Progression of an SPS Tank

[Reef Pilot]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

So Dez has inspired me with his pics, and I'm going to do some serious thinning of the right side tower.
If anyone in Vic sees anything they like on that side, let me know via PM.

After looking at your current FTS again, I like how your right side looks. That greater density provides some nice contrast and diversity to the rest of the tank. In fact, I would have a hard time wanting to change anything. It is what I would want my tank to look like some day.

So, you might get a little warfare,... but as long as it is hidden and no big casualties, who cares.

[Cujo#31]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

But once you get there, then what? Now I have a tangled mess of corals that are starting to kill the lower areas. I have one large dead colony underneath that whole right side that I can't even get to.

So this weekend I'm going to thin it out and rework some of the coral placement. I even found colonies I didn't know I had while looking down from the top rear!! It's time to clean up

That is the beauty of it all. Almost like leggo. Build it, play with it fro a while, take it apart, re build it. Once u have all the pieces (and it sure looks like u do) then it is alot easier and more fun.

[Aquattro]

The rest of the tank has been "reworked" earlier, so that's why the right side looks more dense, it's never been touched. But I've lost a couple pieces in the mess, one milli is completely dead on the bottom half, the large cap is dying, and up close, it's just too tightly packed.
I think that while it will look like crap after thinning, in a year it will be even nicer than it is now, while giving room to the remaining colonies to grow properly.
I'll post some pics of the growth as I dismantle it, I have a couple stags in there that are growing like bunches of asparagus -lol

[Reef Pilot]

Originally Posted by Aquattro

But I've lost a couple pieces in the mess, one milli is completely dead on the bottom half, the large cap is dying, and up close, it's just too tightly packed.

Yeah, can't see that from the pic. Still looks good to me as is. If anything, I might fill in some parts at the bottom with low light bright coloured corals (like maybe some cyphastreas).

[Myka]

Nice Brad, I've enjoyed watching your lighting soap opera. It sure looks a lot different than when I saw it in...2010??

[Dez]

I'm kind of with Brad on this one . Short term "loss" long term gain. Think about it, is there ever going to be a chance for all 100 or so of those corals to grow to bigger colonies in that tank? No. Although it might be at it's "sweet spot" now, it will just keep getting worse. The top half of the tank will continue getting more gorgeous, especially from the top down, but everything underneath suffers. The top corals form an umbrella over the rest of the tank. The sides of the corals will start to lose colour due to less light, the growth pattern will change drastically due to reduced flow because of the large corals blocking it. The sweet spot in my tank was in 2010-early 2011, then the crazy growth cause the umbrella effect I was talking about. I removed a dozen colonies that had to be broken in order to even fit into 5 gallon pails. It didn't look as great at first, but I think my tank is reaching another "sweet spot". Half the fun for me is watching the corals grow. If your tank stays in it's glory forever, you as the owner will be completely bored of it. I was super bored of my tank in 2011 and it was almost more work pruning almost on a daily basis to keep the coral warfare down. I guess my vision for the next couple of years is to see how big I can get my colonies? I went from almost 100 sps species now to about 20. I'm imagining maybe 5 colonies down the road? Brad's got 3 options. 1. Let it do it's thing. Results, more corals dying and suffocating at the bottom. Tank will look top heavy, lower half will lose colour. 2. Keep prying on a regular basis. Results - annoying, he has trouble getting rid of frags in Vic, it won't look as natural. 3. Clean up and remove colonies. Results - will look "bare" at first, might regret a little, but corals will be healthier due to more room to grow, more light and more flow cause the flow isn't blocked by other corals. Long term results will def look more natural.

I used to ogle at the "fruit stand" type reefs. But you can essentially "buy" your way into one by purchasing as many colonies as you can and arranging them. But you can never buy 18" colonies or 14" clams.

Sorry for the rant. In short Brad - DO IT UP and I look forward to the 2015 update!!!!

[Dez]

Option 4. Sell everything and start over. . That's half the fun! Haha

[lastlight]

Your tank has never looked better (and it looks incredible). I'd hate to have to tear a bunch of that sexy out of there but you surely need to. You've got even more room in there than Dez to grow out a few monstrous colonies.

[Aquattro]

Originally Posted by Dez

Option 4. Sell everything and start over. . That's half the fun! Haha

Not an option in Vic unfortunately, so I'll go with option 3. I think I have enough people lined up to take most of what I'm removing. Although I may get carried away and who knows what will happen -lol

Ya, it will look like ****e for a few months, but options 1 and 2 both end poorly. So this will hopefully give me an even nicer 2015 tank.

[Proteus]

Need a rebuild thread