Teresa's 10

[varanus37]

So, a few things. Harry the hairy crab molted and it appears that he is now black and white and blotchy instead of tan? I'll have to wait until he comes out of his hole to get a good look but the leg I saw was not tan! Had a majano problem in my 55 so I pulled a nice curved rock out of there with some polyps and more than some majanos, LOL. It now blocks the u-tube of the HOB from view which I think is nice. It somewhat clutters one end of the tank though. There are 2 more mushies in the tank now and 2 new nassarius. Having a bit of an algae problem but it's easy enough to just pull out in this tiny tank. Might get something small to handle that. I need to pick up a full crew for the 55 and I want to put a lettuce nudi or 2 in the order for this tank. We bred them successfully at the college I attended and I'm a big fan of them. We'll see how it goes. I'll try and get updated photos this week.

 

I've also got 2 new ideas for a tank exactly this size that I think will be awesome. More to come on that.

 

Bill

[Oregon]

Glass cages has been catching my fancy for a while. Very reasonable prices and a lot of really cool tank sizes. Plus they will upgrade to starfire glass for extremely cheap. I'm thinking of ordering a 1/2 29 gallon out of acrylic for a prop tank. They also offer rimless tanks that are cheaper than ADA even after adding the glass upgrades. Some items can be ordered online, but I have yet to call them to see what their shipping policy is on larger stuff.

[varanus37]

They'll usually ship whatever or you can pick up at the shows they do. I've heard some bad things about their customer service recently so be careful. I had good dealings with them but that's been 4 yrs ago now. I'm trying to get 2 more of these tanks for some projects I have in mind. I might need one a bit taller for one of the projects though. Time will tell.

 

Bill

[c est ma]

Oooh, way to keep us tantalized!

 

BTW, are there pics of (the "old") Harry anywhere?

 

--Diane

[varanus37]

Hmmm. Yes, I think there are, but his old shell is sitting right there next to his hole so I can just snap a pic of that. It's basically tan and we think he's a teddy bear crab. Least that's what they call them at my LFSs. As far as the 2 projects go, here are the ideas.

 

One is a playoff of my kitchen island madness thread. I want to take one of these tanks, low and long...put a 96w quad over it and then put several frags of monti cap in it. I want to see them grow to cover the floor of the tank. I think the whorling and shelving growth patterns will come out alot as it grows along the glass. I also want to see the growth patterns as the different colors approach one another. Will one grow up and shade the other? Will they simply stop where they're at? Will they fuse? A side interest is that this tank is small enough that I can pick it up and see the entire bottom of the cap structure. Very interested in that as well.

 

My other idea also involves a 96w quad. I want to make a pocillopora forest and get a pair of panda gobies. I want to see if I can replicate your success with tiny fish. I'm considering adding tabling acro as well. I'm very interested in the growth patterns of this type of coral when confined to a small volume of water in a unique shape. Do you think it will grow into an L shape in the corner? Would the growth cover the corner completely or cut across and leave an empty space? What would be the shape or growth pattern for the mass of tissue in the corner?

 

I imagine there are tide pools that are basically this size on many beaches and atolls in the equatorial zone. Doing a surge system on one of these long and low tanks is also an idea of mine for the future. That would be a true tidal zone ecosystem I think. Or as best I can create in my bedroom, LOL. The tank size for the surge system would obviously need to be larger to accomodate the water movement through the system and eliminate overflow, etc.

 

So these are my schemes at the present. Oh, and upgrading my 55 to a 120 so I can still use my 48" light system!

 

Whadya think?

 

Bill

[c est ma]

Hmmm. Yes, I think there are, but his old shell is sitting right there next to his hole so I can just snap a pic of that. It's basically tan and we think he's a teddy bear crab. Least that's what they call them at my LFSs. As far as the 2 projects go, here are the ideas.

 

One is a playoff of my kitchen island madness thread. I want to take one of these tanks, low and long...put a 96w quad over it and then put several frags of monti cap in it. I want to see them grow to cover the floor of the tank. I think the whorling and shelving growth patterns will come out alot as it grows along the glass. I also want to see the growth patterns as the different colors approach one another. Will one grow up and shade the other? Will they simply stop where they're at? Will they fuse? A side interest is that this tank is small enough that I can pick it up and see the entire bottom of the cap structure. Very interested in that as well.

 

My other idea also involves a 96w quad. I want to make a pocillopora forest and get a pair of panda gobies. I want to see if I can replicate your success with tiny fish. I'm considering adding tabling acro as well. I'm very interested in the growth patterns of this type of coral when confined to a small volume of water in a unique shape. Do you think it will grow into an L shape in the corner? Would the growth cover the corner completely or cut across and leave an empty space? What would be the shape or growth pattern for the mass of tissue in the corner?

 

I imagine there are tide pools that are basically this size on many beaches and atolls in the equatorial zone. Doing a surge system on one of these long and low tanks is also an idea of mine for the future. That would be a true tidal zone ecosystem I think. Or as best I can create in my bedroom, LOL. The tank size for the surge system would obviously need to be larger to accomodate the water movement through the system and eliminate overflow, etc.

 

So these are my schemes at the present. Oh, and upgrading my 55 to a 120 so I can still use my 48" light system!

 

Whadya think?

 

Bill

 

Uh, that you just won the lottery?

 

 

Those both sound potentially amazing. I'm especially taken with the idea of a tank that can be viewed from the bottom. I can't wait till you get a start on one or both! Or all 3--I was forgetting the surge tank...

 

Meanwhile, how about some more pics?

 

--Diane

[varanus37]

Yeah, cash flow is the reason they're all just schemes right now. As for pics, I'll get some up tomorrow for sure. Definitely got kicked in the face by the flu last night so fiddling with the tanks was the last thing on my mind.

 

Bill

[c est ma]

Hope you're feeling better, Bill!

 

--Diane

[Weetabix7]

AWESOME ideas Bill, I'm very interested as well!

These are the kinds of unique projects I like to take on!

I hope you're feeling better soon as well.

[varanus37]

So, the flu can bite me. Still no pics to speak of but I am back in the game! That bubble coral skeleton now has some zoas sitting in its center which I hope will spread. There's also an interesting type of GSP now on top of one of the bigger rocks. It appears to have red stalks and almost a neon strip down the center of its fingers. Hard to explain but pics are coming.

 

I've now got a Leng Sy-style cap that is a darker green with purple rim to add to my cap project! I've got a pavona frag as well. I understand that's another encrusting type but is a slow, thick grower so that should be kewl.

 

And to top it off there's a baby pink ric hangin' out on that black sand. That should be some sweet contrast when it fully opens up.

 

Secret Santas are awesome.

 

Bill

[varanus37]

So I'm putting an order in for a CUC for the 55 shortly and some critters will be on it for this tank as well. Had a bit of an algae issue and the current creatures aren't up to the task. It occurred to me to show those of you following this thread that I have some others you may be interested in as well.

 

This is my 55g, which is where everything for this small tank came from.

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...p;#entry1414942

 

And this is the ongoing saga of an anonymous hitchhiker and its identity. Whatever it ends up being, it apparently enjoys my tank because it's thriving. Very happy about that.

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...p;#entry1414943

 

So that's the new news. Keep watching for pics to come of the CUC, I'm going to try and get some interesting critters as opposed to the regular crew for this tank.

 

Merry Christmas,

 

Bill

[varanus37]

Update for Harry's humble abode. He now has a roommate in the form of an emerald crab. The emerald is going to be part of a 3 critter crew to combat algae that will soon include a pair of lettuce nudis. Hoping to have luck breeding these guys the way I did in college. Time will tell. Still thinking about upgrading the lights on this system but everyone seems to be enjoying what they've got for now. If I do upgrade I think it'll be a 96w quad from I believe Coralife.

 

So that's the new news.

 

Bill

[varanus37]

A shot of some zoas I got from my secret santa...cats eyes I beleive.

 

My ric, also secret santa, at a trippy angle...notice star polyps underneath. Hermit flips the stars off the rock and then plants ric on top of them. Both are still alive and I think it looks neat.

 

One of the adult conchs munchin.

 

Replied to a guy about a 96w quad with moonlights so we'll see if new lights are comin' or not.

 

Bill

[c est ma]

Bill, nice pics. Do Harry and the emerald pay any attention to each other? (And how about some pics of them? )

 

Tell me, has your pink ric flattened out any? I ask because I have some GSP encroaching on a red Discosoma that I particularly like, and the Disco seems to be reacting negatively to it by being funnel-shaped rather than lying flat...I've been wondering what the nature of GSP/corallimorph adjacency (I made up that word! Couldn't think of the one I wanted. ) is.

 

I agree, they do look nice together.

 

BTW, what kind of hermit do you have that dislodges GSP polyps? Does he sever them from the underlying thallus? (And are you cool with that? )

 

--Diane

[varanus37]

Harry and the emerald mutually ignore one another. The mat that the gsp was growing on was what was tossed off the rock. It came to me loose as part of the secret santa swap so he didn't have to cut anything. He just pushed it off the rock because it wasn't fastened and apparently was in his way. My ric flattens out just fine around the gsp. They don't seem to bother each other.

 

2 new additions to this tank today. Hi-fin banded goby and a small horseshoe crab. Yes, I know the horseshoe will outgrow this small tank. Fortunately, I have a 55 gallon that will nicely accomodate him at that time.

 

Pics to come of course.

 

Bill

[c est ma]

Thanks, Bill.

 

Can't wait for the new pics!!

 

--Diane

[varanus37]

So here's a picture of the hook appendage I was talking about on the Persian conchs. They use it to push off of rocks and things in order to climb easier or to unstick themselves when wedged.

 

 

Bill

[c est ma]

How'd you manage to get that pic?!

 

--Diane

[varanus37]

It was just crawling along the rock and it got turned so that its bottom was facing the glass. Right before this it was actually using the hook to push itself up. As soon as it paused in what it was doing I snapped the pic.

 

Bill

[c est ma]

Great catch!

 

--Diane

[varanus37]

Awesome, just bought a 96w quad with a 50/50 bulb from Louie3 here on NR! Cannot wait for it to get here. Things should really perk up and do well under this package. Not sure if I'm going to use the legs it comes with or find some way to lift it higher up from the tank. I know it's PC but I'm still a bit concerned with heat displacement. I think the zoas and shrooms will drink it up off of this thing though. I doubt the bubble will much care either way but it should make that black sand around it pop even more.

 

Very excited.

 

Bill

[varanus37]

So I decided to do an update with an FTS from the living room side and some pics of various coral pieces. That way I can see the difference from now to when the new light gets here. You all can come along for the ride as well.

 

FTS to start

 

The bubble re-opening after eating

 

Marbled/stripy shroom

 

Close up of the ric...love the way this looks on black sand

 

The 2 larger rocks on the right of the FTS are probably going back to the 55. I put them in there to block the view of the downspout from the HOB filter. I'm still considering just smashing them up so I can get better shapes. I'm really fond of the sparse look that I had before but that downspout is ugly. That and the new goby has taken up residence there.

 

Bill

[varanus37]

So Harry was out tonight and I got to snap some pics of him. He was doing some craziness with his legs and you've got to see this shot with his legs lifted up. He looks like a spider. It even looks like he has mandibles like a spider.

 

 

Doing his crazy leg maneuver.

 

Here are the good closeup shots.

The reason his name is Harry.

Strange leg move with mandibles (red-tipped!) visible.

 

For those of you following I've also got some pics of a baby conch that I'll be posting in the 55 thread. They show the little proboscis and eye stalks pretty well and the overall size. Looks kinda like a baby nass snail but with a different face.

 

Bill

[Weetabix7]

I love those last 2 pics of Harry, totally awesome!

Glasscages had a table at the swap with this exact tank for sale and it was very tempting.

If I'd had more $$ I probably would have gotten it, but there were too many corals calling my name!

[varanus37]

Yeah, I definitely know the feeling.

 

He has grown so much since you sent him to me. It's crazy. Me and Teresa were just talking about it. He's easily as big as my emerald and I still have no idea what he is. I was thinking teddy bear crab for the longest time but I dunno now. He's definitely a cave dweller with all those hairs to feel around with. Never bothered anyone and just kinda picks at algae and whatnot around his doorstep. No idea what the leg ninjitsu was about but it was kewl to see.

 

Bill