Uncomfortably successful...

[Yevoc]

So back story.
1st tank 2003. 75g Noob train wreck built on the knowledge of a crappy LFS and my freshwater background. Actually kept a few SPS alive.

2nd tank 2005. 150g. Joined the local reef club sub to Coral Mag. Joined a forum. The 150g was far more successful. At the time most of my coral was wild. Few frags. CalRX. All in all it was going well. Real world decided to throw a wrench. Changed careers money was tight. I ended up selling the tank in 2009. Really hurt.

I had kept fish since I was 5 and had no tank.

The itch could not remain unscratched.

2014 I bought a used bio cube and put a Prime over it. It was going along. 9 months tank starts leaking.

2015 54g first house was small still could not go big so the 54g corner fits the space. 54 was a mixed bag I had some successes and setbacks.

2019 move into my long term house. 54g survives the move. At one point I was going to upgrade while moving but decided to split it up. I mean "2020 is going to be my year".

2020. 1000s hours of BRS videos. Reading, comparing. I set up the best tank and know how to and can afford. Few COVID delays.

So TLDR
Through life and tank struggles I've had a lot of stopping and starting.


The point here is I've wanted a grown out mature tank for the better part of 20 years. I am here. The tank is working. Sitting on $900 of Battle Coral frags. Everything is growing. Everything is great.

I don't know why but I am expecting the tank to explode. I have SPS imposter syndrome. I have the nicest tank I've ever had.

No question just venting.

 

[blasterman]

Common sense, avoiding fads, sharing knowledge with successful SPS keepers and patience. Who'd of thought.

 

[Reefahholic]

We must see a pic of this tank sir.

 

[Yevoc]

We must see a pic of this tank sir.

Well it is a 240g frag tank at this point.

My 3 month achievement list would seem to include the skipping of the ugly phase, seemingly and the rapid purpling of the tank.

The first frag batch is settling in nice and most of them have encrusted. (Still only a cell phone cam)
BC Secale

Brian C Efflo

I like that this frag has lost all of it "shipping color" and seems to be matching what I am seeing out of others photos.

Polyp extension is solid too (Coral Beauty is a bit of a nipper).

 

[Yevoc]

I am running the Triton Method dosing the core.

So far the corals tend towards the lighter, paler side for coral.

Nitrate has stayed near untestable, via Nyos.

Phosphate slowly trends up. As to not kill the algae in the fuge I have controlled it's levels with Phosphat-E. Targeting .05 to .1 and not trying to over do it.

Nitrate in this system seems the limiting factor. I have NoPox and have never needed to use it. The fuge seems to manage.

I upped feedings. The Nitrate still hasn't moved. I have tested feeding "too much". Script stays the same. Phos goes up Nitrate won't.

I picked up some Red Sea AB+ and got free Pohl's via BRS black Friday sale. I am looking forward to seeing any reaction.

I planned for and built a high input, high export system and so far it is going to plan.