Rhapsody Reef

I am a supporting member

Hi everyone,

Wanted to share a recent success I’ve been having. I’ve heard from many acro growers lately about a daily dosing regiment of Flatworm Stop and Coral Booster from Korallen-Zucht to improve growth and color in corals. I don’t have flatworms in my reef, but the there are plenty of benefits of the regiment without flatworms present. I’ve been dosing it for about 4 weeks now and I’ve noticed some amazing results. The colors have totally exploded, corals have  greater polyp extension, and they seem to be encrusting at 10x the previous rate. It all seems too good to be true, but honestly the only changed variable in the last 4 weeks was the added dosing of the two products per label instructions and I’m really pleased! Everyone who has told me about it has noticed dramatic results, and now I have too. I’m quite sensitive and skeptical to products being “snake oil” from my professional career, but I can highly recommend Korallen-Zucht from my current experience. 
 

I only have Acropora and montipora in my reef but have noticed great results in both. My corals are mostly 1-2” frags as opposed to larger colonies, but I’m seeing good results on every coral. It’s not an inexpensive regiment, but it’s proven to me that I’m getting results for my dollars. 
 

Cheers,

Andrew

I wish I could but this one won’t work well in the other room and I realized I don’t want a fish tank in the bedroom 😉

I’m also selling a bunch of new, never used equipment I bought for this build. These items are currently at my LFS Cuttlefish and Corals, please swing by or call Jeff/Pete if you’d like an open-box discount on something! 

4 - Ecotech Vortech MP 40s 

4 - Ecotech Radion XR-15 Blues

4 - Ecotech RMS XR-15 Light Mounts

1 - Reef Octopus Varios 6 Return Pump

1 - RedSea ReefMat 500

1 - Reef Octopus Regal 150 INT Protein Skimmer

1 - Neptune Apex A3 Controller

1 - Neptune Apex MXM Module

1 - Helio Heater Controller

1 - Tunze 3155 Osmolater ATO

3 - MarcoRock Aquascapes (one large, one medium, and one small) (photos attached)

I was all set to start a second tank but realized I only have time for one at the moment with my already busy lifestyle. Therefore, I’m selling this brand new never used Waterbox Infinia Frag 175.6. The stand is assembled, and the display tank was filled with water to pass a leak test and then drained. It’s a really beautiful tank, and this is a good chance to get one assembled and new for a good discount. 
 

Asking $3000 with buyer picking it up at my home in Milwaukie, OR. This tank new from Waterbox or a LFS is $3700 and 4-6 weeks for delivery.

Dimensions (LxWxH): 1,836 x 643 x 410mm (72.3" x 25.3" x 16.1")
• Height with Cabinet: 1,337 mm / 52.6"
• Display Volume: 446 L / 117.9 gal
• Total Volume: 690 L / 182.2 gals
• Glass Thickness: 12 mm (1/2")
• Includes: Aquarium, Cabinet, Sump, Plumbing Kit, Filter Socks, Sock Silencers

Included is a custom built controller cabinet I made to store wiring and mount equipment controllers.

https://waterboxaquariums.com/collections/infinia/products/infinia-frag-175-6

Thanks everyone, really great event today!

Can't wait! 

Looking forward to this event, so many great prizes and group buys!

I'm also looking for the immortal tort, hopefully it starts making its way around!

I should have mentioned earlier… I’m planning on this tank running bare bottom so if it seems like I’m having more rock than normal it’s meant to hold some bacteria and microbial population that a sandbed won’t have. I’ve also done a fair bit of research on the NSA aquascapes and many people seem to regret them as fish stress more and become more aggressive because they don’t have places to escape. I’m sure once the corals grow this is less of an issue, but it’s something I’m keeping in mind. 
 

Now to mix things up: here’s Option C. It adds slightly more rock, another small island that I made previously and was playing around with working in. It’s probably too much rock but fun to play around with! 
 

21 hours ago, obrien.david.j said:

I prefer the // effect of option A.   But, could the two rocks be pulled slightly farther apart - but still maintain the canyon like view?

I lose the canyon effect when doing that, but I don’t hate the look. In person the rocks seem better in Option A, likely because that is what I had in mind when making it. When flipping it around for Option B, the 2D is more interesting but the rock might need some more work for better coral placement. 

Just now, Logan27 said:

Has anyone ever considered or looked into livestreaming their tank? I've been curious about trying this and wondered if someone else had tried it. 

Keith (Reefbum) in Vermont does this, here's a link on his process: https://www.reefbum.com/photography-videography/how-to-live-stream-a-webcam-to-youtube/

31 minutes ago, Lexinverts said:

To give you a sense of what happens with space, take a look at my aquascape 3 yrs ago, and then today.

That’s good to see, thanks for sharing! I was thinking I might need another small rock island but I’ll definitely stick with what I have since that will already fill the tank nicely with time. 

Thanks everyone for the votes/comments so far, keep them coming! I initially designed the aquascape with option A in mind, but now I'm torn!

9 minutes ago, obrien.david.j said:

I prefer the // effect of option A.   But, could the two rocks be pulled slightly farther apart - but still maintain the canyon like view?

I think I have enough room to space them out more, I'll play with that tomorrow and maybe post some pics!

I'm working on an aquascape for a new tank and have been playing around with different combinations and placements for the rock structures I made. It doesn't come across from the photos, but the rock structures have plenty of habitat/cavities for fish and flow. The new tank is a Waterbox 175.6 Infinia Frag, measuring 6ft by 2ft by 18". I'm planning to make this tank more artistic than my first tank Rhapsody Peninsula, incorporating more negative space and minimalism. This new tank will have more of a design concept, as opposed to my peninsula which is more of a one-of-everything collection rather than a cohesive design. For the new build, I'm aiming for a collection of blue corals (mostly acros) with more intention given to coral placement to maximize colors and textures while sticking to the theme. Anyways, more on that in a future build thread...

So... which do you like more, Option A or Option B? Option A is the rocks arranged as / / and the first two images, Option B is the rocks arranged as / \ and third and fourth image.

Option A: Front

Option A: Top

Option B: Front

Option B: Top

New Tank: Waterbox Infinia Frag 175.6

Really looking forward to this!

1 hour ago, CuttleFishandCoral said:

Nice to see u on here. Can’t wait to watch ur reef grow. And I hear there’s another tank in ur future as well. Lol

Thanks, I find the best way to learn and study is to get off a computer screen and go see things in person. I’ve spent probably dozens if not hundreds of hours are cuttlefish just staring at your acros and asking questions! It’s such a great resource!

3 hours ago, obrien.david.j said:

Sticks is right!   My favorite.  You've definitely jumped in with both feet, at once. I love it.     

Welcome to the hobby, and thanks for posting about your setup.  If you want to see my inventory;  (which is before I ran out of Nitrate.   Colors are still a touch muted.)

 

I figured if I was going to do this I might as well dive in head first. It helps to have another demanding hobby/profession that keeps you at home so much! 
 

Wow, that’s a fun way to keep track of them, I’ll have to try that once I finish getting everything glued to the rock once they settle in.  I have everything memorized at the moment and have a PowerPoint slide of everything that’s gone in the tank. I like documenting it all. 

14 hours ago, islandVib3s said:

Wow! Sweet sticks!

Thanks! I’m obsessed with acros if you can’t already tell

@obrien.david.j

Fascinating thread, thanks for all the sharing and documentation! Have you noticed any changes in your corals since dosing phyto to your reef? And what have you found to be the best time to add?

Greetings PNWMAS,

I'm starting this build thread to document my SPS Peninsula build. I'm a professional bonsai artist & teacher and while I've turned that passion into a thriving career, reefing is a great hobby to give me a break from bonsai while also playing with containerized life with an artistic approach. I studied at Yale in a field I wasn't happy with, and pivoted to a career in bonsai after getting my master's degree. I've been practicing bonsai for over 18 years, professionally for the last 5 years, and just started reefing in 2022. 

This peninsula is more educational than it is artistic, as it's teaching me the ins and outs of the reefing hobby. I love acropora, as you can see above, and put a lot of coral into this tank so I can begin to figure out what corals I like and what I don't. I know I have too much coral, it's perhaps unsustainable without a lot of future fragging, but I couldn't help myself! To me, acropora display the same fractal patterns we see in woody plants, probably why I'm so drawn to them. I'm quite concerned with pests in the reefing hobby, so I've purchased all QT fish or QT the ones I couldn't source myself. I get my corals from a few select pest/disease free sources and always dip, cut and reglue frags coming into my system. 

I'm starting to think about a future artistic build, I really love blue corals (Oregon Tort is my absolute favorite) so I might do a more artistic tank featuring blue corals, but more on that in a future build thread. Right now I'm just enjoying watching my corals color up, grow and encrust, and learning a lot along the way! You'll probably see me at future PNWMAS meetings or hanging around Cuttle Fish and Corals with my golden retriever Bailey.

Cheers,

Andrew

Tank

RedSea Reefer P-500 (G1)

• 105 gallon display, 132 total system
• 4ft x 2ft x 2ft
• 5/8" Glass

Equipment

• Lights - 3 EcoTech Radion XR15 Pros with RMS Tank Mounts
• Powerheads - 2 EcoTech Vortech MP40s
• Return Pump - EcoTech Vectra M2 (2000 GPH)
• Dosing Pump - EcoTech Versa VX-1 
• Protein Skimmer - Reef Octopus Regal 150INT
• Filter Roller - RedSea Reefmat 500
• Controller - Neptune Apex A
• ATO - Tunze Osmolater 3155
• ATO Reservoir - Innovative Marine 15 gallon
• Heater - Helio Controller with BRS Titanium 600W heaters
• Battery Backup - 2 EcoTech Battery Backups

Rock & Sand

• Dry Marco Rocks
• Tropic Eden Mesoflakes

Livestock

• Ecopods & Galaxypods (Algaebarn)
• Tomini Tang (Marine Collectors)
• 3 Yellow Tangs (Biota)
• Powder Blue Tang (Marine Collectors)
• Male Square Anthias (Marine Collectors) and 2 Female Square Anthias (Biota)
• Melanurus Wrasse (Marine Collectors)
• Diamond Goby (Marine Collectors)
• School of Blue Green Chromis (Cuttlefish & Corals direct from Fiji, QT and treated for Urenoma by me)
• 3 Pincushion Urchin (Algaebarn)

Dosing & Feeding

• Frozen Food - Hikari Blends, Spiurlina Mysis, LRS Herbivore Frenzy with Selcon Supplement (daily)
• Other Food - Nori (every other day), TDO Chromoboost Pellets (occasionally)
• Coral Food - Pohl's Coral Vitalizer by Koralline Zucht
• Dosing - Tropic Marin All-For-Reef
• Other: Koralline Zucht Coral Snow (to clear up water when dirty or maintenance) and Coral Snow Plus (to lower phosphates)

Corals

Acropora

• Bali Green Slimer
• BC Bubbleboy Blue
• BC Dragonfly
• BC Hawaii
• BC Port Rhombus
• BC Reading Rainbow Tenuis
• BC Rosevine Table
• BC Strawberry Fields
• BC Twilight Dragon
• Cali Tort
• GC Acroberry
• JF Homewrecker
• ORA Hawkins
• Oregon Blue Tort
• POTO Afterburner
• POTO Backdraft
• POTO Bladerunner
• POTO Blue Demon
• POTO Blue Devil
• POTO Boomerang
• POTO Bungie Juggler
• POTO Cleopatra
• POTO Dragon Rider
• POTO Dragon Slayer 
• POTO Dreamweaver
• POTO Egyptian Sunset
• POTO Fantastic Beasts
• POTO Golden Dragon
• POTO Goofy Homewrecker
• POTO Judgement Day
• POTO Intergalactic 
• POTO Kaiju Simplex
• POTO Legoland
• POTO Mona Lisa
• POTO Optimus Prime
• POTO Pink Panther
• POTO Red Diablo
• POTO Sidechick
• POTO Showstopper
• POTO Watermelon Milli
• RR Lady in Pink
• RRC Shazam
• RRC Supreme
• R66 Merlin Staff
• TSA Rainbow Fusion
• TGC Orange Creamsicle 
• TGC Northern Crush
• Tyree Kryptonite 
• Tyree Red Dragon
• Vivid Insanity
• Walt Disney

Montipora

• Leng Sy Cap
• JF Fruity Pebbles 
• POTO Blue Rose Cap
• POTO Red Hot Cap

Stylophora

• JF Bug Out Stylo

Parameters

• Salinity - 1.026
• Alkalinity - 8.5
• Calcium - 420-440
• Nitrate - 10
• Phosphate .1
• Temp - 78F

Alk tested daily, all other parameters every 2-3 days 

Initial Timeline

• May 2023 - Aquarium built/placed and aquascape created and started cycling in brute
• June 2023 - Equipment placed, controller cabinet wired, tank filled, bacteria and copepods added, first fish arrive
• July 2023 - More fish arrive, biology builds, algae starts on the rock
• August 2023 - Multiple coral orders arrive, dipped on arrival, frags glued to the rocks after 2 weeks of settling in, 3rd Radion XR15 Pro added and Versa Dosing Pump Added

4 hours ago, Lexinverts said:

@reefrun I uploaded my presentation slides  to this post.

You can download the Captiv8 ICP calculator tool here:

https://www.captiv8aquaculture.com/copy-of-captiv8-home

You can purchase supplements and the $20 trace element pack that I mentioned here:

https://www.saltwateraquarium.com/reef-blueprint-isol8-minor-and-trace-element-pack-100g-captiv8-aquaculture/

You can purchase Oceamo ICP tests here

1) ICP-OES:

https://andremueller.e-junkie.com/product/1758006/Reef-Moonshiner26230393Bs-ICP-OES-Test

2 ICP-MS

https://andremueller.e-junkie.com/product/1758008/Reef-Moonshiner26230393Bs-ICP-MS-Test

As I said at the meeting, you can use any ICP test for the trace element calculator. Travis/Upscales carries the ATI ICP test and other local stores also carry ATI or Triton. Any one of these will work. My own preference is Oceamo because they offer Mass Spec analysis as well as standard ICP.

I'm happy to answer answer questions in this thread. Please tag me so I see it.

Andy

 

 

Upscales_presentation.pptx 2.62 MB · 5 downloads

Thanks Andy for a great presentation, I'll definitely be looking into Captiv8 for some trace element dosing! And thanks to Travis for hosting us!

Cheers,
Andrew