Lula Mae's full circle 5.5--the end.

[fishfreak0114]

That sponge is gorgeous!  I've never seen a photosynthetic sponge for sale up here before, I'll have to keep my eyes out.  And I love bimaculatus blennies!  I've seen them at stores a couple times and they are such cuties!  Can't wait to see yours   Fingers crossed that all arrive alive and well

[Lula_Mae]

5 minutes ago, fishfreak0114 said:

That sponge is gorgeous!  I've never seen a photosynthetic sponge for sale up here before, I'll have to keep my eyes out.  And I love bimaculatus blennies!  I've seen them at stores a couple times and they are such cuties!  Can't wait to see yours   Fingers crossed that all arrive alive and well

Thanks, I thought it was so beautiful!  I've never seen them in person but I couldn't resist the little spots and the serious blenny face!

[StinkyBunny]

I have a blue/purple photosynthetic sponge, I've never seen a red one before.

[MarieH]

27 minutes ago, Lula_Mae said:

So here's a few highlights of things I bought!

Biota cultured gorgonian (Hicksomella sp.)

 

ORA cultured Grube's gorgonian (like @gena's!)--if the parts with no polyp extension are dead I figure I can try fragging the live parts or it or something.

 

Purple montipora digitata--this will be my first-ever SPS!  I like the look of digis but not the colors of most so when I saw this gorgeous purple, I had to try it.

 

Red photosynthetic plating sponge--I love my purple one from @Legendary Corals so I wanted to try another!

 

I've also picked up three plants for my big freshwater tank that I just got a new light for (most of its plants are gone due to neglect and moves so it needs a reboot).  I got a couple blonde African dwarf frogs--they're just as cute as regular ADF's but a neat tan color instead of dark green-brown.  Got some live pods, a couple ceriths, I got something I never thought I would--a scarlet hermit crab.  I generally think hermits are punks but have never tried a scarlet one before so I decided to give it a cautious try.  Asked for a small one lol.  And last but certainly not least...I am going to try an adorable little blenny--a two spot bimaculatus blenny.  They are tiny--only about an inch and a half long when full grown, but they look so cute and are a little different from the popular tailspot blennies.  I'm so excited!  I requested they ship it all to arrive Wednesday so hopefully it'll all arrive safe and sound!

 

So nice, I wish I could order from there!   Love the gorgonian!

[Weetabix7]

1 hour ago, Lula_Mae said:

So here's a few highlights of things I bought!

Biota cultured gorgonian (Hicksomella sp.)

 

ORA cultured Grube's gorgonian (like @gena's!)--if the parts with no polyp extension are dead I figure I can try fragging the live parts or it or something.

 

Purple montipora digitata--this will be my first-ever SPS!  I like the look of digis but not the colors of most so when I saw this gorgeous purple, I had to try it.

 

Red photosynthetic plating sponge--I love my purple one from @Legendary Corals so I wanted to try another!

 

I've also picked up three plants for my big freshwater tank that I just got a new light for (most of its plants are gone due to neglect and moves so it needs a reboot).  I got a couple blonde African dwarf frogs--they're just as cute as regular ADF's but a neat tan color instead of dark green-brown.  Got some live pods, a couple ceriths, I got something I never thought I would--a scarlet hermit crab.  I generally think hermits are punks but have never tried a scarlet one before so I decided to give it a cautious try.  Asked for a small one lol.  And last but certainly not least...I am going to try an adorable little blenny--a two spot bimaculatus blenny.  They are tiny--only about an inch and a half long when full grown, but they look so cute and are a little different from the popular tailspot blennies.  I'm so excited!  I requested they ship it all to arrive Wednesday so hopefully it'll all arrive safe and sound!

 

 

This sounds great, I can't wait to see it all when it comes in!!!!

[TinyOcean]

Oh man exciting! That sponge is soooo cool! I can't wait to see it all in your tank.

[Lula_Mae]

6 hours ago, StinkyBunny said:

I have a blue/purple photosynthetic sponge, I've never seen a red one before.

I don't think I had either, I have a purple one and I know there's supposed to be a bluer one than I've got but red is pretty cool.  They had another on DD too yesterday.

 

6 hours ago, MarieH said:

So nice, I wish I could order from there!   Love the gorgonian!

Thanks!  I've loved the Grube's ever since seeing it in Gena's tank and the other one was purple so it was an obvious choice.

 

5 hours ago, Weetabix7 said:

 

This sounds great, I can't wait to see it all when it comes in!!!!

Me too!

 

1 hour ago, TinyOcean said:

Oh man exciting! That sponge is soooo cool! I can't wait to see it all in your tank.

Thanks, I am looking forward to it!

 

I will say, I'm deciding which of these is going to be earmarked for my new sooper-sekret project , but I may stick it all in the 5.5 for now, I haven't decided lol.  And the blenny will go into quarantine, of course.

[TinyOcean]

Oooooh you! Keeping us in suspense!

[Lula_Mae]

15 minutes ago, TinyOcean said:

Oooooh you! Keeping us in suspense!

 

 

 

Truthfully, I just haven't gotten any pictures taken or anything lol. I'll do a write-up sometime in the near future. 

[Lisa166]

So much happening! I am so excited to see the things when they come in. 

Also, those fishies are 

[gena]

22 hours ago, Lula_Mae said:

So here's a few highlights of things I bought!

Biota cultured gorgonian (Hicksomella sp.)

 

ORA cultured Grube's gorgonian (like @gena's!)--if the parts with no polyp extension are dead I figure I can try fragging the live parts or it or something.

 

Purple montipora digitata--this will be my first-ever SPS!  I like the look of digis but not the colors of most so when I saw this gorgeous purple, I had to try it.

 

Red photosynthetic plating sponge--I love my purple one from @Legendary Corals so I wanted to try another!

 

I've also picked up three plants for my big freshwater tank that I just got a new light for (most of its plants are gone due to neglect and moves so it needs a reboot).  I got a couple blonde African dwarf frogs--they're just as cute as regular ADF's but a neat tan color instead of dark green-brown.  Got some live pods, a couple ceriths, I got something I never thought I would--a scarlet hermit crab.  I generally think hermits are punks but have never tried a scarlet one before so I decided to give it a cautious try.  Asked for a small one lol.  And last but certainly not least...I am going to try an adorable little blenny--a two spot bimaculatus blenny.  They are tiny--only about an inch and a half long when full grown, but they look so cute and are a little different from the popular tailspot blennies.  I'm so excited!  I requested they ship it all to arrive Wednesday so hopefully it'll all arrive safe and sound!

 

You'll LOVE the Grube's .  Also, the parts without polyps is fine..not dead.  It's just a non-fleshy bony flexible stick thingy when it's dead .  Very excited about your purchases!!!!

[Lula_Mae]

19 hours ago, Lisa166 said:

So much happening! I am so excited to see the things when they come in. 

Also, those fishies are 

Thanks!  I am excited too!

 

17 hours ago, gena said:

You'll LOVE the Grube's .  Also, the parts without polyps is fine..not dead.  It's just a non-fleshy bony flexible stick thingy when it's dead .  Very excited about your purchases!!!!

Awesome!  Thanks for that reassurance, I figured it probably wasn't dead but I'm a gorg newb so I wasn't sure!

[gena]

4 hours ago, Lula_Mae said:

Thanks!  I am excited too!

 

Awesome!  Thanks for that reassurance, I figured it probably wasn't dead but I'm a gorg newb so I wasn't sure!

They are super hardy .

[cfaye@Delaware]

Goodness, this order sounds exciting, esp. the order of the hermit crab. I do Hope he works out well for you, I will be thinking of you and the order. You made a bold move on the hermit, I like that. Sending out Hugs on the order.   

[gena]

I just read you have a super secret project in the works . 

[Lula_Mae]

15 hours ago, cfaye@Delaware said:

Goodness, this order sounds exciting, esp. the order of the hermit crab. I do Hope he works out well for you, I will be thinking of you and the order. You made a bold move on the hermit, I like that. Sending out Hugs on the order.   

Haha thanks.  He'll be where he can't bother too much, and I picked a scarlet because they're supposed to be the most docile of hermits and I've actually never had one (only blue legs ever available in my neck of the woods when I kept them before).  He better not cause trouble, though, or he's getting a swirly in the potty!

 

(Just kidding.  I wouldn't do that.  Although I'd think about it.  And it'd be tempting! )

 

3 hours ago, gena said:

I just read you have a super secret project in the works . 

Yes!  Mostly super secret cause I haven't had time to write up a post about it lol.  But I'll try to get that up soon because I think it's going to be lots of fun!  Did some switching from day shift to nights and going back to days and then nights again so I don't know whether I'm coming or going right now lol.

[vlangel]

Wow lula, I love the red sponge.  I also did not know there was a red plating photosynthetic sponge.  Like everyone else I have a purple one that I just love.  It will be fun to see everything in your tank.

...and a secret project?  That sounds exciting!

[teenyreef]

I got one of those red sponges back when I started my 40g. Unfortunately right after that my tank decided it hated sponges so it and my blue sponge both bit the dust. But it was pretty while it lasted 

[Lula_Mae]

3 hours ago, vlangel said:

Wow lula, I love the red sponge.  I also did not know there was a red plating photosynthetic sponge.  Like everyone else I have a purple one that I just love.  It will be fun to see everything in your tank.

...and a secret project?  That sounds exciting!

Thanks, I am so excited!  Diver's Den had another so I think it's being cultivated (all the frags I got are supposed to be aquacultured).

1 hour ago, teenyreef said:

I got one of those red sponges back when I started my 40g. Unfortunately right after that my tank decided it hated sponges so it and my blue sponge both bit the dust. But it was pretty while it lasted 

Aww what a bummer!  I'm hoping it does well for me!

 

Amazon's backordered on the lamp stand so it'll be a few days till the proper light gets on the tank, so I'll probably use my little purple 7w Reef Radiance bulb over the new project for a few days.  Getting a new bulb for this tank--some of my stuff is stretching so I've ordered the 23w ABI Tuna Blue bulb--we'll see how I like the bluer look of it lol.  Hoping it'll give nicer color to some stuff, too.  The bulb currently on here is probably going on the new tank.  LiveAquaria has shipped everything!  Except the blenny, which is apparently out of stock.  Derp.  I noticed the other day that my green grandis paly was closed and mad, so I dipped it in Lugol's and there was a weird sort of "scab" like thing on it, for lack of a better term.  It came off easily.  It looks like it's starting to think about opening up so fingers crossed it's ok because it's my favorite!  Going to try to get pics of the new project so I can finally do a write up, so stay tuned! 

[GregEmmitte]

@Lula_Mae I've been wanting that red sponge forever.. just really haven't had a place to put it. Did you get the one from divers den or regular in stock inverts?

[Lula_Mae]

2 hours ago, GregEmmitte said:

@Lula_Mae I've been wanting that red sponge forever.. just really haven't had a place to put it. Did you get the one from divers den or regular in stock inverts?

I got one from DD because it was on sale $10 cheaper lol.  Thrifty reefer here!

[gena]

Are you working on the write-up?

 

[Lula_Mae]

1 hour ago, gena said:

Are you working on the write-up?

 

Well, I was going to last night, and then I discovered I had a fire ant invasion.  They'd found my lunchbox from work.  I ended up sticking the whole thing in the freezer to kill them so I can clean it out and find what they were so drawn to! And this morning they found the wrappers to the pumpkin spice cupcakes I got from Walmart yesterday. So tonight it's my goal to get a write-up put up lol.

 

I'm not certain but I think LA may have sent me an empty shell instead of a scarlet hermit...maybe it's a sign? I asked for a small one, not an invisible one!

[Lula_Mae]

For your viewing pleasure:

 

The purple digi when I put it in the tank yesterday:

 

I named the betta Bilbo, and put his froggie friends in with him, and he has no idea what to make of these strange creatures invading his space:

 

The 23w ABI Tuna Blue bulb just arrived and I put it over the tank, but I may take off the optics to get a better spread.

[teenyreef]

@Lula_Mae, I'll just leave this here...I've ordered mine! I bought a five pack a couple years ago, as did Ben and, I think, Gena.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-GREEN-BANDED-GOBIES-FISH-PACK-live-saltwater-fish-/282611170528?category=0&buyerid=FpRekKD1aqDkkWXYxrVw/A==&emailtemplateid=135857558&sellerid=abgl/Dyo1eHVX9acl6UETQ==&refid=store&ssPageName=ADME:B:SEMK:US:LISTG

 

He only seems to have them every year or two...