Ratvan's Old School Pico - Rockwall Pico v2

[Ratvan]

So mixed again this morning when looking at the Pico Tank, Benny is doing great. He now leaves his perch and comes to the front when he see's me arrive in the morning. So Cute.  

 

 

In other news, the corals are not looking that great (except Duncan, Monti Plate has not receded further) my Zoa's (except for a Frag of 3) are all covered in some brown "gunk" I have been dipping and blowing this off the Polyps for the past few days, the flesh of the Zoa's are now looking really thin. Not really sure what I can do for these? Maybe give them a few days rest and carry on dipping?

 

You can see some of the Polyps have "melted" away in the below image. 

 

Palys seem to be not as badly affected, but still closed

 

I see the Aiptasia on the last photo, I have bigger issues at the moment then these guys

 

[seabass]

Yeah, closed is one thing, melting is another.  I'm not sure there is hope for the melting ones.  I remember you mentioning what you where dipping them in.  However, I'm not seeing it just now.  I know one was iodine.

 

I have dipped zoas in a 1:1 mix of 3% hydrogen peroxide and tank water.  I'll soak them for a minute, then let them oxidize for another minute in the air, then rinse them off in a bath of tank water (blowing water across them with a turkey baster) before returning them to the tank.  This cleans them off pretty well and removes algae, pods, and more.  Note: I do this to relatively healthy zoas, I'm not sure what it would do to melting frags, but you might lose them anyway.

[Pjanssen]

On 6/25/2019 at 4:13 AM, Ratvan said:

Actively looking for a second Goby now

Be careful getting another goby of similar size and shape, especially of the same breed. Unless they are a mated pair, they will likely not get along and the tank is not big enough for them to establish their own territories.

[Ratvan]

1 hour ago, seabass said:

Yeah, closed is one thing, melting is another.  I'm not sure there is hope for the melting ones.  I remember you mentioning what you where dipping them in.  However, I'm not seeing it just now.  I know one was iodine.

 

I have dipped zoas in a 1:1 mix of 3% hydrogen peroxide and tank water.  I'll soak them for a minute, then let them oxidize for another minute in the air, then rinse them off in a bath of tank water (blowing water across them with a turkey baster) before returning them to the tank.  This cleans them off pretty well and removes algae, pods, and more.  Note: I do this to relatively healthy zoas, I'm not sure what it would do to melting frags, but you might lose them anyway.

I've taken them to my LFS, apparently a few years back there were a lot of cases of Zoa Fungus/Pox. Apparently the guy is confident that he can save them for me (for the price of a frag off the frag) so ill leave them there for a few weeks and see what is what. He's given me a couple of "tester" corals to try out in my tank to see what I can actually keep alive 😄

 

This is my Dip (unbranded CoralRx Essentially)

57 minutes ago, Pjanssen said:

Be careful getting another goby of similar size and shape, especially of the same breed. Unless they are a mated pair, they will likely not get along and the tank is not big enough for them to establish their own territories.

Speaking to the LFS's in my area, none have a similar sized partner for Benny, so will probably leave it and concentrate on trying to get some Green Clown Gobies for my 5.5G (added more rock today) 

 

So MUSHROOMS

 

I got a "shelf" of what looks like an Acan Skeleton with 5 of the above sized Ricordea? shrooms (1-2cm) and many many (over 6) babies 

 

Also was given a mussel shell with these Discosoma? shrooms all over

 

Not great colour, due to shopping, travelling and dipping. Hopefully they will colour up

[Wonderboy]

Awesome - Mr. LFS sounds like a very helpful guy. Those mushrooms are very nice looking in their current condition! I think your identifications are correct. Those ricordea are 👍 👍

[Ratvan]

12 minutes ago, Wonderboy said:

Awesome - Mr. LFS sounds like a very helpful guy. Those mushrooms are very nice looking in their current condition! I think your identifications are correct. Those ricordea are 👍 👍

Yeah he really is. I been a customer for roughly 6 years (fw and pet supplies) so we know each other fairly well. I might also have some Cory fry to through his way shortly

[Ratvan]

New Mushrooms colouring up nicely this morning, have also been playing with hanging options on the 5.5G Cube

 

 

Any idea what the thing in the centre of the rock is? Feel smooth, somewhat solid but a little squishy?

And look another Hitch Hiker. It's pretty

 

[Tempestas]

Those mushrooms are gorgeous. Just insane the amount of colour that can be packed onto one of them

[Tamberav]

I love the mushies!

 

Iodine based dips usually save any melting zoas in my experience.

[Ratvan]

5 minutes ago, Tempestas said:

Those mushrooms are gorgeous. Just insane the amount of colour that can be packed onto one of them

I know, they looked really bland in the LFS as well. Its amazing the difference lighting makes 

5 minutes ago, Tamberav said:

I love the mushies!

 

Iodine based dips usually save any melting zoas in my experience.

Thanks, so do I. Looking for different colour morphs now.

The Dip I have is Iodine based, I may just not have the Zoa knack. Like in FW I can never get Anubias to grow (i know right)

[Tamberav]

I have been failing at Xenia for like 8 years.... actually finally have some that looks okay right now. 

[A.m.P]

If it moves it might be some kind of Sea slug, if not it looks like some kind of sponge, pretty neat looking though whatever it is lol. Love those metallic teal blue mushrooms!

[Ratvan]

19 hours ago, Amphrites said:

If it moves it might be some kind of Sea slug, if not it looks like some kind of sponge, pretty neat looking though whatever it is lol. Love those metallic teal blue mushrooms!

Doesn't seem to have moved looking at it now, compared to the photos from yesterday, Interestingly the colours are also enriching. Sponge then

I have a Baby Mushroom in my mushroom box now. 

Here it is as I found it this morning, 

 

In it's prison, in Mushroom box in my 5.5G Cube (it's in Pico at the moment)

Benny now hangs out on and around the shroom rock towards the front of the tank

 

So now appears that all of the Babies on the rock are getting ready to drop off. The mushroom box is going to be busy the next few weeks

That tube at the front of the first mushroom has something inside, not seen it emerge fully yet (always catch it out of the corner of my eye) but excited to see what it is

 

Also now fairly sure that this is an Aiptasia of some form but I think it looks lovely

 

[Ratvan]

Better photo of nem thing

 

 

[A.m.P]

I forgot to comment on that looking like aptasia, be careful they may look okay at first but they can get totally out of hand very quickly (at least some species can that is)

[Ratvan]

Just now, Amphrites said:

I forgot to comment on that looking like aptasia, be careful they may look okay at first but they can get totally out of hand very quickly (at least some species can that is)

I wasn't sure but assumed that it was (aiptasia), I snipped off the chunk of Coral Skeleton that it is on and have stuffed it in a mushroom box. I want it to grow a bit but not in my Pico or 5.5g so may set up a tiny little coffee Jar Pico (0.5l) only issue will be water movement (can fit under the Chinese Black Box for light) as heat is fairly stable in the office now we are fully air conditioned

[Ratvan]

June 2019 FTS

 

June 2019 Tank Goals

So at the end of April I started to review what I wanted to achieve within each month, I will be reviewing 

• Coral Growth. I will be doing as much research as possible to get the best growth on my existing Corals

Lmao, I have lost everything except a bleached Green Montipora and my Duncan. I have added some Mushrooms and am daily collecting babies that I am trying to get to attach to some rock rubble in a small container within my 5.5G (test parameters). 

• Coral Colouration. I want to be able to produce some really interesting and bright Zoa heads from the tank. Or any other Corals

The Asta 20 LED light has definitely improved the colouration on my Corals, my Blue Discosoma Mushrooms are starting to show signs of fluorescence around the mouth and I have had no further bleaching of the Monti. I do want to see if I can frag what is left and add some to my 5.5G Pico to see how they react under my Chinese Black Box  

• Fragging, I want to learn how to Frag these corals and maybe also create some of my own Zoa Frag Plugs

Well this was not as bad as I thought that it would be, things could be tidier but overall happy with my progress on the Zoa's. I accidentally fragged a mushroom and now have two where i had one, that was easy to do. 

• Aquascape. I am very unhappy about my Aquascape and want to change it, however i know that i am likely to change this again later so considering removing the large live rock for some smaller individual pieces.

Still not a great fan of the Aquascape, but to be honest I think I am going to leave it now and focus on getting coral growth and obviously a few Ricordea's, I will most likely fiddle around with the rockwork but think i will hold off any major rescape for the contest at least. I want to slowly turn this into a Rubble Zone and have an idea how to do this (buy mushrooms on rocks only and smash the rocks to rubble)

 

New HOB. SO much happier with it. Smaller profile and seesm to move more water around than my Marina Slim S20 did, It also has a large area where I am looking at installing a small heater, hopefully then I can have a clear DT and hidden equipment. 

[Tempestas]

Considering what you've been through, I still think the tank looks great.

 

Such a pity that you're in the UK otherwise I'd have asked for a baby or two

[Ratvan]

2 minutes ago, Tempestas said:

Considering what you've been through, I still think the tank looks great.

 

Such a pity that you're in the UK otherwise I'd have asked for a baby or two

Thank you, its hobbling along nicely i think. I have learned a lot since joining this contest. Hopefully the next few lessons wont be as expensive lol. ]I've actually posted on another Forum (UK Based) and no one seems interested in the babies 😞 I will add some to the 5.5G but would be nice to have another Reefer with a back up to my corals. My LFS will give me store credit, but there is not that much that is in that I am interested in. Would be happy to send out the babies if i could

 

[Ratvan]

Over the weekend while I was fishing, driving and recovering from the Base Burn for the summer I spent a lot of time reading as much as I could about Benny (Trimma Rubromaculatus) and discovered that he is from the Cebu area of the Philippines and his natural habitat is the Reef Rubble Zone.

 

Some further digging and the majority of Corals that I can see in this sort of area seems to consist of Plating Corals, Soft Corals and Mushrooms....... which fits in with the theme of my 5.5G Green Clown Goby Biotope. Now I quite like my Mushrooms and decided that I may as well shop for both tanks at the same time. I want to concentrate mainly on Ricordea Yuma and Discosoma mushrooms and have placed an order at a couple of online shops to collect some colour morphs. 

 

 

So that should give me the following Morphs 

 

Ricordea Yuma

• Blue Ricordea Yuma
• Orange Rainbow Ricordea (NEW ORDER)
• Purple/Pink Ricordea (NEW ORDER)
• Metallic Lava Ricordea (NEW ORDER)
• Emerald Jewel Ricordea (NEW ORDER)

 

Discosoma

• Blue Discosoma
• Lava Lamp Discosoma (NEW ORDER)
• Opal Sparkle Discosoma (NEW ORDER)
• Red Discosoma (NEW ORDER)
• Tiger Tamerin Discosoma (NEW ORDER)
• Ultra Toxoc Green Discosoma (NEW ORDER)

Finally some WYSIWYG photo's of teh mushrooms that I am most excited about receiving 

Emerald Jewel Ricordea

 

 Metallic Lava Ricordea

 

Tiger Tamerin Discosoma

 

 

[Wonderboy]

Love the reflection post! I was laughing out loud at that fragging part   :]

 

I think everything is definitely coming along - I am super stoked for the rubble idea - you're going to have more mushrooms than you'll know what to do with - lol, you almost already do with all those babies! Store credit isn't horrible; maybe they can special order certain things?

 

Wow. You have great taste in mushrooms - aren't they all almost irresistible?

[Ratvan]

11 minutes ago, Wonderboy said:

Love the reflection post! I was laughing out loud at that fragging part   :]

 

I think everything is definitely coming along - I am super stoked for the rubble idea - you're going to have more mushrooms than you'll know what to do with - lol, you almost already do with all those babies! Store credit isn't horrible; maybe they can special order certain things?

 

Wow. You have great taste in mushrooms - aren't they all almost irresistible?

Yeah I used bone snips to remove the rock that the aiptasia was on and in trying to avoid a duster I snipped a mushroom. Then well carried on and it slimmed a lot but looks good. 

 

They can order in but a lot seems to be seasonal, I have asked about the Green Clown Gobies, waiting on a lead time for them. 

 

I loved the Zoas as well until I realised how small they were lol. Definately loving the mushrooms at the minute am surprised by the vast variety of them. Also keeping it cheap so no Rodactis (seem to be collectors prices) 

 

Although the metallic lava Yuma is out of my price range (£22) I decided that it's my anniversary present from the Mrs to me. Everything else is roughly £10 a frag. Also find that buying on live rock is easier for me to care for.... not had much luck with Frags on plugs

[Ratvan]

Well whatever the other Hitch Hiker is on the Mushroom rock, it is defiantly changing 

 

When added 26/06/209

(

 

This Morning 02.07.2019

 

Definitely has darkened and also grown some "nodules" also noticed that nice little Neon Glow coming from nearby, be interested to see what that is as well,

 

Just waiting on a delivery date for my Coral Deliveries at the minute 😴

[Ratvan]

Well got bored and set up a Coffee Jar Pico, Pico (200 gram jar) for the interesting Pests i seem to acquire. 

Then I fed the Aiptasia some Rotifiers. 

Unheated and within light spill range of my Asta 20 

 

 

[debbeach13]

and I thought I was bored!