Reefer_Madness

Tractor Supply Co has a bunch. They have VA and MD locations. The more redneck the location, the more tank choices you have in store.

How is that going to work? Like our WAMAS raffles? Each prize has separate buckets? I hope not. I know they are raffling off a bunch of left over equipment at the end. How would that be raffled? I'm in it to win it, so I need to know the big picture!! hahaha. :clap: Anybody have a good handle on how this will work? Ben

The growth near the bottom is fat too. I haven't changed my lighting really. The tips are even fat. The only change I have made is dosing Acropower. I started about 2 months ago.

It looks like healthy fat. Like the kind I get when I eat hamburgers.....haha

That is a 6"x6" colony. A couple of months ago it looked normal with delicate branches. Now it plumped up and watches TV all day.

I think it is trying to build an island... All the branches just keep getting more and more plump. It's like someone is pumping air into it. It's so strange. It's growing out too, but gaining girth faster.

Here is a pic of my fat Hawkins colony. iPhone pic so color is off.

No need to go to the Fiji raffle draw. I don't think anyone should go!!! I'll just go to represent Wamas on your behalf!! [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] And go to Fiji on everyone's behalf.

It would be pretty cool if a Wamas member won it. Like me!![emoji23][emoji23][emoji23]

Beautiful tank!!

I like the responses. It's basically what I have found talking to people over the years. I've never been the guy that has been able to get close to "zero", but I have had great colors. I always thought I could do better and strived for zero. Well, recently my tank has been getting close to zero. All of my corals look happy, but the colors just aren't as bright. They are growing and have great PE, better than when I the high nutrients. Now that I have seen the grass on both sides of the fence, I am going to gradually increase my nutrients a little and find my sweet spot. A lot of what I am finding is different than people's advice. "I've always had success with..." seems to be a pretty common thought process. It doesn't mean it is the only way. Example - My Zoas and Palys are multiplying like rabbits. I have probably 30 different high end types. They seem to like my clean tank, so the dirty tank "rule" is not a rule it is just an example of a success.

Great info. That and the info above actually addressed exactly what I was asking about. Thanks!!

I bought some raffle tickets. Where do we pick them up at?

Heck yeah!

Why do a WC with water that is 490/13/1440 when I want my tank to be 450/8/1400? Its all about mathematics. If you are performing water changes with a super high Alk every two weeks, then your daily dosing is less than what the corals are depleting. That means a swing in levels. This all came to light when I did a larger than usual WC and checked my parameters to make sure everything was OK. I had a big jump in Alk and Ca. I don't want that. I had to turn off my dosers until everything went back down which means additional tests and messing with my system. I strive for a self-automated system that is on cruise control. I test stuff regularly to confirm and may fine tune, but I don't want jumps in my readings. I am going to switch over to a salt that matches my water. I think I will either try Migg's solution (DDH2Ocean) or SpideyFish's mix (hw-Marinemix Reefer). Both of those are really close.

Anybody else?

So I am trying to understand something and need some opinions. I currently use Reef Crystals for biweekly water changes. My goals for Calcium/Alk/Mag are 450/8/1400. I dose in order to achieve these goals and keep them stable. I notice that my Alk has big swings, so I did some research on what the Reef Crystals has in it. Below are my findings for all salt mixes. Now my question is: If I want to keep my parameters stable, I should use a salt that matches my parameters, correct? That makes since to me. Copy the parameters of the water that is being replaced. Why in the heck are some of these salt mixes so all over the place? I assume it is because some people do not dose, so they get all of their elements from the WC?

So true.

Thank you for the Magic Lube...

That's cheap for what they do. They basically count molecules in your water!!!

I can verify Josh is truly heartless!!!! [emoji23][emoji23][emoji23][emoji23] Josh has a big virtual heart. He's a good man.

Could be the roids bulking them up!

It is not something an outsider would notice. I notice because I stare at my corals very often. [emoji23]

That would make sense, but not the case in my tank. The corals that are gaining weight aren't near power heads.