Nano Sapiens 12g - Ye Olde Mixed Reef

[Nano sapiens]

I gave my golden Lepto away as it was encroaching upon the Jason Fox Lepto. But the golden one left poyps on the rocks, oh well.

 

I was surprised to see my Acan cowering in distress when the Leptastrea started touching it.

 

Well, if you just have a few polyps left it will take a while before they turn into a colony again. By that time your Jason Fox Lep may have over grown it.

 

I have no idea what happens when two very different Leptastrea species touch one another. Do they shake hands or start spitting at each other?

Edited December 9, 2012 by Nano sapiens

[metrokat]

I have no idea what happens when two very different Leptastrea species touch one another. Do they shake hands or start spitting at each other?

I will find out soon enough I suppose. They are slow growers though.

[Nano sapiens]

I will find out soon enough I suppose. They are slow growers though.

 

I should have written 'different morphs or species' since I haven't found much info regaridng identification of Leps to species.

 

The Golden Lep has been a fast grower. The piece you see here is the size of a golf ball and was started from a frag the size of a dime. About 8 month to quadrupe size under lower light levels isn't too bad, I think. My 'normal' morph grew like a week in a nutrient rich 50g, but much slower in the more nutrient poor nano.

[metrokat]

The golden one for me too grew faster, more so than the JF which is green flesh orange polyps.

[Nano sapiens]

Here's something a little different::

 

 

My son visited the local LFS and surprised me with this coral on my B'day .

 

He know's I like Acans, so this is what they sold to him. Doesn't look like any Acan I've ever seen, but at least they got the family right, 'Mussidae '. I think it's clear that these are a nice pair of phaceloid Lobophyllia hemprichii polyps broken off of a larger colony.

 

This is one species that I have not kept over the years. It seems to be happy in bright, indirect light/lower flow. They are accepting Mysis, so that's a good sign. Color is shifting a bit under my LEDs from maroon to more of a light purple.

 

Other News:

 

Red Planet is still having issues. Dropped PH to 9.0, but only a very slight improvement in green/red florescent pigment, mostly in the base area. I suspect that the coral is getting too much light, so I may move it lower in a few months if there isn't any appreciable improvement.

 

Re-engineered the fuge cover to seal in the chambers (pump is noisy). Some improvement noted, but still drones a bit.

[jball1125]

Nice piece, Happy B Day!

[Nano sapiens]

Nice piece, Happy B Day!

 

Thank you!

[buddythelion]

Thank you!

LOL! Today is my bday too! Nice pink lobo.

[Nano sapiens]

LOL! Today is my bday too! Nice pink lobo.

 

Happy B'day! My B'day was actually on the 11th, but I wanted to let the Lobo settle in before taking a pic..

[metrokat]

Happy belated Birthday!

[Nano sapiens]

Happy belated Birthday!

 

Thank you, too

[JR!]

Happy belated Birthday!

From me too

[Nano sapiens]

From me too

 

Thanks!

 

BTW - Like the 'Santa Rocker' avatar

[Nano sapiens]

Red Planet Woes:

 

I noticed that this frag had no color on its body, just the tips exposed to the light, due to its 'cauliflower' like shape. I tilted it back around 15% so it should color up a bit on this front surface. Still haven't figured out what makes it tick, but at least it's still alive, encrusting slowly and blasting Montiporas that get too close.

[metrokat]

A very Merry Christmas, may the red planet be a healthy green and pink soon.

[Nano sapiens]

Merry Christmas to you, too!

 

Looks like I have some more coral from my son, including a 'Christmas Tree Coral' (talk about a good piece of LFS marketing to sell a green/brown Acro!). I'm running out of room in this small tank...

[Looselyhuman]

You might have to get him a tank so he can stock that instead.

[Nano sapiens]

You might have to get him a tank so he can stock that instead.

You are so right. Problem is he has two large Savannah cats that would make mince-meat out of a tank.

[JR!]

Just stopping in. Merry Christmas!!!

[Nano sapiens]

Just stopping in. Merry Christmas!!!

Thanks for stopping by. A belated Merry Christmas'!

[Looselyhuman]

You are so right. Problem is he has two large Savannah cats that would make mince-meat out of a tank.

 

Hmm, ok, that's rough. Maybe one of those fully enclosed systems from micro-reefs?

[Nano sapiens]

Hmm, ok, that's rough. Maybe one of those fully enclosed systems from micro-reefs?

The tank would need to be made out of reinforced concrete with 3" thick acrylic to survive 'The Beasts'

[Looselyhuman]

The tank would need to be made out of reinforced concrete with 3" thick acrylic to survive 'The Beasts'

 

Definitely a showstopper.

[Nano sapiens]

After 4-1/2 years I just realized that I have never posted parameters:

 

TEMP: 78 degrees

SG: 1.025

CAL: 450 ppm (API)

ALK: 3.18 meq/l, 8.9 dKh (Salifert)

MAG: 1260 ppm (Salifert)

pH: 8.2 - 8.4 (Wardleys)

NO3: 0 (Salifert)

PO4: 0 (Salifert)

 

Pretty standard, I'd say. Not much variation from these numbers over the months, unless I purposely adjust them.

 

I used to run higher ALK (10-10.5), but have recently dropped it to this current level to see if lower ALK might help an ORA Red Planet Acro's coloration. I have never had a PO4 reading and haven't seen a NO3 reading for 3 years or so. MAG has very slowly dropped over many, many months, but is still in the acceptable range.

 

As of a few weeks ago, I started to blast the LR daily with a baster. Cleaning the LR to reduce pockets of nutrients that spur algae growth and kicking up some detritus for the corals to ingest since I am only feeding LPS, Rics and Palys once a week.

[metrokat]

You are so right. Problem is he has two large Savannah cats that would make mince-meat out of a tank.

Ralph, may I please please request pics of those cats?

 

Also, my red planet in lower light is has also gotten green color back in addition to pink.