Blue tort--before and after

Crit21 · 05/29/2006, 09:26 PM

Here's the BEFORE (Jan 2006)
[IMG]C:\Documents and Settings\Dan\Desktop\blue tort_001[/IMG]

Crit21 · 05/29/2006, 09:28 PM

crud. i wanted to paste a pic in here.

racer69 · 05/29/2006, 09:34 PM

Dan, you need to load it to your gallery in reef central and then post it in your thread. If you need more info maybe I can help in the morning.

Crit21 · 05/29/2006, 09:47 PM

What I'd really like to do is post a larger pic in a thread.

Crit21 · 05/29/2006, 09:50 PM

Let's see if this works.
http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showg...=78654&thumb=1

Crit21 · 05/29/2006, 09:53 PM

It worked. Thanks Todd. Too bad about the detail or pic size though. Anyway, that's the growth between the end of January (I think) and the end of May--just 4 months! I got this one from COreefer.

jdieck · 05/29/2006, 09:57 PM

What lighting are you using?

Freed · 05/29/2006, 10:02 PM

So what color is an actual blue tort supposed to be? I have seen completely deep blue, green and deep blue, light blue, blue with green polyps, etc., etc...

FishnWishn · 05/29/2006, 10:12 PM

I'll give you a hand with the pics. I tried to enlarge them but they were just a bit blurry.

normanviking · 05/30/2006, 08:14 AM

Nice growth. I picked up a Cali blue tort last week, but my lights melted it. I need to come up with a better light acclimation process.

Freed · 05/30/2006, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Freed
So what color is an actual blue tort supposed to be? I have seen completely deep blue, green and deep blue, light blue, blue with green polyps, etc., etc...

COreefer · 05/30/2006, 09:30 AM

ORA torts as that is can be purple, blue, blue green...it all depends on the conditions in the tank. There are a variety of torts, ORA, califorina tort, Oregon tort, etc...

BTW Dan...nice color and growth rate on that one.

Crit21 · 05/30/2006, 10:54 AM

Lighting is 3-175W 10,000K over a 125G tank. No Actinics. XM's are on the ends and an Aqualine in the center. I've read that the lower Kelvin rated bulbs have a better spectrum for growth, so I'm sticking with these for now.

I'm using the 3-part home-recipe for B-Ionic (Ca, Alk and Mg) and once a week supplement with Kent Coral-Vite.

I'm not sure which is helping the most, but I'm definitely sticking with it. It's cheap and effective.

Hey FishnWishn, how did you get the images in the post?

Deuce67 · 05/30/2006, 12:18 PM

Really nice growth. Much faster than mine. What kind of flow is it recieving?

Crit21 · 05/30/2006, 02:14 PM

Not much flow at all where it's sitting. I'd say moderate to low.

Hey Russ, that digi frag you gave me turned out to be the same type as one I got from Robert. Are they from the same source originally?

Deuce67 · 05/30/2006, 02:23 PM

Not sure Dan. The original frag I got was from COreefer so it could be.

racer69 · 05/31/2006, 08:13 AM

You gotta love that homemade 3 part recipe. I think the coral growth (explosion) in my tank, can be contributed to this type of dosing. I don't know if it is the ingredients, or the steady dosing, but it sure seems to stimulate great growth.

murfman · 05/31/2006, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Freed

My Oregon is purple and green under actinics and more blue and grey under the MH.

Crit21 · 05/31/2006, 02:56 PM

Todd, you sure can't beat the cost.

Leopard Wrasse · 05/31/2006, 08:11 PM

Looks good Dan.

Crit21 · 08/27/2006, 12:42 PM

OK, I have this figured out. I managed to take a great pic recently that shows green polyps and general green/purple coloration on the main trunk and purple polyps on the branches.
This is 6 1/2 months' growth using the home Ca/Alk recipe. Does anyone else have any before/after pics with either B-ionic or the home recipe?

jdieck · 08/27/2006, 01:04 PM

Crit, I do not have pictures but 6 Mo growth on mine is about three to four times as much. IMO if you maintain Calcium and Alkalinity parameters within the acceptable ranges regardless of what you use to do it it will make no difference in the growth. It will grow a lot faster with more light but be warned you may loose that wonderful coloration. Mine paled considerably So my recommendation is for you to keep it as it is.

BTW which bulbs are you using?

Crit21 · 08/27/2006, 02:20 PM

Well, with 1600 total watts of lighting, you'd better have more growth! Jeez!

I think you missed my point. As a recent convert to SPS I was sharing my success with fellow clubmembers regarding a favorite blue tort frag, not bragging that the home recipe was any better than B-ionic, although it IS orders of magnitude cheaper and, IMHO, about as effective. I think at a gallon or so per mixture each month I'm spending about $12-15 a year for Ca, Alk and Mg combined. I believe that a reef tank can be successful and eye-pleasing without spending thousands upon thousands of dollars on a complete reef biology lab.

I used 3x175W 10000K, supplemented with 260W 50/50 PCs until a month ago, then switched to 14000K's and half 50/50 and half actinic PCs. I'm very happy with the growth considering it was just over an inch tall in January and I'm not keeping my local electric company afloat. One reason I'm allowed to keep the tank is that I can tell my wife that the big expenses are in the past--except for a fish or two--or three--oh, and that crocea I've had my eye on! So for that reason alone, I have no plans to change a thing.

Nice alveo and clavularia specimens, BTW.

jdieck · 08/27/2006, 05:04 PM

Yes, I am lowering the par of my lighting by switching to 20K, See how it goes, Thanks.

murfman · 08/27/2006, 11:25 PM

Dan, you got that from Eric L right? Mine is much more purple than yours is, almost solid purple, just not as much growth. Then again, I am only on my second gallon of 3 part.

05/29/2006, 09:26 PM	#1
Crit21 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Fairbanks, AK Posts: 1,429	Blue tort--before and after Here's the BEFORE (Jan 2006) [IMG]C:\Documents and Settings\Dan\Desktop\blue tort_001[/IMG]

05/29/2006, 09:34 PM	#3
racer69 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Pueblo, Colorado Posts: 1,446	Dan, you need to load it to your gallery in reef central and then post it in your thread. If you need more info maybe I can help in the morning. __________________ Todd Its better to burn out than to fade away..... Current Tank Info: 180 gal Reef, w 50 gal sump 33 cube w/15 gal sump

05/29/2006, 09:57 PM	#7
jdieck Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Maumee, OH Posts: 15,673	What lighting are you using? __________________ Did I write what I wrote? What the heck am I talking about! Well..... Nevermind. Current Tank Info: 225 gal reef, DSB, 40 g sump w/ LRT100 return, 37 g pre-sump, 3 MH 250 W 15K, 4 96 W PC dual actinic,ETS 1500 Skim.w/LRT70, 20 lb Ca R., 40 W UV, 1/3 HP chiller, two 350 W Htrs, Neptune II Cont., 330 P LR/ 330 P LS. 55 gal Refugium

05/29/2006, 10:02 PM	#8
Freed It's what it's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: 41° 2' 45" N 85° 8' 43" W Posts: 7,579	So what color is an actual blue tort supposed to be? I have seen completely deep blue, green and deep blue, light blue, blue with green polyps, etc., etc... __________________ Freed Current Tank Info: 180gal(1120 watts of MH/VHO light), 60gal "sump", Deltec 601 calcium reactor, Euro Reef CS8-3+ skimmer, 20 gallon QT

05/30/2006, 09:30 AM	#12
COreefer Premium Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 2,329	ORA torts as that is can be purple, blue, blue green...it all depends on the conditions in the tank. There are a variety of torts, ORA, califorina tort, Oregon tort, etc... BTW Dan...nice color and growth rate on that one. __________________ "Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell and advertise." Current Tank Info: 45 and 20G mixed reefs...

05/29/2006, 09:28 PM	#2
Crit21 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Fairbanks, AK Posts: 1,429	crud. i wanted to paste a pic in here.

05/29/2006, 09:47 PM	#4
Crit21 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Fairbanks, AK Posts: 1,429	What I'd really like to do is post a larger pic in a thread.

05/29/2006, 09:50 PM	#5
Crit21 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Fairbanks, AK Posts: 1,429	Let's see if this works. http://reefcentral.com/gallery/showg...=78654&thumb=1

05/29/2006, 09:53 PM	#6
Crit21 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Fairbanks, AK Posts: 1,429	It worked. Thanks Todd. Too bad about the detail or pic size though. Anyway, that's the growth between the end of January (I think) and the end of May--just 4 months! I got this one from COreefer.

05/29/2006, 10:12 PM	#9
FishnWishn Premium Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Centennial, CO. Posts: 742	I'll give you a hand with the pics. I tried to enlarge them but they were just a bit blurry.

05/30/2006, 08:14 AM	#10
normanviking Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 908	Nice growth. I picked up a Cali blue tort last week, but my lights melted it. I need to come up with a better light acclimation process.

05/30/2006, 10:54 AM	#13
Crit21 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Fairbanks, AK Posts: 1,429	Lighting is 3-175W 10,000K over a 125G tank. No Actinics. XM's are on the ends and an Aqualine in the center. I've read that the lower Kelvin rated bulbs have a better spectrum for growth, so I'm sticking with these for now. I'm using the 3-part home-recipe for B-Ionic (Ca, Alk and Mg) and once a week supplement with Kent Coral-Vite. I'm not sure which is helping the most, but I'm definitely sticking with it. It's cheap and effective. Hey FishnWishn, how did you get the images in the post?

05/30/2006, 12:18 PM	#14
Deuce67 Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: CO Posts: 3,750	Really nice growth. Much faster than mine. What kind of flow is it recieving?

05/30/2006, 02:14 PM	#15
Crit21 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Fairbanks, AK Posts: 1,429	Not much flow at all where it's sitting. I'd say moderate to low. Hey Russ, that digi frag you gave me turned out to be the same type as one I got from Robert. Are they from the same source originally?

05/30/2006, 02:23 PM	#16
Deuce67 Registered Member Join Date: May 2004 Location: CO Posts: 3,750	Not sure Dan. The original frag I got was from COreefer so it could be.

05/31/2006, 08:13 AM	#17
racer69 Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Pueblo, Colorado Posts: 1,446	You gotta love that homemade 3 part recipe. I think the coral growth (explosion) in my tank, can be contributed to this type of dosing. I don't know if it is the ingredients, or the steady dosing, but it sure seems to stimulate great growth. __________________ Todd Its better to burn out than to fade away..... Current Tank Info: 180 gal Reef, w 50 gal sump 33 cube w/15 gal sump

05/31/2006, 02:56 PM	#19
Crit21 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Fairbanks, AK Posts: 1,429	Todd, you sure can't beat the cost.

05/31/2006, 08:11 PM	#20
Leopard Wrasse Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 501	Looks good Dan.

08/27/2006, 12:42 PM	#21
Crit21 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Fairbanks, AK Posts: 1,429	OK, I have this figured out. I managed to take a great pic recently that shows green polyps and general green/purple coloration on the main trunk and purple polyps on the branches. This is 6 1/2 months' growth using the home Ca/Alk recipe. Does anyone else have any before/after pics with either B-ionic or the home recipe?

08/27/2006, 01:04 PM	#22
jdieck Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Maumee, OH Posts: 15,673	Crit, I do not have pictures but 6 Mo growth on mine is about three to four times as much. IMO if you maintain Calcium and Alkalinity parameters within the acceptable ranges regardless of what you use to do it it will make no difference in the growth. It will grow a lot faster with more light but be warned you may loose that wonderful coloration. Mine paled considerably So my recommendation is for you to keep it as it is. BTW which bulbs are you using? __________________ Did I write what I wrote? What the heck am I talking about! Well..... Nevermind. Current Tank Info: 225 gal reef, DSB, 40 g sump w/ LRT100 return, 37 g pre-sump, 3 MH 250 W 15K, 4 96 W PC dual actinic,ETS 1500 Skim.w/LRT70, 20 lb Ca R., 40 W UV, 1/3 HP chiller, two 350 W Htrs, Neptune II Cont., 330 P LR/ 330 P LS. 55 gal Refugium

08/27/2006, 02:20 PM	#23
Crit21 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Fairbanks, AK Posts: 1,429	Well, with 1600 total watts of lighting, you'd better have more growth! Jeez! I think you missed my point. As a recent convert to SPS I was sharing my success with fellow clubmembers regarding a favorite blue tort frag, not bragging that the home recipe was any better than B-ionic, although it IS orders of magnitude cheaper and, IMHO, about as effective. I think at a gallon or so per mixture each month I'm spending about $12-15 a year for Ca, Alk and Mg combined. I believe that a reef tank can be successful and eye-pleasing without spending thousands upon thousands of dollars on a complete reef biology lab. I used 3x175W 10000K, supplemented with 260W 50/50 PCs until a month ago, then switched to 14000K's and half 50/50 and half actinic PCs. I'm very happy with the growth considering it was just over an inch tall in January and I'm not keeping my local electric company afloat. One reason I'm allowed to keep the tank is that I can tell my wife that the big expenses are in the past--except for a fish or two--or three--oh, and that crocea I've had my eye on! So for that reason alone, I have no plans to change a thing. Nice alveo and clavularia specimens, BTW. Last edited by Crit21; 08/27/2006 at 02:44 PM.

08/27/2006, 05:04 PM	#24
jdieck Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Maumee, OH Posts: 15,673	Yes, I am lowering the par of my lighting by switching to 20K, See how it goes, Thanks. __________________ Did I write what I wrote? What the heck am I talking about! Well..... Nevermind. Current Tank Info: 225 gal reef, DSB, 40 g sump w/ LRT100 return, 37 g pre-sump, 3 MH 250 W 15K, 4 96 W PC dual actinic,ETS 1500 Skim.w/LRT70, 20 lb Ca R., 40 W UV, 1/3 HP chiller, two 350 W Htrs, Neptune II Cont., 330 P LR/ 330 P LS. 55 gal Refugium

08/27/2006, 11:25 PM	#25
murfman Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Colorado Springs Posts: 4,670	Dan, you got that from Eric L right? Mine is much more purple than yours is, almost solid purple, just not as much growth. Then again, I am only on my second gallon of 3 part.