Another Aussie SPS tank

usernam invalid · Feb 4, 2016

Char lie said:
Thanks mate

Picked up a little juvenile Harlequin tuskfish yesterday, I do have a pair of blood shrimp in my tank but they're already close to 4 years old. I'm hoping by the time he gets to the size of the last one I owned a few years ago (bottom pic) and has an appetite for shrimp they will have surpassed their lifespan and disappeared due to old age...
The blood shrimp are currently about twice the size of the tuskfish and have become very dark in colour and reclusive, not sure they will be there much longer although they do still spawn regularly, which the anthias love haha.

One of my all time favorite fish wish I could find a juvenile that size

Char lie · Feb 13, 2016

Quick update:
Tank is still growing nicely, element uptake has crept back up again after the wierd drop about a month ago.

Char lie · Feb 13, 2016

Not sure why that pic didn't work, will try again:

gdemos · Feb 16, 2016

The concept of element uptake (assuming you mean a slight drop in alkalinity while keeping calcium reactor or 2part effluent or dosage consistent) that to me is the single best indication of progress beyond what our eyes tell us. True Stability Promotes Success there are so many biologic fluctuations we cannot control as well despite the tools we have for nutrient in/out. I am always happy when I see that slight drop in alk. -it often confirms what I'm seeing in the tank -a little growth and/or brilliance

Still loving the echinata; how's she doing? I may get several pieces soon to try in varying areas of the tank to see what goes best. Looks to me you've got some growth of other pieces overhanging the echinata so she gets some natural shelter?

Char lie · Feb 16, 2016

gdemos said:
The concept of element uptake (assuming you mean a slight drop in alkalinity while keeping calcium reactor or 2part effluent or dosage consistent) that to me is the single best indication of progress beyond what our eyes tell us. True Stability Promotes Success there are so many biologic fluctuations we cannot control as well despite the tools we have for nutrient in/out. I am always happy when I see that slight drop in alk. -it often confirms what I'm seeing in the tank -a little growth and/or brilliance

Still loving the echinata; how's she doing? I may get several pieces soon to try in varying areas of the tank to see what goes best. Looks to me you've got some growth of other pieces overhanging the echinata so she gets some natural shelter?

It's true, tracking uptake is the best way to watch coral growth and be notified of any problems as they arise. Unfortunately mine went the other way, dosing was consistent and the tank went through a period of time when the levels of Alk etc in the tank started to increase, showing uptake was decreasing and something wasn't right.

On the first day the Alk increased about 8ppm, which is significant consider the Alk always sits between 134-136ppm, dosing pumps were corrected to match the drop in uptake but the next night I tested again and the levels had risen again. This went on for about a week until dosing of Alk for example was at about 70% of what it was before. It wasn't a sudden drop but almost like a consistent deceleration in growth over a week. Only thing that showed any visual change was the growth tips in the A.aspera in the front left of the tank, which definitely were a bit dull and not as prominent as normal. The other A.aspera behind it seemed to remain the same.

Things have sorted itself out now, uptake of Alk etc. is back up but still not at the same levels of uptake that the tank was at before. Only wish I knew what I did wrong or what problem caused it all though haha.

The echinata is pretty shaded where it is, slowly getting more shaded though. It definitely isn't an acro that likes the same amount of light as the larger stags. I'll take a pic of it and upload it soon. It's a few days off being stung, I'll be trimming the acros around it instead of trimming the echinata due to the fact it grows slower than the others

.

revhtree · Feb 16, 2016

Awesome!

Char lie said:
Not sure why that pic didn't work, will try again:

Char lie · Feb 18, 2016

revhtree said:
Awesome!

Thanks mate

revhtree · Feb 18, 2016

Love your tank and always look forward to updates!

echopiece · Feb 18, 2016

Beautiful... can you post your current fish list. Thank you

Char lie · Feb 20, 2016

revhtree said:
Love your tank and always look forward to updates!

Thanks again

echopiece said:
Beautiful... can you post your current fish list. Thank you

Currently is:
Mimic tang (pyroferus)
Purple tang
2 Percula Clowns
2 Orchid Dottybacks (fridmani)
Orange back fairy wrasse
Mystery wrasse
Starkii damsel
Okinawae goby
3 Bicolor anthias
Flame hawkfish
Harlequin tuskfish (juv)

RFred77 · Mar 9, 2016

Hey Charlie! What brand Calcium Alkalinity and mag are you using? Also how long is your light on? Love the tank man!

redtigrinus · Mar 14, 2016

Are your T5s dimmable? If so what do you have them set at? Are you ever concerned out having too much PAR with the addition of the Kessils? What made you use the Kessils versus something like a ReefBrite Tech strip?