MitchReef Posted December 14, 2008 Author Share Posted December 14, 2008 It is with a great deal of saddness that I put this note in here....I just realized last evening that I didn't see my beloved Dash, the Orange Firefish...I realize these aren't considered the coolest fish in the hobby, but Dash was the second fish I got when starting back into the hobby a year and a half ago... I searched the area inside my fully enclosed hood, and stopped the return pump so I could check the overflow box real well...nothing....I had some really warm days last week and I figure those may have taken him out...or he may have found some way out of the tank and canopy and became a tender vittle for one of the cats....I lean toward the latter, as the parameters are unaffected.... Either way, I gotta say that this little guy had a lot of personality, the only fish I ever had that I actually had to push out of the way to reach around in the tank...always there to say "Hello" and ALWAYS visible up in the water column... Bye Dash....RIP.... Link to comment
MitchReef Posted December 21, 2008 Author Share Posted December 21, 2008 I love the way things are growing and coloring up in my tank, but incase anybody didn't notice, I'm having a battle with this nasty Maroon Carpet algae.... I got it from two little pieces of Fiji rock that I threw in when I was setting up my 29, which became the basis for my 75....I got two little tennis ball sized pieces of rock, just to add the biodiversity of Fiji rock to my tank made up of Florida aquaculture, Marshall, Tonga and Tonga fusion rock...well, the two little rocks had a covering of this maron turf that I expected to just die off... As many things go awry, so did this and now it pretty much covers all the lighted surfaces of my rock....It seems to be subsiding some just now, but I just don't get it...My parameters are all where they should be...from what I've read over on RC, this stuff seems to get WORSE in extremely low Nitrates! Anyway, what I'm trying now is varied algae munchers...John at ReefCleaners is helping me find the right critter, and over the last week I've thrown in a bunch of Keyhole Limpets and a few Wooly Chitons...the chitons aren't real intersted yet, but they don't seem offended by it...The Limpets seem like they don't even like to touch the stuff...to the point of letting go and just flopping over on their backs, and a bunch have even climbed up on the Chitons' backs...Most recently, just last evening I added two Pacific Turbos and one Mexican Turbo....they also don't seem too interested...I know theyall need time to decide whether or not to chow on the stuff... So for now, I am still working the mystery....I'm fixing up my water change water just now...Hopefully I might be able to break the secret of this Maroon Devil... Link to comment
MitchReef Posted January 2, 2009 Author Share Posted January 2, 2009 I have had some real nice growth and color lately. I also am just amazed with the pictures I have been getting with my new camera, so I decided to pop a few pictures that I think are pretty nice. So, I present a few of my "Happy Corals".... This is my "Juice's Flashlight Acropora chesterfieldensis": A few nice Whammin Watermellons: My ORA Chip's Acropora, growing out really nice: My Tabling Acropora, Juice says it's a tabled out Chip's colony: notice the Metallic Green on the left and the Deep Blue to Purple on the right...those are all one colony, just different ages of growth.... This is a totally colored down deepwater Acropora lokani which will be amazingly colored before you know it...I just got it yesterday: Here is the Quadricolor Acropora I got yesterday, this will be amazing with Purple, Blue and Pink flesh, all sheening a deep green and possibly neon yellow polyps. It's a truly phenomenal coral: I decided to take a few frags off my Aussie Duncanopsammia, here are a couple of frags: I also chopped up my "Happy Coral's Schizo Red and Green Blastomussa wellsi". Here is Mom and one of the frags, they need to heal a week or two before there will be any discussion of sales: Please be aware that these were taken just an hour and a half after putting the new ones into my tank, and just about 3 hours after chopping those two LPS's into pieces, so those are some Hacked-Off Corals....but they will soon be Happy Corals again....they are all directly out of the camera with the ONLY modification being cropping and adjusting Exposure....my camera is a Canon SX100is on "P" mode, Vivid color, 250 MH already timed off, 150 still on (above the soft corals side of the tank) and the Actinics on. No pumps were stopped, the tank was rolling at over 55 turnovers per hour. Mitch Link to comment
MitchReef Posted January 3, 2009 Author Share Posted January 3, 2009 I am a bit concerned that Mommy Blasto may not make it...I noticed some tissue slough from her skirt last might so she got a good iodine dip...I will keep an eye on her, but she may be a fatality....If so, then I guess I will just have like 3 nice multi-head frags when the sellin begins.... This is a most amazing Blastomussa, with WorldWide Corals selling them for $100 per head! Link to comment
MitchReef Posted January 3, 2009 Author Share Posted January 3, 2009 I swapped a frag with a member of my club today, and have a beautiful new Deepwater Acropora....I'm not sure just what species it is, but I'm leaning toward A. suharsonoi...see what y'all think: I just got it today, it should color nicely based upon what I'm seeing so far.... Here is a sweet shot of it that my Foxface helped me with: Here's a new, cut day before yesterday, frag of my Happy Corals' Schizo Red and Green Blastomussa: Just some pretty shots, of Happy Corals.... Enjoy, Mitch Link to comment
Nick's Reef Posted January 4, 2009 Share Posted January 4, 2009 Nice new stuff Mitch! Link to comment
MitchReef Posted January 4, 2009 Author Share Posted January 4, 2009 Thanks Christel, I really love my new camera....I am shooting on "P" mode with no flash, "vivid" color and "Macro" setting as necessary....some are taken with MH, others with just T5's... I LOVE my new Canon! Link to comment
MitchReef Posted January 7, 2009 Author Share Posted January 7, 2009 Okay, so Jon Kunzman (JKUNZ) asked what all I scored this weekend for the tank....I did a bit of Power Shopping with a friend who aquacultures exotics...traded a couple of things to him, and bought a couple things....for "my" price.... I got a beautiful frag of Quadricolor Acropora....it's not Tri-Color, it will color up to Deep Blue, Purple and Pink flesh, with a rich Green sheen....and if I'm lucky and my tank makes it COMPLETELY Happy, it may get neon Yellow Polyps....This is about a 2 inch tall frag: I also got a little (bout 1 inch tall, and wide) colored-down frag of an amazing Acropora lokani, this one should become Lavendar purple with tips becoming so pale a blue it's nearly white, and with a cool green sheen....This pic was on Saturday, just after acclimating.... I now have the major score, one that I have been waiting for a while to get....It's the real deal "Steve Palleta Blue" Purple Haze encrusting Montipora....It's a little frag, but it came at a price....grow baby grow.... I also had the opportunity to turn a little trade too....A friend from my Club had his eye on one of my pieces and we originally had a swap worked out for a different coral, but he advertised on our club forum, I shot him a message and ended up with this instead...It's some sort of deepwater Acropora...I think either a Caroliniana or I believe a Suharsonoi....about a 2 inch wide frag... I would also like to take a bit of bandwidth for a few other cool new pics.... The Dos Amigos...My Priolepis ascensionis, Ascension goby...Dizzy....he's the upside-down guy, and his buddy, one of the Porcelain Crabs.... 16 Stony Corals in one picture.... The Pink and Green Acropora millepora, but it's mostly Pink just now....It will Green back up soon I believe....Look at the growth, that's nearly 5 inches tall.... Momma Blasto took a couple of skirt hits in the fragging process...She will heal, it will just take longer.... This one took a hit too, but look at the 3 babies lined up under her....She will heal up too... I cut up my Duncans, and my Blastomussa too... This frag is JKUNZ'....It's a pretty little double.... This is his Blasto frag too....3 heads...."Happy Corals Schizo Red and Green Blastos"....WAY Limited Edition...look at those tiny Midnight Blue specks of growth....these things are electric!!! I have a few other frags of those two pieces, but they will need to heal before any of them are going anywhere....If anybody is interested, drop me a note...I'm not going to go through a whole big sale thing....these are limited.... Mitch Link to comment
JKUNZ Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Awesome new stuff!!! I'm jealous! By the way....party foul on the full name call out. I can't wait now for your stuff to grow too so we can swap...my newbies will be here in a week. You know me and my delivery schedules!!! Link to comment
colgan10 Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Your tank is so amazing and is looking AWESOME. I can't believe how pink the green and pink milli is your tank mine is starting to get pink! Link to comment
MitchReef Posted January 7, 2009 Author Share Posted January 7, 2009 Thanks for the props...I just try to keep it nice...I will have to start pulling stuff out to make room soon....well, actually I already have....notice, no huge Orange cap....that one had to go!!!! Just too big....now I just have my little original orange cap again.... Link to comment
JKUNZ Posted January 7, 2009 Share Posted January 7, 2009 Ya...you pink and green is very pink!!! Mine's starting to brighten up, but not like that. Bummer on the giganto cap...good thing they grow like weeds. Link to comment
MitchReef Posted January 7, 2009 Author Share Posted January 7, 2009 No bummer about the Cap...I wanted to get rid of it...too much real estate tied up under it....The thing was over 10 inches wide at one point, I cut that down and only kept like a 3 1/2 inch wide piece, which PROMPTLY grew out to 6 X 6, with a couple of whorls starting....I decided to send that one on to another home...now I have my pretty little, original, colony which is numerous small blades and whorls, mostly Pinkish orange in color...and reasonable size...so far.... As for the Pink mille....be patient and keep on top of the parameters...it will color up...just takes time....I've had that one for a long time....I'm waiting for the green to come back to it.... Link to comment
MitchReef Posted January 15, 2009 Author Share Posted January 15, 2009 Okay, so I am really impressed with how the new corals I got on New Years have colored up in just 2 weeks.... The first one is a little frag of what I've been calling Purple Haze encrusting Montipora, but have been corrected by my supplier to calling it Mike Paletta Blue encrusting Montipora (an even nicer strain)...it is coloring up real well and one cut side has encrusted already...enough of my BS...here's the coral... The next one is the Quadricolor Acropora...if you notice, the new growth at the base is turning Pink, the branches are deep Blue, Purple tips, and unfortunately the camera doesn't pick up the Green sheen.... My final show off piece is the deepwater Acropora suharsonoi...this thing is BEAUTIFUL....the shaded tissue is purple and the lighted parts are this evil green...truly amazing how it is coloring up.... And just as a teaser, I'm going to post a couple of teaser shots of some of my Blasto frags...these are already both spoken for, but I have one more that is available.... Hopefully on Saturday I will be picking up my frag of Tyree LE Bubblegum Monster Chalice....I have a frag with a second eye just starting to form....it's an item I'm trading a piece for....not a bad swap...it's got really neat lineage too....I will put up a pic when I get it.... Oh, and sorry about the smudgy glass...I just never seem to clean it well before photo ops Link to comment
JKUNZ Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Awesome!!! I'm excited for that blasto! and for summer when you're ready to frag swap! Link to comment
MitchReef Posted January 15, 2009 Author Share Posted January 15, 2009 I am going to record my voice saying "grow...grow....grow...grow..." and play it real low and see if I can get the subliminal thing to happen!!!! I think these will grow real well, just based upon how healthy they are all starting out.... Link to comment
SmittyCoco Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Ok , so I just gased up my truck and am hitting the road. Pm me your location in Florida and I will be by to pick up my Blastos in ohhh I'd say 4-5 days tops !! Wow !!!! Those are heaven . Mitch as a fellow reefer. Please buy a sweet camera to (showcase) the beauty that is in your glass box. I need a new background pic for my computer. Link to comment
MitchReef Posted January 15, 2009 Author Share Posted January 15, 2009 Smitty, You are too kind....I appreciate your props....I just got a new camera, and am quite pleased with it, I just really need to clean my glass before I take pics in the future.... As for the Blastos, if you truly want a frag, let me know and we can see about it...I still have a frag healing and unclaimed...I have some other stuff to help lighten the shipping sting....Seriously...I am willing to ship, and am pretty good at it too.... Link to comment
Nick's Reef Posted January 15, 2009 Share Posted January 15, 2009 Looking good there mitch! Link to comment
MitchReef Posted January 16, 2009 Author Share Posted January 16, 2009 Preciate it....just doing the best I can....once again, the corals do all the work, I just try to give them a decent place to work.... Link to comment
MitchReef Posted January 17, 2009 Author Share Posted January 17, 2009 Tomorrow I get my LE Bubblegum Monster chalice frag....I'm so very excited....Now, that's the one I want to see GROW!!!!!! Link to comment
MitchReef Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 Okay, So my bride Laurie's daughter Allison said the true exotics, both corals and fish are "like a cult" .... I had to realize that with my newest addition, that I have a "Cult Coral"...I got my frag of Tyree Limited Edition Bubblegum Monster chalice today.... This piece has an interesting lineage. Steve Tyree got his original Bubblegum Monster from Joe Casas in California....well, Joe got his from Victor at WorldWideCorals in Orlando....It seems that when Joe first called Victor to talk about the BGM, that Juice of Juicy Corals was standing there already holding his colony....well, I didn't get mine from Juice, but Mike Brown did, and mine came from Mike....sooooo, I effectively have a piece the same generation as Tyree would cut from his own mother.... Pretty cool, but here's the frag...and it's a tiny one....but it will grow.... I promise not to sell all my worldly goods or shave my head....and there's NO WAY IN HE[[ I'm dancing around in Granny's bedspread...even if I am part of a cult!!! Mitch Link to comment
Nick's Reef Posted January 18, 2009 Share Posted January 18, 2009 nice bgm mitch. i read an article that victor wrote about the lineage in reefhobbyistmagazine. I'll add that he drove to tampa to get the mother colony from a hobbyist that was selling it. it was already pending but after some bargining jpe got it. I'd love to go to wwc to see the mother colony and buy some nice coralz. my dad said he take me when i got some more $$. Maybe then we could swap mitch so we wouldn't need to ship. Link to comment
MitchReef Posted January 18, 2009 Author Share Posted January 18, 2009 Oh yeah dude....It will either be like that or if we come south to dive I will drop off on the way and pick up on the way back...We can't waste our resources on shipping for a swap....besides I would love to see your tank....Or I would be pleased for you to see mine! Link to comment
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