Teenyreef's IM40 Not-So-Teeny Tank - August FTS

[StinkyBunny]

13 hours ago, Ratvan said:

Wait until it catches you in the face

Or the hand when they think they can squeeze by your hand and that piece of rock and spike you. Rabbitfish venom sucks mightily.

[teenyreef]

41 minutes ago, StinkyBunny said:

Or the hand when they think they can squeeze by your hand and that piece of rock and spike you. Rabbitfish venom sucks mightily.

Yep, that's why I was going for a glove when I thought I might be reaching down behind the tank. I was still a little nervous just flipping him back in by lifting up the filter floss.

[StinkyBunny]

2 minutes ago, teenyreef said:

Yep, that's why I was going for a glove when I thought I might be reaching down behind the tank. I was still a little nervous just flipping him back in by lifting up the filter floss.

I've gotten stung/stuck by a lot of different fish and inverts, it's part of the territory when you import. Their sting is worse than a lionfish's sting.

[Sharbuckle]

Whoa. So happy the rabbit landed in the caddy and not behind! 

[teenyreef]

2 hours ago, Sharbuckle said:

Whoa. So happy the rabbit landed in the caddy and not behind! 

Me too! One thing I will never do again is set up a tank that is so close to a wall or anything else so close as to keep me from being able to reach all the way down on all sides. Lesson learned 🙂

 

[teenyreef]

I had a nice time today meeting @DreC80, who lives in my general area. Thanks for driving over my way!

 

We traded some frags and like any good frag trade, we both came out ahead. I got rid of some overgrown pieces that I didn't have room for anyway in the frag tank, and in return got some nice frags of corals I've been wanting for a while. In particular, my Arc Fireworks died when the tank was in it's down spell a few months ago, and I really was hoping it would color up and be a centerpiece in the tank. So when I had the chance to get another frag I was really excited. Here they are after dipping. I've got them in the frag tank for now until I'm confident things in this tank are going strong again. Clockwise from top left: Arc Fireworks, Tck Pikachu, and Pink Lemonade.

 

 

 

[DreC80]

1 hour ago, teenyreef said:

I had a nice time today meeting @DreC80, who lives in my general area. Thanks for driving over my way!

 

We traded some frags and like any good frag trade, we both came out ahead. I got rid of some overgrown pieces that I didn't have room for anyway in the frag tank, and in return got some nice frags of corals I've been wanting for a while. In particular, my Arc Fireworks died when the tank was in it's down spell a few months ago, and I really was hoping it would color up and be a centerpiece in the tank. So when I had the chance to get another frag I was really excited. Here they are after dipping. I've got them in the frag tank for now until I'm confident things in this tank are going strong again. Clockwise from top left: Arc Fireworks, Tck Pikachu, and Pink Lemonade.

 

 

 

Great meeting you in person...COVID19 fist bump and all 👊

 

I traded some "teeny" frags and you gave me some mini colonies.  Not a fair trade, but I'll make it up to you at some point in the future.

 

The pics look great and I hope the corals do well for you.  Can't wait to see what they look like in a year or so.

[teenyreef]

On 5/23/2020 at 8:59 PM, DreC80 said:

Great meeting you in person...COVID19 fist bump and all 👊

 

I traded some "teeny" frags and you gave me some mini colonies.  Not a fair trade, but I'll make it up to you at some point in the future.

 

The pics look great and I hope the corals do well for you.  Can't wait to see what they look like in a year or so.

The best trades are when both people think they win! 

[teenyreef]

Things are definitely improving since I got rid of the frag racks and got the back circulation pump running again. I've been stirring the sand regularly and doing lots of water changes. Nitrates and phosphates are low but not undetectable (NO 4, PO 0.03). They were lower a few weeks ago so I dosed just a bit of nitrate, and things seem to be coloring back up again. There's still a lot of algae, but less than there was. 

 

I also got a snail bomb from Reefcleaners a few weeks ago. Unfrotunately, USPS took three days instead of the usual two for delivery, and not all of them survived. In particular, I haven't seen any of the hermit crabs out and about since putting them in. But enough snails survived to get a good start on the algae, and the emerald crab I got is also doing fine and munching away.

 

There are three problems I'm still watching:

1. The duncans closed up one day a couple weeks ago, and haven't opened since. No idea why.

2. Waiting for the acros to grow back over the burned tips where the algae is growing.

3. I still can't keep zoas on the sand bed. Hopefully regular sand stirring and better circulation will clear out whatever has been bothering them.

 

Here's the May FTS. No frag racks!

2020-05-26 IM40 FTS:

 

2020-05-26 IM40 Top Down:

 

[StinkyBunny]

The algae issues are rock related only. The algae uses is as it's leached from the rock, hence the reason you're seeing a low phosphate reading. I had one piece of rock that grew algae when the rest didn't. The tangs kept it trimmed, but it was still there until the GSP covered it.

[teenyreef]

On 5/28/2020 at 7:20 PM, StinkyBunny said:

The algae issues are rock related only. The algae uses is as it's leached from the rock, hence the reason you're seeing a low phosphate reading. I had one piece of rock that grew algae when the rest didn't. The tangs kept it trimmed, but it was still there until the GSP covered it.

I've wondered if that's what's going on too. 

[teenyreef]

Some coral updates!

 

WWC Yellowtips. Still not super colored up but definitely the fastest growing coral in the tank right now.

 

Leng sy monticap is a classic beauty and it now has that super cool blue growth edge.

 

The mysteriously closed-up duncans:

 

ORA Red Planet. One of the first to start getting proper color back.

 

ORA Pearlberry right next to the Red Planet.

 

California tort, almost recovered from burnt tips.

 

[xiaoxiy]

52 minutes ago, teenyreef said:

WWC Yellowtips. Still not super colored up but definitely the fastest growing coral in the tank right now.

 

I think WWC Yellow Tips is one of the most under-rated corals ever, especially with its yellow tips, greenish/blue body with blue polyps!

 

I love how this tank has evolved and grown in!

[teenyreef]

16 minutes ago, xiaoxiy said:

I think WWC Yellow Tips is one of the most under-rated corals ever, especially with its yellow tips, greenish/blue body with blue polyps!

 

I love how this tank has evolved and grown in!

I agree, it's an awesome coral. And thanks!

[jservedio]

On 5/28/2020 at 4:29 PM, teenyreef said:

Things are definitely improving since I got rid of the frag racks and got the back circulation pump running again. I've been stirring the sand regularly and doing lots of water changes. Nitrates and phosphates are low but not undetectable (NO 4, PO 0.03). They were lower a few weeks ago so I dosed just a bit of nitrate, and things seem to be coloring back up again. There's still a lot of algae, but less than there was. 

 

I also got a snail bomb from Reefcleaners a few weeks ago. Unfrotunately, USPS took three days instead of the usual two for delivery, and not all of them survived. In particular, I haven't seen any of the hermit crabs out and about since putting them in. But enough snails survived to get a good start on the algae, and the emerald crab I got is also doing fine and munching away.

 

There are three problems I'm still watching:

1. The duncans closed up one day a couple weeks ago, and haven't opened since. No idea why.

2. Waiting for the acros to grow back over the burned tips where the algae is growing.

3. I still can't keep zoas on the sand bed. Hopefully regular sand stirring and better circulation will clear out whatever has been bothering them.

 

Here's the May FTS. No frag racks!

2020-05-26 IM40 FTS:

 

2020-05-26 IM40 Top Down:

 

Love this tank! It's unbelievable how big everything is getting. No doubt your burnt tips will be recovered in no time.

 

My yellow tips is also by far the fastest growing in my tank and probably best color to boot!

[teenyreef]

On 5/29/2020 at 11:01 PM, jservedio said:

Love this tank! It's unbelievable how big everything is getting. No doubt your burnt tips will be recovered in no time.

 

My yellow tips is also by far the fastest growing in my tank and probably best color to boot!

Thanks!

[teenyreef]

I think the Oregon Tort had the worst burnt tips of all the acros (of course the slowest growing coral would get the worst burnt tips, sigh). But it's cool seeing how it's recovering.

 

This teeny neon green slimer has come all the way back from being just a spec of tissue to almost a decent frag size 🙂

 

 

The Bird of Paradise always grows like crazy. If you look carefully, you can see where it's growing into the WWC Yellowtips.

 

Speaking of crazy growth, I accidentally broke off a branch of the Red Planet a couple weeks ago. This closeup shows how quickly it started growing over the broken spot.

 

Jason Fox Brain Freeze. The color is coming back, and there aren't many burnt tips left at all.

 

 

[DreC80]

4 minutes ago, teenyreef said:

I think the Oregon Tort had the worst burnt tips of all the acros (of course the slowest growing coral would get the worst burnt tips, sigh). But it's cool seeing how it's recovering.

 

This teeny neon green slimer has come all the way back from being just a spec of tissue to almost a decent frag size 🙂

 

 

The Bird of Paradise always grows like crazy. If you look carefully, you can see where it's growing into the WWC Yellowtips.

 

Speaking of crazy growth, I accidentally broke off a branch of the Red Planet a couple weeks ago. This closeup shows how quickly it started growing over the broken spot.

 

Jason Fox Brain Freeze. The color is coming back, and there aren't many burnt tips left at all.

 

 

Really is amazing how fast SPS can grow when they are happy...and how lazy they can be when they aren't 😆...like 2 years lazy.  Everything is looking really good.  Who is winning the fight between the BoP and WWC Yellow Tips?

[teenyreef]

2 minutes ago, DreC80 said:

Really is amazing how fast SPS can grow when they are happy...and how lazy they can be when they aren't 😆...like 2 years lazy.  Everything is looking really good.  Who is winning the fight between the BoP and WWC Yellow Tips?

I'd say the yellow tips are winning right now but it's hard to say for sure yet.

 

I agree on the slow growth. That katropora fragolony I gave you grew from a one inch frag that did nothing but encrust for a good 18 months. And then, overnight, it started branching, and turned into a nice big colony in about three months. And your piece was a frag from that colony. 

 

I'm seeing the same thing with the BC Bubblebath Unicorn right now. It started from a very small frag about a year ago. It's nicely encrusted now and I think I'll see branching growth any day/month/year now.

 

[DreC80]

22 minutes ago, teenyreef said:

I'd say the yellow tips are winning right now but it's hard to say for sure yet.

 

I agree on the slow growth. That katropora fragolony I gave you grew from a one inch frag that did nothing but encrust for a good 18 months. And then, overnight, it started branching, and turned into a nice big colony in about three months. And your piece was a frag from that colony. 

 

I'm seeing the same thing with the BC Bubblebath Unicorn right now. It started from a very small frag about a year ago. It's nicely encrusted now and I think I'll see branching growth any day/month/year now.

 

Fragolony lol...new reefing term.  That is the largest "frag" I've ever acquired.  Thanks again...I've even managed not to kill it....yet.

[teenyreef]

7 minutes ago, DreC80 said:

Fragolony lol...new reefing term.  That is the largest "frag" I've ever acquired.  Thanks again...I've even managed not to kill it....yet.

Haha, that's great news! Your frags are doing fine too. They will probably be centerpiece frags in the new 20g when it gets mature.

[teenyreef]

The acans are on the road to recovery! I've been spot feeding them Reef Roids every few days. They still have a long way to go but at least they don't look like they're dying any more.

 

 

 

[mitten_reef]

My acans enjoy the frozen mysis juice every now and again. They seem to like the meatiness of it. 

[teenyreef]

9 minutes ago, mitten_reef said:

My acans enjoy the frozen mysis juice every now and again. They seem to like the meatiness of it. 

Mine too. If fact, when they are healthy they'll even eat entire mysis with no problem. But when they're shriveled up like these have been, they really seem to respond very well to Reef Roids. 

[debbeach13]

That's great news. I think you have good reason to hope for a full recovery.