Kali_D Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 This thread is to chronicle my tank entry in the Unofficial Walmart Pico Contest Setup: Tom Deco 2 Kit includes: 2 gallon acrylic tank with lid Rapids Mini Power Filter 13 watt 50/50 Compact Fluorescent Perch Lamp 2lbs aragonite + a tablespoon or so live sand from existing tank a few pieces of rubble rock 1 white sterilite lid Live Rock Critters and Corals zoanthids "dark" favia "light" favia "purple" favia green favia coral skeleton with Corynactis 3 Astrea snail(s) 2 1 Cerith snail(s) 6 Dwarf Cerith snail(s) Green mini-maxi (November addition) Pink/Green mini-maxi (January) Mud brown (not green) mini-maxi (March) Lavender/Blue mini-maxi (March) Orange mini-maxi (March) Elysia clarki (lettuce nudibranch) Halimeda incrassata Penicillus dumetosus Planned Maintenance Routine Photoperiod 8-12 hours 1-2 gallon weekly water changes Goal Keep it growing and going for a year + Improve tank photography Not drop the light in the tank Keep the entire build under $100 or some other arbitrary number October 12, 2012 June 20, 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 15, 2012 February 27, 2012 January December November 2011 October 22, 2011 Link to comment
nickjqz Posted October 24, 2011 Share Posted October 24, 2011 You sound like you have some good goals! Can't wait to see more. Link to comment
JR! Posted October 26, 2011 Share Posted October 26, 2011 we need a like button for these things. Link to comment
Kali_D Posted October 27, 2011 Author Share Posted October 27, 2011 Rock work has always been a source of nail biting, teeth grinding, much grumbling and even more pacing. Never seems quite right, it should be more "not like this", AHH! It looked better 2 hours ago! I hate sticking my hands (or arm) in the tank again, and again, and again so I did the following to help save some sanity and keep the floor, table and stand dry: And here's The One. I see a face, do you see it? After carefully laying it on the paper, and then in full denial trying to wedge it in the tank I gave up and went with: Then finally: It doesn't come across in the photo well, but that rock was pulled slightly to the left in the last picture. Link to comment
nickjqz Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 Looks good! I like the single tall island look. Link to comment
.Newman. Posted October 27, 2011 Share Posted October 27, 2011 i like that. go with it. Link to comment
Kali_D Posted October 28, 2011 Author Share Posted October 28, 2011 Thanks! I think I met my goal of keeping the rock work minimal and simple. Link to comment
Kali_D Posted November 3, 2011 Author Share Posted November 3, 2011 I like your ninjas "And if you tear off their masks they'll be smiling" My rock is growing something red and something else that is green. I'm not too worried about the red stuff, but the three green tails have me worried. I may need to dump this rock and get something that isn't "live". Link to comment
Kali_D Posted November 28, 2011 Author Share Posted November 28, 2011 Mini Maxi took a walk... Link to comment
Kali_D Posted December 28, 2011 Author Share Posted December 28, 2011 Nothing has been added this month. Just sitting back and watching the mini-maxi walk around its rock. The favias (?) are no worse for having the mini-maxi laying on them for a few days. Not sure what else to add. I've been keeping my eyes out for some zoanthids or small favia frags, or maybe another mini-maxi, but so far nothing local has jumped in the tank. MiniMaxi Link to comment
streetsong Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 Looks great. I really like the open scape. It creates a nice clean look. I look forward to seeing it grow! Link to comment
Kali_D Posted January 2, 2012 Author Share Posted January 2, 2012 Over the weekend I stopped by my favorite LFS and a small green favia and pink center, green edged mini maxi followed me home. The two mini maxi's have similar colors but reversed. ie. pink center v. green center I also added a BoostLED par30 bulb and will need to figure out how to slide that into the FES picture. The new bulb is only on for a few hours a day. Link to comment
streetsong Posted January 31, 2012 Share Posted January 31, 2012 I enjoyed looking at your January FTS. Did you place your maxi-mini in that container because it was stinging other corals? What else do you have planned? A fish? Looks great so far. Link to comment
Kali_D Posted February 29, 2012 Author Share Posted February 29, 2012 I enjoyed looking at your January FTS. Did you place your maxi-mini in that container because it was stinging other corals? What else do you have planned? A fish? Looks great so far. Thanks (and sorry for the lack of reply) Both maxi-mini's came in the flower pots. It is how the LFS keeps them in their sales tank. It makes getting them out really easy. The first maxi-mini walked out on its own, this second one REFUSES to leave its safe little nest! I've tipped the pot this way and that, and back around again. It still won't leave. I've posted eviction notices and the little critter refuses to comply! I have no plans for fish, but I've gone back and forth between an anemone shrimp and a sexy shrimp. Haven't decided, the LFS has had sexy shrimp in stock for the past few weeks... Link to comment
Kali_D Posted February 29, 2012 Author Share Posted February 29, 2012 Here is the reason the rock now tilts precariously to the right, when looking at the tank from the front. I've moved the rock "upright" several times. I've also tried to prop it up using rocks and the flower pot. The maxi-mini, pushing the rock over since it has anchored itself to the bottom of the rock. I added a new coral within the past week from the "big" tank. I suspected it was bleaching due to chemical warfare and tossed it in. Within 12 hours the bleaching had started to reverse. A week later all but one spot is colored back up. I guess it gets to stay in this tank until something bad happens to it here. Link to comment
gupebreedr Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 Sweet, luv the maxi. How in the world are you keeping it so clean. I'm having a bad time with algae in both my contest tanks. Link to comment
Kali_D Posted February 29, 2012 Author Share Posted February 29, 2012 Sweet, luv the maxi. How in the world are you keeping it so clean. I'm having a bad time with algae in both my contest tanks. heck if I know! I have a total of 3 snails in there doing a dandy job??? (2 turbos to replace the astrea and one cerith) The light that came with the tank is on for 10 hours(?) and the LED is on sporadically during the week for 3-8 hours at a time. I have left the algae in the tube and filter alone, so that might explain *some* of the cleanliness. I do have some red macro algae and some bubble algae growing on the rock. I'm not sure if it would be useful to outline everything I do for maintenance because I'm really not doing much. Link to comment
Kali_D Posted March 21, 2012 Author Share Posted March 21, 2012 This month I added a lettuce nudibranch and subtracted the snails I burned half of the loose favia colony, by accident, and the zoanthids sprouted (??) a third on their tiny rock. Added a couple new maxi-mini's yesterday (took the pictures last week) and they are settling in now. I am NOT a fan of UPS shipping, much prefer FedEx for next day and live animal. But corals and SW critters are a lot hardier then we give them credit for! One of the mini-maxi (or is that maxi-mini?) smelled like rotting death when I opened the bag. It turned its guts inside out at least 3 times while acclimating, and after 12 hours in the tank it looks the best....go figure. My favorite side of the tank: LED lights on: The favia on the left hand side is the one that isn't whole any longer Tailspot that I was going to drop in this tank, but after seeing it nip on various corals including lobophylia its hiding in, figured it wasn't worth the risk to the anemones. Link to comment
Kali_D Posted April 18, 2012 Author Share Posted April 18, 2012 Update: Aprils been interesting. I was able to "nudge" the flower pot maxi-mini out of its pot and it is now settled under a favia on the right side of the tank. The new maxi-minis seem to have settled in and found their happy spot. The orange one had a bit of a rough start. It has moved and expelled its guts a few more times within the first week it was added. It is currently attached to the bottom of the tank under the rock. I added some Halimeda and Penicillus from reefcleaners for the little slug. Last but not least added a thor amboinensis (sexy shrimp) and a blue porcelain crab. I wanted a pair of periclimenes but they are a bit more difficult to find, locally right now. One favia(the best grower so far) was moved out of harms way, since the orange maxi-mini was burning its edges. The other favia that I damaged seems to be healing nicely. Porcelain Crab molt: My latest weapon against detritus: FTS/FES April: Closer FTS: Link to comment
GregBox Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 A mini Maxi-Mini Tank!!!! My favorite Walmart tank so far, looks fantastic! Link to comment
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