SDReef's 330G CDA Acropora Dominant Mixed Reef

[ScottB]

Is that an efflo? I love large colonies.


You called it. It measured 8 x 9 "

It is directly in the path of one of the MP60's. There is also a reef wave on the top of back the glass that is angled down. So much more direct flow that I expect will reduce the detritus settling.

I have a piece of PVC supporting it. Before attaching to the rock I like to prime the rock by scaping any corralline away and exposing raw rock to interdigitate with the glue. I find a ringed curette and rongeur the best instruments to do this. A bone cutter can work as well.

Once the rock is exposed I used a generous amount of coral glue to attach to the rock. I then add putty to provide futher molding and support.

Not sure if there are other tricks that might be helpful. I'm planning on giving things 24 hours to cure and remove the pvc support.

I left about 5" from the front glass. Maybe a little closer than ideal. I'll likely shift around some LPS still and bump up the flow a little as well.

That looks great and you are only shading some sand that way. Nice placement.

That was a pic of tricolor valida. It is funny, I have other chunks of it that grow more vertical than that one chose to, but with enough light they start spreading out.

 

[sdreef]

That looks great and you are only shading some sand that way. Nice placement.

That was a pic of tricolor valida. It is funny, I have other chunks of it that grow more vertical than that one chose to, but with enough light they start spreading out.

Thanks. I removed the support and all is holding well. I'm happy with the new overhang and fish seem to like it too.

Opened up a lot of real estate in the center of the tank, so I'll have some fun placing the millies later this week.

 

[sdreef]

After 9 months in the refugium the Janns reached a size where he could be added

Some phone actinic shots

 

[sdreef]

Johnsoni are adapting to life in the coral QT, eating well. The smaller johnsoni is way too small to go into the display. Hopefully in a few months they'll be able to enter the bigger tank.

Display system is doing well. New addition, a QT'd Blue Jaw trigger, still getting used to the system.

Aptasia population is in decline. I'd estimate about 80% are gone thanks to the Aussie CBB.

Otherwise, in terms of the routine maintenance, I've been changing 15 Liters/ day and nitrates have slowly climbed. Going to bump up the volume of the water change. I had gone from changing the GFO once every two weeks to once a month. Phosphates have slowly climbed and measure 0.24, going to go back to changing the GFO once / two weeks.

My phosphates have not measured below 0.1 in well over a year, and I'm not concerned about the absolute number, only that the numbers are increasing as a metric for nutrient export.

I received my first ICP analysis since beginning to use the rowa phos four months ago. I was concerned the adsorbent media may affect other parameters, but everything looked consistent with prior tests. Low iodine and manganese. One new deficiency was vanadium. Reassuring that the GFO isn't affecting the other chemistry parameters too much.

 

[ryanrick]

Johnsoni are adapting to life in the coral QT, eating well. The smaller johnsoni is way too small to go into the display. Hopefully in a few months they'll be able to enter the bigger tank.

Display system is doing well. New addition, a QT'd Blue Jaw trigger, still getting used to the system.

Aptasia population is in decline. I'd estimate about 80% are gone thanks to the Aussie CBB.

Otherwise, in terms of the routine maintenance, I've been changing 15 Liters/ day and nitrates have slowly climbed. Going to bump up the volume of the water change. I had gone from changing the GFO once every two weeks to once a month. Phosphates have slowly climbed and measure 0.24, going to go back to changing the GFO once / two weeks.

My phosphates have not measured below 0.1 in well over a year, and I'm not concerned about the absolute number, only that the numbers are increasing as a metric for nutrient export.

I received my first ICP analysis since beginning to use the rowa phos four months ago. I was concerned the adsorbent media may affect other parameters, but everything looked consistent with prior tests. Low iodine and manganese. One new deficiency was vanadium. Reassuring that the GFO isn't affecting the other chemistry parameters too much.

You take amazing photos! Thank you for sharing.

 

[sdreef]

You take amazing photos! Thank you for sharing.

Thanks for the compliment and for taking a look!

 

[dustinc]

Love the Quoyi! I have one in my system and recently added a blue throat trigger pair as well. Added some awesome variety in swim pattern. Very nice setup.

 

[sdreef]

Love the Quoyi! I have one in my system and recently added a blue throat trigger pair as well. Added some awesome variety in swim pattern. Very nice setup.

Thanks! The Quoyi is one of the family favorites. By far, the most colorful fish in the system. He's been a model citizen.

I'm really liking the blue throat. Now that he's settled, he's spending a good part of the day swimming into the flow along with the anthias. Very different from the other fish in the system. I was a little on the fence with adding a trigger, but seems like a good addition so far.

 

[VanDalsenReef]

Thanks! The Quoyi is one of the family favorites. By far, the most colorful fish in the system. He's been a model citizen.

I'm really liking the blue throat. Now that he's settled, he's spending a good part of the day swimming into the flow along with the anthias. Very different from the other fish in the system. I was a little on the fence with adding a trigger, but seems like a good addition so far.

Add a female so he keeps his colors well.

 

[VanDalsenReef]

Thanks! The Quoyi is one of the family favorites. By far, the most colorful fish in the system. He's been a model citizen.

I'm really liking the blue throat. Now that he's settled, he's spending a good part of the day swimming into the flow along with the anthias. Very different from the other fish in the system. I was a little on the fence with adding a trigger, but seems like a good addition so far.

I came off slightly passive aggressive. I've paired multiple together before and my own pair I have now was bought together almost 10 years ago. Seeing males alone they slowly lose their shine as they don't put much of their energy into looking pretty because they have no one to show off for. Anthias, wrasses and many other male fish species do this as it's a waste of energy at that point.

 

[VanDalsenReef]

Most of the time we as the owners don't notice until we add females. Then it's almost like night and day. The trigger may go from that nice dark blue and yellow to a richer light blue and dark yellow.

 

[VanDalsenReef]

Pretty much it's like sps or really any coral. They look great but messing with "nutrition" or in this case females brings out richer colors

 

[sdreef]

I came off slightly passive aggressive. I've paired multiple together before and my own pair I have now was bought together almost 10 years ago. Seeing males alone they slowly lose their shine as they don't put much of their energy into looking pretty because they have no one to show off for. Anthias, wrasses and many other male fish species do this as it's a waste of energy at that point.

Thanks, good to know your experience. I had read their colors can become muted over time even as pairs, but good to know that at least in some cases it's effective in keeping the colors. You mention pairing multiple together, was that equally effective to adding them as a pair? Any issues with aggression or tricks you found helpful?

 

[VanDalsenReef]

Thanks, good to know your experience. I had read their colors can become muted over time even as pairs, but good to know that at least in some cases it's effective in keeping the colors. You mention pairing multiple together, was that equally effective to adding them as a pair? Any issues with aggression or tricks you found helpful?

Was best adding a female first. If not a larger male seemed to work better. My pair are constantly together and he often likes to try and show off near lights out. His color has only richened over time.
I had the best experience having a pair as trying to pair can be scary as they will know if it will work or not, sometimes males are sub-dominant so they look like a female. That never ends well. It's definitely rewarding when you do a pair. They stay together constantly and sleep together and will show off constantly.

 

[VanDalsenReef]

Was best adding a female first. If not a larger male seemed to work better. My pair are constantly together and he often likes to try and show off near lights out. His color has only richened over time.
I had the best experience having a pair as trying to pair can be scary as they will know if it will work or not, sometimes males are sub-dominant so they look like a female. That never ends well. It's definitely rewarding when you do a pair. They stay together constantly and sleep together and will show off constantly.

I have had my own pair hunt new chromis (they were sick already, shouldnt have bought them) before. It's very interesting to watch but terrible as well. My experience is a long time but every fish is different

 

[VanDalsenReef]

Never any issues with invert of any I've worked with. (Over 10 pairs) working for a lfs gave me that opportunity and let me experiment with pairing different species of fish.

 

[Hydrored]

I absolutely adore my blue throat triggers, like puppies. Mine have been model citizens and it’s a pair I’ll always have in my reef. I also agree on adding the female first if not done in pairs.

 

[mstgkillr]

Are you still running without a chiller using the Giesmann Spectra 72"? What is your home temp at?

 

[sdreef]

Are you still running without a chiller using the Giesmann Spectra 72"? What is your home temp at?

Yes, no chiller. Home temp varies seasonally, but it's in the 70's year round. I do have a fan that is in the stand pointed at the sump, and from June through October I have a fan that blows across the top of the tank to maintain the tank temp.

 

[sdreef]

WT Tierra Del Fuego