Watchguy's SPS Addiction (photo intense)

[watchguy123]

Are u shooting in raw? The Wb selection in raw editor picking on any grey shade in ur pic has been the easiest way to get close to the correct WB.

I only shoot in raw. I have tried automatic white balance, custom white balance, and my new camera even has an underwater white balance. In the past I have also tried a white card and gray card. I find the best result is automatic white balance. For metal halides, I usually adjust the color temperature to 20 k in Lightroom and the match is really close. Blue LEDs are much more challenging.

Well Mark, I decided to get Reefbrite for my tank. I too am not a fan of blue light but I am convinced like you why not spend money on lighting instead of corals all the time.

Congrats. It will take some time to accommodate to the windex effect. In fact it took me a very long time to accommodate to the very blue light. But then you learn to enjoy the wonderful “pop” of the Coral and the extraordinary fluorescence. I have mine on primarily for dawn and dusk and have really come to like them.

@watchguy123 did you get that red ferrari as a frag? and how would you describe it's growth rate for you?

I did indeed get the Red Ferrari as a frag. I purchased it from the WWC ebay site. Their frags are really small on the ebay auctions and I don’t know why I simply didn’t use the WWC website where their frags are generally more generous. It was such a small frag that it’s hard for me to judge if it’s growth was slow or it just was tiny and needed time to get growing.

Reef Raft CJ Pinky (reefbrites)



Reef Raft Cj Pinky (mh, t5’s and reefbrites)



To repeat, I think all the various lighting schemes provide beautiful viewing. Alas different but still wonderful.

 

[watchguy123]

Unnamed frag (reefbrites)



Unnamed frag (mh, t5’s and reefbrites)

 

[Reefanatik]

@watchguy123. I tried going back to see what bulbs you are using for your metal halide but can't find it, can you tell me what you use for metal halide? I have a 180 full of sps and am currently using Radium 250w on M80 ballast and 4 T5s for supplementation. I have been thinking of getting some reefbrights to go along with my lights like you do but not really sure if I will bite the bullet.

 

[larangcon]

Unnamed frag (reefbrites)



Unnamed frag (mh, t5’s and reefbrites)

Mark, I'm curious to see what this coral looks like with just the MH and T5 no reefbrites

 

[watchguy123]

@watchguy123. I tried going back to see what bulbs you are using for your metal halide but can't find it, can you tell me what you use for metal halide? I have a 180 full of sps and am currently using Radium 250w on M80 ballast and 4 T5s for supplementation. I have been thinking of getting some reefbrights to go along with my lights like you do but not really sure if I will bite the bullet.

I have a 180 bowfront and I use a geissman unit with three 250 watt 20k Radium bulbs and four Ati 80 watt t5’s. All bulbs are a year old and should be replaced in the next few weeks. For convenience, I replace them all usually in January each year. And then of course I added the reefbrite xhos


Jf Flame (reefbrites)



Jf Flame (mh, t5’s and reefbrites)



This colony is so big and so close to the top, I have a difficult time keeping the porthole in water to get the picture

 

[watchguy123]

An unnamed frag that I’ve had for a couple years. Slow grower. It has a slight resemblance to the Shazam but only slight.

Unnamed frag (reefbrites)



Unnamed frag (mh, t5’s and reefbrites)




Z’s Disguise (reefbrites)



Z’s Disguise (mh, t5’s and reefbrites)

 

[TUSI]

Excellent pics

 

[stylaster]

awesome as always you need to get z in there to name a few more corals for ya

 

[watchguy123]

Some frags I’ve had that I just can’t make happy. I’ve tried moving them up, down, sideways but they just won’t grow and some have been outcompeted by coralline algae. A couple of these may be two years old!!! In my tank

A special frag from a friend that’s struggling




These two nubs are finally showing a happier side




Had the following frag for a year. This is its third spot and I think finally is starting to grow and color.



Ugly green and brown frag that came from a pretty mother. I got it already sitting on a plug so I assume it really came from the mother that I actually saw. This has been in my tank maybe a couple months now

 

[revhtree]

Beautiful pieces!

 

[larangcon]

those recent pictures of not happy corals according to you would be happy frags to others, showing PE is enough to some. Mark you have the magic touch!

 

[Reefanatik]

@watchguy123 what is your photoperiod for your Radiums? I currently run mine for 8 hours. 10am-6pm. I only have two over my 180.

 

[Dogtown]

Watchguy, I wanted to say thanks again for the frags. They are still doing well and the thing I like the most about them is that they have a ton of florescence.

One problem I'm having with frags in general is that a fish will hit a frag and knock it off a rock. I have to go digging for it and re glue it using IC-GEL insta-cure glue. It holds but isn't all that strong so a fin flip is all it takes. Do you have something else that you can recommend?

Chris

 

[watchguy123]

Hi,

I am delighted that your frags are doing well.

I use the same glue and have an occasional problem as well. My best suggestion is to utilize a dead frag or the end of an old plug. Put some glue on it, then use that to burnish the glue on to the spot on your display rock where you plan on gluing the actual frag. I find that if I burnish or basically get a thin layer of glue on the display rock it helps quite a bit. Then i place some glue on the base of the frag and it attaches to the thin burnished layer better than without. If a fish smashes into the frag, it will still get knocked over but it seems to hold it reasonably secure otherwise. I have learned not to use the actual frag to do the burnishing because it gets glue way up the base of the actual frag. I hope this helps. It seems the most expensive frags get knocked over and usually disappear from sight, ugh.

 

[Dogtown]

Hmm... that’s a great idea and makes a lot of sense. I will try that the next time a frag gets knocked over. Should be about 7 days from now max. Haha!

Thanks!

 

[larangcon]

@Dogtown have you tried using the 2 part putty and glue together
It works really well

 

[Dogtown]

@Dogtown have you tried using the 2 part putty and glue together
It works really well

No I haven't. What do you mean exactly? Sounds interesting.

 

[larangcon]

@Dogtown, it's a two part putty that you mix together and can be place in the tank right away. Mix the putty and place under the frag and dab a little gel glue on the bottom of the putty and place in the desired spot. It will harden hard.

 

[Dogtown]

Sounds good. Are you talking about 2 part frag putty or something else?

 

[larangcon]

Yes that's the same