ReefGrammie's 90-Gallon Reboot
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ReefGrammie
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najer
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James_O
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Following!I was messing with cell phone pictures...I thought these actually turned out pretty good!
I have a "thing" for cyphastrea. I never had any in my previous tank, but I have them everywhere in this one. The bottom one is WWC Bizarro.
JF Beach Bum monti, which is just stunning. I can't wait to see this one grow out more.
Another WWC piece, Electric Daisy stylo....and the CG poser on top of it!
So do cyphastreas just overgrow the plug and then start to grow in the rock they are on?
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ReefGrammie
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Hi @James_O! They do. You can see the obvious frag plug in the picture on top and the growth off the plug. I've even snapped off the frag plugs before, after they've starting growing on the rock, and they fill in the gap where the plug used to be.
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ReefGrammie
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Wow, I haven't been on here in months. Life has been extremely rough for multiple reasons, but it's time to move forward.
Fortunately, both tanks are doing well. I kept going through the motions anyway.
Here is what an Octo Pulse looks like when you haven't cleaned it for MONTHS, along with the six line telling me how disgusting the PH looks.
Here it is after a citric acid bath and some scrubbing...much better:
Soooo, then I went crazy. Fish room sink was full of nasty filter socks. They are now washing in bleach water with an extra rinse. Fish room has been a mess. Cleaned that up. The media hadn't been changed in the BioCube in months...took care of that and also cleaned the powerhead in that tank. Moved some frags to their semi-permanent home in the 90, and also glued some zoas in the BioCube. I'm going to clean the other Octo Pulse tomorrow. It's about as nasty as the other one, but I didn't have the energy for both today!
At least it's progress. I need to go visit some tank threads soon!
Fortunately, both tanks are doing well. I kept going through the motions anyway.
Here is what an Octo Pulse looks like when you haven't cleaned it for MONTHS, along with the six line telling me how disgusting the PH looks.
Here it is after a citric acid bath and some scrubbing...much better:
Soooo, then I went crazy. Fish room sink was full of nasty filter socks. They are now washing in bleach water with an extra rinse. Fish room has been a mess. Cleaned that up. The media hadn't been changed in the BioCube in months...took care of that and also cleaned the powerhead in that tank. Moved some frags to their semi-permanent home in the 90, and also glued some zoas in the BioCube. I'm going to clean the other Octo Pulse tomorrow. It's about as nasty as the other one, but I didn't have the energy for both today!
At least it's progress. I need to go visit some tank threads soon!
sfin52
So many pedestrians so little time
Good to see you backWow, I haven't been on here in months. Life has been extremely rough for multiple reasons, but it's time to move forward.
Fortunately, both tanks are doing well. I kept going through the motions anyway.
Here is what an Octo Pulse looks like when you haven't cleaned it for MONTHS, along with the six line telling me how disgusting the PH looks.
Here it is after a citric acid bath and some scrubbing...much better:
Soooo, then I went crazy. Fish room sink was full of nasty filter socks. They are now washing in bleach water with an extra rinse. Fish room has been a mess. Cleaned that up. The media hadn't been changed in the BioCube in months...took care of that and also cleaned the powerhead in that tank. Moved some frags to their semi-permanent home in the 90, and also glued some zoas in the BioCube. I'm going to clean the other Octo Pulse tomorrow. It's about as nasty as the other one, but I didn't have the energy for both today!
At least it's progress. I need to go visit some tank threads soon!
najer
Valuable Member
Wow, I haven't been on here in months. Life has been extremely rough for multiple reasons, but it's time to move forward.
Fortunately, both tanks are doing well. I kept going through the motions anyway.
Here is what an Octo Pulse looks like when you haven't cleaned it for MONTHS, along with the six line telling me how disgusting the PH looks.
Here it is after a citric acid bath and some scrubbing...much better:
Soooo, then I went crazy. Fish room sink was full of nasty filter socks. They are now washing in bleach water with an extra rinse. Fish room has been a mess. Cleaned that up. The media hadn't been changed in the BioCube in months...took care of that and also cleaned the powerhead in that tank. Moved some frags to their semi-permanent home in the 90, and also glued some zoas in the BioCube. I'm going to clean the other Octo Pulse tomorrow. It's about as nasty as the other one, but I didn't have the energy for both today!
At least it's progress. I need to go visit some tank threads soon!
I have two pulse 2s in the display of the twins, super lazy here but they do get cleaned every couple of months, great pumps and love the random mode.
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ReefGrammie
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@sfin52, thanks for the welcome back. I've been around...I just haven't had much to say about the tanks lately. That's about to change! I'm ready to kick 2021 to the curb and move on with 2022! 
@najer, it's amazing how much better those powerheads work when they're not totally encrusted in coraline! I put the one back on the right side in the exact same place and started a sandstorm! My porities got extremely mad and started sliming because of the flow....oops. I also love the random mode. I keep one on random and the other on tide...I change them up occasionally just for fun.
Remember this guy? He's still up to his usual mischief. My hammer is about the size of a softball and the CG likes to completely bury himself in it. One of these days, I'm going to get a picture with his head sticking out of it...he's too fast!
@najer, it's amazing how much better those powerheads work when they're not totally encrusted in coraline! I put the one back on the right side in the exact same place and started a sandstorm! My porities got extremely mad and started sliming because of the flow....oops. I also love the random mode. I keep one on random and the other on tide...I change them up occasionally just for fun.
Remember this guy? He's still up to his usual mischief. My hammer is about the size of a softball and the CG likes to completely bury himself in it. One of these days, I'm going to get a picture with his head sticking out of it...he's too fast!
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ReefGrammie
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I'm terrible at updating my build thread. I couldn't resist this one.
My JF Chemical Reaction chalice, from slightly over 2 years ago. It was on a small frag plug, probably around an inch across. I never had much luck with chalice corals in my previous tank, but thought I'd try again.
This is an untouched cell phone picture from last night (other than cropping), with no brightness or saturation adjustments. It is probably 6-7 inches across now. I think it's turned into my favorite piece!
My JF Chemical Reaction chalice, from slightly over 2 years ago. It was on a small frag plug, probably around an inch across. I never had much luck with chalice corals in my previous tank, but thought I'd try again.
This is an untouched cell phone picture from last night (other than cropping), with no brightness or saturation adjustments. It is probably 6-7 inches across now. I think it's turned into my favorite piece!
sfin52
So many pedestrians so little time
Thats gorgousI'm terrible at updating my build thread. I couldn't resist this one.
My JF Chemical Reaction chalice, from slightly over 2 years ago. It was on a small frag plug, probably around an inch across. I never had much luck with chalice corals in my previous tank, but thought I'd try again.
This is an untouched cell phone picture from last night (other than cropping), with no brightness or saturation adjustments. It is probably 6-7 inches across now. I think it's turned into my favorite piece!
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ReefGrammie
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You'd think after doing this reefing thing for a long time, this wouldn't freak me out anymore. It still does. Hanging from my powerhead this morning....
Sooo, I immediately do a search. Fire shrimp is fine. Just a molt...whew!
Hanging from my powerhead this morning....Sooo, I immediately do a search. Fire shrimp is fine. Just a molt...whew!
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ReefGrammie
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I saw a white glob towards the bottom of the tank last night and it was my three-stripe damsel! I don't know what happened, but it couldn't have been more than a day or so. Thankfully, I was able to get it out of the tank. It seemed fine a few days ago. Everything else in the tank looks perfectly normal. I was trying to remember how long I've had the fish. My two longest survivors are still the clown (since 2008) and pygmy angel (since 2013). I'm guessing I got the damsel around 2015-2016. I know it was in the tank long before my reboot in 2019.
It was one of my nightmare fish (including the clown) that was banished to the BioCube after trying to destroy my Kole tang back in early 2021. The Kole tang is still doing well.
Here they are in BioCube jail:
I was able to successfully rehome them both back into the 90 (after having serious doubts about the damsel because it was almost impossible to trap). They have all lived together peacefully since with only minimal chasing.
My big question now is do I dare add anything new??? My fish by age from oldest to newest are: O. clown, pygmy angel, azure damsel, yellow WM goby, clown goby, royal gramma, six-line wrasse, Kole tang,
I refuse to ever add another purple pseudochromis....after making that mistake twice. Such a beautiful fish, but what a nightmare! I'm at my tang limit with the Kole tang in a 90. I guess I could just live with one less fish for now.
Oh well, RIP jerk-fish damsel. That fish gave me plenty of headache, but it turned out to be a pretty good fish after all.
It was one of my nightmare fish (including the clown) that was banished to the BioCube after trying to destroy my Kole tang back in early 2021. The Kole tang is still doing well.
Here they are in BioCube jail:
I was able to successfully rehome them both back into the 90 (after having serious doubts about the damsel because it was almost impossible to trap). They have all lived together peacefully since with only minimal chasing.
My big question now is do I dare add anything new??? My fish by age from oldest to newest are: O. clown, pygmy angel, azure damsel, yellow WM goby, clown goby, royal gramma, six-line wrasse, Kole tang,
I refuse to ever add another purple pseudochromis....after making that mistake twice. Such a beautiful fish, but what a nightmare! I'm at my tang limit with the Kole tang in a 90. I guess I could just live with one less fish for now.
Oh well, RIP jerk-fish damsel. That fish gave me plenty of headache, but it turned out to be a pretty good fish after all.
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ReefGrammie
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Thanks, Simon. It was definitely a jerk fish, but finally earned its place in the tank. Good idea on a blenny. They are always enjoyable to watch. I'm going to have to scope out the LFS this weekend.
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ReefGrammie
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I put this post on another thread...copied it here just because.
Facts about my tanks:
- I never do water changes on the 90. I've rarely done water changes in almost 14 years now (not quite as many tank years as @Paul B). I do occasional water changes on the BioCube mainly because it's a little tank and is less forgiving.
- I picked a 90 for my upgrade in 2013 because it was the right size for my wall.
- Both tanks are in my office and I'm constantly distracted by them.
- I have an ATO on both tanks because I'm lazy.
- I use a few additives, but not on a schedule....more of a little of this and a little of that.
- I'm the human calcium doser. I dump the calcium once a day when the fish eat. My corals don't seem to mind. I used to have a calcium doser, but I seem to be more reliable than the doser.
- I test alk and calcium about once per month on the 90. I have no idea what the parameters are in the BioCube. It only has zoanthids, a cleaner shrimp, and the possum wrasse. I think zoanthids will grow in just about anything, the shrimp only cares about what I throw in the tank in the evening, and the possum wrasse mostly just cares about pods.
- I'm terrible about updating my build thread. In fact, I may have to copy this over just to say I've added a post!
@najer, I'm still trying to get to the LFS! I have a few frags to trade and I still need to add a new fish!
Facts about my tanks:
- I never do water changes on the 90. I've rarely done water changes in almost 14 years now (not quite as many tank years as @Paul B). I do occasional water changes on the BioCube mainly because it's a little tank and is less forgiving.
- I picked a 90 for my upgrade in 2013 because it was the right size for my wall.
- Both tanks are in my office and I'm constantly distracted by them.
- I have an ATO on both tanks because I'm lazy.
- I use a few additives, but not on a schedule....more of a little of this and a little of that.
- I'm the human calcium doser. I dump the calcium once a day when the fish eat. My corals don't seem to mind. I used to have a calcium doser, but I seem to be more reliable than the doser.
- I test alk and calcium about once per month on the 90. I have no idea what the parameters are in the BioCube. It only has zoanthids, a cleaner shrimp, and the possum wrasse. I think zoanthids will grow in just about anything, the shrimp only cares about what I throw in the tank in the evening, and the possum wrasse mostly just cares about pods.
- I'm terrible about updating my build thread. In fact, I may have to copy this over just to say I've added a post!
@najer, I'm still trying to get to the LFS! I have a few frags to trade and I still need to add a new fish!
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ReefGrammie
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Today was tank maintenance day. Was it planned? No. It was a matter of my powerheads look awful, my skimmer cup is almost full, the filter sock is overflowing, and some of my frags had come unglued from the small tank. Time for citric acid and elbow grease. Not the greatest picture because everything is still stirred up in the 90, plus most of my fish are hiding.
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ReefGrammie
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Never a dull moment in the tank. I was thinking last night that I needed to do something about my hammer coral. It had gotten huge, almost the size of a soccer ball. Well, I guess it knew I was talking about it and just toppled over on its own today. I fragged off the piece on the right to keep and will take the rest to the LFS tomorrow to wheel and deal. It's pretty ticked off at me right now...
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