Angry Upgrade 120 to 230 Peninsula!

[powers2001]

Anyone remember me? Here are some progress pictures on what you missed. Left picture is March 21st and right was yesterday.

Wow @AngryOwl considerable growth for 2-1/2 months!! Do you have a dipping procedure and have you ever dealt with coral pests?

 

[AngryOwl]

Wow @AngryOwl considerable growth for 2-1/2 months!! Do you have a dipping procedure and have you ever dealt with coral pests?

I haven't dealt with a crazy amount of pest to be honest. I think earlier in this build thread I found some flatworms on a torch but that ended up not really being a big thing. I've always at vertimid snails around as well but haven't done anything about them. My dip routine consists of coral rx or bayer, just depends on what I'm in the mood for. I swap all old nasty plugs as well. Thorough rinse and right into their final resting spot - no acclimation or placing on bottom of the tank.

Thanks for the comments!

 

[AngryOwl]

Busy weekend with the tank, added new rock, installed a UV, cleaned all powerheads and the skimmer, and got a 24 sps pack. Everything is looking good so far, I'll take some pictures tonight!

 

[powers2001]

Busy weekend with the tank, added new rock, installed a UV, cleaned all powerheads and the skimmer, and got a 24 sps pack. Everything is looking good so far, I'll take some pictures tonight!

@AngryOwl wow is that a granite top for your stand?

 

[AngryOwl]

@AngryOwl wow is that a granite top for your stand?

Quartz to be exact

 

[KJones90s]

I still haven't learned enough lessons about not quarantining fish.

That is going to be my next salt water addition is a decent 20 gallon quarantine tank.

Do you have any issues at all with your current tank?

I ended up ordering a fluval 13.5 for my quarantine tank. Great small tank for watching your fish. I actually put it in my bedroom for nighttime viewing

 

[AngryOwl]

I ended up ordering a fluval 13.5 for my quarantine tank. Great small tank for watching your fish. I actually put it in my bedroom for nighttime viewing

That was a throw back post - you have a lot to catch up on ;Playful

 

[KJones90s]

That was a throw back post - you have a lot to catch up on ;Playful

Yea man, I realized that as soon as I posted

 

[AngryOwl]

Here's a few bad picture examples of what I got.

 

[Scurvy]

Anyone remember me? Here are some progress pictures on what you missed. Left picture is March 21st and right was yesterday.

Well look at you grow!!

Moving along nicely bud! And thats a heck of a “frag” pack.... I may need to find your connect!

 

[AngryOwl]

Well look at you grow!!

Moving along nicely bud! And thats a heck of a “frag” pack.... I may need to find your connect!

Buying local allowed them to be a bit bigger but he does ship! Let me know if you're interested

 

[AngryOwl]

So I've been thinking about something since I added my coral pack.... general 'acclimation'. I am not one to do anything fancy when it comes to acclimation, I float, dip if necessary and add them to the spot I want them. However, I know some people go through the process to float, dip, then place in a rack or sand bed (area of lower light).

Does that even make sense though? You took a coral out of its stable home environment and your first step is to place it in the sump and float, let's say your tank is 78 degree... the coral now matches after a bit. Then you start your dip which can be a 15-20 min process using water in small tubs sitting a room temp... the whole time getting cooler depending on your room. Then you place them into a lower light scenario. Maybe they got 350 par and you put them into 75-100 on a rack or sand bed.... plus the temperature change of adding them after the dip... then you're going to slowly raise them in light intensity over a few days, weeks?

This process seems pretty stressful to me. I'm only a few days into this pack and they could all dissolve tomorrow but let me take you on their journey with no negative effects so far....

They came from a tank running 300-400 par, 78 degrees, lower nutrients (NO3/PO4), and 8.5-9.5 alk. I temp acclimated for about 2 hours or so while I did some work and didn't dip because I know the system they came from, so I unpacked them and placed them into the spot I wanted them in the tank. My tank runs 8.0 alk as of yesterday, 8.5 at the time of adding... 450-700 par, 82-83 degrees, and high nutrients (50ppm NO3, .5 PO4). All of those immediate changes occurred but a few days later no 'current' signs of issues... and this is how I've added my other frags as well.

I don't know what my major point here is but I'm not a fan of drip acclimation for coral or fish. True acclimation takes weeks, not 45 min... It seems more stressful to put a coral into less light rather than what it is use to.
Whats your take on this? According to all the hobby rules, those corals should be melted by now.

 

[Scurvy]

I’m with you for the most part... Not so much on the higher nutrients but acclimation process when I’m confident in the source for sure. Float for A couple/three hours while I do other things then plop n drop. Frag rack only when I’m tight on time otherwise glued right to the rock. We know nobody selling SPS has them in 75-100par. Unless you‘re cooking at 500+ Or there was some other extenuating circumstance I feel like a frag rack is detrimental.

 

[AngryOwl]

I’m with you for the most part... Not so much on the higher nutrients but acclimation process when I’m confident in the source for sure. Float for A couple/three hours while I do other things then plop n drop. Frag rack only when I’m tight on time otherwise glued right to the rock. We know nobody selling SPS has them in 75-100par. Unless you‘re cooking at 500+ Or there was some other extenuating circumstance I feel like a frag rack is detrimental.

Yea I think that is my biggest issue. The premise you have to give them less light (less food essentially) after adding them makes no sense. The NO3/PO4 thing for me is a coincidence but people say its suppose to brown your corals, I'm just here waiting to see what happens ;Playful

 

[powers2001]

So I've been thinking about something since I added my coral pack.... general 'acclimation'. I am not one to do anything fancy when it comes to acclimation, I float, dip if necessary and add them to the spot I want them. However, I know some people go through the process to float, dip, then place in a rack or sand bed (area of lower light).

Does that even make sense though? You took a coral out of its stable home environment and your first step is to place it in the sump and float, let's say your tank is 78 degree... the coral now matches after a bit. Then you start your dip which can be a 15-20 min process using water in small tubs sitting a room temp... the whole time getting cooler depending on your room. Then you place them into a lower light scenario. Maybe they got 350 par and you put them into 75-100 on a rack or sand bed.... plus the temperature change of adding them after the dip... then you're going to slowly raise them in light intensity over a few days, weeks?

This process seems pretty stressful to me. I'm only a few days into this pack and they could all dissolve tomorrow but let me take you on their journey with no negative effects so far....

They came from a tank running 300-400 par, 78 degrees, lower nutrients (NO3/PO4), and 8.5-9.5 alk. I temp acclimated for about 2 hours or so while I did some work and didn't dip because I know the system they came from, so I unpacked them and placed them into the spot I wanted them in the tank. My tank runs 8.0 alk as of yesterday, 8.5 at the time of adding... 450-700 par, 82-83 degrees, and high nutrients (50ppm NO3, .5 PO4). All of those immediate changes occurred but a few days later no 'current' signs of issues... and this is how I've added my other frags as well.

I don't know what my major point here is but I'm not a fan of drip acclimation for coral or fish. True acclimation takes weeks, not 45 min... It seems more stressful to put a coral into less light rather than what it is use to.
Whats your take on this? According to all the hobby rules, those corals should be melted by now.

@AngryOwl checkout this acclimator. Attaches to the inside of your tank and does a drip acclimation while it’s there so temperature is constant. Do a YouTube search for a video on it.

AccliMate by Reef Gently

Acclimate, transport, trap and isolate your fish, corals and anemones easily and conveniently with the AccliMate from Reef Gently. Available in 1/2 Gallon and 1.75 Gallon sizes to accommodate small or larger fish and corals Patent-pending design to automatically acclimate at a certain speed for...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[AngryOwl]

@AngryOwl checkout this acclimator. Attaches to the inside of your tank and does a drip acclimation while it’s there so temperature is constant. Do a YouTube search for a video on it.

AccliMate by Reef Gently

Acclimate, transport, trap and isolate your fish, corals and anemones easily and conveniently with the AccliMate from Reef Gently. Available in 1/2 Gallon and 1.75 Gallon sizes to accommodate small or larger fish and corals Patent-pending design to automatically acclimate at a certain speed for...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

That would be good for fish, I still think its way too long though, if your salinity is decently close and you temp acclimate you shouldn't have an issue with a healthy fish. Also that box is crazy expensive with bad reviews ;Hilarious

 

[AngryOwl]

Pictures of the frag pack:

 

[AngryOwl]

Overdue Video Update. Quick rundown on the system and then a look at every coral.

 

[AngryOwl]

So I haven't been able to get a phosphates reading because my hanna tops at 200ppb (.613ppm). So today I decided to do a dilution test with 50% rodi water. Results were 194ppb which equals .595ppm... and then we multiply by 2 ;Hilarious So my tank has been running at 1.2ppm phosphates for most likely 2 weeks.

I added that new rock 3 weeks ago and it wasn't cured and came out of a nasty tank I broke down, so none of this is unexpected but hilarious.

The video above was taken yesterday so you can see for yourself how the tank is doing with that high of phosphates... either way I'm working to bring them down with some phosphate-rx and reduced feeding while that rock cures.

 

[AngryOwl]

My new pickle jar reactor!