Quick vid from the phone ...
http://static.photobucket.com/playe...a333/rmitchell726/2012-07-21_14-44-23_519.mp4
http://static.photobucket.com/playe...a333/rmitchell726/2012-07-21_14-44-23_519.mp4
Jahmic's JBJ 28, first reef build
- Thread starter jahmic
- Start date
An update on the dosing pump issue...I contacted the seller and they are sending a free replacement. 
I'm slowly bring my Calcium back up, as the pump was apparently malfunctioning for at least 2-3 days considering how low it got...I unfortunately didn't catch it until I wondered why the level in the dosing container hadn't gone down. Alk has consistently been 8.3-8.6 the past few times I've checked, so at least that pump seems to be dialed in and working properly.
I'll try to get some updated pics soon since I wanna keep track of my SPS growth. So far it looks like all the frags are happily encrusting on their plugs; the monti digi, red planet, and cali tort have all grown off the plugs and started encrusting the live rock.
I'm slowly bring my Calcium back up, as the pump was apparently malfunctioning for at least 2-3 days considering how low it got...I unfortunately didn't catch it until I wondered why the level in the dosing container hadn't gone down. Alk has consistently been 8.3-8.6 the past few times I've checked, so at least that pump seems to be dialed in and working properly.
I'll try to get some updated pics soon since I wanna keep track of my SPS growth. So far it looks like all the frags are happily encrusting on their plugs; the monti digi, red planet, and cali tort have all grown off the plugs and started encrusting the live rock.
Sitting at the airport...time for a photo-bomb.
Yes...they're from the phone. /shame
I'll get the dslr hooked up to a computer again soon.
Flower petal monti finally started plating off the back wall.
Zoa garden
New acan...special since the first loss I had in the tank was an acan...hopefully this one fairs better.
Yes...they're from the phone. /shame
I'll get the dslr hooked up to a computer again soon.
Flower petal monti finally started plating off the back wall.
Zoa garden
New acan...special since the first loss I had in the tank was an acan...hopefully this one fairs better.
The mille addiction...
The one with the green polyps is so hairy you can't tell...but the base is bright yellow with red corallites. And yes...the tiny one up front really is yellow orange and red. It's been slowly coloring up and looks like it might be siiiiick. (thanks Virgil)
Gonna let these grow in and see how they behave next to each other.
The one with the green polyps is so hairy you can't tell...but the base is bright yellow with red corallites. And yes...the tiny one up front really is yellow orange and red. It's been slowly coloring up and looks like it might be siiiiick. (thanks Virgil)
Gonna let these grow in and see how they behave next to each other.
Ok...here's a couple better progression FTSs. Between the two shots I did frag my blue candy cane, and moved a euphyllia out of the tank. Also lost my acro tenuis (only sps loss so far) on the top right and replaced it with some more milliporas.
7/30/12
9/4/12
Looking at those pics made me notice for the first time how much the acro insignis has grown. No closeup progression shots of that one unfortunately...but I did grab a l nice shot recently.
More random pics....
Crazy hairy mille...
Not the greatest fish pic I've taken...but he was cruising fast looking for pods and I was just happy to catch him in frame and the "sunburst" on his face looks awesome
7/30/12
9/4/12
Looking at those pics made me notice for the first time how much the acro insignis has grown. No closeup progression shots of that one unfortunately...but I did grab a l nice shot recently.
More random pics....
Crazy hairy mille...
Not the greatest fish pic I've taken...but he was cruising fast looking for pods and I was just happy to catch him in frame and the "sunburst" on his face looks awesome
Not everything is perfect though. I shut down the mini fuge as it started growing cyano which began to outcompete the chaeto...which led to a little outbreak in the tank. I've been siphoning it out every few days and have slowly been adding gfo to a tlf reactor. So far so good as it seems to be coming back much slower than I'm removing it. I'm just gonna be patient and keep at manual removal, I think (hope?) I'll be able to slowly get it under control. Flow should be plenty with the mp10...but flow was honestly slow through my media basket as water went through floss and 2 media bags before getting to the bin of chaeto...pretty sure that is what started it as it's the first place cyano appeared in the tank. I'm now just running floss purigen and carbon in the basket and gfo in the reactor.
Anyway...here's pics just before I started manual removal to try and get this under control.
Anyway...here's pics just before I started manual removal to try and get this under control.
I couldn't let those nasty Cyano pics crown the end of my thread...so here's a pic of a super-sick leptastrea that I picked up.
It was pretty sad when I first got it (hadn't been getting enough light or flow)...so I blasted it in the middle of the tank for a couple weeks before placing it in the sand bed. I think it settled in nicely.
It was pretty sad when I first got it (hadn't been getting enough light or flow)...so I blasted it in the middle of the tank for a couple weeks before placing it in the sand bed. I think it settled in nicely.
Well...cyano seems to be going away.
I initially added about half the gfo that was recommended. When I added more 2 weeks later, I probably should've just put fresh gfo on top. Instead I threw out the old media and probably added too much fresh media at once. My zoas looked unhappy for a couple days, and a couple sps lost a touch of pigment at the base within 2 days. I cut the amount of gfo in the reactor in half to correct the issue, and added a dose of aquavitro fuel to the tank. Also fed some reef chili a coupe days later.
A few weeks ago the reef chili and fuel combo definitely would've made the cyano spread like crazy...but none seemed to come back, so that's a good sign. It's still there in places that I didn't siphon or blow off the rocks...but those areas haven't gotten any worse.
I think what probably helped most was that I stopped being lazy. Grabbed the turkey baster and blew all the rocks off every few days (as opposed to every few weeks). It looks like I had some spots where detritus was allowed to settle and build up. I cranked up the flow on the mp10 from about 70% to 90%...I hadn't considered it before, but the added sps seemed to block some of the flow I was getting through the tank when it was less stocked. Things are now back to where that top layer of sand is getting pushed around nicely without getting kicked up too much and circulating.
Hopefully I'll get to add cyano to the list of nuisances/pests I was able to keep in check. Hair algae, bubble algae, and aiptasia have all tried to knock me down and lost.
I initially added about half the gfo that was recommended. When I added more 2 weeks later, I probably should've just put fresh gfo on top. Instead I threw out the old media and probably added too much fresh media at once. My zoas looked unhappy for a couple days, and a couple sps lost a touch of pigment at the base within 2 days. I cut the amount of gfo in the reactor in half to correct the issue, and added a dose of aquavitro fuel to the tank. Also fed some reef chili a coupe days later.
A few weeks ago the reef chili and fuel combo definitely would've made the cyano spread like crazy...but none seemed to come back, so that's a good sign. It's still there in places that I didn't siphon or blow off the rocks...but those areas haven't gotten any worse.
I think what probably helped most was that I stopped being lazy. Grabbed the turkey baster and blew all the rocks off every few days (as opposed to every few weeks). It looks like I had some spots where detritus was allowed to settle and build up. I cranked up the flow on the mp10 from about 70% to 90%...I hadn't considered it before, but the added sps seemed to block some of the flow I was getting through the tank when it was less stocked. Things are now back to where that top layer of sand is getting pushed around nicely without getting kicked up too much and circulating.
Hopefully I'll get to add cyano to the list of nuisances/pests I was able to keep in check. Hair algae, bubble algae, and aiptasia have all tried to knock me down and lost.