Jeff's 150 Build - The Salt Box

CastAway · Jul 3, 2017

Throwing out as much Monti as I can. This has just been cluttering up my sand bed.

A+Aquatics · Jul 5, 2017

CastAway said:
Practicing with iMovie.

Yea BRO!!! That's what I like to see

Thank You for the update dude ;Happy

A+Aquatics · Jul 5, 2017

@CastAway We were using iMovie as well but just moved to another software. Have you heard of HitFilm Express?

CastAway · Jul 6, 2017

A+Aquatics said:
@CastAway We were using iMovie as well but just moved to another software. Have you heard of HitFilm Express?

I just use my phone man, not a computer. That sounds like work. LOL

I have a friend who does video production. I've been tempted to ask him if he'd make me a front end piece, just a few seconds worth, as a front end for all my vids; something I could just splice in using my iPhone's iMovie.

CastAway · Jul 9, 2017

I should have taken a picture of what came out of this skimmer neck today - half a pound of green paste; about the consistency of butter. Odd, it didn't really stink.

CastAway · Jul 17, 2017

Went to refill my CO2 tank today, and it has to re-tested before it can be filled again. Ugh! Ten day turn around for testing.

Went ahead a bought a second bottle, with gas, so at least now I can rotate them and spare myself the typical one day turn around for refills.

Really need a larger reactor. Love the DaStaCo's!

A+Aquatics · Jul 17, 2017

Looks like that skimmer is doing it's job quite well!
Thank You for sharing. Can hardly wait to check your system out. So excited.

CastAway · Jul 27, 2017

Lost another nice colony last week.

I've been reefing just over four years now, and have lost more SPS in the last few months than all totaled. Growing disenchanted, and don't know which came first, the losses or the disenchantment.

Maritimer · Jul 27, 2017

They will feed upon one another . . .

That having been said, I think your tank looks pretty darned cool - and love what you've done with the overflow!

~Bruce

Acro maniac · Jul 29, 2017

Sorry for your losses, this hobby has kept me very humble. Everytime i think i know whats going on and i have a handle. I open another chapter of challeges.
Its been a while since ive read the first 20 something pages of your thread. I dont know if you have looked at changing out your sand. Its something that ended up being the cause of half my tank crashing a couple years back. I removed a little at i time over 6 weeks or so. But i stopped having issues after that. Hope this helps.
Also hpw are you able to remove a colony and get the whole base? Do you remove the entire rock from the dt or somehow cut it off in the tank?
Thanks a goodluck for the future you have an awesome tank!

CastAway · Jul 29, 2017

Acro maniac said:
Sorry for your losses, this hobby has kept me very humble. Everytime i think i know whats going on and i have a handle. I open another chapter of challeges.
Its been a while since ive read the first 20 something pages of your thread. I dont know if you have looked at changing out your sand. Its something that ended up being the cause of half my tank crashing a couple years back. I removed a little at i time over 6 weeks or so. But i stopped having issues after that. Hope this helps.
Also hpw are you able to remove a colony and get the whole base? Do you remove the entire rock from the dt or somehow cut it off in the tank?
Thanks a goodluck for the future you have an awesome tank!

Thanks man!

I use the Aqua Stick two-part epoxy, and it seems to stay malleable over time when not in open air. I use my small bone cutters to pry the base up. It has worked well; leaves a bright clear spot on the rock.

I Have contemplated going bare bottom recently, as it's the look I wanted in the beginning, but have not. My DT sand bed is only 1/2" thick, on average. The bottom is bare in some places, and rifted in others.

The DSB in my sump is another story. It's never been disturbed in four years now, except by amphipods and worms. I suspect it, as there's some matting at the surface by rooting caulerpa. Any advection and flow through the bed is surely hindered by the macro.

CastAway · Aug 14, 2017

Old news for most, but new for me - my female clown has touched my anemone for the first time. Clowns have been laying for about a year. Anemones have been in the tank about that long as well, if not longer.

Yea!

Daniel@R2R · Aug 15, 2017

CastAway said:
Old news for most, but new for me - my female clown has touched my anemone for the first time. Clowns have been laying for about a year. Anemones have been in the tank about that long as well, if not longer.

Yea!

Congrats on your Nemo finally finding your nems! (Sorry, couldn't resist!)

CastAway · Aug 17, 2017

I'm loosing the tips of some smaller frags lately.

I've had three substantial water changes in the last three weeks in coincidence with interceptor treatments. And, I've been giving away lots of monti-cap and birdsnest recently. My best guess is that lower nutrients and increased alk availability have caused the issue. Testing today.

Acro maniac · Aug 17, 2017

CastAway said:
I'm loosing the tips of some smaller frags lately.

I've had three substantial water changes in the last three weeks in coincidence with interceptor treatments. And, I've been giving away lots of monti-cap and birdsnest recently. My best guess is that lower nutrients and increased alk availability have caused the issue. Testing today.

This is the same issue was having( burnt tips on a few) due to alk swings i beleive. Also had inaccurate results from an alk test.
The past 3 wc ive been dealing with burnt tips on a few frags immediately after. I haven't been able to put my finger on why. I did turn the skimmer off ladt weekend so will see if that helps.
Hope yours workd out as well

CastAway · Sep 21, 2017

My SPS are experiencing some really great growth right now! My best guess is that the recent removal of some large fast growing Monti-cap colonies has resulted in increased alk & ca availability. This, and what must be some favorable nutrient levels is producing results.

Harvesting the refugium today, so here's the undercarriage. lol