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MKLKT
Oct 21, 2010

...armed with five-five-sixers, and pineapples.

optikalus posted:

Sure; the tank is a Mr. Aqua 11.4 gallon frameless. The light is a 7x CREE XR-E PAR38 bulb from RapidLED. It is plugged into a cheap swing arm lamp base clamped to my desk. The protein skimmer is a AquaMAXX HOB-1. I'm not totally satisfied with this skimmer as it doesn't seem to do anything but fill the tank with microbubbles or fill the cup with water. My co-worker bought one after I got mine and his skimmate is thick and green, so my tank's bioload just may be too small to notice anything.

Skimmers operate best when the water level is consistent so you can avoid fiddling with it after it's dialed in. You stated you have an ATO though, so I'm curious as to why it's not quite right. Even without much of a bio-load you should still see reasonable bubble generation.

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Internet Explorer
Jun 1, 2005





I'm still relatively new to all this but on my 10g I do not even have a skimmer. A Yellow Watchman Goby and 2 Firefish. Haven't noticed any real problems. I change about 3g of water a week.

porksmash
Sep 30, 2008
Just picked up this baby for my downsize project. Now that I've had my 100g running for about 8 months I have a much better idea of the things I want to do differently. Rimless and pre-drilled was one of the things. Currently shopping around for a stand maker.

Internet Explorer
Jun 1, 2005





porksmash posted:

Just picked up this baby for my downsize project. Now that I've had my 100g running for about 8 months I have a much better idea of the things I want to do differently. Rimless and pre-drilled was one of the things. Currently shopping around for a stand maker.

If you are even remotely handy you can build your own. Check out this thread - http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1169964

[Edit: I never really did a lick of woodworking in my life and I was able to build the stand for my 90g. It took me 2 tries, but the "stand" part really only took a few hours. The skin around it can take as long or as short as you want.]

porksmash
Sep 30, 2008
I definitely would if I, well, felt like it. I would rather pay someone to produce a quality piece of furniture while I work on the rest of the tank. I just heard back from a guy with 15 years of carpentry experience, and he also keeps reef tanks. He quoted me a reasonable price for a custom stand and I will gladly pay for quality. It'll pretty much be the same as this one in gloss black. I'm hoping for the effect of the tank itself being this amazing cube of color and light and motion and everything around it isn't even worth noticing. So, all black it is.

Going to paint the back of the tank as soon as I can leak test it, which is difficult with holes on the bottom and no stand. Went ahead and bought a Vortech MP10. That plus sump return should be flow enough for LPS and a couple SPS colonies here and there. Now I'm just trying to decide if I want to build my own LED fixture or buy one. A local club member was posting his Mazarra LED fixtures and they produce some beautiful light. I may be copying their LED color ratios because dammmn they're expensive.

Internet Explorer
Jun 1, 2005





Oh, as long as you're getting it custom made for a good price, then by all means. I just think that most of the store bought stands are awful. Congrats on the new tank and the MP10. Been thinking about upgrading to 2 MP40s for my 90g, but they are just so expensive. Going to upgrade the lighting first.

the Pixies fukken SUCKED
Jul 16, 2003

Figure 2 in a series of 3
Has anyone had their acros let out thin white strands? Not the usual 'i'm pissed off' slime strands but more like tentacles. I've heard it's a 'feeding response' but what does that mean exactly - do they WANT food or did they LIKE food I gave them?'

I recently put a giant glob of chaeto in my sump so my nitrates have probably been falling a bit, which is why I was wondering.

Jonny Nox
Apr 26, 2008




porksmash posted:

I definitely would if I, well, felt like it. I would rather pay someone to produce a quality piece of furniture while I work on the rest of the tank. I just heard back from a guy with 15 years of carpentry experience, and he also keeps reef tanks. He quoted me a reasonable price for a custom stand and I will gladly pay for quality. It'll pretty much be the same as this one in gloss black. I'm hoping for the effect of the tank itself being this amazing cube of color and light and motion and everything around it isn't even worth noticing. So, all black it is.

Going to paint the back of the tank as soon as I can leak test it, which is difficult with holes on the bottom and no stand. Went ahead and bought a Vortech MP10. That plus sump return should be flow enough for LPS and a couple SPS colonies here and there. Now I'm just trying to decide if I want to build my own LED fixture or buy one. A local club member was posting his Mazarra LED fixtures and they produce some beautiful light. I may be copying their LED color ratios because dammmn they're expensive.
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=246394

have you read this thread? Lots of good stuff to think about in there about LED ratios, and how to bring out the colors of your corals and fish.

Generally the accepted conclusions of the thread.

2:1 ratio of Royal Blue to Neutral White
1:1 RB:CW is now deprecated as lacking too much red spectrum
Don't bother with UV or Cyan LEDs
Blue (called cool blue in thread to differentiate from royal blue) is a useful addin, but not too much of it
Red can be added but doesn't blend well. Look for 660nm wavelenth
Keep LEDs close together as possible to avoid "disco ball" look
diffusers also help avoid color shadows
Digital cameras cannot handle LED colors
Chinese LEDs have a lot more green and yellow, so don't look as nice in the tank.

VAGENDA OF MANOCIDE
Aug 1, 2004

whoa, what just happened here?







College Slice

Melchior posted:

Has anyone had their acros let out thin white strands? Not the usual 'i'm pissed off' slime strands but more like tentacles. I've heard it's a 'feeding response' but what does that mean exactly - do they WANT food or did they LIKE food I gave them?'

I recently put a giant glob of chaeto in my sump so my nitrates have probably been falling a bit, which is why I was wondering.

They sensed planktonic food matter in the water column, the response is to extend the feeding tendrils. Any food that you feed that is plankton-sized you will see this response from your acros.

The best way to feed acros is with the cyclopeeze freezer sticks (look almost like a candybar). Swirl a piece of that through your tank with the skimmer and circulation off, with just the powerheads on at low power.

There is some discussion on what "modes" acros are in WRT polyp extension, and planktonic food OR nitrogen-based nutrients in the water, etc., but I don't think it's particularly well described or well understood.

RndmCnflct
Oct 27, 2004

Jonny Nox posted:

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=246394

have you read this thread? Lots of good stuff to think about in there about LED ratios, and how to bring out the colors of your corals and fish.
Based on that thread, and the reef central threads of a similar nature, the fixture I'm building now is going to be:

6 CW
6 NW
3 Blue
12 Royal Blue
3 660 Red
6 420 Violet

I disagree with what you say that UVs and 660 reds aren't important. Everything I have read suggests the opposite.

porksmash
Sep 30, 2008
The Mazarra one is similar, but with warm white instead of reds:
  • 4x Cool White
  • 4x Warm White
  • 4x Blue
  • 2x Royal Blue
  • 2x Super Actinic (one at 400-410nm, one at 410-420nm)
With all the different channels at default I read it's about the same color as a 14k MH bulb. I think it's loving beautiful, at least from the pics from reefbuilder's review. There is a shot of the tank with T5/MH lighting for comparison too.

I'll probably change the warm white to a neutral white to push the color temp up a teeny bit. I don't want my tank to look like blue kool-aid but I think I want something around 16-17k.

Frozen Pizza Party
Dec 13, 2005

Oh clowns...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_r6UWiZ55rk&feature=related

MKLKT
Oct 21, 2010

...armed with five-five-sixers, and pineapples.

Melchior posted:

Has anyone had their acros let out thin white strands? Not the usual 'i'm pissed off' slime strands but more like tentacles. I've heard it's a 'feeding response' but what does that mean exactly - do they WANT food or did they LIKE food I gave them?'

I recently put a giant glob of chaeto in my sump so my nitrates have probably been falling a bit, which is why I was wondering.

The acros I have aren't big yet but I've seen them have the feeding strands out, I don't have the capacity to turn my whole system off to feed them in suspension but I still get a decent response during feeding.

Using the freeze dried Reef Roids right now but I bought a few sticks of frozen Cyclopeeze that I'm going to try out soon when I've used the dry stuff up. SPS are majority photosynthetic anyway and I've had good colouring up and growth while feeding them randomly.

the Pixies fukken SUCKED
Jul 16, 2003

Figure 2 in a series of 3

arioch posted:

They sensed planktonic food matter in the water column, the response is to extend the feeding tendrils. Any food that you feed that is plankton-sized you will see this response from your acros.

The best way to feed acros is with the cyclopeeze freezer sticks (look almost like a candybar). Swirl a piece of that through your tank with the skimmer and circulation off, with just the powerheads on at low power.

There is some discussion on what "modes" acros are in WRT polyp extension, and planktonic food OR nitrogen-based nutrients in the water, etc., but I don't think it's particularly well described or well understood.

I actually have an entire container of that freeze-dried phytoplankton substitute made from brewers yeast and some other stuff. It's made by Tropic Marin. It seems to do well, I guess, but its wierd seeing these tendrils since I only started getting them with my larger colony size acros I just picked up. The little frags don't really do it.

the Pixies fukken SUCKED
Jul 16, 2003

Figure 2 in a series of 3

Mine host in a Sinularia and it's almost as worthy of porno music.

Frozen Pizza Party
Dec 13, 2005

Melchior posted:

Mine host in a Sinularia and it's almost as worthy of porno music.

Video please!

Cowslips Warren
Oct 29, 2005

What use had they for tricks and cunning, living in the enemy's warren and paying his price?

Grimey Drawer
As loathe as I am to admit this, I got into a fight on another forum about the responsibilities of aquarium keepers when it comes to certain animals, like the Moorish Idol and the blue-ringed octopus. Most of the posters on this site were in a fervor that someone could tell them No to any animal they want; in their minds if they can take care of it, then no one should be able to ban the animal period.

I don't know if any marine fish or inverts that aren't on the CITES list are banned (and nor did I ask the posters there their opinion on CITES) but overall, as ethical aquarists, are there some marine animals that do not belong in captivity but find their way there from time to time? I don't mean poo poo like the great white shark, but more common animals, like the blue-ring, the cleaner goby, etc.

Aerofallosov
Oct 3, 2007

Friend to Fishes. Just keep swimming.
There are tank bred neon gobies, aren't there? And I think it is irresponsible to own venomous or extremely fragile animals who stand little to no chance to survive in captivity. :( At least, in a private home.

There's a big fuss over lionfish since folks released them out into the wild and they ended up multiplying like mad.


People can and should be told no. I saw one lady in Petsmart bugging out while I was buying a filter that OMG HOW DARE THEY tell her no, she can't keep a goldfish in a bowl. And that no, a Nemo fish was not a good idea either.

Spaceman Future!
Feb 9, 2007

Given that a vast majority of Marine species are harvested directly from the ocean its perfectly fair to have restrictions. Preservation of wild environments takes precedent over having a pretty aquarium and species that are not fit for hobbyist tanks should not be removed from their natural environment unnecessarily. Its not like they are being bred in a species program or anything, they are taken as pets to display, its proper to have restrictions.

VAGENDA OF MANOCIDE
Aug 1, 2004

whoa, what just happened here?







College Slice
There's stuff that's a bit unreasonable to have restrictions upon--like yellow tangs out of Hawaii.

For the most part, clownfish in the average store is tank bred. I would have to go way out of my way to find wild clowns locally. And pay a hefty premium for healthy adult specimen.

Frozen Pizza Party
Dec 13, 2005

Lowering the price on my LED fixture, $160 shipped.

Stark LED fixture, 50w (50x1w). The fixture is 19" without the connectors, it's about 20.5" with the connectors. The LEDs are about 16" wide. It's also about 3.5" deep and like 2.5" tall.

cheese
Jan 7, 2004

Shop around for doctors! Always fucking shop for doctors. Doctors are stupid assholes. And they get by because people are cowed by their mystical bullshit quality of being able to maintain a 3.0 GPA at some Guatemalan medical college for 3 semesters. Find one that makes sense.

Cowslips Warren posted:

As loathe as I am to admit this, I got into a fight on another forum about the responsibilities of aquarium keepers when it comes to certain animals, like the Moorish Idol and the blue-ringed octopus. Most of the posters on this site were in a fervor that someone could tell them No to any animal they want; in their minds if they can take care of it, then no one should be able to ban the animal period.

I don't know if any marine fish or inverts that aren't on the CITES list are banned (and nor did I ask the posters there their opinion on CITES) but overall, as ethical aquarists, are there some marine animals that do not belong in captivity but find their way there from time to time? I don't mean poo poo like the great white shark, but more common animals, like the blue-ring, the cleaner goby, etc.

I think it is quite logical and reasonable to have restrictions on marine fish/inverts, even those not on the CITES list. Frankly, a number of fish could do with some kind of import quotas or something, if only so they would drive price up and put them beyond the reach of inexperienced hobbyists. Moorish Idols being 60-80 bucks isn't doing anyone any favors. However, that could be difficult to implement effectively.

It would be great to have 'smart' regulations that are met with logical analysis of fish populations, suitability in captivity and transportation. Additionally, if it was done right, it could be the impetus for more investment in suddenly profitable captive breeding research and programs.

Spaceman Future!
Feb 9, 2007

SaNChEzZ posted:

Lowering the price on my LED fixture, $160 shipped.

Stark LED fixture, 50w (50x1w). The fixture is 19" without the connectors, it's about 20.5" with the connectors. The LEDs are about 16" wide. It's also about 3.5" deep and like 2.5" tall.

Oh man if I hadn't just dropped 2 grand on my car I would be all over that. I don't have money for another 2 months now. If it hasn't sold by then I will definitely take it off your hands, though for you sake I hope you get a sale sooner :)

MKLKT
Oct 21, 2010

...armed with five-five-sixers, and pineapples.

Melchior posted:

Mine host in a Sinularia and it's almost as worthy of porno music.

My clowns just started hosting this week! They share the giant toadstool leather with the Starry Blenny.

Clip of the hosting:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIqx2y6lk_Y


I also snagged a decent clip of two of my acro frags with the long feeders out (centre/right foreground):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqkpO7UqLKk

Full tank comparison of about 8-10 months of growth, that Sinularia is about the size of a basketball now and the toadstool is easily 1' across:
Early 2011


Jan 2012

Frozen Pizza Party
Dec 13, 2005

Spaceman Future! posted:

Oh man if I hadn't just dropped 2 grand on my car I would be all over that. I don't have money for another 2 months now. If it hasn't sold by then I will definitely take it off your hands, though for you sake I hope you get a sale sooner :)

Well it's up here and on Nano-Reef, granted it's up for 180 on NR.. but I don't really see too much interest in it at this point unfortunately :saddowns:

Internet Explorer
Jun 1, 2005





MKLKT posted:

Toadstool Leathers

Hey, question for you on the Toadstool Leather. I have one and it looks similar to the one you have in your second picture at the bottom of the tank. I have had it for about 6 months. Will it ever look like the one your clowns are hosting in, or is it a different type of Toadstool Leather? The polyps are much smaller on mine, similar to the one at the bottom of your tank in the second picture. Any idea?

MKLKT
Oct 21, 2010

...armed with five-five-sixers, and pineapples.

Internet Explorer posted:

Hey, question for you on the Toadstool Leather. I have one and it looks similar to the one you have in your second picture at the bottom of the tank. I have had it for about 6 months. Will it ever look like the one your clowns are hosting in, or is it a different type of Toadstool Leather? The polyps are much smaller on mine, similar to the one at the bottom of your tank in the second picture. Any idea?

The polyps on the bottom one are much more flower like and fine compared to the big one, I think given enough light it would probably grow similar to the large one (I keep meaning to move it up but there's not much real estate in my tank). I'd say it's more dependent on the size that the crown(?) gets that would help. I'd be inclined to say that if it's squishy there's a chance it can be hosted as each species and pairing is different. The smaller one tends to be bothered by contact moreso as well.

Personally I love toadstool leathers, when I get around to it I'm going to rip more of the Anthelia out and put more permanent fixture colonies. (There's a frag hiding in the back of that big toadstool that I did a test cut; it grew a stalk 3" high already from being a 1" slab of the crown).

I'm curious about the consensus of who does/doesn't do water changes among us here. I personally do not do water changes, I think I've done *maybe* 3 partial (20-30%) water changes in the 1.5yrs I've had the system running. And have had decent growth/colour on SPS as well with only one or two bleachings due to physical damage.

Frozen Pizza Party
Dec 13, 2005

MKLKT posted:

I'm curious about the consensus of who does/doesn't do water changes among us here. I personally do not do water changes, I think I've done *maybe* 3 partial (20-30%) water changes in the 1.5yrs I've had the system running. And have had decent growth/colour on SPS as well with only one or two bleachings due to physical damage.

So you just top off?

MKLKT
Oct 21, 2010

...armed with five-five-sixers, and pineapples.

SaNChEzZ posted:

So you just top off?

Yeah, I built a garbage bin reservoir and attached it to an Eshopps float valve. I check the salt level with a refractometer every other month just to make sure it hasn't shifted and if any corals aren't happy I check the other parameters. I've got plenty of animals considered sensitive and they're all well (2 types of urchin, linkia seastar, 2 feather dusters, 1 coco worm, etc.)

The only portion I have a hard time controlling is tank temperature; it's also located in front of a window so the back + right side get natural sunlight during the day. The heat killed my flame scallops and peppermint shrimp in the summer, I was not pleased.

My parameters are a salt level of 35ppm @ 27C that I prefer to have, works out to be 1.026 SG/78F I think. I occasionally dose Reef Code A&B as well as I have activated carbon/phos-x/purigen in 2 reactors.

VAGENDA OF MANOCIDE
Aug 1, 2004

whoa, what just happened here?







College Slice
The Reef Code A&B keeps your calcium/alkalinity stable and supplements with some trace, etc., that you're losing, since you only have a few stony corals so they're not doing too much uptake.

Your softies are eating up all the nutrients in the water.

This is very much a valid way to maintain a reef tank.

Exothermos
Nov 1, 2011

I guess don't mess with success. I think that success is largely dependent on your aggressive chemical filtration with Carbon and Purigen, so keep that up. Remember that softcorals, and Xenia in particular, pack some serious aleopathic punch, and you have to get rid of those toxins somehow. As long as you are pruning back your softies then you are exporting Nitrogenous waste as well, so for the most part it is a nice little closed system. Just don't swear off the waterchanges completely.

I'm in the Water Changes crowd. Especially for smaller systems, where the economics aren't so painful and the consequences more immediate. Dilution is the Solution!

Frozen Pizza Party
Dec 13, 2005

That's pretty rad, I tried that with my 3gal at work, only a YWG and a hermit crab, didn't work out too well haha. Now it's an 8gal and I do 1gal/week :(

optikalus
Apr 17, 2008
I do about 1 gallon every day (5gal/week) in my 11 gallon at work. It's at work and right next to me so it's easy to dedicate more time to it.

Frozen Pizza Party
Dec 13, 2005

optikalus posted:

I do about 1 gallon every day (5gal/week) in my 11 gallon at work. It's at work and right next to me so it's easy to dedicate more time to it.

drat, a gallon a day? That seems like a lot. I thought just over 10% a week was a lot haha.

Internet Explorer
Jun 1, 2005





Yeah, that seems like overkill to me unless you are having serious problems. I do like 2-3 gallons a week in my 12g at work. [Edit: And we don't have a skimmer.]

Frozen Pizza Party
Dec 13, 2005

Internet Explorer posted:

Yeah, that seems like overkill to me unless you are having serious problems. I do like 2-3 gallons a week in my 12g at work. [Edit: And we don't have a skimmer.]

I don't run a skimmer either at work. At home I go 4gal/week in my 24 which does have a skimmer, and lots of bioload.

optikalus
Apr 17, 2008
I just get the water in a 5 gallon bucket once a week then use it up through the week. I could likely get away with just a gallon but I've got it so I might as well use it.

cheese
Jan 7, 2004

Shop around for doctors! Always fucking shop for doctors. Doctors are stupid assholes. And they get by because people are cowed by their mystical bullshit quality of being able to maintain a 3.0 GPA at some Guatemalan medical college for 3 semesters. Find one that makes sense.

SaNChEzZ posted:

drat, a gallon a day? That seems like a lot. I thought just over 10% a week was a lot haha.

Using big water changes in a small tank in place of skimmers is awesome though.

MKLKT
Oct 21, 2010

...armed with five-five-sixers, and pineapples.
Nanos are a different beast, my sump also has a not exactly fancy Coralife skimmer, deep sand bed and a handful of random macro algae (a red botryocladia being the largest). I prefer the system to be fairly robust and it's proven correct so far.

While having a super 'clean' system is nice, I personally think if the animals are too used to it there's an unnatural razor's edge of stability where any tiny thing throws the whole system out. That being said there are things I will change when I move up tank sizes in a few years, I've been accumulating parts for an intense system but I'm not in a rush.

If you focus on the small parts of the tank the rest takes care of itself. (i.e. focusing on the bacteria and microfauna/flora aspect) And research the poo poo out of whatever you're going to buy, do it ahead of time so that if you ever have a chance to pick up livestock you already know what you're dealing with.

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VAGENDA OF MANOCIDE
Aug 1, 2004

whoa, what just happened here?







College Slice
Speaking of un-fancy skimmers, my skimmer right now is (was) an ASM mini-G, modded with a gate valve. I took it out to clean it this past weekend, and it completely fell apart in the vinegar bath. I guess the coralline algae in it was the only thing holding it together.

The body separated from the base, the brace fell off of both the body and the riser tube mount, the riser tube mount fell out of the base.

I shoved it all back together and I'm running it like that right now, it's not like a skimmer has to be absolutely leak-proof (for a few days, anyway).

In the meantime, I have a Reef Octopus recirculating skimmer on order.

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