The urchins go through phases. Sometimes they scrape the coralline with the best of them. Sometimes not. Fortunately they like to eat off of my PHs and magnet. That particular urchin is more fond of nuisance algae though.

As for the meat coral. I'm gonna say it was about the width of my 4 fingers maybe? So 4-5"? That's about the width of my hand. It's been with me for about a year. Same with the colt. They were some of the first corals I got. They're hardy and fill space so they're ideal for starter species. We had a colt bush at my alma mater that was probably 2' in diameter. Insane. Same with leathers. Big and easy to care for.

Bill

Those photos looks great!

Tank looks great but I might try some bluer halides when it comes time to replace the bulbs or maybe try adding some more actinics. Bluer bulbs would really help your corals color pop and make this a killer tank. I love mixed reefs and this one definitely rocks.

Thank you very much! I've only recently gotten better with my digi. I still struggle with it quite a bit and I've started taking boatloads of pics to get the ones I want. Hopefully my progression is evident. I was starting to think they sucked, LOL. Tons of views on the thread and only a few comments, almost all of them from people I already know! Nice to see new faces, well avatars I guess.

Green- oh I definitely know about the bluer bulbs. It's 14k Phoenix here shortly. Thanks for the comments.

Bill

Nice, the Koralias got here this morning! Put them in and of course had to do some 'scape changes and move some frags to take advantage of flow and light reqs. Some guys will still probably get moved tomorrow but the changes weren't too significant. I've got pics and they'll be up after dinner. Now if I could just get these bulbs and the CUC recharge I'd be money.

Bill

You are already money my friend. Beautiful setup. Love the green monti and the one with the blue polyps. I just got one from the Propagator that he called blue berry monti and waiting for it to really get some PE. I can see the hints of blue polyps but nothing really coming out yet.

So the tank is a bit cloudy from some rock moves and most everyone is pi$$ed at me for the flow changes and the movement. Actually only the softies were unappreciative of the flow changes, all of the SPS were lovin' it.

FTS


A bit closer and in sections








Some really light coralline on this rock. Found him hiding in the back and thought it needed displaying.




Compared to this rather dark growth here.




So I had to move the superman frag, too bad the orange cap had already encrusted to it! Oh well, hopefully it'll grow into the main colony.


The required starving micro pics.




Please forgive the cloudy water and slightly angry critters. Things should be back to normal and lookin' good tomorrow morning.

Bill

So I'm thinking about HelloLights for my new bulbs and Reefscavengers for my CUC critters. Does anyone have any experience with them?

Thanks for any info,

Bill

Noone at all? Well I'll be the first then and let you all know how it goes.

Bill

Sweet new pics, Bill! You decided to move your colt to the side, eh? And I was wondering about the new rock front & center till I saw your light coralline close-ups. Hope it takes off for you. Those are super micro shots!

Coincidentally, I recently rec'd a rave review of reefscavengers via pm. My correspondent was totally impressed with their livestock and their shipping.

--Diane

Yeah, the colt had to be moved because he was getting too much flow with the new pumps. He fills that corner rather nicely and seems to be happy there. I think I'm going to turn the rock that the meat coral is on so that it sits right in the other corner and a bit lower. You'll have to look from the side to get a good view of it but it'll be much better for the coral itself.

Thanks for the info on Reefscavengers too.

Bill

So has anyone else ordered the 160 gal mix of Reef Crystal salt? Turns out theres a Tshirt in the bottom of the bucket. Kinda neat lookin'. I'm trying to get my wife to wear it so I can take a picture and show her fam what a fish nerd she's become, .

Bill

Nice tank Bill. I love the clown and Milana is adorable!

Sweet, I can't wait for mine!

Roxy, thank you. Yeah that clown is my wifes favorite. And she likes the fish too.

fiction, I've heard great things about this salt so I had to get some once my stuff was out. We'll see how it goes.

Bill

Yep, I'm a nerd. Wearin' my Instant Ocean shirt that came in my bucket'o'salt. Anyone else going to the Middle TN frag swap on the 19th? Weetabix told me about it and now I'm trying to go. Not sure if I'm staying overnight or not. I may if everyone decides to do dinner or something afterward. Army says I gotta ask permission to go though, haha. Shouldn't be a problem though. Let me know if anyone else is going. Weetabix is setting up a table with BibleSue and I saw that Revhtree might put a table up as well. Looks like good sponsors so far and some really nice door prizes. Should be a kewl time.

Bill

Reefscavengers has good cuc, I've ordered several times from them. Hellolighs is good also, ordered my last phoenix bulb from them.

Right now I'm thinking just lettuce nudis and maybe some berghias for the 55. The lettuce will live in the 1/2 10 until it's clean again. I'm hoping I can breed them like I did when I was in college. They're a fun critter and very easy to care for. I don't have many aips in the 55 but there are some so I think I just want the one berghia. My LFS has several displays with aip problems so I know he'll have food when he's cleaned me out. The bulbs will be 14k Phoenixs.

Bill

Just got a lettuce nudi from them to help eat some GHA

Awesome! Glad to have references to places. Buying online makes me nervous without reliable references.

Bill

You should buy from the Reef Chicks Coral Kitchen.
They're kinda goofy but I hear you get cookies with your zoas.

I have heard rumors that they've got good stuff. I also heard that they shamelessly plug their products in other peoples threads! Hahaha. If I come to the frag swap, I expect cookies. And frags will come with me if I come.

Oh, and the zoas are all doing wonderfully! Making a nice carpet around the base of my feather duster. Very kewl.

Bill

Really? Because I hear such mixed reports on these guys. (Have you seen the recent thread about them?)

Are there any secrets to success with them?

--Diane

I'm guessing you mean the lettuce nudis? I haven't seen a thread on them but I'll check. I've no experience with the berghias but I hear great things. When we bred the lettuce nudis it was a 20H that was just used to house Flame Scallops for our lower level biology classes. The water quality was good but it was exposed to natural sunlight a bit by the windows and we didn't really do algae maintenance on it like the display tanks. A lawnmower blenny lived in there and he seemed to love the constant supply of food so we let it go. When we got the lettuce nudis in for the display tank we put several in the 20H because it had an obvious supply of food. They just went to town. No predators or anything to bother them. Noone to eat the eggs. They did their thing and soon egg spirals were everywhere. We'd gather babies as they were born and transport them to our other displays and last time I was visiting there were lettuce nudis in every tank. We had multiple generations in that 20H while I was at school and it was a fun project. We had to start pulling algae from the tanks in the greenhouses to put in the 20H to feed them though. They lay alot of eggs and if they all survive it gets crazy fast. Very kewl critters though. I can't wait to get some more.

It was PC lighting and had a HOB filter if that matters.

Bill

Thanks, Bill, that's very helpful. Yes it was the lettuce nudis I was talking about...sorry not to be clearer.

Here's the thread that was giving me second thoughts about these guys:

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=139723

--Diane

No problem. I saw that they mentioned sea hares in that thread as well. Those are also kewl critters and I had one for a time. He was a voracious eater and not too much of a bulldozer. I took him back after a time though as he was very, very large. Too many frags in my tank for a creepy crawly that big. Never had real problems with him though.

Bill

So the conchs that are breeding in my tank...I think have done so on more than one occasion. I've now seen multiple sizes of young conchs in the tank which makes me think theres more than one batch of eggs. The babies in the 1/2 10 gal and in the 55 that I've seen until now were about half the size of the baby I saw the other night. This one was the size of a small nassarius snail. I'm working on getting pictures of the 2 sizes of babies.

FYI, they were sold to me as Persian Conchs. Not sure of sci. name or other common names. They eat algae pretty well and were reported to eat cyano. Haven't had cyano probs since introducing them some time ago so I don't really know if they'd eat it or not.

Bill

Hey Bill, are you coming to the Frag Swap a week from today in Goodletsville, TN?
Please say yes!!!
A bunch of us are getting together afterward for dinner.

I'm still planning on it. I'm fairly sure that's a long weekend for me at work so it shouldn't be a problem. Who all is coming?

Bill

BibleSue and I of course, you, arwndsh and SPerry for sure.
I'm trying to get Clifford513 to come and some other people as well.
I need to start a thread on it, maybe later tonight.

Sounds kewl. Can't wait to see everyone. Kinda chillaxin' this weekend so I can spend some $ coming up there and staying and dinner and whatnot. Most likely frags as well .

Bill

Breeding conchs--that is incredibly cool! Do you remember where/when you purchased them? What is their maximum size?

And how about some pics?

--Diane

I got them at the local LFS. The ones I have are supposed to be full-grown and if they're popping babies I'm guessing they're at least close to it. They're about an 1 1/2-2". I've got 3. I did move one to the 1/2 10 gal. and some babies hitched in there on the LR. They burrow in the sand every now and then and hide out. Other than that they just wander around and munch with that big proboscis. They do have this wicked little hook-like thing that they can use to push themselves if they're stuck or need to get to a higher rock or something. It looks pretty vicious and they can really sling it out there but I've never seen it used for anything besides movement. I'll try and get pics of the babies. The adults are out and chillin' now so pics of them will be easy.

Bill

So my mandarin went carpet surfing. . I've never heard of that happening before. When I first put the Koralias in my YWG went racing for the surface but settled back down into his cave fairly quickly. I figured the big change in flow just surprised him. He never jumped though. I'm not sure when the mandarin took his death hop but my wife says she hasn't seen him in a day or 2. Not that strange considering the rockwork and the cave system of the engineer goby. They were good roommates up until now, weird.
We did pick up a pep shrimp to fight off some aips I saw recently. While I was at the LFS I got an emerald for Harry's 1/2 10 gal. and a skunk cleaner shrimp for the 55 because me and Teresa are fascinated with watching them clean the fish. For right now my only needs are some new bulbs.

So that's the update for today. Cams battery is chargin' so pics will be coming soon. I'll be posting in the monti thread as well. Some very kewl stuff in there if you all want to check it out. Sunset, sunrise, and one called Forest Fire that I saw recently are now on my wish list.

Bill

A few pics.
This is one of the conchs but its in the 1/2 10 right now. The other 2 were munchin in a cave in the 55.


Hungry candy canes




RPEs...started as 3 now I think we're up to 7-8. Ugly cuke movin through as well


Hydno enjoyin the koralias


The lawnmower blenny decided to pose


So check this out. These came from the coral kitchen and this is the only oddball polyp I can see in the bunch. Kewl lookin guy tho.


Tyree Strawberry Patch...these pics really came out nicely.




So that's the update for now. Still planning on 14k Phoenixs in the near future and that's about it. I don't think I'll add more coral unless it's a trade or this upcoming frag swap. I am interested in another fish of some sort though. Any suggestions? Keep in mind the flow from the koralias is pretty hardcore. Otherwise it'd be pipefish, hehe.

Bill

Almost 3000 views. Who else wants to check it out?

Bill

Sweet, 3000 views. Leaving a comment would be kewl too though. It's like looking in my living room window and then not knocking on the door and saying hello. Oh, just wanted to see if you were home and watch some of your tv. Didn't want to talk to you though.

Well alright then.


Bill

HI!!!

(sorry for leaving my nose-prints on your LR window)

Thanks. And the nose prints are ok, Milana leaves them too. Along with fingerprints and all kinds of other smudges and marks. She does carry the water bucket to the tank though for water changes. Granted, it's the empty one. But she's carrrying a bucket nonetheless.

Bill

Nice clownfish! (You can never overdo pics of saddle, clarkii, allardis, and oman clowns).

Love the montis too, of course

I've been trying to find it a partner for forever. The LFS where we got it doesn't get that kind in anymore. Sucks. Yep, definitely dig the montis too.


Bill

I didn't realize you just had the one, I thought you already had a pair.
I've actually been thinking about putting that kind of clown in my 16g.
Every time I go to the LFS I'm always drawn to that particular clown there.
I also found this place that's close to me that breeds clowns and sells clown pairs for pretty decent prices. It's an internet store, and they put up pics of the actual clowns and clown pairs that you'd be buying.

Bill, my kids do that too.
I wiped a nose print off the aquarium the other day, and I've given up on keeping the windows in their reach smudge-free. It gives our house "character".

link?? (maybe seeing cute clowns will convince amber we need ANOTHER tank )

good luck on your search - I rarely see healthy A. polymnus around here, and we have TONS of stores to choose from.

SPIFFY

what do you know,im post 100 wheres my cookie weetie?

No you're not, you're post #94, look in the upper right corner of the post!
Besides, your comments were not relevant to this thread (which is also part of the rules), the main topic being THE AWESOMENESS OF THE NEVER-FINISHED 55!!!
See post #399 on pg. 21 of this thread for the official contest rules:
http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...=136028&hl=

LINK WEETIE!!

A tank is just a tank without noseprints! That's why I have mine on the pass through from the kitchen to the family room!

Thanks for the info, Bill! Obviously too big for my tank, but such a cool creature. I'd love to get a look at those "hooks!" Still hope you get a pic of the babies.






Thanks! Wow, look at those eye stalks!




Bill, you sure get incredible close-ups! I love the tentacles on those candy canes, and that blenny face is outstanding. Look at those blenny lips!

I agree that it's fun to get an odd zoa polyp or 2 in any given batch, and I love those perfect little monti polyps. I hope you keep throwing as many photos up here as possible!

Any ideas on another fish, yet? That's fun to contemplate.

--Diane

PS: It may be an ugly cuke to you, but to me it's yet another fascinating part of the incredible biodiversity our tanks can have. Did you buy it or was it a hitcher? Do you have more than one?

( Takin' one for the team here- ).

Great pics Bill! Tank is looking sweet. I also have a frag of those zoo's from the coral kitchen ( before it became the coral kitchen LOL). It's a beautiful frag with such a fantastic mixture of colors and patterns.

Please keep those pictures coming!


Ready...... set......GO!!!!!!!

Post 100 is this it do I get the cookies? and added to the hijack list?

So are the conchs the same ones that you buy those spiffy shells of in Florida where you can blow in the end and make the big trumpeting sound? I have a huge one at home. Will they outgrow the tank eventually. Oh yeah seems like I have had breaded and fried conch pcs. before. Kinda like alligator, a little chewy but non the less good.