Makisupa's Reefing Journey

Makisupa

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Hello everyone!
Needed a good place to document my reefing journey as I'm realizing I haven't done a great job at that over the last 7/8 years of reef keeping. What better of a place to put it than here!
My journey started back in the day with a 5g Fluval Evo. That tank lasted about 5/6 years but ended with a small leak after a move and I broke it down completely.
IMG_0218.JPG

A few years in to that tank I realized I had a love for SPS, so I took a 10g and made it happen with a HOB. This tank was an huge success despite the stigmas on small tanks. I was very on top of it, dosing ESV and doing regular water changes. Also worked part time at a fish store to get some extra discounts and insight. This used a coral box moon led for lighting.
IMG_0219.JPG

All was great until I tried to upgrade into my 30g tank. Despite having let it cycle a bit, I lost quite a few pieces in the swap over which was a real bummer. I think losing my xmas tree rock I had for a few years, which was covered in porites, was the worst blow. I got discouraged around this time and can't even find any pictures of the full 30g. Finding closeup pictures it definitely had some bubble algae I was fighting and aptasia. That tank did ok going forward a few years but the ultimate demise was the heater died, I didnt realize for a day or two, and my house is on the cooler side... The leather I had for the past 6 or so years, now the size of your fore arm and hand, completely melted into what i can only describe as a nightmare of sulfur stench, pretty much did in the rest of the tank minus the fish.

From there I already had my 75g that I was planning to swap into partially set up, so i finished getting that together. Aqueon 75g with an overflow and stand, but I didnt do enough inspection when I bought it (despite having got it as a set at the local store...), and on going to plumb the tank, I see the supports for the stand literally block the overflow area. So had to fix the stand up a bit to accommodate but made it work!
IMG_2751.jpg

Set up around September 2022. Clownfish and Melanarus wrasse from my 30g were moved in early 2023. Summer of 23 came around and the tank was still getting more established, but was now being hit by excess light from the sliding doors on either side, which caused a significant amount of algae to bloom. Meanwhile I wasn't feeding as much due to the algae, which led to my wrasse eating every last invert I added. Towards the end of the summer things started clearing up a bit more just with brute elbow grease removing algae on a weekly basis or so. From there I renewed the cleanup crew, got a pincushion urchin, and soon after got a captive bred yellow tang followed by a two spot tang. Since then they have been doing great and working hard keeping the tank almost spotless. Now I feed at least once a day and my wrasse seems to leave all the inverts alone!

Tank Stats:
75g w/ 20g sump
Sump = live rock, bioblock type porous material, macro algae, heaters, return pump.
2 Mp10s and one reefwave 45.

Coral pictures and more tank info coming soon. My hopeful plan is to do pictures once a month to document coral growth as well.
Thanks for following along!
 
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Makisupa

Makisupa

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Within the last few weeks, I've also purchased a Hydros X3 Starter kit. It is monitoring tank temperature, sump temperature and PH. It came with 4 port power strip which has the return pump, a heater and a backup heater, and the kalk doser plugged into it. So far it is working great! Easy setup, and tons of great features. Gives me peace of mind that I can keep an eye on the tank from anywhere. Connectivity has not had any issues even when checking from remote. As of right now I definitely recommend. I don't have any experience with the Apex system, but the availability of products just wasn't there so went with hydros and happy with the decision so far!

Currently using the kalk doser partially to keep calc/alk in line but mostly for PH. The sump refugium is running reverse light but still not keeping it above 7.8 at night, and the kalk is definitely helping. Definitely will need to keep an eye as im sure in the summer with the sliding doors open, the PH will be raising on its own. Dosing the rest with All for Reef just to keep it simple and all seems to be working great!
 
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Makisupa

Makisupa

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So for the first round of coral growth shots, @Battlecorals blue light box!
First shot is the day after they arrived! Second shot is 20 days later. Also a bit of a light change since they were mounted on the rock higher than the frag rack was.

Coral-2.jpg

240225_Corals-10.jpg




Coral-1.jpg
240225_Corals-7.jpg




Coral-4.jpg

240225_Corals-4.jpg




Coral-3.jpg
240225_Corals-11.jpg

Thanks again to Adam for everything. Had a little mix up with my order and Adam didn't hesitate at all to make it right!
These following pieces came in not even a week ago, so cant wait to see how they settle in!
240225_Corals-1.jpg
240225_Corals-3.jpg
240225_Corals-2.jpg

BC Battlegum (bad picture, sorry)
240225_Corals-5.jpg

#battlecorals

Definitely recommend Battlecorals. Adam is a man of his word and has absolutely beautiful, clean pieces at totally reasonable prices! Looking forward to ordering again from him in the future.
 
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Makisupa

Makisupa

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Next up, a few pieces I had from prior, purchased locally.
Also shot 20 days apart, same time as the Battlecorals above.

Walt Disney Acro
Coral-6.jpg
240225_Corals-8.jpg


Sold to me as Oregon Tort Acro they thought, but havent been able to find pictures that look like this.
Coral-7.jpg
240225_Corals-9.jpg
 
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Makisupa

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@TUSI Optimus Prime i picked this past weekend at the new England FFM. Cant wait to see this beauty grow in
 
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Makisupa

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Growth update! These most recent pictures were taken a little earlier in the day during the whiter spectrum.
Walt Disney Tenuis: (2 months of growth)
Coral-6.jpg

Corals_240331-21.jpg


Sold to me as Oregon Tort: (2 months of growth)
Coral-7.jpg

Corals_240331-37.jpg
 
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Makisupa

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Tanks current stock is 2 clowns, a yellow tang, a two spot tang, a melanarus wrasse and a firefish(as of a few days ago).
The there is no protein skimmer, but a small amount of chaeto and pom pom algae (growing unbelievably slowly if at all).
Interestingly enough, i cant seem to get any reading on nitrates or phosphate, even when feeding 3 cubes of food through the day. Been feeding as much as my fish can possibly eat, plus occasional pellets, almost always mixed with a bit of benepets and reef roids. Thinking the anemone garden may be eating anything excess which is good i suppose, but dont like my readings being zero.. Planning to add some dispar anthias in the next month or so!
 
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Makisupa

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Next up - @Battlecorals Blue Light Box - (One month of growth)

Not a ton of growth on this guy yet, colors just gaining more of a punch and definitely starting to encrust more.
240225_Corals-7.jpg
Corals_240331-25.jpg


Similar as the one above, this one seems to be settling in to its new spot before hitting some growth.
240225_Corals-10.jpg
Corals_240331-28.jpg


Cant see a ton but starting to encrust below the plug.
240225_Corals-4.jpg
Corals_240331-17.jpg


Think i might be most excited about this one. Loving the growth and colors
240225_Corals-11 copy.jpg

Corals_240331-31.jpg



Was worried about this one when it arrived and it is certainly settling in!
240225_Corals-1.jpg

Corals_240331-16.jpg


Weirdly different angle on this one.. going to try to reshoot. But new growth tips for sure!
240225_Corals-2.jpg
Corals_240331-13.jpg



BC Battlegum - killin it
240225_Corals-5.jpg

Corals_240331-12.jpg
 
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Makisupa

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Only real changes in the last month is really working on getting dialed in on maintaining PH and KH in tandem. Currently using the CoralVue Hydros X3 to monitor temp and PH. Currently just dosing kalk at night.. dosing the amount need to keep the tank steady at 8.4 alkalinity(with a little help from All-For-Reef), which in turn is keeping the tank between 8.2 and 8.4 PH! Everything seems to be responding great!
 
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Makisupa

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Went away for a week, tank got up to just over 8.6ph! Was gradual, and now that we are home its gradually coming back down to 8.3-8.4.
Corals seem to have enjoyed it!!
WD
240423_WD-1.jpg


@TUSI Optimus Prime
240423_Tusi-1.jpg


Oregon Tort
240423_OrgeonTort-1.jpg


@Battlecorals Blue Light Box
240423_BC-2-1.jpg


@Battlecorals Blue Light Box
240423_BC-1-1.jpg


Milli that just keeps getting better!
240423_Milli-1.jpg


Pink Hyacinthus
240423_Hyacinthus-1.jpg
 

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