JCPatella's 90g Reef Build - Page 17

jcpatella · #**401** 01/08/2008, 12:03 AM

Is James Brown his final name? Does it fit well? James Brown wasn't known for having the best complexion, but he did have soul!

Anyone want to see a sad pic? Our little dog, Leila, is developing a nipping problem as she's getting older. When she was younger, she bit me once when I tried to take away a treat that was WAY too big for her. Let's just say she never bit me again... She is the exact opposite of Drake - she just has a nervous personality that doesn't do well with women or children. It's the children part that worries me. She LOVES men. Either way, we decided to pick up one of these today:

It isn't the nicest thing and we'll probably hardly use it, but it will help on our yearly hurricane evacuations... She's a very scrappy dog, so maybe this helps curb her tendencies. We'll see.

ITR534 · #**402** 01/08/2008, 12:03 AM

Hey I just wanted to say that I love the thread!

malawi · #**403** 01/08/2008, 12:15 AM

LSU LSU LSU LSU LSU LSU LSU!!!!!!!!!!!!!

jcpatella · #**404** 01/08/2008, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by NanoGurl
you know what.... :P on you for making me have to google what that means just to find out and blah! :P

Hey - I'm not really that big of a sports guy, but they deserve it! I'm actually wearing this exact shirt today - that way when my friends ask who I'm behind, I point to my shirt.

jcpatella · #**405** 01/08/2008, 12:25 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by ITR534
Hey I just wanted to say that I love the thread!

Thanks!!! Stick around and show us your....pics!!!! Sorry, my New Orleans is coming out.... Mardi Gras isn't for another month...

bohlke · #**406** 01/08/2008, 12:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jcpatella
That sounds like a good idea. The only problem is he prefers nori and greens over anything else right now. He'll eat pellets, but he has to try and beat the blue reef chromis to the punch.... How well does nori soak garlic? I wonder how long it can be submerged in the tank before it loses the garlic it soaked beforehand.

Kent Garlic Extreme & Selcon. I'll put those on my list.

I am pretty sure he soaked the nori as well

NanoGurl · #**407** 01/08/2008, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jcpatella
Hey - I'm not really that big of a sports guy, but they deserve it! I'm actually wearing this exact shirt today - that way when my friends ask who I'm behind, I point to my shirt.

hehehe it's okay

I don't hate sports... i like D.C. United! GO UNITED!!!

NanoGurl · #**408** 01/08/2008, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jcpatella
Mardi Gras isn't for another month...

oh great... I can't wait for them to ask for THAT action shot!

jcpatella · #**409** 01/08/2008, 01:00 AM

Well, the cleaner shrimp is working overtime. I tried to get some good pics, but of course the dynamic duo aren't cooperating.

This last one is very interesting. The shrimp is actually "riding" him a few inches at a time.

Well, he sure does look rough. I hope things get better.

ReefGirlSara · #**410** 01/08/2008, 01:21 AM

We're all pulling for ya James Brown (or John Doe?)!!!

Reeftanks6 · #**411** 01/08/2008, 07:03 AM

the shrimp should do some of the cleaning for ya

cannarella · #**412** 01/08/2008, 07:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by jcpatella
Haha!!! Vampire triggerfish....sounds expensive....

That's the thing about garlic - my grandma always said "Garlic is good for your health - eat it and you'll live forever." As I got older, I realized "eat it and you'll live ALONE forever."

They are a neat looking fish. Dark blue with red fangs that stick out.

That and onions...

malawi · #**413** 01/08/2008, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by jcpatella
Thanks!!! Stick around and show us your....pics!!!! Sorry, my New Orleans is coming out.... Mardi Gras isn't for another month...

lol that's alright.but anyway on your tang try garlic; I heard it works pretty good.

jcpatella · #**414** 01/08/2008, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by NanoGurl
oh great... I can't wait for them to ask for THAT action shot!

They better be prepared to send some of these!

melev · #**415** 01/08/2008, 05:38 PM

Reeftanks6 · #**416** 01/08/2008, 06:07 PM

lol

jcpatella · #**417** 01/08/2008, 09:03 PM

Update. Straight to the biz-ness.

James (Powder) Brown - ich looks the same, but his coloration is a little light today. He's acting normal, but I didn't give him nori today because I don't want to mess with the water parameters. I'll continue garlic-soaked nori tomorrow. He looks starving though, and garlic-soaked fish food is on the menu tonight.

The corals all look good, with the exception of the xenia. It looked GREAT last night, but today it's whimpering. Strange.

I did some tests today, so please comment on how things look. I'm trying to get the hang of this, so I'm not too sure where all my levels need to be.

Nitrates - undetectable
Calcium - 460
Phosphate - 0 (though I've read phosphate tests are grossly inaccurate)
KH - 7 dkH or 125.3 ppm KH
pH - 7.6
Temp - 81.2
SG - 1.024 (I'm bringing this up slowly to 1.025 or 1.026)

Thank you guys for the help so far!

Reeftanks6 · #**418** 01/08/2008, 09:11 PM

Sounds good JC hope your powder brown gets better. He should pull through with the cleaner and the garlic and nori

flyguy7150 · #**419** 01/08/2008, 09:14 PM

you're ph seems low. I also like to keep my alk at around 9~10.

Reeftanks6 · #**420** 01/08/2008, 09:17 PM

yea i agree raise you ph a little

melev · #**421** 01/08/2008, 09:36 PM

Do you have any baked baking soda? If you do, take 3 teaspoons of it and mix it up in a cup full of RO/DI water, and pour about half that mixture slowly into your sump. Wait about 10 minutes for the water to stabilize and check your pH again. If it isn't high enough yet, dose the rest of the cup.

Don't just dump the whole cup in there at once, because it could be too much and stress the corals and fish.

Baked (Arm & Hammer) baking soda will raise Alk and pH.

jcpatella · #**422** 01/08/2008, 09:43 PM

My pH has ALWAYS been low, but I haven't done much about it. I don't like to add things to the system unless I fully understand what may come of it. I've been trying to read articles on kalkwasser, which may also help bring up my pH and alkalinity. My calcium seems alright, which is also a first....

jcpatella · #**423** 01/08/2008, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by melev
Do you have any baked baking soda? If you do, take 3 teaspoons of it and mix it up in a cup full of RO/DI water, and pour about half that mixture slowly into your sump. Wait about 10 minutes for the water to stabilize and check your pH again. If it isn't high enough yet, dose the rest of the cup.

Don't just dump the whole cup in there at once, because it could be too much and stress the corals and fish.

Baked (Arm & Hammer) baking soda will raise Alk and pH.

I don't have any baking soda right now. The misses is going to run to the store to pick some up. I'm going to do this in a little while, so I'll post when it's done. This is the first time I'm dosing anything to my tank, so wish me luck...

JJ4417 · #**424** 01/08/2008, 10:02 PM

There is also a current theory about trates and phosphates needing to be detectable. FWIW, people believe that shrooms and zoas do better in water that is 'a little dirty'. Might want to check into that.

My chaeto doesn't even grow, much less my zoas. I was told to feed more to get trates a phosphates up a *little*. Won't affect the ich, but since you are sticking in the softie/lps realm...and you want to keep James fed...

Anyone a little more up on the debate?

SeaSerpant · #**425** 01/08/2008, 10:08 PM

I just sifted through this thread. It looks Awesome. Can we have a few more full tank pics.