Carla

1 minute ago, albertareef said:

Hey Carla - that is quite a change for sure!  Tank looks fantastic (would expect nothing less) but sorry to hear about the tort... that was a pretty amazing colony.  At least you didn't lose it all together.  Did you keep the sump/refugium arrangement the same or did you do something completely different for that?  Hope to see you in October.

Well thanks, it was definitely quite the weekend when we did the change. I also got a new custom sump from Crystal Reef, new return pump, new skimmer. I figured it was time to change it all :).

OMG, it has been a little bit since I posted in this group. I have been a little busy changing some things around, so please forgive me. In July of this year, I went from from my 3 tank system, to just one tank, a custom built 190 from Crystal Reef in Bellingham WA. It was a chore, but with some friends from Seattle and Spokane, we managed to do the turn around in one weekend in July. There was beer, lots of good food, and better yet, a ton of fun. This new system is a little over a month and a half old now, and things are not looking too bad at all. I waited about 3 weeks after it got going and then brought in a clean up crew from Reeftopia, and the little guys have been working diligently to clear up all the algae from the cycle, and things are starting to look pretty darn good.

There were only a couple of casualties, I lost my big Oregon Tort colony, it is now about 18 frags worth, but the STN has stabilized and I am crossing my fingers that I will be able to grow it back over time. 

See you all on October 27th if there isn't 3' of snow on the passes on the way over .

1 minute ago, Optimusprime3605 said:

Those, are some nice pics, ladies and gents! Beautiful corals, as well!
Great job, Carla!

Sent from my man cave while drinking Coors light!
 

Thank you

2 minutes ago, lewisriverfisherman said:

Nice photo shoot!!  <3

Thank you, they were very cooperative

Just now, albertareef said:

Great pics Carla!  I'm with Kim on that undata - it is particularly photogenic!

It doesn't move real fast

Thank you <3

1 minute ago, Emerald525 said:

Very nice pictures! I love the undata it’s a classic!

One of all time favorite corals ever. Thank you

2 minutes ago, rdavis said:

Fantastic! Do you have any tips for getting nice pictures? How do you light the corals & how do you process the images after you take them? 

I always shoot in RAW mode and that makes processing a little easier for me. A little temperature adjustment and see what goes after that. Oh.................. and use something besides a cell phone, they take nice pics, but I am rather happy with my Canon DSLR

1 minute ago, jtarmitage said:

Very nice 👍

Thank you

Had a little time with my Canon 100mm f2.8 macro lens today. This will be a few posts :). Sorry for spamming.........................lol.

Yes, I was gonna try to make it over for this years event. It is kind of a crappy time of year for me to travel that way, but for right now, my plans are to try . I don't know if the farthest distance traveled is noteworthy, but die hard reef folks do what they have to sometimes.

Ah, that is what I needed to know, thank you

Is this the same one I came over for?

9 hours ago, Willapa said:

Will do! I always like the I soak up some local microbreweries and have some good company when on the road.


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That sounds good

12 hours ago, Willapa said:

Thanks for sharing. Sounds like you've found a combination that really works. Friday night Montana style chili feed......mmmmmm sounds good. I used baked arm and hammer for a couple of years on my last tank. Followed the Randy Holmes-Farley recipe online. I was having issues with the brs sodium carbonate spiking the ph and precipitating out no matter where I dosed it or how little I dosed. The arm and hammer worked very well. Columbia falls is really nice. I get out that way twice a year for work and go between Libby, Kalispell, Whitefish, Columbia Falls, and Glacier. I always meet really nice people on my trips there and they all have a real communal vibe and always ready to help people around them. I guess you have to stick together out there. Drove and camped north of Lodgepole last time....the town has no power and runs off diesel generators and solar panels. Very remote and untouched for sure.


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Well gee, let me know the next time you are headed this way and maybe we could get together for an adult beverage and some reef BS

Just now, spectra said:

 

Hell yeah  I like the outlook on frags.......... I like that attitude............

There is no price for a smile and a frag

Let's see................... this is a pretty cool thread :).

I spent 37.5 years at the local phone company in Kalispell Mt., Lovingly now known as Centurylink. I retired in August of 2012 because of my back. Please don't ask me about phones, I already forgot whatever I used to know. I took up the reef hobby in 1999, and still don't know anything :). I have found that I can answer technical questions about the Grateful Dead, Bowling, yeah, I was one of those too, and maybe the reef hobby if the questions are easy. 

I also found out that I am really, really good at clearing snow off of my driveway lately, and that makes the deer around here pretty freaking happy, at least someone appreciates it.......................................lol. 

I drink Crown Royal on the rocks............................. so if anybody ever needs help with that, let me know. I trade frags for Blue Moon Belgian White, gave up selling them cuz I really just enjoy getting people stuff they like.I have also been told I am pretty ok with a camera :), I am a Canon lady.

22 hours ago, Flashy Fins said:

Wowza! Is that a massive Oregon tort colony in the middle of the first pic? Whether it’s that or something else, it’s beautiful! Also love the purple (pink?) cat’s paw stylo on the right in the same tank. I have a much smaller colony I hope looks as nice someday! 

Yeppers, that is my Oregon Tort, close to 10 years old in early 2018. I haven't killed it yet..................................lol. And yes, that is a purple stylo. I think I got that From Duane O. in Seattle late 2015. The green Stylo is from a Friend in Spokane.

And Thank you

7 hours ago, Willapa said:

 

Yes, tell us a little more! Are you running a ca reactor or dosing 2 part? I don't see any fish, if not, what do you dose to get some nutrients for the coral? That's a lot of snow....where are you? Seems like a nice oasis to come back to after being out in the cold.


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see one of the above posts for more info on my system. I think I answered as much as I could, if you have more questions, fire away

20 hours ago, albertareef said:

Looking great Carla! I’m glad to see that Oregon Tort colony is still doing well - that thing is awesome. Hope the new year treats you well and you are able to make it out to visit us again. 

Thank you :). I know for sure I will show up again when you have the frag swap, and maybe I can make it over when it is a bit warmer, sometime in the summer?

20 hours ago, TheClark said:

Awesome tanks!  Thanks for sharing.

Can you tell more about your setup?

What lights are you running there?  Are all the tanks on the same sump?

They are all on one sump, not pictured is a 75 gallon refugium also. I am running Mars Aqua lights, 2 ea. over the 40s and 1 over the cube. 

I dose a Baking soda mix for alk and BRS calcium chloride for Ca. Every once in a while I throw some magnesium in just because I can :).

I feed Reef Chili every Friday and that is all I feed the coral. There aren't many fish at all, I lost 2 Firefish in the tank with all the sps and just haven't replaced them yet. 

I am in Columbia Falls Montana. It was snowin and blowing so hard yesterday I figured reef tank maintenance was a good thing to do........................lol. The attached pic is what I woke up to this morning. My poor dog wouldn't go out to save her sorry little rear end, I didn't really blame her

20 hours ago, TheClark said:

 

Just some pics to end 2017 with. And thank you to the powers that be for letting me in this club <3