Orion's Deep Blue 57 Gallon Rimless

[YHSublime]

You know you want to come over to the dark side. You could sell those G3s, buy an ATI Sunpower, and supplement your T5s with Reefbrites/LEDs.

 

It's disgusting how much easier it would be that way. WWC is another recent inspiration. I refuse to be a lighting flip-flopper. I believe in Rob's theory of: "It's light, it grows things." I do believe, that if I keep making changes, I'll never stop. I think I'll start with 2 DIY T5 fixtures, and work from there.

[Orion]

Photons are photons. Rob is 100% correct, I just like this look better!

[Orion]

Experimenting with bulbs and taking photos. I put a Aquablue Special on which is a very white bulb and a Coral Plus which has a mix of Blue, red, and green.

 

 

 

 

This Pink Orchid Acro was almost completely bleached out a couple of weeks ago. It has started to turn pink again after moving it to a lower spot.

 

 

This guy has built himself quite a mansion under the rock on the left side of the tank. There is a huge mound of sand under the rocks. He keeps taking sand from other areas in the tank, and building up the den. I wonder how extensive his den is now.

 

 

Magnesium back up to 1400

Alk 8.4

Calcium 450

PO4 0.00

NO3 undetectable

 

Feeding 1-2 times a day. Mix of frozen and new life spectrum pellets.

 

I now have no window screen over the top of the tank as the corals have acclimated well to the T5s. Light fixture is still very high up at 10" above the water line. I may start to move it a little lower in a month or so.

[Orion]

Bought a Hi Fin Red Banded Goby at a LFS the other day, and put it in QT. Has yet to eat, but I think it's just getting comfortable. Will wait until it starts eating well before I put it through a therapeutic cupramine treatment.

http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+31+181&pcatid=181

This fish should pair up with a candy stripe pistol that's somewhere in the tank.

 

Nothing else really to report. Corals growing at a good rate now, and I have officially started dosing Magnesium once a week. Will take some new pictures in a few days.

 

Oh and I have bubble algae spreading around. I thought I got rid of that with the new rock/tank but it keeps following me. Not sure if I should grab some emerald crabs or just leave it be.

[YHSublime]

I left it be, and it spread! It was maddening. I have 3 emeralds in my sump, I pull them out as needed. I nearly broke down my tank at one stage it was so bad.

[Flieger]

I agree. On my old 120 I had a little bit and then it suddenly turned into a lot. Get them gone when you only have to deal with a few of them.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Orion]

I think I need some crabs.....

Said no one ever outside of reefing.

Isaac - where did you get your crabs? I have one in the tank now but it's lazy and won't eat BA.

[YHSublime]

I think I need some crabs.....

Said no one ever outside of reefing.

Isaac - where did you get your crabs? I have one in the tank now but it's lazy and won't eat BA.

Soooo true. I got mine from IC, but if you're at the meeting coming up, I can bring you one.

[Orion]

Soooo true. I got mine from IC, but if you're at the meeting coming up, I can bring you one.

 

 

The meeting in July?  Unfortunately I won't be able to make it this one.

[Orion]

6 month picture time

 

January 2014 FTS

 

 

June 2014 FTS

 

 

A lot has changed in the first 6 months, including the lighting (LED to T5s).  My plan is to have the next 6 months be a lot more stable.  No big equipment changes, or changing the lights around.  I will continue to add coral as I go along, and continue to QT any fish before adding them to the display.

 

Some more random shots playing around with bulbs for photos -

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reefcleaners order on the way to replenish the snail population, and I also have two emerald crabs with the order as well.  Isaac- I appreciate your offer for your crabs (Yeah, that doesn't sound good), but I don't think the timing will work out.  

[YHSublime]

Looking really good. Awesome growth, despite all the changes! I love the way the rock just completely colors up from that stark white. I also like the location of the frogspawn in that little cave area, it looks like it will fill in nicely there!

 

No worries on the offer, i hope they eat the bubbles for you like mine did!

[Orion]

Looking really good. Awesome growth, despite all the changes! I love the way the rock just completely colors up from that stark white. I also like the location of the frogspawn in that little cave area, it looks like it will fill in nicely there!

 

No worries on the offer, i hope they eat the bubbles for you like mine did!

 

Yeah I can't believe the growth of the corals that are still in there from 6 months ago.  You can't tell when you see the tank everyday, but taking these photos really helps out a lot.

[Orion]

PAR meter readings! Bulbs are a couple months old. Tank dimensions are 36 x 18 x 21"

 

[Orion]

After 35 days in QT I finally let this guy in the DT. (LiveAquaria pic)

 

Hi Fin Red Banded Goby.

 

Now maybe the candy stripe pistol shrimp will stop going into the overflow.

[YHSublime]

That's a nice looking goby!

[monkiboy]

i just found this thread. shame on me. good work sir and thanks for sharing. i'm following now

[Orion]

Deleted.

Edited July 4, 2014 by Orion

[Orion]

I haven't updated this in over a month now, but here is what has been happening -

 

Bubble algae.

Growing and spreading throughout the rock work. Emerald crabs aren't eating it, and I can't reach in the areas were most of it is growing. Looking at possibly getting a small one spot foxface to fix the problem.

 

SPS fading and losing some color.

I think I have a handle on this now as the PO4 in my tank has been testing at extremely low levels. NO3 has also been non-existent. So I chalked it up to low nutrients, stopped using GFO, and I have been feeding more. The fading has stopped, and some color has started to return.

 

Zoas!

I am on a zoa kick at the moment. Started adding Zoas to the left side of the tank to create a garden.

 

Pics soon.

[Orion]

A few photos

 

The start of a zoa garden

 

 

 

Tank shots

 

 

 

Acans (These look really good under Blue Plus and Actinics!)

 

 

ORA Red Planet.  Has some green in the middle that you can't see here.

 

[YHSublime]

Looks great! Loving the T5's!

[Orion]

New fish added last night from Marco/ERC

 

Pair of Pylei Wrasses - Gorgeous fish!!!

1 Blue/Green Chromis

1 Carberyyi Anthias

 

I was torn if I should get a Burgess Butterfly or not, but they are not 100% reef safe so I decided to get the Pylei Wrasses instead.  These fish will certainly add some color to the tank.  I acclimated them last night with the lights off in a dim room, and can't wait to see them once the lights come on later today.  

 

Pics in a couple of days once they all settle in.

[YHSublime]

I'm glad to see you doing the 57 the right way! Did you end up with a lid?

[Orion]

I'm glad to see you doing the 57 the right way! Did you end up with a lid?

I have a DIY screen top with clear BRS netting. Has worked well so far!

 

I took a video and sent it to Marco. All fish are out, eating and active. Nice feeling having a tank with fish that were all quarantined. Come to think of it all my fish except for two of them are from Marco.

[YHSublime]

It's a nice feeling being able to just put fish in your tank worry free!

[Orion]

I'm glad to see you doing the 57 the right way! Did you end up with a lid?

I have a DIY screen top with clear BRS netting. Has worked well so far!

 

I took a video and sent it to Marco. All fish are out, eating and active. Nice feeling having a tank with fish that were all quarantined. Come to think of it all my fish except for two of them are from Marco.