Quartapound's 45g Cube Reef

Quartapound

Quartapound

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Oct 16, 2011
Location
Kitchener, Ontario
I have to admit, I REALLY want a real piece of macro glass... can't afford it.. soo I'm stuck using the "telescope" for now lol...
ZWr8mwv.jpg
 
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David Caplan

David Caplan

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Haha, I should have tried shooting my tank with my telescope lens. Sigma 150-500mm with stacked 2.0 and 1.4 teleconverters. I took this using that lens: http://copepods.ca/wp-content/uploads/P8022869_4.jpg

The best macro you can get /$ is a used Sigma 105mm or 150mm. The Sigma 105 is one of my favourite lenses, also shoots incredible portraiture. If you are going to be using things like extension tubes, make sure to invest in a focus rail, they are quite cheap and can be found on amazon.

You are doing a great job shooting your tank with that gear. The only thing I noticed is that you get a lot of distortion in your macro shots, try shooting absolutely perpendicular to the glass (use the built in level in your camera).
 
Quartapound

Quartapound

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Joined
Oct 16, 2011
Location
Kitchener, Ontario
BigReefer said:
explain this raw mode // on ur camerA?
Click to expand...
Raw mode is a DSLR picture format, as opposed to jpg, etc. It saves ALL the white balance data that the camera sensor sees into the picture and lets you do it in post on the computer. Much more accurate colours because you can fine tune it as much as you like after the photo was taken

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
 
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BigReefer

BigReefer

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Jun 1, 2011
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London, Ontario
Quartapound said:
Raw mode is a DSLR picture format, as opposed to jpg, etc. It saves ALL the white balance data that the camera sensor see's into the picture and lets you do it in post production on the computer. Much more accurate colours because you can fine tune it as much as you like after the photo was taken

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk
Click to expand...


thank you sooo much i am kinda blonde to this stuff
 
Quartapound

Quartapound

Active Member
Joined
Oct 16, 2011
Location
Kitchener, Ontario
David Caplan said:
Haha, I should have tried shooting my tank with my telescope lens. Sigma 150-500mm with stacked 2.0 and 1.4 teleconverters. I took this using that lens: http://copepods.ca/wp-content/uploads/P8022869_4.jpg

The best macro you can get /$ is a used Sigma 105mm or 150mm. The Sigma 105 is one of my favourite lenses, also shoots incredible portraiture. If you are going to be using things like extension tubes, make sure to invest in a focus rail, they are quite cheap and can be found on amazon.

You are doing a great job shooting your tank with that gear. The only thing I noticed is that you get a lot of distortion in your macro shots, try shooting absolutely perpendicular to the glass (use the built in level in your camera).
Click to expand...

Thank you for the compliments and advice! Truly appreciated. Good tip on the focus rail, from my limited experience with the extension tubes I can already see how it would make things much easier.

I have noticed the distortion too but wasn't sure the source, but noticed the lens wasn't perpendicular... I'll be more conscious of this. No level built into my T2i :( it's on my tripod, which is a good sturdy quality Giotto's, but the ballhead I have needs to be replaced... Way too small, it sags/induces vibrations. I try to remote trigger as much as possible too.

Thanks for the kind offer as well!! I'll be sure to reach out before heading that way next time.

BTW, I think you should definitely point that stacked Sigma 500 at your tank!!! ...Always wondered if copepods have freckles lol.
 
David Caplan

David Caplan

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Canon MP-E 65mm w/ full set of extension tubes at maximum magnification. This shot took absolutely forever to expose and I had to turn off every piece of electronics in my apartment to keep the camera stable enough. Note, even at 20x~ magnification, that is not a copepod. This is an amphipod, and on the top right you can see a Tisbe copepod.

 
Quartapound

Quartapound

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Joined
Oct 16, 2011
Location
Kitchener, Ontario
David Caplan said:
Canon MP-E 65mm w/ full set of extension tubes at maximum magnification. This shot took absolutely forever to expose and I had to turn off every piece of electronics in my apartment to keep the camera stable enough. Note, even at 20x~ magnification, that is not a copepod. This is an amphipod, and on the top right you can see a Tisbe copepod.
Click to expand...

Awesome!!
 
Quartapound

Quartapound

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Oct 16, 2011
Location
Kitchener, Ontario
quick update :) ...The tank is starting to show some great results, SPS pieces I'd picked up in the past few months are colouring up well and really starting to take-off. Possible reasons for the recent growth spurt
  • tank has 'matured' again since it was moved this summer
  • new Doser keeping parameters rock steady (all dialed in, numbers exactly where I want them and holding)
  • started dosing amino acids (aquavitro fuel)
  • SPS has acclimated to my lighting/flow by now
Here's an example of some of my growth over the past 10 days


I cropped this from my November 29th FTS
3WA4lhc.jpg



exactly 10 days later (I took this picture a few minutes ago December 9th)
AFD32QI.jpg




Now, I know digitata is already a very fast grower, and I'm sure this doesn't look very impressive to the SPS nuts for whom it grows like wildfire, but I'm happy/excited to notice that much difference in only 10 days... I take it as a sign the tank's doing well :) :)
 
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