those are all really some super looking corals though. You and Rakie have blown the SPS game straight out of the water.

The tenius has a larger colony. I can easily make 5 if not 10 nice size frags for the upcoming swap.

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[soulpatch]

Have fish ordered. Hopefully they all make it through shipment and qt.

Copperband
Mandarin
3 allen damsels
Blue spotted puffer
Tailspot goby

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[soulpatch]

have cut a ton of frags and more to be cut. This weekend is the first frag swap that I will be setting up a table for. Pretty excited about it. Now I just need to make enough to start to offset a frag tank setup and a frag swap setup.

Already pinged multiple companies like Zen Reef and BAO for quotes. I will plumb in the frag display tank to my main tank and use their frag transport systems to take racks out and to the shows. I will need lighting yet and might GASP go LED so I can yank the light and take to the show when needed. Figure cheap jabeo pumps as well.

Also doing what I kind of hate in a way in that I have pieces I have grown from brown messes or gotten to totally color morph for me and have decided to name them. At this upcoming show I will have a few Soulpatch corals. Also signed up for Square to take payments with a name of Soulpatch's corals. Ish is getting real...

 

[cincyjim]

I'm really happy for you! It's great to see someone venture into new territory like this. Best of luck!!!

 

[Smoke Inator]

Sorry y'all been crazy busy and moved over the past month.

Had to dismantle my BC32 for the move...gave away most of the system...my two black/white clowns are living in a 3 gal hotel on my counter.

Funny that I start researching a new tank and I find this motley group who have already made the change!

Can't decide on what size reefer to get but I'm definitely going big this time.


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[soulpatch]

I'm really happy for you! It's great to see someone venture into new territory like this. Best of luck!!!

It was an ok weekend. I went to a local type of hobbyist show and as such people wanted cheaper frags. I was next to a vendor selling 10 to 20 dollar frags which hurt me a bit. Sure I had the color and such but it was what it was.

All that said I sold half of what I took, made roughly 700 bucks, and have placed the order for BAO grow out and frag swap tanks. Should be here in December.

My local LFS has about 500+ worth of my frags in the shop and I have roughly 500 in credit with him so I'll get my radion xr15 g4 pro there. Also going to snag the aquatic life hybrid fixture so I can have a mix of t5 and led on the grow out tank. When I go to a swap I'll just take the radion with me most likely. Undecided on that one though.


I need to think about both a stand and a light bracket. Likely just do 80/20 aluminum for the light bracket so I can take to shows as well. For the stand undecided if i do 80/20 or if I go wood route. Either way it will need to be on casters so I can move if necessary

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[homer1475]

For a mobile setup, I would do 80/20. It will be easier to disassemble and way lighter to haul.



May be more expensive to build, but I would think the advantages would far outweigh the cost.



700$ in corals at a frag swap, I would think thats a decent haul. Heck I can't even keep corals alive long enough to frag lately. lol

 

[soulpatch]

For a mobile setup, I would do 80/20. It will be easier to disassemble and way lighter to haul.



May be more expensive to build, but I would think the advantages would far outweigh the cost.



700$ in corals at a frag swap, I would think thats a decent haul. Heck I can't even keep corals alive long enough to frag lately. lol

Was hoping for well over a grand. I let some go that were 100 corals for like 25 bucks just to get some cash. Is what it is and I should know the crowd better for the next one. Also look more professional at next one with actual setup too.

For transport to swaps I'd only take the light rails homer. The other tank would stay at home on the stand. I just need the tank plumbed in to be on casters so I can move to get to my side of tank, electronics cabinet, and chiller when needed.

And because pics rule here is some of the fire I had at the swap....

First 2 pics are same coral under different lighting

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[cincyjim]

Glad to hear it well for you! Those are some nice corals for sure!

 

[cincyjim]

It was an ok weekend. I went to a local type of hobbyist show and as such people wanted cheaper frags. I was next to a vendor selling 10 to 20 dollar frags which hurt me a bit. Sure I had the color and such but it was what it was.

All that said I sold half of what I took, made roughly 700 bucks, and have placed the order for BAO grow out and frag swap tanks. Should be here in December.

My local LFS has about 500+ worth of my frags in the shop and I have roughly 500 in credit with him so I'll get my radion xr15 g4 pro there. Also going to snag the aquatic life hybrid fixture so I can have a mix of t5 and led on the grow out tank. When I go to a swap I'll just take the radion with me most likely. Undecided on that one though.

I need to think about both a stand and a light bracket. Likely just do 80/20 aluminum for the light bracket so I can take to shows as well. For the stand undecided if i do 80/20 or if I go wood route. Either way it will need to be on casters so I can move if necessary

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This is a lot of work but the fun and interaction with other people must be rewarding... especially when they are buying the frags that you took the time and effort to raise. I imagine you'll have the set up and routine down pretty good soon.

 

[soulpatch]

This is a lot of work but the fun and interaction with other people must be rewarding... especially when they are buying the frags that you took the time and effort to raise. I imagine you'll have the set up and routine down pretty good soon.

Yeah this one was a bit tough as I was scrambling for stuff and had to borrow a tank, light fixture, and transport system for corals.

The next one I'll have down. I also work with my lfs to ensure I order in some cheap stuff that tends to move more easily. I will balance then out with my higher end sps making high margin.

Was a bit of a slap in the face with some people though who think they should get a nicely colored named piece for 30 bucks. A lot of time, effort, and money goes into the grow out.

Regardless I'll be ready for the next one which for me is likely in Jan. I need to get setup and allow some of my stock to regrow. I'll be ordering in various items as well including new corals to grow out.

I do have 2 frags of jf bug out stylo coming so I can keep one for myself and grow out the other

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[soulpatch]

got the frags and picked up a mandarin though he was more of a save then pickup as he was very thin. Not sure he made it in the tank as I have not seen him since. I had wanted a mandarin again and saw this one knowing I had a ton of pods maybe I could save it but dont think it has happened.

Picked up a few odds and ends for my tank and of course as I am looking to upgrade some things decided to take a nose dive for me. My calrx is currently down. Not only do I need to swap out the rollers on my spectrapure litermeter (got 18 months out of those plastic rollers which I think is amazing) but my circ pump on the vertex has taken a dive. I did not know it when I bought the Vertex reactor that the pump had a special fitting glued to the one end. I thought I could swap out the pumps as needed. This is a critical design flaw and the speed of getting replacement pumps is horribly slow. NOT a fan at the moment as those types of items are so critical to keep stability. I am not down to manual dosing as needed until I can get operational again. I am hopeful that the pump just needs a good cleaning and I will be breaking it down tonight but the sounds it was making does not leave a ton of faith in that resolution.

 

[soulpatch]

Tank is running full bore at moment. Water change and cleaning today. All equipment has been cleaned save for 2 power heads that will be done next weekend. Added some corals (mainly acans) and some fish. My frag tanks should be getting built and to me soon. I did get in the lighting and now trying to decide on what power head I will use for it as well as stand options.

I'll figure out plumbing when it gets here. Thinking about upgrading my return potentially to be able to better power everything off my manifold else I'll need an additional pump to feed the frag tank.

December will be big for me but LOTS of traveling in store. Just got back from London and needing to travel every week in December to prep for a big 2019.

And now some pics....

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[cincyjim]

Sounds like things are going well for you and you'll have a fun build coming soon Just curious, since you travel a lot, do you have a cam for the tank and sump? I don't so the reason I'm asking is when I go out of town it would be nice to be able to check on thing visually.

 

[soulpatch]

Sounds like things are going well for you and you'll have a fun build coming soon Just curious, since you travel a lot, do you have a cam for the tank and sump? I don't so the reason I'm asking is when I go out of town it would be nice to be able to check on thing visually.

Yes. I have an amcrest that pans and zooms. I'll leave a door open on stand and if gone for a while I'll put a secondary tank with a pump that I can use to refill my ato bin.

Most of my travel though is for work and as such the wife is home to handle my tank.

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[cincyjim]

I think I've seen that name mentioned for being a good cam. I'll have to look into those since you seem satisfied with it.