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jlanger's Reef Build: Episode II - The 120gal Strikes Back (1 Viewer)

I haven't posted updates here for a while and that was because I was instructed to "not release any content". Here's why.

240622 - CORAL-AquariumPortrait-preview.jpeg

If you're a CORAL Magazine subscriber, keep your eyes peeled for the latest issue where I wrote about how I designed my reef. (Then again, there's plenty of back story written in this very thread.).
And if you've ever wondered just what an algae turf scrubber actually does, there's another article in this issue where I try to relate about two years of data tracking into one column. It was a challenge to try and translate years of algae harvest data, two years of food tracking and a full year of testing nitrate and phosphate every day.
There's the saying of "Before you take anyone's advice, take a look at their tank." Well.... After you read about about algae turf filters, you can see my tank and judge for yourself.
I hope you all get a chance to read it.
And if you have any questions or feedback, feel free to reach out.

And as far as I know... there's no fish cookies in either article.
 
jlanger said:
I haven't posted updates here for a while and that was because I was instructed to "not release any content". Here's why.

View attachment 68001

If you're a CORAL Magazine subscriber, keep your eyes peeled for the latest issue where I wrote about how I designed my reef. (Then again, there's plenty of back story written in this very thread.).
And if you've ever wondered just what an algae turf scrubber actually does, there's another article in this issue where I try to relate about two years of data tracking into one column. It was a challenge to try and translate years of algae harvest data, two years of food tracking and a full year of testing nitrate and phosphate every day.
There's the saying of "Before you take anyone's advice, take a look at their tank." Well.... After you read about about algae turf filters, you can see my tank and judge for yourself.
I hope you all get a chance to read it.
And if you have any questions or feedback, feel free to reach out.

And as far as I know... there's no fish cookies in either article.
Click to expand...
Look forward to it!
 
Jason what a great article! That’s pretty good data and use of ATS to achieve heavy in and heavy out. Congratulations!!!
 
I'm curious to see how the digital copy looks. The photos the printed edition are darker and a bit more saturated than the original digital files that I submitted. The difference between pigment and light, I guess.
For instance, this is one that turned out quite different in print.

240211 - TopDownMontipora.jpg
 
jlanger said:
I'm curious to see how the digital copy looks. The photos the printed edition are darker and a bit more saturated than the original digital files that I submitted. The difference between pigment and light, I guess.
For instance, this is one that turned out quite different in print.

View attachment 68036
Click to expand...
Beautiful
 
Looks gorgeous, kudos to you for sticking to a species to create your reef.
 
jlanger said:
A quick update.
Everything has been running with little issue for another month or so. I replanted the Goni Garden recently to allow the corals to settle in and grow out. I believe that I've run out of room. But I also believe that I'm not done looking for new color morphs which may require a thinning or rehoming of corals already in the reef. (The same goes for montipora corals. I'm still looking for more unique and OG species; still waiting for a M. spongodes!)

Here's a quick video tour of the replanted Goni Garden.

Click to expand...

Love it!
 
Jake said:
Hopefully you trimmed that back and not a big die off. Where are all those dig. Lots of new real estate. Looking forward to seeing new editions
Click to expand...
I did the dirty work.
Most of the coral is now up at MN Aquatics. I saved some of each to replant and grow again.
 
jlanger said:
I did the dirty work.
Most of the coral is now up at MN Aquatics. I saved some of each to replant and grow again.
Click to expand...
That’s cool. Good luck with the new frags it’s half the fun
 
Here's more details and some photos from today's event.
(Mostly for my benefit; terrible memory.)

For the last six months or so, I've been bored with my reef and was struggling to find motivation to do something with it. No room for more corals. No room for more fish. I knew I had an aiptasia issue from when I lost the first Copperband Butterflyfish earlier in the year. (The new one is now eating the aiptasia that it can reach but there's plenty of them where it cannot reach.). I was just feeding the fish, harvesting algae and occasionally performing a water exchange. Every year during the holiday break, I do a more intensive cleaning and consider it a "reset" for the new year. This year, I decided it was time to just go in and blow the whole Montipora Island up [again].

Removing the coral was quite easy actually. The corals came out in large chunks that left behind no live tissue. I'm assuming that was due to the corals being placed on dead corals from the previous clearing event. I removed the healthy coral from the colonies leaving out the aiptasia and bubble algae. I also recovered a large number (40+) of micro-brittle stars that had holed up in the layers of dead plating montipora coral. Most of them were fairly good sized and when they were reintroduced to the reef, they had themselves an impromptu spawning event. I also found five large Berghia Nudis (and an egg mass) in the removed coral; also rehomed back into the system. I was able to remove all one the coral from that one rock so it now just has a few spots of yellow sponge growing on it.
I kept a few pieces of each color/variety of montipora for replanting to create a new Montipora Island. I'm going to be looking for more uncommon varieties and colors to include in this new version. I need to look for something to keep it exciting this next go-round.

Here's how it started.
I used a 32qt tote for working on the chunks of coral. It took about two hours to go through all of the coral; thus the heater to keep the water warm. I used cutters to remove the dead coral and separate the different varieties. This is where I would dig around looking for the stars and nudis and remove any aiptasia or bubble algae
.
250103 - WorkingTote.jpg

Here's the summit of the island; flat top and all.
A tangled mass of red, green, purple and German Blue Polyp M. digitata.

250103 - MontiporaSummit.jpg

One of many "frags" of German Blue Polyp Digitata that I removed.

250103 - GBPMFrag.jpg

Here's a 32qt tote filled with coral "frags" that were to be dropped off.
The small container was used to hold the stars and nudis while I worked on the corals.

250103 - Workbench.jpg

And here's a 15qt tote beyond filled with the dead and dirty coral that was tossed out.

250103 - TrashTote.jpg

And here's the cooler loaded up with coral heading for new homes.
If you're interested in picking up any of these frags, head up to MN Aquatics and see Emily and Joris.

250103 - CoralCooler.jpg

I'll start replanting coral this weekend.
The fish are doing well as they now have much more room for "activities". The tuskfish is still unsure of what is going on as it doesn't do well with large catastrophic events like this.

At least I'm not bored anymore.
 
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