asting's 20L Peninsula

[Cencalfishguy56]

Hammer looking poofy

 

 

Palys that are going to get chopped in the next few weeks. Don't want them spreading.

 

 

Rock Anemone finally settled in a new location (again). I'll be posting a video shortly of the craziest behavior that it did on saturday.

 

 

 

Xenia looking like a dirty weed. It has sprouted 10 or so new pulsing parts at the base. Growing well and it will go over to the small tank soon too.

 

 

 

About half of the frags on 2 of the three racks. A good # are opening, but many are still adjusting. Check out that crazy coralline growth. More photos to come.

holy Jesus that's a lot of frags lol

[asting]

holy Jesus that's a lot of frags lol

 

haha yep. That's about half too :/

 

Ran me under $400 with overnight shipping. There are af ew duplicates I'll be trading away.

 

 

very awesome! so is that 50 frags total?

50 new frags. Also have the frogspawn, hammer, toadstool with hitchhiker palys, the green mushroom, and xenia from before.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a bonus bristle during feeding. Don't think it is a fireworm.

 

[teenyreef]

Now that's what I call getting your money's worth for your shipping! Will you be able to remember what they all are?

[asting]

Now that's what I call getting your money's worth for your shipping! Will you be able to remember what they all are?

 

 

I sure hope so. I'd be lying if I claimed I didn't save photos from the auction and save other relevant info in a spreadsheet(price, name, etc.)

 

 

On an unrelated note, here's the act my stupid anemone put on saturday

 

I think it was due to the epoxy i used to better anchor the rocks? It had crawled around repeatedly. I held off on posting in case it disintegrated, but it's settled in back in the rock and looks happy.

[teenyreef]

Yeah, all anemones will do that, just let go and float around hoping they end up someplace they like better. With luck, it's not the inside of the power head

[asting]

Yeah, all anemones will do that, just let go and float around hoping they end up someplace they like better. With luck, it's not the inside of the power head

 

That's so weird, because the first week I had the anemone it would move by crawling through the rocks (moved probably 40" back and forth total). This is my first nem. Got him for $10. Tempted to grab another, but I think one of thist type is enough.

[asting]

Help with ID? Pagoda Cup? It was a freebie.

 

[asting]

Bueller? Anyone on ID?

 

Added a tiger pistol, firefish, and six line today. Think a small flasher wrasse will round out the stocking in a month or so.

 

 

Stupid pistol immediately paired because I dropped him in the shrimp burrow, and proceeded to fill the entrance the goby used that was right next to my chair. Instead I assume they will use the backside of the tank. Jerk.

[Reef Queso]

I meant in just that shipment... how much does that run and do you watch the Tidal Gardens Live sales?

[asting]

I meant in just that shipment... how much does that run and do you watch the Tidal Gardens Live sales?

50 frags. Ordered 36, got 14 freebies. Some in poor shape. Ran like 350-400. I haven't watched those, but am clearly good for a while.

[asting]

Why do I have 5 figures worth of camera crap within 20ft, but insist on using my phone?

 

Introducing:

Nikki Sixxline

 

Unnamed chicken shit purple firefish

 

 

Yasha popped up in the middle of the tank with the pistol shrimp a couple hours after being added. This entrance was filled up today. No clue where the shrimp/yasha are today. I normally see the yasha quite often. Hope I didn't get a murderer pistol shrimp. Here's a crappy actinic only pic.

 

 

Frags all getting better:

 

 

hammer wants to split:

[fishfreak0114]

That's a lot of frags! I bet it will fill in real nice Do you plan on a dedicated zoa rock, or are you spreading them throughout the tank? Now I'm considering a 20l. Was looking at a Nuvo 20 black, but I could get a 20l cheaper and I like the way it looks.

[asting]

That's a lot of frags! I bet it will fill in real nice Do you plan on a dedicated zoa rock, or are you spreading them throughout the tank? Now I'm considering a 20l. Was looking at a Nuvo 20 black, but I could get a 20l cheaper and I like the way it looks.

 

Thanks.

 

As far as a plan, I'm not sure yet. I want an acan garden (have 2x), the end will be hammer/frogspawn/torch, there will be a mushroom area (4-5 various shrooms and I'll add some rics). For the actual rocks I'll probably do mostly zoas with sps to be added in the future.

 

The xenia and gsp will be exported to the aqueon 8 in the background shortly.

 

 

 

On an unrelated note, I decided on a name for the purple firefish. I bought it from these hobbyists who were opening a shop, but frankly had no idea what they were doing. apparently they had 5 of them a week ago, and there were two left when I went in. They were fighting. I got the one with perfect fins - the other's were ripped.

 

Therefore, this firefish shall be known as Maximus because he is a grand champion gladiator.

[asting]

Time for a photodump:

 

Yasha goby:

 

Nikki Sixxline:

 

 

Maximus:

 

 

Bristle worm that is far too big for the sixline to eat:

 

 

Acans:

 

 

Shrooms:

 

 

One set of zoas not facing inward as it sits on a fragrack.

 

[fishfreak0114]

I may have missed it, but what do you use to take phtos? They're awesome by the way!

[asting]

I may have missed it, but what do you use to take phtos? They're awesome by the way!

 

Thanks,

 

This was D300+Nikon Micro 85mm F3.5. I have a 55mm Micro which is sharper, but this focal length is nicer I think. Once I can crank the lights a bit more the photos will look better too.

[Roachant]

Nice pics! Looking forward to see how the tank looks when the corals start to grow and spread.

[asting]

Had a heater fiasco where it was left unplugged during a feeding (water drains from HOB below filter line) and the die-off of a few frags caused a hair algae outbreak. Was out of town for 9 days, so when I returned I pulled the frags and scrubbed and did a 25% wc. Think I've lost a few frags of zoas which I believe were duplicate, but everything else seems to be doing okay and is recovering or growing. Slow and steady I guess. Acans and hammer look great, frogspawn doing well but not giving the same extension or showing the same growth.

 

Fish are doing great. The pistol shrimp goby combo are very bold when they are out, but spend a good portion of the day napping beneath the sand.

Still have a bit of what I think is hair algae (feathery, but according to reefcleaners not all feathery algae is bryopsis and the fact it hasn't coated anything yet leads me to believe it is not), a tiny bit of bubble but it is 90% gone from what I returned to from my vacation.

 

I won't leave this post totally photoless. I added a black sheet to quickly hide the buckets and ATO reservoir before a holiday party.

 

 

I also put my christmas decoration out because it's after thanksgiving.

 

edit: Toadstool has also attached to the rock (well it did a few weeks ago I think) and the palys have picked up a slight blue hue - interestingly enough. Haven't chopped them off yet, but hopefully wont regret it.

[asting]

Looks like it was 3/50 for frag casualties from heater fiasco, so I'm happy with that. A few of the frags didn't look that great upon receipt, so that is pretty good. Algae isn't too bad. Think one rack needs a tiny bit of scrubbing and I'll be in good shape again. Need to finally put zoas on the rocks to make room for all the new frags I Just ordered (2 blasto, a few pieces of SPS, acans, a frag spawn, and 3x maxi minis)

 

Pulled some algae clumps in the sand off, and pulled about 2/3 of the chaeto out. Was about two dense baseballs. Quite a lot of growth for just over a month.

 

[asting]

Salt critters order came in. Didn't drag out the rig, but here are some cell shots.

3x maxi minis:

 

 

Tiny Torch:

 

 

Euphyllia Forest. Note the hammer growth. Check out the photo at the top of the page for comparison. Nearly 2 distinct heads. Split is at the fleshy portion though, not yet skeletal.

 

Few new Acans:

 

 

 

Sand acans:

 

 

New ric:

 

 

 

Few Acros. I'll need to watch for bleaching, as the PAR of this fixture at my power levels is 400+ at this distance.

 

 

 

Top down of the rack with most of the new:

[teenyreef]

Nice stuff! Have you thought about putting those acros on the sandbed for a few days to help them get used to the light? 400 PAR could be more than they're used to.

[asting]

Nice stuff! Have you thought about putting those acros on the sandbed for a few days to help them get used to the light? 400 PAR could be more than they're used to.

 

Thanks! I turned it down a touch today, but will keep an eye on them in case that is necessary.

[Cencalfishguy56]

 

Thanks! I turned it down a touch today, but will keep an eye on them in case that is necessary.

lol yea be careful, with that fixture you'll torch the place haha

[asting]

lol yea be careful, with that fixture you'll torch the place haha

 

Never made it past ~45% blue (and lower whites to match). It's effing bright. Can't think you would need anything more up to 2-3'.

 

Wish I had splurged for the $40 more for the wifi version, but honestly a 50% increase in price isn't worth it.

[Cencalfishguy56]

 

Never made it past ~45% blue (and lower whites to match). It's effing bright. Can't think you would need anything more up to 2-3'.

 

Wish I had splurged for the $40 more for the wifi version, but honestly a 50% increase in price isn't worth it.

true but wifi is always nice maybe in the future???