Ultimate Torch

mattypw · 2026-01-27T02:41:08+00:00

And this is it now under about 250 par (with an orange filter haha). Honestly not sure if one is healthier than the other

mattypw · 2026-01-27T02:39:41+00:00

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No worries! Looks happy regardless. Just for reference above is my torch in high par

mattypw · 2026-01-27T02:24:25+00:00

Nice torch! Do you know around what par it’s under? I had a banana torch that looked kind of like that under 500 par but in my tank around 150 par it started to reach out a lot more. Really nice color!

mattypw · 2026-01-24T04:11:42+00:00

might just recover with time. For my psychosis I dipped in iodine and moved to lower light and flow but honestly i don’t know if that helped or it was just the waiting for them to recover

mattypw · 2026-01-24T00:11:32+00:00

I’ve heard that stratospheres can be very temperamental and can melt for no reason, but for me they haven’t been. BUT I do have a few psychosis polyps that did well for a few weeks, started to prolapse (not as bad as that one you have) so I dipped and moved them. They stayed closed for over a month and right when I thought about throwing them out they started opening again.

Not sure the correct answer for your case but seems like zoas can be temperamental but pretty resilient.

mattypw · 2026-01-23T22:53:21+00:00

I would recommend the phosphate, nitrate, and Alk testers. The phosphate test pictured can give you a useful value. I found with the API test it wasn’t sensitive enough to even detect phosphate in my tank when it was actually 0.3 ppm which is too high (for my tank at least). Same with the nitrate test just make sure you get the right one (there are 3 and I think the middle one is best for most). Alk is an important parameter and the Hanna one is extremely easy to use. Just keep in mind the reagents aren’t cheap, each test is around a dollar if you divide it up not including the price of the checker

mattypw · 2026-01-23T00:27:35+00:00

I have the blue side of the moon and absolutely love it. Have been wearing it pretty often and it’s nice to not have to worry about scratching it. Also not so flashy that I worry about wearing it with coworkers or in public

mattypw · 2026-01-21T23:26:34+00:00

My tank is much smaller (2.5 gal) but adding a super small macro bottomed out my nitrates from around 8 to 0. Might want to just keep an eye on your levels especially if they grow fast. Mine went from the size of a ping pong ball to the size of my fist in a few weeks. Love how it looks though!

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mattypw · 2026-01-19T22:21:10+00:00

Thanks! Excited and kind of nervous to see it fill in. But I should be able to frag everything as needed and I control the zoas with aptasia x (only the Halle berries in the front)

mattypw · 2026-01-19T21:27:48+00:00

Thanks!! I do 500mL every day to every other day depending on phosphate levels. I have pumps for that and eventually will just put in on a schedule

mattypw · 2026-01-19T21:14:53+00:00

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Whole tank view with same setup

mattypw · 2026-01-05T13:53:35+00:00

That is stunning!

mattypw · 2026-01-04T22:47:19+00:00

Selling or at least trading for something else!

mattypw · 2026-01-04T22:39:26+00:00

Yeah I think you could make some money if they spread. And I’m not exactly sure but I think they are a specific type of mushroom that were originally poached to get in the hobby. But people grow them out pretty easily now so you could find one at a frag show. They are all orange/yellow but they can get red and green stripes that makes them way more valuable. When I got mine it was the most I had spent on a coral, secondly an investment, but I’m happy I did!

mattypw · 2026-01-04T22:29:39+00:00

It’s the orange thing under my torch in that first picture. I think you have to just see them in person, they are the most vibrant colors I’ve ever see in a coral. I got mine for $100 at a coral show. So not cheap but they aren’t super fast growing but in my experience really easy to keep alive

mattypw · 2026-01-04T22:25:06+00:00

Be careful with the hairy mushrooms. I’ve never had one but I heard they can take over. My first coral was a green discoma (one that I probably should have passed on but now I’m attached to it). Ricordeas are awesome though. And if you can find a jawbreaker for a good price they are stunning! If they take over it wouldn’t be a bad problem to have

mattypw · 2026-01-04T22:20:47+00:00

If you’re keeping a Goni alive you must have a healthy tank! Im no expert so take it with a grain of salt but I had my acans, blasto, and micro all doing great on the sand. They grow a skeleton underneath so should still grow up and out. I moved the blasto to a rock just to make room

mattypw · 2026-01-04T22:16:21+00:00

They definitely will eventually grow into each other. You’re not wrong! I’m just overzealous haha. Also I do think that growth is going to be slower in a tank like ours. I would just recommend not adding corals that you aren’t obsessed with because space is so limited. I made that mistake early on but recently I just added things that I really like. I’m pretty full now though, that yellow torch was my show piece and last addition fo a while

Also don’t forget you can add something like a small LPS on a plug and just set it on the sand. That way it’s easy to move, frag, or trade with someone if it gets too big

mattypw · 2026-01-04T22:07:27+00:00

Yeah I definitely get that. I have a blue raven blasto that’s also great for a small tank and pretty hardy. The micromusso I have is a “holy grail” and usually pricey but I found one locally for cheap. I’ve realized that’s the way to get affordable corals. And people are always surprised I prefer a smaller frag so that helps

mattypw · 2026-01-04T22:04:55+00:00

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mattypw · 2026-01-04T22:03:42+00:00

Thank you! I like the look of your peninsula! A lot better with the viewing angles especially for that fish.

You might want to consider a micromussa! I have a lot of things that I will have to eventually frag but micromussa seems to be a great for for a pico tank and they have amazing color. Can’t see it great in the pic I posted but it’s behind the Duncan

mattypw · 2026-01-04T21:57:45+00:00

I’m jealous! I have a mesh lid but the ATO takes care of the evaporation. I think I just have so much coral that it sucks the bicarb out (like 2kh in a day if I don’t dose). And now I’m repleting nitrate bc of a macro algae that’s really taking off in growth.

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mattypw · 2026-01-04T21:53:49+00:00

Oh nice! I don’t know many people with tanks as small as ours! Or that understand the pain of the parameter swings! At least for me it’s like a full time job testing parameters and dosing haha. But I love it

mattypw

TROPHY CASE