Time for an update!
I found a reefer in my area who was breaking down his tank in preparation for a cross-country move, and snagged some live rock and a bunch of corals (including a colony) for $30. When the rocks didn't look great with my existing setup I decided to change it up, take out the flat "shelf" piece I had in there (putting it aside for possible use down the line) and completely changed the aquascape in the tank.
Here's the result! Don't mind the graveyard of frags on the sand bed lol a rock fell on the new colony and broke a bunch of pieces off, took this pic before I had a chance to mount them on plugs. Let me know what you think!!
I'm hoping that the new structure will allow SPS's to get close enough to the light to prevent some of the issues I saw before (namely, slow death when parameters were all okay). Right now everything looks happy, parameters are in check and I'm feeling enthusiastic about the tank again!
I found a reefer in my area who was breaking down his tank in preparation for a cross-country move, and snagged some live rock and a bunch of corals (including a colony) for $30. When the rocks didn't look great with my existing setup I decided to change it up, take out the flat "shelf" piece I had in there (putting it aside for possible use down the line) and completely changed the aquascape in the tank.
Here's the result! Don't mind the graveyard of frags on the sand bed lol a rock fell on the new colony and broke a bunch of pieces off, took this pic before I had a chance to mount them on plugs. Let me know what you think!!
I'm hoping that the new structure will allow SPS's to get close enough to the light to prevent some of the issues I saw before (namely, slow death when parameters were all okay). Right now everything looks happy, parameters are in check and I'm feeling enthusiastic about the tank again!