6 month *before & after* photos - 6 gal peninsula reef

[campbell_wat]

SO! It has been about 6 months since my 6 gal 8x8x24 UltumNatureSystems peninsula reef has been "settled" and planted. Here she is:

 

 

Obviously, after the initial photos were taken, I did a LOT of rearranging, rescaping, and *learning* about the best places to plant my corals. There have been many additions, many subtractions, and some unfortunate losses.

 

Upkeep consists of a 70% water change every 2 weeks, I don't test anything, flying blind.

 

I spot feed everything a reef roids/mysis mix 3x a week. 

 

CUC consists of an emerald crab, 3 blue leg and 2 scarlet hermits, a trochus snail, and a large resident somatella. 

 

I added a small fish to my system for a few months, and, combined with underfeeding on my end (and nutrient crash), decimated my copepod/amphipod population, and as a result, I suffered a massive Dino outbreak that I could not get through despite increased feeding and decreased water changes... until the fish disappeared (which happens to the best of us), and I noticed the bugs back on the glass, and the dinos disappeared in days. Lesson learned... Lost a lot of LPS and SPS, and it set me back months of stability and growth...

 

Anyway, here are the before photos, I am not even going to bother to discuss differences before/after because I could write a book. 

 

 

And, of course, here are the after photos, and some glamour shots... Enjoy! I am very happy with this project so far!

 

Feel free to ask any questions as well, cheers!

 

 

[ninjamyst]

Love the golden dragon mushroom.  They sure grow fast!

[campbell_wat]

3 minutes ago, ninjamyst said:

Love the golden dragon mushroom.  They sure grow fast!

Sure do! Mine have stalled out as of late though, I think due to the scape topography. Fine with it, just gives me more room in the long run...

[kimdawg]

Great looking tank and a lot of coral growth.  You are doing something right!

[ryans.salty.crew]

Did you try a black out for the algae? It got rid of all mine. The corals weren't the happiest for me but they thrive now!

 

Not here to criticize, just help out 🙂 love the tank.

[Jakesaw]

I like that ACAN tower you've got.   

 

GSP looks good too.  Careful with those on rockwork.  I fragged mine for the first time and I've got 3 Frags already growing out nice polyp extension after just 1 week. 

 

GSP = sand only for me - easy to keep in check.  I do like them though

[campbell_wat]

29 minutes ago, Jakesaw said:

I like that ACAN tower you've got.   

 

GSP looks good too.  Careful with those on rockwork.  I fragged mine for the first time and I've got 3 Frags already growing out nice polyp extension after just 1 week. 

 

GSP = sand only for me - easy to keep in check.  I do like them though

Thanks! The gsp is a branching variety, so it actually “jumped” from one rock to another before I could realize… it’s all isolated to that corner now, and has some healthy competition. 

[campbell_wat]

1 hour ago, 10g4Me said:

Did you try a black out for the algae? It got rid of all mine. The corals weren't the happiest for me but they thrive now!

 

Not here to criticize, just help out 🙂 love the tank.

I tried blackouts in my previous tank, and on  scale this small, I’ve found it nukes the tank with mass die-off. (Algae and microfauna don’t really like darkness for days on end)
 

Black outs are a band aid for Dinos anyway, and unless u fix the root cause simelteneously then it’s fruitless IMO. 
 

cheers!

[Jakesaw]

3 hours ago, campbell_wat said:

Thanks! The gsp is a branching variety, so it actually “jumped” from one rock to another 

Never heard of Branching GSP.  How are they different than the standard Green stuff.

 

My standard green GSP is basically a carpet that covers any surface grows out around the edges wherever it can.  A polpy extends out about 3/4" under light.