The 28 Gallon Itch

[gena]

And it a reply to one of my post

FLOWERZ

:flower:

 

For some reason it didn't even register that I was going to hit the 6k mark, even when we were talking about post count earlier.

[zoanthidfreak]

Love how the tank is coming along I followed your NC12 thread but didn't post on it as I've only just signed up after reading through it for years can't wait to see the end product.

 

Alex

[divecj5]

Unfortunately, I missed your beautiful NC12 while I was taking a little hiatus from reefing (read: first son was born May 2011) I'll have to check your thread out as it sounds like it is/was one heck of a tank.

 

It took a day or two but finally made my way to the end of your thread. Although I don't know you, your fascination with macros, all things pods, worms, and small critters, etc reminds me of someone (C est Ma) who had some amazingly diverse tanks. Always provided me a ton of inspiration.

 

Anyways, glad to see that you appear to have worked out the kinks with the rock and you're really rockin' and rollin' this time around. Sometimes a cycle (at least like that one) can be a beautiful thing!! Like you said, for a while at least and then it's time to kick the GHA, cyano, and diatoms to the curb and load up with the good stuff.

 

Really looking forward to following along to see all of the beautiful coral, critters, and macro that you add to this great tank. Although I started my MINI with a 1/2 mix of dry base that I soft-cycled in a bucket and some primo rock from our LFS, I spend almost ALL my time starting at the few pieces of live rock that are packed with all sorts of good stuff. Sometimes it's better to bite the bullet, go with uncured live rock, and enjoy watching everything pop back out of the rock after the cycle.

 

-Adam

[ajayjack]

Trust me...there are people here with greater addictions than mine Mine spans from 2007...that's not bad at all

 

I'm not sure if I mentioned it on here or not, but I picked up the BRS RO/DI maker a few weeks ago. I know I told my N-R friends that are also on FB. It's sooooo incredibly convenient to not have to run out to buy water anymore!!!!!!!!! I'm making five gallons tonight and just snapped a photo of my setup. It's right above my laundry room sink and it makes me so happy

 

 

Yeah! I'll never NOT own a RODI ever again. I didn't know making pure water could be so much fun!

[JR!]

i poped for the 5 stage. such a good idea to have ro/di. i hated running to the store at all hours of the day/night lol

[gena]

Love how the tank is coming along I followed your NC12 thread but didn't post on it as I've only just signed up after reading through it for years can't wait to see the end product.

 

Alex

Thanks, Alex!!!!! I bet it seemed like years reading through soooo many pages I promise to try to keep this thread under control

 

Unfortunately, I missed your beautiful NC12 while I was taking a little hiatus from reefing (read: first son was born May 2011) I'll have to check your thread out as it sounds like it is/was one heck of a tank.

 

It took a day or two but finally made my way to the end of your thread. Although I don't know you, your fascination with macros, all things pods, worms, and small critters, etc reminds me of someone (C est Ma) who had some amazingly diverse tanks. Always provided me a ton of inspiration.

 

Anyways, glad to see that you appear to have worked out the kinks with the rock and you're really rockin' and rollin' this time around. Sometimes a cycle (at least like that one) can be a beautiful thing!! Like you said, for a while at least and then it's time to kick the GHA, cyano, and diatoms to the curb and load up with the good stuff.

 

Really looking forward to following along to see all of the beautiful coral, critters, and macro that you add to this great tank. Although I started my MINI with a 1/2 mix of dry base that I soft-cycled in a bucket and some primo rock from our LFS, I spend almost ALL my time starting at the few pieces of live rock that are packed with all sorts of good stuff. Sometimes it's better to bite the bullet, go with uncured live rock, and enjoy watching everything pop back out of the rock after the cycle.

 

-Adam

Thanks, Adam!!!! I think you just gave me the greatest compliment of my reefing career!!!! I'm a huge fan of C'est Ma!!!!! Thank you so much

 

I agree with you on going the uncured route. This was my first time doing so and it's been fascinating. I've done the Florida live rock in the past, but it's always been cured. I thought I lost a ton of critters in the shipment and cycle but everyday more and more things are popping out!!!!!!!!

 

Thanks again for taking an interest in my builds and congrats on your wonderful excuse for a reefing hiatus (a son...I've got one of those...they are the best)

 

Yeah! I'll never NOT own a RODI ever again. I didn't know making pure water could be so much fun!

For real!!!!!! I want to make water all the time now. I've never had homemade 0 TDS water!!!!!

 

i poped for the 5 stage. such a good idea to have ro/di. i hated running to the store at all hours of the day/night lol

NICE! What's the 5th stage do????? I'm making 0TDS with just my 4 Stage. I hear you on the wonders of not having to run out to buy water

 

 

 

GOOD NEWS!!!!! My nitrite is just barely registering now...woohoo!!!!!! I'm going to do a 5 gallon water change tomorrow and start adding coral in

[HVani]

Any interesting hitchhikers?

[gena]

Any interesting hitchhikers?

Nothing too out of the ordinary yet. Bristle worms (which I've always liked), sponges, tons of pods, tons of feather dusters, some encrusting corals. Probably the neatest thing is a clam. I'm sure that's not the right way to identify it, but it has the clam shell and it filters the water. Some interesting macros too, besides the common halimeda. I haven't gotten an ID on them yet though. I think that's it

[HVani]

Wow that sounds amazing!

 

I was hoping to get some live rock for my 65 build but I ended up running out of funds so I'm going dry rock.

[gena]

Wow that sounds amazing!

 

I was hoping to get some live rock for my 65 build but I ended up running out of funds so I'm going dry rock.

It is pretty amazing rock. I've done both types and the uncured Florida rock is by far the most interesting. Though...you have to deal with the unwanted HHs with it. I'm just going with the flow and trying not to freak out about the cyano and hair algae. It seems to be improving already, thank goodness. I had no issues with the dry rock in my 12g, until I introduced bryopsis on a frag..so dry definitely has it's positives in that respect.

[zoanthidfreak]

Thanks, Alex!!!!! I bet it seemed like years reading through soooo many pages I promise to try to keep this thread under control

 

Haha it took a while but was worth it congrats on TOTM also

[gena]

Haha it took a while but was worth it congrats on TOTM also

Thanks

 

 

The Enchanted Forest has been completely transferred to this tank. It was a busy morning/afternoon moving things over. I did not transfer the rock though and have an ad on CL for that if any locals are interested in it.

 

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/for/3195583735.html

 

Looks like I won't be getting my yellow fiji leather after-all. This tank is filled to capacity!!!!!! Almost I could easily squeeze a few mushrooms in, or possibly an acan frag. But otherwise, it's completed. Now I just sit back and watch it grow

[jedimasterben]

Thanks

 

 

The Enchanted Forest has been completely transferred to this tank. It was a busy morning/afternoon moving things over. I did not transfer the rock though and have an ad on CL for that if any locals are interested in it.

 

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/for/3195583735.html

 

Looks like I won't be getting my yellow fiji leather after-all. This tank is filled to capacity!!!!!! Almost I could easily squeeze a few mushrooms in, or possibly an acan frag. But otherwise, it's completed. Now I just sit back and watch it grow

No leather? Ben has a sad.

[nevermore1701]

Sounds like it's progressing nicely, can't wait to see it grow in!

[Spirofucci]

Hey Miss Gena! Cool on you for getting the RODI machine! Good investment! I'm going the change out all the filters on mine today.

[gena]

No leather? Ben has a sad.

No fiji yellow leather unless I come across a small frag of it. I'm not leather-less though!!!!! I have my neon green toadstool that I fragged into two pieces. I call them the twins They are going to grow in very nicely in this tank. I've placed them on either side of the tank at slightly different levels. Should look interesting as they mature. I also have a very small piece of cabbage leather that I found hidden in "The Enchanted Forest" tank. Hopefully it will come back for me. It's pretty pale. So, don't have a sad

 

Sounds like it's progressing nicely, can't wait to see it grow in!

Thanks! It is!!!!! I'm very happy with the way it turned out!!!!! I'll post pictures before too long. It's a bigger version of my macro tank but not quite as filled in looking since I have more real estate. The macros have been growing like crazy in there though. Not out of control, but a noticeable amount of growth

 

Hey Miss Gena! Cool on you for getting the RODI machine! Good investment! I'm going the change out all the filters on mine today.

Thanks, Mark! It's super awesome to have. Still churning out 0 TDS and I've made a lot of water already!!!!!

[gena]

I was going to wait to post pictures until the tank got through the early ugly phase but I figure, what the heck. I need to document it all. Here are a few photos I snapped today. I haven't touched the back wall yet. Trying to give the snails a meal. They've been doing a great job on cleaning it up. Still have some cyano and hair algae but it's definitely improving. The tank has a very natural feel to it. It's definitely not a pristine environment which is ok since I'm not going for that look. It is exactly what I wanted...now it just needs to fill in

 

FTS 8-12-12:

 

Left side:

 

Right Side:

 

One of the twins (toadstool) with sexy shrimp:

 

The other twin toadstool in the background:

 

 

 

Sexy shrimp and rock anemones:

 

Hansel & Gretel:

[1.0reef]

Very pretty, what ever happened to the porites on the LR?

[divecj5]

Looks fantastic already, Gena. I agree with the incredibly natural feel....really makes me feel like I'm looking closely at a small patch of a reef.

 

So much diversity of colors and textures. I bet the movement in real life is amazing.

 

-Adam

[ajayjack]

Thanks

 

 

The Enchanted Forest has been completely transferred to this tank. It was a busy morning/afternoon moving things over. I did not transfer the rock though and have an ad on CL for that if any locals are interested in it.

 

http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sfv/for/3195583735.html

 

Looks like I won't be getting my yellow fiji leather after-all. This tank is filled to capacity!!!!!! Almost I could easily squeeze a few mushrooms in, or possibly an acan frag. But otherwise, it's completed. Now I just sit back and watch it grow

 

Don't forget to save room for your BRILLIANT orange hammer coral frag!!!

[HVani]

Gorgeous Tank!

[Spirofucci]

I expected nothing less.....just beautiful!

 

Where are the Gena D's?

[gena]

Very pretty, what ever happened to the porites on the LR?

Thank you!!!!! Some lived, some didn't. The main central porite encrusted rock piece (looked like a dinosaur shape to me) didn't survive. I have some macroalgae I placed in front of it. Some others did ok though.

 

Looks fantastic already, Gena. I agree with the incredibly natural feel....really makes me feel like I'm looking closely at a small patch of a reef.

 

So much diversity of colors and textures. I bet the movement in real life is amazing.

 

-Adam

 

Thanks, Adam!!!! That's exactly what I'm going for...the natural feel. I do have a lot of movement in there. The gorgonians on the left side sway so beautifully in the current!!!!! I can't wait till things really start to fill in, especially the twins (toadstools).

Don't forget to save room for your BRILLIANT orange hammer coral frag!!!

 

Get that sucker growing I will probably place it where the big green mushrooms are. Send me a small frag when the time comes...can't wait

 

Gorgeous Tank!

Thank you

 

I expected nothing less.....just beautiful!

 

Where are the Gena D's?

Awe...thanks, Mark!!!!!! They are in there!!!! Here's a better shot of them. They are growing new heads too

 

 

Well....it's back to business as usual. School started today. No more lazy days of summer We had a fantastic summer break though. One of the best ever!!!! Looking forward to fall. This heat wave has been merciless!!!!!

[got2envy]

Looking good Gena!!

[nevermore1701]

Fantastic, as always!

 

I may have missed it, but what happened to the B/W Oc?