Dawn On The Reef

[ben1987]

any chance of a FTS to see how its all growing?

 

[SkiFletch]

if i ever set up a marine tank...i know exactly whos message inbox i will be bothering!!! looks amazing!!

And it comes full circle doesn't it BigC?

 

[xxBarneyxx]

if i ever set up a marine tank...i know exactly whos message inbox i will be bothering!!! looks amazing!!

And it comes full circle doesn't it BigC?

LOL yeah big C we want updates, more photos, come on

 

[BigC]

And it comes full circle doesn't it BigC?

Yeah Ski certainly looks that way doesn't it. Once I was a fresh kid on the block asking ever sooo many questions and now folks are approaching me. God I bet Ski and steelhealr were fed up to the back teeth with me especially when they saw the name BigC in their inbox every day for months on end. I can catagorically say that if it wasn't for those guy's patience & mentoring me through the saltwater maze I probably would have given up. It is thanks to those sort of people that give up their time and expertise that I have a little better understanding of the big marine picture.
I cant thank the folks enough on here for the advice and trouble they took to get this tank where its at today. It was with their help, it is like it is.
Above all I'm still a novice and should be treated as such.

any chance of a FTS to see how its all growing?
LOL yeah big C we want updates, more photos, come on

Bloomin Heck! you guys are insatiable.
I will try and get some more up over the weekend.

I'm looking to move or remove most of the brown polyps on the left hand side. I'm looking to you guys for help with a substitute. I have a couple of candidates in mind
possibly a small Kenya tree or some similar bush type coral....any suggestions, below is the pic to show you what I'm on about. (its not a latest pic as I moved a few things slightly) but you get the general idea. Basically I'm looking to redo that whole area and need some suggestions from you guys..So come on, wadda ya think.

Regards
BigC

 

[ben1987]

i reckon something blue or red you seem to have every other colour covered!

 

[Trod]

Don't know if this is any help BigC but this is my colt coral, still not really sure exactly which one
it has been a pain in the bum, I have put it top, middle and bottom, low, moderate and strong flow and it just wouldn't come out. I now out of frustration have it in the middle with a moderate flow slightly sheltered by LR and at last its come out. I think it looks quite good something similar might look good there

 

[seffieuk]

That is looking really good now sis and can see your little yellow assessor in the background

What you got in mind BigC, something encrusting or taller? What about a Dendronephthya- carnation tree coral in red or orange?

Seffie x

 

[seffieuk]

Just seen this BigC

http/www.reefworks.co.uk/default.asp?sec...mp;subpage=1303



Looks lovely and the one they have is blue

Seffie x

 

[BigC]

Yeah I kinda like that somewhat but I'll have to do a little more research on the species. It's alright them boys saying how to care for it under ideal conditions but I like to have a certain level of tolerance (plus and minus) when I buy corals, LOL something that doesn't need constant tinkering with. (easier corals if you like)
I had a colt type coral frag exactly like Trod's but it gave me nothing but hassle and would never stand upright (always looked sad and droopy) Maybe a larger colony of such with stronger base stems might be the answer.

Dendronephthya...... LOL LOL Seffie you've opened the book... havent you

Interesting suggestions though, keep recommending I'm open to all input at this stage
Regards
BigC

 

[seffieuk]

Dendronephthya...... LOL LOL Seffie you've opened the book... havent you

How DID you guess...........

Seffie x

 

[SkiFletch]

Hummmm, might I suggest a prism favia?

 

[BigC]

Hummmm, might I suggest a prism favia

?
Off to check that one out Ski
Regards
BigC

 

[ben1987]

Hey BigC got a question for you or a few...

Noticed in another thread you dais you nitrates are 2.5 howd o you keep them that low? Mine are normally way above that come the end of the week?

What you got in your sump?

and last of all...do you add anything to the water to keep those corals so nice?

cheers ben

 

[BigC]

Hi Ben,
First up the water from the main tank overflows into a pre filter chamber in the sump. the pipe goes almost to the bottom of this chamber (25mm short) and the water has to seep upward through bioballs, a juwel course filterpad, a bag of rowaphos and a filter pad before overflowing this chamber and into the sump proper. In the first chamber of the two chamber sump I have my small Nano Skimmer and Cheato Algae. This in turn flows into the second chamber where I keep a few pieces of liverock, a few frags and some astrea snails. The return pump is outside the sump so the water is syphoned from compartment two toward the pump and back up into the aquarium proper. Make sence, if not see pic below.

Note That is an old pic, the skimmer is in the first compartment, but this lets you see the setup better. On top of the blue sponge is a bag of Rowaphos and a filter pad to stop the small Fe fines from entering the sump from the Rowaphos. I change the Rowaphos on a monthly basis, I change the top filter pad weekly. I've rinsed the blue pad twice in the last year.

I perform a waterchange once maybe twice weekly of 12 litres at any one time. This along with not overfeeding and one starvation day each week seems to work for me in keeping Nitrates down.

For the corals I spot feed the Duncans and the Blasto with frozen Krill. Brineshrimp, Mysis and Bloodworm. I hatch Brineshrimp on a daily basis and feed the tank with this (fish and corals) Scooter blenny loves this. Lastly I also give a dose of DT's Live Phyotoplankton twice a week.

Hopes this helps
Regards
BigC

 

[ben1987]

yes it does, thansk a lot. Neater than my sump