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Lula Mae's 1.6ish gallons of whatever I want to put in it--tank updates and news and stuff


Lula_Mae

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I've always wanted a Fox Coral!!

 

And Blasto Merletti have always been one of my favorites. Well, pretty much any Blasto's, lol. 

My first Blasto's were Merletti though, and you know how it is with your first love. :happy:

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18 minutes ago, Weetabix7 said:

I've always wanted a Fox Coral!!

 

And Blasto Merletti have always been one of my favorites. Well, pretty much any Blasto's, lol. 

My first Blasto's were Merletti though, and you know how it is with your first love. :happy:

I'd never really seen a fox coral before Gena's pictures but it's so huge and fluffy and gorgeous!  Maybe someday...don't have space for larger here (efficiency apartment ftw lol) but would love something in the 10-20 gallon range (or at least bigger than 5g!) in the future.  Nothing too big because $$ lol.

 

Rics were the first coral I had that did really well for me so I will always love them! :wub: Hoping to get some pretty ones that will do well for me in this tank too.  First loves indeed! :happy:

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Did some work on the tank today!  Did a water change, about half a gallon (was going for a gallon but did not siphon out enough water lol.  Ah, well).  I took out the dragon's breath frag plug because the nass snail got ahold of the dying parts so there was no more dragon's breath attached to it lol.  I also removed the branching macro from its frag plug and glued it onto a little rock fragment so I can figure out where I want to put it.  I removed the topmost rock from the right 'tower' as it keeps falling over and that's annoying, and I think it's just a tad too tall.  The blue scroll still has not attached to the rock so I glued it down...hoping that was ok for it!  I just didn't like that it was so easily sent tumbling around the tank if the rock holding it down got dislodged.  I took out a couple pieces of rubble that didn't have much going on and rearranged what is still in there.  It's opened up the sand bed a great deal!  I do appear to have hair algae sprouting on some of the rocks, which is no surprise as there was a TON in my old tank.  Hopefully I can keep on top of it this time.

 

The lone zoa polyp up front got knocked off its rock (probably thanks to the nass, again) so I glued it onto a rock fragment and placed it just under the edge of the big rock in case it's wanting dimmer light.  It still hasn't opened and there may not be much hope for it, but I am still trying!  :closedeyes:

 

The little rock piece that had possible botryocladia bubbles on it also appears to have little green bubbles that I think are grape caulerpa (they aren't dark green like bubble algae and they are on a little stalk).  Another piece of rubble (in the front left corner) is sprouting some little red "hairs" that I hope are another macro.

 

Tiny green grape bubble (just at the edge of my thumbnail):
IMG_20170222_181133503_zpsgloiwoii.jpg

 

IMG_20170222_181137511_zpslwctwsvo.jpg

 

You can just see the tiny red bubbles at the top where my thumbnail is (the green bubble is to the right)
IMG_20170222_181144090_zpsigoysixg.jpg

 

IMG_20170222_181202326_zpsy8hlas4l.jpg

 

Little pom pom decided to hang out in the little cave right in front!  When I had the airline in there siphoning out the water, she came out like she was charging it to attack lol. :lol:
IMG_20170222_184136405_zpsffpeysxt.jpg

 

IMG_20170222_184146040_zpsj0piauir.jpg

 

It's hard to tell, but I'm pretty certain the pom pom has two different color anemones!  I'd heard it was possible but never seen it.  Very exciting! :wub:
IMG_20170222_191624528_zpsrn3pmr5o.jpg

 

IMG_20170222_191624528_zpsrn3pmr5o.jpg

 

IMG_20170222_191622499_zpsrfjwyzpw.jpg

 

You can see the feather duster is peeved about the water change. :closedeyes:
IMG_20170222_191609151_zpsvvaicrcw.jpg

 

IMG_20170222_191612214_zpskyfpgvmv.jpg

 

IMG_20170222_191616072_zps3gb10zm1.jpg

 

FTS:
IMG_20170222_191503939_HDR_zps1hy3ptax.j

 

Oh, and I remembered to plug in the heater this time LOL! :rolleyes:

 

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On 2/22/2017 at 10:36 AM, Lula_Mae said:

I LOVE your fox coral, it's so gorgeous!  It's probably as big as my tank but if I do a big tank in the future, a fox coral is definitely on the list now lol.  Hermits are definitely punks!  I had some hitchhike on my hermit-free Reef Cleaners order last year and they harassed everything even though they were tiny. <_<

 

I've been working my way through your tank thread and wondered about the blasto merlettis you have (the first ones that were in the tank)--are they the same as the "aqua violet" ones from Reef Gardener?  I've been considering them as I've loved merlettis ever since seeing them in el fab's tank but want purple ones because purple is my favorite color lol.  The bright minty centers on the ones on her website are so pretty and provide a nice contrast to the purple!

Thanks!  The fox coral gets really big.  I took it to my LFS and had them cut it for me.  I kept 1/4 and they kept the rest.  Both pieces did just fine with the cut too.  I saw it in their tank a few weeks later...it was ginormous LOL. 

 

I can't remember if I got those from her but the coloring looks the same.  Blastos have always been at the top of my favorite list.  Mushrooms and blastos :wub:

 

And your pom pom crab chose the perfect little spot to call home!  SO cute!!!!!

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This little pom pom has a lot of courage for a pom pom!  I've been very impressed with her so far.  Hopefully she will start coming out even more as she feels more at home (and I stop changing things around lol).  Thanks for the info, I haven't decided on them but they certainly are pretty!

 

Yesterday I stopped by the LFS again and spent a while poking through all the frag tanks.  The young guy who worked there kept taking me around and pointing out, "These are great!" "These are nice and bright!" "These will look amazing in your tank!" but since I'm being picky I did not see much that suited my current aesthetic (sorry, no kryptonite candy cane, LFS dude! :P) until he took me back to a tank where I noticed something growing on a frag rack.  I asked, "Is that a macro?"  "Uh, yeah, I think so..." "Is that blue ochtodes?" "Uh, I'm not really sure about the species..." and then he showed me another tank where I did spot something that caught my eye, and I also noticed some pretty pulsing xenia (I said, "Ooh look at that pulsing xenia!" and he goes, "Yeah, you don't want that...").  But what had caught my eye were some very pretty blue-green zoas that had overgrown the frag plug and onto the frag rack.  When he pulled it for me, he counted at least 20 polyps, and said they'd grown a bunch because no one wanted them!  He also threw in a little clump of the macro for free! omgomgomg

 

I got home and turned on the lights and look who I spotted being bold in the front!  You can definitely tell her poms are different color (her left "hand" one is white and right "hand" one is pink):
IMG_20170223_191916745_zpswt8ypzlj.jpg

 

IMG_20170223_191905745_zpsdbx4pes1.jpg

 

Gave the macro a freshwater dip before putting it in.  Hope I didn't leave it in too long!
IMG_20170223_204542660_zpsfplgny8m.jpg

 

The one bad thing about the zoa frag is that there was a TON of hair algae in the tank and on the frag.  I gave it a bath in peroxide (put it and its water in a cup and added about an equal amount of peroxide for four minutes following basic directions I'd found online lol) and followed with a mild Lugol's dip.  Zoas were quite put out about it last night! :blush:

 

Before the dip:
IMG_20170223_211811634_zpsdpjhqeqj.jpg

 

After the dip:
IMG_20170223_215341434_zpsafektdil.jpg

 

Tonight the zoas were out and beautiful!  Still some hair algae on the frag so I'll be waiting to see how that dies out.  Aren't they beautiful?  I can't believe no one wanted these beauties!
IMG_20170224_2122037431_zpsckgoy2dy.jpg

 

IMG_20170224_212211351_zps2mzyuxw8.jpg

 

IMG_20170224_212203743_zpszcghkqgc.jpg

 

Feather duster looking pretty:
IMG_20170224_212842_zpsbrg4i3s7.jpg

 

The macro I believe to be blue ochtodes (anyone have a more positive ID?):
IMG_20170224_212942_zpsgq4hiu9i.jpg

 

IMG_20170224_212447739_zpskmlpqofe.jpg

 

IMG_20170224_212441903_zpsmuzev2r2.jpg

 

Peekaboo pom pom!
IMG_20170224_212331366_zpsjhjjo5k7.jpg

 

FTS:
IMG_20170224_212228199_zpsuvmgfxqd.jpg

 

I'm hoping to place an online order maybe this coming week and get some more corals in there so we will see! :happy:

 

 

 

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2 minutes ago, gena said:

That definitely looks like blue ochtodes!  I love the color on those zoas.  They are prolific growers so put them someplace that you don't mind them taking over :).

I figured they might be, and that it might give them the best chance at me not killing them. :lol:  The ochtodes has (have?) developed some cyano that I need to clean off. :closedeyes:  The hair algae on the zoa frag has all but disappeared!  I am super impressed with the results of the peroxide treatment.  At least I know it's safe for indestructable zoas! :lol:

 

I placed an order last night and am looking at placing another for some more pretties!  Should be here Wednesday!  omgomgomg  Woohoo!

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Just now, Lula_Mae said:

I figured they might be, and that it might give them the best chance at me not killing them. :lol:  The ochtodes has (have?) developed some cyano that I need to clean off. :closedeyes:  The hair algae on the zoa frag has all but disappeared!  I am super impressed with the results of the peroxide treatment.  At least I know it's safe for indestructable zoas! :lol:

 

I placed an order last night and am looking at placing another for some more pretties!  Should be here Wednesday!  omgomgomg  Woohoo!

Reefgardener?

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The order last night is from an ebay seller (Aquarium Art I think is the name) who had some gorgeous rics.  Shipping was ridiculous though ($49 + $5 for each additional item).  I am looking at Reefgardener though!

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Looks like Blue Ochtodes to me!!!

I bet we can get you hooked up with more Dragon's Breath before long, I'll let you know if I run across any for sale. 

 

That is SO cool that you have such a bold Pom-Pom Crab!! Sometimes they can be pretty shy, which is a pity cause they're really neat. I like yours!! Have you named her yet?

 

I like those Blue Palys too!! They look like an Aqua colored version of the ones I picked up yesterday, lol. I'm glad you gave them a peroxide bath. If I were you, I'd try picking the algae off with tweezers and give them another peroxide bath, you don't want that algae in your tank. Those Palys are pretty tough and can handle being out of the water for a bit while you pick algae off, don't worry about that stressing them. 

 

I need to pick up some 35% peroxide myself to have on hand now. 

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4 hours ago, Rain24 said:

I adore your pompom crab! It was one of the crabs that I wanted when I had my 14g.

 

Sorry to hear the dragon's breath didn't make it.

Go for it!  They are best in tiny tanks, in my opinion.  They're usually reclusive so they're easily lost in larger tanks, hiding amongst the crevices in the rock.  I wouldn't put one in larger than 4-5 gallons max, personally, just because I like to be able to see them.

 

3 hours ago, Weetabix7 said:

Looks like Blue Ochtodes to me!!!

I bet we can get you hooked up with more Dragon's Breath before long, I'll let you know if I run across any for sale. 

 

That is SO cool that you have such a bold Pom-Pom Crab!! Sometimes they can be pretty shy, which is a pity cause they're really neat. I like yours!! Have you named her yet?

 

I like those Blue Palys too!! They look like an Aqua colored version of the ones I picked up yesterday, lol. I'm glad you gave them a peroxide bath. If I were you, I'd try picking the algae off with tweezers and give them another peroxide bath, you don't want that algae in your tank. Those Palys are pretty tough and can handle being out of the water for a bit while you pick algae off, don't worry about that stressing them. 

 

I need to pick up some 35% peroxide myself to have on hand now. 

Thanks Weetie!  After what I'm spending this week I'll need to cool my jets for a little bit but I do hope to find some to put in at some point in the future. :lol:  I actually used 3% peroxide from Walmart for the bath--I haven't gotten any 35% yet, but it's on my list.  I put them in a cup with about half the cup full of the water from their bag, then added peroxide to fill the cup most of the rest of the way, waited about four minutes, and put them in a mild Lugol's bath.  The algae is actually almost gone--I'm hoping to get pics up to show the amazing difference it made!  I do have some hair algae growing on some of the other rocks (had it in my old tank too) so I'll need to do something with them soon.

 

43 minutes ago, TinyOcean said:

Lula everything is looking gorgeous and those zoas and feather duster?! Woooow! They are beautiful! 

Thanks Tiny!  I love the color of the zoas!  I was looking while ago and it actually looks like there may be a small polyp of some other type of zoa on the back side of the frag--I'll have to look more closely later.  I adore the duster!  Petco here has a surprising variety of colors if you catch them at the right time, but I still feel like a purple and yellow one was a lucky find! :happy:

 

17 minutes ago, tinyforest said:

What an interesting collection of life in this tank. :) That crimson macro is particularly beautiful. 

Thanks other tiny! :) Do you mean the small branching one, or the palm leaved one?  I love them both! :wub:

 

More pictures coming hopefully tonight!  In the meantime, enjoy these pictures of Violet that I shared on Natalia's thread. B)

Snuggling:

IMG_20160309_233748064_zpszbswqggp.jpg

 

More snuggling:

IMG_20160309_243712164_zpswbvim6ot.jpg
 

Angry hairbrush!

IMG_20160309_243501103_zpskfumlen2.jpg

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Oh, and Weetie--I have not named the pom pom yet, but one with that much personality definitely needs a name! :lol:  I'm not 100% sure she's a female but I think she is as her carapace seems wider (if only she'd let me get a look at the underside lol).

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14 minutes ago, Rain24 said:

Aww...Hedgie!!! <3

 

Also, could you please elaborate in "mild Lugol's bath"? How do you dilute it?

:lol: Well what I did first was make a dark Lugol's dip (just dropped in Lugol's into tank water to make it dark brown colored) to dip a zoa hitchhiker polyp that had been closed up.  I then filled a cup half full of tank water and dropped in a little of that same Lugol's dip from the closed zoa, just enough to make it sort of pale tea-colored (the strong Lugol's I figured would either help or kill the zoa polyp as it had not opened since going in the tank.  Since I no longer see it, I guess it finished the polyp off :().  I didn't want to use a strong solution on the healthy zoa frag since it was undergoing the peroxide dip, so I just diluted it a lot.  Kent makes a Lugol's solution with directions for using it as a new frag dip which are pretty straightforward (that's the kind I use, around $10 on Amazon).

 

I don't know if any of that makes sense lol. :lol:

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4 minutes ago, Rain24 said:

Aww, I had high hopes for that polyp! I thought it opened. Oops.

 

Maybe I'll add Lugol's and Peroxide to my list of "things to have on hand just in case."

 

Lugol's and Peroxide should definitely be on that list!!

When I have done lugol's dips in the past, I would put about 2 drops of lugol's in one cup of tankwater and keep the frag in it for around 5 mins. 

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2 minutes ago, Weetabix7 said:

 

Lugol's and Peroxide should definitely be on that list!!

When I have done lugol's dips in the past, I would put about 2 drops of lugol's in one cup of tankwater and keep the frag in it for around 5 mins. 

I need to start a digital notes file with gems like this. Thanks, Weetie!

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22 minutes ago, Rain24 said:

Aww, I had high hopes for that polyp! I thought it opened. Oops.

 

Maybe I'll add Lugol's and Peroxide to my list of "things to have on hand just in case."

Definitely!  I have regular peroxide from Walmart but want to get 35% too for spot treatments.  I know Amazon has it and I think it can be found in health food type stores too.  Lugol's and peroxide are great things to have in your tool kit. :)

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I am just a wee bit scared of the 35% stuff at the moment. I'll see if I can get over the whole "1 drop in your eye can blind you" business. LOL.

 

I am looking at my old thread to see what equipment I have and then see if I can dig it up. We moved halfway across the country and all the things are in boxes.

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5 minutes ago, Rain24 said:

I am just a wee bit scared of the 35% stuff at the moment. I'll see if I can get over the whole "1 drop in your eye can blind you" business. LOL.

 

I am looking at my old thread to see what equipment I have and then see if I can dig it up. We moved halfway across the country and all the things are in boxes.

 

Where are you living now, and where did you move from?

I've done cross-country moves a few times. 

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2 minutes ago, Weetabix7 said:

 

Where are you living now, and where did you move from?

I've done cross-country moves a few times. 

We did a Chicago to Seattle move last year. I love it here! I just need to find all the LFS stores. :D

 

I saw this post just today about how a 2 gal cookie jar reef is small enough to wrap in plastic wrap and pop in a cooler and take along with you. I need to investigate this more and figure out if this could be my solution instead of getting a tank sitter for extended summer trips.

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2 minutes ago, Rain24 said:

We did a Chicago to Seattle move last year. I love it here! I just need to find all the LFS stores. :D

 

I saw this post just today about how a 2 gal cookie jar reef is small enough to wrap in plastic wrap and pop in a cooler and take along with you. I need to investigate this more and figure out if this could be my solution instead of getting a tank sitter for extended summer trips.

 

I'd love to visit Seattle and Portland!! I've even considered moving to Portland in the past. I live in Greenville, SC now but have really been missing the West lately. 

 

I think you should do the Cookie Jar, fo realz. 

I read natalia's entire Reefbowl thread a couple days ago and have been following what brandon does for a bit now and I honestly think that approach would address and prevent all of the issues you had in the past and concerns you have now. 

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