My Slice of Nature (Part 3)

[SubzeroLT]

Time to change fleece. The last roll lasted 2 months 9 days. Quite good.

 

 

Playing around with the new DD Gen2 Coral Color lens.

 

Will post more pics tomorrow.

 

 

[nornicle1]

Hi Leon - if you started again would you go with dosing or calcium reactor? 

[SubzeroLT]

3 hours ago, nornicle1 said:

Hi Leon - if you started again would you go with dosing or calcium reactor? 

The choice between the 2 probably will depend on tank size. 

Assuming a relatively similar tank load (mix of SPS/LPS),

1-2ft tank - consumption can easily be met with a dosing pump.

3ft tank - its a choice point between cost & long term convenience of a calcium reactor

4ft & above - clearly a calcium reactor for convenience

 

A couple of points to note on using dosing pumps :

• If consumption is high, say 50cc - 100cc per day, then the dosing container needs to be refilled very often. If using purchased solution, that can be expensive. If self mixing powder, it can be troublesome.
• Dosing tubes especially the alkalinity line tends to clog. Needs to be checked weekly. Preventive tube change may be needed
• Need to get a good dosing pump that can hold its calibrated volumes well (i.e. good quality peristaltic pump tubes & mechanism)

[SubzeroLT]

Some phone pics from the weekend

Side view

 

Euphyllia garden.

 

Green octo pressing against the glass

 

Hope it does not propogate all over the tank as this gets trimmed by the wavemaker

 

Full suite of additives. Dosed on Mon, Wed & Saturday.

 

[SubzeroLT]

Fragged the chalice for a friend.

 

 

Fortnightly harvest of hair algae. 

 

[SubzeroLT]

Its been 1.5 months since running the AquaUV 

 

It was a good time to learn a little more on them with some use. Here are some findings : 

• Love the improved water clarity.
• There were concerns about UV affecting trace elements such as iron. From recent ICP test, my tank's iron levels are perfectly fine.
• Provides some needed peace of mind that the water quality is improved

 

• 2 factors come into play to remove harmful protozoa.
  1. Need a recommended exposure of UV light. Cannot be too high for mixed reef as it may affect planktonic food supply needed for mixed reef. (45,000 µw/cm² for mixed reef & 90,000 µw/cm² for FOWLR)
  2. Need about 3x-5x tank turnover rate at the above exposure

 

• Based on the AquaUV product specs, based on 5x turnover rate
  • For a mixed reef , the 25W unit is sufficient for a 640L tank. And the 57W unit is sufficient for  1700L tank.
  • For fish only, the 25W is sufficient for 320L tank. And the 57W unit is sufficient for 850L tank.

 

• My thoughts on the 57W unit on a mixed reef : 
  • Practical. It gives one the option to max it out in events of ich outbreaks and other fish disease.
  • If worried its too powerful, run it on a timer. My apex programming is as follows :
  • 

 

[SubzeroLT]

Random pics 

 

 

Gone to a good home

 

Its frustrating when test kits give false readings. My Salifert Mg test kit (new box purchased a year ago. Not expired) was giving bad readings. Basically it does not change from pink to blue even when the whole syringe of reagents is used. Giving the perception that Mg is > 1500ppm..

The reality was Mg was dropping steadily to 1260ppm range for an extended period of time but it was not detected. Not good. I think this is a very isolated case. Possibly poor storage conditions or sitting standstill for too long? This post is not to bash a particular brand of test kit. Key point is if you suspect a faulty test kit, take action ASAP. Borrow or get another kit and not be complacent.

I then got a Nyos magnesium test kit instead and find it very good. The color change from pink to blue is very distinct. 

 

Gentle reminder to reefers to wash & dry their frag cutter. Over time, rust can form even on 316 stainless steel.

 

[Dlad888]

Starting a new thread to document the progress of a new set up.
Tank was given by a nice reefer (thanks!!). In return, I bought over his equipment.
 
Its a nice sized tank - 5 x 2.5 x 2, 15mm glass, chengal wood stand. The physical condition of the tank wasn't great and took it as part of the fun to fix it during free time on the weekends. Some pictures :

 
Upon closer inspection, there are several large patches of scratches in the middle (viewing area)

 
Ordered some Cerium Oxide - a compound commonly used in the industry to polish glass

 
Mix into a paste

 
Marked the areas with bad scratches with masking tape

 
Climbed into the tank & polished out the scratches. I'd say 90% of the bad scratches are gone. I didn't bother to remove the scratches from areas which were not easily seen.

 
 

Wow! Big effort there! Kudos!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SubzeroLT]

Some pics of frags from fellow reefers in exchange for measuring PAR or frag trade

 

Pink Stylo

 

Green Birdsnest

 

 

This was the most recent one from July '20

 

 

[SubzeroLT]

Got a new Prime Fuge recently after the previous one was repurposed.

 

New light on the left. Previous one on the right. Slight change in LED configuration + new lens

 

3D printed a spacer

Grows algae fast!!

 

 

 

[SubzeroLT]

Must remember to dip corals.

Even if its from trusted friends. Its personal responsibility to ensure its pest free.

 

This particular asterina star from a new coral frag looks different from the 'normal' ones that eat algae. Looks larger & has a darker/harder top surface. 

Using TLF Revive. Quite effective.

 

 

[Admiraltian]

Good that u dip, bro. I having a bad infestation, easily in the hundreds in my tank. Now headache!! Read that there are different  type of these asterina stars. I realized some of that actually feed on my corals like lps. I saw some missing flesh on my acans and found a few of it. After I removed them the flesh on the acans recovered. Think they are the darker skin types too. The whiter ones could be feeding algae. Read a reefer post in foreign forum says that if u find those buggers on corals means it feed on corals and on tank wall and glass means they are feeding on algae. Haha... not sure how true.

[Evolutionz]

I dip every single corals that goes into my tank, also inspect it for eggs/bite marks. Does not matter who and where it came from, always better to play safe!

[SubzeroLT]

2 hours ago, Admiraltian said:

Good that u dip, bro. I having a bad infestation, easily in the hundreds in my tank. Now headache!! Read that there are different  type of these asterina stars. I realized some of that actually feed on my corals like lps. I saw some missing flesh on my acans and found a few of it. After I removed them the flesh on the acans recovered. Think they are the darker skin types too. The whiter ones could be feeding algae. Read a reefer post in foreign forum says that if u find those buggers on corals means it feed on corals and on tank wall and glass means they are feeding on algae. Haha... not sure how true.

I have plenty of a certain types that is seen only on areas with green algae (eg. dirty glass & rocks)  & hide during the day time. But they don't harm corals at all so I leave them alone.

 

 

2 hours ago, Evolutionz said:

I dip every single corals that goes into my tank, also inspect it for eggs/bite marks. Does not matter who and where it came from, always better to play safe!

Yeah. Need to be 100% cautious.

On the topic of dips, I've tried Bayer insecticide - it works well to remove pests from corals but find that invertebrates don't do well for several months following the use of it. Possibly related to the neuro toxin in the formula? Hence I now stick to safer options (for reef animals & myself) like TLF Revive.

[SubzeroLT]

Got some nice Zoa from Suprem5 yesterday. 

1st visit to the shop. Lots of nice torches there too. 

 

Some tops down pics taken with iPhone & DD Coral Lens

 

 

 

Fragged some UFO chalice recently. Recovering well.

 

 

 

[Harlequinmania]

Time to start your collection of zoas now

Sent from Singapore Reef Club mobile app

[SubzeroLT]

Ha..yes. Thanks to SRC Stay Home, Stay Safe Reef At Home contest

 

 

[JMW]

Very nice pics! Can I know what is the yellow acro at the top of the pic?

[SubzeroLT]

5 minutes ago, JMW said:

Very nice pics! Can I know what is the yellow acro at the top of the pic?

I'm not 100% sure as it was passed to me by a fellow reefer. Possibly its a Diabolic Pacman

[weizhi10]

What is this zoa? Looks kinda nice

Sent from Singapore Reef Club mobile app

[SubzeroLT]

15 hours ago, weizhi10 said:

What is this zoa? Looks kinda nice

Sent from Singapore Reef Club mobile app
 

Those should be Armor of God zoanthid (pic below without filter)

[SubzeroLT]

Cleaned up the corner overflow box in the display tank over the weekend.  OMG - its full of vermatid snails (some as long as 4" long),  loads of fat gigantic aiptasia(s) & at least 1cm of accumulated sand.

In the process of cleaning it, I found a long lost yellow watchman goby. Think it went missing 2+ years ago just one week after getting it from coral farm (still tiny)

Its about 4" now with nice blue coloration. Must have enjoyed the good food in the overflow. Netted it out. Hope it's happier in the display tank.

.

 

The skimmer drainage tube to the external bucket got clogged & the skimmer overflowed. Probably went on for a couple of days before it was noticed.

 

Some coral pics :

Micromussa from fellow reefer bought in Jan 2017. Probably grew a few tiny heads in 3.5yrs

 

Green tip pink seriatopora

 

 

 

 

 

[SubzeroLT]

Last week's update seem to have gone missing. Hence a re-post.

Regarding Mobius - Feed mode. Its possible to add a feed mode button by clicking the "+" icon.

 

Then program the behavior of the pumps in feed mode. Eg. set to 10% speed

 

 

[SubzeroLT]

The CO2 tubing split at the check valve fitting...after 2yrs +.

 

According to Apex chart, it probably happened at 3pm. I was notified via phone app at 3.07pm. And I managed to get it fixed by 5pm after meetings were done.

That's one nice thing about having an aquarium controller, be it Apex or any other brand.

 

Other things done to the tank :

Added extension ring for the chalice

 

Added an acrylic cover to block light entering the overflow - an effort to prevent aiptasia from growing in the overflow.

 

 

 

 

[chercm]

i added peppermint to the over flow box and seems to help in keeping the aiptasia in check