Okay, fine! (Fusion 20)

[Mariaface]

Okay!

 

Water's still cloudy, but much more clear than yesterday. One small bivalve I hadn't even seen didn't make it - I took it out and it was still whole, so I guess it hadn't been dead long? Everything else it still trucking along.

 

Now for cloudy pictures! I'm sure I'll get better ones as the water continues to clear up, but for now:

 

Bivalve number one:

^{Big and mean, and shuts immediately if I walk near the tub or accidentally tap the side of the plastic.}

 

Bivalve number two:

^{I think one of the skeletons actually has a coral coming out, so far! This bivalve I've only seen open about half a cm, probably thanks to how it's placed. I might move it to a corner with space.}

 

Bivalve number three:

^{This one opens about a cm, but it seems to open the lower side so that I won't peek. Rude.}

Coral number one:

Coral number one, patch number two? Or is it just similar?

^{This one seems to be letting more flesh out?}

^{Help IDing?}

Coral number two:

^{Pretty! Help IDing, though?}

 

Coral number three:

^{Just gonna say it: This thing's HUGE, wtf. What is it?}

^{Note the tiny ball of coral #1 right below, and the beginning of the patch of coral #1 at the bottom right. Blurry as that may be.}

^{This piece broke off during shipping; I dipped it and put it in the tank. The camera obviously didn't capture how bright green the polyps are..}

 

Cute yellow sponge:

Blurry cluster of dusters, aiptasia, and the cave formation I hope I'm gonna like:

Cool semi-flat rock with another bivalve smack dab in the middle:

 

 

EDIT: Ooh, page two. Good photo dump timing.

[tsouth]

Will you please paint the most amazing purple stripe on your tank somewhere. It's only right.

[Mariaface]

Will you please paint the most amazing purple stripe on your tank somewhere. It's only right.

 

Racing stripe on a NB light upgrade? Gotta get that Manic Panic 'Violet Night' shade just right, though.

 

The hair's actually starting to fade out (in streaks) into an almost pink towards the top, and an almost powder-blue towards the ends. It's pretty awesome. But if I cut my hair sometime soon, I've got extra dye to reapply the color and enjoy the purple longer.

[Mariaface]

Geez.

 

Found a dead, red-shelled mantis shrimp last night after basting rocks. That was interesting. I did hear a couple more clicks after basting, though, so the little green guy may still be running around.

 

Bivalves one and two (the loose ones) kicked the bucket today, but number three is still going strong somehow. And it's still attached to its rock; it didn't like it when I nudged it. Another small bivalve decided it didn't like this game, either. There are several others still embedded in the rocks, though they're much smaller.

 

Removed the goners, did another 90% water change, readded Prime, and we'll see what happens next. The water was looking clearer today, too! Seachem ammonia badge is still reading light amounts - it goes up a bit after I baste the rocks, then drops again.

[holy carp]

Bivalves are often hungry filter feeders... Don't starve them. If you're doing big water changes, add some food. Otherwise, moules frites for dinner.

[Mariaface]

...Good point. I did add some reef snow after that water change, but I have the odd feeling I wouldn't have been able to keep up with the big two :/

 

Number three's still going! Along with all the others. Just added more reef snow, and I'll see how they like some phyto- and zooplankton later.

[Orangutran]

That LR's got tons of cool stuff on there!! When you are putting it in the tank?

 

I agree about replacing the clown with a more active fish… I wanna do the same with mine! They get too aggressive in nano tanks… which limits other fish choices.

[Mariaface]

That LR's got tons of cool stuff on there!! When you are putting it in the tank?

 

I agree about replacing the clown with a more active fish… I wanna do the same with mine! They get too aggressive in nano tanks… which limits other fish choices.

 

 

I'm thinking once ammonia and nitrite are gone. Also, once I hit three consecutive times where I watch the rocks and am not terrified by something I've found. There are some seriously creepy worms in there, man!

 

I'm considering a couple of gobies and a wrasse, or another active fish? Decisions are tough.

But maybe I'll get something purple

[metrokat]

Coral #2 is a Caribbean Rose coral. Very very nice, look for Guits thread on here.

Smack middle bi-valve is a wing oyster, watch for it opening, it's really cool, spreads it's wings hence the name

epoxy the aiptasia right away. Some look like the non invasive kinds but do it anyway to be safe.

[Mariaface]

 

epoxy the aiptasia right away. Some look like the non invasive kinds but do it anyway to be safe.

 

 

Thanks for the IDs!

 

The aiptasia (and I can see at least three at the top half of the rock) are tucked into nooks and crannies that I kinda want to keep. And since my peppermint shrimp are very happy to eat any they find, I want to see if they'll do the job before I epoxy and seal those awesome light-seeping holes. If there's no progress once they're introduced to the rock, though, I'll definitely be covering them up. Thanks again!

Coral #2 is a Caribbean Rose coral. Very very nice, look for Guits thread on here.

 

 

 

Oh, woah! Looks like the other coral is oculina robusta?

[holy carp]

Go get 'em, Pepi!

[StinkyBunny]

moules frites for dinner.

En Anglaise sil vous plait!!!

 

 

 

I'm thinking once ammonia and nitrite are gone. Also, once I hit three consecutive times where I watch the rocks and am not terrified by something I've found. There are some seriously creepy worms in there, man!

 

I'm considering a couple of gobies and a wrasse, or another active fish? Decisions are tough.

But maybe I'll get something purple

Pistol shrimps and their gobies are SO entertaining to watch. I sit here in my chair and watch mine for an hour some times.

[Mariaface]

 

I'm going to need to update this when I get home today.

 

 

 

...And get pictures of the RAP NY spoils, not that they're particularly amazing

[holy carp]

and FTS!

[Mariaface]

and FTS!

 

 

You don't get to make demands! You didn't show up for Raffle round 2!

 

(But yes, a FTS)

[holy carp]

 

 

You don't get to make demands! You didn't show up for Raffle round 2!

 

(But yes, a FTS)

 

What did you win?

[Mariaface]

 

What did you win?

 

 

I didn't. A bunch of guys (Dominican, I know because I am one) showed up and bought $100 in tickets, each. xD They got away with an entire tank setup, and then some.

 

 

 

^{EDIT: Also I totally bent the tickets this time, and I feel like honesty made me lucky the first time around. You're a horrible influence!}

[holy carp]

Ha. Did you do the breakeven math?

[Mariaface]

Ha. Did you do the breakeven math?

 

 

For me, or for them? I won zero things, so no breaking even. They won lights and tanks and apex stuff, so between the six (?) of them, they definitely won more than they paid for..

[Mariaface]

No, I did not wait for the dust storm to settle before taking this FTS:

 

 

 

Oh boy. Where to start.

 

Well worst thing first: The tank hit 95F at least two days in a row, when the heat hit hard, and every head of the rose coral vanished. Even the one across the rocks. I feel like That Jerk, that imported an endangered species and then murdered it. The tank is officially set up in the basement now, of course - the central air is on now, but the damage is done and I'd rather not repeat this next year.

 

Next worst thing: I'm so good at starving corals, somehow. So of course, only a handful of teeny bivalves and one of the large ones has survived, and it's going pretty strong as far as I can tell. Now that the tank is set up, and being fed lots, it probably loves life.

 

Next worst thing: I added too much magnesium at once, and a peppermint died. The other one's still in the old tank, so I'll give it a couple of days before bringing it over.

 

Next worst thing... Uh, I had to remove the hammers from the rock they were on, so they are royally pissed off at me. They're sitting in crevices in that cave-like rock so I can decide whether I like them there, and I think that might be where they'll stay for now. In the photos, they're extra pissy because I turned the lights BACK on for photos when I remembered that blue lights were a bad plan.

 

Oh, right, and phosphate is at .5ppm. You can definitely tell. I need to invest in a good nitrate test kit soon..

 

Nice things: RAP NY! The corals are fluffy and happy and eating lots! Well, as far as I can tell. The mind trick, lettuce/cactus, and purple haze all slimed over while hopefully feeding, but maybe that's their 'okay I'm done now' reaction?

 

More nice things: The clam likes the new tank's water! Likely because of all the delicious food I'm putting in there.

 

More nice things: A bunch of cycling critters are still alive! Tiny limpets, LOTS of sponges, some interesting algae, worms, the bivalves of course, etc etc. Diatoms are blooming like a light dusting, but I am more than happy for the free pod/snail food.

 

I haven't installed the new return pump because I'm pretty sure I'm going to need different tubing, and then an adapter for the two sizes. Syncra silent 1.0. Of course, I may just transfer over the 1.5 from upstairs.

 

I also need to catch Batman on the glass at some point during the night, and bring him over to the new tank. He's pretty much the only reason that tank is still going, except maybe to slowly harvest additional ceriths, nassarius, nano conches, etc.

....And, photo dump:

[holy carp]

Oh, somehow I missed you were going barebottom.

 

Perfect corner cranny for the RFA. What color is it under the blues?

And I wonder what causes your plates to puff their mouths up like meringue. That's cool. Mine sits flatter.

 

Frags look good. I'm pretty sure both of your larger monti chips will survive, but curious to see what happens with that tiny bit.

[Mariaface]

Oh, somehow I missed you were going barebottom.

 

Perfect corner cranny for the RFA. What color is it under the blues?

And I wonder what causes your plates to puff their mouths up like meringue. That's cool. Mine sits flatter.

 

Frags look good. I'm pretty sure both of your larger monti chips will survive, but curious to see what happens with that tiny bit.

 

 

Yehp, barebottom for a while now I'm.. not the best sand-keeper, and I worry putting frags on the sandbed means I'll have to disturb them to siphon.

 

The RFA's a bright orange - I haven't tried turning the whites off completely, but that may be how they got the pinks to show up..

Pffffft. Food. This was maybe ten minutes after the small one downed two PE mysis and the big one.. five? They love it.

 

I'm also curious! Mostly because if it survives my accidental fragging and grows, it's totally yours (we're talking about the blue/purple one, yes?).

[Mariaface]

Another photo dump?

 

[drgibby]

is that a tiny clam?! Hes so cute

[Mariaface]

is that a tiny clam?! Hes so cute

 

 

Don't judge me! I picked it up at petco. I think it's grown a good third of an inch since I got it, too?