87 gallon SPS and Zoa Reef
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What do you think of your ice fire I've been tempted but hear conflicting issues about actual color. It looks incredible in most pics but I've seen pics where the true colors are more brown than anything. If you get a chance let me know. Thanks.
Your tank is coming along nicely! The additional lighting seems to have really kicked started things. At this rate you're going to have some massive colonies in no time! Keep the pics and updates flowing in.
If you decide to eventually frag that ice fire let me know. If it's got the amazing color that I always see when it's for sale I'd like to get a good size chunk.. Hope all is well!
Your tank is coming along nicely! The additional lighting seems to have really kicked started things. At this rate you're going to have some massive colonies in no time! Keep the pics and updates flowing in.
If you decide to eventually frag that ice fire let me know. If it's got the amazing color that I always see when it's for sale I'd like to get a good size chunk.. Hope all is well!
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Josh King
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The ice fire came white, which is normal. It has just started to show some of the purple tips coming out of the top now that it's settled in. The new corals were added March 8th, so it's only been a few weeks. I bought these new corals from Cultivated Reef in Maine (Shipped). As you can see from the size of the red robin stag and sunny d zoas, they really hooked me up! I will buy from them again. Thank you for the compliment! This is my first reef tank done right, so I'm happy things are working out. Thanks for following along.
I will hook you up with a piece for free if it gets big enough!
It's great to see things are going good for you! Keep it up and you'll end up with a system that'll basically run its self with the exception of water changes. As long as your bio load isn't through the roof and you keep on top of your filtration the critters in your tank will do the rest. It's when something fails that'll test the reefer you have become--fingers crossed that never happens. I read everything I can get my hands on even if it doesn't apply at the moment because you never know. Your tank is looking great and something to be proud of. I can't wait to see it in a couple months--take monthly or even weekly pics so we can watch the progression. I love seeing a stick turn into a baseball sized colony that to me is what its all about. I'll trade you when your ready with that ice fire. I'm stoked that it's the color it's supposed to be. Thank you for curbing my doubt. Oh did that Dr. Gs work for you? KIT
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Josh King
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Thanks for the compliment. I am pretty much to the point of just water changes. I did away with filter socks, rather just clean the sump once a month. They were a pain. I was vacuuming cyano from the rocks but then it just comes back in the same 2 small areas of lower flow. I may just give up on the cyano. Doesn't bother me that much. I've been thinking of buying a reactor and running gfo. Maybe that will take care of it and lower phosphate to boost growth. To be completely honest I haven't tested in months just 2 week water changes using a calibrated refractometer. I should check it out tomorrow maybe.
The Dr G's worked well but didn't totally cure it. The fish look healthy and are happy. I dive in the ocean in Cozumel and the reef fish have parasites all over, so... I feed a ton of different foods. My custom mix of springs algae flakes, spirulina, crushed ocean nutrition pellets, different cubes from Sally's saltwater mix, soaked in Seachem garlic, phytoplankton, and zooplankton. I will keep updating. Thanks for following. Ttyl.
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So you're still having ich issues? If so try going straight Dr.Gs. I didn't know that I was supposed to feed that first and then offer something else so thats all I fed till the ich was gone--about 2 months lol. And yea it is normal for fish in the wild to have a little of this and that but nature typically keeps things in check which at home can be a challenge. Have you ever been to Ft. Jefferson about 60 miles West of Key West? Theres a section of the moat that surrounds the fort that is (it may be open now) cut off from the open ocean and the mangrove snappers and other fish trapped inside have crap growing all over them it looks tumors. It's interesting to see knowing that the surrounding waters are pristine. Fish are tough as nails given the right conditions.
I went through a pack and a half of that stuff and was very heavy handed when feeding because I had just moved the tank and knew I was doing a 50% water change once a week for the first few weeks then started slacking and doing biweekly or so changes. but I seriously used that stuff till I didn't see anymore ich. the fish ate it up (they were seriously fat) so I just kept on feeding it. the other options were a no go as far as I was concerned. if you have a QT and its only affecting a couple fish you could always go fishing to get the affected fish out. buy the smallest hook you can find at a bait and tackle shop and 2#test line and hand fish the affected fish out of the tank--it's an option.
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Josh King
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Thank you. I lost a few corals a month or so ago. Ice fire echinata and sunset mili. My sump was really nasty so I took all the rock out of it and drained it. Man you should have seen the nasty water that came out. Since then things have rebounded.
How are your Cali tort and ice fire doing? I want to try those two inpeticular out I just haven't had the guts to try the ice fire (because I've watched seasoned veterans get a frag or small colony of ice fire just to watch it slowly die when everything else thrives) and from what I've seen most torts are such a slow grower I don't think I'd have the patience to try one out. I hope yours are doing as good as everything else I can see (I'm looking at everything on my phone while my laptop charges). Thanks for the update and keep it up that tank is poppin! Don't you just love when you "have to cut" a coral back because it's getting too big LOL .
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Josh King
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Yup lost the ice fire :-( Yeah the tort I haven't seen any growth. The Monti caps are getting out of hand!
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