Poodges' 60g - 2022 Photo Dump

[Poodges]

It's a big day on the reef.....I had long been debating adding a RBTA and finally went for it.  Another local reefer in the area was trying to unload a few and I was able to pick this small one up for practically nothing.  I was able to keep it in a net overnight (after acclimating) along with a small rock in hopes it would attach to the rock which it did.  This morning, I put the rock right next to the cave I created just for this RBTA and it slowly crept into the cave.  Success!!! Hopefully it stays put there as it has a lot of room to itself but only time will tell.  Also, I moved a few corals around and I really like the way things look right now.  I'm taking my Kessils up about 5% per month until my corals tell me to stop.  I'm at 50% max now.  Not sure what others are running in a shallow reef like this but everything seems happy.  Growth is slow to moderate I'd say.

 

New RBTA

 

 

Left Side

 

 

Right Side

 

 

FTS

 

 

Top Down

 

 

Toadstool Tunnel

 

 

View from the Couch

 

[Poodges]

Moved a few things around and playing with the settings on my camera to get some macro shots.  Looks like I need to get a different lens...reef photography is hard.

 

FTS

 

 

Puffy

 

 

Mona Lisa

 

 

RBTA

 

 

Yoshi

 

 

Torch

 

 

New digi

 

 

[Poodges]

Still working on my macro photography...I think I need a different lens.  Any Canon users out there have a suggestion for a macro lens?  I'm using the standard 18-55mm that came with my rebel t5.

 

 

 

[Poodges]

Having a little algae bloom on the sand.  I must have kicked up a little too much sand during the last cleaning.  A few new snaps:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Poodges]

My ClearView lid finally came in so I added a jumper; an Exquisite Fairy Wrasse that has potential to be a really beautiful fish.  Also took the kids to Disney in Orlando and had the pleasure of going to @World Wide Corals new store on the way home.  It's really impressive, loaded with nice displays and frags.  Great fish selection too. The employees were friendly and very helpful.  I've been looking for a coral with some movement to add to the top right corner.  Found a nice frag of Cespitularia there which I had never seen before.  It will have the whole rock to itself and hopefully add another dimension to the tank.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Matteo]

Nice tank mate! 

 

Exctied to see it full up with coral and life! 

 

Also that Clearview lid with the three Kessel looks soo cleeeeean

[Matteo]

On 11/2/2019 at 11:51 AM, Poodges said:

Still working on my macro photography...I think I need a different lens.  Any Canon users out there have a suggestion for a macro lens?  I'm using the standard 18-55mm that came with my rebel t5.

 

 

 

I don't have a canon but I know Amazon has a ton of macro lens adapters for pretty cheap. I was thinking of grabbing one for my LumixG85. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Fotodiox-Canon-Extension-Extreme-Close-Ups/dp/B003Y60DZO/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?keywords=canon+macro+lens+adapter&qid=1574535017&sprefix=canon+macro+lens+a&sr=8-6

[Poodges]

3 hours ago, Matteo said:

I don't have a canon but I know Amazon has a ton of macro lens adapters for pretty cheap. I was thinking of grabbing one for my LumixG85. 

 

https://www.amazon.com/Fotodiox-Canon-Extension-Extreme-Close-Ups/dp/B003Y60DZO/ref=mp_s_a_1_6?keywords=canon+macro+lens+adapter&qid=1574535017&sprefix=canon+macro+lens+a&sr=8-6

Hey, thanks so much for the kind words.  I've added my last coral for a while (or so I think).  Time to sit back, let it grow and enjoy.  Thanks for the idea, maybe I'll try one of those adapters and see if it works.  Cheers.

[M&C]

Nice tank, that scape is great. Are those teal/blue candy canes or do they just look that way under the blue lighting? I've been trying to find those and no one seems to carry them, even online vendors for some reason. 

[Poodges]

1 hour ago, M&C said:

Nice tank, that scape is great. Are those teal/blue candy canes or do they just look that way under the blue lighting? I've been trying to find those and no one seems to carry them, even online vendors for some reason. 

Hey, thank you very much.  That is the actual color of the candy canes. I hadn’t seen that color in person before either, only the neon green.  They are definitely tealish under my kessils which I run at about 30-35% color.  

[billygoat]

Just stopping by for the first time, and wow - this tank looks great! Really wonderful job you've done here. It's already a beautiful reef, and I'm sure it's only going to get better from here. 😊

 

I'll be following along!

[Poodges]

22 hours ago, billygoat said:

Just stopping by for the first time, and wow - this tank looks great! Really wonderful job you've done here. It's already a beautiful reef, and I'm sure it's only going to get better from here. 😊

 

I'll be following along!

Thank you so much for taking a look and of course for gorgonian advice.  I went hunting for a purple plume today.  The LFS I went to today had a beautiful, but large one and I had to have it.  It was too tall so I had to frag it into two pieces and I really like the way it turned out.  I just snapped a quick picture under blues as the polyps have started to emerge.  I love the depth and different texture this gorgonian adds.  Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.

 

FTS

 

 

Closer up

 

 

[M&C]

Give this a couple months to grow in and I think it could be TOTM worthy. Really nice work.

[Poodges]

25 minutes ago, M&C said:

Give this a couple months to grow in and I think it could be TOTM worthy. Really nice work.

Oh man...that is the ultimate compliment.  One can dream...

[billygoat]

1 hour ago, Poodges said:

Thank you so much for taking a look and of course for gorgonian advice.  I went hunting for a purple plume today.  The LFS I went to today had a beautiful, but large one and I had to have it.  It was too tall so I had to frag it into two pieces and I really like the way it turned out.  I just snapped a quick picture under blues as the polyps have started to emerge.  I love the depth and different texture this gorgonian adds.  Thanks again for sharing your knowledge.

Oh wow, it looks wonderful! I can't wait to see it with its polyps extended. 😁 The gorgonians fit perfectly into your aquascape! Great job incorporating them. It really does look very beautiful.

 

I think those might actually be Antillogorgia sp. rather than true purple plumes (Muriceopsis flavida) though. You will be able to tell for sure once their polyps extend: Muriceopsis has polyps all around its cylindrical branches, whereas Antillogorgia has polyps only on the edges. Both are very hardy and beautiful gorgonians so it probably doesn't matter much either way anyhow. 😅

[Poodges]

11 hours ago, billygoat said:

Oh wow, it looks wonderful! I can't wait to see it with its polyps extended. 😁 The gorgonians fit perfectly into your aquascape! Great job incorporating them. It really does look very beautiful.

 

I think those might actually be Antillogorgia sp. rather than true purple plumes (Muriceopsis flavida) though. You will be able to tell for sure once their polyps extend: Muriceopsis has polyps all around its cylindrical branches, whereas Antillogorgia has polyps only on the edges. Both are very hardy and beautiful gorgonians so it probably doesn't matter much either way anyhow. 😅

Thank you.  I spent quite a bit of time on placement and they look like they have been there for a long time.  I wasn't totally sure which species I had gotten but I think you are right.  This morning I could see polyps out and they are just on the edges.  The LFS wasn't totally sure of the scientific name, just that they were photosynthetic, aquacultured gorgs and he thought they were plumes.  I'll try and get a better picture this afternoon.

[MGDMIRAGE]

Setup is great and the livestock and scape look awesome 🙂

[Poodges]

1 hour ago, MGDMIRAGE said:

Setup is great and the livestock and scape look awesome 🙂

Thank you so much.  I just spent the last hour + trying to capture my yasha goby who decided to slide through the overflow and disappear in the back chambers.  That was fun... Next time he pulls that crap that's where he will stay.  The grass isn't greener Yoshi.  

[Poodges]

It's been 1 year since I started this tank with the contents of my 29g Biocube and some additional cured live rock.  It's interesting how everything has changed; some corals have grown tremendously while others have stayed the same or even receded.  Welcomed some new fish and lost some others along the way.  Moved rock, tossed rock, shift this here, move that there....non-stop tinkering.  I'd like to say it's time to sit back and watch it grow but I know I can't keep my hands out.  I have loved every minute of it, even with the ups and downs.  Enjoying the beauty of this hobby with my kids by my side is something I'm truly thankful for.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[billygoat]

Congrats on one year! That's a big milestone and no mistake. Here's to many more good returns for this beautiful aquarium!🍻 I look forward to watching it grow even more beautiful in the months to come.

 

As for your new gorgonian: definitely Antillogorgia (formerly known as Pseudopterogorgia; most retailers continue to use this name), no doubt about it. Species-level identification is difficult with this genus, but all are hardy and make for a good addition to a mixed reef. The two frags you picked up seriously look like they have been there since day 1 of your tank. Excellent job with placement there.

[Poodges]

Happy thanksgiving y’all 

 

[Poodges]

Time to do a little photo-dump.  Still tweaking the placement of a few corals and busted up a small rock for some rubble.  Hoping to order some loose ricordea florida soon.  I had some time to take pictures from a few unique angles today after cleaning the glass:

 

My favorite rock:

 

 

Favorite rock top down:

 

 

Kid's view of the tank, interesting perspective:

 

 

Top down:

 

 

Circus Ring zoas and Coal Miners:

 

 

Lower right is a neat combo:

 

 

Lower right top down:

 

 

Fire and Ice zoas:

 

 

Scooter and Jacques:

 

 

RBTA:

 

 

Long distance:

 

 

 

[Poodges]

@billygoat any idea what's going in with my gorgonian?  Some polyp extension yesterday and none today... shedding?  Sorry for the crappy iPhone pic.  I can see little bumps where the polyps usually extend but that's it.  All other corals look normal including sps.

 

[billygoat]

6 hours ago, Poodges said:

@billygoat any idea what's going in with my gorgonian?  Some polyp extension yesterday and none today... shedding?  Sorry for the crappy iPhone pic.  I can see little bumps where the polyps usually extend but that's it.  All other corals look normal including sps.

My first guess would be to say that it's simply shedding. Has it shed since you put it into the tank? If not that's probably what it is up to. Keep an eye on it and see how the situation develops over the next couple of days. If it doesn't open up again come Monday or Tuesday, something else may be at play.

[DNR88]

That last picture (long distance FTS) is great! 👍