Jeff's 150 Build - The Salt Box

[CastAway]

Gosh, I'm neglecting my own build thread. Some pick ups from the Middle Tennessee Reef Club swap this last weekend. Also bought my first clam.

I bought one of those top down viewers and snapped this pic of my favorite piece right now. A no-name for now......

(this is the same piece from post #318, at almost exactly two months in my tank - healing nicely after mounting I think.)

 

[CastAway]

Nutrient export......

Hate the smell of this Caulerpa.

 

[CastAway]

My ric's look so much better in a less bright area of my tank bottom.

 

[CastAway]

Clam holding on. Moved it up for more light. Thought it may be "pinched" for a bit, but does not appear so now.

 

[CastAway]

Some more....

 

[CastAway]

First mushroom baby.

 

[CastAway]

Replaced my GFO media today; 10 tablespoons for a 210g system, in a NextReef MR-1. Makes me nervous, waiting to see how much of a shock it will be to the system. Last time my monti caps grey'd out. Now, I have a lot more SPS. Ugh.

Any advice?

 

[CastAway]

I bought my first reef aquarium light light in October 2012, an [HASHTAG]#Orphek[/HASHTAG] Nilus LED fixture that I bought through Marine Depot. It sat in my closet until March 2014; until I had finally acquired and/or constructed all the parts and pieces I needed to actually start my system. Since March 2014 I have been running this 24” Nilus fixture over my five foot display. Always intending to buy a second fixture when I was able, the tank has been grossly under-lit in terms of coverage for fourteen months at this point. (See post 86)

I have been very happy with the Orphek Nilus light however. In my relative ignorance and inexperience it has produced great growth and healthy corals, albeit they are tightly centered under the light in the middle of my tank.

Yesterday I ordered my second reef aquarium lights, two Orphek Atlantik v2.1b LED fixtures. Finally, my tank will soon be fully lit! I am so excited to see what it will look like and all the new real estate for corals I will have. Pics of the new set-up yet to come.

 

[CastAway]

Just some progression shots on a couple frags...

 

[CastAway]

It's like having a new tank!

 

[spspirate]

Looking great!!!!! Don't you love seeing those corals grow

 

[CastAway]

Looking great!!!!! Don't you love seeing those corals grow

I do! I need a ton more SPS!!

 

[CastAway]

New Fathers Day piece!

 

[CastAway]

It's been one month now under the new Orphek Atlantik fixtures and the changes have been very notable. A HUGE thanks to Scott at @Orphek for all his help and the education he's provided me!

My SPS have really responded very well, with over a half inch of new growth on some species. My montipora capricornis are too high in my system (see post 330), and thus faded a bit at first, but are recovering now. I intend to dismount those colonies and relocate them. I have had to adjust my calcium reactor to account for increased alk consumption, and may soon have to address a correspondingly lower pH.

My zoanthids have not responded as well as my SPS, if at all, but I'm attributing this to lower nutrients, as I am trying to feed a little less. My chalices don't seem to like the increased intensity, and I've moved them to shadier areas and the ends of my tank.

I'm feeding less and testing NO3 and PO4 very frequently, as I have had some increased algae growth. I suspect the increased intensity and better spectrum of light have contributed significantly to this algae issue as well. I may soon reduce the duration of my peak photo period as well, as I'd like to run the system a little dirtier.

Current params:
pH - 8.0
sg - 1.025+
dKH - 8.5
Ca - 450
Mg - 1340
NO3 - 0.75+
PO4 - 0.02-

I hope to borrow a par meter soon, just to get some base-line values and ranges. Hope to add some more progression shots soon.

Still having a blast,

 

[slayerhellfire]

Nice looking good

 

[klp]

Nice looking good

 

[klp]

I would love to see some close up of your tank maybe in 3rds and 1 full one closer to the tank than the last one under your new lights.

Have enjoyed the thread a great deal. You really did your home work and have done a great job. I love gobies and might suggest a green coral goby and 2 or more yellow coral gobies. I always loved the little yellow "lights" jumping around the aquarium and they are inexpensive. The green ones always fascinated me just watching them. Nice color as well. The green ones may fight although your tank may be large enough to handle 2 or so. The yellow ones are very peaceful with each other.

Once again great tank!

 

[CastAway]

....Have enjoyed the thread a great deal. You really did your home work and have done a great job.....Once again great tank!

I'll try to get those pics @klp. I love coral gobies - Citrons especially. Although I do hear they'll nest in and thereby kill off small sections of SPS.

Thanks for the compliments.

 

[wingnrotor]

What a great tank! I really like how your aquascape turned out. It looks amazing in the FTS!

 

[CastAway]

What a great tank! I really like how your aquascape turned out. It looks amazing in the FTS!

Thanks! I just bought three additional large pieces of Pukani, and will cycle them soon then supplement the aqua scape. With so much more light now, I can expand. I forget sometimes that my goal is not to see any rock whatsoever, to see only SPS. I need more more more.....