120 peninsula build

[jsker]

Yeah it's amazing that I got all those pieces to fit together into two islands the first time around. I swore when starting this tank that I would not change the aquascape. This is the first and only exception. I will not move the rocks again.

LOL

 

[fragit]

Looks good wish u the best of luck with ur water chem. Things will turn around.

Thanks, my parameters have been really stable for about a month now. For the last week or so my Heliopora has had its polyps extended day and night. I find this an interesting sign. While using the AF supplements and balling components it rarely showed any PE. I'm hoping things are turning around finally.

 

[Fudsey]

Hey @fragit , How's the tank doing?

 

[fragit]

Hey @fragit , How's the tank doing?

Still chugging along. Been doing my regular maintenance and still sort of struggling. Only corals from Christmas that are still here are my monti caps, and the BC Secale is still hanging on by a thread. I need to get my nitrates up still I think. Not sure what is going on. I think the AF is pretty much out of the system as my Heliopora is growing well, and has had it's polyps extended pretty much day and night for a few weeks now. My parameters are really stable with the exception on my nitrates. I get them up with stump remover and then they drop again. I checked on Sunday and they were at 1.5-2ppm today they were at 0ppm, so I added 90mL of Spectraside, and removed a good bit of Chaeto. My Season's greetings monti seems to be making a strong come back though. My birthday was last week, and got a pretty big cash haul so I'm going to get some fish and a few other items. Thinking about getting a Milwaukee PH monitor, I hate the PH test kits I have, I also need a digital scale for my CP for the QT tank. I think I may try and add some corals again. Looking locally for some cheap frags on my local forums, farm, and LFS. I miss the days where I could call up a fellow reefer and go by with 40-50 bucks and walk away with 6-10 sps frags. Up here in Maine it is harder to hook up with people, than it was say 6 years ago. There is a guy here that runs an aquarium maintance business who also does retail fish, and a coral farm. I just found this guy after 5 years of me being out of the hobby. He QTs all fish for 3 weeks does hypo and treats with CP. So trying to get some pricing from him. As far as my tank goes, I'm just trying to be patient and take thinks slow right now.

 

[justingraham]

Hey why don't ya save up for a controller? For the ph I mean

 

[fragit]

Hey why don't ya save up for a controller? For the ph I mean

Since the baby came we have hospital bills to pay (all our tax money) and daycare to pay for. I've been tossing the idea around in my head, and I don't really want to take the hands on approach away from my reef. I want to stay and engaged with it as I can. I have been thinking about getting a reefkeeper but with the capabilities of other controllers that seems like a bit of a waste. I would just be using to track PH and Temp, and I can spend $90 and get a PH monitor versus $130 for the RK or $240 for the old Apex. I wouldn't be able to afford what I really want (Profilux) for quite a while. So I would rather work within my budget for what I need and want. I need more live stock in my tank, and want to better monitor my PH. Other than that I don't have a lot of use for a fancy controller right now. But it is something I'm still thinking about and would like in the future. Right now I just really want/need more life in my tank. I'm old school never had a controller, or a doser(until this tank) and don't mind testing my water and tracking the results manually.

 

[Chriscrna]

Just a thought, but do you think your corals may have been nutrient deficient?

And do you have access to a PAR meter?

 

[fragit]

@Chriscrna My system was definitely nutrient deficient, hence dosing the stump remover. I had my par readings done when I first set up the tank. I have not had them read since, but I've lowered my rock work and dimmed my lights a bit.

 

[Chriscrna]

Have you actually checked your PAR?

 

[fragit]

Have you actually checked your PAR?

Not since I set up the tank. I've been thinking about getting a Lux meter. Why what are your thoughts about PAR?

 

[Chriscrna]

Light is the only major variable you left unmeasured. You may have inadvertently either over lit or under lit your coral. Light intensity is definitely something you should never guess at, especially when dealing with LED's and acropora.

Lux meters do a poor job reading the blue and red wavelengths. IMO, a PAR meter is preferable because they can "sense and report light ('photons' or 'quanta') that is responsible for promoting photosynthesis. Technically, this is described as those light wavelengths that are between 400 nanometers (nm) and 700nm." Dana Riddle, Advanced Aquarist, 2/08

I don't do any placement without checking PAR. Our club owns 2 PAR meters, one of which is the brand new Apogee MQ-510, and it is awesome. Of all the tools and supplies the East TN Reef Club has available to its members, the PAR meters are far and away the most utilized throughout the club.

Sanjay Joshi wrote a 5 part series entitled "Facts of Light" for Reefkeeping Magazine. It is EXTREMELY informative and helpful. I think every reef hobbyist should familiarize themselves with its content.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/author/sj.php

Again, light may not be the culprit, but it would be worth investigating.

 

[Chriscrna]

I went back and re-read your initial PAR measurements. It's kind of hard to believe that your PAR was only 400 at the surface from 12 inches up with all channels at 100%. In fact, I don't believe that one bit.

My Ocean Revive T247's are 15 inches off the water. Channel 1 (blue) is at 90% and Channel 2 (full spec) is at 47%. Not sure what my surface PAR is, but the PAR on my "acro ledge" is 450.....and it's about 6 or 7 inches below the surface.

 

[fragit]

I went back and re-read your initial PAR measurements. It's kind of hard to believe that your PAR was only 400 at the surface from 12 inches up with all channels at 100%. In fact, I don't believe that one bit.

My Ocean Revive T247's are 15 inches off the water. Channel 1 (blue) is at 90% and Channel 2 (full spec) is at 47%. Not sure what my surface PAR is, but the PAR on my "acro ledge" is 450.....and it's about 6 or 7 inches below the surface.

That is interesting about your lighting. Well the only par meter available that I know is is the one at the LFS who came and did my original readings. They charged me $45 to come to my house. I'm not sure it would be worth it to have them come again. I can't afford one and the next best thing is a LUX meter. I will ask around anybody has one. We don't have a reefclub up here. Your very fortunate to have such a great club.

 

[fragit]

I added a few Corals yesterday! A guy up here decided to get out of the hobby so I bought some of his SPS and LPS pieces. So far so good @Chriscrna! I also ordered a few fish from a local aquarium maintenance shop. I have 3 chalk bass, and an ornate leopard Wrasse. After they arrive they will go through a 3 week QT and trained to eat frozen food. Frags I picked up I believe are. A blue green tort, a mille, some purple flesh green polyp montipora, a green slimer(maybe), unknown deep water acro(I was told) and a super man/kryptonite monti. Then a blue frog spawn and a wall hammer. All were dipped in bayer (first time I ever did this) for 10 minutes, then rinsed 4-5 times and put on new plugs.

 

[justingraham]

Looking good buddy

 

[Rhinohorn420]

I added a few Corals yesterday! A guy up here decided to get out of the hobby so I bought some of his SPS and LPS pieces. So far so good @Chriscrna! I also ordered a few fish from a local aquarium maintenance shop. I have 3 chalk bass, and an ornate leopard Wrasse. After they arrive they will go through a 3 week QT and trained to eat frozen food. Frags I picked up I believe are. A blue green tort, a mille, some purple flesh green polyp montipora, a green slimer(maybe), unknown deep water acro(I was told) and a super man/kryptonite monti. Then a blue frog spawn and a wall hammer. All were dipped in bayer (first time I ever did this) for 10 minutes, then rinsed 4-5 times and put on new plugs.

What is the green one. Bottom left

 

[Chriscrna]

Hopefully this round of frags will do better

 

[fragit]

Hopefully this round of frags will do better

So far so good Chris. I got my nitrates up around 16 and phosphate around 0.01 so I'm close to the Redfield Ratio. I took my phosphate minus out yesterday and changed out my carbon. So far everything is looking good. I still have 4 frags from "The Christmas Debacle" and I can see improvement. The BC Secale is showing a little bit of polyps and the Monti Forest Fire I got from Adam is showing some improvement as well. My two monti caps from Cultivated Reef are starting to show improvement also. I'm hoping things will continue to improve!

 

[fragit]

What is the green one. Bottom left

I'm not sure if the name. The guy I bought it from was not into SPS. It was a pretty nice colony that he broke that branch from. I will try and get a better pic and get an ID from some one. It's polyps are really big for an SPS. And the Mille I'm starting to think is a sunset Mille as it's got some red on the tip and coralites.

 

[SD_Reefing]

Just looked at your build, very impressive and inspirational