Derek's 225g - Magnifica / SPS Reef

[derek_SR]

Tank is looking amazing! That anenome is gorgeous.

Awesome pics! What kind of camera? Maybe I can help you get it dialed in. Feel free to DM me or we can converse and discuss it in the photography forum. Make a post and we can get others' insights on it too.

Well the camera that took those is an EOS 70d, and your advice in my other thread was helpful.

However, so many of you are getting incredible shots with an iPhone, I’d be perfectly happy going that route. Can’t seem to do the same with mine! An iPhone 13 Pro Max. Maybe it’s a settings thing? I’m just pointing and shooting when I use my phone, and have a clip-on orange filter.

 

[derek_SR]

Just wanted to show off my fat PBT. Too fat? Can fish be too fat?

…not fat enough?

 

[Turkeysammich]

Chonk gotta love it

 

[Kensington Reefer]

Looking good!
Fish should not look like starving runway models

 

[Coral reefer]

I think it’s possible for them to get too fat, but that looks good to me

 

[Kensington Reefer]

a hungry fish is an angry fish!!

 

[Coral reefer]

a hungry fish is an angry fish!!

Just like me. Except the fish part

 

[derek_SR]

a hungry fish is an angry fish!!

I do wonder how much of tang's reputation for aggression simply comes from folks keeping them in too-small tanks and/or not feeding enough.

Maybe I got lucky with my tangs, but I just haven't had many problems with aggression (yet). I feed the crap out of them!

 

[Kensington Reefer]

I do wonder how much of tang's reputation for aggression simply comes from folks keeping them in too-small tanks and/or not feeding enough.

Maybe I got lucky with my tangs, but I just haven't had many problems with aggression (yet). I feed the crap out of them!

Agreed

 

[Coral reefer]

I think sometimes they can turn into assholes with maturity. I’ve seen it with a blue tang before. Was fine until it wasn’t

 

[derek_SR]

I think sometimes they can turn into assholes with maturity. I’ve seen it with a blue tang before. Was fine until it wasn’t

Always a negative nancy...tangs will turn on you, anemones will ruin your marriage, etc etc

I've heard this too, actually, so...knock on wood!

 

[BAYMAC]

I think sometimes they can turn into assholes with maturity. I’ve seen it with a blue tang before. Was fine until it wasn’t

I've seen the same thing. But there is always an exception to the rule, hopefully he's it

 

[Coral reefer]

Negative is my middle name. That a pessimist! I hope the best for you for sure.I do think having them all together from small size and feeding a lot gives you the best chances for sure.

 

[derek_SR]

I finally got around to putting doors on my sump, now that girl #2 is about to start walking.

Before:

After:

I used some cheap 80/20 brackets at the bottom and a magnet at the top, to avoid having to fuss with hinges. This also lets me pull the doors away completely for easy maintenance.

I plan to replace the bottom brackets with a nicer option, that will lower the doors an inch or so and help conceal this gap (and have less overhang at the DT up top):

 

[richiev]

I finally got around to putting doors on my sump, now that girl #2 is about to start walking.

Before:
View attachment 52836

After:
View attachment 52837

I used some cheap 80/20 brackets at the bottom and a magnet at the top, to avoid having to fuss with hinges. This also lets me pull the doors away completely for easy maintenance.
View attachment 52838

I plan to replace the bottom brackets with a nicer option, that will lower the doors an inch or so and help conceal this gap (and have less overhang at the DT up top):
View attachment 52839

That looks great! That's what I was hoping to do when I was planning to buy an extruded AL stand.

Now you've got my debating buying one for my office...

 

[derek_SR]

That looks great! That's what I was hoping to do when I was planning to buy an extruded AL stand.

Now you've got my debating buying one for my office...

Man extruded aluminum is great, I'm surprised more people don't use it for stands. If you go through like Tnutz or something it's surprisingly affordable. Even my stand which was sourced through a sort of design service (framingtech) was about 1/3 the price of what CDA charges for their steel stands!

It's also super modular. Building my hanging light rack now with stuff from tnutz and it's coming in under $75 for the framing, all of the hardware, spares, etc.

 

[richiev]

Man extruded aluminum is great, I'm surprised more people don't use it for stands. If you go through like Tnutz or something it's surprisingly affordable. Even my stand which was sourced through a sort of design service (framingtech) was about 1/3 the price of what CDA charges for their steel stands!

It's also super modular. Building my hanging light rack now with stuff from tnutz and it's coming in under $75 for the framing, all of the hardware, spares, etc.

I was planning on buying some to build a hanging light rack as well. The main thing holding me back originally was the cost of shipping.

However, I ended up finding a solution that for me felt even better. I put a couple small, low-profile, anchors into the ceiling and then hung the lights with fishing line. While it took a bit of fussing to get them level, and to make sure the cord wasn't pulling it crooked, from a distance it looks like the lights are floating and up close looks nice. I can grab a pic if you (or anyone) is interested.

 

[derek_SR]

I was planning on buying some to build a hanging light rack as well. The main thing holding me back originally was the cost of shipping.

However, I ended up finding a solution that for me felt even better. I put a couple small, low-profile, anchors into the ceiling and then hung the lights with fishing line. While it took a bit of fussing to get them level, and to make sure the cord wasn't pulling it crooked, from a distance it looks like the lights are floating and up close looks nice. I can grab a pic if you (or anyone) is interested.

I would prefer to hang the lights directly too, actually - but in my case with 6 lights it's just too much fuss to get them all level (and a lot of very precise drilling into the ceiling). I also wanted a way to raise the lights up and out of the way for when I have to dig around in the tank or want to take pictures or whatever, and this will be much easier with a rack.

 

[Coral reefer]

Wish motorized canopies/light rails were more common/affordable. Seems so handy

 

[richiev]

I was also considering DIYing a raise'able, motorized, light setup. Should actually be very easy to do if you have a way to put it in the ceiling (or attic) above. Would need some stepper motors, controllers, and then some sort of reel attachment.

If you don't have the space though it'd be difficult, or at least would require designing an enclosure.

Fun project idea though.