★ 110 Gallon (In-Wall Office Dream SPS Reef Tank) ★ PROJECT GENESIS [Total Automation, DIY & More ]★

[NY_Caveman]

You got it right. Sea Hare.

Watch this short segment.
I would take out a rock ENCRUSTED in Algae.
He would polish it clean.



2nd place was the Cowrie.


I still have the Cowrie, but in Sump.

Learned that he likes SPS Polyps and LPS Flesh more than Alage!!!!
He Shaves/Kills corals in Seconds.

The Final Tank Algae Cleanup was Done by Trochus Snails.

Nice! I did read the thread and it was excellent. Great work on it. I currently only have a couple of Trochus snails and some Red Dwarf Hermits in my new setup. It is only a 45 (display is 30 gallons) and it is bare bottom, so I may be limited in what I can add for the CUC as time goes on.

 

[WallyB]

T5 Lighting Change (For Center Photo-Intentsity [[ and Photos ]] ) ** First Easy Tank Photo **

I got tired of the T5 Setup with Every Other Bulb ATI (Coral Plus, Blue Plus) and equally staggered (on the Pair Channels).

It was almost impossible to get a photo, since each pair was a Coral Plus/Blue Plus.

I change the Setup to be Front to back.



BP1 (54W Dimmable Pair)
BP1

CP1 (54 W Non Dimmable Pair)
..........CP 3 (Single 39 W Dimmable T5)
CP2

BP1 (54W Dimmable Pair)
BP2

FRONT of tank

NOT MUCH CHANGE TO PARS, but I can get a photo with Just the Coral Plus bulbs on.

Like this.

Not perfect, but pretty good with just a quick point and shoot, little edit on exposure/Contrast only.

 

[WallyB]

Video of the ATO working.

So Tenurpro finally got the ATO installed and running on his New Tank.




Check out the other GREAT Videos on his Channel. (He does fine work and great Reviews)

Some great diving videos too.

 

[Rakie]

Looks good Wally! The Coral+ is one of my favorites -- It's the only bulb ATI makes that has phosphors from ALL of their bulbs in it. So it's pretty balanced when used at about 33-50% with B+ or other bulbs.

I think a 50/50 mix of B+ and C+ is probably the best mix you can get as it's easy on the eyes and gives corals all the bulbs with the C+. Otherwise a single AquaBlueSpecial is pretty nice in the mix. Not as yellow as a Geisemann Tropic (6500), or GE 6500. But it gives corals that missing white/yellow/green/red spectrum. Additionally, whites REALLY make blues pop.

 

[WallyB]

Looks good Wally! The Coral+ is one of my favorites -- It's the only bulb ATI makes that has phosphors from ALL of their bulbs in it. So it's pretty balanced when used at about 33-50% with B+ or other bulbs.

I think a 50/50 mix of B+ and C+ is probably the best mix you can get as it's easy on the eyes and gives corals all the bulbs with the C+. Otherwise a single AquaBlueSpecial is pretty nice in the mix. Not as yellow as a Geisemann Tropic (6500), or GE 6500. But it gives corals that missing white/yellow/green/red spectrum. Additionally, whites REALLY make blues pop.

I did try a Aquablue special (in the 39W middle position). Certainly Add Full Sprectrum (and since I can dim it, I can mix things just right).

But I like the setup now.

I'd love to throw in the ATI Purple Plus in the 39W position (like I did before). THE P+ bulb does wonders for Color Pop (in corals and fish too).
But I think it started that first Algae Bloom (too much red).

As far as Tank in General.....
Things are shifting toward the positive direction. (Algae faded out, Corals are getting PE, Appears like Corals are getting richer in colors, even though some are a bit on the brown side).
I remember Big Ed mentioning he let's corals go brown at the beginning on purpose (lower light), and once stable, works to color them up. (so no worries, not every coral is browning).

I'm more worried about just keeping corals alive (lost a few, but hoping that has passed with removing Carbon, Tiny bit of Nightly feeding and doing WC on time). So hoping to see some encrusting.

I got some special stuff accumulating in the tank:

-> Pink Cadillac
-> Pacman
-> Ice Fire Echinata
-> Jason Fox Burnin Banana
-> Blue Berry Wine
-> The Large Staghorn
-> A Green Red Sarmentosa
-> A True Sunset
-> Branching Cyphatrea
-> Bird of Paradise
-> Pink Millie
-> Purple Tipped Caroliniana
-> Green Christmas Monti
-> Oranage Setosa
-> Red Dragon
-> Forest Fire Digi (Slowly coming back)
-> Plus some no-name acros

No fooling around anymore.

 

[WallyB]

A Trip for some Reef Supplies (Get's me in Trouble) ** NEW FRAGS ** (Meteor Shower, Rainbow Loom, Strawberry)

Went to get some basic stuff, but didn't come home with Just, Copepod Food and Glue, etc.

All interesting stuff. (Stuff I've never come across before)

I've tried to house a SSC before, but they are sensitive. This Strawberry Shortcake Mimic (Whatever that is) may be possible for me.

I do have a Branching Cyhpastrea, but this Meteor version is quite different with Green Background.

The the Rainbow Loom, has some interesting Color Hues. If I can get it to look what I've seen posted on the Internet Photos, then it will be spectacular.
It Already stands out the most in my Tank from the Acro types I have.

QUICK FULL TANK (Reference Photo) with New Frags Mounted.

 

[Rakie]

Rainbow Loom is a nice piece. Glad you got one! It has a nice growth pattern, and really good colors when you bake them under high light (like 400-500+ par)

 

[WallyB]

Rainbow Loom is a nice piece. Glad you got one! It has a nice growth pattern, and really good colors when you bake them under high light (like 400-500+ par)

Well if Rainbow Loom needs 400+, it's going to have to grow nice an tall to reach to the higher PAR parts of tank.

Right now I'm keeping the Fixture a Bit higher (back to 10" from 8"), and Dimming the T5's a bit.
All to keep things on the Safe Side, till all the Frags acclimatize.

Plus that CaribSea Rock, it starting to show signs of Brown Algae (AGAIN!!) even though I aged it in the Bucket for Weeks. (It cleaned up in No Light).

This tank need to go through some Aging and Balance Checks.

Water Chemistry is good (and stable). Getting close to ALK just over 7.5 as I KEEP INCREASING Dosing. Target is around 8.0 but no higher.

THE GOOD NEWS is ALL Frags look great. (Knocking on my WOODEN DESK as I typed that). I can tell at Actinic Time a Certain more Powerful Florescence Glow.

And the Really GOOD NEWS is the Forest Fire Digi continues to recover (now with Substatial PE). I almost tossed it thinking it was near dead.

If nothing dies, I'll be happy for the next little while. I can accept some browning, since you can work Colors later.
Right now I can tell (I have to feed the corals). Nutrients too low.
(All should be fixed when pair of Wanatabei Angels go in....they eat like Pigs).....I see new parts of The Bitten Tail growing back, so I guess at least a month (then The Pair meet)..

 

[WallyB]

INTERESTING Observation (Higher PH Stability) as ALK Dosing has been increased over Time.

I took at PEEK at my PH range.

It has stabilized nicely. Appears my Distributed hourly Dosing keeps PH up and over time it's has stabilized.

Could be a little higher but stability is more important.

Not touching anything right now, but in the Future I could consider a tiny bit of KALK dosing to bring PH closer to 8.1-8.2.

 

[WallyB]

JUNK ** JACKPOT ** (( Lifetime T5 39W Supply )) BRTV T5 LifeSpan

If you own T5 lighting, then you got to see this Video.



Yup the 8 Month Replacement, and Even Worse the Dimmable Replacement Lifetime of T5's is not what we all thought.

Pars don't Drop Significantly till about 18 months, and even longer if You DIm.
With proper staggered swapping you can go even 24 months.

Spectrum doesn't shift toward Algae Reds. Especially with Blue Plus, Coral Plus Bulbs.

Well I'm Set (for a LONG TIME) for my Single 39W Dimmable Bulb in the Middle of my 6x 54W Bulbs.

I never threw out my 8-12 Month Used Bulbs (just stored them in a box).

Even got some good variety.

So after reviewing the Video it make total Sense to me to get a Quantum Meter. Maybe even the Apex one, since I can watch PARS drop over the months.

NOW THE INTERESTING Part is that MOST PEOPLE Don't realize (LEDs have Limited a lifetime....Much longer, but it is around 5-6 years, or more depending on LED Manufacterer....Especially if Run at Max, and Long Photo Periods.). LEDS are not forever (if you keep your tank that long)

 

[WallyB]

SPS corals are Talking to me (MORE PHOTO PERIOD)

I have been really careful on Lighting. I am still Kind of Gun Shy after having 250W MH in the last setup.

Slowly I've been increasing both Intensity (dimmable T5 Pairs) and Photo Period.

Each increase I notice the Corals Responding Positively.

I plotted out my Current Lighting Programming.

Certainly on the LOW side. It wasn't obvious till I did the graph.

Much of the Lighting ON Time is Ramp up and Down.

Still I will exercise Caution and increase things SLOWLY since Acclimatization of Corals is nothing wrong.

Same for acclimatizing the Tank Balance with ROCKS, etc on keeping Algae under control.

 

[WallyB]

CaribSea Shapes Rock (Brown Algae Again) After 8 weeks in bucket

So after I removed the CaribSea Fake Rock, and placed it in a bucket to Cure for 8 Weeks, it has started Brown Algae just like before.

I think it just lighting that get's it going. Live Rock is more porous and LIVE, so what can I expect.

Only time and aging will cycle it thru the bloom. (I hope). I hate the Browning look, but love the shape, so will give it a chance.

I actually have two other pieces of Caribsea rock at bottom of tank and they have cleared up (but never had this issue as much).

 

[Rakie]

Just the natural aging of rock!

 

[WallyB]

Few more Frags (Need some Bottom Coverage) Monti's

Pardon the Lousy Photo (I must get a WHITE LED for photo Taking)....Or just practice more (I never have the time or patience)
.....But I'm off for a few Weeks of Home Vacation, so might have time.

So I went on a hunt for some lower light Frags. Got a couple and then some...

I think the Tank is a reaching limit on SPS (but some will be moved to the back). RIGHT NOW I want to Watch everybody.

The good news, is some of the Frags that have been around and had time to acclimatize are showing some Colorful PE.

 

[WallyB]

Back from Week Away at Cottage ( One of the Wantabei Angels Jumped out of QT)

Every year when I go away on vacation something goes wrong with Tanks.

Usually small things like Skimmer over flowing, or an Algae outbreak with Feeder or Neighbor Feeding too much.

This time I expected a frag or two would bleach since this tank is fairly new.

I just got home from a week away and noticed the Wanatabei Angel (without the tail bite) was missing.
I removed the Egg Crate top to put on the Auto Feeder. Had high confidence a large Angel wouldn't jump out of tank like a Wrasse.

Found him on the floor. He jumped out!!

Kind of sucks since they were a pair that I was keeping well in QT for many week (waiting for the Tail Bite to heal).

The good news is all the Frags are doing great.

 

[Mr.Hyde]

Great looking setup!! Have you thought of creating a controller using a raspberry pi setup? I was looking at the controller and looks interesting.

 

[NY_Caveman]

So sorry about the male Watanabei.

 

[Rakie]

Sucks Wally. All equipment fails, all fish jump, etc etc. This hobby is one big exercise in Murphy's law

 

[Fudsey]

Sorry to hear...sux

 

[WallyB]

Great looking setup!! Have you thought of creating a controller using a raspberry pi setup? I was looking at the controller and looks interesting.

Thank Mr.Hyde...
I did consider a PI board since I do have one, and have a Unix background. Plus a PI board would provide Wifi and better display for something WEB controlled.
The main reason I chose Ardiuno was speed of boot up, Execution and the fact that I already knew the programming language.
Here is a thread that I started that discusses various Controller board options.
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/d...complex-aurdino-raspberry-pi-projects.420090/