kilmca

Here is one of my frag racks. Made this using a mangrove algae magnet that I got with a craigslist tank buy. I already had a magnet cleaner so I made a frag rack out of it. When i made the rack i didn't realize the algae magnet cost around $120 but I know why, it's really strong. I could have made the rack larger but i didn't have the space.

I change about 25 gallons of water a week on a 400 gallon display and I'm really happy with the growth i'm getting. Before this tank I never did water changes on a consistent basis and I never had consistently great coral growth. The only things i have to dose for is alk and sometimes magnesium. I'm currently not running a ca reactor and until the ca level drops below 400 i'm just going to keep doing water changes. This is just my experience and i like not having to dose a bunch of different things. I like to keep it as simple as possible.

I overshot my alk with a calcium reactor about 6 months ago and lowered it with water changes. I'm not sure if there is another way of lower it, there has to be but my tank needed a good water change at the time so it worked out. I was also above 16 and nothing died, just didn't open. Once i lowered it everything responded well and opened back up. I did about 200 gallons of water change in a week. That was not fun. I think it might have been more stressful on me than the corals.

You have some really nice corals. How about pics of fish or full tank shot.

Setup really is looking great!

Wow! Very beautiful tank and awesome pictures.

Calvin,

 

What was it munching on?

 

Doran

It was nipping at anything with a polyp or a mantle. I saw it nip clams, SPS with polyps, Acans and Chalices. It didn't bother with all SPS, just the ones with large polyps. I put up with not keeping certain corals that it would nip at until one day the fish started to nip the 3 clams I have, that was the breaking point.

Congratulations on your catch' date=' think he would go good in my tank Calvin??[/quote']

 

Are you looking to set up a reef tank or a fish only tank? (laugh) This fish doesn't bother all corals, it's safe with zoas, encrusting monti's, monti caps and some others.

Got Him!! sweet how many more to go?

I'm leaving the Flame and Potters in the tank, they seem to be fine with the corals. I'll be testing them with the corals and clams that I had to move to the frag tank. If I see either of them nipping they will be going too.

The Potters won't be hard to catch, it was swimming in and out of the trap picking at algae. If I have to catch the Flame it's going to be tuff cause I never saw it go anywhere near the trap.

Very nice Eibli Angel for sale. Asking $30. NOT Reefsafe, i found that out the hard way. I've had the fish for about 8 months. Eats anything. SOLD

Looks like you have some time on your hands! (laugh)(laugh)

 

Now that I've mocked you, let me know if this works 'cause I have a pair of Clarkii clowns that are going to get the boot soon, and that thing looks like it might do the trick. (threaten)

Look what I caught today. Only took about 20 minutes. The Angel couldn't resist the algae. Anyone looking for a really nice Eibli Angel?

A close up of the trap, think it will work? Door to the trap is hidden in the sand and there is some fishing line tied to it. My wife finds this very funny!

I was suprised no one commented on the eggcrate contraption in the third pic. Hopefully it's going to be a fish trap. I'm planning on catching the Eibli Angel because it took a liking to the clams that I had in the tank. I still have them but they are in the frag tank. It always picked on acans and some other corals but it didn't bother me that much till it started picking on the clams.

The fish trap has been in there a week so all of the fish are used to it. I plan on using a clam for bait. If i find the Potters or Flame are picking on stuff too they'll also have to go. It will be a sad to see them go but i'm getting into corals more.

I picked up a large Efflo from Snorkelwasp(Mike) on Friday. It's a great piece and i'm really happy I made the drive(to Corvallis) to go get it. I'm not sure if this will be it's final placement but that's where it ended up for now.

I get a buildup of this "stuff" in my sump, I siphon it out once or twice a month when i'm doing a water change. Sump is bare bottom and it has a tendency to accumulate in one area so it's pretty easy to remove.

Dennis is always generous when I'm getting corals from him. I got two different colorations of hammer coral from him and they are doing great.

Thanks Dennis

House with a finished basement is the way to go. Our basement is currently 68 degrees and tank is at 79, upstairs the house is at 75. Got to have AC for the upstairs, can't sleep when it gets real hot.

I bought some "African Blues" from Dsoz and they are doing fine. I have them under low light per Dennis's recommendations. I also bought three colonies of Japanese Deep Water Zoas(not from oiab) about a month ago and I only have one colony left. First colony melted in the first couple days and the second colony melted just last week. The third colony that is still alive looks great.

Edit to my previous post -Zoas I got from Dennis are no longer doing well and my last colony of DW Zoas also appear to be melting. This all happened within the last couple days and it's really discouraging! (scratch)

Thanks Steve for all the frags you gave me in return for the rbta. They are doing well, I need to take some pics. Is the rbta staying where you want it?

Also, thanks to Dennis and Troy for the kind words.

my experiences

I bought some "African Blues" from Dsoz and they are doing fine. I have them under low light per Dennis's recommendations. I also bought three colonies of Japanese Deep Water Zoas(not from oiab) about a month ago and I only have one colony left. First colony melted in the first couple days and the second colony melted just last week. The third colony that is still alive looks great.

Wow, awesome variety of corals with great colors!

I have a Sixline and I too think it's from the devil. I also have a Melanurus wrasse and a Scotter Blenny. I don't think the Scooter Blenny gets many pods because of the two wrasses but it does eat frozen. I would not recommend a Sixline because I think the Pyscedelic Mandarin is a much nicer fish and if it's not eating frozen the Sixline may reduce the pod population enough to hurt the Mandiran. JMO

i believe you can get the discount online too. when i went to the website it was showing the corals 40% off.

Congrats!

Glad to hear all went well.

Sold

Everything is Sold.