Top downs of my SPS reef!

[Poseidon]

I thought that today was as good a day as any to try a few more of these. I really need to get a top down box next, or build one anyway.

Here they are...

http://perfectpix.smugmug.com/photos/510277127_Msh43-L.jpg

http://perfectpix.smugmug.com/photos/510276866_TBmgu-L.jpg

http://perfectpix.smugmug.com/photos/510277350_Td7yA-L.jpg

You may want some shades for the next few....

http://perfectpix.smugmug.com/photos/510277560_Quvf6-L.jpg

http://perfectpix.smugmug.com/photos/510277748_xmP6w-L.jpg

http://perfectpix.smugmug.com/photos/510278563_HSwFt-L.jpg

http://perfectpix.smugmug.com/photos/510278276_rifpQ-L.jpg

Purple Monster!
http://perfectpix.smugmug.com/photos/510279159_6Kewj-L.jpg
That is a Pearlberry under it.

Thanks for looking!

[moonlightxpress]

impressive..

[nanoguy]

Very impressive Poseidon....how about some system specs and maintenance regimen?

[Poseidon]

Thanks!

My tank is a 90 gallon undrilled tank that uses a CPR overflow that goes to my basement sump. Here are a couple pictures of the sump:

http://perfectpix.smugmug.com/photos/474384232_nPEJq-L.jpg

The Skimmer is a BEAST:
http://perfectpix.smugmug.com/photos/478553830_cAt72-L.jpg
and is the Ca Reactor:
http://perfectpix.smugmug.com/photos/479642956_8Nz53-L.jpg
The reactor is a DIY modified from the DJ88 and GEO designs. It measures 10"x10"x20" and hold 50 POUNDS of media when full. It is currently using a Eheim 1250 for recirculation and an Eheim 1048 for feed. I run the pH at 6.5 in the top of the chamber, and the effluent measures >32 dKH.

I have also recently added a Reefkeeper Lite, which has worked VERY well for me.

As for water changes, I started doing them every 2 weeks about 2 months ago, prior to that they were down monthly. (about) I use IO salt, it works for me well.

Oh, the gravel is a 4-5" deep DSB, using SeaChem Gray Coast sand. Fish include 3x Lyre Tail anthias, 1 male Bartletts, 2 green Chromis, a bicolor pseudochromis, 2 A. Ocellaris, a coral beauty, a purple tang, and a diamond goby to keep the sand moving. ;)

The tank has been set up for just over a year at the current location, but it has been moved around a lot... I have had a tank in operation over the last 13 years, but it has been upgraded and down graded several times.

Oh, lights... it is a DIY T5 setup using IceCap ballasts and reflectors, here is a gallery of the lights construction.

http://perfectpix.smugmug.com/gallery/6558038_pUnA6#417357871_6C46p

Let me know if you have any more questions! I am happy to answer.

[RobsReefs]

I cant decide what is better, the beauty of the corals or the quality of the pic's.

well i guess it take both. And you my friend have both:thumbsup: very nice.

[mnherper]

wow great pic's and great setup

[volcom69]

Very nice colors look nice and dark/bright, i love they way they look. I agree very nice photography, are you dosing anything to your tank at all. How about feeding what are you feeding the tank and how often. I just got a diamond goby, man they are an interesting fish to watch lol, but he makes a mess with the sand lol lol. Was that pic taken under full lighting or just your blue+ and actincs. Once again great job.

[Poseidon]

Thanks! I don't dose anything unless you count the Ca and Kalk reactors. I feed a home made frozen food that I made with a local club. This food includes about everything, the fish love it, and it has all kinds of stuff for the corals too, golden pearls, oyster eggs, etc... I feed 3 squares the size of egg crate a day, plus a square or 2 of PE Mysis and Arctipods.

The goby does make a mess, I am always digging the little frags out, but that is OK.

These are full spectrum, 2 ATI Blue +, 2 UVL Super Actinic, and 2 UVL Actinic White.

[nanoguy]

So you only feed frozen foods....no flakes? What are your nitrate and phosphate levels? I'm guessing the skimmer is doing a good job at pulling out the excess organics. I find myself having to clean the glass every other day when I feed frozen foods (rods/mysis).

[volcom69]

Do you have any closer shots of the coral almost looks like A.deswali its white/and cant tell if its blue or not. When looking at the pic its straight down. That looks like a real beauty and was wondering if you had any more shots of that.

[Poseidon]

Yup, I do have to clean the glass often. I have been thinking of adding a GFO reactor, but I am hesitant due to the success I have been having with the tank the way it is.

I do feed spectrum pellets on occasion, actually more since I have added the Anthias.

[Poseidon]

Oops... Forgot, NO3 levels are very low on my SeaChem test anyway. As for PO4 I have not tested for that in a long time. I am sure it is present as the Chaeato (sp?) in my sump grows like mad.

[macreefster]

great looking pics and tank poseidon! love the way your corals fill in together. i can only hope my corals fill in as nicely.

what camera and lense are you using? great pics.

[Poseidon]

Thanks Mac! These were all taken with my Canon 1D IIn and a 24-70 2.8L lens. I processed them in Adobe lightroom, and matched the color to what I see as best I could. I use 4 "blue" bulbs and 2 whites, so the camera has a really hard time with White balance.

[macreefster]

thanks poseidon. i have a nikon d60 and can't seem to get the white balance just right either. i can't wait to see a t-5 tank in person as the colors i see in pics are amazing.

[Poseidon]

Thanks!

I found the best place to deal with WB is in post processing. Sometimes "shade" or "cloudy" settings will get you close though.

The worst bulbs for cameras have to be Radiums though, I have taken pictures of a friends tank with those 20K's and WOW are they ever BLUE in the pictures compared to what the tank looks like to our eye.

[chingchai]

Superb.
More pics. please.

[rolodex1]

Very impressive Poseidon...

[Poseidon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14807534#post14807534 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by volcom69
Do you have any closer shots of the coral almost looks like A.deswali its white/and cant tell if its blue or not. When looking at the pic its straight down. That looks like a real beauty and was wondering if you had any more shots of that.

Not the best, but a recent one:

http://perfectpix.smugmug.com/photos/501165761_DVRFz-L.jpg

I'm not sure if it is a A. Deswali or not, but it is a very nice piece.

[Poseidon]

chingchai and rolodex, THanks!

[Henryreef]

Wow amazing tank, really love the effect the black sand gives. It makes the colors of your corals stand out. :thumbsup:

[volcom69]

Nice i love that coral, in the 3rd pic straight down is that the ice fire its so hard to tell from up above or not blue tips with green body. I really like that one as well, just not sure its the icefire or not.

[snorvich]

Absolutely gorgeous animals and pictures. Very impressive.

[Poseidon]

Henryreef and snorvich, Thank You.

volcom69, no, that is not IceFire, I'm not sure what it is, it came from a friend of mine. It sure is BRIGHT isn't it? (I think it may be BATTERY POWERED!)

[DML08]

FTS?!

[SunnyX]

Awesome! You corals look outstanding!

Great job! :thumbsup:

[eggiel]

Stunning do you got a full tank shoot

[Poseidon]

DML08, Sunny, and eggiel, Thank You!

Here is a full tank shot from last month:
http://perfectpix.smugmug.com/photos/501167765_vZnxj-L.jpg

I took that picture right after I had done some serious trimming and re-scaping, of the left side.

[cutegecko3]

Beautiful.All of your corals are nice,but i've never seen a tort. that colorful.

[sanababit]

those are great photos of your corals.....

sana

[Poseidon]

cutegecko3, thanks! The tort is my favorite as well, here is another of the tort, from the top:
http://perfectpix.smugmug.com/photos/510277963_33Nab-L.jpg

sanababit, thank you!

[Fsurocks99]

Is that a pearlberry next to the tort?

[diciple]

awsome !!

[Poseidon]

Nope, not a Pearlberry, that one is under the Purple Monster in another section of the tank. Next to the tort is either A. Plana or A. Deswali I am not sure.

diciple- Thank You.

[Fsurocks99]

wow they look very similar. By the way, your tanks amazing!

[Poseidon]

They are when the polyps are closed on the deswali/plana from the top, but the Pearlberry is much prettier in person. (It is also much slower growing.)

[Poseidon]

Oh, Thank you for the compliment!

[volcom69]

Love it

[Fsurocks99]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14813409#post14813409 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Poseidon
They are when the polyps are closed on the deswali/plana from the top, but the Pearlberry is much prettier in person. (It is also much slower growing.)

Yeah my pearlberry is also a slow grower which is sad cause its one of my favorites.

[danoreef]

beautiful tank, great shots. I can see you out growing that 90 pretty soon...

[macreefster]

once again, great shots poiseden. love the fts.....and especially like the black sand. what kind of sand is it? great job!

[Poseidon]

Thanks again! The sand is by SeaChem, it is called Gray Coast, I chose it based on the color first, and also the high Mg content. I have had issues in the past with maintaining my Mg, and I thought this may help with it. I also have 3-4 pounds of this calcite in my Ca Reactor, and my Mg issues are no longer issues! ;)

[qfrisco]

Great pics, Poseidon!

Can you describe how you took the pics? I see your lights are pretty close to the water. How did you get in there to take the top down pics without creating shadows, obscuring the light, and/or getting reflections of your lights? Did you use a viewing box?

Also - in the pic right after "You may want some shades for the next few....", the branching colony with purple tips and green polyps - what do you call that? I have a frag that looks just like it and I've been trying to get an ID.

Thanks!

[Poseidon]

Thanks!

My lights are on sunlifts, so I can raise and lower them as needed. At the highest point, the lights are about 18" off the water, plenty of room for the camera. As for the shadows, that is the beauty of T5, being that they are not point source lights, it is actually pretty hard to make shadows. Reflections on the other hand are a PITA as I do not have a top down box, these were all taken with the pumps off, and the camera lens hood was pretty darn close to the water to prevent the reflections. There are some pictures that I wanted, that I just could not get due to the darn reflections.... Here is the best I could do for my caps, as an example:
http://perfectpix.smugmug.com/photos/510276689_xzKbW-L.jpg

The coral in the pic was purchased as "GARF Purple Bonsai" though I have thoughts that it is really A. Validia.

[qfrisco]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14818076#post14818076 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Poseidon
Thanks!

My lights are on sunlifts, so I can raise and lower them as needed. At the highest point, the lights are about 18" off the water, plenty of room for the camera. As for the shadows, that is the beauty of T5, being that they are not point source lights, it is actually pretty hard to make shadows. Reflections on the other hand are a PITA as I do not have a top down box, these were all taken with the pumps off, and the camera lens hood was pretty darn close to the water to prevent the reflections. There are some pictures that I wanted, that I just could not get due to the darn reflections.... Here is the best I could do for my caps, as an example:

<< image deleted >>

The coral in the pic was purchased as "GARF Purple Bonsai" though I have thoughts that it is really A. Validia.

Cool stuff! I purchased mine as an "ORA Purple Plasma". Haha.

I have a 90g too, and can't imagine getting my caps to grow into each other like yours has. Did you get the caps already like that, or did you position them so they grew into each other like that?

[volcom69]

Wow that last pic is great, such rich deep colors i really have to start looking into how to get those dark colors.

[teo reef]

Wow......look at that colour and size!!! what a great tank :thumbsup:

[Poseidon]

Thanks!

The caps grew together like that over the last year or so, they were about 8" apart when I did the aqua scaping when we moved here. Each of the caps were good size already, so I knew they would grow into each other at some point, but I couldn't have ever guessed they would look that cool!

I have a purple plasma too, it is much different then the GARF piece, for one thing mine is GREEN! :eek:

[panic]

Wow! Awesome pics. You have some very nice colors there. Do you shoot in RAW format and use the temp slider in Photoshop?

[volcom69]

Maybe i missed it but whats your flow like in your tank, i see the vortech anything else, what mode/speed do you keep your vortech on.

[Poseidon]

Thanks! Yes, I shoot in RAW, but I use Lightroom as a RAW converter. Basically it is the same thing, sometimes I use the temp slider, but for the most part, I find a point that is white/black/18% gray.

V- MP40w and return is the only flow in the tank. That is why I am thinking of adding another Vortech, the colonies have gotten so large that I think 1 is no longer enough.

[volcom69]

what speed you have your mp40 on, i have 2 in my 70 over half way i forget the exact speed though.

[hatfielj]

Poseidon, Your tank and corals are looking amazing! I can't believe how rich your colors are under the T5s! They are really working out for you. Good Job!

[Poseidon]

V- 100% in Reef Crest mode. I am thinking 2 on the same pane will be better.

Jason! Thanks! The T5's are rockin' that is for sure. I originally switched to save wattage, I am not saving watts with 6 OD bulbs, well not much anyway, but the colors and growth are the best I have ever had. :D

[dvanacker]

Simply amazing...and depressing at the same time (when I look at my tank).

Any advice on what makes your tank so successful?

[Retzius]

Great corals and tank Poseidon. Where did you get your sheet metal and how did you bend it? Thanks.

[Poseidon]

dvanacer- Thanks, and don't worry your tank will grow too.

SPS= Stability Promotes Success. That is a GREAT quote from another reefer here on RC, I forget who, but it is 100% correct.

Retzius- Thanks! I bought the Aluminum from McMaster Carr, it is alloy 5053 which is saltwater resistant. I work at a stamping plant, so I had a tinner put the big piece on a break, it was really easy for him. I did the endcaps at home, they took HOURS each, with a hammer and wood blocks.

[volcom69]

Do you run a phosphate reactor at all

[Poseidon]

Nope. I have tossed around the idea of adding one though.

[Retzius]

Your T5 lights looks great, I'm tempted to build an all t5 unit!

[Poseidon]

It wasn't that expensive for the Al sheet either, I think it was $90 for the main and end caps. If I would have been thinking, I would have also ordered the stainless screws and finish washers from McMaster as well. I bet I spent $40-50 at the local hardware store in screws! :mad:

The fans are both 80mm, 1 is IceCap the other is a regular PC fan. I wanted to use a single 120mm Icecap, but I couldn't find one locally, and the 80mm came up in a trade, so it worked out perfect. (I have a spare 80 IceCap, and a spare 120 IceCap now though, so if heat ever becomes an issue, I can up the airflow.)

I am a big fan of T5 now, the color choices are so nice, and being able to alter the look of the tank with a single $25 bulb is GREAT!

[Bolo Tran]

Great eye popping colors man! It's like anti-zeovit colors and I love it! What salt brand are you using?

[Poseidon]

Nothing fancy, Instant Ocean. ;)

Thanks for the compliment!

[Rickyrooz1]

Looking good

[BrooksReef]

Hey Poseidon! Is that a Northern Lights Nasuta you have in there? If so, what is the growth like for you?

[Poseidon]

Well, I had to look that up, and how about, "I guess so". I bought it as a green/teal stag coral, and it grows CRAZY FAST!!!! I sell frags of that coral at swaps for $5-10 each it grows so fast... Actually I gave away HUGE chunks of it last month for FREE! :eek:

I guess I should have been charge $50 for 3" frags! WOW! :crazy: !!

[BrooksReef]

Yeah! I have 2 frags of it and I haven't seen too much growth in branches or height but I've gotten almost full encrusting now and it's been 2 months :|

[Poseidon]

Once it is happy with the base it will take off! Mine did the same thing, now it grows inches every month.

[BrooksReef]

Thats awesome! the colors are AMAZING! Its one of my favorite corals. Hopefully I get some nice growth under my t5's and 250w MH! Any tips on placement/flow?

[Poseidon]

Mine is about 1/2 up in my 90, and about 18" in front of my Vortec, so... Lotsa light and lotsa flow!

[BrooksReef]

Gotcha!


Thanks so much Poseidon! ^_^

[pcfish]

Awsome tank , Great color

[Poseidon]

You're welcome BrooksReef, Thanks pcfish.

[edandsandy]

Love the caps!

[Dell2go]

The caps formation is perfect. Nothing beats it.

[jc5205]

Your corals look great !
So your hooked on the T5's ?

[Poseidon]

Thanks Sandy and Dell2go. Those caps are quite a load for sure, they measure nearly 16" square and about 10 to 12" tall. I am sure that my CaRX is running so fast in part due to those caps.

[Poseidon]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14925964#post14925964 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jc5205
Your corals look great !
So your hooked on the T5's ?

Hey Mike! Yes, I can say that I am for sure. It has been fun playing around with all the different color bulbs, I can't say I am saving any money on the power bill anymore though, with 6 bulbs all overdriven, I am at 480W, but it is the same all across the tank, no hot spots.

[tdawgnjlo]

How do you have your lights hooked up. 3 four foot T5 bulbs hooked up to each Ice Cap 660 ballast?

[Poseidon]

Nope, I have a 660 and a 430, so it is 4 bulbs on the 660, and the outside 2 (Super Actinics) on the 430. ;)

[tdawgnjlo]

So the Ice Cap 430 ballast will overdrive 2 T5 48 inch bulbs?

[Poseidon]

Yes, actually the 430 will only drive 2 T5 bulbs, up to 48" length each. I found a 430 used for a VERY good price, otherwise I would have used another 660, as it is much more versatile.

[Oldude]

Great looking corals, congrats.

[Poseidon]

Thanks Oldude!

[Emster]

:thumbsup: Very nice!!! and great pic too! Now I got to go back and read the whole thread ;) I have been reading some good things about those UVL Actinic Whites.

[Poseidon]

Thanks Emmet. I was trying them out, I bought all 4 UVL bulbs from a friend that didn't like them. I put them on the IceCap ballasts, and really liked the color. The corals responded as well, especially the chalice coral, it REALLY colored up nice under these bulbs.

[Emster]

I find it very interesting are tanks are very similar in a lot of ways. We both have the same philosophy on things:) You feed a little more then I do but looks like you got a bigger skimmer.

Have you checked your phosphates on a hanna? If you ever do decide to run phosban start off very very slow, don't want you killing those beautiful corals.

What bulbs were you running before the UVL Actinic whites?

[Poseidon]

No, I haven't checked for PO4 on a hanna, I would like to at some point though. Thanks for the heads up on the GFO, I was planning on doing just that if I added one.

I went from Geismann Aquablue specials to the UVL Actinic whites, I am thinking about swapping out one of the actinic whites with a 75-25 though, the 75-25 does wonders for the deep purples. :eek:

[tdawgnjlo]

How long have you had your current lamps (i. e. 2 ATI blue plus and 2 UVL Actinic Whites running on Ice Cap 660, and 2 UVL Super Actinics on an Ice Cap 430 ballast). Do you attribute part of your success to this lighting combo, or did you just change to it recently? Do you run fans on the bulbs? I assume your reflectors are Ice Cap reflectors as well, is that right?

I believe your Cal Rx, Kalk Rx, and your big skimmer play a part of it as well.

[Emster]

Did you notice the colors in the acro's change or get deeper when you switched to the UVL's?

Also how many gallons total do you have? Sorry for all the questions, hope you already didn't posts all this already. I read the thread but might of missed a thing or two.

[Poseidon]

That particular lamp combo has only been on for the last 3 months or so. Before that I had Geismann bulbs, with a single 75-25, I have also tried the Pro Color bulb, but didn't like it at all.

The reflectors are a mix of Tek II and Ice Cap, no particular reason for it, I had just bought what was available at the time.

As for the reactors, I am sure they play a big part. I used to be able to get away with just using a kalk reactor for top off, but once the colonies grew out, it couldn't keep up. I started dosing the DIY 2 part, and it worked, but I was not good at dosing consistently. That is when my friend brought up doing the DJ88 reactor, but bigger.

As for the skimmer, there is no doubt it plays a HUGE role! I would never have tried to stick 15 fish in here if I didn't think the skimmer could keep up. The skimmer performs wonderfully when both Sicce pumps are working like they are supposed too. I have pinwheels in both pumps, but still have start up issues with one of them. I am sold on the cone shape, but I am not real happy with the pumps at the moment.

I have been eyeing the Alpha skimmers, either the 250 or the 200 have caught my eye. (Uh OH!)