Peter's petite pair of picos

[castiel]

Well had a busy weekend getting these up and running again!

 

Saturday ... bought corals.

 

My tank - green palys (grandis?), unidentified zoas, and a small frag of acan (no pic yet)

 

Ang's tank - large zoa rock with 3 types on it (blues of some kind), smaller zoa rock with greens, couple of types of macro algae:

 

 

 

Then on Sunday ... bought a green coral goby for Ang's tank (warpaint style - haven't managed a pic yet), and a yellow pistol shrimp for mine! He was originally part of a pair which I saw a few weeks ago, but apparently his goby buddy jumped so he was left all alone at the LFS.

 

 

He has already made a nice burrow under my main rock.

[lljdma06]

I have the same paly in my biotope. It's not a grandis, I don't think.

 

Very nice macro!

 

I like the war paint ones.

[JUST.REEF]

Jeez Peter,

 

Whats happened to the pair of your tanks?

[brandon429]

That neomeris macro has been an invader in other tanks did you pay for it or was it a hitchhiker

[castiel]

We actually got it through choice (was a freebie, but the LFS does sell it too). Hopefully it won't become invasive because Ang loves how it looks (as I do). The new goby has taken to sitting in it too, which is cool =0)

 

When I got the pistol, the LFS owner said htat he can get me a shrimp goby to go with it ... a randall's, YWG or ... damn I forget the other. But now I wish I had my larger tank set up so I could actually try and pair it with one (probably the randall's). Might have to look into how to catch a pistol shrimp so I can transfer it one day!

[castiel]

Managed to ID the shrimp - a Fine Striped Snapping Shrimp: http://pistolshrimp.net/fine-striped-snapping-shrimp/

[brandon429]

Controlling the real restate in a small pico is easiest among tanks your new build is a great place to run these new inhabitants

 

that macro isn't fast growing and looks neat.

[castiel]

Few new pics. Any zoa IDs welcomed!

 

Blue zoa 'wall' as it is has become (see FTS). I counted four types of zoas on there I think ...

And towards the top of that wall:

Now these have opened up I realise how pretty they are! Feel like I have seen these around somewhere ...

And new Ang FTS. Have to say I am almost jealous of how this ended up after removing 60% of the rock from before. The large piece was washed and cycled and a fair bit survived the T5 massacre, including the cool black and white feather duster and a nice sponge.

 

Now to my tank ... slightly blurry:

And new FTS (need to stick some things down at some point. Note the sand mountain the shrimp has made in the cave ...

[castiel]

The green with orange centre - Blowpop?

[NewZealandReefie]

Lookin' good

 

I've thought about setting up a pico in my dining room... But I don't really need 3 tanks lol.

[castiel]

NZR - sure you do =0)

 

Ang added a very cool branching hammer to her tank this weekend. She isn't convinced by its placement, but I love it in the corner opposite the main rock.

 

I did some rearranging of my palys and zoas, didn't get a pic yet though.

 

My LFS had several rocks like this in stock. Real shame I don't have my larger tank up and running yet otherwise I definitely would have got one:

[chippwalters]

Sweet hammers! Man, I need to get me some for my new tank. I agree with you, having a bigger tank is better.. :-)

[castiel]

Hmm, Chip - I didn't say that actually .

 

I am totally looking forward to my larger tank, but I'll be keeping the picos too.

[chippwalters]

Yep, I kept my pico tank also. I'm using it as a refugium. I have it, my new tank and my sump all connected together. Do you plan on having a shared water system? or, do you plan on each of your tanks having its own separate water supply?

[lljdma06]

Hi Peter! Those hammers look really good.

 

Those Christmas worms look good too, but they are hard to keep. I was considering giving them a try in my nps tank down the road.

 

L

[castiel]

Yeah they would be hard, but so amazing. When I say "I wish my large tank were ready" I mean "ready and well established, and suitable for heavy feeding"!

[Cheese-Lover]

Those Christmas worms look good too, but they are hard to keep.

 

Oh? I've had some in my DT for about two years now... Been through two cycles... Moving house twice... Tank has never been heavily fed...

 

My pico is going to be heavily fed... *Scratches chin* Hmmm...

[castiel]

It's amazing what an upgraded light can do. After going with a BoostLED Par30 on each tank, both have started seeing algae growth ... though Ang's tank in particular has early signs of GHA on the glass and powerhead. I had neglected to add/replace the phosphate remover so did that yesterday, hope that it does the trick.

 

Everything is growing well though. I added some baby blastos at the weekend, will get some pics up when I secure them.

[jgpico]

Lookin good man. I love the hammers you added to her tank they look really nice. Blasts are one of my favorites so hurry and get a pic up.

[lljdma06]

Oh? I've had some in my DT for about two years now... Been through two cycles... Moving house twice... Tank has never been heavily fed...

 

My pico is going to be heavily fed... *Scratches chin* Hmmm...

 

K, same book told me that sun corals were hard too. Guess you have enough nutrients in your tank to keep them alive. They're a colonial feather duster. If they are fine, don't rock the boat.

[chippwalters]

It's amazing what an upgraded light can do. After going with a BoostLED Par30 on each tank, both have started seeing algae growth ... though Ang's tank in particular has early signs of GHA on the glass and powerhead. I had neglected to add/replace the phosphate remover so did that yesterday, hope that it does the trick.

 

Are you saying the Par30s are *better* than what you had before? I've just installed a couple of Ecoxotic Par38s on my shallow tank and am wondering if they're *enough*.

 

Let us know how the phosphate remover worked.

[lljdma06]

 

Peter!! I Seeeeee you!!!!

 

L

[castiel]

Are you saying the Par30s are *better* than what you had before? I've just installed a couple of Ecoxotic Par38s on my shallow tank and am wondering if they're *enough*.

 

Let us know how the phosphate remover worked.

Yeah, we had a PAR38 covering both tanks for a while, then I tried T5s ... but a Par30 per tank is definitely an upgrade. Too early to tell what impact the phosphate remover is having but keeping my fingers crossed.

 

Peter!! I Seeeeee you!!!!

 

L

Haha I usually always check to see if I am reflected, but this one slipped through.

[lljdma06]

Yeah, we had a PAR38 covering both tanks for a while, then I tried T5s ... but a Par30 per tank is definitely an upgrade. Too early to tell what impact the phosphate remover is having but keeping my fingers crossed.

 

 

Haha I usually always check to see if I am reflected, but this one slipped through.

 

Why did the par 38 crap out on you again? I forgot.

 

Hehehe, yeah sometimes I'm reflected too. Mostly my fingers and sometimes Apple product placement.

 

LOLOLOL

 

L

[castiel]

Why did the par 38 crap out on you again? I forgot.

I think it overheated. I had it in a lamp with metal shade and it tended to get quite hot. I hacksawed the shades off for the new bulbs to make sure that was not an issue this time!

 

Phosphate remover seems to be doing something, Ang's tank in particular looks 'less green'. Still needs a big cleanup though, has algae growth on the glass that the magnet won't shift, and still some GHA growing on the koralia and back wall.