IM NUVO EXT 40 Reef Build

[BeardedMcG]

Crazy growth on that cyphastrea!

It's fascinating to watch it grow because it does grow so fast. It's hard to tell on some of the slower growers when we look at the tank everyday.

 

[BeardedMcG]

Nice I would like to get a nice camera but my iPhone with a porthole is the best I can do

I use my iPhone the majority of the time. The iPhone sensor has a hard time with the blues though. It's such a hassle to break out the big camera, transfer and edit the images. But I need to get in a better habit of it since the macro lens captures details we can't normally see and it's cool to see them. I'm hoping a porthole is under the Christmas tree. I'd love to get some good top down shots.

 

[BeardedMcG]

Like all of your coral pics. Are they all throw the glass?

They sure are. The macro lens has such a shallow depth of field that nothing shows from the glass. I just have to make sure there's no reflection and I'm good to go.

 

[Blutspitze]

They sure are. The macro lens has such a shallow depth of field that nothing shows from the glass. I just have to make sure there's no reflection and I'm good to go.

On this note, is there a specific method you use to avoid reflections? Or is it just a matter of standing in the right place/right room lighting/etc?

 

[BeardedMcG]

On this note, is there a specific method you use to avoid reflections? Or is it just a matter of standing in the right place/right room lighting/etc?

It hasn't been an issue when using the 90mm macro. I do have a 55mm regular lens that I'm sure will show them. I have a polarizer filter for that and it should remove reflections from the glass if needed but I haven't tried it yet.

 

[Blutspitze]

It hasn't been an issue when using the 90mm macro. I do have a 55mm regular lens that I'm sure will show them. I have a polarizer filter for that and it should remove reflections from the glass if needed but I haven't tried it yet.

Good to know; thanks for the info!

 

[BeardedMcG]

Time for an update.

Nitrates
I've been having issues keeping my nitrates up. I started daily dosing 1ml of Brightwell amino acids 30 days ago. This seemed to help for a few weeks and the corals have enjoyed it. on 11/2 I hit a all time high of NO3 2ppm. Since then it's plummeted back down to 0.5ppm and dinoflagellates have shown back up which was my first hint that nitrates dropped again. Yesterday I picked up some sodium nitrate from @hart24601 and mixed a batch up. My goal is to maintain between 2-3ppm. First dose was last night and it raised them roughly 1ppm.

Bryopsis
I noticed bryopsis in a few spots about 2 weeks ago. I added Reef Flux - fluconazole 4 days ago. Here's hoping this works. The patches were small and I've heard fluconazole is effective at killing it off.

 

[Blutspitze]

Sorry to hear about the chem issues you're seeing - hopefully you'll be able to stabilize everything soon.

 

[lbacha]

Flucanazole will definitely have an impact on your nutrients, I have used it twice and both time nutrients tanked causing Dino’s to show up. It will definitely kill off your bryopsis quick though. I recommend shooting for higher target nitrate and phosphate levels than you would normally keep as they can tank quickly while dosing.

 

[BeardedMcG]

The Bryopsis is gone. I struggled with Dino's a little longer but higher nitrates kicked them. I then had an issue where every Montipora was showing tissue regression and limited PE. All numbers were in check so 2 days ago I did a 50% WC and everything seems happy again.

Time for some updated FTS.

 

[Tahoe61]

Awesome tank.
Did you ever up grade the lighting?

 

[BeardedMcG]

Awesome tank.
Did you ever up grade the lighting?

Thanks!
Nope. I’m still just using the two Orphek OR2 bars.One day I’ll add another bar or 2 to get better distribution.

 

[hart24601]

Dang those are pretty shots. The weeping willow is great

 

[Blutspitze]

Looking great! Loving the updated FTS' that you have and glad that everything seems to be going strong.

 

[BeardedMcG]

I got a new acro frag at the LFS yesterday for $15. It’s a little guy but good looking. I’ve noticed my corals are all looking extremely happy the pst few days especially my zoas. I ran tests today and my NO3 is at 4-5ish. I’m very happy with this based off what I’m seeing in the tank.

dKH 8.2
Ca 430
Mg 1350
PO4 0.04
No3 4-5

 

[BeardedMcG]

Green birdsnest growth update.

 

[Blutspitze]

Birdsnest looking good! Pretty solid growth going.

 

[BeardedMcG]

Most of this zoa patch has been on the left and top side that are hard to see in this photo.

Another of the BN to show color under blues has kept up.

 

[BeardedMcG]

A few more and I made sure to get some photos of other corals to do a growth comparison next month.

 

[BeardedMcG]

Well guys its been a rough month for my reef. In my last Birdsnest update you can see the tips are white. I wasn’t sure what caused this and it’s continued to go downhill since then. At this point it’s lost 50% of the tissue.

Timeline
11/17 nitrate 0.5ppm. Dosed 10ml of a stock Sodium Nitrate NaNO3 solution to raise nitrates 1ppm.
11/18 nitrate 1ppm. Dosed 10ml NaNO3.
11/19 nitrate 1.5ppm. Dosed 10ml NaNO3.
11/20 nitrate 2ppm. This was the bottom of my target soI didn’t does anything. My dKH is 8.6 above my 8.3-8.5 target so I cut dosing two part from 3ml to 1.5ml.
11/21 nitrate 2ppm. dKH continues to climb at 8.7. I stop dosing. I notice white tips on the Birdsnest and all montipora.
11/22 nitrate 3ppm dKH 8.7.
11/23 nitrate 2.5ppm dKH 8.4.
11/24 nitrate 2.5ppm dKH 8.1. I resume dosing 2 part at 3ml.
11/25 I did a 20 gallon WC about 50% water volume in hopes if clearing things up as the Birdsnest and Montipora weren’t improving. dKH 8.5 post WC.
11/26 nitrate 2.5ppm dKH 8.3.
11/28 dKH 8.2
11/29 dKH 8.2
11/30 nitrate 4ppm dKH 8.2 PO4 0.04ppm
12/3 dKH 8.2
12/4 nitrate 2.5ppm PO4 0.07ppm. I started dosing NeoNitro to raise nitrates.
12/5 nitrate 3 PO4 0.10ppm so I GFO.
12/6 Montipora have improved but Birdsnest has started to lose polyps In patches. 8g WC PO4 0.02ppm after WC.

Nitrate, phosphate and dKH have been stable ever since. Birdsnest keeps loosing polyps. Montipora and Acroporas have shown growth

@hart24601 and I used NaNO3 from the same batch. He doesn’t have a Birdsnest but has many more montiporas and noticed similar issues after dosing.