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Mr. Microscope's JBJ Picotope

Mr. Microscope

By Mr. Microscope,
in Pico Reef Journals

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Mr. Microscope

Mr. Microscope

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Nice pics! I had a pocci in my last tank (29G NC) and it grew like a weed! Easy to frag, though...

Thanks evanski! Do you have any care recommendations for tue pocci?

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evanski

evanski

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Thanks evanski! Do you have any care recommendations for tue pocci?

 

Obviously, it won't grow much if you don't keep the Ca up...also, high flow is good, so it does not grow so thin that it breaks easily.

 

Other than that, an easy SPS to keep.

 

E

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  • 4 weeks later...
jdl

jdl

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updates? is it a mantis? i have always entertained catching one (they are all over the place here) and putting in my tank. my other inverts might not like it so much...

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Mr. Microscope

Mr. Microscope

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Hi jdl!

 

Thanks for asking. I've been preoccupied with the contest and making my new light. So, I've been neglecting to update my tank thread. The tank is doing well. I had another die off while I was away for the holidays. I believe it was a combination of my mantis or whatever is was dying and also my mystery hermit crab. I think that the mantis went after the hermit because I found his empty shell and saw no signs of him. Then my corals started looking like crap and my snails weren't looking so hot. I did four larger water changes over the course of a couple days and now everything is better than ever.

 

Also, I figured out where my crab went. I decided to move my GSP recently and found his rotting carcass beneath it. It was no where near his shell. I don't know how he go there. I'm thinking maybe he was trying to escape the predator and hid under there, or maybe whatever killed it left it there. Though, this actually could have been the predator that I was looking for instead of the crab. I'm not sure. It was too far gone to tell.

 

During the die off, I lost my SPS and my trumpet was starting to look bad, but is recovering well. Even some of the zoas I have that I haven't seen open in months are opening. I think this might be due to my new feeding regimen. Only once a week now followed by a water change two days later. I'm adding just 150 microliters of live phytoplankton and a very small pinch of Coral Frenzy. In addition to opening all the time, the zoas are actually starting to plumpen up.

 

Here you can see the improvement of my Magicians. They're really sparkling much more than they were a month ago.

Magicians20110128C.jpg

On an odd note, all the zoas were starting to stretch as if for light, but I know that my LEDs are certainly strong enough. The colors on everything is amazing. I realized that the fuge light was leaking into the tank and I strongly believe that this was the cause. I have repositioned the light and not there is no leakage. Hopefully everything will settle back down in the next month or so.

 

Here, you can see the stretch. Also taking place on my Organisms.

Magicians20110128.jpg

Finally, I have two new additions. I got three Scarlet Hermits and a new Blue/Purple/Green mushroom. I got the Scarlets because I needed to build up my CUC again and I also wanted to confirm if that predator was still in my tank. So far they're still alive. Also, I really like the Scarlets.

 

Two of the Three Scarlets working away.

TwoofThreeHermits.jpg

Check out this fun video of the same shot:

th_7de41a7b.jpg

The mushroom was a floater that I got from the LFS for $10. I used the toothpick method to mount it to a rock. It's starting to look good and I think it's starting to attach. I placed it in a semi shady lower current area of the tank and it seems happy.

 

Here's the mushroom:

NewMushroom20110128.jpg

Finally, I took a little bit of chaeto and water out of my fuge and looked at it under a microscope. I realized that I had absolutely no pods whatsoever. I'm now working on reseeding. I think that will really help my zoas too.

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Mr. Microscope

Mr. Microscope

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I've also been neglecting to keep track of my postings. Here's the last few:

 

Jan 3rd, 2011 to the ID Forum

Black Fireworm?

Turned out to be a scale worm.

 

Jan 11th, 2011 to the Lighting Forum

Power Supply for LEDs?

Add up the fV on all the LEDs you want to use and make sure the PS has amperage adequte for your driver (i.e. 4 LEDs @ 3.3fV = 13.2v (meaning you need a PS rated higher than 13.2v (18V is common) running on 1000mA driver (the driver has to be rated higher than 1 amp.))

 

Jan 14th, 2011 to the Lighting Forum

Can LED stars butt up against one another safely?, ..or do I risk causing a short?

Just be careful with soldering.

 

Jan 22nd, 2011 to the Lighting Forum

D16 bin XR-E Royal Blue LED Vs. Unbinned XR-E Royal Blue LED, Mixing. Any conserns? Any difference besides WL?

Not really. Just $3.50 more for the D16s.

 

Jan 24th, 2011 to the General Discussion Forum

Rebuilding pod population from scratch, New Cheato?

Comes in a bottle. Stay away from Tigger Pods. They are cold water species.

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Mr. Microscope

Mr. Microscope

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The Magicians look great! I'm glad they have turned around and are doing better. :)

Thanks am! ;) I was about ready to get rid of all of my zoas and palys and switch to just softies, but if I can keep things going in the direction they have been during the last few weeks they'll be fine. I hope so, cause they are my favorite. It took me a while to realize that z's/p's are really in their own category of coral. I thought that if I just gave them plenty of light and clean water that they'd be fine like a leather or anthelia. Nope. They really need supplemental feeding to thrive if you're running a fishless system.

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Mr. Microscope

Mr. Microscope

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hey looking better!

how old is the tank now

keep updating

Thanks Marc! The tank is 15 months old now. I'll keep the updates going. I've got some VERY big updates coming soon. :)

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Reef Casa

Reef Casa

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"VERY big updates coming soon. "

can't wait to see them!

 

 

"It took me a while to realize that z's/p's are really in their own category of coral. I thought that if I just gave them plenty of light and clean water that they'd be fine like a leather or anthelia. Nope. They really need supplemental feeding to thrive if you're running a fishless system."

 

I ran a fish less 5.5g 2 years ago and with found that they did much better when I threw in a little brine and phyto and turned off the pumps for a bit. Dont get rid of the zoas they look great in the tank! your Day Trippers, Tub's Blue and the blue ones really pop under the lights.

 

you keep this tank at work?

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Mr. Microscope

Mr. Microscope

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you keep this tank at work?

Yes. It has it's share of advantages and disadvantages. Perhaps I should write a separate post about it.

 

I work in a lab. So, I have access to good water. This has saved me the money and headache of having to purchase an RO/DI unit. It makes a nice distraction from the day at times. When I go away on vacation, there is always someone to check in on the tank and refill the ATO or even do a small water change. Having the weekend breaks seems to help the tank as it keeps my hands out of there for a couple days.

 

I really miss it on the weekends though. It's a real PITA when I get livestock on the weekends and have to go to work to acclimate them and then go home. It takes me about four hours to do all that from the moment I walk out the door to the moment I get home. This bugs my wife, but she also doesn't want a tank in our apartment. So, having it at work has been my only option for now. Though she now sees how happy this hobby make me. I think I'll be getting one at home in our next place. Even though there is someone to check in on the tank while I'm away, that still doesn't prevent the occational crash, as they don't have the experience to see the initial symptoms to prevent it.

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Mr. Microscope

Mr. Microscope

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Nice to see some updates, I learned a lot reading through your thread when I started lurking here a few months ago

Thanks paratiddies! I'm glad I could inspire you. :)

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SpainKenya

SpainKenya

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Hey Mr. M, just another random here that stumbled across your thread. Read all 50 pages lol and what a wealth of information. I love your tank and am amazed what someone with talent can do with 3 gallons of water. I just recently started a 10g nano myself and would be thrilled if it turned out half as nice as yours. Ill start up a tank thread whenever i get the tank settled a bit, hope i can come to you for advice if ineed any.

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Mr. Microscope

Mr. Microscope

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Hey Mr. M, just another random here that stumbled across your thread. Read all 50 pages lol and what a wealth of information. I love your tank and am amazed what someone with talent can do with 3 gallons of water. I just recently started a 10g nano myself and would be thrilled if it turned out half as nice as yours. Ill start up a tank thread whenever i get the tank settled a bit, hope i can come to you for advice if ineed any.

Killer! Thanks for taking the time to read my thread SpainKenya. I've made lots of mistakes during the life of this tank. Hopefully you can avoid one or two. Let me know when you start your thread. I can't wait to see what you do with your tank. Welcome to nano-reef! I'm honored to get your first post.

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