Jake’s 40 Gal. To Freedom (mixed 40 breeder build)

[Acros]

Received my Milwaukee digital refractometer and I love it! Seems to be very consistent and very easy to use. Because I was interested I did test all my calibration fluids. My old fluid that came with my brs refractometer was really high. The pinpoint looked slightly high. And the brightwells slightly low. I took some photos of the readings.

How much did the 1.025 liquid included with Milwaukee read for you? I had two Milwaukees and both read 1.027

 

[jk_s124]

How much did the 1.025 liquid included with Milwaukee read for you? I had two Milwaukees and both read 1.025

How much did the 1.025 liquid included with Milwaukee read for you? I had two Milwaukees and both read 1.027

I bought an open box Milwaukee that did not have any 1.025 liquid with it.

 

[jk_s124]

Things seem to be doing much better now that my salinity is back to a normal level. Corals are gaining a lot of color and growth has really picked up again. Every few days I’ve been bringing over another coral or two from the biocube. I think I have a pretty good idea of the few corals I want to add and where I want to put them. I want to add two torches, one or two euphilias, a gonipora, a few more zoas, and a jack o lantern leptoseris. I also want to replace my thin branched birds nest with a Pink Floyd acro.

 

[Lazydayz]

Coming along nicely! That candy cane colony fills that spot beautifully!!!

 

[jk_s124]

Thanks! It’s a nice full colony. I’m lucky to be able to plug in some nice full peace’s from the start.

 

[jk_s124]

Well. It’s been about a month and things are going pretty well. I have a bit of a cyano outbreak, but nothing out of the norm for a young tank. My corals, though, seem to be adjusting my well. I finally have all my lights moved over. I was lucky enough to be able to borrow an apogee from a local reefer. Super easy to use and soooooo nice to know I’m not cooking my corals. Anyways... I have lots hopes and dreams for this little rectangle....and so far I’m happy. I have a about 3 acros I want to add and a couple of euphylias and maybe a goniporia and a gorgonia. And........pics

 

[fishguy242]

hi,looking great...love the lavender trumpets..
i do see a problem with that chalice though...??
piece of it needs to be in my tank..

 

[jk_s124]

Thanks! @fishguy242

 

[jk_s124]

hi,looking great...love the lavender trumpets..
i do see a problem with that chalice though...??
piece of it needs to be in my tank..

The trumpets are a colony I’m very proud of.

Started from 6 heads about 3 years ago.

 

[jk_s124]

It really feels wonderful when you have a small colony or frag of something and you are able to grow it into a large colony. You learn a lot about the exponential growth of corals. One head splits into to two or a frag doubles in size is insignificant in the beginning, but after awhile it starts to really matter.

 

[RobB'z Reef]

Well. It’s been about a month and things are going pretty well. I have a bit of a cyano outbreak, but nothing out of the norm for a young tank. My corals, though, seem to be adjusting my well. I finally have all my lights moved over. I was lucky enough to be able to borrow an apogee from a local reefer. Super easy to use and soooooo nice to know I’m not cooking my corals. Anyways... I have lots hopes and dreams for this little rectangle....and so far I’m happy. I have a about 3 acros I want to add and a couple of euphylias and maybe a goniporia and a gorgonia. And........pics

Looking amazing brother! Love the progression!

 

[RobB'z Reef]

The trumpets are a colony I’m very proud of.

Started from 6 heads about 3 years ago.

I love those too!! You were too kind to let me have a slice of those.

 

[jk_s124]

Looking amazing brother! Love the progression!

Thanks man! Let me know when your back in town.

 

[jk_s124]

I love those too!! You were too kind to let me have a slice of those.

‘Twas nothing good sir!

 

[RobB'z Reef]

Thanks man! Let me know when your back in town.

Beers are required... Been too long, we need to ditch the old ladies tho lol

 

[jk_s124]

Beers are required... Been too long, we need to ditch the old ladies tho lol

I like!

 

[Lowlandreef]

I'm a little late to the thread, but your tank is looking great! So awesome how you build your stand, it is very pretty. Your matching ato/controller cabinet is super nice as well. Very unlucky about the two tank leaks though, that must have been quite the journey.

Your SPS are so beautiful, I'm also a little jealous of that trumpet colony!
I might have missed it in the thread, but what does your sump look like?

 

[jk_s124]

I'm a little late to the thread, but your tank is looking great! So awesome how you build your stand, it is very pretty. Your matching ato/controller cabinet is super nice as well. Very unlucky about the two tank leaks though, that must have been quite the journey.

Your SPS are so beautiful, I'm also a little jealous of that trumpet colony!
I might have missed it in the thread, but what does your sump look like?

Thanks for the compliments! Things are really starting to click. I say that hoping to not jynx myself. I was battling low nutrients and cyano and dino patches. I have since started dosing aminos and polyp labs polyp booster, and I have seen and immediate and dramatic affect on coral color and growth. Also on measurable nutrients. I’m hoping I can now level that off and keep things running well. As for the sump, I’ll post a picture tomorrow. It’s Berlin style. Big skimmer and no refugium. I have a media cup with filter pads and filter floss instead of filter socks. Easier in my opinion to change more frequently. I have some ideas on how to supply my system with enough pods for a mandarin in about a year. I’ll post on that later. And I really mean it, your tank looks phenomenal! Well done!

 

[Lowlandreef]

Thanks for the compliments! Things are really starting to click. I say that hoping to not jynx myself. I was battling low nutrients and cyano and dino patches. I have since started dosing aminos and polyp labs polyp booster, and I have seen and immediate and dramatic affect on coral color and growth. Also on measurable nutrients. I’m hoping I can now level that off and keep things running well. As for the sump, I’ll post a picture tomorrow. It’s Berlin style. Big skimmer and no refugium. I have a media cup with filter pads and filter floss instead of filter socks. Easier in my opinion to change more frequently. I have some ideas on how to supply my system with enough pods for a mandarin in about a year. I’ll post on that later. And I really mean it, your tank looks phenomenal! Well done!

*knocks on wood for you*
Seems like we have similar issues regarding low nutrients. I've had my fair share of dino and cyano... Dino's in particular can be very hard to recover from IME, glad you got it under control! Dosing aminos and polyp booster sounds very interesting, I will look into that for my tank.
I did the exact same thing with the filter socks! I hate how fast they clog and it's hard to clean. A filter cup with floss is way easier to clean.
Cool you're planning on a mandarin, they are extremely pretty! I'm very interested how you will approach it.
You're too kind, I mostly see things to improve but thanks a lot for the compliment!

 

[jk_s124]

Way late on posting a pick if my sump. Anyways here it is. Nothing too fancy. Oversized skimmer for the system.? Works great and pulls a nice dark skimmate. Filter media cup with floss and filter pads. A bag of carbon. Need more rock in there. And a pod hotel that I’m testing out. Two returns. One of the return lines runs through my 25 watt emperor UV. And that’s it. Pretty simple.