Indo-Pacific Goby Biotope (SHUT DOWN 2019.10.04)

[Ratvan]

1 minute ago, billygoat said:

That blenny is looking a lot better! Nice job fattening him up.

 

Nice lunch too! 👍

LMAO that was unintentional 

But thank you

[A.m.P]

No wonder he's putting on weight, little blighter's eating better than I am.
Oh and a normal blue candy cane should run $5-15 for a head or two.

[Ratvan]

@billygoat shame I'm not doing a Caribbean biotope with that Curried Goat. 

 

Been told that the office will shut off power tonight...... great in 1.5 hours

[Ratvan]

Morning All

 

Hope you had a good weekend. 

 

Nearly had a heart attack this morning, could not find Cujo anywhere. Considering that the power to this tank and the Pico was off from Friday 5pm until Midday Saturday I expected the worse, I wrapped the tank with spare Polyboxes from coral orders and a multitude of Hi Vis Clothing before I left in an attempt to conserve as much heat as possible, Couldn't see him so decided to feed the tank, just before he shot out I spotted him underneath the GSP

 

 

Need to blast the GSP as it has some weird kind of algae growth over the top (red/pink colouring) as does my Toadstool so i guess that today will be maintenance day. Also might clean the front glass.....

[Ratvan]

Right so I seem to have started to get a fair amount of Green Hair Algae forming on my rocks. I have been pulling and scrubbing for a couple of weeks now so I think it is time to add to my CuC. I am thinking of adding another load of Red Legged and Blue Legged Hermits to the tank. I might pop in a Mexican Turbo and remove it once it has made a big dent in the growth. Cujo likes to tear bits of it off as well, which is nice. 

 

I have a fair bit Film Algae growing on my glass as well, so I am looking into picking up some Astreas and possibly a Cowrie, I will also order a bag load of Stomatella's in my next coral order (September after my Holiday, Mrs Birthday, Anniversary and something else all rolled into one)

 

 

[Ratvan]

 

[Ratvan]

 

The barnacles are the place to be

[billygoat]

Those barnacles seem like they've been a great addition! I tried to get a similar thing going in my own tank by adding a large shell for my blenny to hide in, but he's got his spot in the rock and he's not much interested in going anywhere else. 😄

 

Give it a bit of time and those barnacles will probably become encrusted with coralline and other cool growth. I love watching that stuff grow in and fill up space. It's one of my favorite parts of the hobby.

[Ratvan]

Comparison Shot of Cujo since he came out and hung around for a bit today

 

Bottom image was 24.07.2019 top image was today 14.08.19.

3 Weeks Progress

[A.m.P]

Looks much healthier, nice color and a fully-belly. Awesome to see.

[billygoat]

25 minutes ago, Amphrites said:

Looks much healthier, nice color and a fully-belly. Awesome to see.

Yeah, I'll say! If you'd asked me in the beginning if that fish was going to make it, I would have told you straight up that it was almost certainly doomed. Look how concave its belly was! Nice job rehabilitating it Ratvan. 🙏

[Ratvan]

2 minutes ago, billygoat said:

Yeah, I'll say! If you'd asked me in the beginning if that fish was going to make it, I would have told you straight up that it was almost certainly doomed. Look how concave its belly was! Nice job rehabilitating it Ratvan. 🙏

I was advised not too but I kept walking past him and yeah.... couldn't leave it like that in with clowns. Think he got out competed for food. I would not do it again though cost me more than the fish would in various pods

[Ratvan]

3 hours ago, billygoat said:

Those barnacles seem like they've been a great addition! I tried to get a similar thing going in my own tank by adding a large shell for my blenny to hide in, but he's got his spot in the rock and he's not much interested in going anywhere else. 😄

 

Give it a bit of time and those barnacles will probably become encrusted with coralline and other cool growth. I love watching that stuff grow in and fill up space. It's one of my favorite parts of the hobby.

Like this one? Looks like it blends into the rock

 

[KimmyB75]

Thank you for referencing my journal!! It makes me smile a little when something I share can help give others ideas. 

 

Looks like everything is coming along nicely! I love my barnacle cluster and so does one of my Fire Goby. Just set up a 2.6g Fluval Spec AIO for a pico tank. Took mostly everything from the 40B to make it. Nothing in it yet as other than a nice chunk of LR. Upgraded the pump with a Harbor Freight small pond pump. Moves the water so much better than the tiny pump it came with. I will have to get some pics posted. It's actually really cute! Was contemplating on moving the peppermint shrimp to it, but just not sure just yet. Going to let it sit and run till something inspires me. 

 

Oh for those who were helping with Mr. Bubbles (the Sebae nem) situation, I have decided it was best to send him to a new larger home. I hope he has many years of happiness in his new tank. No more nems for me. To much like taking care of a constantly sick child and I sure don't have time to babysit it.

 

If I can manage to find more nice barnacle clusters, I will most definitely be adding them. They are the best.

[Ratvan]

Decided to do a bit of a deeper clean this morning on the tank, mainly as I am away from Friday until September for work. Also taking the Mrs with me on this trip for some brownie points. 

 

Anyways, removed the rocks, so I could get to the detritus and spotted these things growing between the Glass and the Eggcrate.

They look to me like Tunicates?

[Snow_Phoenix]

2 hours ago, Ratvan said:

Decided to do a bit of a deeper clean this morning on the tank, mainly as I am away from Friday until September for work. Also taking the Mrs with me on this trip for some brownie points. 

 

Anyways, removed the rocks, so I could get to the detritus and spotted these things growing between the Glass and the Eggcrate.

They look to me like Tunicates?

They are filter feeders (pineapple sponges). Harmless. 

[Ratvan]

8 minutes ago, Snow_Phoenix said:

They are filter feeders (pineapple sponges). Harmless. 

I guessed harmless as they looked like filter feeders, i just like giving the correct names to things. 

So remember the issue I had with getting a Hammer shipped to me? Compensation has arrived this morning, the actual f#ck am I going to do with this? Pico it I guess?

[A.m.P]

It's so cute lol, the pico might be too big, do you have a dixy cup?

[Ratvan]

2 minutes ago, Amphrites said:

It's so cute lol, the pico might be too big, do you have a dixy cup?

maybe 3/4" at most. I didn't think they sent me anything till I spotted him in the corner of the bag, wasn't moving so I stuck my finger in and chomp! I like him

He does make the Pico look a lot larger lol

[A.m.P]

At least it has spunk lol?

[billygoat]

Oh man, they just sent you a clown out of the blue? That's hilarious. 😁 At least it'll end up having a good life I guess!

[Ratvan]

44 minutes ago, billygoat said:

Oh man, they just sent you a clown out of the blue? That's hilarious. 😁 At least it'll end up having a good life I guess!

Yeah last i heard was me saying please dont send anything other than my coral order, also package with styrofoam to keep the hammer safer from my delivery guy.

 

I'm mixed about it to be honest. On one hand. Wooooohoooooooo fishie fishie fishie. On the other what wouldve happened if i wasnt able to take delivery? Or worse if i lost my cool and took down all my tanks? LFS credit I suppose. Still I am grateful if a little annoyed.

 

Although fairly sure it's an Ocellaris which means Indo Pacific if I am not mistaken.

[Ratvan]

Oh yeah and when I was at the LFS I picked up a generic "Red Paly" from the bargain bin. Thought I would give it a go with a cheap frag again. So "Red" looks Green and Orange and Yellow to me but whatever. Under heavy blue just look washed out and weird. Nothing much looks great under blues at the minute so whites are a tad higher (plus red green and purple)

 

Last Frag from that LFS. Pulled out about 12 Microbristles from this frag which was good. Split them between the tanks. Bad news about 5 Nudis as well as bubble algae and red flatworm. That was fun. Used RO for the first dip and scrub. Then dettol and old tank water 1ml per litre. Got a load of eggs off as well.

 

 

[Ratvan]

Right so I am gearing up for September additions, since my 3 nearest LFS all seem to have issues with their tanks that I don't want to deal with (Cyano, Redtape Worm, Infestation of Nudi's, Aiptasia, Dead Livestock in DT) I have decided that I am going to be taking part in some Frag swaps/Purchases with some reefers on a UK based forum (Ultimate Reef if anyone UK is interested). I am thinking that this should give me some more hardy versions of the Corals as they most likely have been tank grown and therefore not as many issues with Wholesalers and the British Market getting the slim pickings after Asia, USA and Australia.

 

So Frags that I am looking at with Prices

 

Lobo - £30

 

Duncan - £25.00

 

Candy Cane £30.00 @Elephant999 did you collect a Frag of this from this reefer?

 

Acan £15

 

Acan £15

 

Orange Mushroom Rock £40.00

 

 

Would love that Duncan, Candy Cane and wouldn't mind trying out either Acan or Lobo. Or Bubble Coral if I can find one. Those things are 😍

[Ratvan]

Cleaned Tank, HOB and Rocks int his as well today, vacation preparation work. Lost Cujo until I spotted him hiding in one of the Rocks. Well I say spotted he bit me and buggered off back into the rock. Didn't realise that was so hollow. 

 

Ignore tank markings, that's for the Office staff for next week with Manual Top Offs 

 

Had a rescape and feel a bit better about the layout. Cujo is also more active with this set up as he has caves at various levels. Am trying to get the Xenia and GSP to cover the barnacles in this tank as well. The Xenia has already moved off of the original frag rock onto the rock on which the barnacles are resting so shuffled the frag a bit closer. Spotted a Aiptasia in my GSP mat so cut that out and added small pieces of GSP to the top of the barnacles as well