The Garden -- Rakies shallow SPS cube

[Janci]

Awesome build thread.........



Herbert should have been Harriet. That's a female black/brown widow spider. In Southern California, it's likely a brown widow.
While the bite usually isn't deadly for healthy adults, it can still seriously mess up your day.
It's capable of leaving nasty scars or even amputation of toes or fingers. They can be life threatening for young children, dogs, cats, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems.
I love nature and animals as much, or more, than the next guy, but I don't think I'd be sharing my shower with this lady.
Peace
EC

LOL.
We almost lost @Rakie in the shower.

 

[Rakie]

One radion, 10" off the water. I feel I need two xr30's personally.

As for the spider you're correct it's very likely a brown widow. I've been bitten by them and black widows they're pretty benign. Very rare to develop any necrosis or worsening symptoms beyond localized swelling. Of course not everyone is lucky.

I used to keep tarantulas and true spiders, so they don't bother me much.

 

[Rakie]

Been busy!

bubble algae dying. Tank is clearing up, cyano showing up. Nutrients dropped to near 0/0 again, dosed some no3/po4.

When nutrients hit near 0/0 cyano shows up. I should have noticed that trend but I derped. Idk how people keep nutrients high, it's almost impossible for me.

 

[WallyB]

Finally I am getting Email Notices again on my Watched threads (Thanks to your TIP, I'm back)

Glad to hear your Bubble Algae is vanishing.

Sorry about the Cyano, but it's better than bubble since it will fade eventually.

But weirdly. California and Toronto CANADA must be PARRALLEL UNIVERSES (reversed)

My Bubble algae is coming back in Kitchen Tank (no sign of that Monster Emerald Crab that killed my Tile Starfish)

and......I was exactly thinking what you just said "IDK how people keep Nutrients Low" while I was doing another 30Gal Water Change to bring them down (N/P).

Maybe I shouldn't be trying so hard.

 

[Rakie]

Yeah cyano is no big deal, it seems to want to grow on the dying Bubble Algae particularly. I wonder if it's eating something on it..

Anyways, the ReefHD at a 2x dose is absolutely decimating the Bubble Algae. It's slowly turning all white and dislodging from the rockwork. I'm very glad to know this will take it out in case of emergency.

As for the cyano if I must I'll try chemiclean, but I know cyano comes and goes, so doesn't feel like there's much need for it.

 

[WallyB]

[QUOTE="Rakie, post: 5254366, member:

As for the cyano if I must I'll try chemiclean, but I know cyano comes and goes, so doesn't feel like there's much need for it.[/QUOTE]
I wouldn't use chemiclean. Especially since you have some whacky biology going on. I had some cyano staring in spots and one dead part of frag recently. I would just siphon the areas, and each time it would come back less. Rather then chemiclean, try Cyanoclean from Zeovit. It takes longer, but for me it has worked. It's just good bacteria that will outcompete the cyano bacteria. I use it on first sign of cyano regularily. and when gone, just a drop once every week or two till my confidence is high it won't come back.
Just get the smallest 10ml bottle.

 

[Rakie]

I may give that a go wally, I don't like chemiclean personally. I also don't mind a little cyano, but it happened to annoy one of my higher end baby mushrooms enough to detach so this time I thought I may have to do something. little $400 flying mushrooms getting lost in my frag tank make my heart skip a beat.

 

[Fin]

[QUOTE="Rakie, post: 5254366, member:

As for the cyano if I must I'll try chemiclean, but I know cyano comes and goes, so doesn't feel like there's much need for it.
I wouldn't use chemiclean. Especially since you have some whacky biology going on. I had some cyano staring in spots and one dead part of frag recently. I would just siphon the areas, and each time it would come back less. Rather then chemiclean, try Cyanoclean from Zeovit. It takes longer, but for me it has worked. It's just good bacteria that will outcompete the cyano bacteria. I use it on first sign of cyano regularily. and when gone, just a drop once every week or two till my confidence is high it won't come back.
Just get the smallest 10ml bottle.

I had some really pesky cyano in my nano tank. I tried and had good luck with the KZ Cyanoclean as well, but only when using it in conjunction with their Marine Snow, as directed. Once it was gone, I continued with nightly dosing of the Marine Snow. It took a while and was not an overnight cure, but once it was gone, it has remained gone. That has been my experience anyway.

 

[Rakie]

So I'm very much considering one of the West Mariculture bonsai sculptures. They maximize space in a way I never really could.. And with such a limited space, it just might be better than what I've already got. It also looks very natural when grown in, or in "Live Rock" color...

Let me know what you think of this design. I will get this one -- 20"x 18.5"x 10" (slightly custom size, and in aragonite colors)

For reference, this below is the "Aragonite Colors" I would want;

 

[WallyB]

Interesting Design. Great use of space, and not flow obstructive in tank.
Looks sturdy and balanced.
You could even get more frags on it by attaching them (with Putty platters) the top arm too.
I agree, the 2nd one (coated with Stone Colored Aragonite crumbs) is better for appearance. Great appearance once it get Coraline Covered.
That one will look awesome right at the start with some Plugs and Frags.

If you could fit in two. One at each side of tank it would look even better with a Valley in the middle. (Rotating each one at a different orientation.).

 

[NY_Caveman]

At first I did not like these artificial structures (I am a curmudgeon). They are growing on me and I can see how they might be used very well. I think in my head I thought of them as a replacement for live rock rather than an augmenting structure. I had seen the original image you posted before, but not that aragonite one which at least appears much more natural to me. We all know in the end they will be covered with growth, so I now can see them for their function more than their form.

 

[Rakie]

Interesting Design. Great use of space, and not flow obstructive in tank.
Looks sturdy and balanced.
You could even get more frags on it by attaching them (with Putty platters) the top arm too.
I agree, the 2nd one (coated with Stone Colored Aragonite crumbs) is better for appearance. Great appearance once it get Coraline Covered.
That one will look awesome right at the start with some Plugs and Frags.

If you could fit in two. One at each side of tank it would look even better with a Valley in the middle. (Rotating each one at a different orientation.).

They come in all shapes and sizes, but that particular one is barely big enough to fit in my tank haha.

@NY_Caveman -- For me, they would replace live rock. Having 3L of Bio Media has made a huge difference in my tank, when I went from 2 year old mature rock to brand new rock I didn't have much issue outside of the standard new rock uglies.

 

[NY_Caveman]

I will add, I still do not love the artificial rock, but the difference is they are trying to promote themselves for the form as well.

 

[Rakie]

I will add, I still do not love the artificial rock, but the difference is they are trying to promote themselves for the form as well.

For me it comes down to a few essential things
- It Maximizes Space
- Doesn't impede flow
- Gives fish room to swim
- Looks less artificial than my current PVC lol
- Will look amazing when corals grow in on it

The downside is it's not real rock of course... But that may not be a huge deal when it's all said and done with my Bio Media. My current rock is technically not real either.

 

[Janci]

For me it comes down to a few essential things
- It Maximizes Space
- Doesn't impede flow
- Gives fish room to swim
- Looks less artificial than my current PVC lol
- Will look amazing when corals grow in on it

The downside is it's not real rock of course... But that may not be a huge deal when it's all said and done with my Bio Media. My current rock is technically not real either.

The liking of the new structure did not last long eeh?

The bonsai structure will look cool in your garden.

 

[Rakie]

The liking of the new structure did not last long eeh?

The bonsai structure will look cool in your garden.

I like it, but I think this will end up giving me more room overall. As colonies grow I'm gonna have a ton of war with corals. So I'm seeing each plate as having room for 2-3 small colonies as they grow.

Mostly I need a bigger tank lol

 

[ReeferBean]

Great idea... then it will be an easy fish to catch! How long do those structures take to get?

But yeah um you need a bigger tank...

 

[ReeferBean]

I have a custom ceramic structure similar to that. Let's make a deal.

 

[Rakie]

Great idea... then it will be an easy fish to catch! How long do those structures take to get?

But yeah um you need a bigger tank...

When I run into a nearly free 36x24x24 i'll get it. Gotta stick to the budget!

It takes 2 weeks to get a custom one, the purple one I showed above is perfect -- No wasted space, all corals are mid-level and lower level which is perfect since my tank is like 16" deep. Mostly it affords even more space. Basically this gives me a 24x24" frag rack but the levels are staggered to appear like shelves

 

[ReeferBean]

When I run into a nearly free 36x24x24 i'll get it. Gotta stick to the budget!

It takes 2 weeks to get a custom one, the purple one I showed above is perfect -- No wasted space, all corals are mid-level and lower level which is perfect since my tank is like 16" deep. Mostly it affords even more space. Basically this gives me a 24x24" frag rack but the levels are staggered to appear like shelves

Hahaha budget smudget when you can sell a couple corals and pay for a tank haha come on!