[emoji305]SkyHiggh Reef and SPS Dreams (lots of New Photos)[emoji305]

[SKYHIGGh]

Did you ever pull your filter socks? I do not use them or any filter pads. I let the detritus collect and my nitrates still have stayed between 1-2ppm. I will throw in a couple of filter pads for a day when I blow off the rocks and barebottom, but that is it.

Yea I ended up doing the same pulled all sock filters and media pads.
I have not noticed any extra nutrients in tank since doing so. But I do run carbon 24/7 and zeolites in media reactor.
I usually blow rocks off the day of water change witch I do monthly now.
I also run my gyre at 100% both ways 6 seconds forward 2 seconds backwards and it pulls a lot out of the rocks
A lot does build up In bottom of back chamber though. And my copod population has really exploded and sponges as well. So they must be eating it up since its free floating so to speak. But happy to not have to clean them it was a fair trade

 

[SKYHIGGh]

 

[SKYHIGGh]

Water change day today!

Alk before change 7.7
Cal before change 485

Swapped out zeo lites and carbon up the dosage about 30% since I did see a very very small patch of GHA it’s been 1.5 years since I’ve seen any so definitely on the look out now. Also out the mj1200 on the aquatop media reactor and the carbon is loving it!

Moved the gyre and ran it in vinegar water what a smell!!! I have never smelled anything in my tank like this gyre!

 

[SKYHIGGh]

 

[Murr7]

Found this thread thanks for all the aquaforest info. I will be along for the ride. Tank looks great!

 

[SKYHIGGh]

Found this thread thanks for all the aquaforest info. I will be along for the ride. Tank looks great!

Thanks I appreciate it and just sharing what I know as we all do

 

[SKYHIGGh]

Went ahead and removed the mangroves from my tank as they were dying. Lasted 1 year more or less wild picked here in key largo. Great look for the tank will eventually go and get more.

I think the zeolites are just sucking up the nutrients in the tank and nothing left for them.

Balling method works very well all of my levels stay very stable now that it’s been a while running the aquaforest method. It’s very simple I have yet to have to buffer anything zero algae with zeolites and skimmer combo crystal clear water with carbon and I only test alk regularly and adjust from there.

Alk 7.8 long ways away from 15+ a few months back came down and stayed stable like a champ. I do think colors are better around 8.5 on my montis but I really want a nice sps pack soon so going to stay in this 7.8 range plus or minus .2 day and night.


Doser #4 not really working so thinking maybe I need a new one.

Things I need

New skimmer K1 ice cap
Hanna salinity tester
Hanna ulm phos
New doser
Clip for taking pictures


New stand help

Any one have experience in stand plans? That could help me so that way I could take them to Home Depot to be cut?

Tank shot moved some stuff around

 

[SKYHIGGh]

Went ahead and placed an order for some nice “High end zoa “ single poloyp frags lol excited and hopeful lol

Picked up a

Pink diamond Frag
Space chaos Frag
And nebula Frag

Can’t wait for Tuesday going to add them to the center rock with the others to fill the zoa garden section going to place all three in top left corner more or less of pic

 

[SKYHIGGh]

And the frags have arrived super happy. I did ask for signature so it would not be left outside but of course they left it on door step. Only out side for about 10 min before I noticed email.

Advertised as rare high end single polyp frags

RR Pink diamonds zoa
BigR space choas paly
Nebula paly

I received way more than single polyps especially surprising for how much these go for on here.

Pink diamond is beautiful true pink center and semi gold or yellow greenish skirt came with two polyps

The space choas what can I say it’s been a few min but wow the colors are crazy super happy it’s definitely coming off plug and getting glued to the rock came with 4 polyps

Nebula I think looks like a def version of space choose but skirt is a little different but just as stunning 3 polyps

Hopefully these grow out well and will help fund future tank stuff as a semi experimental investment. I don’t want to sell coral per say but it would be nice if I could also get the hobby to supplement its own cost!

 

[SKYHIGGh]

Seems like after speaking seller and sending pics I got a double order of the space chaos gonna keep it and try and trade it locally instead of going through a mission for refunds and what not

 

[SKYHIGGh]

Going to trade the bigger frag with someone local for some bowser zoa a cherry tree monti and one other item non reef related lol works out

 

[NY_Caveman]

Loving all these these Montipora!

 

[SKYHIGGh]

Loving all these these Montipora!

Thanks there getting pretty big.


My grafted sunfire unfortunately having issues had started to redceed had to Frag it in hopes of saving it

 

[SKYHIGGh]

The big three have been mounted!! Zoa garden in full effect


Add the bowser,space chaos and pink diamond to rock work. Going to let them grow out into the rock work with rest of zoas.

Want to add three more kinds of zoas and I’ll be good on them. Rasta, Utter chaos and electric Umpaloompas lol

So been holding alk at 7.5ish for past month really it was a goal to hit that number but honestly I don’t think my Montis or clam or corals like it. I’m losing my grafted cap my clam has not had much new growth and my seasons greetings it’s not as dark green as normal. I’m going to bring it back up to 8 but shoot for 8.5 as my base number. I am proud that I was able to dail my alk In with the aquaforest program I can almost 9/10 guess my alk from hanna at this point. Tank is up too 10Ml per day sounds small but is double my original dosage and down 7dkh from when I started program.

So bad news I’m starting to see GHA.. it’s on the Gyre and a very small patch on a rock I’m going to pull it today. only thing that has changed it I pulled the mangroves from my tank crazy that they were really working when I thought they were not. Going to order a hanna phos checker this week.

So I’m 100% this weekend coming up placing an order for a biota Mandarin Goby most likely a female.

Any one have any experience with them? It’s a $100 dollar fish so any help would be appreciated.

FTS

 

[SKYHIGGh]

Water change today

Gyre cleaned

Alk 7.9 11Ml Pd 123+
Cal 479 11Ml Pd

 

[SKYHIGGh]

 

[SKYHIGGh]

So going to add my last set of corals for a while.

Wife is not happy lol

I ordered an 11 pack of sps frags [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] she’s not impressed to say the least. But I got some gems

Pink lemonade
Red Robin
Paletta pink tip
Garf bonsai
Blueberry wine knockOff
Oregon tort
JKR Rainbow
Incredible Hulk
Purple tip Aussie
Miyagi Tort
Blue Stag

Also going to grab a 5lb box of stax rocks to add and make something cool so I can place all these frags and the torch coral

Where I’m going to build

Super excited for Tuesday Am

 

[SKYHIGGh]

So I know I said no more lol

But I could not help but one more! Last Frag coming in for a while this one is getting dropped off at work tommarow

Walt Disney Acro

Plus 11 more coming Tuesday!

I’m super excited!!!

Let’s see what aquaforest can really do!

 

[SKYHIGGh]

Walt Disney on the ride home!!!!

Can’t wait to see what she does. Going to place it at the highest point in tank and hopefully she grows into my crown jewel lol

 

[SKYHIGGh]

Went ahead and mounted her right in her spot! Looking good already has PE extension nice gray base and yellow polyps like I see in pics she’s a keeper lol

Hopefully she will thrive.

11 more sps frags Tuesday someone chime in this is exciting!