Sniperhank's UPGRADED 55 gal Build

[Sniperhank]

Sounds like the 36 lol. Ob, btw, I got the ATO working. My mind was just boggled as to why it shouldn't turn on unless the float was at the top...which should be when it stops. Thank got for going to sleep and waking up the next day. Stupid float was on upside down. Working perfectly.

[Flreefer]

Haha, that s an easy fix! Glad it's working for you!

[Sniperhank]

Ok. Just got my shipment form reefs2go! Everything was there! Though now my hands are covered in glue. The one acan had come off its plug and the other 2 needed a suitable rock foundation. Tried out drip acclimating them this time around in my acrylic 2.5 gal tank I have laying around incase I ever wanted a drink I guess. Took pics, but my crappy droid doesn't serve the colors any real justice.
Acclimation

Green Pocillipora

Pink Birds Nest

Purple/Green Acan

I think this is the "go Gators" acan

And the red acan will have to wait. Photobucket is having issues.

[needmorecowbell]

Nice!

I've been doing a lot of research on LEDs, radions are the best from what I've seen

[Sniperhank]

Just pricey. I'd say I worked my tail off for them, but I'm salary so I just did my thing lol.

[Sniperhank]

Update on the new coral.

The acans are doing well. Swollen up and doing their thing. Quite happy about that, especially since the flowerpot wanted to meet them and fell down into the sandbed again. I moved it back and the acans away from it.

The pink birdsnestisn't doing so well. Bleaching and expelling its zoo. I moved it up with more flow and turned the lights down in hope that it helps it.

The pocillipora was bleaching at the bottom when I got it. Thought that is a tad concerning, the polyps are out on it and I'm quite hopeful. I'm keeping it in the sandbed for the time being.

[needmorecowbell]

If there is any sign of bleaching, cover it up with superglue or frag it off. It could be necrosis. I had an Acro with major bleaching issues so I fragged it and this is how it is now..

[Sniperhank]

Cover it with superglue? How would that help anything? I'd have to cover almost all of the bird's nest...

[needmorecowbell]

It covers the bleached part to keep it from spreading. If its all over, don't do it, normally it's just for bleached bases. Maybe just keep acclimating and hope for the best.

[Sniperhank]

Not the best pic, but it shows where it is white better than the acclimating pic.

[needmorecowbell]

It will be fine, if there are still coral polyps, it isn't completely bleached. I think it will heal up quite nicely within 2 weeks or so.

[Sniperhank]

That is my hope. I don't have any hope for the birds nest though.

[needmorecowbell]

Just keep it Low in the light. If there are still polyps, there is still hope.

My bn started to take a turn for the worse when I first got my leds, but now it's colored up, it was completely white on the bottom, but it started to color up within 2 weeks after I turned the lights down and put it lower.

[Sniperhank]

Yet another update! I got my CUC from reefcleaners today! What a TON of snails! Not only that, but most of them have already got to work. Really impressed. Along with that, I got 5 mangroves and the penny macro. The mangroves are planted in a butter container with sand. I'm really excited to see what they do. As for the penny macro, it's halimeda! Horay for the money plant and hope it means I'll get a raise as today was my year review at work. Who exceeds work performance? THIS GUY.

Anyway, I'm aware of this halimeda bugger wanting to go sexual. I still have a timer left over that I'll plug my fuge light into. Any recommendations on time for it? And while I'm thinking about it, why do people have the fuge lights opposite the tank lights? I might want my living room dark for movie night!

[Mpfaff77]

The fuge is usually opposite to stabilize ph. The theory is during light hours the higher the ph and if the refuge light is on at night the ph won't drop as much as would with out.

My tank lights off at 9 pm. Refuge light comes on at 5pm off at 3am.

[Sniperhank]

I'll try out the 5-3 on the fuge and see how it goes. I'm not overly worried.

On a bright note, the algae issue continues to do well without the GFO. The lawnmower blenny is straight murdering it.

[Sniperhank]

Did some minor stuff today before work. Moved my torch and hammer up in the tank to get some additional flow and make room for when I move the acan lords to their final homes since the hammer was still in the sandbed. While cleaning the glass, I discovered that the sides and back of my tank are COVERED with amphipods! Really excited about it. Wish they were big enough to get a picture but couldn't focus on them.

I came home last night and most of the snails are on the move now. There were so many of them going up the front glass at once it was like the last chopper out of 'Nam. And with all of these snails on the move, I have an epic ton of snail eggs around on my glass as well. Just a ton of stuff on my glass.

[Sniperhank]

Placed what should be my final order for some time. I ordered all ORA SPS from saltwaterfish.com. I got a blue bottlebrush, pink stylophora, marshall island latana, blue voodoo staghorn, purple na na, and a pink damicornis. Besides a bird's nest, that completes my list of corals that I have wanted since starting up my first tank. Can't wait, I'll be moving some more corals around at the beginning of next week to make room in my sandbed for the new arrivals.

[needmorecowbell]

... I'm so jealous lol. Im getting some stuff tomorrow but not nearly as much as that, probably some smaller sps stuff.

[Sniperhank]

Well I just paid off my credit cards for the month so I had an opportunity to do so. This will be the last big one for awhile. I was anxious because my mother, sister, and my brother in law were in pittsburgh yesterday and I tried to get ahold of them to swing by elmer's or another shop to bring me home an sps. So with the 15% off ORA stuff on saltwaterfish, I decided to jump on it. This should allow me to let my tank do its thing for awhile as I continue with maintenence. This is hopefull of course, it is about the time of the year where I need a new tattoo lol.