Rags2Riches - The Learning Curve. 125g

RichtheReefer21 · Nov 11, 2019

Back up to 71.5 and climbing. Will get it to about 74, and let the 3 heaters I have do to rest slowly overnight.

Freaking the phosphate out right now.

Need red wine.

Raege · Nov 11, 2019

Well Rich ya needed something to freak about now that job future is looking good

Remember to breath bud it’s gonna be ok slow and steady temp will come up raising to fast I think can be worse than the slow drop . You got this in da bag

Crabby48 · Nov 11, 2019

I’m bad at turning on equipment that is why I need alarms.

RichtheReefer21 · Nov 11, 2019

I may just leave it be. Late start for work tomorrow. So I'll be up and at it early.

RichtheReefer21 · Nov 11, 2019

Alright. Temp is back up to 74.5... hot water jugs are out. Letting the heaters bring it back to 79 overnight. Shouldnt be np. Got a total of 580 watts heating power to cycle between the 3 of them.

Fingers crossed that everything looks better tomorrow night. Exhausted. Gnite.

RichtheReefer21 · Nov 12, 2019

77.9° this morning. Will see where the bta ends up when I get home and if the torches react positively to the warmer water. I'm headed to work soon, lights come on in an hour.

Hopefully the bta stays in the rocks. All the coral is on the racks. So not too much worry there. We shall see later.

NY_Caveman · Nov 12, 2019

RichtheReefer21 said:
77.9° this morning. Will see where the bta ends up when I get home and if the torches react positively to the warmer water. I'm headed to work soon, lights come on in an hour.

Hopefully the bta stays in the rocks. All the coral is on the racks. So not too much worry there. We shall see later.

Should be fine. The worst is over. I forget the heaters and ATO all the time. Ugh.

RichtheReefer21 · Nov 12, 2019

Rbta is coming forward already.. clowns in tow.

Found a hitchhiker attempting to escape on the chalice frag...

Work got called off, but may need to go spreading salt later. Bleh... did some reorganizing and moving. Installed the zen reef rack under the left hydra. Moved a few rocks

FTS later after the water clears... no socks or floss to help ;Eggonface

najer · Nov 12, 2019

RichtheReefer21 said:
no socks or floss to help

Exactly, the "System" should be able to cope, not be balanced on a knife edge!

RichtheReefer21 · Nov 12, 2019

najer said:
Exactly, the "System" should be able to cope, not be balanced on a knife edge!

Agreed. Just the concept of an 11° swing scared me quiet a bit. Waiting for the finicky fussybutt corals to shake it off and step out into the sun.

count krunk · Nov 12, 2019

My little 10g when it was on the porch was hitting 86 during the summer.

So I brought it inside. Made a simple frame only stand for it later and the metal halide was now much closer to the water. This time temps got to 88. And I don't mean once but many times when on the porch it got to 86 and three times inside it got to 88.

I added a single tiny fan and it won't get past 82 now.

The colors were paled and the frogspawn a little withdrawn. Nothing died or got perm damage during them though.

As long as it goes up or down slowly and comes back to normal it should be fine.

Katrina71 · Nov 12, 2019

I agree temp swings in nature are normal.

RichtheReefer21 · Nov 12, 2019

count krunk said:
My little 10g when it was on the porch was hitting 86 during the summer.

So I brought it inside. Made a simple frame only stand for it later and the metal halide was now much closer to the water. This time temps got to 88. And I don't mean once but many times when on the porch it got to 86 and three times inside it got to 88.

I added a single tiny fan and it won't get past 82 now.

The colors were paled and the frogspawn a little withdrawn. Nothing died or got perm damage during them though.

As long as it goes up or down slowly and comes back to normal it should be fine.

I was thinking the same thing, I blow off the rocks once every few weeks with a baster. I see it very similar to an ocean swell rollin in from a distant storm at sea. Nutrients and cooler waters blow across the reef, sand kicks up, etc etc..

Its good to see ya around count.

Katrina71 said:
I agree temp swings in nature are normal.

Told ya so.

RichtheReefer21 · Nov 12, 2019

So... ya... I missed being in love with my reef. I can always snip and bone cutter pieces if I need to frag for $.

Left side:

Center: its tough to see head on, but the 2 pillars are stacked off-center of each other, 3" difference in height.

You can see it better from here. (Common viewing angle):

Right:

Sticks havent been placed yet. They will stay on the rack and ill let them encrust some more and see what the nem does.

Duplicate zoas and high-end zoas are on the newly-installed zenreef rack. Some fine. Others annoyed.

Acan Island:

Torches:

Dendrophyllia Garden under the arch they all started as before chopping the colony up (3 of these are claimed by some winners of a giveaway):

Blastos:

The 6 heads of Duncans, lobo, and cyphastrea are not impressed at all. Gotta keep an eye on the RBTA as it settles. If it moves towards the Lobo I will relocated to the sand.

All my zoas have been spread throughout the lower rocks around the tank. Still awaiting about 7 or 8 frags from @thejuice24. He is trying to save my trachy. And has a ton of time off in December. Be on the lookout for #CraftsmanCorals

To be honest, I still have every intent of moving west. But I cant keep killing myself running this tank and keep up on it and not be able to just sit there in love and enjoy it. The job situation was a big part of it, delaying my departure, but it was so much more than that.

I love this scape thus far, perhaps my favorite yet. But I'm sure coral moves and tweaking will take place daily for the next couple weeks. Sorry for cruddy photos, did it in a rush and under almost no whites.

Cheers all. Ur stuck with me for at least 1 more year.

#r2r4life