Dez' Tank Journal

Dez · #1 12-21-2009, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kien

wow that is fanastic growth! Looks like you've got her dialed in and pretty much on auto pilot now ? :-)

See, it is growth like this that makes we wonder about a statement I read a couple of months ago about how coral reefs only grow like 5 cm a year or something like that? Crazy talk I say! Those coral reefs need to go on Zeo .. or something

I've been slowly upping my calcium reactor to get 'er just right. I try not to touch the tank. I finally got around to taking some water to a friend's place to test the low range P04 and it is 0.02 so I'm quite pleased with that. Without zeo I don't think it'd be anywhere near that. So hopefully auto pilot now....just the weekly water changes and enjoy!

andestang · #2 12-21-2009, 05:43 PM

Looking terrific Dez, you still have the touch

. What did you decide on your lighting (KZ's)?

muck · #3 12-21-2009, 05:48 PM

Thats some great growth you have been getting Dez.
Love the neon acro and the new frag you just picked up looks very promising.

Dez · #4 12-21-2009, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by andestang

Looking terrific Dez, you still have the touch

. What did you decide on your lighting (KZ's)?

I'm still not sure about the lighting. I went to a friend's place to see what the fiji purples look like. I'll probably go to another friend's place to see what the VHO's look like. The Fiji purples look nice, but I didn't see them with actinics. Still trying to track down someone with a used 48" bulb that they want to give a away before I make my decision.

lobsterboy · #5 12-21-2009, 08:08 PM

Hey Des, your tank is looking wicked colors are really comig out as well as growth, great job !

Dez · #6 12-22-2009, 03:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lobsterboy

Hey Des, your tank is looking wicked colors are really comig out as well as growth, great job !

Thanks John,

Really like seeing corals colour up. It's so strange how one coral will be green in a friend's tank and turn yellow in your own. Or it might be brown in one's and pink in another.

Dez · #7 12-22-2009, 03:22 AM

Well,

Somewhat sad news. I have RED BUGS.

I sort of knew about a month and a half ago. I bought some frags off of a fellow canreefer and upon inspecting a frag, I saw the red bugs. I proceeded to do an Interceptor dip to a few of the smooth skinned acros even though I didn't see any bugs on them.

I thought I had caught it early enough. The one frag that I dipped and the bugs disappeared has changed tremendously without the red bugs bugging it. It used to be whitish baby blue, now it's a rich teal colour and there are no signs of bugs anymore. The polyp extension has increased substantially also.

However, I was enjoying my tank tonight and looked really closely at my large acro colony and saw a bug run accross it. Then I saw another

I saw 3 of them in total on that large colony. So I think they're just starting. Upon inspecting my other corals, it doesn't look like they are affected, but I'm going to do a full tank treatment anyway to be safe, once the lights are out. Then I'll do another in a week, and the final one another week later.

I know that many people dip their corals before it goes into the display. What do you guys dip them in. I'm more scared of acropora eating flatworms then red bugs.

I know that if you buy from some reputable suppliers like CORAL MASTER, it voids the warranty if you dip the corals.

What are your thoughts?

I've never dipped any corals in the years I've been in the hobby. I guess it's never too late to start. Any suggestions?

michika · #8 12-22-2009, 04:32 AM

I dip either with Tropic Marin's Pro Coral Cure, or ReVive (which smells like Mr. Clean). Usually I dip with ReVive initially, then let them sit in QT then later dip with TMPCC.