Bonnie Shallow Reef - 75 gallon mixed reef

[polarblair2000]

I honestly don't know what type they are. They kinda look like sexies, but at this point they're so small that a can't tell. Either way, though, I like them.

 

Are you sure there not just Amphipods? They are very small crustations and very common hitch hikers. They scury round the rocks and you'll see them a lot after lights out.

[Blubbernaut]

Are you sure there not just Amphipods? They are very small crustations and very common hitch hikers. They scury round the rocks and you'll see them a lot after lights out.

No no no, they are definitely shrimp. I meant small as in .25-.6 inches long, not half a mm, lol. They have the tails and whiskers, too.

[polarblair2000]

No no no, they are definitely shrimp. I meant small as in .25-.6 inches long, not half a mm, lol. They have the tails and whiskers, too.

 

Amphipods are usually about 5-6mm, I think copepods are the really small ones. What ever they are sounds pretty cool, but I wouldn't think having a cleaner shrimp would harm the little guys if you wanted to get one. Need to get yourself a camera so we can see some pictures of the little guys, and see your set up!

[GrandLotus]

I am loving this tank!!!

 

I can not wait for this school of Chromis to take off.

 

I am hooked and am tagging along!

 

[polarblair2000]

Meet Lucy, The pom pom crab

 

I was worried when I transferred my livestock over that I would never see her again and loose her in the rock work, but gladly she makes an appearance fairly often and I usually see her every other day, normally during feeding time or after lights out.

 

I am loving this tank!!!

 

I can not wait for this school of Chromis to take off.

 

I am hooked and am tagging along!

 

 

Great to have you tag along. Hope you enjoy the tank progress, yes the Chromis are all doing great.

 

Will be posting pictures of the group in the Display tank soon.

[BattleAthletics]

Meet Lucy, The pom pom crab

 

I was worried when I transferred my livestock over that I would never see her again and loose her in the rock work, but gladly she makes an appearance fairly often and I usually see her every other day, normally during feeding time or after lights out.

 

 

 

Great to have you tag along. Hope you enjoy the tank progress, yes the Chromis are all doing great.

 

Will be posting pictures of the group in the Display tank soon.

 

Is it holding something?

[polarblair2000]

 

Is it holding something?

Haha, yes. It's what makes these crabs so interesting. They have a symbiotic relationship with a certain small sea anemone. I forget the exact species. But the Pom pom crabs pincers are so small they are pretty useless, so the arm them selves with two potent anemones to ward of attackers, and they also double up has handy food mops to collect food from the water column that they share with the anemone.

[metrokat]

So I noticed that your pictures are superb in their clarity in close ups but FTS show cloudy water, is it the glass on the tank or were those taken when you had just done a WC or something?

[BattleAthletics]

I beleive its because its clear all over and his wall is a beig color?

 

 

Haha, yes. It's what makes these crabs so interesting. They have a symbiotic relationship with a certain small sea anemone. I forget the exact species. But the Pom pom crabs pincers are so small they are pretty useless, so the arm them selves with two potent anemones to ward of attackers, and they also double up has handy food mops to collect food from the water column that they share with the anemone.

 

 

So cool I wonder how one would look in my tank. Even though its not even a percent as good as your looks. In a couple of years ill start a custom build after I get this one fully operational.

[polarblair2000]

I beleive its because its clear all over and his wall is a beig color?

 

So cool I wonder how one would look in my tank. Even though its not even a percent as good as your looks. In a couple of years ill start a custom build after I get this one fully operational.

 

Beige! My walls are mint green

 

I wouldn't know how one would look in your tank as you aint got no photos of it up here... fix it! Only thing to look out for is that they can sting corals, I think thats what happened to my Favia which never made the transfer. She used to hang around that area and would often walk over the Favia - But they are really awesome crabs. Just make sure you feed them once in a while and they should be fine.

 

So I noticed that your pictures are superb in their clarity in close ups but FTS show cloudy water, is it the glass on the tank or were those taken when you had just done a WC or something?

 

You and your eagle eyes Kat! Well I've already ruled out my "beige" walls...

 

Its neither of those, I did clean my glass before taking the photos. I have an ongoing sand bed distribution problem where my sand over the course of a few days gets blown away from the left corner. I had just smoothed out the sand bed and it clouded up the water a bit. I could't be bothered waiting for it to settle and just took the pictures anyway.

 

Usually my water is crystal clear.

[BattleAthletics]

Beige! My walls are mint green

 

I wouldn't know how one would look in your tank as you aint got no photos of it up here... fix it! Only thing to look out for is that they can sting corals, I think thats what happened to my Favia which never made the transfer. She used to hang around that area and would often walk over the Favia - But they are really awesome crabs. Just make sure you feed them once in a while and they should be fine.

oops!

 

Ive realized the amount of money ive put into this tank I could of waited maybe a couple of more months and build a shallow like yours.

 

My rockwork is horrible in my 55g to be honest. But I did get some pukani that ive gone edward scissors hand on to put in my nano 8. Let me see if I can upload it.

 

 

 

VVVV There.

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/321693-aqueon-evolve-8g/?p=4271045

[polarblair2000]

oops!

 

Ive realized the amount of money ive put into this tank I could of waited maybe a couple of more months and build a shallow like yours.

 

My rockwork is horrible in my 55g to be honest. But I did get some pukani that ive gone edward scissors hand on to put in my nano 8. Let me see if I can upload it.

 

 

 

VVVV There.

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/321693-aqueon-evolve-8g/?p=4271045

 

Had a look at your thread and left a comment Still confused about what tanks you have? 55 gallon and an 8 gallon? Either way what ever that rock work is at the end of your thread looks really awesome. If your setting up an 8 gallon with that rock work, a few nano gobies and a pom pom crab would look awesome. Which tank has the tiny shrimps?

 

Quicky Update

 

Tank is going well. I checked calcium which is at 380, little low for me so Im ready for when I need to start dosing.

 

 

Im going with the balling light method for now. Zeovit does intrigue me with its myriads of potions and witch craft but its beyond my skills for now. Actually i don't even know if you need to dose calcium aswell as zeovit... anyway no zeovit just Ca, Mg, Alk and the three bottles of trace elements.

 

Im going to monitor things for a while, calcium seems to be staying at 380 as of now but if it starts to go lower Ill want to get it up. Up to where, I dont know yet. Some advice on this balling thing would be appreciated.

 

Also got Julians thing, the feeding gizmo and some reef roids in the post. The julians thing is freaking awesome, much easier than the stupid turkey baster I have been using. Now my clownfish cant bite me when I have to reach the turkey baster to the bottom of the tank

 

Last little tweak to the tank. I did take a photo but its not going on my flickr account

 

Anyway I have replaced the nozzle on the x-aqua to a duckbill. Reason being, my sand has been blown out of the corner the return was facing. I decided to replace it with a duckbill in the attempt to disperse the flow of the return hoping it wouldn't blow the sand around in that corner.

 

So far the blowing around of the sand has been reduced but not eliminated.

[uglyfish]

Tank looks great. Are you getting dosing pumps?

[polarblair2000]

Tank looks great. Are you getting dosing pumps?

Thanks all ready covered. I got my dosing pumps at the start of the build. I built a little box to hold it in, you can see it on page 2.

[Marco Madeira]

Hi,

nice tank and nice work with the landscape, sump and stand. I want to do something similar in 6 months, but 90*90*60.

Reviewing your posts its just giving me some cools ideas for my next tank!

And that bottle of Balvenie inside the tank, that was the perfect combination!!

 

Following your tank!

[polarblair2000]

Hi,

nice tank and nice work with the landscape, sump and stand. I want to do something similar in 6 months, but 90*90*60.

Reviewing your posts its just giving me some cools ideas for my next tank!

And that bottle of Balvenie inside the tank, that was the perfect combination!!

 

Following your tank!

 

Thanks for the nice words. So far I'm really happy with the whole build, still a lot of little projects I want to do to get the stand finished.

 

I had wanted to go 50 deep originally but due to the length and depth of the tank I would of needed 16mm glass and to double pane the bottom of the tank, which I would expect you would defiantly need to do. I couldn't believe the price difference between 12mm and 16mm glass. It was going to cost double for the extra 10cm of height. I was a bit gutted but I think I am happier with it being shallower.

 

Though you may be able to get it cheaper (or can afford it) - if so defiantly do it, but make sure if your going rimless you can get a view from above easily as that is by far the best way to see these tanks.

 

Haha, good old Balvenie, one of my favourite single malts.

 

NIce to have you tag along. Feel free to ask any questions when your setting your tank up in the future.

[polarblair2000]

Hitchhiker Help

Was hoping to get some help on an I.D for this little creature. He's pretty well camouflaged so the best way to see him is when he is moving so I have got a video of the little guy. (Sorry its a bit dark but he only ever comes out after the lights are out. OR thats the only time I have ever seen him.)

 

Not sure if its a Nudi, some other kind of slug or a Sea Hare. I only see him on the rocks munching away. His face and mouth look pretty similar to that of a snail. It kind of looks like a snail without a shell really.

 

Any ideas what it is or if its good or bad would be great

[Blubbernaut]

Be happy you have that guy. Usually they are in groups in live rock, and provide a pretty good CUC, except they don't eat hair algae (the one type of algae I DO have right now )

[polarblair2000]

Be happy you have that guy. Usually they are in groups in live rock, and provide a pretty good CUC, except they don't eat hair algae (the one type of algae I DO have right now )

 

Yeah, it appears to me a Stomatella snail. I'll leave him to munch away but apparently my peppermint shrimp will gobble him up one day.

 

Yeah hate algae, I've got some diatoms kicking about along with some small patches of cyno. Hoping once my skimmer arrives ill be able to sort it all out.

[capitolcityreefer]

Definitely a stomatella. Nice pick up!

[JR!]

Hitchhiker Help

 

Was hoping to get some help on an I.D for this little creature. He's pretty well camouflaged so the best way to see him is when he is moving so I have got a video of the little guy. (Sorry its a bit dark but he only ever comes out after the lights are out. OR thats the only time I have ever seen him.)

 

 

Not sure if its a Nudi, some other kind of slug or a Sea Hare. I only see him on the rocks munching away. His face and mouth look pretty similar to that of a snail. It kind of looks like a snail without a shell really.

 

Any ideas what it is or if its good or bad would be great

i had about 10 in my tank at any time. they are the best imo

[polarblair2000]

New Corals and some photos.

 

Going from an 8gallon nano tank too a 75 gallon tank has been great. I love my new tank but I have one annoying problem. There is just not enough corals!

 

So I decided to take the first steps in covering up the live rock I have spent so long aqua-scaping.

 

Here are some of the additions. (I did get another zoa but i forgot to take a picture of it)

 

Dragon Eye Zoas I thought they were fruit loops, then realised fruit loops have orange skirts. But I love these.

 

 

Arctic Ice Torch I took a photo without the pumps on but it looks a little floppy... this thing sways like nobodys business with the pumps on.

 

 

... Ok those are the new additions. I did get another green zoa like I said. Also another one didn't make it, it arrived with a fungus. Getting a replacement on my next order.

 

What is that? you want more pictures? No problem

 

The original Acan This guy has changed colour so many times I forogot what it was supposed to be! It was looking very translucent and yellow in the nano leading up to the transfer. NOw its in the 75, I have been target feeding him often and he is looking so puffy and healthy

 

 

Flame Eyed Rainbow Acan - I love this one so much!

 

 

The Chromis Crew Moved this bunch over from QT. Tank looks great with more fish in it.

 

 

I have placed another coral order. (Yes addicted I know) They had a sale on so I had no choice.

 

I have ordered, another Acan (Scarlet Red - I saw these in person and I don't think I've seen something so red in my life), A Blue Oulophyllia frag, A Blasto Wessli frag and a Photosynthetic Purple Gorgonian.

[FishBrawler]

This is turning out great!

[Lalani]

Beautiful photos.

[capitolcityreefer]

Good stuff! We need a FTS soon.