Mr. Microscope's Cube 2.1

[Mr. Microscope]

well what do we have here....

kidninja!!!! Hey man! Good to hear from you. Hope all is well with your tank. I see you just posted it here. Looks amazing! Nice wrass!

Edited March 8, 2012 by Mr. Microscope

[kidninja]

thanks, i love getting compliments about my wrass =)

[Mr. Microscope]

New Livestock 2012.03.13

 

Hello All,

 

I went to a local swap this past weekend and picked up a few pieces.

 

First on the agenda was this captive bred Bangaii Cardinal pup:

This guy acclimated extremely fast. He started eating right away and hangs out with my clownfish. They all seem to be good friends.

 

I also got a beautiful porcelain crab from Pacific East Aquacultrure. I couldn't get a picture of it, but it's one of the purple guys. Though, I've never seen one quite like it. The feeders are an intense blue! Pic to come as soon as it shows itself.

 

For corals, i got a nice sized mini colony of ORA green birdsnest, a couple polyps of Darth Maul, Blue Hornets, and some kind of morph off of Untouchables. I also found a nice torch for the clowns. They haven't found it yet, but it's only two heads. So, perhaps when it gets bigger. Additionally, I found some clove polyps. I think they're papaya cloves. Here's a pic under the blue LED's. You can see the torch in the background.

[Deckoz2302]

Hmmmmm bangaii? Nice frags sir...lol your name makes me think superhero...like Mr fantastic or Dr whoo..I dunno why

[Mr. Microscope]

Hmmmmm bangaii? Nice frags sir...

Thank Deckoz.

Yup Bangaii. I figured it would really like the overhangs of my rock scaping.

 

lol your name makes me think superhero...like Mr fantastic or Dr whoo..I dunno why

Probably cause I'm a mad scientist.

[Builder Anthony]

any chance you want to trade a single polyp of those new ones for a mohawk magician,lunar eclipse and a real nice purple paly or something else?

 

I was looking online for images containing other saltwater things under the scope and theres a few out there also its pretty intresting.Any chance you cood zoom in on ich?I think i asked before but still intrested.

[Mr. Microscope]

any chance you want to trade a single polyp of those new ones for a mohawk magician,lunar eclipse and a real nice purple paly or something else?

 

I was looking online for images containing other saltwater things under the scope and theres a few out there also its pretty intresting.Any chance you cood zoom in on ich?I think i asked before but still intrested.

I want to let things settle in and grow a bit before I frag off any of the new ones.

 

Zoom in on ich? Like the fish disease? I could if I had a sample.

[Spirofucci]

This tank is looking fine! Still loving your scape!

[Mr. Microscope]

This tank is looking fine! Still loving your scape!

Thanks Spirofucci. I had an inspiration this morning..MORE TORCHES! All around the bottom..

[rO.oster]

looking good! the cardinal looks vibrant, really cool!

 

More torches eh!? They'll take off soon enough, but you could always frag and sell them later when it gets too full. Leave em room to grow!

 

Nice additions! I will live vicariously through your tank this year as I scheme and plot the next moves. FTS! FTS!

[Mr. Microscope]

looking good! the cardinal looks vibrant, really cool!

 

More torches eh!? They'll take off soon enough, but you could always frag and sell them later when it gets too full. Leave em room to grow!

 

Nice additions! I will live vicariously through your tank this year as I scheme and plot the next moves. FTS! FTS!

Thanks reeferRudy! I'm really impressed with how well it's doing. He's not wild about pellets, but goes crazy over Rod's Original formula. The spots really sparkle when just the blue lights are on.

 

Yes, more torches and also more papaya cloves! I really hope those things take off in there.

 

I'm happy you're enjoying my tank. I can't wait to see what you come up with. FTS to come. Things are starting to get cleaned up in there. SPS is starting to get cemented in place on top.

[Mr. Microscope]

Update 2012.03.21

 

Hello All,

 

There's been some changes with my tank, both to the livestock and equipment.

 

For starters, here's a new FTS:

 

I mounted most of the SPS frags I had in my rack on the top garden space. Now I just have to sit back and let them grow! I also mounted the new clove polyps at about the middle of the column and found a great spot for the torch. I have to say it's looking quite happy now. The yumas were also moved up to a semi-shaded area of the rocks.

 

I had a small outbreak of diatoms on the rock pillar last week. After a 20% water change, they've gone away and there is now a little bit of algae building up, but I think that is already starting to go away as well. The main reason I had this build up may have been due to lack of flow to the filtration. The MJ900 just didn't have the oompf for the near four foot head. Everytime I fed, the water would look cloudy for a whole day. So, I switched to a Mag Drive 3. I've very happy with the new turnover. The tank cleans up much faster now. Also, I got some Chemi-Pure Elite. Though, I've decided to only run that once a week overnight. I find it strips the water a bit too much for my liking. My zoas don't really react well to it.

 

Now that you've gone though all that, here's a little treat. I realize the FTS's don't really do the tank justice. So, here's a little movie to give you a better idea how the tank looks up close. Enjoy!

 

More to come!

[FlCandy]

Daym man!

 

I like this tank, those rimless tanks just are so awesome!

 

[Mr. Microscope]

Daym man!

 

I like this tank, those rimless tanks just are so awesome!

 

Thanks FICandy!

[Spirofucci]

Looks like you got some good flow in there now! Still lovin that sculpture and nice vid!

[friar1]

Yes,

Great job Mr Mic!

 

Terrific clowns, the rock pillar looks cool and the corals seem well placed.

 

I don't know how I missed all the past month.

 

I am finally getting some new LPS, I am waiting for them to come in tomorrow. An Acan and a baby maze type coral.

[Mr. Microscope]

Looks like you got some good flow in there now! Still lovin that sculpture and nice vid!

Thanks Spirofucci!

 

Yes,

Great job Mr Mic!

 

Terrific clowns, the rock pillar looks cool and the corals seem well placed.

 

I don't know how I missed all the past month.

 

I am finally getting some new LPS, I am waiting for them to come in tomorrow. An Acan and a baby maze type coral.

Thanks friar!

Yes, I'm loving those clowns. I think they're about twice as big now as when I got them. It's funny too, the female (or at least what I suspect will become the female) is turning out to have a more yellow color where as the other one is turning more orange.

 

Love those maze corals! Good luck! Can't wait to your new LPS.

[friar1]

By the way, how's the little Microscope "frag"?

 

Parents, gotta love em!

[Mr. Microscope]

By the way, how's the little Microscope "frag"?

 

Parents, gotta love em!

Coming along well! Thanks for asking! He's smiling a giggling a lot now. Also, he loves the tank!

[friar1]

 

Funny, my girl keeps telling me I spend more time looking at my tank than paying attention to her.

When I put in the new dimmers and adjusted the lights she just said: "Boring!"

 

haha

Edited March 22, 2012 by friar1

[Mr. Microscope]

Well, I haven't posted a lot of images of the corals up close. So, I did a little photo shoot the other night. Enjoy!

 

For starters, here's my favorite new addition. I think they're papaya cloves:

 

My other favorite new addition is this torch. It keeps looking happier and happier everyday. Here's a little hypnotic movie of it under blue LED's:

 

Here's those new zoas under daylights this time. I think they're equally impressive. The Blue Hornets are taking some time to come around, but that's how I got them and they were cheap. So, I figure I can wait for them to grow and color up. The Unthouchables are still looking healthy and the Darth Mauls are getting bigger!

 

I got this acro about two months ago. I haven't been able to identify it yet though. Please help if you know what it is. I really like the polyps. It started out kind of a dull green, but is starting to turn red at the base.

 

I love these yumas. They've had several babies for months, but the big ones were always covering them up until recently. The big guys finally moved far enough away to give the babies some light and a chance to grow up.

 

My hermits never cease to amuse me. About a month ago I fragged some of this colony of Radioactive Dragon Eyes and Green Bay Packers. A few of the polyps fell off the plugs and landed on rubble sitting around my tank. One happened to stick to a little shell. Yesterday, I noticed that one of the hermits decided to move into the shell. I now have a walking zoa!

 

Here's one of my left handed guys hanging out in the acans. Testing fate IMO. I like how the baby acans are a little striped. They almost look rainbowish at times.

 

Mummy Eye Chalice looking sexy as usual!

 

I love this maze favia (or at least I think that's what it's called, please correct me if you know better).

 

Here's some of the ORA Green Birdsnest that I got at the swap. It broke into three pieces when I tried to get it off the plastic blue ORA plug. So, I mounted them all in various spots on the pillar.

 

I've got a few ORA Red Planet frags. The one on the lower right (under the Garf Bonsai) has been under my light for a very long time. The one on the left is newer. You can see a huge color difference. I'm continuing to raise the intensity of my LED's. I'm guessing over time, they will balance out and the green will turn into a hot red pink.

 

Finally, here's the Derasa. Happy as a clam!

 

More updates to come! ORA Pearlberry coming tomorrow!

[friar1]

ooh,

 

I just got a Maze like yours. Good, it will look even better as it grows. Mine was stressed during shipping but beginning to show color.

 

Great beginning to your Tank Mr M

[friar1]

Wow!

 

I just looked at your Electron Scanning Microscope thread, Totally Tubular man!

Edited March 25, 2012 by friar1

[Mr. Microscope]

ooh,

 

I just got a Maze like yours. Good, it will look even better as it grows. Mine was stressed during shipping but beginning to show color.

 

Great beginning to your Tank Mr M

I hope yours heals up well. Mine took a while to settle in, but now it seems to be growing fast.

 

Wow!

 

I just looked at your Electron Scanning Microscope thread, Totally Tubular man!

Thanks for looking! I now use those samples as demos when we have visitors from schools. The kids love the pods.

[Mr. Microscope]

Update 2012.04.16

 

Hello Everyone. It's about time for the monthly updates.

 

I'm getting a little bit of algae build up on the pillar, but there isn't any on the live rock. I'm not too worried about it as I'm continuing manual removal and weekly water changes. I'm hoping to have it starved out eventually.

 

I also treated for flatworms the other day. I didn't have too much of an infestation, but I wanted to get on top of it before it got out of hand. Unfortunately, I'm still seeing a some but the population has been severely reduced. So, I have plenty of time to get some more Flatworm eXit and try again. One odd thing though, is that I may have lost my dwarf cerith population. They are all on the sandbed and not moving. If they're all dead though, they haven't caused a cycle. All the corals look okay. I'm keeping my eyes pealed for signs of stress, but so far so good. I read that ceriths can go dormant. I'm hoping that is just the case.

 

On to the pics! To start: Here's the latest FTS. No new corals, but I've mounted several more in place on the display rock and several are really starting to settle in and grow.

 

 

I took a couple shots from the sides to give a little better perspective on how the overall tank looks:

 

...and a clam's eye view of the pillar:

 

The SPS is doing well. The Palmer's Blue Milli is getting extremely polypy! Who says SPS can't be, "flowy?"

 

Here's a movie to prove my point:

The GARF Bonsai is really spreading. Soon, it should be from the frag rock to the pillar:

 

Finally...drumroll

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Tu-dah!

 

One of my clowns started hosting my torch last night. Check out this movie! Ahhhw yeah!

Hopefully, the other clown will get into the act too. My LFS is getting in a new Aussi shipment this week, and they're keeping their eyes pealed for another torch for me. I'm planning to get several more for the bottom in addition to some more papaya cloves.

 

I'm debating on adding another fish as well. It'll either be a tailspot blenny or a six line wrasse. Though, I might just hold off on another fish all together. I not running a skimmer right now, and would likely have to add one if I get another fish.

Edited April 16, 2012 by Mr. Microscope