Lalani's 20H

[c est ma]

Sometimes it really does seem like Bob is trying to become a clownfish! All three of them spend most of the day pretty close together. Their favorite spot seems to be right below the koralia nano, and Bob spends a lot of time perching in the corner upside down. The clowns will go and swim by him and wherever he goes, they go. The most interesting thing is when they are all three sitting in the frogspawn.

 

That is so wild! I really enjoy following their story.

 

You're planning on starting a new tank??? Great! I guess the 5.5 is getting a little crowded? The red-skirted zoas grow like crazy... even faster than the GSP! So I am pretty sure I won't be short on them any time in the near future.

 

Well, I've been "planning" on it for. . .I'd be embarrassed to say how long, now. I get sort of paralyzed about taking that first step. . .but yes, my little tank is busting at the seams. . .

 

 

Thanks Duncan, the corals are really something else when under actinics only. The GSP tends to stand out the most, so I can't wait for it to encrust those two rocks that make an archway. I'll then flip the whole thing around so that the arch is in the front of the tank.

 

Wow, someone who actually plans ahead. That sounds like it would be quite beautiful.

 

--Diane

[Lalani]

Can't wait to see what you do with your next tank WHEN you start it, Diane!

 

I placed an order from Ken at Sealife inc. today, for rock and sand for the pico upgrade. I also bought 5lbs. of cultured base rock to fill in the gaps in the 20H, along with a porcelain crab and a red mithrax crab. Everything should come in either Tues. or Wed. The media room is not ready for the new tank, and we have not built the piece of furniture it will sit on, so the rock will go into a bucket of SW for now. This way, I will be able to study it really well and maybe plan out the 'scaping beforehand. The rock may even cure before the tank is ready, then I could just transfer everything from the pico soon after the new one is all set up. I love getting new LR, and I think I enjoy setting up tanks too much!

 

Here are a few pics...

 

One of the actinic shots I forgot to add last time:

 

Nighttime shots:

 

 

 

 

[Travis]

Lookin' Good Lalani

[opaquelace]

The ricordeas are amazing Lalani!

[singmealullaby]

wow Lalani, i love the patches of green in your tank, especially the zoas. they contrast nicely with the blue backdrop. A+

[Lalani]

Thanks, you guys.

[c est ma]

OMG, that ric shot is the prettiest one yet! Of course I am a little partial to rics...

 

So the night ones were taken with a "moonlight?" How did you manage to have them turn out so clear and relatively bright? Very nice!

 

--Diane

[Lalani]

The rics have really been growing quite well since the tank change! They are in an area of medium flow right now, so I think when the base rock comes in, I will change things around a little bit and place the rics on the left side of the 'scape where there is low flow. I just put the little orange one in there, that had been in the pico but not growing. I think I have too much light over the pico, funny as that may seem!

 

The fixture has four moonlights, two on each end... and I added another set in the middle to light up the back wall. With all of that, it's still not terribly bright, but the blue does make the color on the corals stick out. All of the pics were taken with a tripod, remote, and .5-4 second exposures.

[c est ma]

^^^ I thought it must be something like that. Did you turn off your pumps for the long exposures?

 

--Diane

[j'field]

Nice great actinic shot Lalani! Always love what the actinic can do to a coral!

I dun like any particular pix, cos I love all of them!

[Lalani]

^^^ I thought it must be something like that. Did you turn off your pumps for the long exposures?

 

--Diane

No, none of the pumps were turned off. My tank doesn't have a whole heck of a lot of flow and there is nothing really tall and flexible that would blur during long exposure. But it would probably help to cut down movement with someones tank that does have a lot of movement.

 

Nice great actinic shot Lalani! Always love what the actinic can do to a coral!

I dun like any particular pix, cos I love all of them!

Thanks j'field.

[Lalani]

Lost a clownfish last night.

He had a bacterial infection, possibly from being stressed out during the temperature ordeal.

I did a freshwater bath for a few minutes, and when he got back into the tank he looked a little better. Got some color back, but this morning the crabs were eating his body.... Poor little guy.

[Monkfish]

So sorry to hear that Lalani .

 

Oh btw this coral is super duper:) where can I get one like that?

 

[Lalani]

Thanks Monk, those are ricordea mushrooms from sealifeinc.net.

[Monkfish]

Yeah those are very nice looking ones I had this one......

 

 

 

But theJawfish pulled it in the hole off the rock above him now I cant find it.

 

I picked this one up on saturday not a good shot but here it is.

 

[Lalani]

Wow, those are beautiful. Hope you can find lost one. In my pico, one ric floated away and I could not find it... until about a month later, it was in a dark cave. It lost a lot of its color and shrunk down to 1/4 its original size... but it's now recovering in a shot glass. Use a flashlight to look in between the rocks and you may find it.

[Monkfish]

Yep I sure hope so:) Im gonna do the shot glass with substrate if I find it because it didnt glue well for me at all.

[cfeist]

Lost a clownfish last night.

He had a bacterial infection, possibly from being stressed out during the temperature ordeal.

I did a freshwater bath for a few minutes, and when he got back into the tank he looked a little better. Got some color back, but this morning the crabs were eating his body.... Poor little guy.

 

Sorry to hear about that Lalani Hope you find a worthy replacement soon.

[Lalani]

Thanks, Colin. I think I'll wait a little while before I add any more fish. Tomorrow I should get getting an order of rock and sand from SeaLife, along with a porcelain crab and a red mithrax crab. They will give me something new to look at.

[c est ma]

So sorry about the fish, L! But how fun to be expecting new stuff. Looking forward to the photos.

 

--Diane

[Lalani]

Getting new live rock has to be one of the most exciting parts of this hobby, for me at least.

Thanks Diane!

[cfeist]

Thanks, Colin. I think I'll wait a little while before I add any more fish. Tomorrow I should get getting an order of rock and sand from SeaLife, along with a porcelain crab and a red mithrax crab. They will give me something new to look at.

 

I love my porcelain crab, only problem is he got bullied by a Nassarius that bulldozed him the other day while he was feeding and now he's hiding upside down in a rock overhang towards the rear of the tank, doh. He was front and center for the longest time, oh well, they are really cool to watch with their little feeding fans.

[Lalani]

Best buds:

 

Think I'm going to cave and scrape the back wall:

 

GSP growth and more stomas :

 

Oddball:

 

Bad shot because of flash, but it's just to show one of Bobs new favorite perches:

[adinsxq]

CHECKERBOARD STOMATELLAS FOR THE WIN!

 

fantastic tentacle extension on the gsp.

[starfish609]

Sorry to hear about the loss. Beautiful, as always, pics Lalani. Looking forward to seeing the new rock.