Reefer425XL Build - Time to start growing!

[TheGerm]

I will try to get a better picture tomorrow when the lights are on. Also, it has little to no color, very transparent (could be due to not having enough light)

 

[TheGerm]

Just tried to take another picture, but its even harder to see with the lights on.

Instead, i ordered some Aiptasia X (be here in a few days), and to get the ball rolling I just hit it with a good dose of Kalk paste. I will keep my eye on it, and see what happens.

Being that i found this one, i am only thinking there are more, i just dont see them. I will keep checking throughout the next couple of days.

 

[TheGerm]

Looks like the kalk paste took care of it, cuz there is no sign of it anymore.

I am still going to keep checking, but didn’t another round of looking at from the angles I can see, I don’t see any more. Fingers crossed!

 

[TheGerm]

Looks like the kalk paste took care of it, cuz there is no sign of it anymore.

I am still going to keep checking, but didn’t another round of looking at from the angles I can see, I don’t see any more. Fingers crossed!

i knew i spoke too soon... just kalk pasted another one. I will admit they are super hard to see, almost translucent, and I can only see them at night with an LED flashlight. During daytime lighting they are pretty invisible. So, hopefully i am noticing them before they get too mature or before the point where they spread like wild fire. Being that this is the second one, i might be too late and just have to deal with it.

On a positive note, I have the OR3s running for 2 hrs per day (on their way to ramping up). I am going to make a new PAR map this weekend when i get some time. I will say, the tank and colors look WAY different with the OR3s turned on. They really pop!

 

[Jgerm]

So every so often, I like to take a look at the tank at night, just to ensure I have pods running around and checkout the feeding response from the corals.

Tonight, I noticed some that I have not had the ‘pleasure’ of being in contact with.
I think I spotted my first ever aiptasia.

being my first time, and hearing all of the horror stories, and before I dive into the google-verse (or R2R search), any suggestions / tips to quickly get rid of this guy?

what’s weird, is it’s in the area of my tank that only has around 7PAR at max (very little light).

here’s a pic for you all to confirm (don’t mind all of the pineapple sponges)....

(might need to zoom in a tad)

It looks like a tiny aptasia head. What direction would you want to go if it Kalk paste doesn’t do the job? Nudi, peppermint, copperbanded?

 

[TheGerm]

It looks like a tiny aptasia head. What direction would you want to go if it Kalk paste doesn’t do the job? Nudi, peppermint, copperbanded?

well had a second one as well. The Kalk paste seems to have made those two disappear,and I haven’t been able to find any more. Either they are there in a place I cant see, or they are in plain sight and so translucent that I can see them either lol.

if I had a break out, or found a bunch more that I cannot control, I would think Nudis would be the way. I have always thought they were cool. I wish they ate ‘normal’ things, and aiptasia were there favorite food :).I’d just hate to buy some (if you can find them) and then they die off after they eat their prey.

I would be up for trying peppermint shrimp, cuz shrimp! I used to breed shrimp when I had freshwater tanks. I also don’t think I would go the copperband, based on the care level. They seem quite difficult to keep alive.

also,should be building the new PAR map tomorrow (got busy with my other hobby this weekend, my lawn).

 

[TheGerm]

Got the PAR map done. Here it is with the same (2) Hydra 26s and (2) Orphek OR3 Blue+.

Rough ballpark, i'd say there was an increase of ~50-100 PAR in almost every location. Also, the tank has been looking good since the new light addition. The OR3's are up to 3hrs/day now... looking to eventually get them to 7ish. The only thing i wish the OR3's had was a ramping / dimming cycle, but its all good.

 

[Jgerm]

Par looks good man! How did that mount turn out?

 

[enveeRF]

Tank looks great!!!

 

[TheGerm]

Par looks good man! How did that mount turn out?

Thanks @Jgerm! Mount has turned out great. It is solid and functions as i needed/intended. i slightly cheated with the design and mixed 3D printed parts in PETG and some aluminum, but you could easily make it bulkier and use a 3D printed part :). I wanted its as thin as possible.

Tank looks great!!!

Thanks @enveeRF!

 

[Rusticman]

What is your current Hydra setting? Did you turn up the white channel? I’m thinking about getting the Orphek bar too to use along with my Hydra 26s that came with my RS e260. I have the OR3 Blue Plus along with the Photon on my Planet 155 gal. and they make my corals pop. Not so much with the Hydras because I can’t get it blue enough.

 

[TheGerm]

What is your current Hydra setting? Did you turn up the white channel? I’m thinking about getting the Orphek bar too to use along with my Hydra 26s that came with my RS e260. I have the OR3 Blue Plus along with the Photon on my Planet 155 gal. and they make my corals pop. Not so much with the Hydras because I can’t get it blue enough.

Most recent settings for my hydras are in post #14. I havent made changes since adding the ORP (besides ramping the light bars up in duration).

I would add, in person my 'blue' channel is not prominent like i see in a lot of other tanks, but my corals definitely 'POP' with the additions of the OR3 B+.

 

[Jgerm]

Just checking up on a fellow Germ! How are things going?

 

[TheGerm]

Just checking up on a fellow Germ! How are things going?

hey man! things are going pretty good, just trying to fight off the aptasia that finally worked its way into my tank. Killing them as i see them, since the peppermint shrimps i bought dont seem to touch them.

Had a single acro die (ASD Skyline, shipping wasnt nice to it from the beginning), also could have been placement, but all other acros seem to be happy. I have another that looks like its being eaten by something, but out of ~25 acros its the only one that has it:

I forgot the name and cant seem to find the tag, but its from Battlecorals: (see the tear like thing towards the base, hasnt grown in a couple days, been watching closely)

Full tank pic since i am posting something: (i know i know, clean the power heads and gyres... its on my list)

 

[TheGerm]

okay.... its been awhile since my last post, and now i think i am on a losing battle with aiptasia (which first sign was 9/20/2020). A couple of them have already sent 3 sticks to the underbelly. The aiptasia are literally popping up everywhere!

Things i have tried:
- manual injection with Kalk and also tried aiptastia-x. Yes they die, but i feel like 10 more show in their place
- nudibranch's (have added ~18 of them). they have been in the tank for 3-4mo with little to nothing to show, but i understand they take time. Also, there is very little likelihood of ever finding them now they are in the tank. Not sure what the numbers are now, or if they are still alive :)
- Recently added a Filefish (2wks ago). I can watch it swimming around nibbling at the smaller aiptasia, but its a smaller filefish. So, i dont think it will do much until it grows a little more (has good camo, but can be seen in image6 in the back left of the tank, next to a snail)
- I also recently started injecting singular aiptasia with full strength 0.5ml White Vinegar. This is super satisfying to watch larger aiptasia melt away. I can only do this a couple times every 2 days (maxing total injections to 3ml). I dont want the vinegar fluctuating the tank params too much. Also, i havent noticed any abundance of aiptasia popup with this method. Does take patience and a steady hand to inject them properly though.

Also, adding some updated pics that i just took...

 

[Jgerm]

okay.... its been awhile since my last post, and now i think i am on a losing battle with aiptasia (which first sign was 9/20/2020). A couple of them have already sent 3 sticks to the underbelly. The aiptasia are literally popping up everywhere!

Things i have tried:
- manual injection with Kalk and also tried aiptastia-x. Yes they die, but i feel like 10 more show in their place
- nudibranch's (have added ~18 of them). they have been in the tank for 3-4mo with little to nothing to show, but i understand they take time. Also, there is very little likelihood of ever finding them now they are in the tank. Not sure what the numbers are now, or if they are still alive :)
- Recently added a Filefish (2wks ago). I can watch it swimming around nibbling at the smaller aiptasia, but its a smaller filefish. So, i dont think it will do much until it grows a little more (has good camo, but can be seen in image6 in the back left of the tank, next to a snail)
- I also recently started injecting singular aiptasia with full strength 0.5ml White Vinegar. This is super satisfying to watch larger aiptasia melt away. I can only do this a couple times every 2 days (maxing total injections to 3ml). I dont want the vinegar fluctuating the tank params too much. Also, i havent noticed any abundance of aiptasia popup with this method. Does take patience and a steady hand to inject them properly though.

Also, adding some updated pics that i just took...

Dang the aptasia war continues. The file fish should slowly get control back but sadly you will have to keep on top of the ones that get near your corals. Hang in there fellow Germ!

 

[PanchoG]

Very nice tank, you will eventually win the aiptasia war with the file fish, I do buy one every one or two years to clean my DT.

 

[TheGerm]

thanks for the positive thoughts ya'll!!!!

I was just looking at my older pics compared to what i just uploaded and there is a big difference! I have been running the Moonshiners Method for the past ~2mo and its pretty awesome, still surprised its not more popular here on R2R.

I also just sent out a Trident test (had it laying around, and havent found ATI's lately).

 

[TheGerm]

Well, it has been a year since I have updated this thread (I know, horrible).... and now I am losing faith :(.

Aiptasia is winning and has taken two more sticks in the past week. It is literally everywhere and the creatures I have added to the tank to help, are not doing much. I cleaned the gyers 3wks ago and they are already covered in baby aiptasia. I cant seem to win. Its literally tearing me a part, as thoughts of tank tear down keep coming into my head.

I thought I would out last this fight, but idk, I am starting to think differently. There is literally not an open space of rock that doesnt have aiptasia.

I am also almost 100% positive the nudi's are no longer there and either the peppermints (2) ate them, or something else went horribly wrong with them.

well thats the update, not a positive one, but its where I am after the last year of fighting.

(maybe when the lights come on and ramp up, I will upload a new pic so y'all can see the tragedy)

 

[Scl43]

Man !! This is exactly what i want for my 2 hydras. Youd think there would be a mod out there for this. Im not great at diy so would struggle to make something up for it

Added 2 OR3s.

Designed the mount to fit existing RedSea Mounts.

Mounts and details can be found on Thingiverse:
https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4608423

*** Thingiverse is still uploading the full detail/files, they may not show properly on the web for a little while