reef-rc IM Fusion 20v2

[kamla]

Nice set up

how do you like the Icecap 1K gyre

is it quite or noisy at 100 %

Thax

 

[reef-rc]

Nice set up

how do you like the Icecap 1K gyre

is it quite or noisy at 100 %

Thax

thank you. Tank does look to be coming along good.

Icecap 1K gyre - I had removed the device early in the process. For me it was too strong for a 20G imo. However the main reason I do not use it because it lack the detail control I can do with MP10 that is more to my liking. If it was on a 30+G tank, I think it would be fine.

Noise wise - when I had it running it had some noise but it was nothing I recalled as bad.

 

[kamla]

thank you. Tank does look to be coming along good.

Icecap 1K gyre - I had removed the device early in the process. For me it was too strong for a 20G imo. However the main reason I do not use it because it lack the detail control I can do with MP10 that is more to my liking. If it was on a 30+G tank, I think it would be fine.

Noise wise - when I had it running it had some noise but it was nothing I recalled as bad.

Thax

 

[reef-rc]

Received my long weekend addiction fix today from Unique .

It seemed I ordered only 5 items but it arrive with a BONUS monti...very nice UINQUE Corals!

Coral bags currently being accumulated.

 

[reef-rc]

dup

 

[reef-rc]

The order had 3 acros, 1 monti and 1 Rainbow Cyphastrea. The bonus free coral is a blue monti of some sort.

I am just now getting into acro. These three on the right (from Unique Corals) may be the best yet. Here's hoping I am good enough to keep their color and growth going. Any suggestions besides strong flow and strong lighting? feeding (I am currently doing reef roids with every feeding)?

• green - Aquacultured BC Indigo Staghorn Acro
• Unique Corals - Fuzzy Acro
  
• Unique Corals - Ultra Millepora Acro
  
• Unique Corals - Colorful Valida Acro

Additional shots of monti and acro

Unique Corals - RRA Tropic Thunder Monti (center)

 

[reef-rc]

dup

 

[reef-rc]

So yesterday I tested the PAR on the tank. One reason I wanted to do this was that I noticed when I had transferred some of the frags over from other Fusion 20, some monti slowly turned reddish/brown color. I thought it may be because it is a relatively newer than the tank. While setting up the tank I had used similar light settings from the 13G nano since it too had Kessil 360.

After testing the tank compare to what other Fusion 20, I can see the 30-40% PAR difference. Needless to say I started to ramp up the light intensity on the tank yesterday. With the new acro, I needed to do this anyway. Looks can be deceiving and you can't trust your own eyes when it comes to lighting.

Testing with Neptune Systems PMK- PAR Monitoring Kit

 

[Kyl]

Woot woot, I love fusion 20's! You have an outstanding tanks, and to think there are SEVEN greenbanded gobies in this one, you've made me even more jealous!

 

[flchamp89]

Your setting the bar high. Incredible

 

[reef-rc]

Woot woot, I love fusion 20's! You have an outstanding tanks, and to think there are SEVEN greenbanded gobies in this one, you've made me even more jealous!

Thank you for the compliment.

Greenbanded gobies - feeding time is especially fun to watch these things. they dart around everywhere. overall I have noticed they do established a pecking order of sort. I have stopped counting them as it gets so hard for them to stay still to count. I also find them very useful to clean up uneaten food that have fallen to the bottom. definitely kool little things.

 

[reef-rc]

Your setting the bar high. Incredible

ha...you're embarrassing me ;Shamefullyembarrased.

I have like how this little thing is coming along so far. Hoping to grow these little frags out and see they turn out when bigger. Hoping for a forest of mostly monti and acros .

 

[reef-rc]

I received a new filter (PolyLab coral view lens v2) for my phone and thought to try it out going forward. The previous filter I had been using for the past two years is called AquariClip (version 1 i think).

AquariClip v1


PolyLab coral view lens v2


The big question - IS IT BETTER?

The following are a few pics with PolyLab coral view lens v2 I took today during feeding time. What do you think? Better or the same?













My initial take is that it does show more of a natural / true color of the corals compare to the other filter.

 

[reef-rc]

Over the last several weeks i have slowly increase light intensity every 3-5 days and have noticed changes in color for sure for those that had started to turn brown previously. It's pretty fascinating to see the gradual changes in the pigmentation of these corals.

Here is a visual par intensity of the passed few days - halfway down the tank. Measurement is taken 7 inches below water surface. Kessil a360x is 13 inches above the water. Using Neptune PMK PAR monitoring kit.


Right now I am looking to shoot for 130-175 for the middle of the tank. That should put top and bottom in relatively decent range for these light loving corals.

A couple of these bright yellow monti are currently one of the bright pieces in the tank and i hope to keep them just as bright or brighter with more light

 

[reef-rc]

Frags Friday! ;Dead

THE BAD NEWS -
It's unfortunate one of the frag I received earlier today was literally wiped out before my eyes. Below are a few shots I took of the frag. Upon opening the bag, the acrop frag had a smell I knew was of bad news. From there on, within just a few hours of acclimating it...it was totally gone.

No chance what's so ever of saving a piece of it.

Frag upon open...


Frag during acclimation...


Frag after acclimation... DOA!!



THE GOOD NEWS -
Luckily there were a number of other frags that arrived with no issues. Seems a isolated piece luckily. I know I have said this to myself many times but this last few frags are the LAST ONE! Can't fit any more frags into the tank . Will look to take a few shots once frags acclimate and start opening up tomorrow.

 

[reef-rc]

After 1 day, here are most of the frags that arrived yesterday. I am happy to see how the frags turned out in person.

FRAGS




Finally moved a number of frags on to the rocks instead of frag rack. A number of these had slowly turned brown but as I was increasing the light intensity, they are slowly coming back to their bring colors.

The Phoenix Monti in particular has increased much in size. A number of these frags I do not recalled their name. I think the purple frag may be called Night Stalker acro but don't recalled what my LFS said it was.


LIGHTING:
I have slowly increased the light intensity across the tank and it is getting close to where I am looking for the middle of the tank (shooting for 120-150 PAR). Will see how it plays out if it'll meet all the frags need in the coming weeks/months.

TESTING (did water change just yesterday):
I tested some water parameters earlier this evening for ALK, Calcium and Nitrate:

• ALK - 8.0
• CAL - 475
• NO3 - near zero, if not zero

Based on these readings I did add additional 5ML of All for Reef and increased the daily dosing to 4ML per day. I like for ALK to more closer to 9+. Also did extra coral feeding since NO3 is relatively low.

 

[reef-rc]

Giving Automated Water Change (AWC) a try

I decided with next week long weekend I am going to give Neptune DOS a try for automated water change. My main rational is that I like to keep the tank as stable as possible since bio-loads of SPS frags are getting heavy and will need to replenish what is taken up more than once a week with water change if possible.

The initial goal is the automate the 20% weekly water change I do throughout the week and do "spot" water change once a week to remove detritus in areas the AWC can not get to.

Since this is an AIO system:

• Water out: Pull water from inside the display area in the corner since that has been where most of the detritus collect. I do not think this will "catch" any fish or snails since I will put it high enough above the floor of the tank.
• Water in: New saltwater will go to the back.

What's your thoughts? Suggestions?

 

[flchamp89]

I'm really curious as I have an extra 5g IM glass ATO container. But I don't think I'm ready for that. I want to see this in action. Keep us posted.

 

[reef-rc]

I'm really curious as I have an extra 5g IM glass ATO container. But I don't think I'm ready for that. I want to see this in action. Keep us posted.

Here is the current plan:

• Waste water container: 14G
• Fresh saltwater container: 5G

Will look to setup 4G AWC over a period of a week. If this works out well, I will do the same with the other fusion 20 tank and just shared the waste water container between the two tanks.

I am looking to have this up and running something within this coming weekend.

 

[reef-rc]

JULY 4th Coralworks!

Started my fourth of July fireworks early this year. I figured it does not hurt to add additional colors to the tank .