I'm back!

[grizfyrfyter]

Picked up an 8 bulb ATI power module today. I'll hang it over the tank tonight.

Transfered the foxfax to new QT tank again.

API test isn't able to detect nitrates in the biocube anymore. Ordered a salifert nitrates kit.
No color on the salifert phosphates kit. I cut the refugium algae in half as soon as it gets too big to tumble, about once a week.

100g tank refugium is growing well. Im going to do a large water change soon. Nitrates are around 20 ppm with me throwing a cube of frozen mysis in there every couple days.

 

[grizfyrfyter]

And there is light

 

[grizfyrfyter]

Next on the equipment list is another gyre pump then a dosing pump. At some point I will get a tank controller, probably an Apex since it's what I'm the most familiar with, and eventually a calcium reactor.

 

[grizfyrfyter]

I am pretty happy with how the rocks came out. I definitely could have done better but this is going to do well for sps. Lots of flow between the rocks and lots of places for fish to hide.

 

[grizfyrfyter]

One of the bulbs is out on the fixture I got (I checked that it was a bad bulb, not a wiring issue) so it's currently only running on 6/8 bulbs.

Had to dig up a power supply for the fans, thankfully being an electronics hoarder comes in handy.... Sometimes.

 

[grizfyrfyter]

Salifert nitrate test is showing 0.5ppm nitrate.

I guess I need to feed more.

One of the gorgonians is slowly losing color and the cyphastra looks pissed.

The QT tank in the garage got over 80 today so I tossed the Foxface into the 100g display.

 

[grizfyrfyter]

Stopped at my LFS to pick up my order of clowns from ORA.

There was a lady waiting as a staff member was catching a puffer fish for her. I had to wait my turn so I watched. The lady was asking the staff member what was their cheapest saltwater crab or fish to feed her octopus.

"you're not putting that puffer fish in the same tank as your octopus, right?"

"I'm having second thoughts now, why?"

"They eat mollusks, and octopus is just a mollusk without a shell"

"oh. Nevermind about the fish"

 

[Kensington Reefer]

Stopped at my LFS to pick up my order of clowns from ORA.

There was a lady waiting as a staff member was catching a puffer fish for her. I had to wait my turn so I watched. The lady was asking the staff member what was their cheapest saltwater crab or fish to feed her octopus.

"you're not putting that puffer fish in the same tank as your octopus, right?"

"I'm having second thoughts now, why?"

"They eat mollusks, and octopus is just a mollusk without a shell"

"oh. Nevermind about the fish"

oh my!!
I don't miss having a store

 

[grizfyrfyter]

Spent a few min telling her how to gut load peppermint shrimp before she feeds them to the octopus.

She was asking about how to stabilize salinity, staff was suggesting a different salt... I explained what an ATO was, the store didn't even sell them.

 

[grizfyrfyter]

oh my!!
I don't miss having a store

The first thing I asked people when they bought fish was "what's in your tank?"

It's an easy step to make sure your customers don't make mistakes from their ignorance.

 

[grizfyrfyter]

My LFS sucks. They don't have any T5 bulbs. The only leds they sell are the garbage fluval lights.

They do have cheap dry goods, fish and food though. Got a pair of snowflake clowns for $80. Trochus snails for $4/ea.

The big tank is getting cloudy, the first bacterial bloom is under way.

I moved the Apex from the biocube to the big tank. Biocube still has the Inkbird controller so I will still get notified if temps get too high, I just loose pH monitoring. The biocube fan is on a smart outlet and on a schedule with manual control.

Big tank now has an evaporation fan on a schedule with manual control also. I need to get an energy bar for the Apex Classic. I want to get an ApexEL as well and move the Classic back to the biocube.

 

[rdriggett]

View attachment 36582View attachment 36583View attachment 36584View attachment 36585

I am pretty happy with how the rocks came out. I definitely could have done better but this is going to do well for sps. Lots of flow between the rocks and lots of places for fish to hide.

Your aquascape looks great!

 

[grizfyrfyter]

Your aquascape looks great!

Thanks.

 

[grizfyrfyter]

 

[grizfyrfyter]

Just ordered one of these for the biocube.

Full Spectrum 100w Smart Wifi App Dimmable Marine Led Coral Reef Aquarium Light For Saltwater Fish Tank - Buy Led Reef Light,Led Aquarium Light,Reef Aquarium Light Product on Alibaba.com

Full Spectrum 100w Smart Wifi App Dimmable Marine Led Coral Reef Aquarium Light For Saltwater Fish Tank - Buy Led Reef Light,Led Aquarium Light,Reef Aquarium Light Product on Alibaba.com

m.alibaba.com

I will no longer support companies that discontinue good products just to push new stuff that has less features with continuously increasing prices.

 

[rdriggett]

Just ordered one of these for the biocube.

Full Spectrum 100w Smart Wifi App Dimmable Marine Led Coral Reef Aquarium Light For Saltwater Fish Tank - Buy Led Reef Light,Led Aquarium Light,Reef Aquarium Light Product on Alibaba.com

Full Spectrum 100w Smart Wifi App Dimmable Marine Led Coral Reef Aquarium Light For Saltwater Fish Tank - Buy Led Reef Light,Led Aquarium Light,Reef Aquarium Light Product on Alibaba.com

m.alibaba.com

I will no longer support companies that discontinue good products just to push new stuff that has less features with continuously increasing prices.

I’m happy with my Jebao pumps and NooPsyche light. If you search for the right models, budget gear has come a long way.

 

[Kensington Reefer]

nice clowns.
glad to see they are "perfect" physical specimens.
I see far too many that have physical deformities: curled operculum, pinched head, wonky fins
love them, feed them

 

[grizfyrfyter]

nice clowns.
glad to see they are "perfect" physical specimens.
I see far too many that have physical deformities: curled operculum, pinched head, wonky fins
love them, feed them

What causes that?

 

[Kensington Reefer]

What causes that?

Poor nutrition, poor water quality, poor genetics is my belief
as well as the person that doesn’t know the difference between a “good fish” and a “bad fish”
but some would call the “long fins” a desirable trait
i don‘t

 

[grizfyrfyter]

I got these from ORA through my LFS