LoJack's 144 Gallon Reef

[kien]

Everything is looking great! Sometimes less really is more :-)

[LoJack]

Originally Posted by thmh

Very cool progression shots!

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk 4

Thanks! I always like seeing them in others threads so I like to try and keep some photos every few months to show progress

Originally Posted by kien

Everything is looking great! Sometimes less really is more :-)

Thanks Kien

[LoJack]

Originally Posted by input80

Yes please, what type & colour of paint please ? Very nice work overall. Also, how do you get the rocks to stay like that ?

I used fiberglass rods and drilled holes in the rock to keep them in place like that.

I used driveway markers and cut them to length with a small handsaw as I was aquascaping.

[Doug]

Originally Posted by LoJack

I used fiberglass rods and drilled holes in the rock to keep them in place like that.

I used driveway markers and cut them to length with a small handsaw as I was aquascaping.

OH kool. Thats what I will do. Thanks

[LoJack]

Originally Posted by Doug

OH kool. Thats what I will do. Thanks

Yeah a nice cheap option for sure. I think they were like $5 each at canadian tire, and you could get them in 4 or 8 foot lengths.

[asylumdown]

You've had some fantastic growth! I've got a pink digi just like yours and it's also surprisingly slow growing compared to my other digis. And I think that one whose polyps turned neon green is probably a purple bonsai. Such stunning corals when they grow out.

That one that's turning red, does it have any green in it? Red planets have a really electric green base depending on the light.


Anyway I'm med jelly over your rock structure. I'm about 3 inches away from ripping apart my rocks cape to make it look more like yours!

[LoJack]

Yes, very green base. and right now its twice as red/pink as in my last photo. I need to try and get a current photo of it thats half decent.

I have a photo from a couple weeks ago … I just can't get a good shot. Its too far back from the glass.



If you look close you can see the green tint to the base … especially where it is encrusting … its almost neon.

I just wish I could get a good shot of it that shows the detail. The polyp growth is now starting to resemble the other Red Planets that I've seen photos of

[LoJack]

Originally Posted by asylumdown

You've had some fantastic growth!


Anyway I'm med jelly over your rock structure. I'm about 3 inches away from ripping apart my rocks cape to make it look more like yours!

The growth I'm quite happy with … however you wouldn't suspect good growth with where I keep my levels.

I just tested again tonight, because I'm trying to slowly raise them

Alk - 7.7 dKh
Cal - 410
Mag - 1400

I added approx 300 ml of calcium chloride solution manually to jump my calcium up about 20 ppm … and then added approx 30 minutes to both doser's over the course of 24 hours.

Should equate to an extra 35ml each of Alk and Cal. I keep testing daily until I see the number plateau.

My target params are Calcium of 440 and Alk of about 8.5 and then stabilize them so that they never move. Seems to me you have less issues with Alk related problems when you keep your Alk on the lower side of the acceptable range.

EDIT: And thanks about the aquascape … It's quite the compliment, I really like it as well. But like Doug pointed out in a different thread about aquascaping … this is more for aesthetics and less for practicality. Not a lot of caves for fish. They make do, but I'm sure they'd be happier with more protection at night.

[asylumdown]

Originally Posted by LoJack

Yes, very green base. and right now its twice as red/pink as in my last photo. I need to try and get a current photo of it thats half decent.

I have a photo from a couple weeks ago … I just can't get a good shot. Its too far back from the glass.



If you look close you can see the green tint to the base … especially where it is encrusting … its almost neon.

I just wish I could get a good shot of it that shows the detail. The polyp growth is now starting to resemble the other Red Planets that I've seen photos of

You know I actually have this exact coral in my tank. It's not exactly "red planet", but it's just as nice IMO. This is it from October:


You'll find it has less of a tabling habit as it gets larger, more of a traditional acro pin cushion look, but it's definitely one of my favourite pieces. Relatively fast grower as well. Mine has kept that beautiful deep red colour with whitish tips to on the actively growing branches, but the neon green has diminished pretty dramatically as it's gotten larger. My red planet in comparison is almost pink.

[LoJack]

Originally Posted by asylumdown

You know I actually have this exact coral in my tank. It's not exactly "red planet", but it's just as nice IMO.

Its kind of funny … I started thinking when the color started changing that it might not be ORA's strain.

I found an article stating that Acropora Hyacinthus is the coral that is often confused with Red Planet, and that if you receive a Red Planet frag, and don't receive it from ORA directly, or someone who can tell you thats where it's from that this Hyacinthus is often what it is.

Its still pink, has white tips, tabling growth … and is very similar in colour and appearance to Red Planet … but isn't the same species.

Here is a pic of A. Hyacinthus