Where the Wild Things Are: 100 Days (rezing the thread)

[lkoechle]

2 minutes ago, Pjanssen said:

Just what this tank needs, more color 

Beautiful Family!

 

[Weetabix7]

45 minutes ago, lkoechle said:

So, new chapter begins today. I bought some macros from the lovely  @Weetabix7 and they arrived today.  Let me tell you, she packs like a champ!  I mean not only insulated box: 

 

 

But like weird sealed individual yet glued together baggies.  Like a bulk purchase from CostCo.

 

 

 

Serious skillz here.  Oh and she's dubbed this a "designer" Stomatella.  I named it Stomey.

 

He was a shipping test run   Did really well, he was scooting all over the bag.

 

Mr. Cling loved his "Macro Cloak" while I was floating (aka "I'm-still-doing-a-boat-load-of-maintenance")

 

But I am very happy with the final product!  I did a lot of moving around too if you notice.

 

 

Couch view:

 

It was a great day.  Last night we had family photos done on the beach by one of my mom friends.  We got some sneak peeks today.  I'm in love!

 

 

 

I can't wait to see the rest!  So great day today!

 

 

 

 

 

OMG, everything looks so good in your tank!!!

The "weird Costco" bags are the result of a bag sealer that I inherited from @BibleSue, it really does help with shipping stuff. 

And I'm soooo glad the Stomey made it, this means I can now ship Stomey babies to people!!!

Designer Weetabix Stomies for all!!!

 

Those family pics, Holy WOW. 

They are both great but I really love that last one, so much Beauty and Joy in it. 

Love!!!

[GregEmmitte]

Beautiful family! @lkoechle

[lkoechle]

11 hours ago, Coral_chef said:

I want some sexy clean Marcos like that ?

Weetie's your girl.

11 hours ago, Lula_Mae said:

Weetie does do a great job packing!  Those macros look like they've always been there!  And those beach pictures...WOW!  Phenomenal!

Thanks! I am really happy, might order more for Yoshii's tank in the future.

11 hours ago, fishfreak0114 said:

Nice macros, it looks great in there!  And fantastic family photos!

Thanks! 

[lkoechle]

10 hours ago, Weetabix7 said:

 

OMG, everything looks so good in your tank!!!

The "weird Costco" bags are the result of a bag sealer that I inherited from @BibleSue, it really does help with shipping stuff. 

And I'm soooo glad the Stomey made it, this means I can now ship Stomey babies to people!!!

Designer Weetabix Stomies for all!!!

 

Those family pics, Holy WOW. 

They are both great but I really love that last one, so much Beauty and Joy in it. 

Love!!!

What kind of machine thingy is it?

 

And I dont know how we are going to choose 15. We did family shots, each child with parent, siblings (and they adore each other so they were a giant ball of cuteness), couple shots, and naked baby.  And I had lunch with her yesterday because our boys are the same age and even she was telling me, "They all came out really good. I dont know how youre gonna choose." lol

9 hours ago, GregEmmitte said:

Beautiful family! @lkoechle

Thanks!

[Weetabix7]

39 minutes ago, lkoechle said:

What kind of machine thingy is it?

 

 

It's this exact one: https://www.uline.com/BL_2253/Tabletop-Poly-Bag-Sealer-Impulse

I know when she got it several years ago it was only 20 something dollars, so there may be a cheaper one if you search more. 

I do know it is a wonderful tool for me when shipping. 

I actually use it to make my own DIY shipping pouches for smaller shipments by sealing loose Pink Panther insulation into plastic shopping bags. 

Works great!!

 

47 minutes ago, lkoechle said:

Weetie's your girl.

Thanks! I am really happy, might order more for Yoshii's tank in the future.

 

Thanks!! 

I'm hoping to put together some Refugium Starters to send out soon so I can share the awesome Microfauna I'm seeing in this tank, including all the beautiful baby Stomatellas. 

[Weetabix7]

46 minutes ago, lkoechle said:

 

And I dont know how we are going to choose 15. We did family shots, each child with parent, siblings (and they adore each other so they were a giant ball of cuteness), couple shots, and naked baby.  And I had lunch with her yesterday because our boys are the same age and even she was telling me, "They all came out really good. I dont know how youre gonna choose." lol

 

If they're all as good as the ones you posted, you have a battle ahead of you to pick the best, but isn't it nice to have that kind of a dilemna?? 

[lkoechle]

6 minutes ago, Weetabix7 said:

 

If they're all as good as the ones you posted, you have a battle ahead of you to pick the best, but isn't it nice to have that kind of a dilemna?? 

haha definitely.  I was worried when we were taking them because I dont photograph well and I am not girlie so I don't ever do my hair or make up and I had to do those by myself and buy clothes by myself (I am really a graphic tee and jeans girl).  But she was showing us photos the whole time saying how great this was going and we were one of the easiest clients to photograph.  She could have been saying that for our benefit, but it made me feel a lot better! lol

 

Good for her but unfortunately for me, she is pretty booked up so I might have to wait the whole 2 weeks to see the rest!

 

 

hey @Weetabix7 are you on instagram?  I feel like I'd follow your tanks better that way. lol

[lkoechle]

 

[debbeach13]

OMG those pictures are fantastic! Some good gene's I guess.

[metrokat]

On 8/16/2017 at 2:46 PM, lkoechle said:

Summary of Livestock:

 

Octocorals:

·         Candelabrum Gorgonian (Eunicea succinea)

·         Purple Sea Whip

·         Red Finger Gorgonian

Corals:

·         Cup Coral (Phyllangia americana)

·         Tube Coral  (Eusmilia fastigiata)

·         Oculina robusta 

 

Inverts:

·         Gorilla Crab x1 ( Xanthidae pilumnus)

·         Red Porcelain Crab x8 (Petrolisthes galthinus)

·         Long wristed hermit crabs (Pagurus longicarpus, lots)

·         Red hermit crabs

·         Blue Legged Hermit Crabs

·         Nassarius vibex

·         Cerith Snails

·         Striped Snapping Shrimp (Alpheus formosus)

·         Common Atlantic Marginella Snail (Purnum apicinum)

·         Blue Legged Hermit Crabs

·         Whelks

·         Spaghetti worms 

·         Feather dusters (Anamobaea oerstedi, et all)

·         Curley Cue Anemone (Bartholomea annulata)

·         Serpent Star x2 (Ophiolepsis superba)

·         Barnacles

·         various unknown bivalves

·         longspine urchin x2

·         peppermint shrimp

 

Fish:

·         Stippled Clingfish (Gobiesox punctulatus, “Mr Cling” & “Mrs Cling”)

·         Seaweed Blenny (Parablennius marmoreus)

Sponges:

·      Chicken Liver Sponge (Chondrilla nucula)

·      Orange encrusting sponge (Spirastrella coccinea)

·      Red Tree Sponge (Amphimedon compressa)

·      Orange lumpy encrusting sponge (Scopalina ruetzleri)

·      Dysidea etheria

·      Callyspongia fallax

·      Mycale laevis

·      Yellow ball sponge (Cinachyrella alloclada)

 

Macros:

·         Caulerpa Mexicana

·         Grape Caulerpa

 

Livestock total: $10

 

We bought "The Package" from TBS which is rock, sand, and "extras" (stuff they send you at their discretion because they can).  Separately ordering from TBS, rock and sand are $204, "The Package" is $214 meaning the "extras" (aka livestock) are $10.

 

 

Hi @lkoechle and @skoechle - Thank you for every day of your participation in this contest.  Your enthusiasm was beyond amazing, and this tank is amazing.

 

We had to re-evaluate the livestock. It was brought up during the course of the contest that if someone got a free frag from a friend, is the value really zero. It isn't. We went about re-evaluating in 2 ways. First, the rock shipment is a premium shipment. On average, 15 pounds of live/cured rock is $10/lb from a LFS, which comes to $150. Live rock can be ordered online for less, around $80. Keeping this in mind, the livestock is estimated to be between $64 and $134.

 

Second: We also requested a valuation from @StinkyBunny on the individual livestock and that came out to an estimated $262. 

 

Keeping all of that in mind, the livestock for this tank is valued at $199. 

 

@jedimasterben

[1891Bro]

Why is this not winning in the polls? 

Its Nov 8th 2016 all over again. 

[Lula_Mae]

On 8/19/2017 at 8:47 AM, Weetabix7 said:

 

It's this exact one: https://www.uline.com/BL_2253/Tabletop-Poly-Bag-Sealer-Impulse

I know when she got it several years ago it was only 20 something dollars, so there may be a cheaper one if you search more. 

I do know it is a wonderful tool for me when shipping. 

I actually use it to make my own DIY shipping pouches for smaller shipments by sealing loose Pink Panther insulation into plastic shopping bags. 

Works great!!

 

 

Thanks!! 

I'm hoping to put together some Refugium Starters to send out soon so I can share the awesome Microfauna I'm seeing in this tank, including all the beautiful baby Stomatellas. 

I will be very interested in your mud n bugs kit when it's ready, especially if you have any little brittle stars in it!

[lkoechle]

7 hours ago, 1891Bro said:

Why is this not winning in the polls? 

Its Nov 8th 2016 all over again. 

well, I am in the lead for most frugal which is what I want.  lol  so vote vote vote!  I have no shame. yoshii the mantis needs an ato 

[Pjanssen]

8 hours ago, 1891Bro said:

Why is this not winning in the polls? 

Its Nov 8th 2016 all over again. 

It is only Tuesday.

[Weetabix7]

18 minutes ago, Pjanssen said:

It is only Tuesday.

 

I am actually deliberately waiting til the end to vote. 

I wish I could vote for more than one person in some categories, but to a certain extent I want to vote strategically.

[Pjanssen]

Strategic voting 

[lkoechle]

Been MIA for a bit with my daughter and just takinga break from internet.  Tank is chugging along. I got an orange tree gorg last week and moved a candelabra gorg to the mantis tank.

[Thunder Goose]

Looks fantastic! Is the orange gorg non-photosynthetic?

[lkoechle]

58 minutes ago, Thunder Goose said:

Looks fantastic! Is the orange gorg non-photosynthetic?

Yep.  I am planning on just feeding it every other day like the red fingers.  I also experimented today with target feeding calanus and it ate that.

[Weetabix7]

1 hour ago, lkoechle said:

Been MIA for a bit with my daughter and just takinga break from internet.  Tank is chugging along. I got an orange tree gorg last week and moved a candelabra gorg to the mantis tank.

 

LOVE the orange tree gorg. 

Do you have a link for the calanus you fed it?

[lkoechle]

6 minutes ago, Weetabix7 said:

 

LOVE the orange tree gorg. 

Do you have a link for the calanus you fed it?

Just calanus in the blister packs from PE.  My lfs sells a mysis/calanus combo pack

[Thunder Goose]

How many times a day do you have to feed the non-photo gorgonians? I've heard some non-photo corals need to be feed very frequently (not easy to do when you have a job) but I really love these NPGs! I may have to try one once I get my nano tank back from Tlaloc (the mantis shrimp, who ships out Monday if I can catch her).

[Pjanssen]

I feed my gorg dominant tank twice a day. mainly because I have a flame scallop that needs it, but the Gorgs seem to like it

[lkoechle]

15 minutes ago, Thunder Goose said:

How many times a day do you have to feed the non-photo gorgonians? I've heard some non-photo corals need to be feed very frequently (not easy to do when you have a job) but I really love these NPGs! I may have to try one once I get my nano tank back from Tlaloc (the mantis shrimp, who ships out Monday if I can catch her).

I've been feeding every other day and the gorgs seem fine.  I for sure have two nps species (the red fingers and the orange tree) and I'm 80% positive the purple one with white polyps is also NPS (I've have yet to 100% id that species.  I did think it was a sea whip, but its not, its branches are too fine).  They've all done fine with every other day for 100+ days so far  But each individual species is different, some might need more or meatier foods.  The orange tree I'm probably going to target feed.  It has the largest polyps aside from the candelabra gorgonians (and the calndelabras are photosynthetic) of the ones that I have, so I'm probably going to give it meatier foods a couple times a week.