Bubba's SPS Journey

[bubbaque]

Wow! Great shot!

That maleficient is blinding!

I couldn’t agree more! Makes me wish I still had mine....

It is definitely my favorite coral I own. I am happy to finally see it growing a lot of little branches out the top of it now.

You have a great looking tank and fantastic colors! I could kill a lot of time sitting there staring lol

Thanks!

 

[Anirban]

Ok, yes he did a lot of times that as a freebie since he had so much.
Put me on the list for a frag man !!!!!
I'm first in line ;-)

This is the one Dan sent me...it has highlighted tips which looks nice.

 

[FarmerTy]

Bubba, what T5 combo are you using these days? What two are on their own channel? Do you run your Sbreef actinic bars 100%?

Just curious because your actinic pictures are fantastic!

"Display lights are 11 inches off the water on a 24" deep tank. Frag tank is 16" off the water with a 10" deep tank.
Display light schedule is:
2 SB reef bars 10:30 - 9:30
2 bulbs from the ATI t5's 12:00 - 8:30
All bulbs 1:00 - 7:00"

 

[bubbaque]

Bubba, what T5 combo are you using these days? What two are on their own channel? Do you run your Sbreef actinic bars 100%?

Just curious because your actinic pictures are fantastic!

"Display lights are 11 inches off the water on a 24" deep tank. Frag tank is 16" off the water with a 10" deep tank.
Display light schedule is:
2 SB reef bars 10:30 - 9:30
2 bulbs from the ATI t5's 12:00 - 8:30
All bulbs 1:00 - 7:00"

Thanks, Ty!
On the display I am using 4 blue+, 3 coral+ and 1 actinic plus two reef bars. The frag tank is 5 blue+, 2 coral+ and 1 actinic plus two reef bars.
The display has a coral+ and a blue+ on their on channel and the frag has two blue+ on their own channel.
My camera is really old and doesn't seem to handle a high iso number very well without getting super grainy, the highest I use is 800. For this reason my actinic pics always has the t5 channel with the two bulbs on when I take actinic pics to give a little extra light. The reef bars are always on 100% when they are turned on.

I think the actinic pics comes down to the orange gel filter. I tried to take pics without the filter and I feel they look horrible. Once I got the filter and took pics, I was blown away by how different they look.

 

[FarmerTy]

Thanks, Ty!
On the display I am using 4 blue+, 3 coral+ and 1 actinic plus two reef bars. The frag tank is 5 blue+, 2 coral+ and 1 actinic plus two reef bars.
The display has a coral+ and a blue+ on their on channel and the frag has two blue+ on their own channel.
My camera is really old and doesn't seem to handle a high iso number very well without getting super grainy, the highest I use is 800. For this reason my actinic pics always has the t5 channel with the two bulbs on when I take actinic pics to give a little extra light. The reef bars are always on 100% when they are turned on.

I think the actinic pics comes down to the orange gel filter. I tried to take pics without the filter and I feel they look horrible. Once I got the filter and took pics, I was blown away by how different they look.

Awesome! Thanks bud! I have the same orange gel filter so I'll give it a go with the 2 T5 bulbs and the actinic bars. I've just been shooting under full actinic bars.

Do you like the coral + and blue + combo better for taking pics like in the display (with actinics bars) or blue + and blue + like in the frag tank (with actinic bars)?

 

[bubbaque]

Awesome! Thanks bud! I have the same orange gel filter so I'll give it a go with the 2 T5 bulbs and the actinic bars. I've just been shooting under full actinic bars.

Do you like the coral + and blue + combo better for taking pics like in the display (with actinics bars) or blue + and blue + like in the frag tank (with actinic bars)?

I think I do just because it seems brighter. But just as far as color goes, I’m not sure I can tell a big enough difference.

 

[FarmerTy]

I think I do just because it seems brighter. But just as far as color goes, I’m not sure I can tell a big enough difference.

Thanks bud! I'll give it a try!

 

[fishead]

Very inspiring Bubba! Great pics of great coral! I'm getting parts together for a new tank. Have ordered a six bulb Powermodule (48" T5 only) and am thinking about getting a SB bar to help it along seeing as the tank is 52 x 30 x 22" (30" front to back).
My pet hate is disco ball effect from some LEDs. Can you please give us your opinion how the SB bar stacks up there and if it would provide a little shimmer with the six bulbs on (4 x blue+ and 2 x coral+) ?

 

[bubbaque]

Very inspiring Bubba! Great pics of great coral! I'm getting parts together for a new tank. Have ordered a six bulb Powermodule (48" T5 only) and am thinking about getting a SB bar to help it along seeing as the tank is 52 x 30 x 22" (30" front to back).
My pet hate is disco ball effect from some LEDs. Can you please give us your opinion how the SB bar stacks up there and if it would provide a little shimmer with the six bulbs on (4 x blue+ and 2 x coral+) ?

I like the SB reef bars. I have never used the reefbrites, so I can't really compare the two. When I first setup a tank a couple years ago I tried the black box leds that you buy off eBay and I couldn't stand the disco effect, so sold them after a few days. I don't notice that with the reefbars but it just might be because there isn't enough leds in them. They provide a little shimmer when it is on by itself but I don't really notice any when all t5's are on with them.

I would recommend them to anyone who wants a little more coral color pop or enjoys to view the tank in full actinic but not to anyone who wants them to add shimmer.

 

[bubbaque]

I am thinking about starting to dose kalk to go along with my calcrx. I am wanting to see if the higher ph will have any affect on growth. I am wanting to buy a brs doser and dose it on a timer instead of through an ato. I love the simplicity of my calcrx and never really having to do anything but if kalk will increase growth it will be worth having to refill the reservoir.

Do any of you dose kalk with a calcrx?

 

[ReeferMadness80G]

I am thinking about starting to dose kalk to go along with my calcrx. I am wanting to see if the higher ph will have any affect on growth. I am wanting to buy a brs doser and dose it on a timer instead of through an ato.

Do any of you dose kalk with a calcrx?

No

 

[SneakyTortuga]

I am thinking about starting to dose kalk to go along with my calcrx. I am wanting to see if the higher ph will have any affect on growth. I am wanting to buy a brs doser and dose it on a timer instead of through an ato. I love the simplicity of my calcrx and never really having to do anything but if kalk will increase growth it will be worth having to refill the reservoir.

Do any of you dose kalk with a calcrx?

I use kalk in my ato but I also have an issue with low ph so it keeps my ph at a normal range. Without kalk my tank runs at 7.8ish and with kalk it runs just around 8

 

[bubbaque]

I use kalk in my ato but I also have an issue with low ph so it keeps my ph at a normal range. Without kalk my tank runs at 7.8ish and with kalk it runs just around 8

Did you notice any difference with higher ph?

 

[x2uranium]

kalk is the bomb. I cant say it enough. Although I don't have a caRx I don't see how it AND the added pH can hurt. I run Kalk exclusively in my ATO and my tank goes through 3 gallons a day, that with my 2 part to keep consumption down on my 2 part, and I remember someone saying it binds to phosphates but my memory is horrible so I could be lying. I have been using it on all of my reef tanks.

and its great for crushing aptaisia or unwanted crap for a little while.

 

[SneakyTortuga]

kalk is the bomb. I cant say it enough. Although I don't have a caRx I don't see how it AND the added pH can hurt. I run Kalk exclusively in my ATO and my tank goes through 3 gallons a day, that with my 2 part to keep consumption down on my 2 part, and I remember someone saying it binds to phosphates but my memory is horrible so I could be lying. I have been using it on all of my reef tanks.

and its great for crushing aptaisia or unwanted crap for a little while.

I just used it for killing some aptasia for the first time and it was amazing! Annihilated all of them

 

[chefjpaul]

Sharp looking aquarium and great photography

 

[SneakyTortuga]

Did you notice any difference with higher ph?

well the first 3 months toxic metals were killing everything so I haven’t really gotten growth until now

 

[bubbaque]

kalk is the bomb. I cant say it enough. Although I don't have a caRx I don't see how it AND the added pH can hurt. I run Kalk exclusively in my ATO and my tank goes through 3 gallons a day, that with my 2 part to keep consumption down on my 2 part, and I remember someone saying it binds to phosphates but my memory is horrible so I could be lying. I have been using it on all of my reef tanks.

and its great for crushing aptaisia or unwanted crap for a little while.

Im gonna give it a try and see what happens. I am going to do it by a doser instead of an ato. I hope to report back and say growth is unbelievable!

Sharp looking aquarium and great photography

Thank you!

well the first 3 months toxic metals were killing everything so I haven’t really gotten growth until now

Ouch! At least things are on the right path.

 

[11f150]

Hey @bubbaque great looking tank as always. What are you using for flow and what are your settings? Im trying to get my tank dialed in right now and having trouble deciding whats best. I have a standard 180 gal with 4 mp40s

 

[bubbaque]

Hey @bubbaque great looking tank as always. What are you using for flow and what are your settings? Im trying to get my tank dialed in right now and having trouble deciding whats best. I have a standard 18p0 gal with 4 mp40s

I have the standard 180 also but I’m using the maxspext gyres. With the gyres I’m using alternating flow where one pump blows one direction for 2 minutes then the other pump turns on and does the same for 2 minutes. They flow runs into each other as the pumps and turning on and off to create a strong downward flow.

The problem with the gyres is they need cleaned a lot or the flow noticeably goes down. I would say I take them apart every 6 weeks and swap out the propellers.