550 Gallon system

jleoni

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 18, 2013
Messages
90
Reaction score
0
Location
Killen, AL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
For those of you here in N. AL who didn't follow my build thread here is my big boy reef system which we just call "the pool"
pool2.jpg


Today we did the unthinkable around here we spawned Stylophora!!!

DSC_0170-edit-highlight.jpg


I suppose that means my custom made salt supplements and lunar light worked!!!
And yes Harry that frag came from you in a round about way via from someone else.
 

TriggerThis

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 4, 2013
Messages
660
Reaction score
29
Location
Rogers, AR
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
So let me get this straight...
You made a custom salt mix and added a lunar light and were able to make one of your corals actually spawn in captivity !?!?

That's amazing!
I can't believe that!

Also "The Pool" is hilarious, very fitting
 
OP
OP
J

jleoni

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 18, 2013
Messages
90
Reaction score
0
Location
Killen, AL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Trigger yes I run a little home based shop here in north Alabama.

I was taught years ago now by a chemical engineer / sunlight coral farmer in Miami how to do all this stuff. I actually sell / ship my supplements all over with a lesson on how to keep perfect chemistry.

I've had LPS spawn, but I did a whole lot of studying and reading lately on solar radiation and color spectrum as well as lunar movements and reflectivity of UV and color spectrum. A week after reprogramming my CTLite units to match the current sun output in Bridgetown Barbados and 4 days after building my "moon" which auto updates itself each day to moon rise 48 minutes later each day so I matched that to the actual moon phases we currently have over north America to match the gravitational pull YES I spawned Stylophora which is completely unheard of!

I can't begin to say just HOW exciting the last 24 hours has been! My best friend (the coral farmer in Miami) said to me tonight that he has seen Pocillopora and Seriatopora spawn in the farm but NEVER Stylophora. He's seen it in the wild but never in captivity.

I'm sure some marine biologist has done it, probably some ORA person (I believe they wrote an article last year saying they got it to spawn)
 
OP
OP
J

jleoni

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 18, 2013
Messages
90
Reaction score
0
Location
Killen, AL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Further more I had a customer in the SHOP while it was spawning and he said he saw it release several sperm clouds. So if that is the case then in about 4 weeks we might see some baby Pink Stylophora around the pool as further documentation of the spawn.
 

TriggerThis

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 4, 2013
Messages
660
Reaction score
29
Location
Rogers, AR
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
U need an award!
That is crazy
I bet you feel on top of the world after all the work and time spent trying to make everything exactly like the actual ocean and it worked!

Also was that a wild caught stylo? Or an aqua-cultured one?
I'd be interesting to know if they keep their "instincts" several frags and years after being pulled from the ocean
 
OP
OP
J

jleoni

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 18, 2013
Messages
90
Reaction score
0
Location
Killen, AL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yes trigger i appreciate those kind words. I didnt sleep but about 3 hours last night. It is a tank cultured frag which has only been in the pool for little over a month now. Im currently working on mari-cultured acropora and HARD acropora and millepora. I lost an eight inch purple monster acro colony because delta drop kicked my box, and my pink mille was busted to hell and back. The broken chunks didnt survive but what was left on the base and not rolling around looks good this week. My blue monster just about completely died but i think i saved just enough of it to start a tank cultured colony. If you facebook check your PM and add me and we can chat about my custom supplements and salt there. I dont spend to much time here, but i like to check in from time to time.

I did take a crappy cell phone video as further proof of the spawn since this is such a big deal.
 
OP
OP
J

jleoni

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 18, 2013
Messages
90
Reaction score
0
Location
Killen, AL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Pictured here (sorry the tank needs algae wiped off) is a 2.5 foot diameter carpet anemome. Standard common watermelon zoanthids, great barrier knopia sp.
ImageUploadedByTapatalkHD1406952446.141336.jpg
 
OP
OP
J

jleoni

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 18, 2013
Messages
90
Reaction score
0
Location
Killen, AL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Pictured here is a tryee bubblegum chalice purchased from harrys frags in huntsville on april 1st 2014, these pictures are dated 7/23/2014. When purchased and harry will vouche for this it was a 4 or 5 eye frag. Three and half months later there are over 20 eyes!
ImageUploadedByTapatalkHD1406952689.966987.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalkHD1406952682.620132.jpg
 
OP
OP
J

jleoni

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 18, 2013
Messages
90
Reaction score
0
Location
Killen, AL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Again remember i haven't done a water change on my core system since 2012! It boils down to equipment and understanding the chemistry to a fine science. For those of you in the florence area, the Glenwood nursing home reef is one of mine, no water change in over a year now.
 
OP
OP
J

jleoni

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 18, 2013
Messages
90
Reaction score
0
Location
Killen, AL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
The growth is three factors, lights, proper chemical BALANCE, and balance only comes from pure chemicals which is why i make my own salt and supplements and reef food
 
OP
OP
J

jleoni

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 18, 2013
Messages
90
Reaction score
0
Location
Killen, AL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Here is another set of before and after pics. This coral too came in a round about away from harry in huntsville, a friend of mine purchased it and before he knew it had realized it was to large and he didn't have the necessary lighting to keep it healthy. The before is 3 months ago, very much browned out and very un healthy. The latter picture is a few days ago. There is now growth anchoring it INTO the perm reef structure. Notice the green favia between the two pics, the monti is pale compared and is now the same color.
ImageUploadedByTapatalkHD1406955608.207281.jpg
ImageUploadedByTapatalkHD1406955617.103269.jpg
 
OP
OP
J

jleoni

Community Member
View Badges
Joined
Jan 18, 2013
Messages
90
Reaction score
0
Location
Killen, AL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Harry I know last time I was at you shop we talked about your setup. I would love to go to lunch and have a beer and talk about my supplements that i make with you.
 

H@rry

Troll
View Badges
Joined
Aug 4, 2007
Messages
3,391
Reaction score
538
Location
Huntsville, AL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Harry I know last time I was at you shop we talked about your setup. I would love to go to lunch and have a beer and talk about my supplements that i make with you.

I don't know about lunch but we can sit around here and drink beer and talk.
 

H@rry

Troll
View Badges
Joined
Aug 4, 2007
Messages
3,391
Reaction score
538
Location
Huntsville, AL
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
What was the outcome of the Stylo spawning? Did you have any new babies show up anywhere? BTW, that one is named Cupcake.
 

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

  • Ball valves.

    Votes: 37 54.4%
  • Gate valves.

    Votes: 37 54.4%
  • Check valves.

    Votes: 15 22.1%
  • None.

    Votes: 15 22.1%
  • Other.

    Votes: 6 8.8%
Back
Top