Two tanks, One room

Many thanks. Would you believe me if I told you I don't use supplements?

I use Reef Crystals for my salt mix. I have two JB-40's for flow. I use the Evergrow Photon 32's for my lights, and my skimmer is rated for about 500 gallons of water on a 200 gallon total system. I'm a firm believer of the KISS method, until my numbers (which I don't often check) or my corals (this is more likely) show me I need to start dosing, I will probably only do calc and alk.
 
in the 18th point of sale here in your thread, the 10th pic down. there is white little circles in the back ground, what are those? they are in my tank as well
thanks
Jason
 
So I tested for the first time in a long time, and my alkalinity and calcium was incredibly low. Like 5.5dkH and 380 ppm for calcium. I did a water change, which raised my alk up to 6.5, but my ideal number is going to be 8. It's apperant that consitancy is key, as all my SPS is doing fine, I am eager to see what it looks like when I get my numbers correct, or "average."

I recently got some dosers from BRS over the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, and have tested them and hooked them up. I plan on taking 3 days to bring my alk and calc up via dosing pumps and my Apex. that's 1.5 dkH up and I want my calcium to 450, so 70ppm.

Sold the Chevron, and now only have my adult Hoevens Wrasse, 2 clowns, and a baby hippo. Contempating next stock moves.

Some pictures:









































 
Your sps looks really nice. What supplements do you use on your tank?

Well, I guess it's jinxed. I was not using supplements, just reef crystals. It appears that I need to start dosing, so once I get my levels up to where they should be, I plan on using BRS 2 part. For a quick fix I'm using baking soda and calcium carbonate in liquid form.
 
^ I'll second that ^ also are you gluing the frags to the live rock or just placing them inside the tank?

Thanks. I started dosing baking soda to bring my dkH up, but then realized I was chasing numbers. I brought my dkH up by 1, then continued to do water changes. Logging my numbers now to see what my consumption. As for the frags, I glue the plugs to the rock, I just have a plethora on racks as well. What can I say, I'm a hoarder.
 
I'd like to welcome the newest additions to my tank, a small Yellow Tang, and a Fiji Male Exquisite Wrasse. Pic's aren't the greatest, but they'll do for now:



 
Thanks. I started dosing baking soda to bring my dkH up, but then realized I was chasing numbers. I brought my dkH up by 1, then continued to do water changes. Logging my numbers now to see what my consumption. As for the frags, I glue the plugs to the rock, I just have a plethora on racks as well. What can I say, I'm a hoarder.

LOL, there's no hoardering i see going on here. just good pickings and i may say a little jealous. I haven't had good coral growth in the last 2 years. sucks
 
Get it get it:

Well, everything is slowly coming together. I finally replaced the filters in my RO/DI, and ended up running a powerstrip into the fish closet. What a difference that makes, even having a light in there is awesome.

I've had my MP40 turned off since I've had this tank up, or at least since I've added the JB40's. I figured I should either sell it, or hook it up. I hooked it up into the center of the tank on the back wall, and the additional flow seems to be a hit. If I lose power, the MP40 is the only thing hooked to a battery backup, so I figured a little insurance would be nice. Sometimes it's the little things.

Before I changed the water out, I fed pretty heavy all day, and scraped all the algae off the sides, which are starting to grow coraline at a rapid rate if I don't take care of it. I don't mind it growing on the back, or the overflows, but I've decided to do my part and keep the side clean. I really enjoy the view.



Normally that RBTA is blown up in the corner there, but I think it's pooping, pretty rude if you ask me





If you know me, you know I cant resist a trachyphyllia, so here it is, a new addition.



I rationalized it by getting rid of my Aussie E, which was having a hard time staying in place for me, mostly because it was getting so big. Now I miss it, I will probably get another one.

The scolys are doing well. The one that is healing barely has any visible skeleton, and I saw it puff a mouth the other night after lights out, which means it is on it's way to a full recover. I have been turning my pumps off every night after the melanurus goes to bed and giving it a nice dose of mysis. I will probably switch to pellets once it gets a bit thicker.



But really, the SPS was looking super colorful and the growth rate is almost silly, so I thought I'd share some pictures that I just snapped tonight:





Superman Milli from Frank, colored up nice


Rainbow Granulosa (this browned out originally in my tank, it is making a comeback quickly.)


Starburst Cap:


Purple and Blue acro. I know it grows quick, and colored up as quickly as it grows, this was the underside



Electric Blue Millie (I moved this around in so many spots, it prefers the lower light, and mid flow) and highlighter plating monti


Leishmans Red Tabling:


green A. austrea,


Blue Echinata (I believe)


Any ID on this?


Strawberry Shortcake, encrusting and growing nicely


Bonzia




So it's not acro, but got a nice shot of my new Armor Of God's


Rainbow Paly, will see if it matches my other rainbows when it grows:



blue A. formosa (staghorn) that won't stop growing now it's started
 
Tank is looking great! Love your mantis shrimp.

Thanks! Haha, I've affectionately named him "Rupert." He now eats chunks of scallops from my fingers. I have a 20 gallon I'm going to turn into a display for him above my sump, which should give him more room than is currently offered, and maybe some sand and marbles, like a Mantis exploring tank. I like leaving live clams about, as he'll thump them open and leave the shells shuffled around.

tank is looking AMAZING man. Are you going only do SPS and some leathers or add some more lps?

Thanks for the compliment. My first coral was that leather in the corner, the toadstool. I am letting it get big without fragging it. I actually only started with LPS, and found that I did well with SPS as well. My reef is probably the closest to a mixed reef than anything, there is so much of everything. The only things I won't let into my tank are mushrooms, xenia, and pink and gold palys.

I have started collecting zoas, and if you peek at some of the past photos, you will see I have some acans as well. I also have Frogspawn, cynarina, scolly's, welsophelia's, Fungia, and anemones. There are also certain types of favia growing around the bottom. Even though it's fairly common, I like the movement and color that GSP give to tanks. I've tried to keep it as isolated as possible.
 
Your SPS colors are really, really good. I wish I could get mine to look like that.

And you can! You don't even have to wish!

I do not dose (yet, but I know it's coming.) I'm a firm believer in heavy skimming and feeding, light stocking, and water changes. I should take that back. I don't know if it's making a difference, but I have started dosing potassium. I can't see a huge color difference since I've started, but maybe you can tell from the pictures?

I lost that huge frag of ORA green birdsnest last night. The rest of my SPS looks good, including my birdsnest on the other side of the tank. It's pretty frustrating, but I've asked around, and I've heard that it happens to birdsnest like that sometimes, especially when it gets big. I look at it as more real-estate to add some nice acros, and maybe some zoas!
 

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

  • Yes!

    Votes: 32 45.7%
  • Not yet, but I have one that I want to buy in mind!

    Votes: 9 12.9%
  • No.

    Votes: 26 37.1%
  • Other (please explain).

    Votes: 3 4.3%
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