Waterbox 100.3 Orphek Back to SPS Reef Madness

OP
OP
hart24601

hart24601

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 18, 2014
Messages
6,576
Reaction score
6,630
Location
Iowa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Switched to TMP, made the 1st brute with a small amount of red Sea blue bucket left too. Alk tested at 8.5dkh, and my new target is 8-8.5 so that's good news!
 

lbacha

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Messages
1,851
Reaction score
2,418
Location
Cleveland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thanks lol

Well I’m hooked on clams again, petco got a nice 2” maxima in from ORA today. Deep purple with bright blue markings. For $29.99 it came home with me along with a couple Diadema urchins.

d12ef00455a1e3001a73749cf9c7e2d6.jpg
 
OP
OP
hart24601

hart24601

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 18, 2014
Messages
6,576
Reaction score
6,630
Location
Iowa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thanks lol

Well I’m hooked on clams again, petco got a nice 2” maxima in from ORA today. Deep purple with bright blue markings. For $29.99 it came home with me along with a couple Diadema urchins.

d12ef00455a1e3001a73749cf9c7e2d6.jpg
Dang!!!' I'm totally jealous. Nice finds.
 

lbacha

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Messages
1,851
Reaction score
2,418
Location
Cleveland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Dang!!!' I'm totally jealous. Nice finds.

Yeah I talked to the manager there and he said he hired a couple very knowledgeable saltwater employees and they are really doing a good job keeping the tanks up. They had some Garf bonsai, a couple other nice acro’s and a bunch of other corals. I’m not sure if I’m ready to trust sps from petco but the tank looked really healthy.
 
OP
OP
hart24601

hart24601

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 18, 2014
Messages
6,576
Reaction score
6,630
Location
Iowa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
From a pic earlier in this thread to couple days ago. 3 months to the day. Pretty happy with this growth and really looks primed to take off in next 3.
622DEEAE-4314-4651-A164-DC64B279AE59.jpeg
 

lbacha

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Messages
1,851
Reaction score
2,418
Location
Cleveland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Thanks lol

Well I’m hooked on clams again, petco got a nice 2” maxima in from ORA today. Deep purple with bright blue markings. For $29.99 it came home with me along with a couple Diadema urchins.

d12ef00455a1e3001a73749cf9c7e2d6.jpg
So here is a better picture
CF6794EA-BBAC-46FB-8149-B82B5627A0BF.jpeg
844CB76B-5489-408F-BCEF-2CC923E07A95.jpeg
 

lbacha

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Messages
1,851
Reaction score
2,418
Location
Cleveland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
That was $30?!? Dang what a steal!

Starry night
Yeah I didn’t even realize it had all the white spots until I took a photo of it from the top. It is really a neat looking clam. Still can’t believe I got it and a deresa for 29.99 each
 

zoous

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 20, 2007
Messages
550
Reaction score
85
Location
NYC
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Nice Clam. Great Price Too.

How do you like the Orphek lights?
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
hart24601

hart24601

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 18, 2014
Messages
6,576
Reaction score
6,630
Location
Iowa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Yeah I didn’t even realize it had all the white spots until I took a photo of it from the top. It is really a neat looking clam. Still can’t believe I got it and a deresa for 29.99 each

I would have a whole tank full for those looks and price!
 

zoous

Well-Known Member
View Badges
Joined
Aug 20, 2007
Messages
550
Reaction score
85
Location
NYC
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Wow. One month growth that's pretty amazing. At that rate you probably will need a bigger tank in the future.
 

lbacha

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Messages
1,851
Reaction score
2,418
Location
Cleveland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I feel orpheks are easily the best LED out there. I hope radion and AI next gen will match it.

One month of gigas growth from top to bottom.

3C636E0D-46C7-4FC8-ADE7-11E225624C1E.jpeg
Glad to hear the clams like the Orphek mine are under an Atlantic v4 as well.
 
OP
OP
hart24601

hart24601

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 18, 2014
Messages
6,576
Reaction score
6,630
Location
Iowa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I decided to get some wrasses as the chalk bass hide a lot.

I used this guide:

Of course after I bought the below fish I see some are pretty aggressive, but hopfully using that chart above it will be minimized since I avoided getting any in the same group. I didn't notice the + by the Rubrisquamis.




Flavidorsalis

“Yellow-fin Fairy”: One of the smallest of the genus. Often available at an affordable cost. While generally not overly aggressive, they will stand their ground quite well for their size.

Aurantidorsalis


C. aurantidorsalis “Orange-Backed Fairy”: Very saturated colors and not overly expensive, but can be prone to fading coloration in captivity. Usually peaceful with other Cirrhilabrus.

Exquisitus

Commonly available, not overly expensive. There is wide color variation amongst the species dependent upon collection region. Peaceful.

Punctatus

“Fine-Spotted Fairy”: Somewhat rare in the trade. Very prone to fading coloration in captivity. Usually peaceful with other Cirrhilabrus.

Naokoae

Occasionally available, rather expensive. Can be quite aggressive with other Cirrhilabrus, use caution.

Isosceles

“Pintail Fairy”: Prior known as cf. lanceolatus, the species is much more closely related to C. lunatus. Once rarely ever available, supply is now regular from the northern Philippians. Moderately expensive and usually very peaceful.

Rubrisquamis

“Red Velvet Fairy”: Often available, somewhat expensive. Very much on the aggressive side for Cirrhilabrus wrasses, don’t mix with others which are passive/peaceful. 50/50 chance of aggression when mixing with C. jordani. Best kept without other wrasses.

Paracheilinus mccoskeri

“McCosker’s Flasher”: Commonly available, inexpensive. 1 filament on the dorsal fin. Red only appears on the anal fin (which is all red to a deep burgundy); the dorsal fin and tail have no red. Peaceful with other flashers and wrasses.




1565978358362.png
 
OP
OP
hart24601

hart24601

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 18, 2014
Messages
6,576
Reaction score
6,630
Location
Iowa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I called and had these guys removed from the order, no need to chance things.

And had female Cirrhilabrus balteatus added instead.
C. balteatus “Gridled Fairy”: Somewhat rare in the trade, moderately priced. Mostly peaceful with other Cirrhilabrus.


Naokoae

Occasionally available, rather expensive. Can be quite aggressive with other Cirrhilabrus, use caution.

Rubrisquamis

“Red Velvet Fairy”: Often available, somewhat expensive. Very much on the aggressive side for Cirrhilabrus wrasses, don’t mix with others which are passive/peaceful. 50/50 chance of aggression when mixing with C. jordani. Best kept without other wrasses.
 
Last edited:
OP
OP
hart24601

hart24601

5000 Club Member
View Badges
Joined
Mar 18, 2014
Messages
6,576
Reaction score
6,630
Location
Iowa
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Bought a calcium and magnesium test kit for the 1st time in many years. I have never tested those on this system even when it was a 33g. Calcium is 480, Magnesium ~1600. Both of those are pretty high. The next batch of DIY 2 part I will leave out the magnesium part. The AWC with tropic marin pro should bring it down a little too. I might turn off the calcium head of the doser for a day off and on to drop those levels more in line with my target alk of 8.
 

lbacha

Valuable Member
View Badges
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
Messages
1,851
Reaction score
2,418
Location
Cleveland
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
I wouldn’t worry about the Cal unless you are seeing precipitate. It doesn’t have a negative effect like high alk does.
 
Back
Top