Myka's 69 SPS Tank 2015

[Myka]

The Aussie Acro I picked up from Canada Corals 3 1/2 weeks ago is starting to color up in the last week. I think it is Acropora microclados, but I'm not sure. I think it's going to color up to be a Strawberry Shortcake type with blue tips. The tips are baby blue right now, but my picture doesn't really show it.

[xenon]

Originally Posted by Myka

The Aussie Acro I picked up from Canada Corals 3 1/2 weeks ago is starting to color up in the last week. I think it is Acropora microclados, but I'm not sure. I think it's going to color up to be a Strawberry Shortcake type with blue tips. The tips are baby blue right now, but my picture doesn't really show it.

It's looking AMAZING!

I am going to order more of it from that supplier.

[kien]

I want one!

[Myka]

Originally Posted by kien

Looks like things are trucking along. That gsp is trippy!

It gets everyone. They're like, "Is that a gorgonian?" I'm like, "Yep." They're all, "What kind?" Me, "Special GSP kind." Them, "Woah, it's branching GSP?" Me, "Nope, it's special kind."

Originally Posted by xenon

It's looking AMAZING!

I am going to order more of it from that supplier.

I know, eh?! I knew I saw potential.

Originally Posted by kien

I want one!

I'll make frags someday, if not, maybe Dan will get his paws on more.

[Myka]

Well, 10 weeks after the mini-crash (ugh, it's been a long haul) I think I'm finally starting to enjoy the tank again. I've been adding some corals - 3 wild Aussie Acros (inc the one above), and a few maricultured mini-colonies. With a few bigger pieces interspersed it's starting to look nicer - you can actually see corals, not just rock! I just did this week's water change and glued down frags/mini-colonies that are doing well. I've had some trouble adding frags, but my mini-colonies are all doing really well. Everything is pale though as nutrients are nonexistent. I'm not doing anything to "fix" this other than feeding the fish 4-5x per day. I've seen a patch of green cyano near the anemone and diatoms are a bit more lush than I'd like, so I added a half dozen Ring Cowries a couple days ago. I still have a fair bit of Bubble Algae as my two Emerald Crabs who almost had it cleaned up perished during the mini-crash. I found a little haven of Aiptasia anemones in a nook that I nuked - hopefully they won't rear their ugly head again.

I tested alkalinity a couple days ago, and it was 6.85 dKH so I dosed up to 7.2 dKH, then another up to 7.6 dKH. That's the first time I've dosed alkalinity for 12 weeks! Finally, the growth is superceding my water changes again.

All I'm dosing these days is 3 drops per day Sponge Power which I've been doing for the last 3 weeks.

I'm almost done a bucket of H2Ocean, and I'm going to order up a bucket of Aquaforest Probiotic Reef Salt which I'm excited to try out.

I added a Gyre XF150 to the mix, and I've been able to run it on a quick pulse at 50% with some careful positioning. PE has improved significantly since this addition after a couple days of them getting used to it. I still have the two 6055 running full blast too. With the Gyre supposedly pushing 4200 gph at 100%, I guess I have it somewhere around 2000 gph? Plus 3000 gph from the two 6055. So, ramping 3000 to 5000 gph total? Or 45-75x turnover. Sounds nice to me.

I'll try to get some pics tonight when the lights are on full.

[Myka]

Here's some pics from tonight of new goodies.


Humilis from Coral Master




A maricultured piece. I haven't tried to ID it yet. The tips are actually very bright blue, but my white balance took it out.




This it a frag from a maricultured piece that I'm told looked like an SSC when it came in. I'm interested to see what happens. Everything in my tank is pale, but it's pink with blue tips.



This is a brand new maricultured piece. It has faded quite a bit in the few days I've had it. At the LFS it had lots of pink/salmon in the tips, orange corallites, and green base. I can't wait for it to color up - I think it could be a real stunner.



This is a wild Aussie Acro. I haven't ID'd it. I got half, and Scythanith got the other half - appears to be a tabler. Solid lime green for now - not too exciting.




Maricultured "Wolverine".



Another wild Aussie Acro - tenuis I believe. It arrived at the LFS very pale. I was pretty sure it would RTN on the first night, but it's hanging on. Scythanith has the other half of this one too. The blue that is on the tips is cobalt color, and the center of the corallites is lime green. Lots of polyp extension near the base, but not much at the tips.

[maron6977]

Looks good . Nice stuff !!!
Any full tank shots lately ?