Stunning aquarium! I’m a musician in the US Navy Band in Washington DC and am considering getting back into saltwater. I had a smaller reed tank several years ago (nothing like yours) and now have several aquascaped freshwater aquariums. I feel like things have progressed very quickly In the years that I’ve been away from the hobby. I’m not sure if this is something you’d consider, but I’d love to chat and maybe get some guidance.
Sure, find me on instagram if you have instagram and send me a message. Also, I would recommend checking out WAMAS.org. Local reef club and great place to ask questions to locals and buy local stuff.
Only problem with adding more wrasses is the mandarine’s need for pods… I have three fairy wrasses (rhomboid, lunate, naoko) and haven’t seen any pods since cycling was done. Also don’t have any flatworms so pros and cons just like anything else. Tank looks great! I also admit to being ocd about many things but, like you, realized years ago that reef tanks tend to find their own balance despite our micromanaging. We can’t force things in a small ecosystem unless you’re willing to spend a lot more time, $, and effort. Maybe convince your landlord/condo board to give you a variance on tank size… always better to go bigger😊
I’ve had Melanurus wrasse before and they didn’t seem to affect the mandarin. Maybe their mouths or bellies are too big to care about copepods. Maybe the leopard wrasse would eat pods tho! There’s no limit with my condo association… but anything bigger just wouldn’t look right in my smaller space. Maybe I’ll go bigger when I move in a few years, lol
Six lines have tiny mouths so I think they tend to compete with fish like mandarines for the same prey- tiny mouths eat tiny things! Fairy wrasses are much bigger with bigger mouths and appetites, and they fill up on more typical food, especially mysis, which are more calorie dense compared to pods. Need to eat a lot more pods to equal more protein rich shrimp. Think that’s why a melanarus won’t focus on pods-it’s not worth the effort when it can eat a chunk of frozen shrimp. Just my 2 pence😅
Thanks for the update. I also saw your WWC video as well, which was really good. I find it kind of crazy that you can keep acropora and you’re thinking about switching over to softies. That’s what’s pretty cool about this hobby. If you’re looking for content suggestions I’d love to get your opinion on some “beginner” acropora, if there is such a thing.
@@jtdr2023 I love leather corals. They remind me of the old days when you can find some wild stuff that you have never seen before since they’re not as popular but still a market for them. If you want to start with acros: green slimer, garf bonsai, any old school ORA coral, or ask Adam from Battlecorals to put together a beginner pack. He has stuff that’s like 20 years old and bullet proof.
I think they won't do much to a well encrusted colony, but probably would irritate a frag or small colony with a smaller base. I have a few pieces surrounded and they seem to be fine. I had smaller frags a while back and they were not happy. WWC also probably has super healthy acros so that might be something too. So I guess it will be an experiment.
I stopped using carbon about 2 or 3 years ago and didn't notice a difference. UV keeps the water clear and I guess the water changes do the rest? I love the stratons too. Expensive but worth it.
I really like your philosophy around keeping what is working and letting go of what isn't especially if most of the corals are doing well! This is playing to one's strengths in my mind. It should be fun as you pointed out. Thank you.
Yep, you have to remind yourself that this is a hobby, and its supposed to bring positivity, not stress, well net positive positivity because there will always be a stressful events. That's why I don't do moonshiners or have a million different pieces of tech on here because I know I will only stress about keeping up with them. Funny, because at the company I worked for, we changed the way management worked, from just the president to a group of leaders, and one of the things we did was the strengths test and how you should work on your strengths, not your weakness... so this philosophy may have stuck with me, lol. I am finding it actually feels good when a struggling piece dies on me or I just give it away or trash it.
Great video, would love to do barebottom one day as I am more excited on SPS. Like how you dont let the little things get on your nerve but I also like seeing things recover and bounce back
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What signs are my acro's showing? Sure, I have STN from the base on some acros, but no color loss, no slowed growth, no loss of PE and no signs of critters on any acros. I inspect them with a flash light at night almost weekly without ever noticing suspicious activity.
Mine are the 1st Gen, so maybe different LEDs/settings, but they peak for about 6 hours, 80% intensity and the peak starts on say a 20k side, transitions to 14k and back to the bluer (but still white by today's standards). Blue-ish setting: UV125, V165, RB225, B225, C15, W89, R0 White peak is the same bu the whites are 126 I noticed Cyan color channel dulls colors so turn them off.
the 250 is a nice size. If you want something deeper (front to back) look at some of the innovative marine: they have a nice 30x24x18 tank that is really nice
I’d add softies if the acros die back… but thanks! would keep some easier acros. I do have a 25g softie tank that I’m loving right now. It gets lots of sunlight from a window next to it and makes the non-fluorescent corals shine.
My TGC Orange Creamsicle did the same. Encrusted for 1 yr 4 months and now it’s starting to get happy. Looks like it’s about to sport some branches finally.
I think its a fine light and grows acros well in my sump. However, if you're wanting to grow acros with them, I recommend at least 2 you'll get weird coloration from shading with just 1 on any SPS piece not directly under it.
Peak for about 6 hours, 80% intensity and the peak starts on say a 20k side, transitions to 14k and back to the bluer (but still white by today's standards). Blue-ish setting: UV125, V165, RB225, B225, C15, W89, R0 White peak is the same bu the whites are 126 I noticed Cyan color channel dulls colors so turn them off.
@@NBurgReef I forgot you’re running ATI Straton’s. What do you think that equates to as far as percentages on like an Ecotech Radion? Like as far as the white, red, and green.? 20%, 40%, 60%?? Just trying to gauge where you are on the whiter spectrum, but I know you said 14K (which is about 40% whites). I think most of us are running 100% blue for at least 1/2 of the photo period.
@@Reefahholic Hard to tell since I never have run a bunch of radions over a big tank. I have a G5 XR15 PRO over my nano, but its in a picture window so it gets a TON of light. So I woudn't be able to tell you how to make it look like a straton, lol. My advice: turns blues all the way up, violet/uv half way up, red and green to zero and then slide the white until it looks good to you. the change in spectrum can mess with your eyes so it may take a while to dial it in. I know when I look at a totally blue tank (which I rarely run) then look outside, the sunlight looks super yellow at first.
I do still have the blue slimer/stag Biota has a few: Links goby is smaller, good for nano, and they have the dragon goby which gets big and a sleeper goby which also filters sand.
Well done documenting this new tank build. I think sand would make it look even better but it would ruin your open high flow no mechanical filtration style of tank.. would be great to document the hurdles adding sand to an established system tho. Keep doing what you do my man. Stop by check out my system sometime 🫡💯
I think sand will take some tweaking but not impossible. I’ve added and removed sand from SPS systems a few times without issue. Rinse well and add/remove it a little at a time. I tune into your vids … just don’t comment much since I usually watch on my TV and I can’t comment from there lol. Glad to see you’re giving SPS another shot.
Focusing on sticking with the good and getting rid of the negative has really helped me avoid burnout. I have been brainstorming a video on how to avoid burnout. Thanks for watching!
With the big layer of LEDs, do you still get the shimmer effect (hard to tell on the video)? Is the shimmer less than what one would get with a metal halide (bright single point) or even a smaller LED pendant? Thanks.
@@ttown918 shimmer, or lack of shimmer is one of the only cons for this light. There’s some, but faint. More than T5 tho. When then lights are on low power at the start and end of the day, it is a bit more noticeable.
Awesome update and congrats on the WWC tank tour video! What do you feed your gonis? Or why do you think you’ve been successful with them? Great job with your system; definitely one of my favorites out there!
Thanks! As for the Gonis, no idea! They seem to do well. I’ve only lost 1 Goni ever and it was a tiny wild fresh cut. Not sure if it’s the source where I got them, stable parameters that the SPS like or feeding. I’m not sure if they eat, but I’m sure they like nutrient rich water and probably my frequent water changes. I’ve heard the key is manganese. I’ve had some bleach before for no reason, and I took Jake Adams approach of sticking them in a dark corner for a few months and they colored back up. Long story short: I don’t know the key to them but they do pretty well for me.
@@NBurgReefI’ve heard from multiple reefers that gonis are mainly aquacultured now and suppliers have finally chosen varieties that are much less demanding in care requirements than previous gonis. Kinda like elegance now compared to 20 yrs ago. Reefers don’t want to buy corals that we can’t keep alive or grow out. Makes for a boring or depressing hobby.
I really enjoyed this video mate. Over the years i should of got rid of the negative a lot sooner like u say makes u feel burnt out / fall out of love with the hobby .. some reason we seem to persist with certain things even though no matter what you do doesn't get better . Your tank looks great i used to run 3 ati stratons on 100% sps mode and was great growth i just found i could never get the evening blues to look right to the eye . Was all a dulled out blue . Also just noticed ive been getting notifications for your videos for ages but i wasnt subbed . Just hit the button now 👍
Thanks for the complements! I found the Stratons look bad when the cyan channel is turned up. I put it to zero or close enough to zero and it made a huge improvement on color.
I have socks and filter floss but only use after a water change for a day or so. I like how clean the make the water look but I always forget about them until they clog and overflow and I think there is something to letting the corals have access to that crap floating around. Maybe there’s bacteria on the floaties that they like.
In a past reef therapy the late Jake Adam’s mentioned how wrasse like that don’t necessarily need a sand bed. Wrasse like those will also find a nook in the rock like how 6 line wrasse do.
I’ve heard others say that too but I’ve seen wrasses freak out and injury themselves darting for cover when scared. I think just because they can go without doesn’t mean it’s the best environment for them. Edit: also, I’m kinda curious to try sand again after a few years of being barebottom
@@ttown918 I just dip when I get them and then inspect them on a rack on the tank very well. If it’s not encrusted on the plug I’ll put it on a new plug. No separate QT tank as I have no room. However, I try to only get stuff from reliable sources
