★★★ Project " GENESIS (II) 2020 " ★ [ Re-Engineered / REBOOT ] ★ SPS 110G ★★★

[Rakie]

Your tank is looking great now @WallyB

 

[WallyB]

Your tank is looking great now @WallyB

Thanks @Rakie,

Glad you dropped in for a peek.

You know your tank during it's happy phase was my inspiration to keep trying to succeed. The "Bonsai" concept of your small symetrical/colorful mixed species SPS was the look I always wanted and have finally achieved (after many painful years of repeated failure). Secret was keep hands out of tank and stop the tinkering to make things better when things were going well.

The problem I see on the near horizon is growth is starting to exponentially speed up. Already a few small colonies are not so "Bonsai" small , and I see areas where SPS colonies are about to touch.(Tips and even encrusted bases). I no longer have the luxury of past to move them as the plugs are encrusted to rocks. I will have to start pruning which means my hands will have to go into the tank. All this waiting for frags to become colonies is kind of new problem I'm not used to.

Never thought I would worry about this kind of thing since having this problem was always a dream I wanted to come true.

 

[Rakie]

Thanks @Rakie,

Glad you dropped in for a peek.

You know your tank during it's happy phase was my inspiration to keep trying to succeed. The "Bonsai" concept of your small symetrical/colorful mixed species SPS was the look I always wanted and have finally achieved (after many painful years of repeated failure). Secret was keep hands out of tank and stop the tinkering to make things better when things were going well.

LOL, well thank you much Wally, thats possibly the nicest compliment i've gotten in this hobby.

The problem I see on the near horizon is growth is starting to exponentially speed up. Already a few small colonies are not so "Bonsai" small , and I see areas where SPS colonies are about to touch.(Tips and even encrusted bases). I no longer have the luxury of past to move them as the plugs are encrusted to rocks. I will have to start pruning which means my hands will have to go into the tank. All this waiting for frags to become colonies is kind of new problem I'm not used to.

Never thought I would worry about this kind of thing since having this problem was always a dream I wanted to come true.

Yeah once happy they can really grow at a staggering pace!


My tank is slowly coming together and starting to get back up. It took until now :/

 

[WallyB]

EVENING Full Tank Shot (SPS Tank) Actinic/BlueLED (Yellow Filter on SLR)


Picuture says it all. Tank doing best ever, and it shows the SPS Health with Glow.

 

[WallyB]

I took this similar Blue Photo of the tank, almost exactly 1 year ago. April 2021.

Interesting to see Adjustments/Progress.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Looking awesome, @WallyB!

 

[WallyB]

SPS Tank (Growth & Alk Consumption Spurt) Also dealing with Bryopsis

So the SPS are happy and GROWING, and with that comes adjustments. Over the last couple of weeks my Alk Consumption has increased. Trying to tune in my Two Part Doser but each time I get things right, more increases are needed.

2nd problem is every mini colony is starting to get uncomfortably close to contact with others. I hate to prune symetrical SPS, so at this point I've move a few around (where possible).

This gives you an idea SPS growth/minor-moves over last few months.

To see a working Photo Compare Slider:

click this LINK >>>> https://www.instarestoration.com/slider/view/f5323904-b337-4dee-b8f9-e53c70f875fc

I also have been dealing with two patches of BRYOPSIS (One in front of tank, and one at rear). In past I would careful prune while no flow in tank to ensure I got any fragments/loose strands. This time I pruned but covered up the roots after pruning with Putty and Crazy Glue (That's why there is the Blob of putty in the After photo)

I do have a pre-measure dose of fluconazole for treatment, but I'm scared to disrupt this tanks positive mood. The bryopsis has been contained to two patches for last few months, and if it ever starts spreading I'll treat.

 

[Fudsey]

Looking great Wally ! ! !

 

[WallyB]

Haven't done a Video in Ages.

Not the best video quality but this is a short Live Tank view.



Wondering why the ROCKS LOOK RED.......That's Red Planaria. The Menanarus Wrasse hasn't been able to cut down the population much. Personally, I don't care at this point....the Planaria don't harm anything while treating them with Flatworm-X is a big risk, and not worth trying.

 

[WallyB]

SNEAK PEEK (Kitchen 90 Gallon - Clown Trigger Tank)

The SPS tank is all on autopilot. I am shocked by my Alk Consumption. I was dosing ESV two-part in the range of 30-40ml a day. Now over a short period of time, I need to dose 75ml, and I have to adjust up every couple of weeks.

The Kitchen Mixed tank has been neglected for ages. It basically has become a specimen tank with the Clown Trigger.

My Frag Tank Full of Trumpets is getting crowded, and I'm going to move some to my Kitchen Tank for a Refresh.

I put one Trumpet in and it did well.

The Trigger did bite one green tip but he spit it out. Never did that again. (So Far).

I added a couple more Trumpets (left side) tonight.

This is not anywhere near finished....barely a start. (Teaser photo).
Taking it slowly to ensure the tank can keep trumpets happy.

 

[WallyB]

My First Baby SPS Colony Photo

For years, I took Frag Photo's, and barely any made it to sub-Colony size.

Now this is my first Colony worth showing. It's a "Pincess Peach"

A year ago I got this frag of the Peach.

Today's it's an aspiring mini colony.

 

[sam.veilleux30]

Good growth for a year!

 

[WallyB]

First in a while (Top Shot) Ultra Sunset Milli

It's been a long while since I took a top down shot.

This little Sunset Millie...wasn't cheap for 1" frag.

has grown up.....

It should sell well or be good credit $ value once it's big enough for pruning. I'm not really into selling but when a tank get's to corals overgrowing and overlapping you have no choice. After years of walking on glass to keep my sps alive I can't imagine throwing out an SPS.

This tank needs some serious adjustments. Most imporant is spacing for the better sps colonies to grow out. I'm terrified to touch things but it has to be done before things are an entangled mess.

 

[bobssecrtsn]

You should update your equipment list and or husbandry!

 

[WallyB]

You should update your equipment list and or husbandry!

I didn't think anyone cared. However you are correct.....things have changed for the better since all the past failures. I would say the best thing I did was stop changing everything, and that means not trying to make zig-zag changes constantly to make things better or copy other people's successful tank parameters.

Your stable tank is (within range) is better than someone else's perfect tank (they don't always say the full story).

Here is the LITE version of my setup that has proven to be very successful. Feel free comment or ask questions and I will clarify.

Tank size : 110Gallon
Sump size : 40 Gallon

Tank Inhabitants A: 99% SPS only, 1% LPS
Tank Inhabitants B: Melanarus Wrasse, Yellow Tang, Wanatabei Angel, Black Cap Basset, Blue Green Chromis, Sunburst Anthias, Neon Goby Cleaner fish, Cleaner Shrimp, few snails and hermits/emerald crabs. [ Feed fish twice a day, Pellets & Frozen. Nori for Tang ]

Lighting A: 6x T5's -dimmable (Blue Plus/Coral Plus/Purple Plus Bulbs)

[I never change T5's till they burn out]...Here is why. Glad I never had time to throw out my OLD T5's during the days I used the change every 8 months. I have years of surplus T5's that are still good.



Lighting B: 1x Ecotech Radion XR15G4
Lighting C: 1x Blue LED Strip light (395nm)

Filtration A: EuroReef Skimmer (Classic Oldie)
Filtration B: DIY Algae Scrubber built into sump (Grows Cheato)
Filtration C: Two Little Fishies Media Reactor (RowaPhos GFO)

Dosing: Two Part (ESV) Bionic

Coral foods/additives/Potions/Snake oils: NONE!! zero!! Stay away! Learned that lesson the hard way many times over. Asking for trouble (Cyano, Algae blooms etc).

In-Tank Flow (a lot):
1x MP60
1x Maspect GYRE XF150
1x Jebao CP40
1x Jebao CP20
1x Jabao SOW-20

Return Pump: DC Waveline 10000

Automation:
1 x Apex
DIY Water Changer
ATO
DOSER 2-heads

Monitoring:
PH probe (Apex)
Salinity Probe (Pin Point). (One of best tools I have since Salinity swings messed me up in past)

HUSBANDRY (Manual/Automated) Proven 3 Best Practices for me to turn tank around

#1) Daily Auto Water change (.75 Gallon/day) ** SALT [Reef Crystals]
-> Salt Water Made with RO water (DI filter stage, using DI Resin)
#2) GFO (changed EVERY 2 week) Small Amount to keep Phosphate (0.05-0.1 pmm)
#3) Harvest Cheato from Algae Scrubber (once a month) Control (N&P)


====> Water Parameters/testing
-> Test Water Weekly for ALK Target Range(7.8-8.3 dkh)
-> Calcium tested monthly. Target Range (400-450ppm)
-> Test Phosphates (One every 6 months), usually in range of (0.02-.0.08ppm), like to stay below 0.1ppm. (Not possible to stay stable/low without GFO)
-> Rarely test Magnesium
-> Can't remember last time I checked Nitrates. I used to check often while over 10ppm, but once thing settled down below 5ppm, things stabilized around 1-5ppm.

That's a high-level summary off the top of my head.

Did I miss anything of interest?

 

[bobssecrtsn]

You forgot photos,

 

[WallyB]

You forgot photos,

ok.....Coming Soon....Anything specific you want to see?

 

[WallyB]

FRAG Tank Update / CLOWN TRIGGER // SPS Tank Issue

Something odd is going on with the SPS tank. My Christmas Tree Monti always gives me early warning that something is off in my tank. It starts to fade, loosing is green intensity. I think my nutrient levels got low since I was busy and didn't feed the fish as often. My Nitrate was just under 1.0ppm. I started feeding more, raised NO3 to 2.5ppm with KNO3, and a few small tank feedings of Brightwell CoralAminos. Keeping a close eye on on things.

As far as my 35G Frag tank turned into small reef tank it's doing well. The Piscasso Clown, Clown Goby and Yellow Box fish enjoy their exclusive habitat. I was hoping to migrate many of these Trumpet and other corals to my Kithchen tank which looks baren. I tried a test with a few trumpet clusters. They lasted a while, but then I found them broken and choped up. The Clown Trigger discovered the Trumpet Branches are crunchy, to grind down his front teeth. He doesn't damage the living flesh part of the trumpet, he is basically fragging my trumpet colonies.

I wanted to convert this Frag tank to SPS. Can't put SPS in there (no room, wrong lighting).

Family Loves the Clown Trigger. He is like having a pet dog in the Kitchen all day. He will own the Kitchen Tank (no sacrifice trumpets).

I have a need to have a SPS Frag tank so I can prune overgrowth, but don't see a solution. A Magenetic Rack at back of Display is last restort.

 

[sam.veilleux30]

What product are you using to dose nitrates?
I’m presently using continuum but plan to move to b-ionic because it’s calcium nitrate.

 

[WallyB]

What product are you using to dose nitrates?
I’m presently using continuum but plan to move to b-ionic because it’s calcium nitrate.

I am using pure KNO3 diluted down to 0.01g/ml. I hand dosed 1.0ml a day and that took a few days to bring up Nitrates to my Target levels. It's not a brand name bought in a bottle since I got it from a Lab friend.

If I didn't have this stuff I would go with ESV Bi-ionic, since I use their Alk,Calc, and Mag additive. I trust ESV since I've been using their two part for years.

So question for you. Have you ever had this happen to you? My SPS were all doing fine, then they starting to color up and grow like crazy. I could see with Blue lighting their phoposrecence was really healthy. My Alk and Calcium consumption skyrocketed. I did stabilize by dosing more Alk/Calc, but since I never tested for Mag (no needed in past) I noticed my Mag dropped to 1200, and I'm slowly bringing Mag up to 1275-1280. My nitrates also went below 1 ppm. I raised to 1.0ppm. What I think happened is the Growth Spurt must have depleted nutrients quickly, and that cause the paling of certain SPS. This happened to me once before.

After raising Nitrate and adding some Amino's things look better but I am still and not out of the woods to sit back an relax. My Fox Flame and Christmas Tree Monti suffered the greatest damage. All the other SPS look fine, even finiky thin corals like PacMan and Enchinata, Red Ferrari look ok.

I have no clue what was the cause. Too low Nitrates? The Magnesium drop? Everything else was stable except chasing alk to keep in 7.8-8.0 dkH range. I did not have any Alk spikes.

There is one thing I did change in the Tank. I added back my MP60 since I fixed it, and that was a significant Random flow increase but I hardly think that could cause an issue.