Cju84's 5.1g Pico Reef (updated 12/16/2018)

[cju84]

i'll add a whole tank with light shot tomorrow.  

[cju84]

56 minutes ago, cju84 said:

Finally upgraded from my Ecoxotic LED strips to Coral Compulsion's 24w full spectrum 20k LED.  Currently have about 10" above the water with the hopes it won't scorch my candy canes.  Not sure how much I'm liking the look at this point but may take some time getting used to. 

 

I can't seem to take a good picture with my DSLR nor phone camera... pic doesn't really do it justice.

 

edit: picture taken a few minutes ago with only 10 minutes left of light for the day (corals starting to retract)

 

Thoughts?

 

coral compulsion 24w par38 20k full spectrum lights (new)

 

Ecoxotic LED strips (15w total) (old lighting) (potato camera)

 

[NanoNu-bee12]

this tank is epic, bravo

[cju84]

Full tank shot with new Par38 bulb.

 

Unedited, but colors still seem a bit off from what they appear to be in person

[cju84]

Close up shot.

 

[cju84]

New Houdini palys from a fellow Chicago reefer yesterday.  

[Lugmos12]

On 8/18/2017 at 2:10 PM, cju84 said:

Close up shot.

 

wow! 

[Christopher Marks]

This is so awesome to see still going strong 3 years later @cju84! Those candy cane corals look happy, they’ve really grown!

[gena]

WOW!  That looks fantastic!  Simple perfection .

[cju84]

17 hours ago, Christopher Marks said:

This is so awesome to see still going strong 3 years later @cju84! Those candy cane corals look happy, they’ve really grown!

Thanks so much for the kind words!  I just got an IM 20 that needs to be stocked.  Wondering if I should leave my candy canes alone in my 5g or move one of the 2 pieces to the IM 20... thoughts??

12 hours ago, gena said:

WOW!  That looks fantastic!  Simple perfection .

Thanks so much Gena!!  If I can get one of my two tanks to look even HALF as good as yours, I'd be over the moon!

[Christopher Marks]

Hmm, I could see moving one of them, it would give more room in the pico for everything else. Have you ever fragged them?

[cju84]

15 minutes ago, Christopher Marks said:

Hmm, I could see moving one of them, it would give more room in the pico for everything else. Have you ever fragged them?

I have not.  It started as 8 heads and one day the entire coral came off the top and split into two pieces, which is what you currently see.  I'm debating leaving as is or just moving an entire piece.. Hmm...

[Christopher Marks]

There is something cool about just letting it continue onwards, especially after all this time! Maybe if it splits again on its own you can move the new frag, leave it to fate  

[cju84]

1 minute ago, Christopher Marks said:

There is something cool about just letting it continue onwards, especially after all this time! Maybe if it splits again on its own you can move the new frag, leave it to fate  

I think that is probably the right choice.  I kinda like it as is and they were my first corals in this tank.  Glad we thought this through lol

 

[gena]

1 hour ago, cju84 said:

 

Thanks so much Gena!!  If I can get one of my two tanks to look even HALF as good as yours, I'd be over the moon!

Well thank you ...but.....your tank is perfection!!!!!   I really love it's simplicity and the focus on the candy cane corals.  They are at the top of my favorite corals list  . 

 

I agree with letting them keep doing their thing and taking a frag when it splits again.  I accidentally broke one I split the other day.  So now I have 1/4  of the half of the original that I stuck on the rock .  I can't get rid of them...just love them too much LOL.

[teenyreef]

Wow, things are looking fantastic! It's hard to believe this tank has been going for so long now, congratulations! The new PAR38 bulb really seems like it's working well.

[cju84]

4 hours ago, teenyreef said:

Wow, things are looking fantastic! It's hard to believe this tank has been going for so long now, congratulations! The new PAR38 bulb really seems like it's working well.

Thanks again so much!  Really enjoying looking at the reef with full spectrum lighting.  Palys really pop with them.

[Friendly]

so you're liking the CC 24w bulb now? 

 

did you get the dimmable one? 

[Cannedfish]

Tank looks killer, man! Keep up the good work!

[SavaS]

Love the look of those candy canes, now I want one for my Pico, maybe when I move to the new tank in a week or three.... Your tank looks awesome. 

[hinnenkm]

Just now seeing this tank for the first time - it's beautiful! I love the candy canes and agree that you should leave them - seems like they are what make the tank. It's been fun to follow the progress of your IM 20 as well!

[cju84]

Not the best photo (I might be the worst reef photographer ever), but this little pico tank just got a new inhabitant   Yellow clown goby.  Still nameless and he/she thinks they're a snail.

[Lula_Mae]

11 hours ago, cju84 said:

Not the best photo (I might be the worst reef photographer ever), but this little pico tank just got a new inhabitant   Yellow clown goby.  Still nameless and he/she thinks they're a snail.

Parmesan.  Or Noodle.

[cju84]

14 hours ago, Lula_Mae said:

Parmesan.  Or Noodle.

I really do like Noodle

[cju84]

This tank is definitely not as pretty as it once was (moved several corals to larger tank), but it's still going strong on its 5th year!  New clown added too!