Melev's new 280g Starfire tank thread - Page 7

melev · 09/03/2006, 03:26 PM

For that question, please email me. melev@swbell.net

toonascott · 09/04/2006, 09:36 AM

I will email you once I get my blasted gmail account working again. My work email has its own server, so for sure email coming your way tuesday.

On another note, I think I figured out my sun coral situation. I had all my kids take turns keeping an eye on him, hahaha. No one picked at him.

So I fed the tank and some other routine maintenance. Then I tested for phosphates. For the first time ever, I could detect phosphates. I have always been slightly frustrated by trying to match a test colour to detect a level of any certain tank parameter. Never know for sure what anything is at because there is never a perfect match to any colour on any kit. I have em all salifert, nutrafin and aquarium pharmaceuticals.

But my phosphate test had a blue tinge and it matched about .5 mg/l.
Then it hit me, everything in my tank added up to a significant level of phosphates.

All my LPS looked a little down in the dumps, and my Xenia was taking over the tank. Yesterday morning, my LFS gave me $40 credit for a couple of big frags of Xenia. (bought myself a fox coral and some frozen cyclopeeze).

After putting it all together, I went back to LFS and bought some seachem Phos-guard. I love this stuff, it isnt a regular ion exchange resin, so it won't leach phosphates back into tank once it is saturated. To top it all off, I can let it dry out every few weeks and reuse it.

It works fast, no water change and 12 hours later, my phosphates already dropped to .25. My LPS are looking GREAT!

This is amazing considering I took out so much phosphate absorbing xenia and fed the heck out of the tank.

Electrobes · 09/04/2006, 10:31 AM

Hi Marc here's a question for you. I've recently bought Phosban but never used it. I've been using carbon in my reactor for a while but after a monster clean out of my equipment and so forth I thought with my higher fish population in my reef tank that I should try it. That and my feeding habits have been increasing as of late... (Started feeding cyclop-eez and Golden Pearls in a small mixture with flake food).

I have a softie dominated tank and can't remember which phosphate rmeover media caused the softy population to really get messed up from using it. I am pretty sure I got Phosban because it did not caused this problem.. but I can't remember.

Thanks!

melev · 09/04/2006, 01:50 PM

toonascott - removing phosphate most definitely will help, and also running carbon actively (through a Phosban Reactor for example) will remove other stuff that corals give off. Plus it will clarify the water.

Electrobes - As long as it isn't aluminum-based, you'll be fine. The product by Kent is the wrong type, for example. Phosban is fine.

melev · 09/06/2006, 01:55 PM

More of my site is done. The front page is a whole new look, and the Reef Log will eventually match as well, once I figure out how to edit the css code a little more. Click the little red house if you like.

jnarowe · 09/06/2006, 02:55 PM

Great pic Marc. Is there a message in that bottle??

melev · 09/06/2006, 02:57 PM

Of course. Only my mandarins can read it though.

Snakebyt · 09/06/2006, 03:06 PM

new site is looking great...
I just got a new camera and im reading on your site about taking pics, ill post a few in here once i get a few good ones.. I promise to make them smaller than i posted in the thread in the phoptography forum

melev · 09/06/2006, 03:10 PM

You better! I was gonna report you to the mods.

Snakebyt · 09/06/2006, 03:20 PM

I have been meaning to ask about this.. This is a piece of plating monti that got sand on it and starting growing vertical. Is this very common? Its defenatly different, at least to me.
Small version

Close up of the polyps

and for those brave souls, link top full size pic
http://www.snakebyt.com/monti3.jpg

Feel free to critique my photography, pics were taken with a Canon A620

melev · 09/06/2006, 03:23 PM

It sure looks like M. digitata to me, rather than M. capricornis or M. foliosa. How large is the coral itself in inches?

Snakebyt · 09/06/2006, 03:28 PM

about 3 inches tall, I got it form Npaden, and he had a plating that got sand on it, and these started growing out of it trhu the sand. It is starting to grow plates off the side of it, ill see if i can get a quick pic

Stile2 · 09/06/2006, 03:43 PM

Site's looking great. I wish I had the time to do something more with mine, but I already build the web site at work. Building one web site is enough work for two people (unfortunately there is only one of me

)

Great info on the Mandarin!! Thanks
Keith

Snakebyt · 09/06/2006, 03:44 PM

here is a pic of what is plating

melev · 09/06/2006, 03:53 PM

That is a really nice piece. It definitely is breaking some rules lately.

Keith - thanks!

Snakebyt · 09/06/2006, 03:55 PM

I want to move it so that it can start to plate with nothing in its way. I am setting up another tank in the next week or so. Ill be moving alot of rock over to the new tank to make more room to spread out some corals. Hoping i can give it more room then

Cosmo^Kramer · 09/06/2006, 04:45 PM

Mark excellent website,easy to navigate.Man I really enjoy that Pico you have.Amazing whats thrives in such a small space

jnarowe · 09/06/2006, 05:02 PM

Snakebyt: Very cool specimen. Freaky. I wonder if Npaden changed flow and the coral reacted to that?

Enderrea · 09/06/2006, 05:23 PM

what a guy Marc, Not only are you a stripper, but you are a Reefer and a web page D.I.Y. guy. Now that is a Jack @@$ of All trades for ya. I am liken the looks of the new pages.
Where would we be with out you!

melev · 09/06/2006, 05:32 PM

Thanks!

jnarowe · 09/06/2006, 06:00 PM

I know my fish wouldn't be fat and healthy without Marc!

juststartingout · 09/06/2006, 08:10 PM

Marc, nice job on your site!!
I noticed that you also have a 30" tall tank. Do you notice any difference in the growth or health of your sps, clams, or anemones between the 250 wt/400wt bulbs? ( If I looked at it correctley you have 2-250watt and 1- 400 watt ) I am thinking of reducing my bulbs from 400 to 250 and have probed others for their opinions as well.

jnarowe · 09/06/2006, 09:01 PM

Alien alert...Alien alert. Get out before he probes you!

melev · 09/06/2006, 09:28 PM

Juststartingout (You really do have to rename yourself to something like "beendoinitforsometimenow") - Growth rates are about the same across the tank, although some stuff really doesn't seem to do directly under the 400w bulb.

Since the 250w are 10,000K and th 400w is 20,000K, the PAR should be about the same throughout the tank. If I wasn't running the 20,000K bulb, I'd have anothe 250w bulb in the center.

My little maxima is down near the substrate. It is about 2.5" long, and I don't feed it anything. It has already grown a full scute along its shell over the past 30 days, which roughly looks like a 1/4" of new material to me. It is almost directly under the 400w.

gman0526 · 09/06/2006, 09:42 PM

8-27-06 "...The MACNA episode will release this next week, I swear on my life! "

How was the funeral? I just wanted to express my condolences. We'll miss you Evan

09/04/2006, 09:36 AM	#152
toonascott Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: delray beach Posts: 141	I will email you once I get my blasted gmail account working again. My work email has its own server, so for sure email coming your way tuesday. On another note, I think I figured out my sun coral situation. I had all my kids take turns keeping an eye on him, hahaha. No one picked at him. So I fed the tank and some other routine maintenance. Then I tested for phosphates. For the first time ever, I could detect phosphates. I have always been slightly frustrated by trying to match a test colour to detect a level of any certain tank parameter. Never know for sure what anything is at because there is never a perfect match to any colour on any kit. I have em all salifert, nutrafin and aquarium pharmaceuticals. But my phosphate test had a blue tinge and it matched about .5 mg/l. Then it hit me, everything in my tank added up to a significant level of phosphates. All my LPS looked a little down in the dumps, and my Xenia was taking over the tank. Yesterday morning, my LFS gave me $40 credit for a couple of big frags of Xenia. (bought myself a fox coral and some frozen cyclopeeze). After putting it all together, I went back to LFS and bought some seachem Phos-guard. I love this stuff, it isnt a regular ion exchange resin, so it won't leach phosphates back into tank once it is saturated. To top it all off, I can let it dry out every few weeks and reuse it. It works fast, no water change and 12 hours later, my phosphates already dropped to .25. My LPS are looking GREAT! This is amazing considering I took out so much phosphate absorbing xenia and fed the heck out of the tank. __________________ 40g CPR skimmer Nova Extreme T5HO 75g ASM skimmer Current T5HO 180g ASM skimmer Current Tank Info: 40g,75g,180g Reef and Fish

09/04/2006, 10:31 AM	#153
Electrobes Montipora type guy Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Fort Myers, FL Posts: 2,945	Hi Marc here's a question for you. I've recently bought Phosban but never used it. I've been using carbon in my reactor for a while but after a monster clean out of my equipment and so forth I thought with my higher fish population in my reef tank that I should try it. That and my feeding habits have been increasing as of late... (Started feeding cyclop-eez and Golden Pearls in a small mixture with flake food). I have a softie dominated tank and can't remember which phosphate rmeover media caused the softy population to really get messed up from using it. I am pretty sure I got Phosban because it did not caused this problem.. but I can't remember. Thanks! __________________ Christian Current Tank Info: 100G Half Cylinder

09/06/2006, 02:55 PM	#156
jnarowe Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Poulsbo, WA Posts: 14,710	Great pic Marc. Is there a message in that bottle?? __________________ Jonathan--Recovering Tankaholic. Current Tank Info: 70g fresh planted

09/06/2006, 03:43 PM	#163
Stile2 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Yucaipa, California (some little town you've never heard of) Posts: 1,624	Site's looking great. I wish I had the time to do something more with mine, but I already build the web site at work. Building one web site is enough work for two people (unfortunately there is only one of me ) Great info on the Mandarin!! Thanks Keith __________________ If you have a college degree, you can be sure of one thing. You have a college degree! Superman owns Chuck Norris Pajamas!! Current Tank Info: 77 Gallon Custom peninsula 3 sides viewable, DIY Steel Stand, OM Squirt, 2 x 250 w MH, 2 x 95 w VHO, DIY Skimmer

09/06/2006, 04:45 PM	#167
Cosmo^Kramer Registered Member Join Date: May 2002 Location: Westchester,NY Posts: 1,370	Mark excellent website,easy to navigate.Man I really enjoy that Pico you have.Amazing whats thrives in such a small space __________________ If you choke a smurf,what color does he turn? The Police never think it's as funny as you do Current Tank Info: Starting up a Cadlights signature series.

09/03/2006, 03:26 PM	#151
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	For that question, please email me. melev@swbell.net

09/04/2006, 01:50 PM	#154
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	toonascott - removing phosphate most definitely will help, and also running carbon actively (through a Phosban Reactor for example) will remove other stuff that corals give off. Plus it will clarify the water. Electrobes - As long as it isn't aluminum-based, you'll be fine. The product by Kent is the wrong type, for example. Phosban is fine.

09/06/2006, 01:55 PM	#155
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	More of my site is done. The front page is a whole new look, and the Reef Log will eventually match as well, once I figure out how to edit the css code a little more. Click the little red house if you like.

09/06/2006, 02:57 PM	#157
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	Of course. Only my mandarins can read it though.

09/06/2006, 03:06 PM	#158
Snakebyt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Lubbock Tx Posts: 2,141	new site is looking great... I just got a new camera and im reading on your site about taking pics, ill post a few in here once i get a few good ones.. I promise to make them smaller than i posted in the thread in the phoptography forum

09/06/2006, 03:10 PM	#159
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	You better! I was gonna report you to the mods.

09/06/2006, 03:20 PM	#160
Snakebyt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Lubbock Tx Posts: 2,141	I have been meaning to ask about this.. This is a piece of plating monti that got sand on it and starting growing vertical. Is this very common? Its defenatly different, at least to me. Small version Close up of the polyps and for those brave souls, link top full size pic http://www.snakebyt.com/monti3.jpg Feel free to critique my photography, pics were taken with a Canon A620

09/06/2006, 03:23 PM	#161
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	It sure looks like M. digitata to me, rather than M. capricornis or M. foliosa. How large is the coral itself in inches?

09/06/2006, 03:28 PM	#162
Snakebyt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Lubbock Tx Posts: 2,141	about 3 inches tall, I got it form Npaden, and he had a plating that got sand on it, and these started growing out of it trhu the sand. It is starting to grow plates off the side of it, ill see if i can get a quick pic

09/06/2006, 03:44 PM	#164
Snakebyt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Lubbock Tx Posts: 2,141	here is a pic of what is plating

09/06/2006, 03:53 PM	#165
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	That is a really nice piece. It definitely is breaking some rules lately. Keith - thanks!

09/06/2006, 03:55 PM	#166
Snakebyt Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Lubbock Tx Posts: 2,141	I want to move it so that it can start to plate with nothing in its way. I am setting up another tank in the next week or so. Ill be moving alot of rock over to the new tank to make more room to spread out some corals. Hoping i can give it more room then

09/06/2006, 05:02 PM	#168
jnarowe Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Poulsbo, WA Posts: 14,710	Snakebyt: Very cool specimen. Freaky. I wonder if Npaden changed flow and the coral reacted to that? __________________ Jonathan--Recovering Tankaholic. Current Tank Info: 70g fresh planted

09/06/2006, 05:23 PM	#169
Enderrea Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Shoreline, Wa Posts: 235	what a guy Marc, Not only are you a stripper, but you are a Reefer and a web page D.I.Y. guy. Now that is a Jack @@$ of All trades for ya. I am liken the looks of the new pages. Where would we be with out you! __________________ 101st Screaming Chickens! God Bless those still in Harms way. James Current Tank Info: 80 gallon Lake tanganyika

09/06/2006, 05:32 PM	#170
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	Thanks!

09/06/2006, 06:00 PM	#171
jnarowe Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Poulsbo, WA Posts: 14,710	I know my fish wouldn't be fat and healthy without Marc! __________________ Jonathan--Recovering Tankaholic. Current Tank Info: 70g fresh planted

09/06/2006, 08:10 PM	#172
juststartingout Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Chicago area Posts: 828	Marc, nice job on your site!! I noticed that you also have a 30" tall tank. Do you notice any difference in the growth or health of your sps, clams, or anemones between the 250 wt/400wt bulbs? ( If I looked at it correctley you have 2-250watt and 1- 400 watt ) I am thinking of reducing my bulbs from 400 to 250 and have probed others for their opinions as well. __________________ "Ability will never catch up with the demand for it."-- Malcolm Forbes Current Tank Info: diy 500 gallon glass tank, XP5000E Skimmer, Ozone, DIY 150 gal sump, 114wt UV, 3 LuninarcIII's w/ Reeflux 12k's, 4) four bulb Tek Elite T5's, Apex Control

09/06/2006, 09:01 PM	#173
jnarowe Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Poulsbo, WA Posts: 14,710	Alien alert...Alien alert. Get out before he probes you! __________________ Jonathan--Recovering Tankaholic. Current Tank Info: 70g fresh planted

09/06/2006, 09:28 PM	#174
melev Moved On Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Ft Worth, Tx Posts: 43,217	Juststartingout (You really do have to rename yourself to something like "beendoinitforsometimenow") - Growth rates are about the same across the tank, although some stuff really doesn't seem to do directly under the 400w bulb. Since the 250w are 10,000K and th 400w is 20,000K, the PAR should be about the same throughout the tank. If I wasn't running the 20,000K bulb, I'd have anothe 250w bulb in the center. My little maxima is down near the substrate. It is about 2.5" long, and I don't feed it anything. It has already grown a full scute along its shell over the past 30 days, which roughly looks like a 1/4" of new material to me. It is almost directly under the 400w.

09/06/2006, 09:42 PM	#175
gman0526 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Puerto Rico Posts: 1,278	8-27-06 "...The MACNA episode will release this next week, I swear on my life! " How was the funeral? I just wanted to express my condolences. We'll miss you Evan __________________ "If the facts don't fit the theory, change the facts." A.E. Current Tank Info: 75 G BB tank