[Wiskey]

I had mentioned earlier that I take photos of corals when I get them, I put those into a sortof coffee table book that I save so I know what coral is what and so I can reference back to how it's changed since I got it. These are a few examples of those photos of new corals I got this week:

Never mind the spelling

2021-5-1 Rainbow Challace by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

2021-5-1 Purple Stylo by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

2021-5-1 TriColorFavia by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

2021-5-1 ASD Rainbow Mili by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

2021-5-1 Strawberry Shortcake by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

2021-5-1 Ultra Lepto Jack o Lantern by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

Keep in mind these corals will color up, this is literally the day they went in the tank so they were pretty stressed. When I look back a month later I'm usually shocked at how well they settle in

This one's been with me for a couple months, it's doubled in size, and these colors under the blues are stunning:
IMG_3345 by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

Whiskey

 

[hackshobby]

Looking around I notice there's no one else around willing to be nosy.....OK, I'm up......How in the heck much did you have to pay at a retail dealer for THAT HAUL Whiskey? There folks, I asked for Ya!

Nice haul, but looks like you may have pawned the new house for it.
Hack

 

[Wiskey]

Looking around I notice there's no one else around willing to be nosy.....OK, I'm up......How in the heck much did you have to pay at a retail dealer for THAT HAUL Whiskey? There folks, I asked for Ya!

Nice haul, but looks like you may have pawned the new house for it.
Hack

Ha!! Actually, there is more from a coral show today (cough).
I did really well on this actually,.. let's see. Pretty much everything in Texas was $29 and it was buy two get one free. The two SPS were $50 each (which is a great deal for those actually, if you are in OKC check out Prestige Worldwide). So total it's about $200 here.

BUT!! At that coral show I saw some people selling these corals for much more (and some at my price point). That Ultra Lepto I saw for sale at $120 for a much smaller frag. I also saw Pink Floyd offered for $140 and I bought it at $39 for the same size from another booth at the same show. Where you buy makes a big difference.

Whiskey

 

[jerryclunsford]

So you found some corals in Dallas.
I need to run down there some time.

 

[Wiskey]

So you found some corals in Dallas.
I need to run down there some time.

I did!!! I looked up the place you mentioned and couldn't find it on Apple Maps, but I was super tight on time so I just found one that was on my route and stopped there. I found allot of stores down there actually, so I'm looking forward to exploring more in subsequent trips. That Jack O Lantern was selling for $100+ at the show for a much smaller piece so I think I got a great deal!

Whiskey

 

[smoothextoll]

I had mentioned earlier that I take photos of corals when I get them, I put those into a sortof coffee table book that I save so I know what coral is what and so I can reference back to how it's changed since I got it. These are a few examples of those photos of new corals I got this week:

Never mind the spelling

2021-5-1 Rainbow Challace by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

2021-5-1 Purple Stylo by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

2021-5-1 TriColorFavia by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

2021-5-1 ASD Rainbow Mili by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

2021-5-1 Strawberry Shortcake by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

2021-5-1 Ultra Lepto Jack o Lantern by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

Keep in mind these corals will color up, this is literally the day they went in the tank so they were pretty stressed. When I look back a month later I'm usually shocked at how well they settle in

This one's been with me for a couple months, it's doubled in size, and these colors under the blues are stunning:
IMG_3345 by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

Whiskey

Oh, wonderful creatures of God. Nature always wears the colors of the spirit.

 

[Wiskey]

Oh, wonderful creatures of God. Nature always wears the colors of the spirit.

Welcome to the thread smoothextoll!

Whiskey

 

[Wiskey]

I had mentioned getting the Trident, on the first test I found things to be a little high, mainly because I was still getting dosing tuned in from my move, and also because I had a bad regent for my ALK test kit that was perpetually reading low. The old batch read 6.8, when the new batch read 10 and the Trident sided with the new batch.

I adjusted the Trident, and the dosers for my Triton so that the Apex had 10% control over my dosing with a goal of ALK at 8.0 Dkh. Here is how we are doing so far. The doser is set to add 45 ML/Day and the Apex has it pulled back to around 40ish. Here is the result:

Alk is tested 4 times per day, and the Apex is slowly letting it drop. From 8.8 to 8.65 over 5 days.

I'm happy with this progress, but think it could move a little faster so I've given the Apex control over 15% of the dosing.

With regards to CA, it was so far off I just shut off the dosing pump. Here is how it's progressing.

This one is a little faster since I'm not putting anything in, but corals are much less sensitive to changes in CA.

Whiskey

 

[Wiskey]

CA is finally under 500! 488 as of this morning. That includes a big bump in levels because I'm trying to finish off a bucket of Reef Crystals salt and that comes in very high in all levels. I did about a 30% water change last week with it, but I think I might save the last of it for my little 3G at work that doesn't get any dosing and go back to Tropic Marine on this tank.

I picked up some new corals!
Tyree Pink Lemonade:
IMG_3430 by Wiskey2727, on Flickr
.
Sour Cherry:
IMG_3421 by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

Rainbow Milli:
IMG_3462 by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

And here are just some update shots:
IMG_3466 by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

IMG_3458 by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

IMG_3451 by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

IMG_3418 by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

It's kind of a bunch of Frags right now, but It's growing well and I think in a year it's going to be really stunning.

I did end up adding another light to my fuge and a little PO4 media because my levels are a little high at 0.19, but I'm not going to panic about it, I'm just going to slowly bring it back to 0.08-0.1.

Whiskey

 

[hackshobby]

There's ZERO DOUBT Bro you'rs will be the talk of the town! VERY NICE with the steady flow of frags you're coming acrossed.
Peace,
Hack

 

[Wiskey]

There's ZERO DOUBT Bro you'rs will be the talk of the town! VERY NICE with the steady flow of frags you're coming acrossed.
Peace,
Hack

Thank you Hack! I am working to tune things just a little bit, but it's real close to catching it's groove. I got super lucky in being able to buy an established tank, it really helped to speed things up.

My next project will be in the new fish room. I'm building a water change station which will allow me to mix 44 gallons at once, and store 44 gallons of RO/DI water. I decided this trumped building a new hood with better access in priority.

Later that hood build will come, a remote sump in the fish room, and a frag tank!

Whiskey

 

[Tim224DT]

Tank is looking great Whiskey!

I will agree with what you say about tank levels today I keep mine at vs back 10 to 15 years ago is way different.

 

[Wiskey]

Tank is looking great Whiskey!

I will agree with what you say about tank levels today I keep mine at vs back 10 to 15 years ago is way different.

For sure!! I focus allot more on stable parameters now than I do about finding an exact number. I've also changed my definition of stability. I try not to make more than one change in any two months, because I've learned that it can take a full month to two months for a coral to react and see what affect the change really had.

What has changed for you Tim?

Whiskey

 

[Tim224DT]

For sure!! I focus allot more on stable parameters now than I do about finding an exact number. I've also changed my definition of stability. I try not to make more than one change in any two months, because I've learned that it can take a full month to two months for a coral to react and see what affect the change really had.

What has changed for you Tim?

Whiskey

I definitely focus on stability now. I remember I used to aim for 0 on nitrate and phosphate, and pH 8.3 ish, ca 400, alk 10 ish
I would be doing constant water changes to achieve these numbers.

Now it is stability
Nitrate 40 yes 40
Phosphate 0.5 yes 0.5
Ca stays around 380
Alk 7.8
pH 7.7 to 7.9
I do water changes every couple of weeks and mt levels stay good at this. Everything looks happy.

Back in the day we were told to have a healthy tank need to have these idea numbers now we learn stability goes along way

 

[Wiskey]

I definitely focus on stability now. I remember I used to aim for 0 on nitrate and phosphate, and pH 8.3 ish, ca 400, alk 10 ish
I would be doing constant water changes to achieve these numbers.

Now it is stability
Nitrate 40 yes 40
Phosphate 0.5 yes 0.5
Ca stays around 380
Alk 7.8
pH 7.7 to 7.9
I do water changes every couple of weeks and mt levels stay good at this. Everything looks happy.

Back in the day we were told to have a healthy tank need to have these idea numbers now we learn stability goes along way

Oh, yeah. 100% on the stability. I've caused more problems trying to get levels "right" than I ever have with just letting things roll.

I've also found that it's very hard to keep your tank at a true 0.03 PPM phosphate. I'm sure it can be done, but my personal experience is that color and growth improve as you get closer to 0.1, and most importantly it's super hard to keep 0.03 without it bouncing up and down, but 0.1 is super easy to maintain with slow flow through a P04 media, or a fuge, or both.

I have had 0.5 Phosphate before, and my corals did lots better than when I was trying to keep 0.03. Right now I shoot for 0.08 to 0.15 as my "good" range for the sps system, but my other LPS/Softie tanks seem to like it a little higher. Nitrates I don't even test,.. I'm probably right about in the same range as you.

Whiskey

 

[Wiskey]

I have just a little update, I'm starting to work on the first parts of the tank room!!!

Over the 4 day weekend I made my water change station. Those 2x4's use half lap joints so I don't need braces on the front, I do have bracing on the side.
The switch at the bottom turns on or off the 300W heater and mixing pump.
The valve on the table opens up 1" pvc to bring RO/DI water to the mixing container.
I have a JG fitting on the 1" PVC, that goes to my ATO for topoff water.
The Clear line on the left shows the current water level in the upper container.
I pulled RO/DI line through the attic to fill the upper container, and there is a float valve which shuts it down when full.
I also have a temp probe in the mixing container so I can tell when it's warm.
IMG_4689 by Wiskey2727, on Flickr

Whiskey

 

[Wiskey]

Oh yeah! I also placed an order for a Tri-Fuel portable generator. This was sortof a nice compromise between the very expensive whole home generators, and the less expensive jobsite ones. It runs on Natural Gas so I can hook it up to the NG outlet I put in, and it works with the Manual transfer switch I had installed when my home was built. It's not enough to run my AC, but at 7000 running watts on NG it will power the tank and fridge just fine. Plus if I ever want to go watch movies in the middle of the desert, or if NG goes out for some reason I have fuel, or propane as other power options and the cost was less than $1500.

Whiskey

 

[jerryclunsford]

Sounds nice.

 

[Wiskey]

Sounds nice.

I look forward to it!!! I've had two power outages since living here for about a year and a half, one of those was 10 days during an ice storm. I was lucky at the time that I just had the 10G that was fairly young at the time and I could take almost everything to my 3G at work, but if that happened again I wouldn't have that as an option. I will feel much better knowing I have a way to keep power up if that happens again.

Even if I didn't have the tank, lost food, and the potential for frozen pipes would make this thing pay off with a single outage.

Whiskey

 

[jerryclunsford]

In the big freeze recently. We only had rolling blackouts but had all the plumbing in the well house freeze, some pipes in the bathroom wall and one to a faucet on the deck. Oh, what fun.