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I have a total of 10 bulbs, above the 200, a 6 bulb and 4 bulb fixture. I've always changed them all at the same time. However, I usually change them every 12-14 months. This time, it's been 18 months...lol. 2 of the old bulbs have actually been burned out, for about 2 months.

When I change to new bulbs, I usually run a shorter photo period for awhile and also will only light one fixture, for the first couple of hours of that shorter photo period.

Are you running any Icecap drivers? I didn't think you could get that kind of life on Icecap's. I have heard 9-12 months max.
 
Ahhh that's probably why your last so long then :) We are at 9 months + now on an Icecap 660 so I think it's time.
 
In the past, I considered overdriving my bulbs, but after much research, along with the fact that I can grow SPS at the bottom of my 27" deep tank, without overdriving, I decided that there was no reason to go that route.

Don't know if you are or not, but if you're overdriving your T5 bulbs, it's absolutely critical to actively cool them, as well.
 
Yesterday evening, I noticed some warfare going on, between the Stylophora and M. digitata, which the digitata was definitely LOSING. Decided to snap a couple pics.

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i hear you,,,yes,,it happened in my DP tank too,,,when itt was 3" apart not a problem,,but when it be come 1" apart,,,they are fighting big time and start to kill each other,,,watcth out
 
We had a Milli attacking a Stylo and at the same time the same Stylo was attacking an Arco on the other side. Our score was the Milli won over the Stylo but the Stylo was winning over the Acro. Unfortunately in my inexperience I didn't get things moved in time and the Stylo had polyp bail out over about 90% of the colony 4" dia. colony. That stopped the war between the Stylo and the Acro and I had to clip a branch of the Acro. We are waiting to see if the Stylo will regrow it's polyps over the skeleton. We had one do it in the QT over stress and it grew back over a few weeks but this one doesn't seem to be gaining any ground yet. It's just a big white skeleton with a little bit of purple in the back :(

Those are some very cool pics though Michael.
 
So, I have a few different projects going on, but took some time away from them, well, included in them, to take a few photos today. As some of you have seen, I've had a large mass of UGLY zoanthids climbing up the front glass, for quite awhile. Well, I finally decided to do something about it. Last week, I took a razor blade, a net, and a step stool and got rid of them!! Razor blade to scrape them off the glass front and glass bottom, step stool to be able to reach the bottom...lol. The net was to catch stray polyps, as they tried to escape, where they would plant themselves and start a new mass of ugliness!

Unfortunately, this ticked off a lot of corals. I ended up losing a small colony of M. undata, a couple frags of M. setosa, my Rainbow Monti and a couple other encrusting Montis are still showing a lot of stress. A couple Echinos are still showing signs of stress, of course, the nice ones! All other corals have completely recovered and are doing well. LPS were ticked off for a few hours but bounced right back. Acropora were not at all effected.

Well, removing this mass of ugliness allowed me to take pics of corals I've not been able to photograph, since the ugly zoanthids were in the way! While photographing them, I decided to shoot some other photos too. So, without further ado, here we go...

I still need to scrape coralline, so these ones were a little obscured.

Sunny Ds.

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Chong Bongs

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One of several frags of Armor of Gods, and the easiest to photograph, due to it's location.

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A nuisance mushroom, but at least a purdy nuisance.

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One of my Cyphastrea japonica frags

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Green Millipora

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ORA Miami Orchid (a little ticked because I moved the colony, right before taking this picture)

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Some of you may have read, way back, where I purchased a Swales Swissguard Basslet, from Kevin. http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f46/livestock-4-6-10-a-52938/#post614837

For months, we never saw it, and wondered if it was still alive. Then, we'd see flashes of it, every now and then. When I purchased it, on 4/8/2010, I'd promised Kevin that I'd post pictures of it. 11 months later, I was able to keep that promise...lol. Well, today, I got another pic. Once again, for the past couple of months, I've wondered if it was still alive. Today, while sitting at the computer, I glanced over at the tank, to see it in the shadows. I grabbed the camera quick, and waited about half an hour, for it to reappear. (OH, as I'm typing this, I look over and see it, right now...lol.) Anyway, I'd see it dart our for a few seconds, but since it was in a dark area of the tank, my camera wouldn't focus on it. I couldn't see it, through the view finder, well enough to manually focus. So, the waiting game continued. I had to use the flash, which washed the colors out some, but here it is, and it's getting FAT! Out of about 20 attempts, this is the only photo that was half way decent.

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So, awhile back, our club had a group buy for Algae Dozers. I bought a few. I was quite disappointed, when I tried to use mine, as it was near useless. Shortly afterwards, Joanne, (estanoche) posted a video, using hers and it worked great! It seems my Magfloat just wasn't strong enough. So, Joanne was generous enough to loan me her Algae Free Hammerhead magnet, to use with my Algae Dozer. WOW!!! I know what I'll be buying soon!

Anyway, this allowed me to QUICKLY remove a lot of coraline algae, that's been blocking my view, through both sides, allowing me to get some pictures I haven't been able to get, before. While taking pictures, I also decided to take some pics of some "hitchhikers," or things that have naturally grown, in the tank.

ORA Frogskin

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Strawberry Fields A. sarmentosa

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Tunicate and Bubble Algae

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Another cool Tunicate

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Montipora spongodes

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Forest Fire digi

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The Pocillopora isn't a "hitchhiker," but the result of polyp bail out, from part of my colony, awhile back. This is growing on my overflow, where it must have settled.

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geeee - that estanoche person sure is nice ;) making fun of you in a video, and then loaning you the tool to try it out yourself!!!


hahahaha


Made fun of me!!?? Oh no you didn't!! Maybe I need to watch that video again, this time with the volume turned on! Might have to withdraw a certain nomination I recently made!! lol

Yes, thank you so much for the use of your Hammerhead. That, combined with the Algae Dozer pad, and 20 minutes, accomplished what used to take me an entire day with a razor blade, ending with arm/hand cramps that were unbearable!! I still want to move my powerheads and get those areas, we'll see if it happens or not...lol.
 

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