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

[WallyB]

COPPERBAND ( Health / Eat Watch) Web CAM

I set this up so I can work on the Alk Monitor at my Desk (little less boring).

First I prepared some Mastick that he ate at QT Hospital.
All ready to feed into Shells that he was trained on for 21 days.

The web cam is in place to watch the Refuge.

And in just a few moments of watching, he's pecking everywhere.
Even took few nibbles of the Masstick (in the shell).

All going well for Day 0. He looks comfortable, and very active.

I'll probably only feed 2 times a week. (Once Masstick, Once Frozen)
The rest of the food he can find himself.

 

[Janci]

You are joking. Or at least don't know.

I killed almost all the SPS I had.

This is all new stuff.

Well not all new, and I didn't kill everything . I killed a lot (at least 50-60%), some recovering.
What's weird is a few HIGH END Acro made it. Mostly Cheap stuff died, and some I replaced.

I did have some grow till things went bad.

His is the last CATALOG photo what I started with back in March of this year. (LOTS missing)

I must have missed that sad news and will have a look back to see what happened.

 

[WallyB]

WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN? ( Two Red Dragons, Same Everything ? ) Is it my Lighting?

So this is what Happened.

-Couple weeks Earlier got a Red Dragon. Did well for about a week at back of tank, then RTN.

-> Got two REPLACEMENT Red Dragons from Same Colony 3 days ago.
-> Both were Drip Acclimated this time
-> 2 days in SUMP, with low lighting

-> Both put into DT at approx Same Depth Location

-> Today I find ONE RTN WHITE (Bleached)
-> The other one fell and disappeared under rocks. (I expected it to be worse)

I found the missing Dragon under rocks, and it is perfectly fine.

Was is too strong lighting. Can't be. It came from a 400Par system, and it now it 175-00 PAR glued location.

Bother was glued on Plug, by supplier. I never cut them off the Freshly cut Plug setting.

I now placed the surviving Drag on a Frag Rack, very low, and in corner to watch it.

 

[WallyB]

AquaMon Alk Monitor UPDATE ( Computer Software OS Rebuilt/Backed UP )

Small Distraction Extra COLOR OLED Display

After the SD crash it was a nightmarish puzzle to rebuild 5 months of Code Pieces.
I documented things along the way, or it would be impossible.
But the New Operating System thew me challenges Gallore.
And some of the rebuild was Slow Painful Long Waits. SO I WORKED on a LED DISPLAY project while waiting

That rebuild is behind me now. I got a Clean SD card copy. All backed up for the future!!

This is the Little 1" diagonal OLED just like the OLED TV's that are coming out.
128x64 dots, just like the Green one I have, but this one is like 1million Colors.

Nice to have an extra Display for Eye Catching Status, Results Etc. Not sure where I'll mount it.

These OLED displays like OLED TV sets can't have a Static Display or they burn in.

So here is a cool little screen saver I can run on it.

Now it's time to finish the baby up.

 

[Janci]

WHY DOES THIS HAPPEN? ( Two Red Dragons, Same Everything ? ) Is it my Lighting?

So this is what Happened.

-Couple weeks Earlier got a Red Dragon. Did well for about a week at back of tank, then RTN.

-> Got two REPLACEMENT Red Dragons from Same Colony 3 days ago.
-> Both were Drip Acclimated this time
-> 2 days in SUMP, with low lighting

-> Both put into DT at approx Same Depth Location

-> Today I find ONE RTN WHITE (Bleached)
-> The other one fell and disappeared under rocks. (I expected it to be worse)

I found the missing Dragon under rocks, and it is perfectly fine.

Was is too strong lighting. Can't be. It came from a 400Par system, and it now it 175-00 PAR glued location.

Bother was glued on Plug, by supplier. I never cut them off the Freshly cut Plug setting.

I now placed the surviving Drag on a Frag Rack, very low, and in corner to watch it.

The mysteries of reefing.
It might be stress from the move to new water parameters.
Those Carduus can be finicky.

 

[WallyB]

The mysteries of reefing.
It might be stress from the move to new water parameters.
Those Carduus can be finicky.

Mystery for sure.

If finicky.

The one that fell off the rock, got dragged across the glass bottom, got jammed under a rock is the one that made it.

Glad I took the new mounting photo, since I knew it fell, and knew where to find it.

 

[WallyB]

The Coral Box Jebao pumps are on sale at Reefbreeders.

Wave Makers - ReefBreeders.com

The ReefBreeders Reef Power RP series has 4 unique pump sizes to choose from. They are the perfect wave-maker for your aquarium.

www.reefbreeders.com

Hey @Fudsey ,

I took your advice.
Got rid of the Last Working Hydor Koralia in my SPS DT. Actually no more AC in my Tank, just heater in sump.

Got a Jebao SOW-8 (Black Friday Sale) You can see it (BIG ARROW) in the Photo where the Hydor Was.
With the Random Wave controller, it's not constant flow, and with all my 3 Jabao's on Random pulse the Tank is a bit more Random for sure.

Scooped up a Replacement BubbleGum Millie which I lost and really missed (thin arrow).
Two other New Frags that are visible (Top and left of the Turbinaria) (Yellow Acro and a Green Unique Shaped Acro)

There was a Strawberry Shortcake Ultra on Sale. Almost bought it, but toooooo risky in this tank.
Leaving that for my Dream Wish list, along with a Ice Fire Enchinata, or a Green Enchinata.

And that Green Circle is REALLY GOOD NEWS. My beloved PapiChulo is coming back.
Showing Fantastic PE again.

Actually I'm noticing improved PE on many of the Frags [New and Old] (Good Sign).
I've said that before, and then Messed things up!!!!

So....NOW it's TIME TO SEAL UP THE TANK. No changes. Hands out for as Long as I can!!

 

[WallyB]

LPS TANK ( DISCOVERY ) Coral Change Dynamics (Mystery Solved?)

This has been driving me crazy, and I actually posted a thread for help.

I just may have solved things now.

My LPS Kitchen Tank has been kind of changing.
LPS shrinking, Green Paly invasion dissapearaing (not complaining), and also the Shrooms were taking over.

I knew it had to be something with Lighting but I couldn't figure it out.

Today, I took a closer look.
Turns out a single T5 was failing (end of life), but every time I tested it would turn on.
So last few weeks I kept playing with Photo Period/Programming, since the Tank looked darker (in general).

Had all the T5's died, I would have noticed, but it was just a pair (and that pair took MANY minutes to fizzle out)
and My Kessil / XR30's at low settings was filling things in, so I never noticed any DARK OUTS.

As soon as I replaced the Faultly T5, (and the Pair came back on) the Tank looks like is used to.

No damage done, but things degraded.

Posting this Reference Photo's to see if the Lighting Fix has impact (and how).

 

[WallyB]

REFUGE UPGRADE (Filtration) & AQUAMON (Update)

I'll admit, I have a problem (Tinkering)…. However this time it's nothing Drastic, and should be beneficial.

The Refuge the Copperband is in had lousy flow.

Since I'm feeding the copperband, it will Accumulate waste. Which is contrary to what a Refuge should do.
Especially since my Refuge directly overflows into the Return Section of sump.

I won't be doing QT anymore since paying someone is just worth it (like I did for this Copperband Butterfly)
So I added the Filter I used for my 10 Gal QT.

Threw in some mature Matrix Bio-Media and some Purigen (which should also help with my High Nitrates).

As an Engineer, nothing is more satisfying than tinkering....

Without Tinkering in my blood....This AQUAmon Alk Monitor would never have been built.

All code INSTALLED, Systems (Configured, Calibrated and Dry-TESTED!! )
Tomorrow I'm hooking it up for a FIRST REAL (Wet) TEST.

I've been waiting a long time for this up coming moment!

1 mile to go!

 

[Fudsey]

Good luck on live test ! ! !

 

[Peach02]

Looking great. What are your future plans for the tank?

 

[WallyB]

Looking great. What are your future plans for the tank?

THanks. A nice future would be (Keeping SPS Alive for more than 6 months)
A dream come true would be 1 year.
Total Bliss would be raising a Colony from Frag.
Been trying all above for 4+ years with no luck.

 

[Peach02]

THanks. A nice future would be (Keeping SPS Alive for more than 6 months)
A dream come true would be 1 year.
Total Bliss would be raising a Colony from Frag.
Been trying all above for 4+ years with no luck.

it sucks that you have not had much success with them. I haven't looked through the build much and you have probably heard this already but I've heard keeping trace elements up, ph of 8.2 and stability with high alk and low but not too low nutrients is key

 

[WallyB]

PURIGEN ( Really Clears up Tank ) Better than Carbon (Since minimal impact on Trace Elements)

Opens up a little wiggle Room for Aminos.

About 24 hours and Wow, just like that big bag of Carbon I tried a week ago (and removed)
Purigen (3 teaspoons) did wonders overnight.

I also did some digging and contacted someone on R2R (with Old School Husbandry) .
He gave me a clue, on something I've successfully done for over 15 years, but recently (1+year) Abandoned (when I stupidly remove all the OLD bags from Both SUmps)

ChemiPure (Been around for 55 years)!!! I always used it. Bags would sit in my SUMP.
Wonderful product (Not the Blue , or Elite Version, the BASIC Version, which is hard to find (LFS like to sell the expensive ones) ).

It's a carbon/resing that polishes Tank Water, and Keeps PH up.
But as the bag ages, it become media for Bacteria, and you I would never remove all the OLD Bags at once.

I just ordered (Black Friday) a years supply, and going to get back into Using ChemiPure (BASIC).

I did read up that ChemiPure Elite (has GFO), and I already run GFO.
I did read up that ChemiPure BLUE (also has PURGEN).

So the ChemiPure Basic is exactly what I will get back into using.

 

[WallyB]

it sucks that you have not had much success with them. I haven't looked through the build much and you have probably heard this already but I've heard keeping trace elements up, ph of 8.2 and stability with high alk and low but not too low nutrients is key

For sure, all good targets. Done everything possible to do all that.
My failure has been making changes.
It's weird.
Whenever things go good, I get into the mentaility (Great...Let me now do something to make things Better).
Like last night, Last week, Last Month, Last year. (CHANGES/Improvements Galore!)

Like QT, I think I still haven't learned to get stable.

Hoping my Alk Monitor which is about to go Live will give me a chance to watch stability (and leave my tanks alone)

 

[WallyB]

AQUAmon (( ** IS ALIVE ** ) And Thirsty for Reagent !!

Amazing!!! Everything works perfectly on the Mechanics, Calibration, Positions, and Liquid Management.

All wet tests passed 100% (with just Tap Water) !!!

Time to get some (Real) Tank Water and Load up some (Real) Reagent.

and warm up the....VIDEO Camera!

 

[WallyB]

Kitchen LPS TANK ( Roaring back to Life ) AFTER T5 Fix


Only a couple days after I fixed the BROKEN T5 pair.... but I could tell walking into the Kitchen things were different already. (Better)

Most Happy with more lighting is the Bubble Tipped Anemone.

He's been moving around for the longest while (looking for a sunny spot), today, he/she looks like a Spread out Flat Pancake basking in the SUN.

 

[WallyB]

Of course, with Better lighting for BITA, means.....

Better Lighting for Invasive Green Palys.

Bubble Algae is also coming back, EVERYTHING GOOD & BAD.

I actually like the Green Palys, but only if they say contained (Which they don't)

 

[WallyB]

APATASIA CONTROL ( Plan B ) Copperband ??? (working on it)

Normally I should be thrilled I have a Eatting Copperband.

He loves Frozen (Mysis/Brine)...Begs for it.
And Just tonight he figured out the Masstick I kept dropping into his tank (on Shells).
I should call this Copperband a she, since she is sooo tiny and cute.

But I got the Copperband to control Aptasia. I haven't seen her/him touch one. Maybe she does behind my back at night.

Look at this Photo I just took. Perfect AD for Copperbands (eh?)
Look at all the Aptasia BEHIND the Copperband eating Masstick

COPPERBAND BUTTERFLY FISH
They will eat anything except your Aptasia

It's suppose to be the other way around!!​

Here is my PLAN B

A BERGHIA NUDIBRANCH.

https://www.advancedaquarist.com/2008/11/breeder

Local Store is getting a shipment next week. Just went on Pre-order sale.
Getting 4 of.
http://bigshowfrags.com/berghia-nudibranch-adult/

Pricey, but compared to what I spend on Liquid Aptasia-X, about the same. And Apt-X has caused Aptasia to multiply into a outbreak.

These Nudibrach's will muiltiply too. They ONLY EAT APTASIA. Nothing else.

I'm going to put the Berghi's into the Refuge, where they will multiply since small proximity. They will spread into DT/Sump and clean my whole system (and then die)

Then the Copperband will go into DT and can eat food with the other fish.

I actually pulled out my Algae Scrubber screen over weekend. It was totally covered in Aptasia (Disgusting, but cool). WISH I TOOK A PHOTO, but there is another screen in there.

Read up on them in two links above.

 

[Fudsey]

Check out https://saltyunderground.com/category/berghia-nudibranch For nudis