Randy's Tank and Learn Thread

[Miami Reef]

It’s like a little tree. I’m very happy with them. :)

Exactly! Yes. You couldn’t have said it better!

 

[rishma]

@Randy Holmes-Farley
Why does it stress you to glue down the coral?

I have little experience with gluing corals. I never glued anything in my old tank. All were colonies big enough to just set in place. It just seems harsh to be holding and pressing them, hoping the glue sets to be able to let go, etc. lol

I think I saw you glued some corals earlier so you probably know all the tips for gluing corals already, but I’ll share what I do.

I like to use a little 2 part epoxy along with superglue. I pull the coral, dab the bottom dry, add some superglue gel, then a little putty over the gel, then some superglue gel on top of the putty where it will attach to the rock. When I put it back in the tank, I can use the slightest pressure to press the coral into place. And then let go. The superglue cures quickly, the putty takes a little longer.

Alternatively I do whole process outside the tank to a very small rock and the set it back in the sand to cure. After it cures , I then I attached the new little base rock to the rock structure. I do this when I want to glue a coral on a vertical ledge or some place that requires more pressure or holding it in place under water longer to attach. This way I can be pressing on the little base rock and not feel like I am damaging the coral.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I think I saw you glued some corals earlier so you probably know all the tips for gluing corals already, but I’ll share what I do.

I like to use a little 2 part epoxy along with superglue. I pull the coral, dab the bottom dry, add some superglue gel, then a little putty over the gel, then some superglue gel on top of the putty where it will attach to the rock. When I put it back in the tank, I can use the slightest pressure to press the coral into place. And then let go. The superglue cures quickly, the putty takes a little longer.

Alternatively I do whole process outside the tank to a very small rock and the set it back in the sand to cure. After it cures , I then I attached the new little base rock to the rock structure. I do this when I want to glue a coral on a vertical ledge or some place that requires more pressure or holding it in place under water longer to attach. This way I can be pressing on the little base rock and not feel like I am damaging the coral.

Thanks. I’ve not glued any to a vertical surface yet, but that method sounds good.

I followed the detailed advice others mentioned, including the exact epoxy and super glue Miami noted.

I guess it worked since both corals were still standing the next day and were fine. :)

 

[Miami Reef]

Thanks. I’ve not glued any to a vertical surface yet, but that method sounds good.

I followed the detailed advice others mentioned, including the exact epoxy and super glue Miami noted.

I guess it worked since both corals were still standing the next day and were fine. :)

I’m glad it worked well.

How have you been? How’s the tank?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

How have you been? How’s the tank?

Just got back from being away. Tank is doing well. The new corals look to be fine as are all of the fish. I gave them a big pile of ulva rubber banded to a rock, and all together the tank inhabitants ate most of it. I saw the red mithrax on it just as I was leaving.

Anemone comes today. I’ll be seeing how the cut rock fits in place in a bit. I think I’m going to glue on some small rocks to help the anemone settle in where I add it. I’ll detail that later.

My wife caught a video of the large red mithrax pulling a tentacle off the elegance and eating it. I’ll post it later too. It was a few minutes after I fed TDO and Hikari pellets to the tank, and I’m hoping one stuck to the the elegance and the crab was after that. If it just takes to eating the elegance, I’ll have to remove the crab.

I’m watching the chromis having breakfast as they eat copepods off the glass a few minutes after lights on.

 

[Miami Reef]

Welcome back. The forum has been quiet without you as active. lol

I think I’m most excited for the anemone. That’s always kind of been your niche. I’m following the coloration progression, and I really want to see it under your 6500K lights.

Please post pics when you get the chance.

 

[skey44]

That’s a question I’ve been trying to understand as well. It may depend on what you are trying to feed. I am currently dosing at 10 AM, but folks focussed on corals think night may be better.

If I am feeding copepods, day seems better than night, but that’s just a guess based on them seeing the phyto. I’m not even sure if they do catch by seeing, however.

Sponges and tunicates, I doubt time matters.

I tend to dose based on when I have a chance to turn my skimmer off for a good while. More based on practical convenience.
Your algae harvest is amazing!
Corals looking good too. Those Acropora are bigger than the sticks I’ve been buying and growing for almost a year now lol! Those are some huge pieces. I start with sticks you start with trees. We’re playing a different t game here haha. Enjoying dropping in on your build from time to time. Keep up the excellent content.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I tend to dose based on when I have a chance to turn my skimmer off for a good while. More based on practical convenience.
Your algae harvest is amazing!
Corals looking good too. Those Acropora are bigger than the sticks I’ve been buying and growing for almost a year now lol! Those are some huge pieces. I start with sticks you start with trees. We’re playing a different t game here haha. Enjoying dropping in on your build from time to time. Keep up the excellent content.

Thanks. Yes, Dong of Acrogarden was very generous to give them, and I also note that the ordinary frags he sells of many corals look to be significantly larger than what I've gotten online. :)

I do want to start with reasonably sized colonies. That's why I've been looking to buy some pieces from local reefers who are getting rid of a colony. I know this is a short term issue and in a couple of years it may not matter, but if that bus with my name one it comes along next year, waiting will have been in vain. lol

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Welcome back. The forum has been quiet without you as active. lol

I think I’m most excited for the anemone. That’s always kind of been your niche. I’m following the coloration progression, and I really want to see it under your 6500K lights.

Please post pics when you get the chance.

I will. Should post some by this afternoon, unless there's a significant problem I have to deal with. :)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

The LTA anemone from Petco continues to do well. It seems to be filling out zoox into most of it now, and seems a bit larger.

One reason to post a picture today is to see how it responds to the new magnifica. It may also act as a good source of zoox for the magnifica if it entirely lacks its own.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Anemone Island

Reefing is all about problem solving, and I hit the first problem related to my planned magnifica island. The Koji wada nephthea that I thought I could just move was stuck hard to the rock it was on. I take that as a good sign for its health, but not so for my
plan.

After considering what my options were, I decided I had to pull it off. The magnifica would certainly have touched it, and I don’t want to deal with that problem with the anemone grabbing my hand while trying to move the Koji wada. lol

So I removed a large rock from the island (currently in sump, I hope it stays there and is not needed), moved the Koji wada to at least a temporary location, and added the crafted rock with new bits attached. The rock looks like crap now, but if the magnifica perches there it will be largely hidden, and will color up over time. If the magnifica suffers a catastrophic setback, the original rock will return.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Island too rearranged to what I think is both more stable and suitable for this purpose:

 

[rishma]

I’ve never kept a magnifica before but a saw a reefer make a similar flat pedestal for his and it stayed there. Is the idea that they like to anchor in flat rocks and high up because they like a lot of light?

 

[Miami Reef]

The coralline will easily cover the epoxy. You won’t ever tell it’s there.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I’ve never kept a magnifica before but a saw a reefer make a similar flat pedestal for his and it stayed there. Is the idea that they like to anchor in flat rocks and high up because they like a lot of light?

Yes, apparently, and if they can reach the glass, they will move to it and climb the wall.

 

[rishma]

Inspired by this thread, I got a Koji Wada from a local guy. First soft coral I’ve had in at least 10 years.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Magnifica

The magnifica arrived this morning on time. It looks good enough for me to risk putting it straight into the display. Salinity was very close so only temp equilibration in my sump was needed. I flushed the bag with 50% water changes spaced a few minutes apart, and then literally poured it out of the bag onto the rock.

Tunze powerhead flow was off for a few minutes , then I carefully turned on the powerhead at the far end to 5% to keep water moving a bit without blowing it off the rock. I’ll slowly increase flow over the day if all seems well.

Here it is within a minute or two of addition:

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Inspired by this thread, I got a Koji Wada from a local guy. First soft coral I’ve had in at least 10 years.

Looks great!

 

[rishma]

The bright color of the magnifica is fantastic. I know it might change but wow!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Low flow on both sides now. The foot seems to be attaching: