Tank Journal Archive

Wrangy

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May 7, 2013
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Another Week Another Review & Update
Just another update from me :) lol I like getting the camera out during a water change, sorry if anyone is sick of me :p

First time in a couple of weeks I decided to run some tests on the tanks and see how everything is running and if it's all smooth sailing lol I'll be honest and say I rarely test my levels haha once every few weeks, if things were looking off I'd test more frequently but given that I'm really happy with the tank I'd say I don't really need to very often.
Alk: Steady at 2.7meq/L (or 7.56dKH), it's always tested at that the last few months.
Mg: 1200ppm - we're finally getting somewhere lol
Ca: 300ppm - still on the low side so I might bump dosing up another couple of ml's
K+: 380ppm - so close but no cigar, I'm dosing a teaspoon of Continuum K+ powder every second day.

The other thing I did for the first time in WAY TOO LONG, was clean the glass cover on the lights haha I'm going to be doing that weekly now with my water change lol I reckon I was down to 60-50% light emission it was that filthy... oooopppsss!! And the acro's were definitely not happy about it! In the two/three days since cleaning it, they've gone bananas! Please everyone clean their covers haha don't be lazy like me!!

I suppose I better stop talking and boring you to death and get on with the pics lol I wish it were easy to say that I'll start with my favourite but given how much I love everything I'll just start with one of my favourites as they pretty much all are haha
So the Firetruck is finally getting it's metallic green base back and since cleaning the light cover the red has deepened much more! It's a lot easier to show what the acro should be doing as the frags are doing it currently. This little tiny nub was a deep red branch tip that broke off and this is what it's doing now, you can just see some red starting to form on what's going to be a growth tip:
ai1367.photobucket.com_albums_r793_Wrangy_Aquarium_IMG_1101_zpsmecyrdkx.jpg

And one day I'm hoping it'll turn out like this:
ai1367.photobucket.com_albums_r793_Wrangy_Aquarium_IMG_1111_zpszgwxrhnt.jpg

One of my soft spot acro's is the strawberry shortcake, I think there's three pieces in my tank lol two the same species and one different species, there's still one more species I'd love to get though! The colour difference is fairly obvious, they're both under similar amounts of light too. Species 1:
ai1367.photobucket.com_albums_r793_Wrangy_Aquarium_IMG_1104_zpsde2oew0u.jpg

Species 2, I think I need a little more food stuff in the tank as it's paled off a little but I've nearly doubled my feeding so let's see what happens haha
ai1367.photobucket.com_albums_r793_Wrangy_Aquarium_IMG_1108_zpseqvxiyvb.jpg

Some of the really cool acro's I have are really coming along! The purple on this one is coming back since cleaning the glass!
ai1367.photobucket.com_albums_r793_Wrangy_Aquarium_IMG_1116_zps0z7vo5a1.jpg

This is the only ever spathulata that I've had luck with and I have to say I'm glad it is, it's friggin amazing!
ai1367.photobucket.com_albums_r793_Wrangy_Aquarium_IMG_1113_zpsnq9fzdgd.jpg

@RobbieMVFC has still given me some of my favourite pieces (I use that word again lol), they're all killer Rob!
ai1367.photobucket.com_albums_r793_Wrangy_Aquarium_IMG_1102_zpsgqha9hjf.jpg

ai1367.photobucket.com_albums_r793_Wrangy_Aquarium_IMG_1115_zpsodsvtzcw.jpg

Lots of encrusting occuring, I think given the flow in the tank now it's unsurprising lol
ai1367.photobucket.com_albums_r793_Wrangy_Aquarium_IMG_1109_zps70al2kk3.jpg

This thing encrusts as fast as a monti lol
ai1367.photobucket.com_albums_r793_Wrangy_Aquarium_IMG_1103_zpssdxtm0d9.jpg

And lucky last, one of the coolest looking acro's in the tank, fairly certain it's a. loripes!
ai1367.photobucket.com_albums_r793_Wrangy_Aquarium_IMG_1107_zpste48qqey.jpg
 

Wrangy

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May 7, 2013
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Oh and I thought I'd run through the zeo dosing at present lol it's the basic four plus a few extras :)
B-balance is 2ml every second day
Phol's xtra is 2 drops every second day
Coral Vitalizer 3 drops twice a week
And zeozym is a quarter teaspoon twice a week as well :) Carbon and stones still changed monthly two weeks apart as well :)
 

Wrangy

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May 7, 2013
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Damn fine looking tank mate, damn fine!!
Thanks Rob :) Have to say things have come a long way since the restart and when I began the hobby, I never expected to reach such a point but it has always been what I've strived for! I still remember all the research I did (I spent a whole year doing research before buying anything!) and seeing all the acro's and colours that people were achieving and just thought that this was the most incredible hobby anyone could have! Needless to say I still think it!

Looks awesome Dom, some really nice pieces there
Cheers Sam :) Yeah, I've been pretty lucky with some of the pieces I've managed to collect over the years :)
 

ReeferRob

Solidarité
Oct 22, 2014
2,661
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Bel Air
You should have been around when I started, I mean keeping Porites alive longer than 6 months made you something of a God, lol. Now it grows like weeds in tanks. The inroads made in the last 10 years amazes me every day. You have something to be proud of there, your corals look fantastic. I might need to pick your brain about Zeo soon.
 

Wrangy

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May 7, 2013
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You should have been around when I started, I mean keeping Porites alive longer than 6 months made you something of a God, lol. Now it grows like weeds in tanks. The inroads made in the last 10 years amazes me every day. You have something to be proud of there, your corals look fantastic. I might need to pick your brain about Zeo soon.
haha the hobby has come along in leaps and bounds in the last 20, even 5 years :) I always wonder what the next 5-10 will bring us as well! What a great time to be alive lol
Thanks Rob :) You're always welcome to pick away!
 

slin1977

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Jul 13, 2011
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Sydney
So do you think your colours are coming from the addition of potassium?
I need to enhance my blues but still exploring potassium before I add PIF
 

Sam Parker

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May 6, 2013
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Geelong
What potassium test kit are you using Dom? I'm not sure if I trust the salifert one that much, but not sure on what would be better...
 

ReeferRob

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Oct 22, 2014
2,661
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Bel Air
I've been adding in small doses of potassium to the 93 cube and the combo of lower nitrates and that has made that damn spongenode colour up and take off, lol. It's probably put on a good cm over the last 3 weeks.
 

Wrangy

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May 7, 2013
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So do you think your colours are coming from the addition of potassium?
I need to enhance my blues but still exploring potassium before I add PIF
It's not CV and I don't think it's B-bal that have caused the bump in colour all of a sudden but it's either Phol's Xtra or the potassium dosing, I did notice a change after the first couple of potassium doses so I think with phol's it's had a good effect! If you've got some potassium give it a go :) I just use the continuum stuff, throw a teaspoon in a cup, dissolve it in tank water and chuck it in the sump haha

What potassium test kit are you using Dom? I'm not sure if I trust the salifert one that much, but not sure on what would be better...
Using salifert, it's not a great titration reaction due to the precipitation but I do trust it, you just have to be a little more careful and on the ball with it lol

I've been adding in small doses of potassium to the 93 cube and the combo of lower nitrates and that has made that damn spongenode colour up and take off, lol. It's probably put on a good cm over the last 3 weeks.
Well at least you know it's having the right effect :P lol
 

slin1977

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Jul 13, 2011
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Sydney
I've got continuum - only use to continuum to bump up to required level and then use K balance.

Put double dose k balance in for past 48 hours , big polyp extensions from stubborn SPS and noticing some nice colour change from stubborn browns.

I have Xtra but not used it yet / might see if that contains nitrates before I use it.
I have a nitrate theory in my head atm.
 

Wrangy

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May 7, 2013
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Just an FYI, Fish Street now carries Zeovit products.
:worship:D
I will have to send KZ headquarters an email first though as I know there's been a lot of problems for them in the Asian markets with rip-off products. It's not that I doubt Fish-Street (I bloody love them haha) but I just need to make sure for myself :)

Unfortunately for the dollar though it's still cheaper to get it from the guys in Sydney though. Once the dollar comes back that will change lol ;) I used to order it straight from Germany lol

I have to say I LOVE how much expansion Fish-Street has undergone in the last year or so! They're such an awesome store and one of the better ones to deal with as well!
 

slin1977

Member
Jul 13, 2011
3,476
1,661
Sydney
I've got continuum - only use to continuum to bump up to required level and then use K balance.

Put double dose k balance in for past 48 hours , big polyp extensions from stubborn SPS and noticing some nice colour change from stubborn browns.

I have Xtra but not used it yet / might see if that contains nitrates before I use it.
I have a nitrate theory in my head atm.
Instead of Xtra - gave them a hit of b-balance last night - oh btw zeostart has nitrates in image.jpeg