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Unread 08/15/2018, 02:42 PM   #1001
Pellikan
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Pity about your BTA. When mine spilt(twice) I was able to sell two and the rock they were on.

It's cool you've got a fish room mini. My tank is against an outside wall. No hope for me. I do have a FW tank against the wall of a spare bedroom but I don't even want to think about moving two tanks!

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Unread 09/09/2018, 01:39 PM   #1002
homer1475
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Well my bta has split again, making 3 now! I'm thinking I might just rip one off the rocks and ditch it, but haven't decided yet as they are not bothering anything ATM.

Tank is doing well as I haven't really touched it other then to do weekly WC's, feed the fish and corals daily, and testing. Have the DOS setup perfectly now.

Finally got some time to myself today so I figured I would get to cleaning all that pukani I have in a bucket sitting in my garage.

I think the acid is working. Lol. That's 1 gallon muriatic acid to about 25 gallons of tap.




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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 09/09/2018, 02:10 PM   #1003
smoothmove
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Holy science experiment Batman... Lol. Following intently. Great work.


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80 gallon Deep Blue Rimless, 5 Kessil A160's Tuna Blues, Converted AquaC EV 400 w/ Sedra 15000, Jebao 36 watt UV, Jebao DCT12000, 75 gallon sump
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Unread 09/13/2018, 01:16 PM   #1004
homer1475
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Went for a ride yesterday to western NY to see what's up with that scene now that anything local is closed on Wednesday.

Anywho, finally found a mated pair of midnight clowns, and I picked up a new toy for rather cheap. A maxspect gyre 230 with controller. Had I known I needed the icecap module for control through the apex, I would have skipped the controller.

And since we all love pics, some more tank shots now that I'm not ashamed to show my tank.



$189.99 with controller! Can't beat that price second hand.





















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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 09/14/2018, 11:06 AM   #1005
cincyjim
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Beautiful tank and corals! Great job!


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Unread 09/17/2018, 02:38 PM   #1006
homer1475
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Thanks cincyjim! I'm finally not ashamed of the algae ridden mess and am comfortable posting pics again.



For the first time in my life I have a tank thats in ionic balance! I'm dosing exactly 48ml/d of both alk and cal to maintain 8.0 ALK and 420 CAL. I know its something very simple, but I'm super excited about it! My tank has never looked as healthy.



All my corals are growing(yes even the acan), the purple stylo I got from soul has doubled in size, as well as added a few new "arms". The green slimer hasn't grown much, but it has gotten quite a bit thicker. I'm thinking about moving it so it sits upright as no matter how I orientate it, there always seems to be one side thats dying and one side thriving. Could be why it's gotten thick and not taller as I keep turning it so the dead side colors up again. Both montis have recovered and are plating out again, my duncan has added 6 new heads, and the ARC black cherry blasto has added a few new heads as well.


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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 09/18/2018, 03:59 AM   #1007
cincyjim
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Feels so good when things are right! I've never had much luck with Duncans. For some reason my grew a total of 5 heads and then stopped. No matter where I put it in the tank it just isn't doing anything. Never comes out full anymore. Only coral that isn't doing well so I'm not sure what's going on with it.


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Unread 09/22/2018, 09:13 AM   #1008
ReefWreak
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Everything is looking good Homer! Nice growth on pieces (especially those monti caps). With the slimer, I'd just let the shaded/brown side do its thing, and let the coral grow where it wants to. If you keep moving it you'll just drive yourself crazy. Find a position you like, and let it figure out how to grow how it likes. As long as it has basic access to light and flow, it'll adapt.


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Unread 09/22/2018, 03:01 PM   #1009
homer1475
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Well I finally got sick of the BTA! I took one whole plating monti out of my tank and chucked it, only because the BTA was connected to it. It was mostly dead in the center anyways, I left one little frag attached to a rock that was still alive. I'm sure with how fast it originally grew, It will be a decent size again. It opened up a little more space, so not a huge loss.



Got the old pukani all acid washed and bleached. Just waiting for it to dry out, then I'll figure out what I want to do with it. Might even just sell it as I like the minimal rock look.


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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 09/22/2018, 03:22 PM   #1010
homer1475
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Pink and green monti, before....






After removing it, Nice place for the hammer.






Little different angle and zoomed in. You can see the small frag I left behind.



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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 09/26/2018, 06:20 AM   #1011
homer1475
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Got an icecap module in yesterday to control the gyre with the apex. Not as easy as I first thought it was. It's not hard if you know how to setup profiles.



Well my acan woes continue..... It seems like the only acan in my tank(the one I got when I visited Soul) is receding and not looking very healthy at all.



No idea why I cannot keep this coral in this tank, yet everything else is growing and thriving. I feed them every other day(not directly, but broadcast feed the entire tank some PE Mysis, small chunk of LRS, and about 8 spoonfuls of reef chili), N and P are both just barely detectable, flow and lighting aren't an issue as every other coral is doing great, even the couple frags of SPS I have. I do see every head extend it's tentacles and actually feed, so I don't think they are starving. Perhaps my lights are too strong? I have no idea anymore.



It's a perplexing situtation to say the least.


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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 10/03/2018, 03:13 AM   #1012
homer1475
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Just got over a 3 day blackout for cyano.



No idea where it came from, just out of the blue I came home the other day and everything was covered in cyano! No N or P imbalance as both are just barely detectable(.25 and .032 respectively) and everything else is in order with 0 changes.



Got rid of the third BTA so there is only 1 left in the tank now. Hopefully that one won't split several times in such a short time frame.



Acan is most certainly on the decline and will probably be fully dead within a week. I absolutely hate that I cannot keep this coral and ultimately might be the reason I decommission this tank and be done with the hobby altogether. Time will tell but right now it's about what I'm feeling like.


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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 10/03/2018, 05:02 AM   #1013
soulpatch
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You actually want some dirtier water for the acans

As my water gets clean for my sps to color up a bit more my acans receded slightly and have some heads die off. After I frag and sell the sps i overfeed again to dirty the water and acans come back

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Unread 10/04/2018, 02:51 PM   #1014
homer1475
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My only problem with dirtier water, I grow algae like mad on my rocks. No idea how to balance it out so I'm not farming GHA and still keeping my corals happy.



Come to think of it, in my biocube I never had the algae issue and my nitrates were around 40. Acans thrived in there. Maybe I'll feed a little more and see what happens. Instead of every other day, I'll go to every day.


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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 10/17/2018, 03:57 AM   #1015
homer1475
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Still having a cyano issue! It's really frustrating!


Just did another 3 day blackout. Of course I have somewhat elevated nitrates as I ran out of salt and had to order a new box. Went to make water the other day and my wife never told me she grabbed the last bag in the box. lol



I'm assuming my high nitrates(read 12 ppm) with very low phosphates(.014 to .019) is the reason I'm having a cyano outbreak? Some very aggressive water changes are in order when my salt gets here tomorrow.



On another note.....
Someone who my mother in law babysits for was mentioning how they wanted to start up a salt tank to help his kids learn, but had no idea where to start(they have kept fresh for the last 30 years). Of course my MIL gave him my number and I got him all setup, and made his head swim when he came over look at my tank.


I gave him my 50 pounds of cleaned and dry pukani, both my BB lights, and lots of RO/DI as well as some very sage advice, and a link to RC and BRS. Needless to say I'm having fun setting this up as the kids(i'm really not a kid person) are super excited, and seeing their faces everyday and the onslaught of question they have is very fun.



It's a simple setup, no skimmer, 4 jebao powerheads(2 pp4's, and 2 pp8's), my BB lights, 50# of pukani, no sump or skimmer. A very basic setup which more then likely will never see corals. While they liked my tank and the corals, they have decided to start with fish for a while and see how that progresses. If they do good with the fish, then maybe sometime down the road they might try some corals. They also had no idea how expensive the salty side of the hobby was.


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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"

Last edited by homer1475; 10/17/2018 at 04:08 AM.
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Unread 10/17/2018, 04:11 AM   #1016
homer1475
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OOh yeah, finally got that last BTA off my rocks!!!!!


On this weeks blackout period I happen to turn my lights on so a friend could see the tank(the person I'm helping), and I noticed the last BTA was all shriveled up and moving. This was finally my chance to kill this little bugger! Reached in and scooped it right up with no problem and out into the side swamp it went.



Someone many years down the road is going to be very confused when they find all kinds of dead coral skeletons in my swamp along side my house. lmao.


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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 10/17/2018, 04:53 AM   #1017
soulpatch
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Nice. I was equally as happy when my bta were all out of my tank...

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Unread 11/15/2018, 05:54 AM   #1018
homer1475
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So lets see, alot has happened since I last posted.....


Cyano is beat back for the most part. Still having a small issue, but it's not so bad it's strangling corals. I am having a GHA outbreak for some reason? I think it might be because I'm running nutrients slightly higher(Soul's idea to try and save my acans). It's not bad, but I can see it on some of the rocks which is annoying at most.



Even though I'm running nutrients higher then usual(NO3 5 to 8, and PO4 is right around .033) I'm still loosing acans. The one I bought this spring when I visited soul is just barely hanging on, and any others I have added eventually end up just shriveling up and dying. Even despite feeding every other day with PE Mysis at night when their tentacles are out.



All other corals are thriving. Blasto that was just hanging on for the last year is finally starting to grow, and has even added 2 heads(I knew this was a super slow grower when I bought it). Frogspawn has added about 6 heads, candycane has tripled in size, maze brain is fully encrusted the frag plug and is slowly starting to encrust onto the rocks, sunset monti is doing the same, stylo I got from soul has doubled in size and has many "arms" now, green slimer is twice as tall and has added a few "arms" as well. Only bad thing was the hammer I bought when visiting soul, it lost one head initially, but the other head is now fully open and beginning to split. I don't know if it is the elevated nutrients or perhaps the lighting that killed the one head, but its growing now so no big deal.



Overall tank health is great, I just can't seem to keep acans, and I have no idea why.



ALK, CAL, MG are all spot on and do not fluctuate. ALK 8.5, CAL 420, MG 1250, NO3 5 to 8, PO4 .013 to .033. PO4 fluctuates and I believe it may just be the test kit and not actually fluctuating like this.



Only thing new is a very small aussie elegance. Only has 3 tiny mouths and opens and eats daily. Hoping this one actually makes it.


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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 11/15/2018, 06:00 AM   #1019
soulpatch
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Good luck man. I am hoping for my gear to get here soon so I can do an update of my own. To hint i have a radion and aquatoclife t5 unit light the additions.

Also heavily looking into a alk monitor from ghl.



As for your acans. They are an odd coral. I hopefully have stemmed some of my recent losses as well as i found my filefish eating them at night. So he is no longer in tank. Glad to hear rest is all growing for you.

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Unread 11/15/2018, 06:09 AM   #1020
homer1475
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Been looking at the hybrid units. Interesting idea, just not sure how well it work over just plain old T5's and the reefbrite strips. You'll have to let me know how it works out for you.



Yes the acan issue is really peeing me off. Acans are my favorite coral, and traveling around to different LFS's I have seen some amazing color variations. But like I told one LFS owner "I might as well just give you my money and have you keep the coral as it will just die in my tank".


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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 11/15/2018, 06:11 AM   #1021
soulpatch
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The hybrid is for grow out. I wanted led fixture I can remove for shows.

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Some have bar tabs. I have a coral tab at my LFS. Life goals.
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Unread 11/15/2018, 03:20 PM   #1022
smoothmove
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I got the same tank and the same trials. Keep on keeping on


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Unread 11/20/2018, 05:25 AM   #1023
homer1475
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Oh I;m keeping on keeping on.....


I'm just very frustrated with this tank. I've had nothing but issues since moving to this tank. Beginning to think I might have dino's as I have algae in strands with bubbles in them, and it's not going away regardless of what I do.



Also very frustrating not being able to keep my favorite coral(acan) despite everything else doing great.


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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 11/23/2018, 01:42 PM   #1024
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How are you liking the xf 230 in your tank? Are you happy with the amount of flow you are getting?


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Unread 11/27/2018, 05:18 AM   #1025
homer1475
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Not a 230, but I have a xf 130.



I really like the flow from it, being able to alternate gyres really creates chaotic flow throughout the tank. Between 2 mp10', 2 pp8's, and the gyre I have plenty of chaotic flow throughout the tank.





Well my nitrate battle continues...... Cannot get them below 12 ppm and recently they have climbed up to 16.



I've been researching carbon dosing, and thinking I might go that route as they just keep climbing despite normal WC's, and cutting back on feeding. Just haven't settled on vinegar, vodka, or perhaps a mix of both like NoPox. I'm thinking of just using vinegar as I have several bottles of that on hand for cleaning.



Might take my algae turf scrubber offline as well as I have very low or nearly undetectable levels of PO4(0 to .001 on hanna ULR), and all I seem to grow on it lately is slimy brown algae.


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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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