Official 2012 SPS Growout Thread! Contestants post here!

[reefnjunkie]

1st post

 

1. Your first post must include a quick writeup of your system in the competition thread. Including tank size, flow, lighting, placement of the frag, equipment (ie calcium reactor, dosing, etc)

 

1st off I will say I am starting with the competition piece in my frag tank which is plumbed into my main system so its all the same "water".

 

I have a pump in one of my sumps (yes I have 2 sumps plumbed together-(nutty) , 1 about 100 gallons the other being 75) that feeds the frag tank and then the return drains back into the same sump.

 

Its very likely that I will move the piece from the frag tank to the main display but for now that's where it resides

 

Frag Tank info

tank size;

Approx 50 gallons acrylic 48x22x16

 

flow;

Quiet One 4000 that feeds 2 returns

 

lighting

2-diy LED builds (all my LED builds run 3 watt crees), one 12" fixture houses 18 Royal Blues with 12 Cool whites using 60 degree optics, the other fixture is a 24" uity that house 36 Royal Blues and 12 Cool Whites no optics on this one

 

placement of the frag

Approx 6" below the water surface which is about 300 or so par

 

equipment

GEO Calcium Reactor

2 GFO Reactors

1 SWC 250A Extreme Skimmer

2400/4400 GPH Reeflo return pump

2 Ecotech MP 40ES

2-Tunze 6105's

2-Tunze 6205's

Tunzes are powered by the Tunze 7095 controller

Everything else is controlled by an APEX

 

So thats the equipment that feed both tanks, if and when I move the piece to my main tank the biggest difference is the main houses 35 or so fish, its 72x48x27 (roughly 400 gallons) and the corals benefit from 2-3 daily feedings of my DIY fish food that has about every type of seafood Winco sells plus Selcon and VitaminC

 

 

Dosing;

I dose Iodine weekly along with Coral Vite,

every 4 days Strontium/Molybenium

 

 

 

 

My guess is I am about 12cm

 

Hopefully in the end it will be clear who the winner is-(agree)

 

and a little of this will be in order-(Bow)

 

and a lot of this-(kneel)

 

its official

 

BRING IT

[Emerald525]

Unfortunately you will probably need to repost a picture with the "official ruler" that was given to you from Beth/Kim. The reason everyone needs to use the same ruler is due to consistency between everyone's rulers. I know it sounds dumb but look at the last SPS GO and you will understand more..(laugh)

 

Yes that's right Omar. You have to use the oh so expensive, high quality official SPS GOC ruler that was provided to you.(laugh) I know it's a pain.(nutty) I bought these in bulk and did not notice there was so much space at the endDOH!.

 

1. Your first post must include a quick writeup of your system in the competition thread. Including tank size, flow, lighting, placement of the frag, equipment (ie calcium reactor, dosing, etc)

 

1st off I will say I am starting with the competition piece in my frag tank which is plumbed into my main system so its all the same "water".

 

I have a pump in one of my sumps (yes I have 2 sumps plumbed together-(nutty) , 1 about 100 gallons the other being 75) that feeds the frag tank and then the return drains back into the same sump.

 

Its very likely that I will move the piece from the frag tank to the main display but for now that's where it resides

 

Frag Tank info

tank size;

Approx 50 gallons acrylic 48x22x16

 

flow;

Quiet One 4000 that feeds 2 returns

 

lighting

2-diy LED builds (all my LED builds run 3 watt crees), one 12" fixture houses 18 Royal Blues with 12 Cool whites using 60 degree optics, the other fixture is a 24" uity that house 36 Royal Blues and 12 Cool Whites no optics on this one

 

placement of the frag

Approx 6" below the water surface which is about 300 or so par

 

equipment

GEO Calcium Reactor

2 GFO Reactors

1 SWC 250A Extreme Skimmer

2400/4400 GPH Reeflo return pump

2 Ecotech MP 40ES

2-Tunze 6105's

2-Tunze 6205's

Tunzes are powered by the Tunze 7095 controller

Everything else is controlled by an APEX

 

So thats the equipment that feed both tanks, if and when I move the piece to my main tank the biggest difference is the main houses 35 or so fish, its 72x48x27 (roughly 400 gallons) and the corals benefit from 2-3 daily feedings of my DIY fish food that has about every type of seafood Winco sells plus Selcon and VitaminC

 

 

Dosing;

I dose Iodine weekly along with Coral Vite,

every 4 days Strontium/Molybenium

 

 

 

Here are 2 pics-1 showing the ruler cant be placed at "0" do to the frag rack, and the second is where I hope to be placing the ruler on each update going forward so its consistant.

 

 

 

My guess is I am about neg 2cm (nothing like starting out in the minus-(clap) ) but I hope to not be there long-(whistle)

 

Let me know if the ruler thing is an issue and I can rig something.....my suggestion was to have the ruler placed on top of the frag but thats tough too since I rember the last SPS GO the frags grew so large it was difficult.

 

Hopefully in the end it will be clear who the winner is-(agree)

 

and a little of this will be in order-(Bow)

 

and a lot of this-(kneel)

 

its official

 

BRING IT

 

 

Very nice detailed write up Brad and yes my frag was negative something too which is why I did not measure it from the top of the plug and measured from the side as well. How about getting a measurement where the bottom of the frag is actually at the "zero"line.(plotting) I thought you had more experience with measuring things...(scratch)(laugh)

[omarortiz]

I didn't know there even was an official ruler because I didn't get one. (sad) How can I get one?

 

And yes my plug is upside down, which I noticed when I first got the frag. It should be interesting to see what it does.

 

Yes that's right Omar. You have to use the oh so expensive' date=' high quality official SPS GOC ruler that was provided to you.(laugh) I know it's a pain.(nutty) I bought these in bulk and did not notice there was so much space at the endDOH!.[/size']

 

 

 

 

Very nice detailed write up Brad and yes my frag was negative something too which is why I did not measure it from the top of the plug and measured from the side as well. How about getting a measurement where the bottom of the frag is actually at the "zero"line.(plotting) I thought you had more experience with measuring things...(scratch)(laugh)

[Emerald525]

I didn't know there even was an official ruler because I didn't get one. (sad) How can I get one?

 

And yes my plug is upside down, which I noticed when I first got the frag. It should be interesting to see what it does.

 

Sorry OmarDOH! I thought I sent it along with your frag... Pm me your address and I will mail you out a ruler today!

[Emerald525]

Emerald/tanktop First Official post

 

Okay here is my first post:

 

Tank size:

150 gallon, plumbed to approx 40 gallon frag tank and sump estimated at 280 gallons

 

 

Frag position:

Currently on frag rack about 6 inches from the top of the tank

 

 

Lighting:

ATI power module 8 bulb t-5 combo. Currently have ati blue plus and purple plus but will be adding a coral plus and aquablue special as soon as I get it from bulk reef supply

 

 

Flow:

Reeflo Barracuda pump 3200 GPH

2 mp 40 Vortechs

 

 

Skimmer:

 

Reeflo Octopus skimmer rated at 400 gallons

 

 

Dosing: Use Bubble Magus Doser and dose:

alk , calcium and magnesium

 

Supplements:none other than water changes but may start dosing amino acids, feed mix of oyster feast, mysis, cyclopeeze, phytofeast, brine once or twice a week and rod's food once or twice a week along with pellets the rest of the time

 

 

Current water parameters:

Alk 9 Calcium 450 to 500 Mg 1500

SG 1.025

Nitrates 0 nitrites 0

 

 

 

 

 

 

I get about 1 cm in size which is pretty close to what most of us are starting out with. .....And you all better hope that my frag does meet an unfortunate accident like falling into the elegance coral because that TEC watermelon will be staying in my tank!(laugh)

[Derbird]

Okay here is my first post:

 

Tank size:

150 gallon, plumbed to approx 40 gallon frag tank and sump estimated at 280 gallons

 

 

Frag position:

Currently on frag rack about 6 inches from the top of the tank

 

 

Lighting:

ATI power module 8 bulb t-5 combo. Currently have ati blue plus and purple plus but will be adding a coral plus and aquablue special as soon as I get it from bulk reef supply

 

 

Flow:

Reeflo Barracuda pump 3200 GPH

2 mp 40 Vortechs

 

 

Skimmer:

 

Reeflo Octopus skimmer rated at 400 gallons

 

 

Dosing: Use Bubble Magus Doser and dose:

alk , calcium and magnesium

 

Supplements:none other than water changes but may start dosing amino acids, feed mix of oyster feast, mysis, cyclopeeze, phytofeast, brine once or twice a week and rod's food once or twice a week along with pellets the rest of the time

 

 

Current water parameters:

Alk 9 Calcium 450 to 500 Mg 1500

SG 1.025

Nitrates 0 nitrites 0

 

 

 

 

 

 

I get about 1 cm in size which is pretty close to what most of us are starting out with. .....And you all better hope that my frag does meet an unfortunate accident like falling into the elegance coral because that TEC watermelon will be staying in my tank!(laugh)

 

Sure Kim blame the elegance coral before it has even begun (laugh)

[Emerald525]

Sure Kim blame the elegance coral before it has even begun (laugh)

 

LOL I just have not had much luck with these growouts. I had the zoas blow off the plug with one growout. The most recent one I had them fall into the elegance corals. If I would just leave the little frag alone all would probably be well but I know that's not going to happen.... (laugh)

[reefnjunkie]

Yes that's right Omar. You have to use the oh so expensive' date=' high quality official SPS GOC ruler that was provided to you.(laugh) I know it's a pain.(nutty) I bought these in bulk and did not notice there was so much space at the endDOH!.[/size']

 

 

 

 

Very nice detailed write up Brad and yes my frag was negative something too which is why I did not measure it from the top of the plug and measured from the side as well. How about getting a measurement where the bottom of the frag is actually at the "zero"line.(plotting) I thought you had more experience with measuring things...(scratch)(laugh)

 

Look lady, I may (in your opinion) lack measuring skills but if you actually read my post you would have read where I said that with that ruler I was given I am unable to get the stupid thing at zero because the plug does not sit high enough off my frag rack.

 

Maybe I should just shave the bottom of the ruler-IMHO placing the ruler on the plug will be best/easiest/most consistant/ etc

 

Let me know what you think-(welcome to the world of "running a grow out-(laugh))

[Jeramy]

I think that As long as you are getting a reading of zero at the base of the frag you can do it as you please. however if you would like to place it at the base of the ruler and start with a handicap by all means dont let me get in your way =)

[Emerald525]

I think that As long as you are getting a reading of zero at the base of the frag you can do it as you please. however if you would like to place it at the base of the ruler and start with a handicap by all means dont let me get in your way =)

 

That's what I was going to say LOL. Thanks Jeramy. If he wants to start at negative 2cm I'm all for it.... I agree. Again I am hoping it will be obvious. Another thing that will probably happen is some of the frags will curve downward and maybe branch as well. At least that's what happened with the other growout. This will continue to be a work in progress.... Again I am hoping that there will be an obvious winner and that that obvious winner will be me...

[NoobtoSalt]

That's what I was going to say LOL. Thanks Jeramy. If he wants to start at negative 2cm I'm all for it.... I agree. Again I am hoping it will be obvious. Another thing that will probably happen is some of the frags will curve downward and maybe branch as well. At least that's what happened with the other growout. This will continue to be a work in progress.... Again I am hoping that there will be an obvious winner and that that obvious winner will be me...

 

Move out of the way crazy lady. The winning frag is in my tank. And if brad can't figure out how to use a ruler does he really deserve that beautiful tank he has. (scratch)

 

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2

[reefnjunkie]

ah the love here is deep.

 

Kim you may want to keep that pic of the TEC so you can open that file later to view what it looks like.

 

This holds true for Noob and Jeremy.

 

I think the odds of any of you winning are about the same as Elvis and I doing lunch -(scary)

 

It just is not going to happen.

 

For now, I need to get back to work, I am watching a tutorial on You Tube about the fundamentals of using a ruler-(rock2)

 

 

so please let me leave you with this to keep in mind

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]12619[/ATTACH]

[Jeramy]

 

 

This holds true for Noob and Jeremy.

 

I think the odds of any of you winning are about the same as Elvis and I doing lunch -(scary)

 

It just is not going to happen.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Next time you are having lunch with Elvis you can tell him that your "all shook up" about loosing the tec frag to a rookie reefer (laugh)

[nelsz3]

First post

My tank is a 1 year established standard 75g all glass tank plumbed with overflow to a 40ish gallon acrylic sump.

Tank has around 50lbs live rock and a 2+ sand bed mix of fine and coarse

In the sump I run a filter sock, 2lf media reactor with Thrive Aquatics bio pellets, bubblemax skimmer, 20lbs live rock, eco 1054 return, floatswitch for the ato.

 

Lighting:

I have a 48" all in one fixture running two 250w DE 14k pheonix bulbs and 4X 54w HO T5s 2 Actinic 2 454 actinic sitting about 8" above tank

Flow:

2 jbj 1600 gph oceanstream with jbj duo wavemaker and a Aqueon 950 powerhead

Frag Placement:

frag with be will reside around halfway up the rock work but measured on the sand bed so i can get a clear measurment

Water Parameters

I use kent reef salt

Nitrate: 0

Nitrite: 0

Phosphate: 0

Calcium: 500 -550

DKH: 8

mag: 1400

 

Dosing:

i dose Thrive bio stimulant every day

thrive calcium and alk twice a week

mag, iodide, when needed

 

Feeding:

I feed mix of phyto, oyster feed, arctic pods, and seafood/veggie mix

[Emerald525]

Move out of the way crazy lady. The winning frag is in my tank. And if brad can't figure out how to use a ruler does he really deserve that beautiful tank he has. (scratch)

 

Sent from my SCH-I500 using Tapatalk 2

 

 

(laugh) Brad can't figure out a lot of things...

 

ah the love here is deep.

 

Kim you may want to keep that pic of the TEC so you can open that file later to view what it looks like.

 

This holds true for Noob and Jeremy.

 

I think the odds of any of you winning are about the same as Elvis and I doing lunch -(scary)

 

It just is not going to happen.

 

For now, I need to get back to work, I am watching a tutorial on You Tube about the fundamentals of using a ruler-(rock2)

 

 

so please let me leave you with this to keep in mind

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]12619[/ATTACH]

 

 

 

You haven't used that emoticon in a while. I missed it!(clap)(clap) There's no way you're going to win as I assume you're going to spend the entire contest trying to figure out how to use that ruler!(laugh)

 

First post

My tank is a 1 year established standard 75g all glass tank plumbed with overflow to a 40ish gallon acrylic sump.

Tank has around 50lbs live rock and a 2+ sand bed mix of fine and coarse

In the sump I run a filter sock, 2lf media reactor with Thrive Aquatics bio pellets, bubblemax skimmer, 20lbs live rock, eco 1054 return, floatswitch for the ato.

 

Lighting:

I have a 48" all in one fixture running two 250w DE 14k pheonix bulbs and 4X 54w HO T5s 2 Actinic 2 454 actinic sitting about 8" above tank

Flow:

2 jbj 1600 gph oceanstream with jbj duo wavemaker and a Aqueon 950 powerhead

Frag Placement:

frag with be will reside around halfway up the rock work but measured on the sand bed so i can get a clear measurment

Water Parameters

Nitrate: 0

Nitrite: 0

Phosphate: 0

 

Nice! See Brad you could actually move the frag to get a better measurement!(laugh)

[Hewey McLovit]

ddouble post

[Hewey McLovit]

Alright i have to admit it's hard taking a photo by yourself and measuring, but mine is about .5cm shorter then this pic. My system is a 90 gallon corner tank dosing Alk, Ca and Mg. Currently running a Ice Cap 250 MH with 4 39w T5 (hoping to have my 55 light LED built in next two weeks) and Reef Octopus skimmer. The system in run on a Apex lite and will hook my LED up to dimmable switches to run off the Apex. The frag is currently about 16" from lights.

 

 

Parameters

ALK @ 9.0

Ca @430

Mg @ 1400

Salinity 1.023-4

Ph 8.1-8.25

NO3 <01

PO3 <.22

Temp 75-78.6

[reefnjunkie]

 

 

You deserve a refund-

[reefnjunkie]

Alright i have to admit it's hard taking a photo by yourself and measuring, but mine is about .5cm shorter then this pic.

 

Good luck with getting any understanding from the photo Nazi

[Hewey McLovit]

Good luck with getting any understanding from the photo Nazi

 

As my 1.5 year old would say, 'ooooooooohhhhh NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOO!'

 

Off with their heads!

[reefnjunkie]

That ruler tutorial helped-My picture is compliant

[reefnjunkie]

That ruler tutorial helped-My picture is compliant

[Hewey McLovit]

That ruler tutorial helped-My picture is compliant

 

I briefly looked back for the tutorial but didn't find it, but my wife finally got home and was able to take the pic. Hopefully this one gets past the photo gestapo's?

[LC Scott]

Thought I'd share a photo of my tank as of a few hours ago.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]12626[/ATTACH]

 

 

Just got done moving it.

 

Hows that for a handicapDOH!

 

So the details on my tank.

 

40b with a 20l sump

Estimated to be 50 gals. total

 

Lights:

 

UV 454

Gen-x actinic Blue

Giesemann midday 6500

Gen-x 10,000k

 

No dosing right now

 

5gal weekly water changes.

 

I'll post a picture of the frag tomorrow when the water clears up.

 

Oh, I didn't receive my official ruler. (scratch)

[Emerald525]

That ruler tutorial helped-My picture is compliant

 

 

What did that take you like 12 hours? Good job! You are in compliance! I knew you could do it...(clap) Now you may actually be in the running for the first prize!

 

I briefly looked back for the tutorial but didn't find it' date=' but my wife finally got home and was able to take the pic. Hopefully this one gets past the photo gestapo's?[/quote']

 

The ruler nazis approve Randy!(clap)(clap)

 

Thought I'd share a photo of my tank as of a few hours ago.

 

[ATTACH=CONFIG]12626[/ATTACH]

 

 

Just got done moving it.

 

Hows that for a handicapDOH!

 

So the details on my tank.

 

40b with a 20l sump

Estimated to be 50 gals. total

 

Lights:

 

UV 454

Gen-x actinic Blue

Giesemann midday 6500

Gen-x 10,000k

 

No dosing right now

 

5gal weekly water changes.

 

I'll post a picture of the frag tomorrow when the water clears up.

 

Oh, I didn't receive my official ruler. (scratch)

 

Is there an official frag in there?(laugh) I left the ruler with Roger. It should be at Garrett's with your name written on it. If you don't find it I can mail you another one.