Cadlights 165 build

[TangingOut]

You can see the change in color and growth from the picture above. I'm also putting it here to document changes with nitrate dosing. This was taken right after the first dose.

And current FTS

 

[senegal927]

Sweet build!!!! Where did you have the tank made? Or did you build the tank yourself?

 

[TangingOut]

Sweet build!!!! Where did you have the tank made? Or did you build the tank yourself?

It's a Cadlights artisan 165.

 

[TangingOut]

It's been a month and I thought it would be a good time to do an update. I've been trying to work out a few different things plus I attended RAP.

First, I've been battling a hair algae problem for the past 2 months. Initially after cycling the tank had LOTS of diatoms. CUC and time clear all that up and the tank was looking great for a few weeks, but hair algae has really taken over.

Second, nutrients are ultra low. Not what I'm after. No matter how much I feed along with nitrate dosing, test results have always come back at undetectable for nitrates. Phosphates have been around the 0.08 mark, but have tested at 0.01 for the last two weeks.

Third, I just did an 80% water change to Aquaforest reef salt. The initial fill was done with IO and HW marinemix was used for water changes after. Well, I found out the HW batch I received had really low potassium and I was paranoid about what other trace elements might have been left out. The switch was for peace of mind, not really for anything observed.

So, I'm pretty sure the hair algae is consuming all the extra nutrients I'm putting in and why some of my acros continue to stay pale. While I was attending RAP, I did a 3 days lights out and came home to a beautifully clean looking tank. That didn't last long. Going foward, I'm going to do another 3 days lights out, only run LEDs(no shadow issues yet with only frags in the tank), stop nitrate dosing, and slowly remove some siporax until I can find the right balance.

Pearlberry continues to grow, just not the vivid colorations that I'm use to.

RAP score. ASD rainbow phoenix monti. Got some other pieces, but this was my favorite.

 

[Jayreefer]

Looking good. Glad to see your pearlberry looking so good. My main colony that was cut to a nub finally has branches again.

 

[TangingOut]

Looking good. Glad to see your pearlberry looking so good. My main colony that was cut to a nub finally has branches again.

It's the frag I got from you Jay. It's growing, but just not as colorful. If you ever need a frag of it back, just let me know.

 

[Jayreefer]

Thanks. Mine is doing OK, just small. witch for now is good as all my SPS reside in my nano till I set up a new tank.

 

[jporter17]

You're going to love that rainbow Phoenix. JP

 

[itisjp]

Nice build... Good luck on the plumbing.

 

[TangingOut]

Just finish my second 3 days lights out. First one was a month ago. This time around the algae was a little more stubborn, but still managed to kill off most of it. Here are some before and after photos:

 

[TangingOut]

So I've decided to switch up T5 bulb combo. I know everyone likes ATI blue+, but to me it looks washed out and gives the tank a sorta hazed and dull appearance. I'm now running 2 Giesemann actinic blue for 6 hrs. The other channel which I'm not running yet still has 2 ATI blue+ that I might switch out for 2 more Giesemann actinic blues or a different combo altogether. So far I'm loving the difference, which is a brighter and crisper blue.

Also update on some of my corals. Pictures were taken last week, just now finding time to post them.

I know I've been commenting a lot on my pearlberry's coloration, but I found a picture from my previous tank for comparison. I think there's a lot to be said about corals, particularly SPS, thriving in a mature stable tank.

Pearlberry from previous 110 gal tank.

Current colony. Still getting decent growth, but coloration has gotten there yet.

Oregon tort. Getting thick and appears to be wanting to branch out.

Pink floyd. Lost coloration and had some die off when I first got. Had to be fragged and re-mounted. Has been encrusting and coloring up ever since.

Bizarro cyphastrea

 

[TangingOut]

 

[Kareem K]

Sweet looking tank my dude. I thought it takes year(s) to get your dry rock all encrusted with purple color (I'm assuming coralline). How did you get it so pretty in only a couple months? When you lights-out the tank for days to starve the algae, do you have to cover the glass with something to eliminate indirect sunlight from windows?

 

[TangingOut]

Sweet looking tank my dude. I thought it takes year(s) to get your dry rock all encrusted with purple color (I'm assuming coralline). How did you get it so pretty in only a couple months? When you lights-out the tank for days to starve the algae, do you have to cover the glass with something to eliminate indirect sunlight from windows?

It's not coraline, although I do have some. It's just the lighting making the grey on the rocks look a little purplish.

When I did the lights out, I covered everything. Not sure if it was necessary, but I didn't want to give the algae any chance of surviving.

 

[TangingOut]

One month later and not much has changed. SPS growth is still slow but steady. Colors on some are getting better and others still the same. T5 blue channel is now up to 8hrs and white channel at 4hrs with just 1 more hr to go for a total of 5hrs on the white channel. Turned the frag section in the sump to a misc coral holder/shroom grow out.

Current tank parameters:
Temp 78
Salinity 1.025
Alk 8.3
Cal 420
Mag 1400
Nitrate 0.0
Phosphate 0.04

Tried taking pictures with my galaxy S8 to see if posting here would be easier.

FTS

 

[TangingOut]

Pearlberry

Pink Floyd. Starting to get it's red polyps back and green coralites are slowly but surely turning yellow.

Rainbow stylo has really colored up nicely.

Redone sump section.

 

[TangingOut]

A few top down

Thanks for stopping by. Any questions and feedback are welcomed.

 

[Goubli]

Tony, looking pretty good these days! I’m surprised you put your frags in prior to getting through your major algae bloom phase. Pearlberry colony is sweet.

You should swing by and see my tank. It’s looking fair these days.

In a few months we should trade a pearlberry frag for a piece of my bubblegum milli. What do you say?

Steve

 

[itisjp]

Any chance you can share where you can get that coral? It is beautiful...the Pearlberry that is.

 

[TangingOut]

Any chance you can share where you can get that coral? It is beautiful...the Pearlberry that is.

It's an ORA piece, so your LFS should be able to get it for you. I would also try your local reef forum or club. It's a pretty popular SPS and I'm sure someone near you has a colony of it.