Tank Journal Archive

jart

Member
Apr 10, 2015
207
106
June-18 Update
Well it has been an eventful last 5-6 weeks since my last update.

* Loving the new lights, but the tank is taking quite a while to acclimate to the power available. Still running a shortened cycle (about 6 hours), still running a long acclimation (started at 40%).

* got my first SPS in the tank - found a green acro frag at the LFS that had been unloved for a few weeks so was only $20. They were kind enough to throw in two other small frags (had broken off larger colonies) for free. All 3 are going great guns. Good polyp extension and the sort-of bleached frag is starting to show signs of life after 1.5 weeks or so.

* added some diversity to my zoa garden since the last update. Trying to decide whether to keep them growing out and covering the eggcrate I have them currently sitting on (mainly done so I can lift all the zoas easily to clean the gravel underneath) OR get a flat piece or two of Caribsea rock and grow them out on them. Any thoughts?

* after seeing Dave's 6 month update and how his tank pops with the black background I wanted to experiment. Currently the right side of my tank is painted a blue colour, but the back wall was left alone. I have hung some black fabric on the back wall to see whether I like the effect.

Some quick phone pics, sorry some are a little fuzzy.

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NiCd

Lead Moderator
Jul 29, 2011
4,296
1,586
Sydney
I like the black look of the background better than blue, you dont need the egg create, you can have zoas straight on the sand and they sort of grow off of themselves, makes it really easy to frag latter on.
 

Sam Parker

Moderator
May 6, 2013
4,802
2,397
Geelong
black background will make your colours pop, blue will make it brighter though. Either way, a clean background will make your tank stand out more (in my opinion anyway)

Nice zoas and good to see your SPS looking happy and healthy, nice work!
 

jart

Member
Apr 10, 2015
207
106
Hey Ryan,

Originally I was running the ones you or someone else referenced in your lighting thread - David Saxby's ones found here (https://www.theaquariumsolution.com/light-presets-hd-ai-led-aquarium-lighting) - specifically the lower power one.

When I realised that the new lighting was so much more powerful than the previous Maxspect I took the lighting mix from the top of one of David Saxby's preset spikes and created a new basic preset with a short 6 hour photoperiod. This is what I am running for now. IIRC runs from 12:30-6:30 with a 1h ramp on either side.

Hopefully once the tank is fully acclimated and balanced to the lights I can switch back to DSaxby's scheme.
 

ryan1986

Member
Sep 6, 2014
237
48
Hey Ryan,

Originally I was running the ones you or someone else referenced in your lighting thread - David Saxby's ones found here (https://www.theaquariumsolution.com/light-presets-hd-ai-led-aquarium-lighting) - specifically the lower power one.

When I realised that the new lighting was so much more powerful than the previous Maxspect I took the lighting mix from the top of one of David Saxby's preset spikes and created a new basic preset with a short 6 hour photoperiod. This is what I am running for now. IIRC runs from 12:30-6:30 with a 1h ramp on either side.

Hopefully once the tank is fully acclimated and balanced to the lights I can switch back to DSaxby's scheme.

You do realise if you bring up the schedule and put 2 fingers on it and pull down you can lower the overall intensity.
I brought my highest peek to 60% and am using the aclimation over a month.
 

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jart

Member
Apr 10, 2015
207
106
Thanks for the tip, Ryan. I had read that somewhere, but my issue was not being able to work out how to shorten the cycle of David's preset --> created my own.

How is your tank going under the new lights?
 

ryan1986

Member
Sep 6, 2014
237
48
Thanks for the tip, Ryan. I had read that somewhere, but my issue was not being able to work out how to shorten the cycle of David's preset --> created my own.

How is your tank going under the new lights?

I love the look of it and all the corals are open and extended. I'll get a photo tomorrow under a more white condition.