Finally - Reef tank started after 6 years

[KJ]

Great looking tank

 

[Abhishek]

FTS . Not a nice one but still shows a little how the tank is shaping up .
Getting some wrasses soon to increase the bioload.



Regards,
Abhishek

 

[Abhishek]

8 months and things have changed drastically but slowly.

• Light has been replaced with a bigger 20 inch reflector from hamilton with 2 reefbrite led strips running for 8 hours on halide and 10 hours for reefbrite leds. Still using Radium...
• Flow has been increased to 2 x Tunze 6095, 1 Tunze 6105, 1 Icecap gyre and 1 Tunze 6040 with a seaswirl connected to my red dragon return pump.
• Skimmer has been replaced with a Bubble King DC 150 .
• Started ATI essentials and no water change done for 2 months and things looking good still..
• Removed all GFO and carbon and let my bubbleking keep the water clean.
• K.I.S.S method makes my life easier and my corals too.
• Fish wise - have a trio of randalls anthias, 1 charlenae anthias (very aggressive), blue star leopard, black onyx clown pair, carpenter's flasher wrasse and a solor fairy wrasse.
• Still looking to add a trio of Halichoeres Melasmapomas or Iridis or Rubricephalous

1. Alk is solid at 7.4-7.5 (measured 3 times a day) . Nitrates are high around 16 and phosphates around 0.08 - 0.1.
2. Little algae .
3. Biggest issue is with aiptasias which need to be stopped. Will try peppermint shrimps and then may be berghia nudis.

Started minimal maintenance except for changing filter socks and draining skimmer cup.

Tank is almost 90% acros mostly from @WWC , @Battlecorals and @Big E and others. Can't say enough good things about these people and their livestocks. Makes my job as a hobbyist almost too easy to keep acroporas.
THANKS YOU GUYS !!!

Time for a crappy cell shot :-

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[Centerline]

Awesome tank man. Those Radium's grow the heck out of coral and look beautiful.

 

[Abhishek]

Awesome tank man. Those Radium's grow the heck out of coral and look beautiful.

Radiums do make the corals color like nothing else . Literally the old classic acros like Oregon Torts and Purple Monster are nothing like they look in leds .
Growth might be increased with a Ushio or other lower kelvin bulbs but color is off the charts ..

There's something about the halide that adds a different dimension to acros .

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[Maritimer]

Tank is looking good . . . . great combination of forms and (brilliant!) colors.

~Bruce

 

[Abhishek]

Tank is looking good . . . . great combination of forms and (brilliant!) colors.

~Bruce

Thanks Bruce and glad you liked it

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[Anirban]

Looking nice...take care of those aiptasia asap.

 

[Abhishek]

Looking nice...take care of those aiptasia asap.

Well they have increased crazily as am someone who doesn't want to touch the reef if it's doing good .
Got a few peppermint shrimps today which have been eating aiptasia .

Will see how they do before jumping on the guns with nudis

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[KJoFan]

Holy moly you have a ton of flow! I've only got 2x 6095's in a 32x24x20 tank and they aren't even running at 50%...am I running too low?

Good to see the elusive tank finally.

 

[Abhishek]

Holy moly you have a ton of flow! I've only got 2x 6095's in a 32x24x20 tank and they aren't even running at 50%...am I running too low?

Good to see the elusive tank finally.

I followed Austin , WWC and Jason Fox and they all claim stable water chemistry and high flow are the secrets to acros - much more than lights .
I still think my flow is not enough as fishes are not yet pinned against the glass .
We can never replicate the immense flow that nature provides .. it's just a fraction of what should be I think .

Someday I have enough money , the only equipments are I wanna buy are 3 Panta Rhei ECM 42 .. they are the holy grail of propeller pumps for reefs

@KJoFan - you should come home sometime to see in person

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[Anirban]

Well they have increased crazily as am someone who doesn't want to touch the reef if it's doing good .
Got a few peppermint shrimps today which have been eating aiptasia .

Will see how they do before jumping on the guns with nudis

Regards,
Abhishek

I recently reset my tank after a heavy infestation. If they go crazy then berghia will not work as they go slow.

 

[KJoFan]

I followed Austin , WWC and Jason Fox and they all claim stable water chemistry and high flow are the secrets to acros - much more than lights .
I still think my flow is not enough as fishes are not yet pinned against the glass .
We can never replicate the immense flow that nature provides .. it's just a fraction of what should be I think .

Someday I have enough money , the only equipments are I wanna buy are 3 Panta Rhei ECM 42 .. they are the holy grail of propeller pumps for reefs

@KJoFan - you should come home sometime to see in person

Regards,
Abhishek

I will probably work to increase the flow, but I need to remove some sand first or there will be a mountain against the back!

 

[ViciousDlishus]

How do you find the fish are with the minimalist aquascape? Are there any aggression issues or lack of hiding spots?

 

[Abhishek]

How do you find the fish are with the minimalist aquascape? Are there any aggression issues or lack of hiding spots?

Excellant point !! Yes , unfortunately there is aggression mainly from the charlenae anthias towards the fairy and flasher wrasses and between the fairy and flasher .
But they get along ok as I don't add fishes often - may be once in few months and slowly they get along with each other.

 

[Reefersutherland_]

Well the Goldilocks was a toast .

But the rest are doing good . From left PC Rainbow , Grape Juice and BC Secale



And here's the forest fire digitata - still orange .. hope it gets red once it settles



Let me know what you guys think ..

Regards,
Abhishek

I would not put sps in the sand. Theres bacteria is the sand that acros and other hard corals arent used to because they usually grow on rocks up on the reef

 

[Abhishek]

I would not put sps in the sand. Theres bacteria is the sand that acros and other hard corals arent used to because they usually grow on rocks up on the reef

That's like 8 months back !!! But I have never found any issues with aquacultured acros on sand bed

 

[Big E]

Nice progress Abhishek.........I really like your aquascape.

Nice pop in those colors!

 

[Abhishek]

Nice progress Abhishek.........I really like your aquascape.

Nice pop in those colors!

Really appreciate your feedback . It wouldn't have been possible without your help and the amazing frags you have sent me .
Can't recommend you enough to enough to anyone looking for the best in class acros .

Regards,
Abhishek

 

[Abhishek]

Today's update with the tank . Things looking pretty much good . Ofcoarse I have algae - same cyano, hair as everyone does . Measured my phophates and nitrates and after 3 readings with 2 different test kits - I decided NO MORE TESTING of nutrients .

Its heart breaking to see numbers and more confusing as the numbers reflect nothing on the coral colors and growth.

Decided to start relying solely on how corals look to decide if I want to change anything .

Nitrates at 30 and PO4 at 0.2. No GFO or carbon . Only bubble king and lots and lots of food for my fishes .

Flow is pretty high with 2 Tunze 6095s, 1 6055, 1 6105 running at 100% and 1 seaswirl connected to my return . Increased radium hours from 8 to 11 over the coarse of a month and many browned out acros started showing wayyy more colors.

Regards,
Abhishek