29 gallon: R.E.E.F Tank

[Ratvan]

2 hours ago, EthanPhillyCheesesteak said:

Also, just to see everybody’s opinions, I’m going to an LFS this weekend, which corals should I get to really make my tank stand out and pop? I was thinking a frogspawn maybe, but what else do you think? They have almost any coral you can think of at this LFS, but which one should I get? Should I get a colony of something?

Can you throw up a FTS so we can have a look? 

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

8 minutes ago, Tamberav said:

Ricordia mushrooms are very bright and you can mix colors.

 

Frogspawn or hammers are nice too and give you some height.

 

I wouldn't put a goby in with those crabs btw.

Yea, I have one ric right now, but it’s not very big. Definitely gonna look for a euphyllia that I can get that’s not too expensive. And I would never even consider putting a goby in with those crabs. I’m a little scared of even putting the clown in there with the crabs. If I would put a goby in there, I would get rid of the big crab.

9 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

Can you throw up a FTS so we can have a look? 

What’s FTS again? Sorry, this is a noobie question😂

[Ratvan]

Full Tank Shot

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

Oh ok, I’ll get one when I get home today

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

Cyano looks a lot better after the water change. There’s not as much as there usually is. So what should I get?

For some reason the cyano looks a lot worse on my phone camera than in real life

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

The zoas are multiplying like there’s no tomorrow. I only used to have like 5 Granny Smith zoas and now I have this much. 

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

I’m also considering changing the aquascape again. I thought I would like the flat plane, but it just doesn’t look very natural and I’m trying to go for the more natural look.

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

Y’all asked me to post a FTS and you didn’t say what I should do?😂

[Ratvan]

7 hours ago, EthanPhillyCheesesteak said:

Y’all asked me to post a FTS and you didn’t say what I should do?😂

Sorry was sleeping 😄 

 

I personally like the lower flat scape, but its your tank. Me personally I'd look at getting some height in behind the rocks and break that back wall up. Couple of Gorgonians? Would break up that backwall nicely. If you wanted to go that route @billygoat seems to have the magic touch 

 

Maybe some decorative macro algae would look nice in here? Specifically thinking of the Red Species but there are also some beautiful greens and blues. 

 

I also will be starting to buy Colonies (seem to be cheaper and more hardy than frags), alternatively something like a Trumpet or Candy Cane Colony would look nice in that corner on the right? The below is the sort of size that I would look at picking up 

http://www.coralsonline.co.uk/product.aspx?id=2660#.XbFfruhKiUk

http://www.coralsonline.co.uk/product.aspx?id=2927#.XbFfruhKiUk

 

Have you tried SPS Corals? Do you like them? Maybe see if you can pick up a cheap Colony of Acro, Seriatopora, Pocilliopora, a nice plating Monti? After trying a frag first obviously 😄

http://www.coralsonline.co.uk/product.aspx?id=2894#.XbFgR-hKiUk

http://www.coralsonline.co.uk/product.aspx?id=2919#.XbFgrOhKiUk

http://www.coralsonline.co.uk/product.aspx?id=2921#.XbFgrehKiUk

 

 

 

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

4 hours ago, Ratvan said:

Sorry was sleeping 😄 

 

I personally like the lower flat scape, but its your tank. Me personally I'd look at getting some height in behind the rocks and break that back wall up. Couple of Gorgonians? Would break up that backwall nicely. If you wanted to go that route @billygoat seems to have the magic touch 

 

Maybe some decorative macro algae would look nice in here? Specifically thinking of the Red Species but there are also some beautiful greens and blues. 

 

I also will be starting to buy Colonies (seem to be cheaper and more hardy than frags), alternatively something like a Trumpet or Candy Cane Colony would look nice in that corner on the right? The below is the sort of size that I would look at picking up 

http://www.coralsonline.co.uk/product.aspx?id=2660#.XbFfruhKiUk

http://www.coralsonline.co.uk/product.aspx?id=2927#.XbFfruhKiUk

 

Have you tried SPS Corals? Do you like them? Maybe see if you can pick up a cheap Colony of Acro, Seriatopora, Pocilliopora, a nice plating Monti? After trying a frag first obviously 😄

http://www.coralsonline.co.uk/product.aspx?id=2894#.XbFgR-hKiUk

http://www.coralsonline.co.uk/product.aspx?id=2919#.XbFgrOhKiUk

http://www.coralsonline.co.uk/product.aspx?id=2921#.XbFgrehKiUk

 

 

 

When I first started my tank, my first coral was a pocillopora frag and I had it for about almost a year I think, but then a peppermint shrimp tore it apart. I did try a monti but that didn’t work out, it survived for like 4 months. A colony would look nice, if I could pick one up that’s not a fortune, I may do that. I was looking at the blue hypnea algae(not sure if I spelled that right), or the blue scroll algae. I’ve never considered gorgonians, do they come in nice colors?

[Ratvan]

1 minute ago, EthanPhillyCheesesteak said:

When I first started my tank, my first coral was a pocillopora frag and I had it for about almost a year I think, but then a peppermint shrimp tore it apart. I did try a monti but that didn’t work out, it survived for like 4 months. A colony would look nice, if I could pick one up that’s not a fortune, I may do that. I was looking at the blue hypnea algae(not sure if I spelled that right), or the blue scroll algae. I’ve never considered gorgonians, do they come in nice colors?

Very nice Macro Algae choices as well, not seen much of that Blue Scroll around

 

I can only really find Photosynthetics near me

https://thecoralcentre.co.uk/collections/gorgonian/products/yellow-polyp-photosynthetic-gorgonian-2 - 😍

https://thecoralcentre.co.uk/collections/gorgonian/products/photosynthetic-gorgonian-6

 

But yes I believe you can get Purple Plumes as well. Some of the non photosynthetics are nice as well

 

How long ago did you try the Monti? 

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

Just now, Ratvan said:

Very nice Macro Algae choices as well, not seen much of that Blue Scroll around

 

I can only really find Photosynthetics near me

https://thecoralcentre.co.uk/collections/gorgonian/products/yellow-polyp-photosynthetic-gorgonian-2 - 😍

https://thecoralcentre.co.uk/collections/gorgonian/products/photosynthetic-gorgonian-6

 

But yes I believe you can get Purple Plumes as well. Some of the non photosynthetics are nice as well

 

How long ago did you try the Monti? 

About maybe 2 months ago. It died before I started doing bigger water changes and before I started added amino acids every week. I’m now doing these things and I have been seeing a huge improvement in all my corals. Especially my zoa this which are growing like crazy. My trachy has also doubled in size since I’ve been doing everything and my single acan that I have used to be going downhill and I thought he was not gonna make it, but ever since I’ve been doing all of this, he has been making a comeback. He’s growing the skin back over his skeleton and I’m hoping he may make a new head soon.

So I’m prepared to give sps another try, but I want to start out small. With something not super expensive and just a small frag.

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

What do you believe to be the easiest sps that you can get?

[Ratvan]

1 minute ago, EthanPhillyCheesesteak said:

About maybe 2 months ago. It died before I started doing bigger water changes and before I started added amino acids every week. I’m now doing these things and I have been seeing a huge improvement in all my corals. Especially my zoa this which are growing like crazy. My trachy has also doubled in size since I’ve been doing everything and my single acan that I have used to be going downhill and I thought he was not gonna make it, but ever since I’ve been doing all of this, he has been making a comeback. He’s growing the skin back over his skeleton and I’m hoping he may make a new head soon.

So I’m prepared to give sps another try, but I want to start out small. With something not super expensive and just a small frag.

Maybe stick up a wanted thread in the classifieds and see if someone can send you a couple of "easy" SPS frags. 

Stylopora, Birdsnest, Plating Monti and Monti Digita and also Bali Slimer seem to be the "entry" level SPS 

I can keep the Stylopora but not Monti's for some reason. I just slowly lose PE on them 🤷‍♂️

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

2 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

Maybe stick up a wanted thread in the classifieds and see if someone can send you a couple of "easy" SPS frags. 

Stylopora, Birdsnest, Plating Monti and Monti Digita and also Bali Slimer seem to be the "entry" level SPS 

I can keep the Stylopora but not Monti's for some reason. I just slowly lose PE on them 🤷‍♂️

I kinda have the same problem. They just slowly start to lose skin. I can keep pocillopora coral and other corals like that, but idk why I can’t keep montis. It’s also the same with chalice corals for some reason. I checked my calcium and everything and it’s where it’s supposed to be

Yea I’ll throw up one, I’ll see if anyone has anything 

[Tamberav]

Digis seem pretty hardy.

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

I’ll do some research on them first before I buy anything for my tank

Also, I saw this on that site you showed me ratvan. These shrooms look insane, I’ve never seen a bounce Mushroom look like this.

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

I also saw this and it says it’s a nuclear implosion paly, but I’ve never seen any paly look like this before?

[Ratvan]

2 minutes ago, EthanPhillyCheesesteak said:

I’ll do some research on them first before I buy anything for my tank

Also, I saw this on that site you showed me ratvan. These shrooms look insane, I’ve never seen a bounce Mushroom look like this.

Yeah some of the St Thomas Mushrooms (Rhodactis Samctithomae) can actually look pretty similar to BTA's 

Really good store, the website is dog shite though as nothing is ever in stock lol

[Snow_Phoenix]

5 minutes ago, EthanPhillyCheesesteak said:

I also saw this and it says it’s a nuclear implosion paly, but I’ve never seen any paly look like this before?

Looks like it's outer 'skirt' is folded in, giving it the scrunched in appearance. Otherwise, that does look like a Paly to me.

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

14 minutes ago, Snow_Phoenix said:

Looks like it's outer 'skirt' is folded in, giving it the scrunched in appearance. Otherwise, that does look like a Paly to me.

Oh ok, it just looked weird was all

15 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

Yeah some of the St Thomas Mushrooms (Rhodactis Samctithomae) can actually look pretty similar to BTA's 

Really good store, the website is dog shite though as nothing is ever in stock lol

I know multiple websites that are like that

[billygoat]

4 hours ago, EthanPhillyCheesesteak said:

What do you believe to be the easiest sps that you can get?

Pavona is also a very easy-to-keep genus of SPS corals. They have a reputation for thriving in conditions that most other SPS would be unable to tolerate.

 

I personally am a fan of low-profile rockscapes, so I vote for not changing that too much. As @Ratvan mentioned, you could also try using gorgonians to fill up vertical space. Photosynthetic gorgs are not particularly colorful (most have purple, yellow, or tan bodies, but will look brown with all their polyps extended), but many are quite hardy and should do well as long as they are given sufficient light and flow.

[EthanPhillyCheesesteak]

34 minutes ago, billygoat said:

Pavona is also a very easy-to-keep genus of SPS corals. They have a reputation for thriving in conditions that most other SPS would be unable to tolerate.

 

I personally am a fan of low-profile rockscapes, so I vote for not changing that too much. As @Ratvan mentioned, you could also try using gorgonians to fill up vertical space. Photosynthetic gorgs are not particularly colorful (most have purple, yellow, or tan bodies, but will look brown with all their polyps extended), but many are quite hardy and should do well as long as they are given sufficient light and flow.

I do like the aquascape still, but I’m just frustrated, bc I can’t find very many corals that actually like being attached to the flat surface of the rock. I feel like there’s too much light there. I would like a rock flower anemone garden, but Idk if they would like that flat rock. What do you think?

[NoOneLikesADryTang]

1 hour ago, EthanPhillyCheesesteak said:

I do like the aquascape still, but I’m just frustrated, bc I can’t find very many corals that actually like being attached to the flat surface of the rock. I feel like there’s too much light there. I would like a rock flower anemone garden, but Idk if they would like that flat rock. What do you think?

Rock Flowers like places they can put their foot in to, and hold on. They can be on a vertical wall, but there has to be somewhere for their foot to attach for them to stay put. From what I could tell, your rock looked mostly flat, and I highly doubt that a RFA would stay on that rock. It would roam until it found a spot it liked. 

[billygoat]

9 minutes ago, NoOneLikesADryTang said:

Rock Flowers like places they can put their foot in to, and hold on. They can be on a vertical wall, but there has to be somewhere for their foot to attach for them to stay put. From what I could tell, your rock looked mostly flat, and I highly doubt that a RFA would stay on that rock. It would roam until it found a spot it liked. 

I agree. They especially like cracks and crevices where they can wedge their foot into the rock. Mine seems to like being right where the rock meets the sand, with its foot attached to the rock beneath the substrate. They are likely to roam until they find a suitable spot, but once they do they will rarely leave it.