Window to a reef - 75 gallon build thread - Page 4

PaulieWalnuts · 11/16/2008, 01:07 PM

are you using the deltec 2 part to hold the corals to the rock...looks like it when i saw the color of the puddy....looking really good again...trying to get some sps in my tank now!!

ride4life · 11/16/2008, 07:00 PM

Id go with the 14k bulbs. Either hamiltons, or another brand. Also, the T-5s will be nice for actinics or even a little day light before the MH come on. Im setting up a 75 shortly and am stoked that you have done such a good job with yours. Ill def post the build thread on mine. Good luck with everything!

Moonstream · 11/16/2008, 07:35 PM

tank is looking good!

Phillybean · 11/22/2008, 03:19 PM

I replaced the lighting with 10K XM Bulbs and picked up two single 48" T5 Fixtures with no name Actinic bulbs. I leave the T5's on with the MH. Color looks great.

I started losing the SPS to RTNing issues. I fragged what I could, however only 4 of the frags made it. I lost all 3 of the caps, the blue tip green acro, purple acro, milli, birdsnest and green encrusting monti.

The remaining corals have lost nearly all their color and/or have little to no polyp extension.

When I got new bulbs I realized how little light was coming from the old bulbs. You could literally stare into them from up close with-out them hurting your eyes.

I also bought a refractometer when I got the new bulbs. Salinity was at 1.031.

I think the combo of the high salinity and poor lighting is to blame.

I did re-scape last night though and I am hosting a frag swap at my house this afternoon as well, so I should get some nice new pieces.

Phillybean · 11/22/2008, 03:21 PM

Paulie - Yes I'm using the Deltec Puddy. It works great and looks good too! Good luck with the SPS

ride4life - Thanks, make sure to post a line to your build here so I can follow

Moonstream - Thanks

I'll take some more pictures tonight after I get the new corals from the swap in

PaulieWalnuts · 11/22/2008, 09:09 PM

thanks...i paid 17.99 for it lol from my lfs how much did you get yours for....i was like wow thats a lot but if it keeps a 50 buck piece of SPS on a rock with out falling off its worth it...or my frog spawn from falling my mushrooms which happened a few times lol that 18 bucks looked pretty good!!

Phillybean · 11/22/2008, 11:51 PM

Wow, I found it cheaper in Canada! That never happens

$13.99

I picked up 3 red Monti Cap Frags, two smaller green monti cap frags (from the same colony the two I lost were!!), two very small (less than 1/2") Acro Frags and a Xenia Colony tonight. I've never been a fan of Xenia, but the tank it sitting fairly empty and this fills up some space

I got it for 20 bucks and a sheet of egg crete.

Very stoked that I was able to get the 5 caps. There are all from the came colony but one looks orange. I'm also very stoked that I got the two green monti caps. One of them doesn't look very good at all, but it is alive and I'm hoping for the best.

I caught my White Tail Pygmy Angel picking the SPS corals tonight. Suffice to say I will be spending the evening trying to catch him.

PaulieWalnuts · 11/22/2008, 11:58 PM

haha nice...did you get it online??

Phillybean · 11/23/2008, 03:18 PM

Yeah I did. There is basically one decent LFS in Vancouver that went online that has the cheapest dry goods in Canada. Their live stock is still kind of pricey though. It's tough to get a decent SPS colony up here for under $80 and any SPS Frag (1" - 2") is at least $25.

PaulieWalnuts · 11/23/2008, 07:14 PM

at least you have snow!

Phillybean · 11/24/2008, 11:17 PM

Hah, thats the funny think I don't :P

Phillybean · 12/22/2008, 04:37 PM

Took a few shots today. I'm getting 21 new SPS frags and upgrading the 175 watt bulbs to 250. Bulbs should be in next week and the frags from coral master (Oldude) which will be in early next month. I'll be sure to have lots of pics when they come in

My blue corals (Acro and Milli) are browning. I'm hoping with the new lights they will get better, but I also started vodka dosing today. I'll let everyone know how that goes as well.

FTS:

Birdsnest:

Blue Milli

Blue Tipped Acro

Green Milli

Pocillopora

Phillybean · 12/22/2008, 04:39 PM

Some kind of monti

Zoas

Green Polyps

Red Monti Cap

Fuge

Nereaga · 12/22/2008, 05:37 PM

Looking very nice bean!

I have enjoyed reading this thread again!

Keep it up!

Phillybean · 12/22/2008, 06:09 PM

Thanks Nereaga, I'm on RC a lot but never seem to find time to update my own thread...how does that work?

Nereaga · 12/22/2008, 07:18 PM

Thats cause there is too much info to read, not enough time in the day for it either!

Phillybean · 12/27/2008, 05:16 PM

My Copperband died today

I had him for about 3 months. He was eating and looked healthy. He would always swim by the tank when I walked in the room. He'd eat Mysis right out of my hand basically. He's also picked on the rocks and eliminated my Aiptasia issue.

RIP Copper

stylolvr · 12/27/2008, 05:51 PM

In regards to the browning of the acros, etc., what kind of reflectors do you have over the halides, and how far from the water are they? 175 W Halides should be OK if the acros are in the top half of the tank. However, 250 W bulbs will be great, too. Are they 10K, 14K, 20K?

Phillybean · 12/27/2008, 11:44 PM

I currently have 175 Watt 10k's with Spider Reflectors. All SPS are in the top half of the tank.

The new 250 watts should be in next week and come with 14k bulbs. Those will be upgraded to XM 10k in the Spring.

Phillybean · 12/30/2008, 12:09 AM

I'm currently on day 8 of Vodka dosing. Here is my dosing schedule:
Day 1 - 0.3 ml
Day 2 = 0.3 ml
Day 3 - Missed Day
Day 4 - 0.4 ml added
Day 5 - 0.5 added
Day 6 - 0.8 added
Day 7 - 0.8 added
Day 8 - 0.8 added

I'm using the good stuff to dose...Alberta Pure Vodka

Initial results are good, water looks clearer, skimmer is pulling out some nasty stuff. No real difference in coral yet. Phosphate reads 0 (but I have HA in the tank so I know it's there) and Nitrates steady at 10.

On Boxing day, I ordered a ACJr, Elos Mag Test, and Zoevit Amino Acid, Coral Snow and Coral Vitalizer.

Did a 15 gallon water change after Copper died.

My Blue Tip Acro RTNed overnight. I was able to save a small (3/8") tip. It doesn't really surprise me. I got it a couple days before I went to Mexico, never got any polyp extension and when I got back it was quite brown. I have one other coral (Blue Milli) which is also looking brownish, but has been regaining color over the past couple days. I hope the Zeo products will help this.

Two of my red monti caps look great and are growing fast. My birdsnest is growing crazy fast as well. My brown monti isn't really growing that I can see, however the green polyps on it now are intense!

I also re-aquascapred. With 21 new SPS frags coming in, I wanted to make room for them. I also wanted to make sure my BTA couldn't get to them, so I moved some rock around and the BTA is on his own island right in front of the clowns. They still haven't hosted him!

Phillybean · 01/03/2009, 05:47 PM

ACJr is running, I love it

Vodka still ongoing, up to 1.4 ml daily now. Will be jumping up more next week.

Started Coral Snow (3ml), Amino Acids (3 drops) and Coral Vitalizer today (3 drops). I also started Lugols, also 3 drops.

Having Nitrate problems, I think it was due to the CBB dying and my skimmer cup overflowing. It was around 80, down to 65 - 70 now. I'm doing daily 15 gallon water changes to lower it.

All corals are looking great

Gonna take more pictures tomorrow.

Phillybean · 01/06/2009, 11:18 PM

Nitrates are down to about 30 now. I'm hoping to have them down to 0-5 by Monday.

So far so good on the Zeo products. I most likely shouldn't be adding them until my Nitrates and Phosphates are at "0" but I have been anyway. Not much info on doing some Zeo and not the entire package.

Corals look good though. I'm getting rid of my Six Line and my Angel Fish and picking up a small Naso tomorrow. Again, I know I shouldn't have a Naso and Hippo in a 75, but they both have a few years before they will outgrow the tank and I'll have the 180+ by then.

No Pictures tonight, I was planning on it but dosed Coral Snow right after my water change and now the tank is all cloudy. Soon though

Phillybean · 01/13/2009, 07:01 PM

New lights are in. I now know that I did have problems with my 175 watt bulbs. Compared to the new 250's, it is night and day. Even the 14k Hamilton bulbs look more "White" then the 10 XMs.

Perfect timing too, because the corals came in today. The office I work at just got shut down and I got laid off, however we are still there until the end of the month. The courier read the news that we were shut down, saw the name of the company on the box and presumed no one would be there, so never came by. By chance I saw that the tracking number said an address update was needed, so I called. While on hold, I saw him at a building across the street and down about a block. I ran after him and caught him just before he got into his truck.

Picked them up and drove home to acclimate them. The place I picked them up offer Canada's best coral guarantee and doing do obviously have some Acclimate guidelines to be followed. Total Acclimation took about 45 minutes. They are on the sand bed until Saturday or Sunday, then I will mount them to the rock. Some are doing better than others, due to shipping stress. Here are the pics:

Already amazing PE on this one. (Not sure of ID right now)

Phillybean · 01/16/2009, 09:48 PM

Few more shots, a FTS and some of the new Naso. The wife wants to name him "Angelina" because of his lips. I think Naso Tangs are one of the more "manly" tangs out there that he needs a name like Spike, Titan or Captain Thunder. We'll see how it goes

Phillybean · 01/19/2009, 02:27 PM

Few new shots today.

Finished mounting all the frags on the rock. Better colors and PE on most of them. A local buddy also gave me a nice Zoa rock with green, orange and red Zoas and brownish/greenish palys. He also gave me a Deep Water Acro

Left Side

Right Side

11/22/2008, 03:19 PM	#79
Phillybean Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kelowna B.C. Posts: 610	I replaced the lighting with 10K XM Bulbs and picked up two single 48" T5 Fixtures with no name Actinic bulbs. I leave the T5's on with the MH. Color looks great. I started losing the SPS to RTNing issues. I fragged what I could, however only 4 of the frags made it. I lost all 3 of the caps, the blue tip green acro, purple acro, milli, birdsnest and green encrusting monti. The remaining corals have lost nearly all their color and/or have little to no polyp extension. When I got new bulbs I realized how little light was coming from the old bulbs. You could literally stare into them from up close with-out them hurting your eyes. I also bought a refractometer when I got the new bulbs. Salinity was at 1.031. I think the combo of the high salinity and poor lighting is to blame. I did re-scape last night though and I am hosting a frag swap at my house this afternoon as well, so I should get some nice new pieces. __________________ It's not how much is costs that matters, it's how much you told your wife it costs!

11/22/2008, 03:21 PM	#80
Phillybean Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kelowna B.C. Posts: 610	Paulie - Yes I'm using the Deltec Puddy. It works great and looks good too! Good luck with the SPS ride4life - Thanks, make sure to post a line to your build here so I can follow Moonstream - Thanks I'll take some more pictures tonight after I get the new corals from the swap in __________________ It's not how much is costs that matters, it's how much you told your wife it costs!

11/22/2008, 11:51 PM	#82
Phillybean Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kelowna B.C. Posts: 610	Wow, I found it cheaper in Canada! That never happens $13.99 I picked up 3 red Monti Cap Frags, two smaller green monti cap frags (from the same colony the two I lost were!!), two very small (less than 1/2") Acro Frags and a Xenia Colony tonight. I've never been a fan of Xenia, but the tank it sitting fairly empty and this fills up some space I got it for 20 bucks and a sheet of egg crete. Very stoked that I was able to get the 5 caps. There are all from the came colony but one looks orange. I'm also very stoked that I got the two green monti caps. One of them doesn't look very good at all, but it is alive and I'm hoping for the best. I caught my White Tail Pygmy Angel picking the SPS corals tonight. Suffice to say I will be spending the evening trying to catch him. __________________ It's not how much is costs that matters, it's how much you told your wife it costs!

11/23/2008, 03:18 PM	#84
Phillybean Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kelowna B.C. Posts: 610	Yeah I did. There is basically one decent LFS in Vancouver that went online that has the cheapest dry goods in Canada. Their live stock is still kind of pricey though. It's tough to get a decent SPS colony up here for under $80 and any SPS Frag (1" - 2") is at least $25. __________________ It's not how much is costs that matters, it's how much you told your wife it costs!

11/24/2008, 11:17 PM	#86
Phillybean Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kelowna B.C. Posts: 610	Hah, thats the funny think I don't :P __________________ It's not how much is costs that matters, it's how much you told your wife it costs!

11/16/2008, 01:07 PM	#76
PaulieWalnuts Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: charlotte, nc Posts: 1,381	are you using the deltec 2 part to hold the corals to the rock...looks like it when i saw the color of the puddy....looking really good again...trying to get some sps in my tank now!!

11/16/2008, 07:00 PM	#77
ride4life Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: New York Posts: 105	Id go with the 14k bulbs. Either hamiltons, or another brand. Also, the T-5s will be nice for actinics or even a little day light before the MH come on. Im setting up a 75 shortly and am stoked that you have done such a good job with yours. Ill def post the build thread on mine. Good luck with everything!

11/16/2008, 07:35 PM	#78
Moonstream Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: NYC Posts: 2,581	tank is looking good!

11/22/2008, 09:09 PM	#81
PaulieWalnuts Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: charlotte, nc Posts: 1,381	thanks...i paid 17.99 for it lol from my lfs how much did you get yours for....i was like wow thats a lot but if it keeps a 50 buck piece of SPS on a rock with out falling off its worth it...or my frog spawn from falling my mushrooms which happened a few times lol that 18 bucks looked pretty good!!

11/22/2008, 11:58 PM	#83
PaulieWalnuts Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: charlotte, nc Posts: 1,381	haha nice...did you get it online??

11/23/2008, 07:14 PM	#85
PaulieWalnuts Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: charlotte, nc Posts: 1,381	at least you have snow!

12/22/2008, 04:37 PM	#87
Phillybean Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kelowna B.C. Posts: 610	Took a few shots today. I'm getting 21 new SPS frags and upgrading the 175 watt bulbs to 250. Bulbs should be in next week and the frags from coral master (Oldude) which will be in early next month. I'll be sure to have lots of pics when they come in My blue corals (Acro and Milli) are browning. I'm hoping with the new lights they will get better, but I also started vodka dosing today. I'll let everyone know how that goes as well. FTS: Birdsnest: Blue Milli Blue Tipped Acro Green Milli Pocillopora __________________ It's not how much is costs that matters, it's how much you told your wife it costs! Last edited by Phillybean; 12/22/2008 at 04:43 PM.

12/22/2008, 04:39 PM	#88
Phillybean Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kelowna B.C. Posts: 610	Some kind of monti Zoas Green Polyps Red Monti Cap Fuge __________________ It's not how much is costs that matters, it's how much you told your wife it costs!

12/22/2008, 05:37 PM	#89
Nereaga Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Oley, Pa 19547 Posts: 1,513	Looking very nice bean! I have enjoyed reading this thread again! Keep it up!

12/22/2008, 06:09 PM	#90
Phillybean Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kelowna B.C. Posts: 610	Thanks Nereaga, I'm on RC a lot but never seem to find time to update my own thread...how does that work? __________________ It's not how much is costs that matters, it's how much you told your wife it costs!

12/22/2008, 07:18 PM	#91
Nereaga Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Oley, Pa 19547 Posts: 1,513	Thats cause there is too much info to read, not enough time in the day for it either!

12/27/2008, 05:16 PM	#92
Phillybean Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kelowna B.C. Posts: 610	My Copperband died today I had him for about 3 months. He was eating and looked healthy. He would always swim by the tank when I walked in the room. He'd eat Mysis right out of my hand basically. He's also picked on the rocks and eliminated my Aiptasia issue. RIP Copper __________________ It's not how much is costs that matters, it's how much you told your wife it costs!

12/27/2008, 05:51 PM	#93
stylolvr Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Longwood, FL Posts: 734	In regards to the browning of the acros, etc., what kind of reflectors do you have over the halides, and how far from the water are they? 175 W Halides should be OK if the acros are in the top half of the tank. However, 250 W bulbs will be great, too. Are they 10K, 14K, 20K? __________________ Some call it a hobby, others an obsession. I just call it good, clean fun! Current Tank Info: Acquiring equipment for a Waterbox 20 Cube mixed reef

12/27/2008, 11:44 PM	#94
Phillybean Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kelowna B.C. Posts: 610	I currently have 175 Watt 10k's with Spider Reflectors. All SPS are in the top half of the tank. The new 250 watts should be in next week and come with 14k bulbs. Those will be upgraded to XM 10k in the Spring. __________________ It's not how much is costs that matters, it's how much you told your wife it costs!

12/30/2008, 12:09 AM	#95
Phillybean Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kelowna B.C. Posts: 610	I'm currently on day 8 of Vodka dosing. Here is my dosing schedule: Day 1 - 0.3 ml Day 2 = 0.3 ml Day 3 - Missed Day Day 4 - 0.4 ml added Day 5 - 0.5 added Day 6 - 0.8 added Day 7 - 0.8 added Day 8 - 0.8 added I'm using the good stuff to dose...Alberta Pure Vodka Initial results are good, water looks clearer, skimmer is pulling out some nasty stuff. No real difference in coral yet. Phosphate reads 0 (but I have HA in the tank so I know it's there) and Nitrates steady at 10. On Boxing day, I ordered a ACJr, Elos Mag Test, and Zoevit Amino Acid, Coral Snow and Coral Vitalizer. Did a 15 gallon water change after Copper died. My Blue Tip Acro RTNed overnight. I was able to save a small (3/8") tip. It doesn't really surprise me. I got it a couple days before I went to Mexico, never got any polyp extension and when I got back it was quite brown. I have one other coral (Blue Milli) which is also looking brownish, but has been regaining color over the past couple days. I hope the Zeo products will help this. Two of my red monti caps look great and are growing fast. My birdsnest is growing crazy fast as well. My brown monti isn't really growing that I can see, however the green polyps on it now are intense! I also re-aquascapred. With 21 new SPS frags coming in, I wanted to make room for them. I also wanted to make sure my BTA couldn't get to them, so I moved some rock around and the BTA is on his own island right in front of the clowns. They still haven't hosted him! __________________ It's not how much is costs that matters, it's how much you told your wife it costs!

01/03/2009, 05:47 PM	#96
Phillybean Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kelowna B.C. Posts: 610	ACJr is running, I love it Vodka still ongoing, up to 1.4 ml daily now. Will be jumping up more next week. Started Coral Snow (3ml), Amino Acids (3 drops) and Coral Vitalizer today (3 drops). I also started Lugols, also 3 drops. Having Nitrate problems, I think it was due to the CBB dying and my skimmer cup overflowing. It was around 80, down to 65 - 70 now. I'm doing daily 15 gallon water changes to lower it. All corals are looking great Gonna take more pictures tomorrow. __________________ It's not how much is costs that matters, it's how much you told your wife it costs!

01/06/2009, 11:18 PM	#97
Phillybean Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kelowna B.C. Posts: 610	Nitrates are down to about 30 now. I'm hoping to have them down to 0-5 by Monday. So far so good on the Zeo products. I most likely shouldn't be adding them until my Nitrates and Phosphates are at "0" but I have been anyway. Not much info on doing some Zeo and not the entire package. Corals look good though. I'm getting rid of my Six Line and my Angel Fish and picking up a small Naso tomorrow. Again, I know I shouldn't have a Naso and Hippo in a 75, but they both have a few years before they will outgrow the tank and I'll have the 180+ by then. No Pictures tonight, I was planning on it but dosed Coral Snow right after my water change and now the tank is all cloudy. Soon though __________________ It's not how much is costs that matters, it's how much you told your wife it costs!

01/13/2009, 07:01 PM	#98
Phillybean Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kelowna B.C. Posts: 610	New lights are in. I now know that I did have problems with my 175 watt bulbs. Compared to the new 250's, it is night and day. Even the 14k Hamilton bulbs look more "White" then the 10 XMs. Perfect timing too, because the corals came in today. The office I work at just got shut down and I got laid off, however we are still there until the end of the month. The courier read the news that we were shut down, saw the name of the company on the box and presumed no one would be there, so never came by. By chance I saw that the tracking number said an address update was needed, so I called. While on hold, I saw him at a building across the street and down about a block. I ran after him and caught him just before he got into his truck. Picked them up and drove home to acclimate them. The place I picked them up offer Canada's best coral guarantee and doing do obviously have some Acclimate guidelines to be followed. Total Acclimation took about 45 minutes. They are on the sand bed until Saturday or Sunday, then I will mount them to the rock. Some are doing better than others, due to shipping stress. Here are the pics: Already amazing PE on this one. (Not sure of ID right now) __________________ It's not how much is costs that matters, it's how much you told your wife it costs!

01/16/2009, 09:48 PM	#99
Phillybean Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kelowna B.C. Posts: 610	Few more shots, a FTS and some of the new Naso. The wife wants to name him "Angelina" because of his lips. I think Naso Tangs are one of the more "manly" tangs out there that he needs a name like Spike, Titan or Captain Thunder. We'll see how it goes __________________ It's not how much is costs that matters, it's how much you told your wife it costs!

01/19/2009, 02:27 PM	#100
Phillybean Registered Member Join Date: May 2006 Location: Kelowna B.C. Posts: 610	Few new shots today. Finished mounting all the frags on the rock. Better colors and PE on most of them. A local buddy also gave me a nice Zoa rock with green, orange and red Zoas and brownish/greenish palys. He also gave me a Deep Water Acro Left Side Right Side __________________ It's not how much is costs that matters, it's how much you told your wife it costs!