Masoch Posted April 24, 2003 Share Posted April 24, 2003 Between the (receeding) cyano plague, the hair algae, and the haphazard rockwork, I have something to make everyone feel better about their own tanks! First up, the rather good looking (IMO) sea mat colony ... against a backdrop of hair algae! If anyone in Toronto wants a frag of this, I'm currently growing one out. It grows like a weed, eats like a pig, and could probably stand a huge range of lighting options. Link to comment
SeaMountain Posted April 24, 2003 Share Posted April 24, 2003 Dear Nano-Reef: Be wary of corals coming from the Toronto, Canada region carrying the SARS virus. Sincerely, World Health Organization Link to comment
Masoch Posted April 25, 2003 Author Share Posted April 25, 2003 260 cases of SARS, 16 deaths ... most of 'em elderly / sick / immune compromised. Over 2.5 million people in the area. We had more deaths from the flu / pneumonia over winter. I rode the subway cross-town with my 2 year old daughter today, no worries. For giggles, local stations are playing hysterical pieces from Fox News about our "plague". And now, on with the show! Here's my (becoming, at least) female saddleback clown protecting her polyps from the evil photographer. I like the hair algae growing off the "red dreadlock" macro. I thought this stuff was supposed to help Sorry for the bad picture; new camera today. If anyone wants some of this macro (can't find the scientific name, looks cool, grows slowly, can adhere to rock) ... just ask! Link to comment
slylie Posted April 25, 2003 Share Posted April 25, 2003 hey! I'm in the toronto area and I'll take a frag! PM me.. I'm in the Queen/Bathurst Area. (downtown) Cheers! Link to comment
Acoustic Posted April 25, 2003 Share Posted April 25, 2003 Can I see a full tank shot of your Fugly tank? Link to comment
Masoch Posted April 25, 2003 Author Share Posted April 25, 2003 Here's a full tank shot. If you look closely at the bottom left, you'll see two cleaner shrimp and one royal gramma. Otherwise, you can see two clowns, some red 'shrooms, some plain ol' button polyps, and three kinds of red macro. And, of course, hair algae. Lots and lots of hair algae. It's pretty bare, but from this point on I'm refusing to buy any more livestock (except maybe snails ... I like snails). Instead, I'm going to start to rely on the generosity of others. Donations / trades accepted! There's lots of coralline growth (especially the short, red spiky stuff) on the glass and powerheads, and the softies are doing well. I just happen to attract nuisance algae Tank specs are: 20 gallon 2x 64 watt pc (10k + actinic) 23 or 24 pounds lr can't remember how much sand (about an inch), and am adding some oolitic for dentrification Prizm skimmer scunge from bottom of LFS's rock tank snails (nerite, cerith, trochus, astrea, and nassarius) fighting conch (you should've seen the sand last week!) 2x 170 gph powerheads 2x cleaner shrimp royal gramma 2x black and white saddlebacks I've been giving away my hermit crabs, I think I'm down to just 1 or 2 small blue legs and 1 zebra. They're mean and don't work as hard as snails. Link to comment
SeaMountain Posted April 25, 2003 Share Posted April 25, 2003 Shweet! But... I'm thinking if YOUR tank is"Fugly"... What is MINE!? And just kidding about the Toronto thing. Link to comment
Crakeur Posted April 25, 2003 Share Posted April 25, 2003 I'd take your algae problem over mine in a heartbeat. Curious why your clowns aren't sporting surgical masks? Guess they ain't afraid of the sars. Seriously, the tank is looking good to me. Now stay away from any sickly, coughing individuals until further notice. Link to comment
Masoch Posted April 25, 2003 Author Share Posted April 25, 2003 Thanks, guys I'll get a few more pics going; the red, spiky coralline on one of my rocks actually does look pretty good ... and there's enough of it on there to actually beat back the nuisance algae. I'll try and snag a pic of it once I nail down my camera's settings. And, damnit, I will get a clear pic of Elvis, the reclusive royal gramma. And those bastard cleaner shrimp. Too bad it's tough to snap pics and feed the tank at the same time Link to comment
Masoch Posted April 25, 2003 Author Share Posted April 25, 2003 Since the 2 year old land urchin is sleeping, here's another one ... this time of my whacky, first attempt at fragging, a couple nerite snails, some weird, phallic green things under the frag, and some funky red coralline. This is close to the only view of the tank w/o nuisance algae! Well, except for the hair algae on the red ribbon macro. Link to comment
Masoch Posted April 25, 2003 Author Share Posted April 25, 2003 And, last of the set, my very first polyps ... just some plain ol green buttons. I bought them just to see if I could keep 'em alive. And I did! They also came with two kinds of caulerpa (feather, and something with small, round leaves). Of course, the rock only had polyps on it when I bought; no algal growth at all was visible. And, of course, within days of introduction into my tank, the caulerpa started stampeding. I've yanked most of it out, but it is pernicious stuff. For some reason, it also collects tufts of cyano ... Strange. And, in case anyone is wondering how I fuel this tank ... it's a very complicated regime of: Big Al's spirulina flake, Zoe enriched squid and shrimp, frozen krill and mysis shrimp. I bought OSI small marine pellets for the critters, but only the cleaners and nassarius snails will eat the snuff (the polyps will eat it after they've been softened up and smooshed). Hmmm ... I'm switching over to Crystal Sea salt (have 2/3's of a bag of IO, for trade, if anyone in TO wants it) ... Kent's 2-part calcium supplement a couple times a week (mostly for coralline and the snails, Ca's at a steady 450) ... or Aragamilk if I'm feeling lazy. Link to comment
Acoustic Posted April 26, 2003 Share Posted April 26, 2003 No............ on another website I found this tank: This is a very FUGLY tank in my opinion. Link to comment
caja Posted April 26, 2003 Share Posted April 26, 2003 Youre tank is not fugly. That thing posted before me most definately is! Your polyps look really good. Mine are just a 3" small frag that can't seem to figure out how to spread onto the rockwork. It just grows a cluster of new polyps and launches them off the sideof the rock. I've already gotten a frag cluster about 1 1/2 " and now it's dropping another. I'm thinking I'll just plop them down on the sand and be done with it since that's where they eventually end up anyway. Keep up the good work! You'll win the hair algae battle! Link to comment
Masoch Posted April 26, 2003 Author Share Posted April 26, 2003 OK, Acoustic, I stand corrected. That tank is butt-ugly. At least I have a naturalistic effect going on Anyways, after seeing all the drop-dead gorgeous and aethetically pleasing tanks here, I thought some folks would like to see something with a more modest budget and much more modest stocking ... ya' gotta start somewhere! At least I've been able to keep conditions healthy for everything. Oh, this is also my first aquarium in over 20 years ... and my first ever marine aquarium, if it matters. Link to comment
deacon hemp Posted April 26, 2003 Share Posted April 26, 2003 Masoch just incase you have ever wondered your clown pair will host a bubble tip anenome,you know maybe once your tank is under control and a little matured. Link to comment
Masoch Posted April 27, 2003 Author Share Posted April 27, 2003 Hey Deacon, While saddlebacks are beautiful ... their natural host is the carpet anenome -- they're very hit and miss, apparently, with other anenomes. And those carpets can reach up to 2 feet (the length of my tank). And I told my wife when I started that I wouldn't go for anything mobile, stinging, and predatory Link to comment
Masoch Posted June 6, 2003 Author Share Posted June 6, 2003 It's been a while ... and my daughter's asleep, so here are some more pics ... First up, the sea mat colony. It's bigger -- and the only thing keeping from taking over is the ever-present hair algae. My clowns quite like it. Link to comment
Masoch Posted June 6, 2003 Author Share Posted June 6, 2003 Next up, my shrooms! Well, most of 'em. I have a tiny furry shroom that I can't snag pics of. The pinwheel was a $5 find from the bottom of my LFS's tank. Link to comment
Masoch Posted June 6, 2003 Author Share Posted June 6, 2003 And, last of the series, my baby sea mat. When last we saw it, it barely had two polyps -- it's now up to about 6. The tiny white dots are nerite snail egg sacs ... and you can also see the extremely rare furry astrea snail. Link to comment
Masoch Posted June 6, 2003 Author Share Posted June 6, 2003 Coming up, when my bastard snails move out of the way, are pics of some of my other finds from the depths of my LFS's tank: a (I think) monti frag that fell off the mother colony and a fluorescent green candycane. Both have roughly doubled in size since I've had 'em (they're very high up in the tank under 2x65 watt PC), so, aside from the hair algae, I must be doing something right And, trust me, if I can do it, you can do it better! Link to comment
drdrew Posted June 6, 2003 Share Posted June 6, 2003 i'll trade you a pale blue ricordia for one of your red shrooms. Link to comment
Masoch Posted June 6, 2003 Author Share Posted June 6, 2003 i'll trade you a pale blue ricordia for one of your red shrooms. Unless you're in Canada, it's a huge no-no to ship coral cross-border without a permit (and hugely expensive for overnight delivery, to boot). Otherwise, I'd take you up on the offer in a heartbeat. Link to comment
Nullig Posted June 6, 2003 Share Posted June 6, 2003 Great account there Masoch. Funniest thread I've read in a while. By the way, my wife and I have a bet on... she says you must be from Newfoundland. I disagree. Well....... Noel Link to comment
Masoch Posted June 7, 2003 Author Share Posted June 7, 2003 By the way, my wife and I have a bet on... she says you must be from Newfoundland. I disagree. Close! I'm from another great coastal province ... Saskatchewan! Link to comment
deacon hemp Posted June 7, 2003 Share Posted June 7, 2003 Masoch....do u have anything interesting to trade?I'm in vancover and would be willing to trade,i have some good stuff too.I'm a ricordia and zoo-aholic. I need some more zoo's........now... Link to comment
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