The Cosmic Lagoon

[cosmicbread]

FTS 3/28/20

 

 

 

 

FTS 3/14/20

 

 

This tank contains the inhabitants of my 12g (RIP), plus some additional aqua-cultured rock that was added last night. I am doing large water changes every day and monitoring for ammonia.

 

Goals for the new system are much the same as the short-lived 12g, but less mud 😅 I’m experimenting with macros, softies, gorgs, LPS.

 

Specs:

IM NUVO Fusion Lagoon 25

Homemade steel stand

AI Prime HD

Tunze osmolator

x2 75w Neotherm heaters

x2 RFG nozzles

Sicce 1.5 pump

IM media caddy (stuffed with floss for the moment)

(soon) x1 KPS Aqamai wavemaker

 

Macros:

C. Prolifera

C. Paspaloides

C. Mexicana

Sargassum

 

Livestock:

coming soon 

 

Corals:

coming soon 

 

In order below — 

1. tank when first wet;

2. elegant new sargassum;

3. hitchhiker rose coral already regaining flesh;

4. current FTS with preliminary scape, a bit cloudy with some sand stirred. Gonna move stuff around a bit more when I plop more sand in here tomorrow. Will probably end up culling a rock or two for the pest pico.

 

🍻

 

[mitten_reef]

Sorry, what happened to the 12G one?  It looked like it was going so well. 

[cosmicbread]

Just now, mitten_reef said:

Sorry, what happened to the 12G one?  It looked like it was going so well. 

It was doing fabulously until I dropped a book shelf on it and cracked the corner.

 

luckily, I was already planning on moving to the larger tank. Had water up to temp and everything. But the actual move ended up quite a bit hastier than I had wanted. No losses, save for the beautiful glass tank.
 

Ultimately I decided I wanted more room, and this larger tank is now displayed in a common area which is making the housemates happy 🙂

[billygoat]

I know this tank is only a few days old, but... I love it already! That live rock is all so gorgeous! I'm super jealous of that Caribbean rose coral. 😁

 

Can't wait to see where you go with all that expanded space and water volume. I'll be following along of course!

[DNR88]

That's such a lovely natural sight! 😄 A bit of white sand would make it even better I think. 😉

[Looselyhuman]

Is that Tampa Bay Saltwater rock?

[cosmicbread]

On 3/1/2020 at 11:02 AM, Hypsophrys said:

Is that Tampa Bay Saltwater rock?

A mix of TBS and Gulf Live Rock 🙂 The GLR was shipped to me overnight in water since I wanted minimal die-off (a big appeal of reefing to me are the hitchhikers). It’s been beautiful and fascinating so far. Both outfits are amazing and I recommend them, a hearty 100%. 
 

I added sand but need more, especially since I’m planning on a goby/pistol pair.

 

Installed RFG nozzles are love them so far.

 

I programmed the AI for a 6500k, low blue high red/white spectrum, since I am interested in the macroalgae thriving and like the look of ‘em under a daylight hue. Time will tell what the coral colors will do?
 

The one potentially negative thing about ordering aquacultured rock is the compromise you must make in regards to shapes (and being unable to choose them). I do think that vendors are generally open to requests (I didn’t make any). Also — the intense cover of life on the rock makes arranging a bit tedious and anxiety-inducing if you are someone like me who is terrified of accidentally crushing anything.

 

Anyway.

 

Ive been messing with the scape and am reasonably happy now — there is space between the rocks and the glass on all sides, and it is kinda decent to look at. Lots of caves and crannies. There is...one large rock that has been persistently hard to figure out where to place. It is quite porous and has some neat life on it...maybe I’ll take a chisel to it eventually? Right now I’ve stuck it smack in the middle.

 

I’ve only had the new rock a few days, so stuff is still perking up. Really happy with the macros I’m seeing. I’ve also spotted several small serpent stars, non-invasive glass anemones, giant bivalves, a hitchhiking gorgonian, and the possible snapping of a pistol or mantis...so I will need to set a trap 🙂

 

My corals and inverts have been very tolerant of my mucking about. Tank is processing ammonia like a champ, so I think I’m gonna start letting up on the daily WCs.

 

pics:

1. FTS, but none of the frags, or the gorg, are where they’re gonna be eventually.

2. You are looking at the two bivalves (pinkish lumps) one is about 4-5 inches in length. Super cool when they swing open to feed. Hoping I can keep them alive.

3. The rose coral (with the big awkward rock sideways above it)

4. close up of the awkward big middle rock. Yeah, there’s bubble algae.

5. Codium, torch, and a billion other things.

6. The tank mascot, my supposed juvie spiny oyster, quickly climbed to his desired location (front left glass, near surface— same as before),  upon introduction to the new digs.

7. HH gorg of some sort. Not in great shape but enough flesh for a comeback, I think.

8. Brittle or serpent(?) exploring yesterday evening.

 

 

[DNR88]

That's truly fascinating! Wonderfull to see and I probably would take a two week holiday just to watch the live on the rocks alle day! 😁

 

One day, I'm going to collect ONE big, lively, bulky piece of live rock to put in a tank, just to see what is happening. 😊

[cosmicbread]

3 minutes ago, DNR88 said:

That's truly fascinating! Wonderfull to see and I probably would take a two week holiday just to watch the live on the rocks alle day! 😁

 

One day, I'm going to collect ONE big, lively, bulky piece of live rock to put in a tank, just to see what is happening. 😊

Do it!! Who would have thought a rock in a box of water could suck you in so much?! 

[cosmicbread]

Forgot to mention that I moved my three mangroves to my ungainly pest pico. The root growth has been fabulous on these trees, thanks to the prior mud. I'll either plant them in a pot of mud in here or train them for prop roots, if they can make the transition. 

 

[A.m.P]

It's definitely impossible to ever hit the level of flourish and fullness that you get with real live rock. There's so much of just, everything, everywhere, it has such a lush and flushed-out feeling that modern reef-systems lack, that "real ocean" livelyness and diversity is so unique.

 

Sorry about the other tank though, glad you had things set up and it didn't turn into an even bigger disaster.

[cosmicbread]

1 minute ago, Amphrites said:

It's definitely impossible to ever hit the level of flourish and fullness that you get with real live rock. There's just so much of just, everything, everywhere, it just has such a lush and flushed-out feeling that modern reef-systems lack, that "real ocean" livelyness and diversity is just so cool.

 

Sorry about the other tank though, glad you had things set up and it didn't turn into an even bigger disaster.

Thank you. 🙂 Of course, I really should not have been trying to install floating shelves over the tank? Heheh. 

 

I don't think that I would ever set up a reef with "dead" rock, but I understand why people choose to go that route. The diversity rock like this brings to a system can not be replicated otherwise, IMO. 

[DNR88]

10 hours ago, cosmicbread said:

Do it!! Who would have thought a rock in a box of water could suck you in so much?! 

I'm in the Netherlands and I don't know if it's wise to ship rocks from Florida to the Netherlands and what would be the impact on the quality of the live rock. Let alone the costs for all of this..

[cosmicbread]

8 hours ago, DNR88 said:

I'm in the Netherlands and I don't know if it's wise to ship rocks from Florida to the Netherlands and what would be the impact on the quality of the live rock. Let alone the costs for all of this..

I’m sorry 😕 That’s frustrating. Have you found any local reefers who might be able to give you a rock that’s been in their aquarium for a while? Or who might have other connections? Is there a possibility of doing a cold water/North Sea biotope?

 

I fed some corals today (reef roid slurry w/pumps off) for the first time in ages. Thought I could try spot feeding the bivalves but they won’t open this morning.

 

(terrible) pics:

1. Rhodactis doing the “tomato” impression as they devour reef roids.

2. My two acans ate voraciously. Unhappy alveopora in the background. It's been sad since I got it, might need more shade.

3. Wild cup-type coral took food today and is doing well.

4. Toadstool in the middle of a shed and growth spurt.

5. Adorably plump mystery freebie mushroom and a snack.

6. Rose coral slowly eating.

7. I LOVE this rock. C. Paspaloides or C. Mexicana springing up.

 

 

 

 

 

[Ratvan]

8 hours ago, DNR88 said:

I'm in the Netherlands and I don't know if it's wise to ship rocks from Florida to the Netherlands and what would be the impact on the quality of the live rock. Let alone the costs for all of this..

Sent you a PM for Gulf Rock in Europe 😄

22 minutes ago, cosmicbread said:

I’m sorry 😕 That’s frustrating. Have you found any local reefers who might be able to give you a rock that’s been in their aquarium for a while? Or who might have other connections? Is there a possibility of doing a cold water/North Sea biotope?

 

I fed some corals today (reef roid slurry w/pumps off) for the first time in ages. Thought I could try spot feeding the bivalves but they won’t open this morning.

 

(terrible) pics:

1. Rhodactis doing the “tomato” impression as they devour reef roids.

2. My two acans ate voraciously. Unhappy alveopora in the background. It's been sad since I got it, might need more shade.

3. Wild cup-type coral took food today and is doing well.

4. Toadstool in the middle of a shed and growth spurt.

5. Adorably plump mystery freebie mushroom and a snack.

6. Rose coral slowly eating.

7. I LOVE this rock. C. Paspaloides or C. Mexicana springing up.

 

 

 

 

 

Gorgeous selection and collection of corals and macros there. I love seeing a nice fat mushroom coral like that from feeding!

[cosmicbread]

Thanks @Ratvan I am thrilled with my tiny impression of the ocean so far :)) Mushies are one of my favs! It’s so satisfying to feed those things.

[cosmicbread]

Well...be careful what you wish for! we have a mantis shrimp! 
 

I was sitting and staring into the aquarium this morning (as one does), when I saw him climb into a hole and then poke his head out to punch something. Maybe a little less than an inch, green in color (it was hard for me to tell). I grabbed the rock he disappeared into and put it in my smaller tank, but maybe I was moving too slowly as I’ve just heard the clicking noises again from my main tank while sitting here 😕

 

Do mantis traps work? I have a Goby/pistol pair on the way and am now a little afraid for their lives. Awesome critter though.

[cosmicbread]

New update: Upon examination of the rock I quarantined in the “pest” pico, I saw his/her eyes staring at me from within a crevice and then slowly recede into the darkness. So I’ve definitely caught the one. But now it seems that I may have two.

[cosmicbread]

She is bright green, so thinking Gonodactylellus viridis. I'm going to go pick up some more sand and rubble for her new digs. If I do indeed have another one in the Lagoon, I'll try to trap them and find a new home. 

 

Unrelated, last night I saw a swarm of what looked to be larval shrimp attracted to the red light I was using to spy on the tank. Have no idea where they could've come from.

[billygoat]

1 hour ago, cosmicbread said:

Well...be careful what you wish for! we have a mantis shrimp! 

That's awesome! I hope it finds a good home in the halfway house pico. It's still possible that the other snapper in your main display is a pistol shrimp, as they can be very secretive too. Might be nothing to worry about... though mantis shrimp are very common on Caribbean live rock, so... 😅

 

5 minutes ago, cosmicbread said:

Unrelated, last night I saw a swarm of what looked to be larval shrimp attracted to the red light I was using to spy on the tank. Have no idea where they could've come from.

They could be mysid shrimps! If you get them breeding in your tank they will become an excellent source of nutritious natural food for any fish that you add later on down the line. Speaking of which, do you have any plans to add fish to this tank?

 

I have to say I love everything going on in this aquarium so far. I can't wait to see how all that raw life from the rocks grows and changes over the months to come.

[cosmicbread]

26 minutes ago, billygoat said:

That's awesome! I hope it finds a good home in the halfway house pico. It's still possible that the other snapper in your main display is a pistol shrimp, as they can be very secretive too. Might be nothing to worry about... though mantis shrimp are very common on Caribbean live rock, so... 😅

 

They could be mysid shrimps! If you get them breeding in your tank they will become an excellent source of nutritious natural food for any fish that you add later on down the line. Speaking of which, do you have any plans to add fish to this tank?

 

I have to say I love everything going on in this aquarium so far. I can't wait to see how all that raw life from the rocks grows and changes over the months to come.

Mysid would make a lot of sense! I wonder if I’ll see them tonight again.

 

I am stoked for the little mantis, but I can only take care of one right now...so fingers crossed one is all there is. But I will set out a bottle trap soon and it will be no biggie to rehome another, if needed.

 

As for fish inhabitants, yes! A watchman goby (and Randall’s pistol) will be the first. Also would love to add a pink streaked wrasse when I can find a healthy one. In the future, I am considering adding a third fish...maybe a tail spot blenny, or one or a small group of the tiny gobies like one of the trimma or a neon. 🙂 The other option is one or two small clowns (no blenny or gobies if that comes to pass).

 

Thank you for your kind words! It’s all on Mother Nature, man. All I do are water changes 😁

 

Speaking of this brilliant rock. The delicate green macro is regaining vibrancy!! Dunno what it is yet. And the other wild encrusting corals are livening up.

[DNR88]

That looks great! Especially the first picture, it really looks like a mountainous rainforest. 😄

 

Have you also put a 'clean-up crew' in it yourself?

[cosmicbread]

4 hours ago, DNR88 said:

That looks great! Especially the first picture, it really looks like a mountainous rainforest. 😄

 

Have you also put a 'clean-up crew' in it yourself?

Thank you!

Yep -- two blue legged hermits added yesterday, one left-handed hermit, a few tiny white-legged hermit hitch hikers, a ton of dwarf ceriths, three trochus snails, and innumerable brittle and small serpent stars. I also recently added a handful of nassarius and a conch. There's a ton to eat on the rocks but I've been supplementing with other food for the crew until the new system grows in some more. 

[billygoat]

10 hours ago, cosmicbread said:

 

Speaking of this brilliant rock. The delicate green macro is regaining vibrancy!! Dunno what it is yet. And the other wild encrusting corals are livening up.

The thin whorls of macroalgae look like Caulerpa verticillata, a very delicate and beautiful species. The big stuff strikes me as C. paspaloides, though with bigger Caulerpas it can sometimes be hard to tell before they grow in all the way. Very beautiful though! And I see that you also have a few star corals there! Those seem to be very common hitchhikers on Caribbean rocks. I have one as well. They are pretty bulletproof and should probably make a total recovery within a couple of weeks.

 

Everything is so dang cool! I want a bigger tank too! 

[cosmicbread]

16 hours ago, billygoat said:

The thin whorls of macroalgae look like Caulerpa verticillata, a very delicate and beautiful species. The big stuff strikes me as C. paspaloides, though with bigger Caulerpas it can sometimes be hard to tell before they grow in all the way. Very beautiful though! And I see that you also have a few star corals there! Those seem to be very common hitchhikers on Caribbean rocks. I have one as well. They are pretty bulletproof and should probably make a total recovery within a couple of weeks.

 

Everything is so dang cool! I want a bigger tank too! 

It looks like you hit the nail on the head with the ID. I was laughing a bit while researching it, it seems like a nuisance algae in some people’s tanks and is actually threatening reefs in the wild. But it’s so beautiful.

 

If you ever move to a bigger tank, it’s gonna be totally amazing 😁