Bpb Posted May 12, 2017 Author Share Posted May 12, 2017 I'm still alive. Here are a few pics from todaySent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+BobcatReefer Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 Love that purple/green birdsnest! Looking good! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted May 13, 2017 Author Share Posted May 13, 2017 Brief rundown on tank and life. Life first. Two little ones is harder than I imagined. Parker is about to turn 4 months old and Ava is 2.5 years. They're an absolute handful. We have made monumental strides in her sleep training finally, and have applied our mistakes to him and he is sleeping really well too...that being said. With work and both of them I'm still only getting maybe 4 hours sleep a night. We don't have a room for Parker right now so he is still in our room unfortunately. We will be looking to buy our first home in the next year or so to accommodate the family growth. Otherwise everyone is all good. I reached a come to Jesus moment with the tank a couple months ago and wanted to just tear it down. Everything had been struggling so long I just couldn't get a grip. So I made some changes and it has turned a complete 180. I'm getting color and growth I've been yearning for for a long time. Nutrients are about fully under control. Tested two days ago. PO4 at 0.03 ppm and NO3 at 10 ppm. NO3 is a hair high still but coming down gradually. After investigating every form of carbon dosing heavily I decided to give vodka dosing a try. My criteria were it had to be super simple. Didn't want a bunch of equipment. The less the better. And cheap. So vodka was the clear winner. I've brought nitrate down to 10 ppm from 32+ ppm and PO4 down to 0.03 from 0.42. Aside from a couple lps that were struggling to begin with, everything is humming now. Acro remnants that had been dormant for a year or more are spreading again and have all sprouted new growth buds all over. Couldn't be happier. My chief complaint now is the same as last time I carbon dosed. It seems to cause aiptasia and discosoma shrooms to explode with growth. I have to constantly smother both in kalk paste but they seem to be popping up by the dozens. When I do my next tank, whenever that may be. It'll be done with all brand new dry rock, lots of bacterial additives, and only select corals will convey, And done with surgical precision to not bring any shrooms or aiptasia over. I just can't seem to get a handle on them. Otherwise everything is good. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+BobcatReefer Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 Is a Peppermint Shrimp not an option for the tank? $8 will get rid of that aiptasia right quick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted May 13, 2017 Author Share Posted May 13, 2017 My issue I take with peppermints is every single one I've had just destroys my lps. They just reach in and relentlessly rip their stomachs out of every single mouth to try and get to the food I feed. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted May 13, 2017 Author Share Posted May 13, 2017 I think I find myself as part of a rare group of people who actually have their tanks IMPROVE with the addition of a new baby. I've seen so many elite level reefers fall by the wayside, have tank crashes, or quit all together when they start having kids. Not this guy. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 I think I find myself as part of a rare group of people who actually have their tanks IMPROVE with the addition of a new baby. I've seen so many elite level reefers fall by the wayside, have tank crashes, or quit all together when they start having kids. Not this guy. Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkWho? What? I heard my name? [emoji23] Glad your tank is on the up and up my friend. Those pictures look great! Its great to see happy acros in your tank! [emoji106] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted May 13, 2017 Author Share Posted May 13, 2017 Thanks man! Been a long time coming Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+BobcatReefer Posted May 13, 2017 Share Posted May 13, 2017 1 hour ago, Bpb said: My issue I take with peppermints is every single one I've had just destroys my lps. They just reach in and relentlessly rip their stomachs out of every single mouth to try and get to the food I feed. Fair enough - I have had a peppermint that went Edward Scissorhands on a Torch, so I hear ya. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted May 29, 2017 Author Share Posted May 29, 2017 What a disaster. Woke up to a familiar sound. Air trapped in the return tube of the calcium reactor. Effluent line not running. I am not sure how to even troubleshoot this and with a full day of family stuff planned I have no idea what to do. I guess I'll throw some kalkwasser in my ato and guess wildly how much I'll need. This is the last thing in the world I needed to happen with the tank. This single hiccup is enough to make me want to go back to 2 part dosingSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 What a disaster. Woke up to a familiar sound. Air trapped in the return tube of the calcium reactor. Effluent line not running. I am not sure how to even troubleshoot this and with a full day of family stuff planned I have no idea what to do. I guess I'll throw some kalkwasser in my ato and guess wildly how much I'll need. This is the last thing in the world I needed to happen with the tank. This single hiccup is enough to make me want to go back to 2 part dosingSent from my iPhone using TapatalkIf you don't filter the water going into the CaRX, it could be the sponge under the media that is clogged. Otherwise, sounds like Ca buildup on the effluent line? Running a higher effluent rate prevents this from happening though you'll use more CO2... But CO2 is super cheap.Another thouthat is perhaps the feed pump got clogged if you're using one? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted May 29, 2017 Author Share Posted May 29, 2017 Fixed it quick. Let this be a reminder to you masterflex users. Maintain your roller tubing. Yikes. This one was toast. Even had a hole. Thanks for the reply ty. Big bubble purged immediately once I swapped the tubing Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted May 29, 2017 Share Posted May 29, 2017 Fixed it quick. Let this be a reminder to you masterflex users. Maintain your roller tubing. Yikes. This one was toast. Even had a hole. Thanks for the reply ty. Big bubble purged immediately once I swapped the tubing Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkOh, forgot you were running a peristaltic pump with it. Good find! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted May 29, 2017 Author Share Posted May 29, 2017 Jeez look at those fingertips. Someone needs to moisturizeSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted June 2, 2017 Author Share Posted June 2, 2017 Couple new sps pieces todaySent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted July 14, 2017 Author Share Posted July 14, 2017 This guy is doing better. Some new branching going on. So many requests for it I wish it would hurry up and grow more though so I can cut some off and not destroy the whole thingSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 What a beauty! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Manny Posted July 14, 2017 Share Posted July 14, 2017 Put me on your waiting list Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShawnM Posted July 16, 2017 Share Posted July 16, 2017 Put me on your waiting list Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkSame hereSent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 New toy came in the mail. Going to be a challenge getting this big guy to fit. Always fun finally acquiring a piece of gear you've been covering for years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 3 hours ago, Bpb said: New toy came in the mail. Going to be a challenge getting this big guy to fit. Always fun finally acquiring a piece of gear you've been covering for years I'm curious your opinion of it after running it for awhile. People swear by them but I just don't see anything that would separate it from the competition in terms of design. But it gets it rep from somewhere so hopefully it lives up to its name for you! Looking forward to you giving it a run. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 Honestly, the virtually 100% overwhelmingly positive reviews on it, going back literally decades, from some pretty respectable folks in the hobby, as well as average joes is what really speaks volumes. There are a lot of fad products and knee jerk reactions to new stuff that you have to be cautious of when review hunting. But lifereef stuff in general (much like MTC, and GEO) seems to be generally loved by all their users. And for a very long time. Even if it's just the "eye test" that sheer amount of positive recommendation gets my attention. Secondly to that I really like the idea of never having to clean my skimmer. Or at least MUCH less frequently. We all have things we hate doing. Some people hate water changes. Some people hate bulb changes. So they'll spend a lot of money and go to great lengths to avoid them. Cleaning my skimmer has been an unusually unpleasant and time consuming task for me. I do expect the lifereef performance to outdo my bubble magus. Better build and by design it'll have more and smaller bubbles. But beyond that I look forward to the greatly reduced maintenance. It's up sized enough that if I eventually move up to a 180-200 gallon it'll still work perfectly well. Plus....at this price I couldn't say no. I'll break even when I sell my bubble magus basically. Can't argue with a free upgrade 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted July 29, 2017 Author Share Posted July 29, 2017 Interesting observation. I'm very happy with growth right now. Ive been letting the tank run a little warmer. No fans or anything. Tank hangs around 80-81. Not terrible. With this recent heat wave the house has been a few degrees warmer, struggling to keep cool and the tank crept up to 83.7 degrees before I intervened. Two clip on fans later and now the temp stays between 78-79 degrees 24/7. Since doing that alk has climbed a bit. Would the lower temps have possibly slowed coral metabolism and growth down a touch? I don't notice it visually. Just the numbers. Most recent test results: 78 degrees warm 8.6 dKH 450 ppm Ca 1400 ppm Mg 1.5 ppm NO3 0.05 ppm PO4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 1 hour ago, Bpb said: Interesting observation. I'm very happy with growth right now. Ive been letting the tank run a little warmer. No fans or anything. Tank hangs around 80-81. Not terrible. With this recent heat wave the house has been a few degrees warmer, struggling to keep cool and the tank crept up to 83.7 degrees before I intervened. Two clip on fans later and now the temp stays between 78-79 degrees 24/7. Since doing that alk has climbed a bit. Would the lower temps have possibly slowed coral metabolism and growth down a touch? I don't notice it visually. Just the numbers. Most recent test results: 78 degrees warm 8.6 dKH 450 ppm Ca 1400 ppm Mg 1.5 ppm NO3 0.05 ppm PO4 Warmer temps= higher metabolic rate. My tank runs at 81 degrees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bpb Posted July 30, 2017 Author Share Posted July 30, 2017 Few updated pics 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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