28 gal. Intermediate LED nanocube

[saltt]

Looks terrific! I have an alveopora now as a result of seeing yours. Was perfect for one of my shady edges ... 30inch tank but light bulbs are only 24 inches. Thanks for the update!

 

Wow thank you! That's awesome, do you have any pictures of it??

I've heard they're not easy or they tend to wither away after about a year but i've almost had mine for a year and I notice it's growing new tentacles almost every day and the skeleton is growing down over the rock I hope yours flourishes!

[owenj]

Beautiful update! I really want an alveopora after seeing Pak's & yours. Maybe when my new tank gets established...

[skimlessinseattle]

Hahah, were you a chemistry major? Why did you take P-chem? By the way your avatar makes me laugh every time I see it. Sexy squidward

Yep, actually I double majored in Biology as well. All chem majors have to take p-chem 1 and 2. P-chem 2 made even less sense than the first semester, but somehow I managed to do better in that class Gotta love sexy squidward.

[gena]

Looks really nice. I like your paly/zoa collection!!!!! Which coral is the alveopora?

[saltt]

Beautiful update! I really want an alveopora after seeing Pak's & yours. Maybe when my new tank gets established...

 

Thanks! You should definitely get one mine was $35 from Vivid, I bought it last January. They definitely don't seem as hard as its been said and my clowns hosted in it for months before they discovered the torch and it never minded

 

Yep, actually I double majored in Biology as well. All chem majors have to take p-chem 1 and 2. P-chem 2 made even less sense than the first semester, but somehow I managed to do better in that class Gotta love sexy squidward.

 

I love biology and inorganic chemistry..o-chem is not my favorite so far!

 

 

Looks really nice. I like your paly/zoa collection!!!!! Which coral is the alveopora?

 

Thank you! it's the bigger flowerpot looking coral, on the left side view you can see it under the Duncans

[jedimasterben]

...since i've started using SeaChem's Fusion 1 and 2 my coralline algae has exploded, the corals seem to really like it too. I've noticed my calcium and kH more stable than they were before, esp. the calcium...

Well, they are cal and alk supplements, so that's what they do

 

Just be sure not to follow the directions on the bottle (1mL per 6.5g per day) and to instead calculate what your tank needs, otherwise you'll just end up with something way too high. Also, it'll be much cheaper in the long run to do a normal two-part system using dry materials (orders of magnitude cheaper).

 

 

 

All looks great! Keep it up!

[saltt]

Well, they are cal and alk supplements, so that's what they do

 

Just be sure not to follow the directions on the bottle (1mL per 6.5g per day) and to instead calculate what your tank needs, otherwise you'll just end up with something way too high. Also, it'll be much cheaper in the long run to do a normal two-part system using dry materials (orders of magnitude cheaper).

 

 

 

All looks great! Keep it up!

 

That's true haha, they do work wonderfully though. I won the 500mL bottles free from marine depot at Reefapalooza, so I thought I might as wel try them out if things keep going well with the 2 part system ill definitely look into buying the dry supplements next time! And thank you

[eitallent]

Thanks guys! And the green scoly was a steal I got it for $60, and used store credit on it. Pretty sweet

 

Here's a video I took of my tank today! check it out

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnw3TK4hJbU

 

Loved it! Thanks for sharing. Everything looks so happy and healthy. Your fish are so lively and cute.

[saltt]

Loved it! Thanks for sharing. Everything looks so happy and healthy. Your fish are so lively and cute.

 

Thanks! I hope things stay this way, these reef tanks are scary in the way that things can look great one day and do a 180 the next day! Sometimes this hobby is a little stressful

[eitallent]

Thanks! I hope things stay this way, these reef tanks are scary in the way that things can look great one day and do a 180 the next day! Sometimes this hobby is a little stressful

 

Yes. Stressful, thrilling, rewarding and that is why I am hooked! I wonder what a psychologist would deduce from this? LOL

[XxViEtXjUStiNxX]

Aquarium City in Canoga Park

 

Nice. Have you ever been to Vivid?

 

I like Mike @ Aquarium City. His store was the one I went to when I first started. I went there recently and found that their corals just aren't as nice as they used to be. They used to sell nice SPS but he doesn't even do that anymore. He has broken me pieces from his display tank (which is SO nice) but they never do well and always end up dying. I spent $50 for 3 frags and none of them survived. Maybe it's because they were fresh cut; I don't know. Anyway, let me know when you wanna trade some stuff!

[aaron1987]

Update time!

Nothing too drastic or exciting has happened since I last updated, everything has grown a bit more though, and ever since i've started using SeaChem's Fusion 1 and 2 my coralline algae has exploded, the corals seem to really like it too. I've noticed my calcium and kH more stable than they were before, esp. the calcium.

 

Everything looks great and I'm glad to see your dendro is on the mend! I vote get that shrimp outta there - way back when I kept them I was perpetually dealing with them stealing food and ripping corals open to get at more. The only good shrimp is a Harlequin shrimp . Sorry to hear about the explosion of coralline; it becomes such a pain once it takes off. hope you've got some razor blades handy to keep the glass clean.

 

Edit: Oh, and frag me some of that torch! My green torch needs a buddy

[gena]

I went to Vivid last week and no exciting gonioporas to be found. I'll have to check out Aquarium City next time I'm over there

[saltt]

Nice. Have you ever been to Vivid?

 

I like Mike @ Aquarium City. His store was the one I went to when I first started. I went there recently and found that their corals just aren't as nice as they used to be. They used to sell nice SPS but he doesn't even do that anymore. He has broken me pieces from his display tank (which is SO nice) but they never do well and always end up dying. I spent $50 for 3 frags and none of them survived. Maybe it's because they were fresh cut; I don't know. Anyway, let me know when you wanna trade some stuff!

 

Of course I've been to Vivid, I used to work there! I did the photographs for their website. I worked at Aquarium City too. Vivid has a great selection of corals but beware: a lot of their zoanthid colonies have nudis and such on them. Me and another employee would go around plucking them off if there was nothing else to do.

Mike at Aquarium City is the biggest a**hole EVER! I can't believe you actually like him. He's an old, grumpy man who hates to give his money to anyone. He always told customers he should start charging for his advice because he hates to give it out for free. But I'm good friends with all the other employees at Aquarium City like Josh, Jim, Claire and others. They're all great people

 

Everything looks great and I'm glad to see your dendro is on the mend! I vote get that shrimp outta there - way back when I kept them I was perpetually dealing with them stealing food and ripping corals open to get at more. The only good shrimp is a Harlequin shrimp . Sorry to hear about the explosion of coralline; it becomes such a pain once it takes off. hope you've got some razor blades handy to keep the glass clean.

 

Edit: Oh, and frag me some of that torch! My green torch needs a buddy

 

Thanks!! I'm glad too, some coralline grew on the exposed skeleton on the upper side facing the light so the flesh hasn't grown back there but it's growing down on the bottom side so that's good. I really really hate my cleaner shrimp and I want to get him out, I just don't know how! My mushroom has been shriveled and never expands ever since he gutted it one night after I added Oyster Feast. My mystery wrasse has also learned to steal pieces of PE Mysis from the dendro now. Ugh! If I ever do frag my torch, I'll definitely let you know

 

 

I went to Vivid last week and no exciting gonioporas to be found. I'll have to check out Aquarium City next time I'm over there

 

Oh no! Aquarium City may have some, their LPS/Softie variety isn't that amazing, their zoas come in huge colonies and are never that exciting, mostly drab colors and nothing too uncommon. They do have a nice collection of SPS in their main display tank, but beware also! Their corals can be covered in bryopsis or aptasia, so be careful. Aquarium City does have a great variety of fish though, they have had some cool and rare fish like goldflake angels, flame wrasses, ribbon eels, and fish that you just don't see every day. I bought my yellow candy hogfish there for $23 Not a bad price!

[kaliforniakeith]

Sam,

Keith the mailman here. Nice meeting you the other day. Lovely tank you got going there!

[gena]

Oh no! Aquarium City may have some, their LPS/Softie variety isn't that amazing, their zoas come in huge colonies and are never that exciting, mostly drab colors and nothing too uncommon. They do have a nice collection of SPS in their main display tank, but beware also! Their corals can be covered in bryopsis or aptasia, so be careful. Aquarium City does have a great variety of fish though, they have had some cool and rare fish like goldflake angels, flame wrasses, ribbon eels, and fish that you just don't see every day. I bought my yellow candy hogfish there for $23 Not a bad price!

Yikes! Thanks for the heads up!!!! I think Vivid has bryopsis in their system. Or, at least they did. I bought a nice frogspawn from them about a year and a half ago and it sprouted bryopsis from the frag plug after a month or two. It definitely came in on that frag. Unfortunately I didn't really know that's what it was and it ended up being the demise of my tank.

 

Sam,

Keith the mailman here. Nice meeting you the other day. Lovely tank you got going there!

Your mailman???? Welcome to N-R, Keith

[saltt]

Yikes! Thanks for the heads up!!!! I think Vivid has bryopsis in their system. Or, at least they did. I bought a nice frogspawn from them about a year and a half ago and it sprouted bryopsis from the frag plug after a month or two. It definitely came in on that frag. Unfortunately I didn't really know that's what it was and it ended up being the demise of my tank.

 

 

Your mailman???? Welcome to N-R, Keith

 

They definitely do have bryopsis as well! And bubble algae. It's kinda scary...I hope they get it cleaned out eventually.

 

And yep, my boyfriends mailman! He was super nice and we were talking to him one day and we told him to check out our threads! Hehe

 

 

Sam,

Keith the mailman here. Nice meeting you the other day. Lovely tank you got going there!

 

Hi Keith! It was nice meeting you too, and thank you!

I hope when you get your tank up and running you make a thread as well

[Velvet Red]

That mystery wrasse is gorgeous

[saltt]

That mystery wrasse is gorgeous

 

Thanks! I love him <3 or her..

 

It's been a while since I last updated, a bit has happened since then.

 

My boyfriend has surprised me two times with new fish! He is so sweet. Both times I came home from school to find a bag with the fish I wanted at the time inside the first time he got me a pair of yellow clown gobies who I LOVED. I woke up the next morning to notice the larger, more rambunctious one hopping around the tank nipping at both my chalices and some zoanthids, as well of course my acro which I already expected. I was very easily able to catch him since he would let me literally pet him and took him back to the LFS that day I still have the smaller one who hangs out at the bottom in a little cave and on top of my blue mushrooms. Ill post some pics soon!

The second fish he surprised me with was a geometric hawkfish, which I had been wanting for a while. It was his present for me for finishing my last chemistry final. He's a cute little guy and pretty shy right now. He hangs out at the bottom in a cave or hidden, I've only had him for 2 full days so I'm gonna give him some time to get used to everything. Ill upload some pics today or tomorrow, thanks for looking!

[saltt]

Picture dump!!

 

FTS 12/18/12

 

 

 

The YCG my boyfriend surprised me with

 

 

 

And the geometric hawkfish my boyfriend also surprised me with!

 

 

Clown enjoying his "anemone"

 

 

 

Side view:

 

 

Other side view:

 

 

My dendro has recovered nicely-

 

 

Bottom side:

 

 

 

Zoas and palys on the left side, this side doesn't grow them as well as the right side, probably because there is less light.

 

 

Here's the right side-

 

 

My mummy eye and torch have destroyed my monti! luckily i have plenty of frags of it in other places in my tank and also in my boyfriend's tank.

 

 

Gold pot favia is looking pretty good

 

 

 

 

The flowerpot is still thriving *knock on wood* after having it almost a year now. The prism favia I got at Reefapalooza is doing well too!

 

 

 

The baby's breath favia and other favia next to it are doing well too, along with the riddler's mycedium

 

 

I've been having a problem with diatoms on my sand, i initially thought they were dinos but i'm not too sure anymore, what do you think??

I am also getting small patches of cyano in some places, not too worried though. I used a low range Hana phosphate checker and my PO4 was at .07, so it could use some improvement but it's not terrible.

 

Thanks for looking guys!! Any questions/comments appreciated

[BusterDB]

I think apple messed up and put a DSLR in your iPhone

 

That pic of your dendro is freakin awesome.

[gena]

Looks fantastic!!!! I seriously don't think there is a sweeter gift than a YCG. Too adorable

[hartlaubsreef]

Samntha,

I think your setup looks amazing. I have recently started planning a jbj 28 gallon build since I can get one extremely cheap due to the fact that the light fixture no longer works. My current plan is to retrofit the hood with Rapid LED's retro kit. Your thread has given me a lot of insight and ideas!

[zhuangcg]

I've been having a problem with diatoms on my sand, i initially thought they were dinos but i'm not too sure anymore, what do you think??

I am also getting small patches of cyano in some places, not too worried though. I used a low range Hana phosphate checker and my PO4 was at .07, so it could use some improvement but it's not terrible.

 

Thanks for looking guys!! Any questions/comments appreciated

 

Hello, your tank is still looking great. Sorry to hear about the bloom, it's probably not a big deal; since you just added two new fish your bacteria just need a chance to catch up. I would keep doing the regular maintenance and maybe throw in an extra small water change midweek just to stay on top of things. I would expect a minor bloom to die back on its own in a week or so.

 

Keep up the good work!

[LongPig]

Great pics and a nice looking tank.