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S11Steve said:
Not a chap called Dave W by any chance?
He lifted a lot of reef-keepers legs in the hobby a few years back...
No it was OA Aquaria run by Dan and Tina Smith from Kidderminster way. It was too late by the time I found out the negative stuff as there were people I knew and respect in the hobby who recomended them but it seems last 18 months they have been making really poor builds with a high percentage of tanks failing. Great ehHe lifted a lot of reef-keepers legs in the hobby a few years back...
They've folded by looks of things
I've been a bit naughty...
Lots of shiny new kit has arrived at Sway Towers for the fish tank. Few new occupants too.
The least exciting bit, but still damned awesome, is the new D-D kH Manager. Super quick to calibrate, it's now testing alkalinity 6 times a day and dosing Reef Zlements part 1 to maintain levels.
I've also got the DD P4pro doser, but waiting on mounting bracket and comms box, then I can start dosing part 2 too (and have three spare pumps). Calcium and Magnesium are both at good levels currently, so not worried I'm only dosing Alk.
Lots of shiny new kit has arrived at Sway Towers for the fish tank. Few new occupants too.
The least exciting bit, but still damned awesome, is the new D-D kH Manager. Super quick to calibrate, it's now testing alkalinity 6 times a day and dosing Reef Zlements part 1 to maintain levels.
I've also got the DD P4pro doser, but waiting on mounting bracket and comms box, then I can start dosing part 2 too (and have three spare pumps). Calcium and Magnesium are both at good levels currently, so not worried I'm only dosing Alk.
Edited by Sway on Saturday 13th January 19:15
Male/female pair of Bellus Angels. One of the few truly reef safe angels, they're a deep water planktivore (Genicanthus) species.
They're prone to swim bladder issues due to changes in pressure from the deep water they're caught in, air freight, etc. These have been resting nicely at the shop for a couple of weeks, and were absolutely fine. Female seems to have developed slight issues in 'staying down', but I've been advised by a long term keeper that she probably just needs a good fart! She's still swimming around happy as Larry and eating well...
They're prone to swim bladder issues due to changes in pressure from the deep water they're caught in, air freight, etc. These have been resting nicely at the shop for a couple of weeks, and were absolutely fine. Female seems to have developed slight issues in 'staying down', but I've been advised by a long term keeper that she probably just needs a good fart! She's still swimming around happy as Larry and eating well...
Turn7 said:
Sway, do you not have sleepless nights wondering when the power is going to go down ?
Not quite, but I would like to sort a backup solution. I'm not even close to electrically minded, so aiming to get some support from someone who is.I've got a 'plan' (loose) for managing a power cut as it stands. Involves RO water heated on the gas hob, then in the tank to help maintain temps. I've a big sheet of thick celotex that'd go over the top too.
Then it's water movement. If necessary, I'll sit there for hours with a wooden paddle spatula to stir things up!
Really, where I'd like to be is to have 'something' that could run return pump, heater and wave makers. Realistically, I may well go and get a small genny to live in the garage. The advantage of running everything through the DJ power switch is that a single extension lead from genny to DJ switch, press a few switches to minimise draw - and it could run really well.
I've not really got anywhere I could put a battery backup, and tbh I'm not entirely sure I trust them!
My mini reef was doing amazingly well until for some reason the nitrate and phosphate levels hit zero over the years I was taught to think this was a good thing but apparently not with reef tanks. Now battling a huge outbreak of Dino’s and trying not to launch the tank out of the window 😣
Boozy said:
My mini reef was doing amazingly well until for some reason the nitrate and phosphate levels hit zero over the years I was taught to think this was a good thing but apparently not with reef tanks. Now battling a huge outbreak of Dino’s and trying not to launch the tank out of the window ??
Oh dude, feel for you!Yeah, everyone used to 'aim' for zero/zero, but couldn't get there - now unfortunately we can!
Check out the 'Esox guide', it's a long hard slog but you absolutely can get there. Get some nutrients in there. Bubble scrubbing/turkey baster blasting. Microbacter 7 is really good too.
I'll say no more, as Esox really is the daddy - but feel free to give me a shout if it's getting you down and you need a boost!
Oh, and there's a chap on Facebook selling tetraselmis phytoplankton. It's superb stuff, along with a nice addition of plenty of copepods.
General idea is to hammer and weaken the dinos, and add the stuff that'll take their place in the ecosystem so there's not a gap for the weakened dinos to repopulate.
General idea is to hammer and weaken the dinos, and add the stuff that'll take their place in the ecosystem so there's not a gap for the weakened dinos to repopulate.
Edited by Sway on Sunday 14th January 12:27
So the kH Manager and Bellus Angels were planned. What comes next, decidedly was not...
Over 2 years ago, when first planning the tank and before it was even in situ, I made up a motorised lighting rig. It was designed around ATI Straton lights. Then ATI stopped selling them in the UK, and my second choice came up at a decent deal so went for them. Enter the Philips Coral Cares:
Industrial looking, but certainly did the job. Silent, passive cooling and large panel of LEDs for amazing spread. Stupidly heavy, hence the rapidly jury rigged bracing bracket under the rig.
Last week, a pair of ATI Stratons came up for sale 2nd hand. Long standing, fairly local reefer. So within 5 minutes my lights were up for sale. What followed felt like I was in the middle of a housing chain - not being able to send my lights until I'd fitted the new ones, but needing the cash for the sale to be able to get the new lights.
Fitted them today:
Even bigger panel. Sleek and svelte. MUCH more UV and violet punch - but also more power overall.
Make the corals glow in the evening...
They've been set using a PAR meter to be only a little stronger than the Philips. Over the next six weeks, they'll get ramped up to my final planned settings for power. Then time for more corals!
Over 2 years ago, when first planning the tank and before it was even in situ, I made up a motorised lighting rig. It was designed around ATI Straton lights. Then ATI stopped selling them in the UK, and my second choice came up at a decent deal so went for them. Enter the Philips Coral Cares:
Industrial looking, but certainly did the job. Silent, passive cooling and large panel of LEDs for amazing spread. Stupidly heavy, hence the rapidly jury rigged bracing bracket under the rig.
Last week, a pair of ATI Stratons came up for sale 2nd hand. Long standing, fairly local reefer. So within 5 minutes my lights were up for sale. What followed felt like I was in the middle of a housing chain - not being able to send my lights until I'd fitted the new ones, but needing the cash for the sale to be able to get the new lights.
Fitted them today:
Even bigger panel. Sleek and svelte. MUCH more UV and violet punch - but also more power overall.
Make the corals glow in the evening...
They've been set using a PAR meter to be only a little stronger than the Philips. Over the next six weeks, they'll get ramped up to my final planned settings for power. Then time for more corals!
f
king hell you're chucking some money at this Sway! Hope it goes well 
Your blue picture reminds me that this week I've bought the new narrow throw lenses for my XR15 Pro lights and some shrouds. I can no longer with the amount of blue light spilling from the tank. It's alright in summer when there is some daylight until late but it's a bit hard on the eyes when its dark outside.
king hell you're chucking some money at this Sway! Hope it goes well Your blue picture reminds me that this week I've bought the new narrow throw lenses for my XR15 Pro lights and some shrouds. I can no longer with the amount of blue light spilling from the tank. It's alright in summer when there is some daylight until late but it's a bit hard on the eyes when its dark outside.
The kH Manager is certainly earning it's keep:
Also really interesting data. Some days, alkalinity consumption is just pure linear, so it can create exceptionally low fluctuations
But then you do something like scrape a bit of coralline algae off the glass!
So far, really happy with it - although this is using it in full auto mode, just dosing Part 1 via it's inbuilt dosing head. Unfortunately, for some reason they chose not to extend that logic through to the integration with the 4 head doser - instead I have to create a dosing schedule for Part 1/Part 2, then let the kH Manager adjust that based on testing. Except that wastes a dosing head - and is actually less granular in dosing (current setup permits up to 36 doses of 1ml per 24 hours, max using the 'build your schedule' plan is 24 doses).
So I'm moaning at the chaps at D-D to get an update out!
That's one thing that's quite nice about this hobby. Many of the brands are very accessible and interested in what their customers are doing with their kit...
Also really interesting data. Some days, alkalinity consumption is just pure linear, so it can create exceptionally low fluctuations
But then you do something like scrape a bit of coralline algae off the glass!
So far, really happy with it - although this is using it in full auto mode, just dosing Part 1 via it's inbuilt dosing head. Unfortunately, for some reason they chose not to extend that logic through to the integration with the 4 head doser - instead I have to create a dosing schedule for Part 1/Part 2, then let the kH Manager adjust that based on testing. Except that wastes a dosing head - and is actually less granular in dosing (current setup permits up to 36 doses of 1ml per 24 hours, max using the 'build your schedule' plan is 24 doses).
So I'm moaning at the chaps at D-D to get an update out!
That's one thing that's quite nice about this hobby. Many of the brands are very accessible and interested in what their customers are doing with their kit...
I think it's possibly as simple as a tiny piece or two in the water column getting into the sample vial, and therefore needing more of the acid reagent to reach the target number which the machine uses to calc the alkalinity figure.
Corals are growing really well (apart from perhaps the hardiest coral in there - a big-ish piece of montipora stellata, which I just can't figure out what's going on with it!) - visible, noticeable growth across the chalices, loads of polyp extension on the acros, etc.
New store opening (The Coral Hub in Portsmouth) tomorrow that I guess I should pop over to and see what they've got. Then Christian at Signature Frags (for those who aren't into corals - check out their website and see the colours/growth patterns available in acropora species!) is doing a huge release next week...
Going to drop him a message in advance to get a shopping list put together.
Corals are growing really well (apart from perhaps the hardiest coral in there - a big-ish piece of montipora stellata, which I just can't figure out what's going on with it!) - visible, noticeable growth across the chalices, loads of polyp extension on the acros, etc.
New store opening (The Coral Hub in Portsmouth) tomorrow that I guess I should pop over to and see what they've got. Then Christian at Signature Frags (for those who aren't into corals - check out their website and see the colours/growth patterns available in acropora species!) is doing a huge release next week...
Going to drop him a message in advance to get a shopping list put together.
Oh, realised I didn't update on the Angels.
The female didn't make it. Some really odd behaviour/symptoms unlike anything I can get a reference for. Towards the end she was really listless and it looked like she was peeling from sunburn around her chest.
Only thing that comes close to describing it is Brooklynella, which gave me a properly twitchy arse hole time - that is a brutal parasite that'll rip through a tank in days. Yet everything else is absolutely happy with zero symptoms over a week later.
Shop is replacing, which I wasn't expecting - now I've got the decision of whether to quarantine or not. I should (and to be honest should have been for all introductions. But this is the last fish being added so it's a decent chunk of cost/effort.
Yet it could also save the entire population.
The female didn't make it. Some really odd behaviour/symptoms unlike anything I can get a reference for. Towards the end she was really listless and it looked like she was peeling from sunburn around her chest.
Only thing that comes close to describing it is Brooklynella, which gave me a properly twitchy arse hole time - that is a brutal parasite that'll rip through a tank in days. Yet everything else is absolutely happy with zero symptoms over a week later.
Shop is replacing, which I wasn't expecting - now I've got the decision of whether to quarantine or not. I should (and to be honest should have been for all introductions. But this is the last fish being added so it's a decent chunk of cost/effort.
Yet it could also save the entire population.
Turn7 said:
Deffo quarantine ….
The risk to the whole tank is to big not to surely ?
Yeah, that's my thinking...The risk to the whole tank is to big not to surely ?
I'm also trying to work with a 'fish vet' to get some metronidazole and ciprofloxacin. Lots of research/use in the US where they're available over the counter. Over here they're really tightly controlled (understandably) but it's worth some effort if I can get hold of them due to their ability to eliminate nasty germs but not impact (indeed benefit) corals/inverts/biofilter.
Even things like Copper Power is a nightmare to get hold of. Solution is basically a dude who brings it over in his luggage, then splits out into specific doses.
It really is a stark contrast in equipment and materials availability US/Europe. Should have bought a whole load of stuff on my last Florida trip before I left that company on NYE.
Turn7 said:
Deffo quarantine ….
The risk to the whole tank is to big not to surely ?
For the sake a of a cheap tank and sponge filter, QT is definitely the way forward.The risk to the whole tank is to big not to surely ?
Trust me on this one...I learned the hard way, as you know!
I'll post an update on mine soon, I lost a wrasse when it jumped into the overflow and got mangled in the valves - luckily the filter sock contained the mess.
And my Mimic filefish suddenly went anorexic after 18 months of eating like a pig
Scooter Blenny
Scribbled Rabbitfish
Juvenile Regal Tang
One Spot Foxface
Unicorn Tang
Orange Shoulder Tang
Breeding pair of Tomato Clowns
Desjardin's Sailfin
TB Regal Angel
Bicolor Midas Blenny
Purple firefish x4
Lubbocks fairy wrasse
Mandarin Dragonet
Apitasia eating filefish
Latest additions;
Blue throat Trigger - bit of a risk, but it was tiny and soon put in its place by the bigger tangs, and has been a model tankmate since.
I've also added a pair of tiny bristletooth tangs - Ctenocheatus striatus and Ct. Truncatus - also known as blue and yellow eyed kole tangs
Both were about the size of a 10p coin, and are getting on fine with the other tangs due to their small size. There is a risk that these will either pick on each other as they get bigger, or gang up on the sailfin or orange shoulder tang
I never did buy the Holy Grail flasher wrasse (definitely a case of HOW MUCH?!!!) but I got a Blue Throat flasher instead - "Cirrhilabrus Cyanogularis" which puts on an incredible display of movement and colour.
I also have had some luck with bubble tip anemones, now with 5 large red, and two large green nems, and my soft corals are growing spreading nicely without much intervention or monitoring.
I think the biggest difference is not having a shoal of damsels/chromis this time around - the tank is much calmer, everyone gets fed equally, parameters are far more stable and one large water change a month is working well for me.
I'll add photos when I get home/remember..
Look forward to seeing them Steve.
Are you suggesting just an observational QT instead of going the copper route?
Blue throat is a stunning fish - would love to have one of those, WWC have one in their nem tank and their swimming motion really stands out.
Tbh, having seen how a Holy Grail settled into a tank on UR, think you dodged a bullet there. So much cash for a fish that's actually quite drab once settled at home...
Are you suggesting just an observational QT instead of going the copper route?
Blue throat is a stunning fish - would love to have one of those, WWC have one in their nem tank and their swimming motion really stands out.
Tbh, having seen how a Holy Grail settled into a tank on UR, think you dodged a bullet there. So much cash for a fish that's actually quite drab once settled at home...
Sway said:
Look forward to seeing them Steve.
Are you suggesting just an observational QT instead of going the copper route?
Blue throat is a stunning fish - would love to have one of those, WWC have one in their nem tank and their swimming motion really stands out.
Tbh, having seen how a Holy Grail settled into a tank on UR, think you dodged a bullet there. So much cash for a fish that's actually quite drab once settled at home...
Yes, I keep mine isolated for 2-3 weeks to see if everything is normal. So far I haven't had to dose copper but I have it ready just in case.Are you suggesting just an observational QT instead of going the copper route?
Blue throat is a stunning fish - would love to have one of those, WWC have one in their nem tank and their swimming motion really stands out.
Tbh, having seen how a Holy Grail settled into a tank on UR, think you dodged a bullet there. So much cash for a fish that's actually quite drab once settled at home...
When the fish goes in the main tank, I just get rid of the water and sponge filter. I have a couple of sponges maturing in my sump ready for each new fish going into QT.
I know people say to QT in copper for 4 weeks minimum, but 2-3 weeks is enough to notice anything untoward and deal with if necessary.
BTT is probably one of the most reef safe triggers, but mostly because they rarely touch softies - after seeing his teeth a few times though, I can see why SPS are at risk!
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