Careys Tank(s) Lots of Pictures, Questions & Thoughts

[Macscale]

Originally Posted by carey

Thanks Mac!

Still have some issues with the 180g and the 40b but nithing I cant remedy I hope.
Have a little bit of cyano going on in the 40b and still unsure of the long term effectiveness of the orbits. I am contemplating buying a second orbit and seeing how good that would work. My one lfs uses the orbits too, but he has them doubled up on his tanks. So thats an option.
And of course the major issue with the lighting in the 180g. I just cannot figure out what to do with it. Go back to t5's or wait it out and watch my corals suffer?

Welcome,
Maybe move the radion you have over to the 180 and see if they like those LEDS... Vs the Tao panels at the same time...
It could just be LEDS on this tank...
Who knows?

[carey]

I acutally thought about moving the radion over to see what would happen....but if thats the trick I cant possibly afford 3 more radions, even used...lol

[Macscale]

I can't even afford one radion, don't feel bad.
I really don't know what it could be.
When you say the toadstool went downhill,
How?

[carey]

It went from huge and full with long tentacles to shriveled up, about a fifth of the size it was. It no longer has long flowy tentacles, they barely come out during the day now. It flops over and just looks like it is dying a slow death. There are pictures above of it in the 125g when it was healthy and some of the new 180g with it looking meh.

If i can extract it from the rocks its attached to I may try to fit it into the 40b and see if it improves. The sinulaira that was in the 180g I moved to the 40b and it looks 100% better already after just a few days.

Not sure I can fit that toadstool into the 40b though, its pretty jam packed already lol.

I could also move it to the 90g, that is running t5's, only a 4 bulb fixture though and I have known coral eaters in there. Though not sure they would eat a leather, i just know they eat polyps.

POST #45 has the toadstool in the 125g...it looks beautiful in that shot

[Macscale]

I see... I thought pics of it In the 125 were of now and you were just going crazy...
It would sound to me like a lighting issue... Have you tried moving it around??

[carey]

Cant really move it too much, its attached to like 3 main rocks now. :-(

I think I may hook up the radion later and see what happens. I need to leave for a reef club board meeting in a few, cant be late, I am the treasurer. lol

I will be back laters and let you know what I decide to do. In the meantime, if anyone has any input please feel free to post. I can use all the help I can get. I hate seeing my big beautiful tank look so barren of corals. That toadstool was my pride and joy in the 125g and it makes me sooo sad to see it this way.

[Dav3]

Have you tried putting a powerhead right on the toadstool. They love flow!

[redsea]

I wish I could offer some suggestions on the coral. Unfortunately they have never been my strong suit.

I am glad to hear that the 40g will stay!

[carey]

Do ya think more flow could help? Its getting medium flow right now....

[Dav3]

Yes! Toadstools love flow. As an example a couple months ago I moved two from my 14 to my 90 because they were getting too big. The one getting a lot of flow has polyps fully extended and the other barely showing( going to move this one). They both had flow running directly on them in the 14... Always fully extended.

IME they will actually adjust their "plate" to get maximum flow in the area. Going slightly perpendicular to direction of flow.

[carey]

Sounds good to me! I will adjust the powerhead on that side once they come on for the day!

Maybe its as simple as that? Let's hope so.

Thanks everyone! I appreciate the input, always willing to try different things.

[Dav3]

I hope it turns around for you with the change in flow. May take a few days or so to respond.

[Dav3]

Carey, any change in the toadstool's appearance yet?

[carey]

It's been a few days and no change whatsoever with the toadstool. I am supposed to go look at the 12 bulb fixture this week to make sure everything works. It has ATI bulbs too, brand new ones so at least I will be set on bulbs for a year or so.

Really looking forward to getting the t5's back up over the 180g, I think it will make a huge difference.

[carey]

Couldnt take it anymore, watching the toadstool get worse and worse so I moved it over to the 60g.

Tested the water and its fine so here's hoping there will be some improvement in the next few days. At least a sign...

[Macscale]

Originally Posted by carey

Couldnt take it anymore, watching the toadstool get worse and worse so I moved it over to the 60g.

Tested the water and its fine so here's hoping there will be some improvement in the next few days. At least a sign...

Is the 60g cycled? I really hope it recover, that's a bummer.

[carey]

Yeah, the rock from the 60g has been cooking out back for like 6 momths or more. Was adding ammonia here and there to be sure it stayed cycled. lol

Tested up the water last night and it came back all 0's so it looks good.

So far the toadstool is looking the same, maybe a tad bit fluffier, but its only been 24 hours. Hoping for some more improvement. Looks so nice in the 60g too, what with the radion and all. I LOVE that light, stinks that they are so darn expensive though I would really like to have them over the 180g. The shimmer and color is unbelievable. In some cases you do really get what you pay for I guess. lol

[Macscale]

Originally Posted by carey

Yeah, the rock from the 60g has been cooking out back for like 6 momths or more. Was adding ammonia here and there to be sure it stayed cycled. lol

Tested up the water last night and it came back all 0's so it looks good.

So far the toadstool is looking the same, maybe a tad bit fluffier, but its only been 24 hours. Hoping for some more improvement. Looks so nice in the 60g too, what with the radion and all. I LOVE that light, stinks that they are so darn expensive though I would really like to have them over the 180g. The shimmer and color is unbelievable. In some cases you do really get what you pay for I guess. lol

Oh... I completely forgot about that. I just go blank sometimes.

I'd love some radions... Can't wait to see how well the toadstool will be.

[mr_X]

I also don't understand why you aren't getting a shimmer from the Taos. I heard one other person say this also. How can it be in some tanks and not others? IMO, the only way this coral will bounce back in the other tank is if the lighting is weaker, or the parameters are better.

[carey]

Parameters are complete zeros across the board, there are no fish or other coral in there yet. Just a crap ton of rock. the radion is set to peak for one hour a day and it slowly ramps up and down throughout the day. After two days the tentacles are coming out a bit more than they did in the 180g so I am still hopeful.

Yeah, zero shimmer. I thought it was just me lol. But yeah, the lights almost make mywater look cloudy or murky. No matter how I set the ratio of blues to whites. I had the same issue with the full spectrum tao, I figured it was the purple hue it gave off making the water not crystal clear.

I plan on writing a FULL writeup on the orbits in the enxt day or two hopefully. I think I have enough data to share.