Reef Safe With Caution

[pcon]

Raw egg feeding update:
After one week of daily egg feedings I have decided to discontinue the regimine, despite the additional costs the premade amino mixes the ease of use makes it well worth it over raw egg. The raw egg elicited an good feeding response from the NPS, and other corals, but not superior to any other feeding. The downsides, it took quite a bit of effort to properly whisk the eggs into a suitable consistency. A full egg was too much to feed, perhaps the half egg I was feeding each day was even too much, and the mix did not seem to keep well in the fridge for the second day. The mix sent my skimmer nuts each day, requiring the cup emptied and neck to be cleaned out every night, sometimes again in the morning. Egg is going to stay in the repertoire, but is no longer going to be a daily part of regime. Going forward I would like to get a small hand mixer or one of those small blenders, to speed up the egg whisking process, and perhaps mix the eggs into a more liquidy form. I probably will continue to do it perhaps once a week or so, to vary up the coral feeding.

 

[pcon]

Sorry it’s been quiet, no real changes just frequent feedings and staying the course. Butterflies seem to be doing well. They seem settled in and eating aiptasia thankfully. No signs or sightings of coral damage, so far, knock on wood.

 

[pcon]

Put together a little video including a feeding and just some of the fish cruising the tank.

 

[mattzang]

dang dude that starry blenny is a tank and a half

 

[pcon]

dang dude that starry blenny is a tank and a half

Yeah he is a fatty. Had him for probably close to 3 years now. will eat from my hand, or rather bites my hand if he thinks I have food.

 

[pcon]

No real updates, likely to be moving in the coming few months so feeding heavy and acquiring supplies to move the tank. enjoying the tank before the move sets it back as they typically do.

 

[Wrangy]

Everyone looking good!

 

[pcon]

Thanks @Wrangy ! I am pretty happy with things, seems the Aculeatus has put on weight, so can't complain about anything.

 

[Pbh-reef]

Just recently discovered this thread - I love this tank and especially the fish you have

 

[pcon]

Thanks @Pbh-reef Always appreciate the kind words, I really am in this hobby for the fish, and love to try to find the interesting ones that aren't in the store every week.

Quick update, Not too much going on with the reef, Got to frag the mystic sunset montipora at the front it has grown into its neighbors once again, despite them being moved several times now. So tonight I am cutting some chunks for friends and to plant in other spots in the tank.

Before Cutting,

Some of the frags:

The colony after fragging, looks like I didn't take enough off, probably will be repeating this process sooner than I would like.

 

[drstardust]

Awesome tank, @pcon!

 

[pcon]

Thank you @drstardust

 

[pcon]

Finally got some time with the DSLR, Feedback on photography or other aspects of the tank always welcomed.

 

[mattzang]

looks great man. i suck at photos, but those look excellent

 

[pcon]

looks great man. i suck at photos, but those look excellent

Thanks @mattzang it just takes 10-20 bad photos for every half decent one I share. Thankful for digital, I learned on black and white film which was far more punishing.

 

[pcon]

Some other pics that turned out okay from yesterday's photo session:

 

[Wrangy]

dang those photos are looking fantastic and I'm so happy to see how good the butterfly gang is going <3 They're so nice

 

[pcon]

Thanks @Wrangy !

@Hemmdog Inspired me to test all my parameters and post them, Glad I did, as phosphate has seriously crept up on me in the last two weeks. It was 0.00 2 weeks ago, and is 0.39 now. I changed my water change regime drastically lowering my rate of water changes. I was changing about 40 gal a week for the better part of a year, and the last few months after having nitrate and phosphates pegged at 0 for that time, figured I could get away with lowering the rate of water changes. I went down to every other week for a couple months, and it was still 0no3 and 0 phos; right now it has been about 3 and a half weeks since the last water change. So more frequently than every 3 weeks is going to be necessary. Probably going to do a 40 or 50 gal water change tomorrow, and dose some lanthanum to get it down further. I know it's in fashion right now to have high nitrate and phosphate, but the imbalance between the high phosphate and 0 nitrate is concerning.

Alk: 10 DkH
Calcium: 420
Magnesium: 1500
Phos: 0.39
NO3: 0
SR: 22
Salinity: 35ppt
Temp: 74.1-75.9f

Can't update the thread without some pictures:

 

[Wrangy]

Looking good! Nothing wrong with a bit of phosphate haha

 

[pcon]

Well phosphate isn't coming down like I wanted after a large water change, so time for some lanthanum chloride. Always amazing how much water is in our tanks, this is 50 gal in the back of my car:

The tank is still looking decent, a touch of hair algae where there isn't much coral cover but a good excuse to buy more frags and cleanup crew.

So I got some frags and hermits at reef stock.

Neat deep water acro, couldnt get the colors right in photos, was too white here and too blue later when I took another pic.

Orange lepto

Green Acro

Thought this was a anacropora when I bought it but getting it home and seeing axial polyps more clearly when I got home I am pretty sure it is a acropora sarmentosa

I really wanted a sun coral but did not see a single one anywhere at reef stock. No black nor yellow sun corals, somewhat disappointed but not too surprised. Going to go back tomorrow at the end of day to maybe get some fish and corals out of the displays as they break them down, we shall see.