kinetic RSR 170

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kinetic

kinetic

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All fish are now in the display tank. I ended up getting a second orchid dottyback (smaller one) to pair up. They seem to be OK with each other, but don't share a den. There is mild chasing, but no fighting. The dottybacks are beautiful. They are very curious and swim everywhere. They get spooked once in awhile and hide, but they come right back out. They don't mind the clownfish, and vice versa.

My Geometric pygmy hawkfish seems extremely grumpy. He hates the new dottybacks, he even refused to eat for almost a week after I introduced them. He'll occasionally chase a dottyback, but lately he's beginning to ignore them and eats like a champ again.

The Sailfin blenny is so small still. I have him in an isolation box in the display. I'm worried the hawkfish will eat him. I haven't really seen the blenny eat, but he must be since he's still alive after all this time. I put in nori strips, algae wafers, and occasionally put in pellets. I think he chomps on the wafers once in awhile. Hoping the algae buildup in the isolation box will help. I may try to rehome him and get a larger blenny.

Photos soon! I haven't had time just yet for a FTS update.
 

rishma

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I have the same tank and considering trying to pair two ORA Orchid Dottybacks. I am interested in how they are doing. I have kept a pair before, but not in such small quarters.
 
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I have the same tank and considering trying to pair two ORA Orchid Dottybacks. I am interested in how they are doing. I have kept a pair before, but not in such small quarters.

Mine are good. They follow each other around and made two separate burrows near each other. I'm not sure if they are officially paired, but they don't fight either. Minor darting at each other, but no biting.

I'd recommend getting a proven pair (lots of people raise them in captivity, see if you can find someone who will sell you a proven pair). Otherwise get two captive raised ones that are very different in size (one much smaller than the other). Mine are a bit more than 1/4" different in size. I would probably go for closer to 1/2" difference. Don't get wild ones.
 
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No new photos yet. To be honest, nothing really looks different. I'll shoot a FTS anyway tomorrow just for a comparison. I might not notice because I'm looking at the tank every day / all day. But I haven't added anything new that is worth looking at.

I'll try using a 60mm macro with a DSLR tomorrow to capture some of the new fish though.

A few updates:
  • Orchid dottybacks now have separate established burrows, but like to swim around together quite a bit. They seem to really like swimming next to snails for some reason. Anyone else notice this? Especially my big turbos.
  • My magnifica decided to walk around quite a bit recently. On Sunday it did a full walk around on the top of the pedestal, getting really close to my Gyre intake. I was worried (though the gyre has a mesh guard on it). Yesterday night, it fully got off the pedestal and walked down to where the BTA's are. Early morning it got back on the pedestal. Around lunch it came down to the front of the rockwork. And finally late afternoon it's back on the pedestal and has stayed there since. It inflated bigger than I've ever seen it. Probably 10" across (normally 6-7"). I'm not sure exactly what's going on. I didn't change the flow or lighting for awhile now. I don't really feed it, but I tried anyway to make sure it was OK, and it ate right away and has a tight mouth and is well inflated. I guess she just wanted a look around. Nothing died in her wake, so we're good. I hope she still likes the pedestal.
  • I've been feeding APBreed TDO Chroma Boost to the fish with the Neptune AFS for two weeks now. The fancy white extreme clownfish is a lot redder now, and the orange parts of the mocha davincis are really intense as well. They're all looking healthy. I think I'll continue feeding. I noticed the orchid dottybacks look a bit pinker than purple now (but that might just be my imagination). But the clowns are absolutely redder.
  • Sailfin blenny is still alive. I haven't seen him eat or chomp on anything. He's still small. I'm thinking of letting him out of the isolation box into the rest of the DT. I'm not sure he'll survive. He'll most likely get eaten by the Pygmy Hawkfish. I wonder if anyone has a pico/nano tank that'll take him nearby. Also, my tank doesn't have much algae these days. Might not survive if he won't eat any prepared foods.
  • Phosphates are still around, but low (7ppb). Nitrates aren't detectable. My chaeto has all melted away, and my nice DIY reactor is empty. I tried dosing iron, but nothing happened. I'm pretty sure my chaeto didn't make it because there's not enough nitrate. Overall, there's very little nuisance algae (just some film on the glass that I clean every 2 days), and there's no nitrates to speak of. So I guess I'll just leave things be. I was thinking of pulling my marinepure plate, but I'm scared that'll throw off the balance of everything else in my tank. It's a bit too much of a UNLS now. Not sure what to do next. Just leave it?
  • I've been hand dosing daily about 24mm of Alk/Ca using Aquaforest's Components. Mg has always been high, so I've been leaving that out. I'm keeping Alk at about 7.5-8.5dKH. I bought an Apex DOS that I need to pickup from a local reefer to help dose throughout the day instead of spiking it every night. I'll use that to dose the Alk/CA daily. I might pickup a BRS dosing pump and run it on a timer to dose some nitrates.
  • It's been cold. My 125watt heater isn't keeping up, and I have to run my house heater up to 66* so that my tank can keep up the heat when I'm away from home. I'm probably going to add another heater somehow (need to free up an outlet on the Neptune EB4).
Since I have no new tank photos, here are some random ones I've taken recently:

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https://www.instagram.com/p/BctOHT6HotE/?taken-by=artchang
 

rishma

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Thanks for the reply re: orchids.

I really like to feed my tank, including small particle coral foods. That is what I would do before dosing nitrates. If nutrients are under control I don’t think you can supply too much food.
 

gig 'em

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Wow! Amazing photography. Very beautiful.

My guess with the mag is it's either looking for more light or more flow. If it climbed back up to the pedestal I'm guessing it's not getting too much light since it would have stayed lower in that scenario. Those things love to get blared by light and flow. When I was in Thailand this past spring I saw a couple that were only a foot below the water surface getting an insane amount of light.
 
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Photo update, zooming in.

Need to hide the plugs somehow. My Icecap Gyre batt backup is sticking out, boo:

38518529525_7b2416ed1d_c.jpg


The little isolation box on the top left is where the sailfin blenny lives for now. It's covered in algae. Check out how red my fancy white ext. is now after TDO Chromaboost.

39366319162_fb2ffea035_c.jpg


The Rainbow BTA is getting bigger?

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Mocha Davinci clowns are still drunk/high off of this mag:

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39366327352_355b1c77ec_c.jpg
 
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What breath taking photos kinetic !! I am sure if someone has asked this question earlier, but what type of Camara are you using for your photos ?

A mix of cameras. iPhone and a Sony mostly. For commercial work I usually use Nikons. I’m very experienced with Sony made sensors, so I feel very comfortable with anything that has a Sony sensor. And I do a lot of iPhone work too.
 

Clayton Jessup

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A mix of cameras. iPhone and a Sony mostly. For commercial work I usually use Nikons. I’m very experienced with Sony made sensors, so I feel very comfortable with anything that has a Sony sensor. And I do a lot of iPhone work too.

That’s cool to hear Kinetic ! I currently do have a iPhone and have taken all my photos with my phone for my build now , which is fine cuz I am still in the build process! But once I get Coral and live stock I am really thinking of buying a upgrade from my older Sony A90 camera [emoji328]. Any recommendations? I have looked at the Fijifilm x10 which was a recommendation from my brother and his wife which has a professional photography business. They happen to use Sony [emoji328] cameras quite a bit as well. I am looking forward to your input !
 

Tahoe61

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I love the simplicity of your tank, it's more like a piece of art.
 
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Wow! Some outstanding shots there!

Thanks a ton Chuck!

That’s cool to hear Kinetic ! I currently do have a iPhone and have taken all my photos with my phone for my build now , which is fine cuz I am still in the build process! But once I get Coral and live stock I am really thinking of buying a upgrade from my older Sony A90 camera [emoji328]. Any recommendations? I have looked at the Fijifilm x10 which was a recommendation from my brother and his wife which has a professional photography business. They happen to use Sony [emoji328] cameras quite a bit as well. I am looking forward to your input !

Unfortunately I don't know much about gear these days. I used to be a gearhead, knew everything there was to camera technology. But I only know about the gear I have now and wouldn't be able give a confident recommendation on the Fujifilm. What I do know is, all the equipment that exists today are all really good. You won't find something that sucks. But each camera will have something you'll like more than another. If you don't know what that is ahead of time, just get the most affordable one and learn from there. What I've found is that you can't expect to get the world's perfect camera right away. Be ready to learn and understand the limits of each camera, learn about what you like and don't like, then that'll help you specifically pick out your next one. I used to shoot professionally (before starting my latest venture) and used probably over 15 different cameras throughout, including sony, canon, and nikon. They were all amazing. I ended up with a set of gear that I have no problems with, and have been shooting with them for years (and haven't upgraded). For more technical work, I use a Nikon D800e, Nikon D700 bodies, with prime lenses (Zeiss 21,2.8, Nikon 35 1.4G, Zeiss Otus 55, Zeiss Otus 85, Nikon 85 1.4G) and renting when a job requires something else. The camera I use to shoot every day is a Sony RX1R2, including my tank. Most of my photos are from that, unless I need something special. It's a full frame sensor that's designed and mated specifically to a zeiss 35mm f/2 lens. It's a beautiful combination and is as good, if not better than my DSLR setup. That's it in my kit now. But when I get projects that are really big, I usually rent out the latest Nikon camera bodies, Otus lenses if I don't need superfast focusing, and I have all my own lighting gear. All that being said, you'll grow into your gear. So just start slow. You'll be able to give yourself the best advise through learning, but you'll need to accept the fact that nobody can tell you what you're going to like.

I love the simplicity of your tank, it's more like a piece of art.

Thanks a ton Tahoe. I definitely want it to. I feel like the tank needs to fit with the room, rather than be it's own little unit.
 

Clayton Jessup

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Unfortunately I don't know much about gear these days. I used to be a gearhead, knew everything there was to camera technology. But I only know about the gear I have now and wouldn't be able give a confident recommendation on the Fujifilm. What I do know is, all the equipment that exists today are all really good. You won't find something that sucks. But each camera will have something you'll like more than another. If you don't know what that is ahead of time, just get the most affordable one and learn from there. What I've found is that you can't expect to get the world's perfect camera right away. Be ready to learn and understand the limits of each camera, learn about what you like and don't like, then that'll help you specifically pick out your next one. I used to shoot professionally (before starting my latest venture) and used probably over 15 different cameras throughout, including sony, canon, and nikon. They were all amazing. I ended up with a set of gear that I have no problems with, and have been shooting with them for years (and haven't upgraded). For more technical work, I use a Nikon D800e, Nikon D700 bodies, with prime lenses (Zeiss 21,2.8, Nikon 35 1.4G, Zeiss Otus 55, Zeiss Otus 85, Nikon 85 1.4G) and renting when a job requires something else. The camera I use to shoot every day is a Sony RX1R2, including my tank. Most of my photos are from that, unless I need something special. It's a full frame sensor that's designed and mated specifically to a zeiss 35mm f/2 lens. It's a beautiful combination and is as good, if not better than my DSLR setup. That's it in my kit now. But when I get projects that are really big, I usually rent out the latest Nikon camera bodies, Otus lenses if I don't need superfast focusing, and I have all my own lighting gear. All that being said, you'll grow into your gear. So just start slow. You'll be able to give yourself the best advise through learning, but you'll need to accept the fact that nobody can tell you what you're going to like.

Thank you Kentic for the very through input on what you feel is best. I agree with you on that I will grow into my gear. I think I may start with my A390 and work up from there or simply just use my iPhone. And thank you for being 100 percent honest with me , and not trying to sale me something or anything like that . Thank you again , and once again beautiful aquarium !
 

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I noticed you went with a varios 4 return. I have been contemplating an upgrade of my return pump but had been thinking varios 2 or 4. Silence is my #1 criteria.

You still happy with it?
 
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