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TheWB
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I agree.
TheWB’s IM Lagoon 50
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TheWB
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I took a stab at mixing up my own blend of food today. It’s just a trial run so nothing elaborate. I wanted clams but the grocery store didn’t have any so I went with a scallop. Just one. I chopped it up into little pieces and mixed in some green and red seaweed. Added a little vita chem vitamins and let it all soak in. Most of it is in the freezer now and I fed some to see the reaction. All the fish went after it just like they would anything else. I’ll find a store with fresh clams and add some to the mix next time. Maybe a shrimp or some mussels, whatever I can find. I’d like to move away from flake food and pellets, they are just such a crutch. I’d like to feed the PaulB way but I’m not quite ready to start breeding white worms.
Whoa - just noticed where you live... you going to participate in the rotary auction this year with it being entirely online? My wife grew up on Bainbridge and her grandfather ran the auction for a few years. We worked it a few years back - what a blast! Picked up a tube preamp and a reel to reel player. There were a couple aquariums as well, but we didn't have too much space in the car...
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TheWB
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Small world, I used to go to Bainbridge Island fairly frequently for work, not so much lately.
Believe it or not I’m unfamiliar with the auction you mentioned. Sounds like it’s a thing but so far it’s evaded me. I used to sell audio and video equipment in the 90’s so I get the appreciation for the older stereo gear although I’ve never owned anything of that vintage myself.
It's definitely worth checking out next time they do it in person - it's all online this year. They take over the entire middle school, including the parking lots and lawn/track. Couple acres of couches; an acre or so of bicycles. An entire classroom of audio stacked 8 or 10 components high. Everything is sorted and in its own room. They use a dump truck to take clothing and linens from the donation area to the sorting area. It's a spectacle.
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TheWB
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Thanks, I think they are some of the better ones I’ve done recently. My photography skills are no bueno. My wife used to do wedding photography and we have better cameras than my iPhone 8. Maybe I’ll get her to break out the Nikon digital slr and try to take some good ones. Maybe teach me a thing or two.
Taking photos is one of those things that get better the more you try!
I did a few weddings back in the day. Was not fun work, but it paid some bills. Did some cd cover photos and some band live work and studio work for liner notes - that was much more fun - generally. No matter what I do with my android, it comes out awful. I tried the A12 filter in front of the lens - no dice. That old Nikon color correction lens is working out well for me - but only with my Nikon dslr. I set up a custom white balance in the camera, shoot in raw, then it goes into Lightroom where I change the white balance to somewhere between 18-20k. I have to do very little after that. I mainly adjust the shadows and highlights to maximize the color information. I don't have to touch the color corrections at all with that setup. The nice thing is that with the ISO set to 400, I can hand hold with my 24mm lens and still get decent results.
Try fiddling around with one of your wife's dslrs - I think you'll have fun! What is that last zoa/paly - the speckly yellowish one?
I did a few weddings back in the day. Was not fun work, but it paid some bills. Did some cd cover photos and some band live work and studio work for liner notes - that was much more fun - generally. No matter what I do with my android, it comes out awful. I tried the A12 filter in front of the lens - no dice. That old Nikon color correction lens is working out well for me - but only with my Nikon dslr. I set up a custom white balance in the camera, shoot in raw, then it goes into Lightroom where I change the white balance to somewhere between 18-20k. I have to do very little after that. I mainly adjust the shadows and highlights to maximize the color information. I don't have to touch the color corrections at all with that setup. The nice thing is that with the ISO set to 400, I can hand hold with my 24mm lens and still get decent results.
Try fiddling around with one of your wife's dslrs - I think you'll have fun! What is that last zoa/paly - the speckly yellowish one?
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TheWB
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I’m a huge rock/metal music fan so now I need to know what bands and cd covers you did
I know virtually nothing about how to shoot or edit photos so it’s all over my head right now. I would like to learn though.
The Zoas are called Nirvana’s from Hidden Treasure Corals. I’m not sure if that’s a universal name or if they are called something different at other places. Here’s their pic from the website. This is what they look like when someone with better photography skills than I have takes the picture.
They have a pretty nice selection of Zoas and LPS. He sells Zoas by the polyp for real reasonable prices. I ordered 2 or 3 of this one and got at least 7 polyps. There’s a few more there that I’ll get eventually.
Lol - nobody well known. Was in western MA when I was doing it semi professionally. Local punk, hardcore, and rock bands. Although the Pixies came out of UM, they were before my photography time.
I've seen a few different things called Nirvanas and they always look slightly different from one another. Neat looking polyps nonetheless!
I've seen a few different things called Nirvanas and they always look slightly different from one another. Neat looking polyps nonetheless!
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TheWB
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I was able to set up my Radion XR15pro gen 4 in Mobius today. I was hoping that it would be more intuitive than I find ecosmart live to be but nope. After playing around with it I still don’t understand how to view the current settings or set up any kind of custom schedule. I fully admit that this is operator error, I’m sure most other people have no trouble. I was just hoping the new software would be easier. I have it running on the lps/softy AB+ mode which it what it’s been on for a while. Using the presets I get, it’s any sort of tweaking or customizing that eludes me. I’ll figure it out eventually.
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TheWB
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I ordered a package from Reefcleaners last week and they shipped it out Monday afternoon for a delivery either Wednesday or Thursday. Well the box finally arrived today at 3:45pm so that package was out and about across America with USPS for 4 entire days. They then, instead of bringing the package to my door like they always have, put it inside of a metal package delivery locker to make sure it cooked some more. It was probably only in there for 5 minutes but that’s enough when it’s hot. Several of the hermits and both emerald crabs seem to have made it. Pretty much every nassarius, astraea and Cerith snail is dead. Some of the shipping water was brownish green and smelled like snail soup. The dwarf Ceriths might be ok but they’re so small it’s hard to tell. All in all it’s pretty aggravating. Not Reefcleaners fault, they have always done right by me for quantity and delivery. This one is on USPS, they punted around the box for an extra day and then put it in the proverbial microwave right at the end instead of doing their normal delivery. I’m not super happy with them right now.
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I had an extremely similar experience back at the beginning of April. I appreciate that you used the word punted because no kidding, it looked like they had kicked the box all the way here and maybe stomped on it a few times for good measure. The darn box says "FRAGILE" on it and it was just trashed! Lost all but two of the ceriths. Amazingly enough everything else made it, but then the weather was much more favorable then. Totally not ReefCleaners fault, they are awesome! Not so pleased with the post office though!
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TheWB
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I took a few top down shots this morning with the lights off before a water change. Probably this is boring but I think it’s interesting to see the tank from this perspective with the lights out.
Left to right: Utter Chaos, Pink Zippers, Nirvanas
Duncan’s at the top, Frogspawn, Blue Caulastrea, Blastos across the bottom.
Chalice with exposed skeleton. It’s getting better slowly.
Clown in the patch of Devil’s Armor Zoas
Rasta’s and Vivid Rainbows. Red micromusa bottom right.
Goblin Fire and Sakura Sunrise Zoas
Birdsnest
FTS. Maybe I’ll turn off the pumps and do another one of these later today with the lights on to see the contrast.
Left to right: Utter Chaos, Pink Zippers, Nirvanas
Duncan’s at the top, Frogspawn, Blue Caulastrea, Blastos across the bottom.
Chalice with exposed skeleton. It’s getting better slowly.
Clown in the patch of Devil’s Armor Zoas
Rasta’s and Vivid Rainbows. Red micromusa bottom right.
Goblin Fire and Sakura Sunrise Zoas
Birdsnest
FTS. Maybe I’ll turn off the pumps and do another one of these later today with the lights on to see the contrast.
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Glad to see the chalice turning around!
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TheWB
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Slowly recovering. I wouldn’t say it’s out of the woods but I’m optimistic.
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TheWB
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More top downs, this time with the lights on and an orange filter on the phone camera. The pics of the chalice and the birdsnest are terrible but at least the colors are pretty accurate.
FTS
‘The LPS area in the front. Photobombed by the Orange Back Wrasse
‘Devils Armor clown sanctuary.
Nirvanas on the right
Chalice
Pink Zippers and Utter Chaos
Rastas and Vivid Rainbows
Goblin fire and Sakura sunrise
FTS
‘The LPS area in the front. Photobombed by the Orange Back Wrasse
‘Devils Armor clown sanctuary.
Nirvanas on the right
Chalice
Pink Zippers and Utter Chaos
Rastas and Vivid Rainbows
Goblin fire and Sakura sunrise
Nice pictures - you got some nice colonies growing out. I really dig those rainbows and the utter chaos - really neat polyp colors and patterns on those. Glad to hear also that the chalice is recovering.
Hey - how long do you go between taking the return pump out and cleaning it? Noticed that flow was not so great lately, so I cleaned the return out today. Whoa, what a difference. Never had such a reduction in power after only 4 months.
Hey - how long do you go between taking the return pump out and cleaning it? Noticed that flow was not so great lately, so I cleaned the return out today. Whoa, what a difference. Never had such a reduction in power after only 4 months.
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TheWB
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Thanks, I’m pretty happy with my coral choices. I need to figure out a better way to mount the chalice. It was a nice sized piece that was bigger than it’s plug. The plug doesn’t sit flush with the rock so the skeleton is like a big overhang off the plug That angles up. It’s going to have a hard time anchoring to the rock as it grows because of the gap.
Funny, I‘m the last person you should be asking about maintenance. I’ve been threatening to remove my return pump and clean it for months now. It never seems to happen. My flow is way less than it used to be but right now that’s not so bad because my wave pump is oversized and the LPS are getting more flow than they want, even on its lowest setting. I need to rethink my whole setup now that I’ve lived with it for a year and a half. There are so many more equipment choices available now compared to when I started accumulating equipment which was 3 years ago. There’s better ways to run my system so maintenance is easier. I have about $1500 worth of changes and additions I’d like to make (Checks with wife) but the reefing budget is currently on hiatus
Its essential purchases only until business picks back up or lottery winnings arrive.
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