Pisces' 10g Bonsai Reef

[SpringFever]

Are you going to try to keep the cloves and polyps off of the 'trunk' of the 'tree' in your scape? That would be pretty sweet to have GSP covering the tank bottom, cloves covering the base, and torch for foliage on the tree... You could call it Medusa’s Willow!

[yardboy]

Or get really crazy and have some of the green clove polyps on the trunk of the "tree" like an old oak tree. Maybe a bit much though.

Fantastic setup. I've always drooled over those FW setups that look like some pastoral scene.

[porksoda]

Looks great!

[Damsels R Cool]

Need A FTS today after the 16th of this month you will be DQ if no FTS is Posted on the main Thread

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=214206

[pisces4u]

Done. Here's one for the thread. Sorry I pissed off all the corals but the glass needed scraping bad!

[nebthet]

This is a very nice inspirational 10g. I like it a lot.

[opy01]

Lookin good! Your GSP seems to be spreading nicely. How's everything else growing in?

[pisces4u]

Some good some bad actually. My green torch is splitting and has two mouths now and the orange torch is starting to elongate like it will split soon. The daisies and clovers on the base rock are slowly shrinking away. I am clueless as to why I can't keep these corals, they are doing the same thing in my mushroom tank and frag tank.

 

I may have to use Zoanthids or something else as a backup plan for the base rock. I'll give it until 2/15 that way I can still have 3 months to grow them in if I switch out the clovers.

[Markushka]

Pretty awesome tank man, you've inspired me to get a torch asap, they look awesome! I really like the rimless look but was always too afraid that stripping a tank would be structurally unsound, gonna look more into that too.

[blibo]

I wanna cry....so beautiful

[pisces4u]

Thanks for the kind words.

 

I'm nearing a crossroads with the tank. I'm nearing the half way point in the contest and the only thing the clovers and daisies have done is shrink.

 

I'm thinking of pulling them out and putting some zoas or other low profile coral on the base rock.

 

What do y'all think for some low-light non-branching coral for the base slab?

[c_k_kuehne]

green encrusting gorgonia -- IMHO

[Nemo Niblets]

A couple of rics?

 

Zoas would look great.

[opy01]

Some fast growing zoas would be nice. Maybe 3-4 polyps or more each of different ones spread around. And like Nemo Niblets said, a couple of rics would be cool too.

[Weetabix7]

Some Orange Bam-Bam zoas would be great.

They're fast growing and the Orange would contrast nicely against the Green of the GSP you have growing on the bottom.

[pisces4u]

Thanks for the input all. I've got some really fast growing pink zoas as well as RDE's and some others I can try. Rics would be nice, but they're pretty unavailable in my market and when they are, they're super expensive.

 

BTW I'll post a new pic soon lol. That last FTS is just sad, the torches are so happy and gowing larger, it's really a poor representation of the tank.

[pisces4u]

Updated fts with happier torches. Added another from my main display system and will probably add 2-3 more so I have room for more SPS there.

 

Also going to start adding some zoa frags from my prop system when I have time and maybe a k-nano or k-1 for better torch movement.

 

[nikeSB]

Love it!

[spanko]

Wow. What is keeping the GSP from climbing up the rockwork?

Really starting to look like an Amano aquascape now.

 

[opy01]

That's looking incredible! The colors of those torches are awesome and the GSP is filling nicely too.

[pisces4u]

Thanks guys.

 

The base rock is a solid 7lb slab of LR. It actually started at 13lb but it was too big so I chisled it down for the contest. The shape is slightly convex so the edges don't touch the glass. For now, the GSP is growing on the glass only and can't grow up onto the rock due to the gap and shaded areas.

[Weetabix7]

Updated fts with happier torches. Added another from my main display system and will probably add 2-3 more so I have room for more SPS there.

 

Also going to start adding some zoa frags from my prop system when I have time and maybe a k-nano or k-1 for better torch movement.

 

 

That is really, seriously beautiful.

So much so that I am honestly tempted to duplicate the whole thing.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and all that, y'know.

Where do you get your Torches from?

[pisces4u]

They're all locally purchased from LFS's (we have 8 reef specialty shops between Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse NY). LPS are probably the most popular category in our region so most shops keep torches in stock, the problem is finding colorful ones. The shops I bought mine from are supplied by Sea Dwelling Creatures.

 

The nuke green torch is referred to as "Todd's Torch" in our region and the hardcore locals trace lineage like chalice collectors. I've rarely seen that morph outside of upstate NY. My mother colony was an import from SDC however, and has no lineage.

[Weetabix7]

Are you still running the FNI 2x24w fixture w/stock bulbs and the Powerbrite LED over this?

If so, what is your light cycle, and do you have both lights on during it?

Is the Powerbrite Blue LEDs only?

How many LEDs does the Powerbrite you're using have?

 

I have an empty 10g, the same FNI fixture you have, and a custom LED fixture laying around.....

[pismo_reefer]

This is hands down AMAZING!!!!

 

Im honestly in awe of it....

this belongs in a museum or an art gallery!

 

:clap: