Scott's 55 gallon reef build

[Heera]

Originally Posted by scottayy

Thanks. I'll try that with the plate coral. You really think he could be getting too much light all the way on the sand bed?

I think the GSP isn't opening up because of the bubble tipped anemone too. There were several times he'd go waterborn and land upside down on it. It's a relief not to have anemone's anymore.

GSP are hardy they will come back.
I have 2 plate corals- one moved to the back somehow. Other one is halfway under ledge. Doing great.

Post pic updates.

[Jlsardina]

Originally Posted by scottayy

I can train my corals? Even to feed during the daytime?

Also, what to do with a bleached frogspawn and plate coral? Is it too much light or not enough light? The plate corals is at the bottom of the tank but he was bleached under year old t5's before the switch to these LEDs. The frogspawn was fine until it got stung by my deceased bubble tip anemone. But he closed up for like a month and came back/grew back kind of transparent in the tentacles.

Also, my GSP refuses to open most of the time. Water all checks out and every other coral is doing well.

Yes! They get on a schedule.

With the bleached- try putting them in low light for a while and spot feed to bring back the color.

Gsp are very hardy- but very finicky. Mine closed up for a month basically- but had made a full comeback! Just make sure you keep any debris off the skin and you will be golden!

[scottayy]

Cool, their tentacles came out during the day time, just had to give them long enough. I fed a mixture of Coral Frenzy, Marine Snow, Phytoplankton, and brine shrimp.

I'll put these pictures up for reference for when I bring them completely back They actually have regained a little color after a couple of spot feedings.

[Buffy]

Keep up the good work there, I'm sure they'll come back for you.

[Heera]

U are going great keep it up.

You have been feeding a lot how do u keep your water quality good? What's your phosphates at?

[scottayy]

I haven't really been feeding that much. I feed the corals and the fish about once every 2-3 days.

I have a filter sock, good skimmer, a carbon/gfo media reactor, fuge with chaeto, and do 25% weekly water changes.

Phosphates are at 0, nitrates are at 2.

The plate coral is inflating huge now! And has some bright colors at his mouth and looks like color on the end of his tentacles now. The frogspawn looks a little more purplish but it could be my eyes playing tricks on me. I will photo update in a few days.

[scottayy]

Does anyone see a problem with moving my yellow watchman goby and pistol shrimp into this 55 gallon?

Current livestock is two gold striped maroon clowns, a coral beauty, two green chromis, snails, crabs, and corals.

[Kio707]

Originally Posted by scottayy

Does anyone see a problem with moving my yellow watchman goby and pistol shrimp into this 55 gallon?

Current livestock is two gold striped maroon clowns, a coral beauty, two green chromis, snails, crabs, and corals.

None at all...

[Jlsardina]

Go for it!

[scottayy]

Sweet, he is in there. He got an extra long acclimation because I was doing stuff while acclimating. Hope he loves it.

[Josh1158]

Make sure your coarls are a few inches from the bottem. When that pistol starts moving the sand hes gona turn it into mountains and they dont care what they bury

[scottayy]

Thanks for the tip.

My flower pot coral is turning light pinkish white on one side. So before it bleaches completely I figured I'd move it to a better spot.

How can I tell if it's getting too much light or not enough light? My tank is standard 55 gallons. 48" long, 13" wide, 19" high about. I have 2 taotronic 120W LED lights 8 inches above the water. I have the flower pot coral a little bit over halfway up the tank (about 16" from light, about 8" underwater). It is in the center section where light from the two fixtures would overlap.

Should I move it up or down?

Also, since I do weekly 25% water changes and don't dose anything I never test my water. I decided to test. Anybody see anything wrong with these numbers?

pH 8.0 (from what i remember, it varies from 8.0 to 8.2 throughout the day)
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate between 2.5 and 5
Calcium 340
Phosphate 0
dKH 8
magnesium 1500 (it has always been this high, either bad test kit or IO reef crystals)
salinity 1.024
temp 78

Water change will be in 2 days so maybe I should dose some calcium and carbonate hardness stuff?

[Jlsardina]

Calcium is a little low

[carey]

Yep scott, I just see the calcium being low, you really want about 400+ or so. Other than that your results look fine.

[Jlsardina]

So is the kh depending on the test used

[scottayy]

Yeah most of my test kits are now salifert, except the kh and another. The kh one is tropic marin brand.

Thanks I'll dose some calcium.

Any advice on the flower pot coral?

[scottayy]

I guess I will try moving it up. :-S I'm scared, what if it needs moved down lol?

[Jlsardina]

Too much light is usually shown by bleaching and too little by browning. I would move it down

[scottayy]

Or move my lights up a little bit?

So, since I've gone so long without testing, it appears I would only need to test for calcium, kh, and ph regularly. Since the calcium and kh can be consumed and it effects the ph.

[Jlsardina]

Originally Posted by scottayy

Or move my lights up a little bit?

So, since I've gone so long without testing, it appears I would only need to test for calcium, kh, and ph regularly. Since the calcium and kh can be consumed and it effects the ph.

Worth a shot. And yes. Those seem to flux. I've read somewhere that magnesium levels play a part in it as well