Stolireef Reborn -- Rebuild Thread
- Thread starter Stolireef
- Start date
Stolireef
Active member
Added a cleaner shrimp and an orchid dottyback today. As usual the dottyback immediately went into hiding but came out for a bite to eat later in the day.
Interesting word to the wise. I tested my Ca and kH today. Ca was perfect but kH read crazy low on my Red Sea test kit (under 4 kH). Took a water sample into LFS and kH was perfect. Picked up a new test kit and sure enough, tested perfect at 8.5. Lesson learned. Before adjusting a parameter that appears to be way off, double check your readings.
On a related note, I really don't like the Red Sea test kits. I'm going back to Seachem or Elos. While the Red Sea kit has a cool injector for titrations, I find it very clumsy to use and I feel (although I have not tested this scientifically) that both the Elos and Seachem kits give more reliable results.
Interesting word to the wise. I tested my Ca and kH today. Ca was perfect but kH read crazy low on my Red Sea test kit (under 4 kH). Took a water sample into LFS and kH was perfect. Picked up a new test kit and sure enough, tested perfect at 8.5. Lesson learned. Before adjusting a parameter that appears to be way off, double check your readings.
On a related note, I really don't like the Red Sea test kits. I'm going back to Seachem or Elos. While the Red Sea kit has a cool injector for titrations, I find it very clumsy to use and I feel (although I have not tested this scientifically) that both the Elos and Seachem kits give more reliable results.
Rippinfrags
Active member
Stoli, congrats on the rebuild! That brain is very pretty and looks quite content with where he is. How did Ryan possibly have room to house that
? Jk. That's pretty cool he kept care of it for you.
? Jk. That's pretty cool he kept care of it for you.
Stolireef
Active member
Noticed my first bits of coralline algae today. At first, I thought it was cyano but it doesn't rub off with a toothbrush.
After my additions of some of my corals from Ryan, it's time to take a step back and let things settle out. I now have a nice selection of zoas, a couple of SPS and the brain. I figure at least a couple of weeks before anything new.
After my additions of some of my corals from Ryan, it's time to take a step back and let things settle out. I now have a nice selection of zoas, a couple of SPS and the brain. I figure at least a couple of weeks before anything new.
NaClH20NMYVEIN
Red Dragons!
^ See how long that lasts!
Stolireef
Active member
You're probably right but I'm gonna try. I've been pretty good about adding livestock slowly so far. So long as I avoid going to the LFS's I should be OK.
Stolireef
Active member
I'm really pleased with it so far. I made a choice not to bind any of the rock together so that I could rearrange it should the need arise. I lost a little flexibility on the design but I like having options down the road.
Mael
New member
It looks great, definitely stay away from LFS and facebook groups if your trying to slow spending, I had to get away from the coral groups on FB cause too many good deals pop up.
I like the scaping, I think binding rock together def has a purpose and can look great, but like you I like the flexibility if things need to be moved....
I like the scaping, I think binding rock together def has a purpose and can look great, but like you I like the flexibility if things need to be moved....
Stolireef
Active member
Thanks Mael. It's definitely a work in progress. I'm really trying to dial things in at this point. So far, I haven't had any algae outbreaks in the display and the chaeto is growing pretty fast in my fuge. It would be cool (although very unlikely) to avoid the inevitable cyano outbreak in the display.
Stolireef
Active member
I was also a very bad boy last night. I noticed that Uniquecorals was selling a really nice frag of the Icefire Echinata. I tried to exercise buyer's restraint but after about 20 minutes of staring at the darn thing, I pulled the trigger. I also ended up buying a gorgeous Acropora Chesterfieldensis. They arrive tomorrow morning.
I've had bad luck with Icefires before but I spoke with the people at Unique and they think this is a very stable frag. Let's see how long it takes me to kill it.
I need help. Someone should (a) take away my credit cards and (b) filter my access to any websites that sell coral.
I've had bad luck with Icefires before but I spoke with the people at Unique and they think this is a very stable frag. Let's see how long it takes me to kill it.
I need help. Someone should (a) take away my credit cards and (b) filter my access to any websites that sell coral.
Stolireef
Active member
Talk about prophetic.
