My 40g Cube I Throw $$ Into

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T-J

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For anyone following (lol):
Things continue on with the tank. Right now I'm fighting elevated phosphates. Ordered a mini BRS reactor that I can run GFO and carbon in to help. I believe the PO4 is coming from the ReefEnergey AB, phyto and Reef Roids. I'm not doing them daily, but I am starting to see positive results in color so I want to keep with the feeding.
Corals are slowly growing, and I attribute the slow growth to the phosphates and low nitrate. Currently dosing NeoNitro to help get nitrates up.
Nothing looks bad or dying, just very slow encrusting and growth, even for the faster SPS like the Monti's.
New emerald crab is a clown. Caught him pulling a polyp off the birdsnest, but only saw it once. I feed him krill by hand to keep him fat and happy. He does like hanging out on the acros, and seems to want to be at the highest points of the tank.

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Following along. Just got my aquatop 40 eco Recife set up a few days ago. Pretty much in the same boat as you with the live sand, I bought some Marco rock. Not a good selection of live rock at my LFS. Added aqua vitro seed bacteria so hoping that will be enough to get the cycle going. How do you like your tunze skimmer? The skimmer that came with the tank is complete junk. Looking at HOB skimmers but I take it the tunze fits inside the 3rd chamber? No external tank components?
 
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Following along. Just got my aquatop 40 eco Recife set up a few days ago. Pretty much in the same boat as you with the live sand, I bought some Marco rock. Not a good selection of live rock at my LFS. Added aqua vitro seed bacteria so hoping that will be enough to get the cycle going. How do you like your tunze skimmer? The skimmer that came with the tank is complete junk. Looking at HOB skimmers but I take it the tunze fits inside the 3rd chamber? No external tank components?
Welcome to the Cube Club (TM)! I love the Tunze skimmer. I took out two of the boxes in the third chamber and it fits perfectly. The magnet goes on the side of the 4th chamber. I have an ATO with the reservoir in the cabinet. New media reactor coming next week for GFO and carbon. That will be external with the pump in the second or 4th chamber.
 

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Welcome to the Cube Club (TM)! I love the Tunze skimmer. I took out two of the boxes in the third chamber and it fits perfectly. The magnet goes on the side of the 4th chamber. I have an ATO with the reservoir in the cabinet. New media reactor coming next week for GFO and carbon. That will be external with the pump in the second or 4th chamber.
You might of mentioned but don’t recall seeing, what ATO did you go with? Still have your uv sterilizer, what did you with on that? Thanks for the reply!
 

Tahoe61

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You picked up some nice sps.
Have you kept Orange Digitata before? I have failed in two attempts while other sps did well. Any insights appreciated.

Have the Duetto and the Tunze 9001 and the UV as well, all good products.

The lighting looks intense.
 
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You picked up some nice sps.
Have you kept Orange Digitata before? I have failed in two attempts while other sps did well. Any insights appreciated.

Have the Duetto and the Tunze 9001 and the UV as well, all good products.

The lighting looks intense.
The digi is a forest fire. Red polyps with yellow body. The body is basically white now, but the yellow is starting to come back. This is my first drag of that variety. It’s growing so that’s good!
I have it high in the tank. My lights are ReefBreeders and my schedule is posted above.
 

Tahoe61

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Yeah I have the forest fire as well under LED high in the tank and no go. Guess I will pull and put it under MH.
 

Tahoe61

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No idea :(

LED is Viparspectra 165. Blue 80% white 5%. The Digitata is right next to a Bonsai and PC Rainbow both doing well.

Got to get a par meter I guess.

They look like easy corals to keep that is why I am dumb founded. Love the look.
 
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No idea :(

LED is Viparspectra 165. Blue 80% white 5%. The Digitata is right next to a Bonsai and PC Rainbow both doing well.

Got to get a par meter I guess.

They look like easy corals to keep that is why I am dumb founded. Love the look.
Either rent a PAR meter or buy a Seneye device. They are easy from what I know, perhaps a pest issue? Nudi?
 

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I can probably barrow a meter from the NOT local fish store. Just being lazy.

I have looked for pest, fish nipping. The pieces looks great for weeks and then boom poor polyp expansion. If I move it to a tank under MH and the coral improves I guess I will have my answer.

I will go back and look your par levels while you put up a FTS. ;)
 
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Here’s a couple crappy growth pics. The new pics were taken with the lights off. I’ll get some better ones this weekend.

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Received an amazing shipment from @AquaSD today! They even included a freebie! Packaging was perfect. Heat pack. Solid insulated box. Bags were full and clipped closed.
Here’s a shot of all 11 corals at the bottom of the tank:

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Kycelium

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Loved reading through your thread! I got the same tank at the beginning of this month. I love your rock work and the number of corals you have in the tank! Any changes since April?
 
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Loved reading through your thread! I got the same tank at the beginning of this month. I love your rock work and the number of corals you have in the tank! Any changes since April?
Thanks so much! Not much in change, just a lot of growth. The biggest change is that I'm upgrading to a much larger system. So stay tuned for that!
 

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My wife wants some animals that don't go well with the stuff I'm doing, so we might use it for that. She wants an eel.
What type of eel? I've been wanting one for a while, I think they're pretty neat. My girlfriend already wants to set up a second tank as well for her love of Pufferfish and a few other non-reef friendly fish.
 
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