Randy's Tank and Learn Thread

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ah, got it. Thanks! Don’t see how I missed it. lol

It says I’m at 6,000 K and raising the glow to 75% puts it at 14,000k. Not sure I like that look and I’ll stick at all channels equal (6000 k) for now and mess with it later. :)

 

[Miami Reef]

You went from 6000k to 14000k? Too blue.

I was thinking 10,000K. Maybe even 8,000K

Definitely play with it more.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You went from 6000k to 14000k? Too blue.

I was thinking 10,000K. Maybe even 8,000K

Definitely play with it more.

Yes, I’ll do it some time with the artistic director watching, but my expectation is that something closer to 6,000k will be the choice. lol

 

[Miami Reef]

Like a clam, angle of viewing and taking the pictures matters.

Thanks for the clam reference. That made my day. You know how I appreciate the clams.

I love this photo. I use some of my acros as clam hammocks. It looks so natural, like something I’d find in the wild. The acro continues to grow and even further nestles the clam, kind of like a nest for a bird egg.

 

[jonelder68]

Thanks for the clam reference. That made my day. You know how I appreciate the clams.

I love this photo. I use some of my acros as clam hammocks. It looks so natural, like something I’d find in the wild. The acro continues to grow and even further nestles the clam, kind of like a nest for a bird egg.

Thats awesome! “Look! Theres a clam growing in that acro!”

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I just watched a small crab carry an empty snail shell larger than it over to the place it hides under a rock, blocking the entrance. lol

I also just noticed a tunitace or sponge that I had not noticed before, in the lower right of this picture:

 

[rishma]

I just watched a small crab carry an empty snail shell larger than it over to the place it hides under a rock, blocking the entrance. lol

I also just noticed a tunitace or sponge that I had not noticed before, in the lower right of this picture:

That is so cool. One regret I have is not feeding phyto to my tank since day 1 of having live rock. I just didn’t account for it in the setup and I cannot figure a way to do it with me traveling for long periods. I don’t know what tunicates eat, may have nothing to do with phyto, but the life you have is awesome.

The only remaining live rock life I have is a blasted pistol or mantis that murders all my snails…and I love snails like @Miami Reef loves clams.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The only remaining live rock life I have is a blasted pistol or mantis that murders all my snails…and I love snails like @Miami Reef loves clams.

I hear a lot of clicks and snapping during the day. Pistol? Mantis for sure (saw one’s beady eyes poking out of a hole yesterday lol).

Snails beware!

 

[rishma]

The only remaining live rock life I have is a blasted pistol or mantis that murders all my snails…and I love snails like @Miami Reef loves clams.

I hear a lot of clicks and snapping during the day. Pistol? Mantis for sure (saw one’s beady eyes poking out of a hole yesterday lol).

Snails beware!

My wife refer to my sand bed as the grave yard after I get a cleanup crew.

This morning I took apart one of my islands where I know he lives. I soaked the rock I think he lives in under seltzer water and then hyper salinity. Nothing. I inspected every crevice with a flashlight.

I rebuilt the rock structure and moved my tank back in place. As I was cleaning up my mess just now I heard him snap.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Current Full Tank Scene

 

[Miami Reef]

and I love snails like @Miami Reef loves clams.

Cool. I didn’t know that. Which snail is your favorite? I think mine might be a nassarius, but I don’t have any because my tank doesn’t use sand. Actually, let me think harder before I decide on my favorite.

I got a mantis shrimp along with pistol shrimps from the KP ocean rocks. I caught the mantis with a bottle trap, but I’m very happy to hear the pistols snapping away…Love those guys.

 

[Miami Reef]

Current Full Tank Scene

Wow. Very nice.

I wonder how my tank would look if I tried matching your spectrum. I control my LEDs like a painter uses their brushes. I like adjusting different nm wavelengths to see different looks. It’s an art.

Your lights don’t have any warm channels, so I’d emulate it with my cool whites. I may or may not be back…

 

[rishma]

Cool. I didn’t know that. Which snail is your favorite? I think mine might be a nassarius, but I don’t have any because my tank doesn’t use sand.

I got a mantis shrimp along with pistol shrimps from the KP ocean rocks. I caught the mantis with a bottle trap, and I’m very happy to hear the pistols snapping away…Love those guys.

I like all snails! My current favorites are probably the money cowrie and conch. The shrimp doesn’t kill either. Nassarius are great, but usually last only a month in my tank

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I just had to pull a turbo off the nori. I think they can eat more than the fish. lol

 

[Miami Reef]

Holy heck.

Cool whites had to be around 50% and royal+cyan at 1% each to get similar to your tank when shot with my iPhone.

My coral had some pretty good fluorescence even with that setup. The tank didn’t look all that bad.

My grandmother passed by coincidentally and gasped in awe when she saw my tank with only the cool and warm white channels on.

She said “it makes the house look so beautiful!” “It matches the furniture!” “I don’t like the blue…it’s boring…everyone has it.”

Bro

She’s not a reefer and never comments about my tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Holy heck.

Cool whites had to be around 50% and royal+cyan at 1% each to get similar to your tank when shot with my iPhone.

My coral had some pretty good fluorescence even with that setup. The tank didn’t look all that bad.

My grandmother passed by coincidentally and gasped in awe when she saw my tank with only the cool and warm white channels on.

She said “it makes the house look so beautiful!” “It matches the furniture!” “I don’t like the blue…it’s boring…everyone has it.”

Bro

She’s not a reefer and never comments about my tank.

I like her. lol

 

[Reefering1]

Holy heck.

Cool whites had to be around 50% and royal+cyan at 1% each to get similar to your tank when shot with my iPhone.

My coral had some pretty good fluorescence even with that setup. The tank didn’t look all that bad.

My grandmother passed by coincidentally and gasped in awe when she saw my tank with only the cool and warm white channels on.

She said “it makes the house look so beautiful!” “It matches the furniture!” “I don’t like the blue…it’s boring…everyone has it.”

Bro

She’s not a reefer and never comments about my tank.

Sounds like you listen to G-ma ;-)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

FWIW, my family liked the warm look, around 8000k. :)

 

[X-37B]

I hear a lot of clicks and snapping during the day. Pistol? Mantis for sure (saw one’s beady eyes poking out of a hole yesterday lol).

Snails beware!

I would remove the mantis. I'm trying to catch mine. It has killed all crabs, shrimp, many snails, and has struck my chalk bass in the eye twice. It's alive and eating but with a bulging eye. First time the eye recovered, this time not sure.
If your mandarin goes missing you will know why.
I thought it would be ok in my 150. They are cool but nasty predators from my experience.
It was small like 1" when I first saw it a year ago now its 3".
Love the halide look of your system!

 

[Miami Reef]

FWIW, my family liked the warm look, around 8000k. :)

Hey! That’s what I predicted!