Mark's 40B and 46 bow

[markalot]

Picture dump.

 

Glass is probably as clean as it will ever be and I'm messing around with the trial of Lightroom.

 

The 40 Breeder:

 

Added 4 new coral over the past few days. Green Pocillapora, Orange Violet Monti cap, orange with dark green polyp encrusting Monti, Verde Acropora, from ORA. I also moved all my frogspawn into the 46 and then carefully scooted, moved, re-arranged the rock on the right side to give me enough room to get the glass cleaner on the glass.

 

 

 

 

Love the disco lights reflecting in the back. My black backing has a few waves in it.

 

 

 

Side shot.

 

 

Angle

 

 

 

 

The supposed Jason Fox purple violet cap. I'm not 100% convinced this isn't just a darkened orange cap.

 

 

The orange encrusting Monti. I expect this will lighten up considerably.

 

 

 

This green pocillapora had a really cool looking green skin while in the store and in the bag, but apparently it browned out.

 

 

The Verde Acropora. It was cheap, as all my purchases are, but I was hesitant because it seems the ORA corals to not show good color in my tank. Time will tell.

 

 

This purple green acro is still encrusting. It's been in the tank for months, maybe someday it will branch out.

 

 

My Duncans in this tank are in front, but I tend to ignore them. Was 2 heads a while back. Always happy, loves being blasted by the return flow of the MP10. Bubble algae is always present for me, but I've proven that corals can push it out of the way, LPS and SPS both. My stylophora encrusted over a bubble.

 

One last pic. This is a superman Monti, maybe, or a rainbow, maybe, or something else. It grew rapidly, then when i raised Magnesium the polyps turned green and then it experienced some STN in more shaded areas. I thought algae was growing on it and it was dying but the darn thing is just turning color again, with part of each polyp getting some red back.

 

 

 

 

[markalot]

The 46

 

I'm not happy with my Acans. They are all cheap pieces, no fancy colors, and none of them are doing well. I had to remove an algae infested piece of rock on the left side of the tank. It's drying now and will be re-added in a few days. Now that I look at the picture I'm thinking of moving the acans over to the left side in the shade, and if they still don't like the light well then die already so I can use the space for something else.

 

This will free up the right side for some of my wavy soft polyps, like my Pink Anthelia that almost completely died out in my 40 crash and has since come back like crazy.

 

Anyway, here are the pics of my bubble algae haven.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Angle shot.

 

 

That big turbo in back, along with the thin striped hermit, have eliminated all the hair algae growing on the rocks. It was thick, now nearly gone.

 

 

Toxic Hammer (mean SOB) with an orange turbo on the right.

 

 

Shrooms and algae. That bubble algae performs well as Xenia control.

 

 

 

I was worried the Thin Stripe would try and kill a snail for a new shell, so I bought one of those hermit shell packs on ebay, medium to large size. He moved a day after I dropped them in (I hit him with a shell, just to make sure he noticed). Here he is sporting a fetching new shell direct from India (apparently).

 

 

 

 

[markalot]

I almost forgot to add this final pic.

 

I removed some rocks in the 40 that were doing more to block flow than anything else. This allows light to make it back to the bottom rear of the tank, so I'm sure some aptasia will find a good home back there.

 

There's also this:

 

 

No matter how hard you try to remove it, once you add Kenya tree to your tank you'll have it forever. This sucker has been living in the dark for over a month.

[bencollinz]

hey, when your turbo finishes up all your HA send it my way please!

[markalot]

So my Rainford Goby has mastered the timing of my pumps. I had to see him repeat the action 3 times before I believed it.

 

I have a cheap JBL wavemaker that alternates power to my main pumps. I've had it set for 20 seconds for the last few months in my 46 gallon. Though the pumps aren't attractive many of the corals really seem to appreciate the back and forth flow. Anyway the Rainford will wait below the pump until it turns off, then get in front and pick at the algae on the front. I see this and being the sadistic person I am I'm waiting for him to get blown across the tank ... but just before it goes on he takes one last pick and quickly darts below the pump ... and then it turns on.

 

I'm storing my camera near the tanks now so if I catch him again I can get a video.

 

In other news, the Flame Hawkfish is showing some stress in my 40. In the evenings he swims up and down the left side of the tank, which is almost certainly some kind of stress behavior since he's never done it before. I think he and the Blenny don't get along, though they don't physically fight. I'm considering getting rid of the Hawkfish, but only if I can easily catch him.

[VABumpkin]

emerald crabs do wonders for bubble algae. Unfortunately (or fortunately) they usually die after they eat it all so...

[markalot]

emerald crabs do wonders for bubble algae. Unfortunately (or fortunately) they usually die after they eat it all so...

 

I have two, of two different sizes, both happy and healthy and neither touches it. Perhaps now that the turbos and thin striped hermit have cleared the hair algae they will be forced to eat it. /shrug

[eitallent]

My emeralds eat the BA when it is small. I have not seen BA in my nano tank for at least six months. Maybe if the bubbles get too large they cannot grab it.

[bencollinz]

So my Rainford Goby has mastered the timing of my pumps. I had to see him repeat the action 3 times before I believed it.

 

I'm storing my camera near the tanks now so if I catch him again I can get a video.

PLEASE!

[markalot]

Rainsford hanging out at the bottom of the tank tonight, of course.

 

I took some coral closeups trying to figure out what was wrong with my German Blue Polyp monti, so here's a dump of everything I took. These are all in my 40 and I think I am finally getting better color since I've been feeding better, including food Kat sent me a sample of. heavier feedings have brought back my flatworm and caulerpa problems, but it's worth it.

 

I tried to adjust these pics so they appear identical to what I see. Some turned out better than others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This next one has probably colored up the most.

 

 

 

 

The camera is not capturing the green of this birdsnest polyps.

 

 

 

I want to know what the green dots are at the base of this birdsnest.

 

 

Idaho grape monti. The polyps are such a bright blue it's hard to capture in a photo.

 

 

 

This last one was from a local reefer. Sold as a green monti cap, but it's light green with blue polyps, a lighter edge, and I swear grows 1/4 inch a week.

 

 

 

 

[RollaJase]

Some really nice pieces there . I'm dying to start buying a few more SPS pieces now that I have my Sol Blue dialed in.

[bencollinz]

 

 

this was an option for my 'red fish'. looks great.

[markalot]

this was an option for my 'red fish'. looks great.

 

Careful with the Hawkfish. It will prevent you from having most other inverts, like shrimp. I had an emerald in here for a while but I think the Hawkfish got him when he molted.

 

Some really nice pieces there . I'm dying to start buying a few more SPS pieces now that I have my Sol Blue dialed in.

 

Thanks, good luck with your SPS!

[Spirofucci]

The tubs are looking mighty there Mark!!! How's the blue digi doing?

[BeardedReeferLLC]

Awesome 40 Breeder. Looks great.

[markalot]

The tubs are looking mighty there Mark!!! How's the blue digi doing?

 

Thanks! It's maybe a little better? Maybe.

 

Awesome 40 Breeder. Looks great.

 

Thanks.

 

I am reading through this thread over on RC, trying to review my knowledge of nutrient import and export and what's important for coral color.

 

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2253547

 

I believe I still have too few nutrients in the water, but good growth is telling me my phosphate export is acceptable, at least for now.

[markalot]

A quick update for the 46. I am continuing my euphyllia movement, with the latest purchase being my first torch coral.

 

 

Isn't that algae sexy. :|

 

A shot from the middle of the tank with the pumps off. My Alveopora is very happy.

 

[Felicia]

Wow, how did I miss all these great photos?! Both tanks are looking really good lately! Also, I love your description of you Rainford's antics with the powerheads. I'd love to see a video if he cooperates. Fish are smarter than people give them credit for!

[markalot]

Wow, how did I miss all these great photos?! Both tanks are looking really good lately! Also, I love your description of you Rainford's antics with the powerheads. I'd love to see a video if he cooperates. Fish are smarter than people give them credit for!

 

Thanks! So far no more antics from the Rainford.

 

A couple of more pics from the 40, just to complete the set. My ORA German Blue Polyp monti was having issues ... and then it wasn't. Very disconcerting.

 

 

 

 

 

ORA orange digitata that I bleached the snot out of, and finally after 6 months it's coming back.

 

 

 

My Pink Birdsnest. This was my first and all that survived was a little bump that had fallen in the sand. So very slowly increasing in size.

 

 

This acro was a little brown tip I saved when removing AEFW infected coral. Showing some color!

 

 

My yellow dimpled encrusting monti. First photo is the partially shaded side, second is up top, in high flow and light, and obviously bleaching a bit.

 

 

 

 

 

[markalot]

One more photo blast. I was using this comparison for growth and how bad my bleaching / fading issue is.

 

Note how faded the green monti cap has become. May 19th - July 8th, so 1.5 months or so of growth.

 

May 19th, 2013

July 8th, 2013

[metrokat]

Did you finish the kat dust food?

[markalot]

Did you finish the kat dust food?

 

Not yet. Probably haven't used it as often as I should. I mix it with reef roids and coral smoothie once a week.

[bencollinz]

May 19th, 2013

maybe I already asked but what is the green on the left there? I love it.

[markalot]

maybe I already asked but what is the green on the left there? I love it.

 

That was a large metallic pip organ. Sometimes sold as green or mint, sometimes sold as neon. It had a rather dull brown polyp with a green stripe until I raised my magnesium and then it turned very bright green.

 

Here's one for sale at PEA: http://www.pacificeastaquaculture.com/Metallic-Pipe-Organ-*-WYSIWYG-F-JN0125-Prodview.html

 

They also have similar looking ones sold as Green and Mint.

 

Unfortunately it became infested with Aptasia, more than 25 of them, and I had to remove it. I fragged a small piece off and it's sitting in my 46, and two or 3 polyps remain in the 40 in a broken piece I didn't notice. That was about a year worth of growth so hopefully i will have another big ball of it in a year.

[markalot]

I found my Rusty Goby again last night using a flashlight. Now near the center front of the tank, in another crevice too small for the Hawkfish to enter. Still fat and colorful. In the pic above he is under and slightly to the right of the orange cap.