tas5tas' 237g Total System Build (1 Viewer)

[tas5tas]

Very good selection...

I love the green cap with purple rim. Could you put me on the list for a frag when it's time for it to be fragged.

Will do....I actually have a piece that broke off when I first got it that's about 2"x1".....it's right next to the big piece in the picture above.

 

[tas5tas]

I received my 2nd Vortech today(replacement) and all I can say is WOW!! Having two of them running is awesome!! The random, massive, chaotic flow is very impressive. I have the two of them running in short pulse mode 100% and anti-synched. I have them set to where they don't produce a wave, but do produce nice short bursts of flow that have my SPS polyps swaying back and forth. I may end up switching to reefcrest, but for now I'll see how the corals respond with this flow pattern. I can't wait to get another 2 Vortechs to place toward the bottom on each side behind my rock structure.

 

[flipside]

Green Star Polyps

Looks kind of like a GSP-Igloo.

Great shots, man!

 

[tas5tas]

Thanks

 

[tas5tas]

Update......I accidentally broke my blue mili frag into 3 pieces while cleaning the back glass today. I know have a 2" piece with 2 branches, a 1" piece, and a 1/2" piece. As a result, I moved all rockwork a little towards the fron of the tank to allow for easier cleaning of the back glass. Polyps are already back out on all pieces and everything looks good as of now. I pulled the entire column that they are mounted to out of the water and used super glue gel to re-attach.

 

[tas5tas]

The corals must really like the T5 lighting because growth has absolutely exploded over the last week. The corals continue to color morph as well....my ORA Tri-Color Valida is starting to look really awesome. It's a real faint peach color with purple tips and green polyps. I will post a 6 month updated Full Tank Shot next Wednesday on the 22nd when the tank is officially 6 months old. I was looking at pics this morning from the first day it had water and WOW...what a transformation my tank has made in a short 6 months. I can't wait to see it this time next year.

 

[kisha]

Hi Tas!!!!

good job buddy! Its really coming a long nicely!! Youve done a great job!! Thats some nice stuff you got too! Keep the pics coming!

Tell the wife I said hello!

Kisha~

 

[hank]

Looks good, nice pieces.

The rose mille might need a little lower light or temp so it'll color back up though. I've fought mine a few times.

 

[tas5tas]

Thanks Hank. I think the Rose Mili is still stressed from being fragged. It was fresh cut and I've only had it about a month. It is starting to encrust now though, so I expect good things in the near future. I'll have to wait and see though....I'm leaving for a week for vacation.

 

[hank]

Thanks Hank. I think the Rose Mili is still stressed from being fragged. It was fresh cut and I've only had it about a month. It is starting to encrust now though, so I expect good things in the near future. I'll have to wait and see though....I'm leaving for a week for vacation.

Good luck, vacations from the tank are always tough. Mine grew lots even while bleached out, and the color can certainly come back though the millies seem to take a lot longer than others IME.

 

[tas5tas]

It already looks twice as good now as it did when the pics were taken. The coralites ae a bright hot flourecent pink. When I get back from vacation I'll also be setting up my frag tank on the end of the stand. Gonna get the local glass company to cut everything for me and I'll just piece it together. Gonna have a 2x24" T5 setup on it with one ATI Aquablue Special and one ATI Blue Plus. Corals should thrive since it will be plumbed into the same system and also have same exact lighting.

 

[fishcraze]

your tk is looking good!

 

[tas5tas]

your tk is looking good!

Thanks Q!! I take that as a real compliment coming from a former TOTM winner.

 

[tas5tas]

Picked up some nice cherry pieces while gone on vacation!!! Picked up a softball size colony of ORA Bird of Paradise Birdsnest, some Green Stardust Purple People Eater Zoas, some Tubs Blue Zoas, and some Solar Zoas. I also picked up a nice 6" Male Blonde Naso Tang. Will be calling tomorrow to get some prices on glass so I can start building my frag tank. Tank is doing great, but I'm relieved to be home so I could see it with my own eyes. Will try to get the new pics up when I get a chance....the next couple of days will be busy trying to get back into my daily routine.

 

[flipside]

Sounds great, dude! As usual, looking forward to pics!

 

[tas5tas]

I bought a few new fish today for my tank as Chris Brightwell recommended because of my tank being nutrient starved. I bought a small Ocellaris Clown to mate up with my large female and I also bought a pair of Black and White Ocellaris Clowns. They are still acclimating in a bucket since my LFS had their tanks @ 1.012sg. I keep my tank at 1.026sg, so it's going to take a while to acclimate these fish. Will have to wait and see how my bully 6-line Wrasse reacts to them being in the tank.

 

[tas5tas]

I bought some more fish today for my tank. Hopefully my bioload is going to help my colored sticks grow a little faster. I added 3 large Green Chromis, 6 medium Green Chromis, and 2 Bangaii Cardinalfish. Here is an updated fish list for my tank........


10-Green Chromis
2-Ocellaris Clowns
2- Black and White Ocellaris Clowns
1-Sixline Wrasse
3-Bangaii Cardinalfish
1-Yellow Tang
1-Male Blonde Naso Tang
1-Blue Hippo Tang
1-Yellow Eye Kole Tang


I still want to add about 7-8(1 male and 6-7 females) Lyretail Anthias, but I won't do that until I can get my sixline wrasse out of the tank.

 

[tas5tas]

Update..........

Growth is still somewhat slow, but is becoming more noticable over the last 4-6 weeks. I'm hoping to invest in a par meter soon to check exactly how much light my corals are receiving. Ever since switching to T5's, I can't seem to get a straight answer on how far up the fixture should be or high far under the fixture people are keeping their acros and other SPS. Colors are great though!! I do feel as though the extra fish and increased feeding are helping not only my colors, but growth as well. The Microbacter 7 from Brightwell Aquatics that I started using a month ago is working awesome at keeping the tank crystal clear. Not sure if the dosing of Lugol's or Strontium is actually helping with anything or not. I added in my 2- Modded K4's today and I'm using them with the flow directors so they'll act like Tunze's. I now have approximately 13000gph turnover in my display. That's around 105x/hour turnover. All of the corals are happy, beleive it or not and polyp extension is fine too. I shouldn't have any accumulation of detritus anywhere now. Here are my current water parameters as of today........

SG- 1.026
Temp- 79
pH- 8.08-8.23
Ca- 460
Alk- 9.5dkh
Mg- 1400
No3- 0ppm
Po4- 0ppm


Current bulb layout........

Front
ATI Blueplus
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Blueplus
ATI Blueplus
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Blueplus

 

[tas5tas]

Finally finished the new lighting rack and installed the new lighting today. I now have a total of 8- 80w T5's and 2- 140w VHO Actinics. I will try to get some pictures tomorrow if I'm not too busy. Here is the new bulb layout..........


FRONT
ATI Blueplus
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Pro Color
ATI Blueplus
GE 6500k
ATI Blueplus
ATI Aquablue Special
ATI Blueplus
UVL Super Actinic R
UVL Super Actinic R

The thing that I like the most is that with my dusk/dawn lights and my midday lights on, my tank looks exactly like a tank with 400w Radiums. The two Aquablue Special and GE6500 k are only going to be on for 4 hours/day for now and that's to help with growth.

 

[hoffy02]

Any updated pictures?