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NC12: diary of an L.A. tank


gena

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squirrelieygrrrl

lulz!

 

you knew you werent done, its never done! EVER! i really like those watermelon lookin zoas tucked in that crevice.

 

plus! that hole is still beggin for a critter. ;)

 

 

zfork,

 

did you know you can change the forum view to standard and remove the first post? its in the options drop down in case you didnt! :D

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"never done"....famous last words :D

 

Tonight I was looking up anthelia. I think I might have found some but we'll see....LOL. Guess I won't be "done" until I at least get some of that in my tank.

 

I'm thinking within the next 2 weeks I'll get a buddy for Squirt. Definitely a tailspot blenny for that hole in the rock!!!!!!

 

Right now I have my peppermint shrimp netted and hopefully he'll stay that way until tomorrow when I can drop him off at the LFS. I no longer have the aptasia. He seemed to eat some of it but not all. I just pulled the frag out and chopped away the parts of the rock with the aptasia that was left. He's a spastic little shrimp and he's making me and Squirt nervous. Poor Squirt is trying to snooze at night and the shrimp won't leave him alone. It has a voracious appetite. I don't want it to decide it's not getting enough and start in on my Frogspawn or mushrooms! I figure better safe than sorry. I hope he doesn't make an escape hole in my net overnight. Peppermints seem the conniving type :D

 

Oh that's good :happy:. Once it gets going it should be more of an off white than a brown.

I never did scrape away the GSP around it. It doesn't seem to be bothering the Toadstool so I'll leave it be for now. I'm enjoying watching it improve...thanks again, for including it!!!!!

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The peppermint shrimp managed to stay in the net all night and is now swimming at the LFS. There is such a feeling of relief when you get rogue, or critters that display the potential to go rogue, out of your tank. :happy:

 

It's only been a couple of days since the last FTS, but the camera is sitting here so I thought, why not. The devil's hand is back open again. Not quite it's full potential...but it's nice to see polyps again!

 

3-18-11

 

3-18-11.jpg

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Cheapreef27
The peppermint shrimp managed to stay in the net all night and is now swimming at the LFS. There is such a feeling of relief when you get rogue, or critters that display the potential to go rogue, out of your tank. :happy:

 

It's only been a couple of days since the last FTS, but the camera is sitting here so I thought, why not. The devil's hand is back open again. Not quite it's full potential...but it's nice to see polyps again!

 

3-18-11

 

3-18-11.jpg

How much did you pay for that beautiful frogspawn.Once again, cool tank

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Cheapreef27
Thanks :) I paid $19.99, for one head, at Vivid.

GHHAAAAAAAA!! I love my lfs, but it is truly overpriced. I paid 25 for a head of frogspawn, 10 for a little bit of unattached GSP, 20 for a little bit of xenia. Ill haveto check out someonline places to get deals like that

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I checked out your tank and posted there! I have the nano-glo LED fixture. It hangs on by magnet. It does an excellent job....really makes the chaeto grow!

 

Any input on my tank is greatly appreciated! :happy: Thanks for the info on the light, I'll have to check it out.

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GHHAAAAAAAA!! I love my lfs, but it is truly overpriced. I paid 25 for a head of frogspawn, 10 for a little bit of unattached GSP, 20 for a little bit of xenia. Ill haveto check out someonline places to get deals like that

I haven't done so myself, but from what I've heard, you get some great items and deals at local reef clubs.

 

Any input on my tank is greatly appreciated! :happy: Thanks for the info on the light, I'll have to check it out.

NP :happy:

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I wasn't liking the big hunk of yellow star polyps where they were so I pulled it today and broke the rock into a couple of pieces. I think it fits much better now and doesn't stand out like it did. I also now have a better place to put my cabbage leather, with more room to grow, without shading my palys.

 

I'm also including a pic. from a side angle.

 

3-19-11

 

3-19-11.jpg

 

 

sideshot.jpg

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Hi Gena !

 

I'm from France and I subscribed to your topic because I love it so much :bowdown: ! I'm fascinated by the US reef techniques a bit different from the French ones.

 

I'd like to try the same kind of tank as yours with a lot of dry rocks, live black sand and very few live rocks. I have a 50 L tank (about 12 US G I think), it's a Superfish which dimensions are 47 x 33 x 33 cm. How much live rocks do you think I should add in it ? I put 5 kg of Aquaroche from now.

 

Here is a picture of it from today (no water in it for the moment) :

 

IMAG0122.jpg

 

IMAG0125.jpg

 

I love your clown too, he is so cute ! :wub:

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Hi Deedoo!!!!! Thank you so much for subscribing :D

 

That's a fantastic aquarium you are starting. I love the way you designed your rocks!

 

I think 5 kg is perfect since you will be adding more rock as you add your corals. I believe the standard amount is 1-2 lbs. per gallon. It looks like the perfect amount aesthetically in your tank. Most people nowadays opt for a minimalist rock look. Yours looks perfect to me. A nice balance of swimming space, sandbed space for coral, and a great looking rockscape!

 

Is your tank glass or acrylic? I love the blue background on it. I think the black sand will look really nice with it too! Can't wait to see how your tank progresses. Are you going to start a tank thread dedicated to it? I hope so. If you do, let me know so I can follow along.

 

Thanks again for introducing yourself and your tank to me. It's lovely!

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My reef keeper lite came in yesterday. It's so nice to be automated again. It really is an amazing piece of equipment to add to your reef tank. I'm comfortable knowing that my heater won't stick and fry my tank now that the controller is in charge :D

 

Here's a pic. of the controller:

 

reefkeeper.jpg

 

I also see a new head of my AOG's growing. Woohoo!!!! I took a pic. of it as well. It's right above the green palys in the pic. Oh yes, I do need to remove that bubble of algae too. Next water change for sure. Really, that bubble is the least of my worries. I do belive that I have bryopsis growing in my tank....good gawd!!!!! It came in with my frogspawn :( It's already spread to the rocks since I was picking at it in my tank, before I knew what it was <_<

 

So, Rain...if you are reading this. We're in the same boat! I ordered some Tech M and a test kit in case I need to get medieval on this stuff. I'm hoping to kill it by watching my nutrients and leaving my chaeto light running about 21 hours. We'll see if that works. If not, I have the magnesium. I've been through this before...I'll get through it again.

 

Here's a pic. of my new AOG head that's growing:

 

aoghead.jpg

 

Also....I know there are those of us out there that not only have water gardens, but also terrestrial gardens. Check out this score I picked up this past Saturday. A lady that lives on my friend's street had a bunch of ceramic pots and plant stands sitting at the curb for free! Look at all of those colors....for free!!!! I have about 10 plants of scented geraniums that will be going into those pots :D

 

pots.jpg

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I do not see this alleged bryopsis of yours. :P You have a whole bunch of really nice stuff now though! I love how you've split the yellow polyp things. Also, great score on the containers! Nothing like having a garden both in and out of water. You have to take pics of the geraniums too. Is it just going to be all geraniums? You have the makings of a nice container garden right there.

 

Ahem.

 

Back to saltwater.

 

I keep squinting and I still don't see this bryopsis in the photo. Are you sure? Gosh, I hope it isn't, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

 

How are you getting rid of that bubble algae? I have a couple of spots...they're so small though and hard to get at. :(

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I do not see this alleged bryopsis of yours. :P You have a whole bunch of really nice stuff now though! I love how you've split the yellow polyp things. Also, great score on the containers! Nothing like having a garden both in and out of water. You have to take pics of the geraniums too. Is it just going to be all geraniums? You have the makings of a nice container garden right there.

 

Ahem.

 

Back to saltwater.

 

I keep squinting and I still don't see this bryopsis in the photo. Are you sure? Gosh, I hope it isn't, but it's better to be safe than sorry.

 

How are you getting rid of that bubble algae? I have a couple of spots...they're so small though and hard to get at. :(

 

Yep, those are going to be all planted with scented geraniums. I've got a bunch of different scents. Coconut, apple, nutmeg, peach, pina colada, cinnamon. There's more, I just can't remember them all! I'm planning to propogate them for resale. It's really hard to find different varieties locally, for whatever reason. Heck, it's even hard to find one variety at my local nurseries! Maybe I can supply them :)

 

I'll take pictures after I get them planted. I have two bags of soil sitting in my car still. It's supposed to rain so I probably won't get to it for a few more days. But I'll definitely get pictures of them all.

 

As far as the bubble algae...I usually just knock it off the rock and suck it up with my gravel vacuum during a water change. If it bursts....the vacuum should catch all of the spores. Regarding the bryopsis....it looks like a different variety from what I fought before. That's why I was picking at it in the beginning, because I didn't think it was bryopsis! I did some googling of images though and I'm pretty sure that's what it is. The good news is it appears to be turning white at the fronds, but still light green at the base. My hope is that since I have the dry base rock, there won't be much nutrients, if any at all, in there to feed the algae. I just have to control the nutrients I add to the water. I'll snap a picture of it when the lights come on.

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Here's a picture of the bryopsis <_<

My only consolation is that it doesn't look healthy. Not very vibrant green and slowly getting more white/transparent. I plan to pick at it this Friday with my water change. It is wrapped around that rock and looks like it has runners so I won't be able to get it all out but hopefully it will continue to decline.

 

bryopsis.jpg

 

Here's a picture of Squirt too. I caught him with this mouth open :D

 

squirt.jpg

 

Since I'm snapping photos...figured I put up a new FTS from today too:

 

3-23-11.jpg

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I have some new additions acclimating!!!!!! Just one hint....Squirt has a potential luva :wub:

 

I snapped a few shots of my favorite mushies. A little out of focus...still learning the ropes with the new camera. Blue, green, and red:

 

bluemushroom.jpg

 

greenmushroom.jpg

 

redmushroom2.jpg

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The red mushie is still my fave, followed closely by the purple (the the frogspawn).

 

Sadly, that does look like bryopsis. :tears: I wish you luck on your Magnesium dosing. I'm not sure if it was my imagination or what, but squirting the Kent Tech M right at the bryopsis seems to have helped make it fade faster. Most of mine have browned away and aren't waving around anymore. YAY!

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very clean looking tank and awesome colors. I have an astrea and a hermit that chomp away at that byropsis algae when it grows up enough.

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Well.....there will be no luva for Squirt. I waited too long I guess. She (I guess she's a she already) tried to kill it. I got one that was tiny too. Oh well. I couldn't stand to watch the beating so I took him to my LFS. Poor little guy. I guess Squirt will be the lone clownfish in the tank. As I had planned it anyways.

 

The other thing I ordered was a pom pom crab. Only....it came with NO pom poms! What good is that????? LOL. The store I ordered it from gave me a refund for that. It will be interesting to see if the crab picks up something else to replace his anemones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The red mushie is still my fave, followed closely by the purple (the the frogspawn).

 

Sadly, that does look like bryopsis. :tears: I wish you luck on your Magnesium dosing. I'm not sure if it was my imagination or what, but squirting the Kent Tech M right at the bryopsis seems to have helped make it fade faster. Most of mine have browned away and aren't waving around anymore. YAY!

Yep...I think it's bryopsis too. But, it's dying on it's own for now so I'm happy about that. That's FANTASTIC news about your bryopsis!!!!!

 

very clean looking tank and awesome colors. I have an astrea and a hermit that chomp away at that byropsis algae when it grows up enough.

Thank you! Wow....that's awesome that you found some critters to eat it! You could probably sell them for a mint :D

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Very nice tank, Gena. Clean look and a great variety of colors!

Hey, thanks! And, thanks for checking out my tank thread. It's still a baby...who knows...maybe I'll be upgrading to something like a Solana in a couple of years. Yours looks great! It's definitely an inspiration for me :D

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squirrelieygrrrl

ugh! love it!!! :wub:

 

you have an eye for coral placement and color. something about the way you lay them out with color and texture that i just love. that side is gonna look great the way you have the mushies wrapping around the rocks. once it fills it im sure its gonna be really pretty.

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ugh! love it!!! :wub:

 

you have an eye for coral placement and color. something about the way you lay them out with color and texture that i just love. that side is gonna look great the way you have the mushies wrapping around the rocks. once it fills it im sure its gonna be really pretty.

I think that's the nicest compliment I have ever gotten regarding one of my reef tanks. Thank you!!!!!!! I tried really hard with this tank to get it just right, to my eye. I'm so happy others like it too :D

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We're having a heatwave and the tank is sitting at 84.6

 

I propped the lid open and turned the a/c on in the house. I'm not too concerned yet. I think the actual temp may be lower than that since my glass floating thermometer reads a degree less than the temp. probe. I figure I'm somewhere between those two numbers.

 

Got my blue St. Thomas mushroom in the mail as well as a blue ricordea. The St. Thomas shroom is still getting used to the tank and hasn't shown me it's full glory yet. Can't wait :D

 

I started a separate blog for this tank as well.

 

http://reefapalooza.blogspot.com/

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