I put up an interest check on the Livestock for sale Forum, for a few frags...I think it's time to cut up my Appleberry Montipora palawensis, my Rainbow Monti, my Chip's acro and my Acropora desalwii...

Here they are...
Appleberry Monti


Rainbow Monti


Chips Acro


Acropora desalwii



I also took some pictures of a few other pieces...y'all know I cannot resist snapping pictures...
Mike Paletta Blue Monti


Rainbow Acan lord (just moved it to see if it will ever grow bigger)


BGWMASGM....chalice


Stuff is growing and I'm just kinda coasting along right now....

Enjoy,
Mitch

So, I have had a bad week...first, Thursday I left for work after the cursory tank inspection...everything was fine. No frags in the sand or anything, then when I came home my A. suharsonoi was in full on RTN...most of the tissue had already sloughed and more was going...I checked parameters and all was fine and did a high magnification check for critters, I took the piece out and saved a TINY 1/4 inch tip to try and grow out....

Then Friday morning during my check I saw weird reflections and looked closer...Glass all over the place in the tank...I opened the hood and found that my 250MH UV shield glass was shattered into little shards.... Danmit....Off to work and then a "best effort" cleanup of the glass after I got home....I still have a buch of little pieces on the sandbed, but I can live with that....I called Sunlight Supply, who said they would ship a replacement glass, FREE under warranty....not bad....

It actually arrived yesterday (overnight!!) It's good to have the distribution center in state...So, that problem was remedied quickly...

Anyway...while the glass was being delivered I was at a friend's coral farm, and while there I got a frag of a beautiful Purple with neon green eyes favia....

It was just in my tank for like 15 minutes at the time of this picture...I cannot wait til it gets good and acclimated....

Mitch

Holy hell dude, that thing is beautiful, almost like the raspberry monster but with green eyes! I might have to post pics of the new stuff to show you up.
*Edit: Looks ready to frag, holler at your boy

Yup, it turned out really pretty in my tank so far...I'm anxious to see what it does under the lights today...but...wait!!!! What's that?? Oh, my 150MH isn't firing....Danm, if it's not one thing it's another....

Guess I gotta run out for a bulb....

Well He[[...I got a bulb and popped it in...nothing....At least the LFS will take the bulb back toward a ballast tomorrow afternoon....I hate crap like this...

Which LFS do you go to -- OB, SIC, WWC, AF.....?

JuicyCorals.com is where my good stuff mostly comes from.....For corals that is....I ran to OB for the bulb...close by and they had the bulb I use....but now I will go back tomorrow for the ballast!!!!

who's OB? and who's AF?

I guess it's okay to mention store names...Ocean Blue...been around for many years...Aquarium Fanatics...I'm not real sure where that one is....But like I said....if you want nice corals check out JuicyCorals....he's our local large scale, all exotics farmer....over 1200 gallons in his house and 1200 more in progress....His stuff is the shizzz....

Just wondering. As far as I know I've been to about all the sotres here in orlando. OB and AF are good guys. Haven't bought much coral from them in the past. But their fish are pretty good.
Juicy corals are local???? really? Do they have a store front or just online?

World Wide Coral has the best in all of Florida and maybe the country as far as storefront goes. I spoke with Juicy this week and even though we live within a 20 minute drive from there address they wont let you come to the store, or even pick up any purchases. They told me I would still have to pay $20 to ship. I dont see how a true reefer would rather make another hobbiest not only pay for shipping when it is unneeded but also subject the corals to shipment when someone could just drive over there and have them acclimating within an hour?!? If I cant see them at least I would like to pick them up instead of ship. If they dont let me then my business will go to Victor at WWC. They just started setting up a 200 gtallon Elos system which will be an addition to there already insane 300 g show tank. I could sit in there store all day!

I didn't know that juicy was here in orlando. But no pick up, kinda does sux. But I'm not really willing to go to WWC for a piece of coral the size of a grain of sand for 100.00 bucks. They do have a very nice store, and once in a blue moon I'll check out some of their stock. Just too much for so tiny. But still great guys and nice store.

The guys at WWC are more then willing to do some negotiation, they want everyone to be able to have nice stuff in theire tanks. I think that Juicy gets alot of there stuff from WWC

Ya, they are nice. but i've only seen them negotiate about dollar or so. Not saying i'm gonna stop going there, just that even if they cut their prices in half for a coral 1mm x 1 mm is still a bit too much in price. But I got my hi-fin goby there so i plan to go back just not for their coral.

Anyway, Mitch your tank is looking nice.

WOW a true WWC hater. they are not selling random frags 1mm x 1mm for $100. If that is what you saw, it must have been for one of there extremely rare LE pieces which no one else has and even if it was as small as you claim which i can almost gaurenty that it wasnt, all there frags are well healed and ready for new homes. Most people cant afford 1 eye LE chalices for $250 so if they make smaller ones for $100 I'm down! WWC is cheaper for the same size frags as Juicy and they have a better selection. Even if you you get a 25% discount on a Juicy purchase by the time they MAKE a local pay for shipping it still is the same or more as WWC.

Juice has about 15 to 20% of his available stock n his website, he has the healthiest corals in Central Florida and the only reason there is no pickup allowed is that his business is in his home and allowing store-front, or even pickup would violate his business lisence...Juice has things that would make you weep, his prices are generally better and he treats everyone the same...also, if you are local and you ask him, he's just liable to be willing ot meet you with stuff (if it's a decent amunt purchased)....I know he will bring stuff if you go to the local club meetings...

His farm is in Deltona BTW....and is currently 1200 gallons , rapidly headed to 2400 gallons...IN HIS HOME!!!!

That's really cool mitch thanks. I'm always looking for good places to get quality corals. I completely understand about the whole store for thing and his business lisence. I'll just check his site form time to time to see what's new. I mean if you said 20 bucks shipping isn't too bad when compared to shipping in different states. 1200 to 2400 gallons is impressive. His house must be a mini inland sea. lol
Either way every store has something to offer no matter who it is. They are all good in their own way.

K-man grow up. Everyone has their favorite store, so why do you care if I think they are expensive? It's no big deal.

Thanks again mitch and ooh yea b4 i forget those acros are sweet!

Thanks for the props...I frag upon demand, and since you are local, then no shipping charges at all!!!

LOL. I appologize Mitch for this momentary usurpation of your thread...You have a kick AS* tank and I look forward to purchasing some frags off you!

I think corals are silly things..

Silly in what respect? Just how mysterious and elusive they are? Or do you mean the silly way they get all puffed up when they're Happy?

BTW...I think akabryan is a silly thing!!!!

Well, I have NO idea...I came home and the 150 MH was just blazing away on the timer....I dunno, mebbe the balast just needed a period of time to reset or something...Dunno, but I'm glad the new bulb worked...I was due for one anyway!

So, the tip of the A suharsonoi that I fragged went ahead and RTN'ed...it too, is no more...I will try another one some day, but not just now, it's a beautiful coral, just not right for something in my tank.......everybody else is doing great.....

Yes, yes I am

Time for an update.....

Here is a new picture of my orange zoanthids....

They are doing great, these don't seem to mind my tank at all....

The AA Meteor Shower really benefitted from being lowered and put in the shade.....

The colors got richer and polyp extension is great...thanks to all those who said to shade this one....

Here is my little Rainbow Acan....hard to get a good picture....they are really little....


The real reason for the post is a new acro I got today...it's an ORA Marshall Island Blue Bottlebrush....

My LFS had it under really poor lighting...I'm sure that after a while it will be Poppin!!!!

After I acclimated it I found this little guy....

If you look real hard between the branches near the bottom, slightly left you will see my first Acro Crab!!!!

I am soooo stoked over the little guy!!!!

Quick update....the Acro Crab seems to be doing great...He's still hanging in the same spot, but I have seen him moving a little bit, so I guess he's going to be a resident!

That's cool!
Heard of them but never seen one.
Does he stay pretty visible throughout the day?
Does he feed on whatever floats into the branches of the Acro?
I actually couldn't see him in that pic you posted, have you been able to get any better pics yet?
I think you should name him.
Mebbe you should add a poll to the thread for the naming of the Acro Crab.
I vote for George, you know, "gonna love him and squeeze him and call him George," or something like that.
Ok, so I'm a nut, whatcher point??

I'm afraid that getting a good picture may be another week or so away, as I have the coral acclimating on the bottom at first, and will be moving it up part way prolly this weekend....I think it's going onto the frag rack I am making, and then it will be right at the glass....mebbe then I can get a good shot.....

He is tiny, about as big across as a BB, or even smaller, pure white with a black mask...which already earned him the name Bandito....

From what I read they primarily eat the acro's snotty exudate as well as any pests that might visit, and also eat from the water column....I also read that they are very good for the host coral's health, and are considered a good luck omen by many!!!!

Wow, he sounds awesome, can't wait to see a clearly defined pic!
Were you really startled when you first saw him?

Not really, at first I thought he was a big hunk of mysis or something caught in the coral, but I do magnified inspection of all my new corals...and when I first saw him with the magnifying glass I knew just what he was....

And he's wayyyyy cool looking....

Another BEAUTIFUL Juicycorals.com piece joined my collection. I went to see my buddy Juice and accidentally came home with a fabulous frag, called JC's Limited Edition Ancient Earth Chalice...I have wanted this chalice for close to a year.....It's a beautiful light blue to purple, with neon green bumps and watermelon edge....the picture is good, but doesn't really grasp the colors as they really look....


and the frag is OVER an inch in both directions....I tell ya what, his stuff is amazing....and very reasonable....

You will NEVER find better service before, during AND after the sale either....

I just noticed that today is one of my frags' birthday. I took the first picture of it a year ago and wanted to put up a nice growth sequence post. Unfortunately, I have cut a couple of frags out of it over the past year, but here it is....

5/10/08


9/7/08


Then some time went by where I didn't pay this little one much attention and.....

5/10/09


This is actually an "end-view" as the original base end is now stuck into the rocks to hold it....

Mitch

Wow, now that's some growth!

Yup...I can flat grow some SPS!!!!

I'm always snapping pictures of my reef, hoping to get "that one great shot"....so, here are a few more tries....

The tiny little Acro Crab is soooo tough to get, but I also liked this pic of the coral....

It is time to start moving this one up, so it will start coloring up....

If you look at the right side of my TINY Acan Lord you will see a new baby...

I just LOVE coral babies....

My Meteor Shower Cyphastrea is finally getting a beautiful blue....

I'm so glad y'all said to shade it!

This Appleberry Montipora turned totally mud brown for 5 months after I got it...

I ignored it, called it bad names and suggested that it just Buck Up and deal with it, and now it looks like this....

Another decent pic of my Duncanopsammia axifugia....


This purple Montipora cap was nasty brown when I got it, and about 1/4 this size....


And finally, a closeup of my fabulous tabling Acropora desalwii....

This Acro is absolutely fabulous....

Nice!
I like that Purple/Blue Monti that you said was brown when you got it.

Thanks Wettie....I tried to find an ugly picture of it, but may not have taken one....go figger.....

Just went back and re-read the first page of this tank thread to see how you initially put it together, and I have to say I am impressed with this tank on so many levels.
The incredible beauty and health of the corals obviously, but also the way you used your skills and ingenuity to put this whole thing together with limited resources.
It was inspirational reading Mitch, proud to say I know ya.

+1 I'm not easily inspired but this tank has done that for me. Thanks for the read. I"d like to know more about your dosing system, specifically if you built the pumps yourself. IM me with some info or a build link. I"ve looked and not found it.

Steve

I thank both of you for your kind words, and must homestly admit you have humbled me....I just try to have a nice system, while still feeding the family with all of our challenges, but enough of that....

I have a link to my actual tank build thread on the coral network. That is a free forum on which I am an Admin. We are far from being competition for NR, so I hope I will not get whacked by the banstick for a bit of promotion of it. I would be honored to see anybody from here sign up over there. We even manage to keep it banner free by donations from some of our members....

At any rate, I have the entire build played out there, along with the dosing system and a number of other DIY's. I will try to copy the dosing system build over, but it's a big post.....

BGWMASGM....chalice:


Pink zoas:


Rainbow Acanthastrea lords (2 babies now....and counting):


Unknown Acropora, got it from a club member, fully browned out, waiting to see what it turns into:


Dinosaur Egg Monti...I was supposed to get two of these frags, but only ended up with one...I will split it with akaBryanHall as soon as it gets big enough to split:


Acropora nasuta:


Acropora desalwii frag:


Another attempt to photograph the acro crab....


.............note to self.................scrape the glass...............

Hey, I saw the Crab!
He's cute!
Nice pics.

That Marshall Island blue bottlebrush will color up like crazy. Mine has some of the brightest blue coloring I have ever seen in a coral. Give it tons of light, the more the better with that one.

I'm pn that one....I put it on the sandbed when I acclimated it, and just moved it onto the new frag shelf yesterday....right now it's like 10 inches deep under 250W Phoenix and 39W Geisieman Actinic plus...I generally have good luck with coloring stuff up...we will see just what this one can do for me....That's also where the Acro Crab lives....

Thanks Weetie...isn't he just cool....and truly tiny....realize those limbs are thin bottlebrush corallites....My photography seems to be improving a bit lately...it's amazing what taking a few bo-jillion pictures will do fou your abilities...My new Christmas camera is nearing 1250 shots already! Y'all really only see a very few of what I take....

Hey Mitch everything is looking good!

Just wanted to tell you all your corals are doing awesome!

Thanks Crystal, I'm glad they are doing good for you....All of the little frags I got from you just continue to encrust onto the stonew with little vertical growth, but once they encrust out to the whole tile surface they are going to take off....

The green digi is growing like a...well, like a green digi!!!!

I finally got a fairly decent picture of my little Acro Crab....


Here's amother good one....


He is really little...and I'm only fair at photography....

He's cool, I like his markings!

Yeah, Me too...I never saw the tiny dots on his claw until I got that one picture.....

He is really cool...I have read that they will keep their host free of redbugs, even with a tank infestation....has anybody experienced this, one way or the other?

how did you get him he is awesome...was he a hitchhiker i want one so bad! picked up a 75 gal reef ready with the stand sump pump skimmer and hang on the back refugium for 400 can't wait to set it up!

Hey Mitch just dropping by to show your tank some love. Hows the meds taking? bug free yet? Looking forward to the src!