The Scleractinia Shallows

[reefmutt]

Nice score on the carx!
And I WANT THOSE ACROS!
Then again I've almost never seen an acro I did t want but that red polyped plating acro looks nice.
Looks like hyacinthus but not sure.. any ideas?
It looks like a type of Aussie that comes into montreal often. Nice solid red.

[Wrangy]

Originally Posted by reefmutt

Nice score on the carx!
And I WANT THOSE ACROS!
Then again I've almost never seen an acro I did t want but that red polyped plating acro looks nice.
Looks like hyacinthus but not sure.. any ideas?
It looks like a type of Aussie that comes into montreal often. Nice solid red.

Yeah, I jumped on it as it was too good to miss! All my tax is gone now though haha
Would you believe they are both pieces that have been sitting in the store for a few weeks? I wanted to get them last time but did other things instead so I snapped them up straight away haha. I actually didn't even realise it had red polyps till I took that picture...
It does look like hyacinthus but I don't think it is, I get the feeling it's something else from the growth pattern and the whiteness of the underlying skin so maybe Andrew will know lol

[Pife]

I can't believe the tanks cost that much. Have you went directly to a gas distributor?

[Wrangy]

Originally Posted by Pife

I can't believe the tanks cost that much. Have you went directly to a gas distributor?

That's the price for a full, new 2.6kg CO2 bottle lol swaps might be a little less and we can't go to suppliers or distributors as they'll be wholesale/commercial only

[Pife]

That's what people think here and I just walked in and they did business with me. I have 3 large bottles. I got all of mine used. You might check with a restaurant that has fountain soda.

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[biggles]

That was a cool score getting the bigger calcium reactor with the bottle included Dom

I think this piece is hyacinthus as Matt suggested it may be, it grows in a much more delicate and splayed pattern when collected in calm waters usually deep down and if that's the case which i think it is make sure the flow goes the same way it's growing or it will go to hell on you trust me lol. I have a similar piece but much smaller i got a couple of months back and i nearly killed it the first few weeks until i worked out it wouldn't tolerate a change to the flow it was used to.
Even if you give it gentle head on surges it will thicken at the tips and grow more upward losing the twig like beauty it has now so it is worth taking the time to preserve one of the main things that caught your eye in the first place imo. Anyway, that's just my take on the piece that Dave should have held for me you sneaky bugger.......... nice score matey

[FloformAustria]

wow Dom!!

tank is really looking great! love it!!!!

can't wait to get mine started already !!

Cheers Mate

[Wrangy]

Originally Posted by Pife

That's what people think here and I just walked in and they did business with me. I have 3 large bottles. I got all of mine used. You might check with a restaurant that has fountain soda.

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I'll probably give that a go but there's a brewing place nearby so I'll probs hit them up for a refill

Originally Posted by biggles

That was a cool score getting the bigger calcium reactor with the bottle included Dom

I think this piece is hyacinthus as Matt suggested it may be, it grows in a much more delicate and splayed pattern when collected in calm waters usually deep down and if that's the case which i think it is make sure the flow goes the same way it's growing or it will go to hell on you trust me lol. I have a similar piece but much smaller i got a couple of months back and i nearly killed it the first few weeks until i worked out it wouldn't tolerate a change to the flow it was used to.
Even if you give it gentle head on surges it will thicken at the tips and grow more upward losing the twig like beauty it has now so it is worth taking the time to preserve one of the main things that caught your eye in the first place imo. Anyway, that's just my take on the piece that Dave should have held for me you sneaky bugger.......... nice score matey

Yeah, score of the century I think!

I would say you're right then I've got it in medium flow so hopefully it keeps it's groovy growth pattern! The flow goes with it as well so nothing stubby on the ends haha. I'm hoping to get it to continue on it's path of growth so that gives a sweet backdrop to the clam

Originally Posted by FloformAustria

wow Dom!!
tank is really looking great! love it!!!!
can't wait to get mine started already !!
Cheers Mate

Thanks Flo I'm looking forward to what happens over the next twleve months!

[Wrangy]

Welp I had a great tank day today I got a water change done, just a smaller 20L basic one with nothing special or siphoning to it lol. Mainly because I had to put 5L into the new reactor to fill it up I've got it cranking out the good stuff now with Caribsea ARM media in it! Going to start with the pH set to 7 and slowly work it down from there without changing the effluent flow rate And just work on getting my level happy and I did a little cord management and mounted the controllers, here's my fancy control room!


And the reactor, a Geo's Reef CR618!




And of course the beautiful FTS w. haze from the media dust haha

[sparker1663]

you really have to stop taking pics after shaking your stones....... :P

Wicked deal on the reactor, get those hose fittings off and get some John Guest on there to really make it the part.

Looking forward to seeing your tank take off growth wise now, cal reactor will make a noticeable difference I think

[reefmutt]

Nice Dom. Once it's dialed in, you'll love it.

[thomasbahr]

Do you really have your reactor sit on the carpet besides the tank? What about leaks? Nice corals you guys have in australia, to sad we don't se to much of them here in Germany beside some stupid brown stuff, but mariculture and aquaculture seem to change that in the recent years. Not everybody allows himself the luxury to grow his green acros on the neighbors roof like Biggles...

[Wrangy]

Originally Posted by sparker1663

you really have to stop taking pics after shaking your stones....... :P

Wicked deal on the reactor, get those hose fittings off and get some John Guest on there to really make it the part.

Looking forward to seeing your tank take off growth wise now, cal reactor will make a noticeable difference I think

Hey, it was actually the dust from the media not me shaking the stones this time

Yeah, I still can't believe but I'm so amped that I have one running finally, got the pH set to ~6.9 and the alk tested at 9.7dKH (oops) last night so I need to sort that out lol I've taken the doser offline to see if I had it dosing too much and I'll just go from there, I'll test again tonight and see what needs to happen!

I can't wait either! Should be some happy times to come lol

Originally Posted by reefmutt

Nice Dom. Once it's dialed in, you'll love it.

I love it already haha I've always, always wanted one so finally having one I'm absolutely stoked! And a Geo too!

Originally Posted by thomasbahr

Do you really have your reactor sit on the carpet besides the tank? What about leaks? Nice corals you guys have in australia, to sad we don't se to much of them here in Germany beside some stupid brown stuff, but mariculture and aquaculture seem to change that in the recent years. Not everybody allows himself the luxury to grow his green acros on the neighbors roof like Biggles...

Yep, straight on the carpet haha I like to live dangerously lol unfortunately I don't really have many other options for it so that's where it lives at the moment. I do check all the connections twice a day for leaks and drips.
There's a few more companies here doing culturing of various types so hopefully you get to see more soon!!

[cFloor]

Everything is looking wonderful bud! Everything but that screen top

[Wrangy]

Originally Posted by cFloor

Everything is looking wonderful bud! Everything but that screen top

Thanks mate, means a lot coming from you I'm finally sick of the screen top so it might be this weekends task along with some cable management lol

[Pife]

Originally Posted by Wrangy

Thanks mate, means a lot coming from you I'm finally sick of the screen top so it might be this weekends task along with some cable management lol

I'm an electrician in the real world and love making my work look great but cable management on my tanks I loath. Good luck with all that jazz.

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[Wrangy]

Originally Posted by Pife

I'm an electrician in the real world and love making my work look great but cable management on my tanks I loath. Good luck with all that jazz.

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haha I can understand where you're coming from! When I say cable management I mean tuck all the cables out of the way so there's mess everywhere else but not directly in front of the sump lol it'll still be messy! I am thinking of moving the bottom power board to the other side now that I don't necessarily need the dosing containers

[Wrangy]

Okay so alk is up to 10.9dKH lol so we know the reactor works a treat at 6.9pH haha. I've turned the pH to 8 so it's stops melting and I'll leave it till the alk is back to 7.5dKH then slowly sort it out haha

Definitely happy though

[Wrangy]

Alk is back under 9 and things are cheering up a little water change done tonight with aquaforest probiotic salt which I love!

[biggles]

Damn mate, that's looking better. I can see the whole display is looking fresher and healthier - acros look brighter than they have for ages

[plyle02]

Wow Dom,
Your tank seems to have dialed in and those acros are looking sweet, I love the design, you have a killer collection of zoas too

[Wrangy]

Originally Posted by biggles

Damn mate, that's looking better. I can see the whole display is looking fresher and healthier - acros look brighter than they have for ages

It's looking the best it's looked since starting and it's the cleanest looking tank I've had since starting this hobby now that there's no bryopsis and 95% of the bubble algae is dead I'm really happy with it and have a couple of new additions that Dave is holding that I'm looking forward to adding!

Originally Posted by plyle02

Wow Dom,
Your tank seems to have dialed in and those acros are looking sweet, I love the design, you have a killer collection of zoas too

Thanks Perry Still a whiles to go but I'm in love with the tank and how it's looking finally! I have my maintenance routine set in stone and it's really helping!
I'm hoping to add a few more special ones soon too, don't tell Andrew I'm getting more flubber though

[Pife]

Your tank has really turned a corner! Is there anything you can point to and say that's what did it for your tank?

It better be amazing flubber or some exotic wrasse!

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[deaclauderdale]

Originally Posted by Wrangy

Alk is back under 9 and things are cheering up a little water change done tonight with aquaforest probiotic salt which I love!

Beautiful shot Dom! Really dig the angle and the clam in the other pic is looking rather big.


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[reefmutt]

Originally Posted by Wrangy

Alk is back under 9 and things are cheering up a little water change done tonight with aquaforest probiotic salt which I love!

Love this shot, Dom!
Tank is looking great!