Mike's Red Sea Reefer 525 XL build

[mta_morrow]

You only need to learn it once so learn it in Manual mode, it may seem daunting but once you have a few baseline settings you only need to actually adjust a couple of things per shot.
Oh and always have the lens square to the glass and touching (there is a plastic ring that stops glass to glass contact), the more you shoot at an angle the more distortion you get.
... and make sure your glass is clean inside and out, small smears create a light smear on pics.

Thanks Simon!

 

[mta_morrow]

Sunday testing complete

78 deg
1.026 salinity
Nitrate 16
Phosphate .024
Alk 8.3

Rowaphos is used up so I’m going to run another week without.

Dosing 2 ml of alk per day, 6 days a week

Dosing 15 ml daily nopox. Bumping up to 20

Chaeto still looks good and growing the reactor

UV running 24/7

Media bag of carbon in as well.

Running 1 filter sock and 1 mesh sock. The bacterial slime from carbon dosing loves to build up on the mesh so that makes for easy removal.

 

[mta_morrow]

Evening FTS

 

[mta_morrow]

Evening video

 

[mta_morrow]

Just got a positive ID on this piece.

Metallic star polyps. (Briarium). Discovered in 2016.



https://reefbuilders.com/2016/02/10/new-species-of-green-star-polyps-briareum-cylindricum/

Now I need to remove it from where I just mounted it over the weekend and create an island for it

 

[Fudsey]

COOL ! ! !

 

[Muttley000]

Just got a positive ID on this piece.

Metallic star polyps. (Briarium). Discovered in 2016.



https://reefbuilders.com/2016/02/10/new-species-of-green-star-polyps-briareum-cylindricum/

Now I need to remove it from where I just mounted it over the weekend and create an island for it

That is super cool!

 

[leroy_jenkinz]

awesome tank man, just curious where you got your rock if it was local. I am up in charleston and trying to scout some good sources of Lr for my 90g

 

[mta_morrow]

That is super cool!

It sure is! Especially since I got it for 10 bucks!

 

[mta_morrow]

awesome tank man, just curious where you got your rock if it was local. I am up in charleston and trying to scout some good sources of Lr for my 90g

The rock for this tank is a combination. 90 lbs reefcleaners, big pieces by request for the base and columns. John @reefcleaners picked it out for me.

Then 30 lbs of large Tonga plate from Marine Depot.

Then 5 lbs misc rubble (Pukani, Tonga branch and plate)

It was more than I needed and have a bit left over, but I didn’t want to be without pieces I liked for my dream tank

Hope this helps and please ask any other questions!

 

[Flippers4pups]

It sure is! Especially since I got it for 10 bucks!

Looking good!

 

[mta_morrow]

So this is the skeleton of the metallic star polyps

 

[mta_morrow]

And this is its new spot, on a rock by itself.

 

[mta_morrow]

And a couple other pics just because

 

[mta_morrow]

And this is its new spot, on a rock by itself.

Didn’t take long for Mr Smith to check out what I put on his favorite lookout spot! He’s hilarious!

 

[Katrina71]

Did he look at you like "did you even ask MY opinion first?" My little guys do. I'm pretty sure they are bribing the decorator to wear things they want moved.

 

[leroy_jenkinz]

yea

The rock for this tank is a combination. 90 lbs reefcleaners, big pieces by request for the base and columns. John @reefcleaners picked it out for me.

Then 30 lbs of large Tonga plate from Marine Depot.

Then 5 lbs misc rubble (Pukani, Tonga branch and plate)

It was more than I needed and have a bit left over, but I didn’t want to be without pieces I liked for my dream tank

Hope this helps and please ask any other questions!

Ok cool i was definitely looking at ReefCleaners for some rock. Looks like some good rock and really well priced. I noticed it says on there website that they didnt need to be cured, did you only cycle when you started and got the tank running or did you cure the rock to be safe?

 

[mta_morrow]

yea


Ok cool i was definitely looking at ReefCleaners for some rock. Looks like some good rock and really well priced. I noticed it says on there website that they didnt need to be cured, did you only cycle when you started and got the tank running or did you cure the rock to be safe?

I have used reefcleaners on all my tanks. It does not require any cleaning. It goes straight into the tank after rinsing off any dust and debris.

 

[leroy_jenkinz]

a

I have used reefcleaners on all my tanks. It does not require any cleaning. It goes straight into the tank after rinsing off any dust and debris.

Awesome thanks for the replies, ill definitely be ordering some in about week so i can hopefully have my tank cycled by christmas time

 

[mta_morrow]

a



Awesome thanks for the replies, ill definitely be ordering some in about week so i can hopefully have my tank cycled by christmas time

You’re welcome! If there are certain sizes of rock you want, put it in the comments section of the order. John will do his best to accommodate.

Something to think about, not sure where you will be getting livestock from. If it’s mail order, I do not recommend having anything shipped from a week before Christmas to a week after the new year. Delays are notorious and the livestock dies. Timing is everything.

If you have a LFS that you can visit, then awesome!

Also like your screen name. Please don’t approach reefing with that attitude!