Fishroom Reality Check

[User]

 

[NY_Caveman]

I love a happy ending.

 

[Victoria M]

Hello sir, where have you been? I know you have been solo parenting but come on! Seriously, hope all is well, and no sick kiddos keeping you too busy.

 

[User]

Hello sir, where have you been? I know you have been solo parenting but come on! Seriously, hope all is well, and no sick kiddos keeping you too busy.

Hey Vic M- how you doing? I’m keeping up with your thread- glad you are improving day on day. Best wishes your way

Nothing untoward. All is well, just grinding through with my wife working away, QT woes and Calloway really coming into a strong independent phase, and Teagan is just starting to teethe. Nothing really to complain about, but nothing really big to report.

I did get my pink spotted goby though. I ended up getting it through petco, since none of my other LFS didn’t know if they were getting them in. Nice big dude, about 4” long, good colors, ‘dusky’ color type.

Dropped by my fave LFS two days later, and they had 3 of the white color type, 2.5-3” long for $5 less expensive. Bummed. Prettier for sure, and a bit of jealousy on my part, but nothing to be done. I think I’m going to stick to 1 LFS for my orders to prevent something like that again.

Still have an alpheus randalli pistol shrimp to accompany Toby (the Randall’s goby) on order. Literal archetype symbiotic relationship. Very excited to get this going in the tank, especially now Toby has moved under the rock essentially front and center of the tank.

So- current QT count is 3. Single remaining dispar out of 5 just came out of copper power, and currently deworming with prazipro, then 2 weeks observation before she hits DT.

The pink spot and the scooter blenny are in CP and GC (white stringy poop from the goby) . Feeding pods, and mysis, but I’m not confident the scooters going to make it. For a ‘free’ fish, he sure cost me a bunch, in cash, hair follicles, and zzz’s.


Clown dances have intensified, but with that comes some increased aggression against Michael J Foxface by CJ, the female. MJF has stuck her in the mouth at least twice with her dorsal spines, but she seems non-plussed. Whenever MJF gets within 12” of a particular rock, CJ chases her all over the tank.

Anyway, still trying to carve out time for maintenance, and new projects, but babies and house come first.

 

[Victoria M]

Hey Vic M- how you doing? I’m keeping up with your thread- glad you are improving day on day. Best wishes your way

Nothing untoward. All is well, just grinding through with my wife working away, QT woes and Calloway really coming into a strong independent phase, and Teagan is just starting to teethe. Nothing really to complain about, but nothing really big to report.

I did get my pink spotted goby though. I ended up getting it through petco, since none of my other LFS didn’t know if they were getting them in. Nice big dude, about 4” long, good colors, ‘dusky’ color type.

Dropped by my fave LFS two days later, and they had 3 of the white color type, 2.5-3” long for $5 less expensive. Bummed. Prettier for sure, and a bit of jealousy on my part, but nothing to be done. I think I’m going to stick to 1 LFS for my orders to prevent something like that again.

Still have an alpheus randalli pistol shrimp to accompany Toby (the Randall’s goby) on order. Literal archetype symbiotic relationship. Very excited to get this going in the tank, especially now Toby has moved under the rock essentially front and center of the tank.

So- current QT count is 3. Single remaining dispar out of 5 just came out of copper power, and currently deworming with prazipro, then 2 weeks observation before she hits DT.

The pink spot and the scooter blenny are in CP and GC (white stringy poop from the goby) . Feeding pods, and mysis, but I’m not confident the scooters going to make it. For a ‘free’ fish, he sure cost me a bunch, in cash, hair follicles, and zzz’s.


Clown dances have intensified, but with that comes some increased aggression against Michael J Foxface by CJ, the female. MJF has stuck her in the mouth at least twice with her dorsal spines, but she seems non-plussed. Whenever MJF gets within 12” of a particular rock, CJ chases her all over the tank.

Anyway, still trying to carve out time for maintenance, and new projects, but babies and house come first.

That was one heck of an update. You may have been here for umzillion years but you do talk funny. I love it. Non-plussed...just lovely little things truly. I find it adorable. I hope you are not embarrassed by my saying so. So you know what I was thinking would be neat? If we included pictures of our LFS in our threads. As you were talking about I wondered what did it look like? What makes it your favorite? I am going to place them in my mine for sure. Just to share what mine is like for all to see too. I put those pictures of the Chicago store Old Town Aquarium because that place is just exceptional, but my LFS are pretty cool too. I love each of them for different things.
The girls names are lovely, and very unusual. What was the Inspiration for their names? How long are you solo parenting?
CJ will prolly not chase so far once more fish are in the tank. That will do her some good attitude check.

 

[User]

Here’s my favourite local- quick post because girls are all tucked up and I’ve hit an hour to burn so I’m going downstairs to work on a super secret project...

Nemo aquarium in Duluth, GA

Cleanest fish store I’ve ever been into, every time.

 

[Victoria M]

Wow, I am feeling some serious jealousy man. Do you get there often? How far from you is it?

 

[User]

Wow, I am feeling some serious jealousy man. Do you get there often? How far from you is it?

Uuumm, more than my wife would like. He’s 8 minutes away. If T is fussing, and wife has a top level conference call with the CEO, we jump in the car and go look at the fish. Maybe 2 times a week, but sometimes not for a few weeks and sometimes 3 times.

I don’t buy on every visit obviously, but on first name terms with the owner and they’ve been following my build. They have my coral list and he’s sourcing some awesome pastel micromussas and purple tip torches.

 

[Victoria M]

Uuumm, more than my wife would like. He’s 8 minutes away. If T is fussing, and wife has a top level conference call with the CEO, we jump in the car and go look at the fish. Maybe 2 times a week, but sometimes not for a few weeks and sometimes 3 times.

I don’t buy on every visit obviously, but on first name terms with the owner and they’ve been following my build. They have my coral list and he’s sourcing some awesome pastel micromussas and purple tip torches.

That is splendid. Just wow. We have a couple awesome LFS. But that is top of the line wow.

 

[Victoria M]

Where do you live Neil?

 

[User]

Where do you live Neil?

Between Duluth and Suwanee- Atlanta suburbs.

Wife was born an hour up the road and we came ‘home’ once it was clear my career in Nashville (Vanderbilt medical center) wasnt going to take off. We met while she was in grad school at stanford (I was teaching) and we’ve spent 8 years slowly working our way home to raise a family.

Much rather I’d taken the job in San Diego instead of Vandy, but southern girls take family very seriously. And the latter job was ‘sold’ to me as a sure thing which wasn’t quite accurate

 

[User]

Ok!

So, Valentine’s Day present from the wife is 3 hours of uninterrupted tank time in the basement tomorrow while she takes the kids to see the grandparents.

Got a bit of a list-

1) DT glass clean and some sand redistribution due to return pushing it around

2) sump and equipment clean

3) fish room clean out to prep for ‘secret project’

4) move cabinets, run new electrical to Coral QT area, paint wall, hang a shelf and replace cabinets. Then assemble Coral QT area.

5) 25% WCs on both 10g QT tanks currently running


Lol, no way I’m getting it all done.

My coral QT viparspectra 165w light came yesterday. I hung it over the DT to test. Quite a difference compared to the shop lights I’ve had over the FOWLR tank I’ve been running to date...

60/60 white/blue

Blues 60%, no whites

 

[User]

Lights.

I need to make progress in my light. I designed and bought parts for v1 of the tank right before we had to move to atl. In the 18 months since- tech has moved on and I’m feeling like the original plans are lacking.

So.

I’m polling you guys on lights.

What do you have?
What % white and blue do you run?
How many channels?
Happy with cost/ output ratio?

There’s a possibility that I’ll just forego DIY and buy if the cost is right. Something ~500 range could work, but it needs sunrise/sunset control. I’d rather build what I have to keep that (coralux storm controller) than buy something that’s lacking it.

Thanks guys!

 

[Dubs83]

Lights.

I need to make progress in my light. I designed and bought parts for v1 of the tank right before we had to move to atl. In the 18 months since- tech has moved on and I’m feeling like the original plans are lacking.

So.

I’m polling you guys on lights.

What do you have?
What % white and blue do you run?
How many channels?
Happy with cost/ output ratio?

There’s a possibility that I’ll just forego DIY and buy if the cost is right. Something ~500 range could work, but it needs sunrise/sunset control. I’d rather build what I have to keep that (coralux storm controller) than buy something that’s lacking it.

Thanks guys!

Hey bud. I can’t offer much in detail here because this is one of the many areas I consider myself a complete buffoon. Having said that. I found my lighting schedule for two 32” Reef breeder photon v2’s.

Ive been keeping a close eye on the black box test thread started by @Manose and it seems like the Noopsyche K7 pro is a killer light. Pretty friggen affordable, controllable and over a 6’ youd probabaly need 3 which keeps you within your budget. Hopefully Manose can weigh in on this as I have no experience with them but I’m seriously debating on sending them my tax return.
The real Black Box light study
https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/The-real-Black-Box-light-study.503052/

EDIT:
Here’s some testing data
Noopsyche K7 Pro II Data
https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/Noopsyche-K7-Pro-II-Data.524071/

 

[Manose]

Hey bud. I can’t offer much in detail here because this is one of the many areas I consider myself a complete buffoon. Having said that. I found my lighting schedule for two 32” Reef breeder photon v2’s.

Ive been keeping a close eye on the black box test thread started by @Manose and it seems like the Noopsyche K7 pro is a killer light. Pretty friggen affordable, controllable and over a 6’ youd probabaly need 3 which keeps you within your budget. Hopefully Manose can weigh in on this as I have no experience with them but I’m seriously debating on sending them my tax return.
The real Black Box light study
https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/The-real-Black-Box-light-study.503052/

EDIT:
Here’s some testing data
Noopsyche K7 Pro II Data
https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/Noopsyche-K7-Pro-II-Data.524071/

The Noopsyche really made a big impression on me with it's performance to cost ratio. I think this is going to be the "next must have light" and having 3 of them on a small 80g tank we will see real soon what they will do.
The light now has full USA sales and most importantly support so that needs to be considered.
Any questions just let me know
Matt

 

[User]

The Noopsyche really made a big impression on me with it's performance to cost ratio. I think this is going to be the "next must have light" and having 3 of them on a small 80g tank we will see real soon what they will do.
The light now has full USA sales and most importantly support so that needs to be considered.
Any questions just let me know
Matt

Thoughts on how many I’d need in a 72x24x24” 180 gallon? I’ve been reading I’d maybe need 6, since 18x18 is recommended for sps.

Thanks.

And how ‘smooth’ is the ramp timer for the sunrise/sunset? The coralux storm is a 256 step dimmable controller, so its pretty smooth.

Right now, it’s a toss up between these noopsyches, modifying 3 viparspectra to take controller input, or a new 400w custom diy build. Pricing is running within about $100 of each other, as long as I could get away with 3 of these.

 

[Manose]

Thoughts on how many I’d need in a 72x24x24” 180 gallon? I’ve been reading I’d maybe need 6, since 18x18 is recommended for sps.

Thanks.

And how ‘smooth’ is the ramp timer for the sunrise/sunset? The coralux storm is a 256 step dimmable controller, so its pretty smooth.

Right now, it’s a toss up between these noopsyches, modifying 3 viparspectra to take controller input, or a new 400w custom diy build. Pricing is running within about $100 of each other, as long as I could get away with 3 of these.

Six to eight would work and as always if you need more do it later.
The timer has 7 presets that can be altered to the desired spectrum. They're not an abrupt change at all more of a easy change even with only seven presets. 256 steps would be more gradual than this light but the change on the K7 is surprisingly smooth.
All of the lights you listed would do the job and do it well but my bias is with Noobscyhe

 

[User]

Thanks Manose

I think the cost of 6 puts me significantly over budget. Appreciate your input

Thanks

 

[Manose]

Thanks Manose

I think the cost of 6 puts me significantly over budget. Appreciate your input

Thanks

No problem I look forward to seeing how this tank progresses. The great beauty of Reef2Reef is the many many tank build threads and I love to see more.

 

[User]

No problem I look forward to seeing how this tank progresses. The great beauty of Reef2Reef is the many many tank build threads and I love to see more.

I appreciate that- truly!