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

[WallyB]

my photoperiod is from 7am to 830pm -- Peak from 7:45am to 5pm.

WOW!!

That's 13.5 Hours of PhotoPeriod, and 9.5 hours of Peak.

I'm way under your setup. (could explain my dismal performance)
Lot's of room for me to Expand (slowly).

 

[Rakie]

Your setup is average. But even when I ran T5 I ran at least 12 hours, and all bulbs for 10 hours. My fixture didn't ramp either.

 

[WallyB]

Rakie .....Another Bonus with your AquaBlue Special Suggestion, is I can take Photo's again.

The AquaBlueSpecial with BluePlus Bulbs Off, give me semi-decent photo without any WhiteBalance filtering/edits.

At least it honestly shows how bleak and brown my most of my Frags are.

 

[Rakie]

All corals look brown under yellow lights!

You will find the warm-white ABS will make some of your colors shine like never before

 

[WallyB]

SPS Collection Catalog

Before I forget the names, and just in case they turn brown and hard to tell.

Or maybe they won't turn all brown

We'll see what happens with new Lighting Changes.

 

[Rakie]

so, the ice fire typically does well in high light. most who grew it well blasted it with MH

 

[WallyB]

so, the ice fire typically does well in high light. most who grew it well blasted it with MH

Might explain why it's fading at the shaded bottom, while tips look better.
It's pretty high up and centered on the T5 Array so Max PARS at current settings.
I just increased lighting and will see if any improvement.
Last resort is I'll move it up more.

 

[Rakie]

Oops, I derped. Looked like it was in the shade. He should be okay there.. hrmm... stupid hobby

 

[NY_Caveman]

SPS Collection Catalog

Before I forget the names, and just in case they turn brown and hard to tell.

Or maybe they won't turn all brown

We'll see what happens with new Lighting Changes.

This is awesome. Interesting you have all SPS except the two Turbinaria (which I really like).

 

[WallyB]

This is awesome. Interesting you have all SPS except the two Turbinaria (which I really like).

Thanks for Reminder that Turbinaria are not SPS (Spelling correction too). I forgot. It is a hard Looknig coral so I'm probably not the only one who thinks it is SPS.
My goal for this tank is obviously SPS only and except for a few these are all FRAG TYPES I sadly lost in the past.
I leave the LPS, and other Corals like Acans and Zoa/Palys for my other Tank (which has Zero SPS)

 

[WallyB]

SPS Collection (REFERENCE PHOTOS) 2018-08-25

Not the best photos but want to have some references to compare progress, growth, health (Hard to tell watching Frags Daily)

;Snaphappy

Quite obvious some are not doing that great.
Hoping things improve.

 

[Rakie]

That's a good way to document growth. I'll often look at a coral thinking it hasn't done much, only to find my last picture of it and realize it's doubled in size.

This hobby only seems fast when we look behind us, lol.

 

[WallyB]

That's a good way to document growth. I'll often look at a coral thinking it hasn't done much, only to find my last picture of it and realize it's doubled in size.

This hobby only seems fast when we look behind us, lol.

I agree with you 100%.

This is what motivated me to take the Closeup Photos for Future compares.

I dug up an old photo.....(One of the first Frags put in Tank)

Without the PHOTO COMPARE......I never would have noticed that they BLUE TORT Is ENCRUSTING and growing new stems from the Base.
Also The missing stems at the middle I hit by mistake and broke a couple off. They Healed.

It Looked to me no different than two months ago, and I was getting depressed that nothing was moving along.

The comparison perked me up and gives me hope to be patient.

 

[WallyB]

Hmm.

Only 4 Days with Increase lighting, and I see Hint of Improvement across the board.

It's hard to tell, but I used to look at the Frags and kind of say "ho hum...boring...nothing changing".
But now for some reason there is something Noticeble to look at. A touch of glow that wasn't there before. A hint of colors coming out.

We'll see if this improvement continues. Maybe in a few weeks I can compare with the Reference Photos.

I feel there is more room for lighting increase, but will wait a big longer. (let things Soak In)

 

[WallyB]

Strange!! I haven't had to clean my tank glass for a Couple of weeks.

When tank started up I was cleaning like twice a week.

Maybe this is part of maturing/stability, but it does seem odd.

Coincidentally....I did get a Gold Ring Cowrie Snail a few weeks ago.
I haven't seem him since I put him into the tank.
Maybe he comes out at night and polishes the glass clean.

I will put on a WEB CAM with NIGHT VISION Timelapse to see if this is the case.

 

[Rakie]

I need to clean mine daily, sometimes if I scrape early morning my tank will get a 5 o'clock shadow of algae in the early afternoon.

 

[WallyB]

I need to clean mine daily, sometimes if I scrape early morning my tank will get a 5 o'clock shadow of algae in the early afternoon.

So this is strange indeed.

I do have two emerald crabs, so was thinking they are keeping the Rocks clean of Algae.
They don't climb glass so they are not the reason.

Could be that my lighting is really too low, but Apogee meter shows I have Good Pars. 250 at bottom and more as you go higher.

Another clue is my Algae Scrubber is barely creating any harvest.

I will not try to do anything to fix this. Algae growth was a curse for me in the past.

It is puzzling a bit.

 

[Rakie]

They're all different to some extent, and all similar in some ways, too.

I'm not suggesting you make any alterations -- But when people are setting up a new tank they go through the myth that a tank needs to be established to grow SPS... Some swear they couldn't keep SPS for years. I kept SPS the moment my cycle ended, never had an issue with any of my tanks doing this. The difference is how much technology I use, or how much I shun, I should say.

People setup these new tanks and shove chaeto in it when there's nothing for the chaeto to be sustained from. They start talking about how long they should wait to carbon dose before their first tank is wet. They talk about Algae scrubbers. They talk about changing socks every 4 minutes. etc etc etc.

I don't do any of that. I don't think any of that is necessary until YEARS down the road. Removing my chaeto was the best decision I ever made. And algae is just the early stages of a new tank, and new rockwork. Yeah, it's ugly. But who cares? Were in this for the long haul, not instant gratification.

I think the more things you do initially to combat every parameter of a new SPS tank, the more harm you may be doing. NoPox, Carbon Dosing, Algae Scrubbers, Moutains of Chaeto, ULNS... All of this stuff is counter productive to keeping SPS thriving and healthy.

 

[WallyB]

(Time for a bit more Photo Period/Intensity) Just over a Week gone by since Last Increase and all Frags doing fine.

Going with tiny bit more Photo Period/Dimmable T5 Intensity increase

(Rather than Lowering Light Fixture to Increase PARS)
....Safer choice.

 

[WallyB]

They're all different to some extent, and all similar in some ways, too.

I'm not suggesting you make any alterations -- But when people are setting up a new tank they go through the myth that a tank needs to be established to grow SPS... Some swear they couldn't keep SPS for years. I kept SPS the moment my cycle ended, never had an issue with any of my tanks doing this. The difference is how much technology I use, or how much I shun, I should say.

People setup these new tanks and shove chaeto in it when there's nothing for the chaeto to be sustained from. They start talking about how long they should wait to carbon dose before their first tank is wet. They talk about Algae scrubbers. They talk about changing socks every 4 minutes. etc etc etc.

I don't do any of that. I don't think any of that is necessary until YEARS down the road. Removing my chaeto was the best decision I ever made. And algae is just the early stages of a new tank, and new rockwork. Yeah, it's ugly. But who cares? Were in this for the long haul, not instant gratification.

I think the more things you do initially to combat every parameter of a new SPS tank, the more harm you may be doing. NoPox, Carbon Dosing, Algae Scrubbers, Moutains of Chaeto, ULNS... All of this stuff is counter productive to keeping SPS thriving and healthy.

I hear your points. I am trying to keep this tank simple.
Carbon is removed. No GFO....I even removed SOCKS and am allowing Particulates (which I used to try to eliminate)

I think my Algae Scrubber is self Regulating. It slows down when there is nothing to scrub.

But I will admit I am doing something I thought I would NOT do (promised not to do). I am feeding corals few times a week at night.
I can tell the corals need more nutrients. I see improvements (like the Dead Forest Fire that is coming back).
Once Kids are back to school, and I'm back to work (I will feed fish more), then I can stop the Coral Feeding.

Also as you suggested. Maybe some Gobies, to increase Fish Load/ Nutrients.
After the Magma Wrasse comes out of QT next week.