so what do you all have in your tank excluding your fish? and do you have to spot feed them or are they photosyentheses?
New nano reef diary
- Thread starter Blinky
- Start date
Any time you want specs on my tank, you can click on my sig link - all the info's there, from water tests to inhabitants to feeding and maintenance.
There's a pistol, skunk cleaner, yellow clown goby, fairy wrasse, shrimp goby, 8 snails and two hermits. The corals etc. are mushrooms, rics, Xenia, GSP, one tulip anemone and some zoas - all photosynthetic for the most part. I may add a couple more corals (maybe a leather, clove polyps, interesting zoas - something easy and probably a softie rather than LPS) eventually, but for now I'm happy with the tank as is. I may visit a LFS tomorrow that always has gorgeous stock, so who knows - maybe they'll have something I can't resist!
There's a pistol, skunk cleaner, yellow clown goby, fairy wrasse, shrimp goby, 8 snails and two hermits. The corals etc. are mushrooms, rics, Xenia, GSP, one tulip anemone and some zoas - all photosynthetic for the most part. I may add a couple more corals (maybe a leather, clove polyps, interesting zoas - something easy and probably a softie rather than LPS) eventually, but for now I'm happy with the tank as is. I may visit a LFS tomorrow that always has gorgeous stock, so who knows - maybe they'll have something I can't resist!
Did a water change yesterday, I'm finding that the Kent salt seems to lower the KH considerably - every time I do a pwc I end up having to add buffer for days afterwards. I should get smart and start adding it to the water first...
Today at work we got our SW shipment in - I'm on holidays from my non-LFS (real) job, so I'm working full time at the LFS for a few weeks... it's dangerous for me to be there when the new stock comes in! Between myself and two other staff members, we cleaned out all the best stuff before it ever went into the display tanks, LOL. I brought home a gorgeous purple porcelain crab and a tiny Mexican turbo - I don't think anyone knew it was in there, it must have been an accidental addition to an Astraea order, lucky me
A friend took home a neon dottyback, what a gorgeous fish. We got a huge batch of baby emeralds, they're hilarious! One of them raised it's teeny claws at my hand as though it was going to attack me, another hitched a ride on a hermit's shell for a while - ridem cowboy!
Maybe a stupid move considering what I went through with my red EC, but I brought one home (a female, her body is smaller than my baby fingernail). I've done a lot of reading and found that most of the time when people have a problem like I did where their crab starts eating polyps or going after fish, it's with a red mithrax; apprantly they aren't exactly the same as emeralds, just very similar. I think the fact that mine was a BIG male might have had something to do with it as well. I am taking a chance because I'm seeing several types of macro including Valonia starting to grow on a few of my rocks and hope this little girl will take care of it. If she shows any signs of misbehaving, she's outta there!
Today at work we got our SW shipment in - I'm on holidays from my non-LFS (real) job, so I'm working full time at the LFS for a few weeks... it's dangerous for me to be there when the new stock comes in! Between myself and two other staff members, we cleaned out all the best stuff before it ever went into the display tanks, LOL. I brought home a gorgeous purple porcelain crab and a tiny Mexican turbo - I don't think anyone knew it was in there, it must have been an accidental addition to an Astraea order, lucky me
A friend took home a neon dottyback, what a gorgeous fish. We got a huge batch of baby emeralds, they're hilarious! One of them raised it's teeny claws at my hand as though it was going to attack me, another hitched a ride on a hermit's shell for a while - ridem cowboy! Maybe a stupid move considering what I went through with my red EC, but I brought one home (a female, her body is smaller than my baby fingernail). I've done a lot of reading and found that most of the time when people have a problem like I did where their crab starts eating polyps or going after fish, it's with a red mithrax; apprantly they aren't exactly the same as emeralds, just very similar. I think the fact that mine was a BIG male might have had something to do with it as well. I am taking a chance because I'm seeing several types of macro including Valonia starting to grow on a few of my rocks and hope this little girl will take care of it. If she shows any signs of misbehaving, she's outta there!
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Swimfins
This is as good as it gets.
I lucked out yesteday. The lfs was dismantling a tank to rearrange and restock it,and I noticed a couple rocks with some green zoos and another with lil yuma mushrooms on it. The guy gave me both and marked 'broken coral' on the bag so it cost me only $30.00 for both, instead of the 40 they were asking for each coral (and a bonus hermit was hiding on the rock too)
The polyps opened in an hour of being added
The mushy's opened in a few minutes. Tiny neon green babies, and a couple larger purple ones.
I'd like a crab but will wait to see what happens with yours.
I watched my coral banded shrimp who had to go over and check out the polyps after dark, but a quick look and he went on to other things. PHEW!
The zoos are happy today. so am I lol.
The polyps opened in an hour of being added
The mushy's opened in a few minutes. Tiny neon green babies, and a couple larger purple ones.I'd like a crab but will wait to see what happens with yours.
I watched my coral banded shrimp who had to go over and check out the polyps after dark, but a quick look and he went on to other things. PHEW!
The zoos are happy today.
so am I lol.
Sweet deal, I love it when that happens! That's the #1 reason I work weekends at the LFS, I get a good discount on dry goods and wicked deals on livestock - last week I picked up a rhino plec for my 65g for $5 and my ricordia shrooms for cost. Make pals at the LFS, it pays!
Today a friend of mine gave me two Sarcophyton (leather) frags, I placed one on each side of the tank, one further up and in higher current, the other is in a lower spot with less direct flow. They've both been shrinking in his tank so he's hoping they'll enjoy the conditions in mine - if they grow up happy and healthy, I'll give one back so he can try again
Last night I had a scare, I saw the cleaner shrimp eating pieces of the porcelain crab. I didn't want to leave the body in my tank so I retrieved all the bits I could find. I accidentally crushed one of the claws when I grabbed it, and noticed it was hollow... looking into the tank later with a flashlight I saw the porcelain had just moulted and was alive and well!
I have one major problem now... my 65g is starting to bore me a bit and I'm starting to think it would make a pretty nice SW tank. I've got enough light, spare powerheads, I can use the canister for circulation/carbon/PhosGuard etc... the only drawback is there's no room for a sump, the two sides of the stand are shelves, and the middle cabinet measures 10" x 14", just enough space for the canister, not even enough for a 5g tank. I think within a few months I'll be doing some serious planning; I would need an RO unit, skimmer and a HOB refugium unit. I'd either trade or sell all the Crypts (if I could trade for LR that would be perfect), get new PC bulbs - I figure it could cost me ~$600-$1000 to convert so I'd better start saving.
Today a friend of mine gave me two Sarcophyton (leather) frags, I placed one on each side of the tank, one further up and in higher current, the other is in a lower spot with less direct flow. They've both been shrinking in his tank so he's hoping they'll enjoy the conditions in mine - if they grow up happy and healthy, I'll give one back so he can try again
Last night I had a scare, I saw the cleaner shrimp eating pieces of the porcelain crab. I didn't want to leave the body in my tank so I retrieved all the bits I could find. I accidentally crushed one of the claws when I grabbed it, and noticed it was hollow... looking into the tank later with a flashlight I saw the porcelain had just moulted and was alive and well!
I have one major problem now... my 65g is starting to bore me a bit and I'm starting to think it would make a pretty nice SW tank
. I've got enough light, spare powerheads, I can use the canister for circulation/carbon/PhosGuard etc... the only drawback is there's no room for a sump, the two sides of the stand are shelves, and the middle cabinet measures 10" x 14", just enough space for the canister, not even enough for a 5g tank. I think within a few months I'll be doing some serious planning; I would need an RO unit, skimmer and a HOB refugium unit. I'd either trade or sell all the Crypts (if I could trade for LR that would be perfect), get new PC bulbs - I figure it could cost me ~$600-$1000 to convert so I'd better start saving.
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Swimfins
This is as good as it gets.
LOL funny, everytime I sit in front of my 66g I think how well its designed or saltwater, being long and wide. I can even get it drilled and add a sump underneath. OMG someone say STOP!!!!!!
But I'm not ready yet.
Nice rhino, but then again where would you move him too??? I don't even use co2 on my tank anymore, but the plants are doing reasonably well. And I'm kind of attatched to the fish too lol. Maybe a new 90g???
Now someone stop me lol.
But I'm not ready yet.
Nice rhino, but then again where would you move him too??? I don't even use co2 on my tank anymore, but the plants are doing reasonably well. And I'm kind of attatched to the fish too lol. Maybe a new 90g???
Now someone stop me lol.
It's a sickness, I tell ya! My husband looked at me sideways when I told him we could convert the 65g, I don't think he's quite on board
You're right about the rhino (I can't wait to see him at full size, he's so pretty!), and I'm quite attached to my angel, the bristlenose and some of the plants in the tank - they really are gorgeous. I think I'll leave it for now, and maybe plan for a big reef when we move out of the city and into a bigger place. Who knows though, maybe I'll win over my hubby if I tell him it's this or I'm saving up for a 220 with MH, a chiller, a huge sump and a bunch of expensive corals and fish!
Most of the tank looks pretty good tonight - the Xenia is growing, dividing, *ahem* taking over - can you say 'fragging time?' Soon, soon... the pink/purple/brown zoas are multiplying like bunnies, the red/greens are taking hold - there were seven tiny polyps when I fragged them out of the centre of the purple colony, now there are ten. I discovered a new purple mushroom baby yesterday, sitting beside and sort of underneath a much larger one.
The new Sarcs look terrible, but happily one is extending its polyps and standing up straight so hopefully it will be alright. The other is folded over and retracted, not sure if he's going to make it. Both look pale and flaky around their bases and aren't plumped up; they're almost withered looking, like drying mushrooms.
The porcelain is gorgeous, the emerald is starting to come out at dusk and poke around - she's so shy! The Mexican turbo is amazing, making short work of the bits of fuzzy algae. There's a critter I can't ID who has been getting steadily larger - it looks exactly like a snail, with a flat shell (looks like half a clam shell) on its back. The shell is black/grey, but its body is a striking bright orange. It's eating things off the rock, so it's more than welcome to stay
I'm expecting some Chaeto in the mail, it was due to arrive on Friday but it's still not here. My hubby tells me the mail is slow due to the awful situation in the US, so I'll forgive the postman for being late. I imagine it's dead by now, but there's not much I can do, and I don't think it's really fair to ask them to ship more - it was a freebie from another hobbyist who went out of their way to calculate the shipping, package it and send it out, all I had to do was pay for the shipping.
Happily, and a bit ironically, I've discovered little tufts of macro on a rock. Looking at the Baensch Marine Atlas I've tried to ID it, and it really looks like Chaeto! If it is, maybe it'll grow and I won't need to find more after all
You're right about the rhino (I can't wait to see him at full size, he's so pretty!), and I'm quite attached to my angel, the bristlenose and some of the plants in the tank - they really are gorgeous. I think I'll leave it for now, and maybe plan for a big reef when we move out of the city and into a bigger place. Who knows though, maybe I'll win over my hubby if I tell him it's this or I'm saving up for a 220 with MH, a chiller, a huge sump and a bunch of expensive corals and fish!
Most of the tank looks pretty good tonight - the Xenia is growing, dividing, *ahem* taking over - can you say 'fragging time?' Soon, soon... the pink/purple/brown zoas are multiplying like bunnies, the red/greens are taking hold - there were seven tiny polyps when I fragged them out of the centre of the purple colony, now there are ten. I discovered a new purple mushroom baby yesterday, sitting beside and sort of underneath a much larger one.
The new Sarcs look terrible, but happily one is extending its polyps and standing up straight so hopefully it will be alright. The other is folded over and retracted, not sure if he's going to make it. Both look pale and flaky around their bases and aren't plumped up; they're almost withered looking, like drying mushrooms.
The porcelain is gorgeous, the emerald is starting to come out at dusk and poke around - she's so shy! The Mexican turbo is amazing, making short work of the bits of fuzzy algae. There's a critter I can't ID who has been getting steadily larger - it looks exactly like a snail, with a flat shell (looks like half a clam shell) on its back. The shell is black/grey, but its body is a striking bright orange. It's eating things off the rock, so it's more than welcome to stay
I'm expecting some Chaeto in the mail, it was due to arrive on Friday but it's still not here. My hubby tells me the mail is slow due to the awful situation in the US, so I'll forgive the postman for being late. I imagine it's dead by now, but there's not much I can do, and I don't think it's really fair to ask them to ship more - it was a freebie from another hobbyist who went out of their way to calculate the shipping, package it and send it out, all I had to do was pay for the shipping.
Happily, and a bit ironically, I've discovered little tufts of macro on a rock. Looking at the Baensch Marine Atlas I've tried to ID it, and it really looks like Chaeto! If it is, maybe it'll grow and I won't need to find more after all
More pictures
Just thought I'd put some more pics up. The Xenia is really growing, it's splitting and stalks are starting to move away from the central clump. I've put some rocks nearby; in the future when stalks attach, I'm hoping to be able to remove them and trade them for credit at work.
The brown skirted pink/purple zoas at the back are really taking off, I'm not sure what I'll do with them - it's tempting to let them grow onto the back glass and see how a wall of them would look, but they're not a terribly exciting colour. Considering how I react to them, fragging these guys isn't going to be a picnic!
The new Sarcophyton on the left is doing pretty well, the one on the right (bottom, can't even see it in the pic) is closed and folded over and doesn't look well at all. I did a 25% water change last night in hopes of perking them up - it worked for the healthier frag, it extended more fully today.
I nuked a little Aiptasia that popped up behind the Xenia - I removed the rock and slathered the little beastie with Kalk paste, then rinsed well in SW and returned it to the tank. Bye bye nasty anemone!
The little Mexican turbo I found at work (came in with an Astraea shipment) is hilarious! He's made it his mission to keep the other snails clean - the first thing he did after adjusting to the tank was to seek out another snail and polish the hair algae from its shell. He's proceeded to clean every last one, and keep them all algae-free. Strangely, he's left a little patch of algae on one of the rocks; he's passed it numerous times without a glance. Maybe he just likes riding the other snails around!
Enough babbling, here are some pics from this evening.
FTS:
The rock the red/green zoas are on is a really odd sulphurous yellow, I'm not sure why. Initially it was grey, now the entire thing is uniformly coloured.
Orange-spot goby and his pistol:
I'm absolutely in love with this fish, he's gorgeous and full of personality. In addition, since bringing him home I see the pistol all the time!
Just thought I'd put some more pics up. The Xenia is really growing, it's splitting and stalks are starting to move away from the central clump. I've put some rocks nearby; in the future when stalks attach, I'm hoping to be able to remove them and trade them for credit at work.
The brown skirted pink/purple zoas at the back are really taking off, I'm not sure what I'll do with them - it's tempting to let them grow onto the back glass and see how a wall of them would look, but they're not a terribly exciting colour. Considering how I react to them, fragging these guys isn't going to be a picnic!
The new Sarcophyton on the left is doing pretty well, the one on the right (bottom, can't even see it in the pic) is closed and folded over and doesn't look well at all. I did a 25% water change last night in hopes of perking them up - it worked for the healthier frag, it extended more fully today.
I nuked a little Aiptasia that popped up behind the Xenia - I removed the rock and slathered the little beastie with Kalk paste, then rinsed well in SW and returned it to the tank. Bye bye nasty anemone!
The little Mexican turbo I found at work (came in with an Astraea shipment) is hilarious! He's made it his mission to keep the other snails clean - the first thing he did after adjusting to the tank was to seek out another snail and polish the hair algae from its shell. He's proceeded to clean every last one, and keep them all algae-free. Strangely, he's left a little patch of algae on one of the rocks; he's passed it numerous times without a glance. Maybe he just likes riding the other snails around!
Enough babbling, here are some pics from this evening.
FTS:
The rock the red/green zoas are on is a really odd sulphurous yellow, I'm not sure why. Initially it was grey, now the entire thing is uniformly coloured.
Orange-spot goby and his pistol:
I'm absolutely in love with this fish, he's gorgeous and full of personality. In addition, since bringing him home I see the pistol all the time!
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Swimfins
This is as good as it gets.
wooooohoo Its coming right along, how many months now?
I've got a acorapora staghorn purple tip frag. I couldn't believe it was alive, felt like a piece of plastic when I set it down lol. I also picked up a frag of frogspawn (4 coral in the tank now). I bought 2 trochus snails as well, and now I'm wanting a porcelain or emerald crab. But, not sure. How's yours doing?
(Still have NO algae going into the third month, 192 watt lighting now for 3 weeks,I don't know why. I wish my big tank had been this easy, knocking on wood lol. I might be in for a fight later on. I had a very short lived outbreak of brown algae at the start, but nothing major. Now coralline algae getting a bit wacky, growing on my bush plant, all the hermits have purple shells, well I think its coralline, maroon in color, but the lawnmower picks at it, and has it under control, althought he pulls off green strands as well lol.)
I've got a acorapora staghorn purple tip frag. I couldn't believe it was alive, felt like a piece of plastic when I set it down lol. I also picked up a frag of frogspawn (4 coral in the tank now). I bought 2 trochus snails as well, and now I'm wanting a porcelain or emerald crab. But, not sure. How's yours doing?
(Still have NO algae going into the third month, 192 watt lighting now for 3 weeks,I don't know why. I wish my big tank had been this easy, knocking on wood lol. I might be in for a fight later on. I had a very short lived outbreak of brown algae at the start, but nothing major. Now coralline algae getting a bit wacky, growing on my bush plant, all the hermits have purple shells, well I think its coralline, maroon in color, but the lawnmower picks at it, and has it under control, althought he pulls off green strands as well lol.)
The porcelain and the EC are both lovely, and the tank is just over three months old
If you've got a lawnmower in there, you're not likely to see much hair algae - they call them lawnmowers for a reason!
Let me know how you do with the Acropora, I'm not sure how it'll do without MH lighting... AFAIK SPS pretty much need MH - even under high PC I've read that chance are they'll brown out.
Trochus snails ROCK, mine is gorgeous and really does a great job. I wish I could get a better camera, I'd love to photograph her - she's white underneath, but on top her mantle is a deep purple, with a baby blue and yellow face.
If you've got a lawnmower in there, you're not likely to see much hair algae - they call them lawnmowers for a reason!
Let me know how you do with the Acropora, I'm not sure how it'll do without MH lighting... AFAIK SPS pretty much need MH - even under high PC I've read that chance are they'll brown out.
Trochus snails ROCK, mine is gorgeous and really does a great job. I wish I could get a better camera, I'd love to photograph her - she's white underneath, but on top her mantle is a deep purple, with a baby blue and yellow face.
