Was up late last night (long story) and got a chance to take some night pictures. Figured I'd complete the full round of day/night tank/refugium pics. Anyways, here it goes...
Full tank shot. Refugium lights are off, otherwise that would be seen below the tank.
Right side. The bright color of some of the rock was the result of me rearranging the rocks. They haven't all grown the algae (although a week later and a purple tint is already appearing) cover yet.
Left side.
Middle.
Refugium full tank shot. It is effectively a display refugium. It doesn't quite run reverse schedule, but it is a bit more of a night schedule.
Refugium from ground level.
Refugium:
Some type of wild pipefish. He is the only real inhabitant of the refugium (other then shrimp/hermits/etc.).
Yellow Polyps are recovering since they were exhiled from the main tank. Once I get a healthy rock going again I'll try them again in the main tank. I suspect it was the Blue-Fin Damsels I removed that mowed them down, but can't rule out the Angels.
These do amazingly good in the refugium. Not so much in the main tank. Suspecting the Angels but will try again when it starts spreading enough to risk killing off a rock.
A small piece of the GSP frag that broke off. Also doing great since moving to the refugium.
The Zoas got exhiled to the fuge. The Hawaiian Toby has definitely taken a liking to them. Although her appetite for them isn't all that bad so if I get a large enough population going I could possibly put them back and just accept some attrition.
Another exhile caused by the Hawaiian Toby. Again, not fast enough to instantly kill it, but enough to shrink it back long-term until it is gone. She took a couple weeks to trim this one back to what it is now. Gonna wait till I can get 4-5 of them going before reintroducing (I'd cut it in half, but considering its been stressed so much, not sure it is worth the risk).
It started with one shell found during our summer vacation in Fort Meyers. Now there are a bout a dozen of them. Doubt any would survive in the main tank, but they'll have a nice home in the fuge.
One of the shells from Fort Meyers. Think it is a baby Horse Conch, although right now it appears to be eating algae so who knows. If it is a Horse Conch I'll have to move it eventually, but for now all the snails in the fuge are easily replaceable and expendable.
Main Tank: Night-Time.
The new Starry Blenny. Unfortunately I killed the last one getting the two Blue-Fin Damsels out. Removed a bunch of rock-work and didn't think that one of the rocks was the old Blenny's home. He spent 15 minutes out of the tank, seemed to recover after being put back in, but then was dead the next day. Amazing how much personality these fish have. The last one was a pig. This one is more playful and tricky. I'll see him hide behind a rock, wait for the Lawnmower to swim by, then jump out and swim behind him until the Lawnmower catches on and chases him off. They have opposite sides of the tank for territory so other then the chase-game they get along pretty well.
The Urchins doing their thing.
The Tobies. Yes, they sleep like that. Not sure how they do it, but that is how they sleep. Sometimes they even do it upside down (on the underside of a rock).
The Clowns. They never seem to rest.
Main Tank: Day-Time.
My Giant Barnacle Blenny....Okay so it is just a Lawnmower Blenny that found himself a multi-room home. Still funny to see when looking at the tank. He seems to switch rooms every so often. Lately he has taken the ones facing the glass, so good picture time. :laugh:
The lawnmower's neighbors. Interesting enough they aren't 100% responsible for the odd slope of the sand on that side of the tank. They started it, but then I moved a Maxi-Jet 1200 (in circulation mode) behind those rocks. The flow hits the rocks and breaks, partially up through the rockwork and partially down across the sand. Saves the Engineers a lot of work really.
The Rusty Angel. The Eibli was around, but it is more camera shy. Ducks into the rockwork when it sees the camera.
The Urchins, apparently sleeping off their nights' work.
Coral:
The first of the Ricordeas. Got a smaller green also that is about to split. A orange/green that is ready to go in the tank when I get more epoxy. A purple that is still attaching. And a huge purple w/ orange-tips that is ready to go in when I get more epoxy. Hard getting good pictures of this one since it opens in late day and then closes up by evening. Doesn't seem to be in any rush to soak up the light.
The Duncan. That's about it during the day so far. At night it seems to open a little bit more.
The Frogspawn seems to be doing pretty good. Was worried with the flow in the area, but seems to do fine.
The newest addition. Already putting on some growth. The tank is heading towards being dominated by large fast growing corals or mushrooms. For now this is how it'll remain, since I'd like to sit back and watch the current stuff grow. No need to keep throwing money in when I don't need too. Considered Xenia for an addition, but think I'll just try to propagate the Kenya and Frogspawn (maybe the Duncan if it ever really gets comfortable during the day) when they get a bit bigger and spread them around more.
Full tank shot. Refugium lights are off, otherwise that would be seen below the tank.
Right side. The bright color of some of the rock was the result of me rearranging the rocks. They haven't all grown the algae (although a week later and a purple tint is already appearing) cover yet.
Left side.
Middle.
Refugium full tank shot. It is effectively a display refugium. It doesn't quite run reverse schedule, but it is a bit more of a night schedule.
Refugium from ground level.
Refugium:
Some type of wild pipefish. He is the only real inhabitant of the refugium (other then shrimp/hermits/etc.).
Yellow Polyps are recovering since they were exhiled from the main tank. Once I get a healthy rock going again I'll try them again in the main tank. I suspect it was the Blue-Fin Damsels I removed that mowed them down, but can't rule out the Angels.
These do amazingly good in the refugium. Not so much in the main tank. Suspecting the Angels but will try again when it starts spreading enough to risk killing off a rock.
A small piece of the GSP frag that broke off. Also doing great since moving to the refugium.
The Zoas got exhiled to the fuge. The Hawaiian Toby has definitely taken a liking to them. Although her appetite for them isn't all that bad so if I get a large enough population going I could possibly put them back and just accept some attrition.
Another exhile caused by the Hawaiian Toby. Again, not fast enough to instantly kill it, but enough to shrink it back long-term until it is gone. She took a couple weeks to trim this one back to what it is now. Gonna wait till I can get 4-5 of them going before reintroducing (I'd cut it in half, but considering its been stressed so much, not sure it is worth the risk).
It started with one shell found during our summer vacation in Fort Meyers. Now there are a bout a dozen of them. Doubt any would survive in the main tank, but they'll have a nice home in the fuge.
One of the shells from Fort Meyers. Think it is a baby Horse Conch, although right now it appears to be eating algae so who knows. If it is a Horse Conch I'll have to move it eventually, but for now all the snails in the fuge are easily replaceable and expendable.
Main Tank: Night-Time.
The new Starry Blenny. Unfortunately I killed the last one getting the two Blue-Fin Damsels out. Removed a bunch of rock-work and didn't think that one of the rocks was the old Blenny's home. He spent 15 minutes out of the tank, seemed to recover after being put back in, but then was dead the next day. Amazing how much personality these fish have. The last one was a pig. This one is more playful and tricky. I'll see him hide behind a rock, wait for the Lawnmower to swim by, then jump out and swim behind him until the Lawnmower catches on and chases him off. They have opposite sides of the tank for territory so other then the chase-game they get along pretty well.
The Urchins doing their thing.
The Tobies. Yes, they sleep like that. Not sure how they do it, but that is how they sleep. Sometimes they even do it upside down (on the underside of a rock).
The Clowns. They never seem to rest.
Main Tank: Day-Time.
My Giant Barnacle Blenny....Okay so it is just a Lawnmower Blenny that found himself a multi-room home. Still funny to see when looking at the tank. He seems to switch rooms every so often. Lately he has taken the ones facing the glass, so good picture time. :laugh:
The lawnmower's neighbors. Interesting enough they aren't 100% responsible for the odd slope of the sand on that side of the tank. They started it, but then I moved a Maxi-Jet 1200 (in circulation mode) behind those rocks. The flow hits the rocks and breaks, partially up through the rockwork and partially down across the sand. Saves the Engineers a lot of work really.
The Rusty Angel. The Eibli was around, but it is more camera shy. Ducks into the rockwork when it sees the camera.
The Urchins, apparently sleeping off their nights' work.
Coral:
The first of the Ricordeas. Got a smaller green also that is about to split. A orange/green that is ready to go in the tank when I get more epoxy. A purple that is still attaching. And a huge purple w/ orange-tips that is ready to go in when I get more epoxy. Hard getting good pictures of this one since it opens in late day and then closes up by evening. Doesn't seem to be in any rush to soak up the light.
The Duncan. That's about it during the day so far. At night it seems to open a little bit more.
The Frogspawn seems to be doing pretty good. Was worried with the flow in the area, but seems to do fine.
The newest addition. Already putting on some growth. The tank is heading towards being dominated by large fast growing corals or mushrooms. For now this is how it'll remain, since I'd like to sit back and watch the current stuff grow. No need to keep throwing money in when I don't need too. Considered Xenia for an addition, but think I'll just try to propagate the Kenya and Frogspawn (maybe the Duncan if it ever really gets comfortable during the day) when they get a bit bigger and spread them around more.