kj23502
lazy dayz
Looks neat 
Dawn On The Reef
- Thread starter BigC
- Start date
Looks great BigC, worth the wait
Yeah what a wait... I can honestly suggest to people starting out in this side of things Plumb in a sump at the begining, not like I did. Anyway thats all in the past. The Cheato seems to be doing the job I have to admit, my water seems cleaner, little or no algal issues. Tank getting a little bit warm 81'F but everything seems in tip top condition. Cut feeding clowns down to once a day. Evaporation is about 1cm over the week and I'm topping up with fresh RO and a level teaspoon of Marine Buffer from Seachem, this seem to be a good combination for my tank. !2ltr waterchange on a Tuesday and Top up on Sunday).
Hope to get some corals tomorrow and maybe a couple of cleaner shrimp to animate the tank a bit more.
Regards
BigC
Been Shopping (post pics later)
I've bought 2 cleaner shrimp. A Pussy coral, A Cornet coral, Button polyps and a piece of Mushroom rock, and against all my morals, a dead sea fan decoration. I thought the fan would look nice behind the centrepiece finger leather. What do the membership think yea or neigh. I would have liked to get a proper piece of Gorgonian but I dont know enough about them as regards to their husbandry and if I had the facilities to keep one. I've positioned all the corals, some of the rock ie mushroom and button polyps, I fraged into 3 pieces of each and dotted them in certain areas around the tank. The Cornet coral, (lfs labeling) I think is a Torch coral (EUPHYLLIA) is this correct, would someone please confirm.
When I post the pics later would some kind person please confirm the correct nomaclature for the Pussy coral.
I went to two shops in the area to aquire the aformentioned items.
As I have the touch of an elephant when positioning corals I thought I'd damaged the Torch as it released some toxic looking white substance when handled to which the leather took offence and contorted. (I'm stressed out again) But hours later its back to it's former glory, opened and fully polyped.
I think thats all I'll be adding for a couple of weeks and then I'll probably be looking for filler corals such as Ricordia, Coloured Zoanthids, and Red and Green Mushroom rock.
My tank looks nothing like it did at the start, not so much to do with the corals themselves but rather the amount of extra rock they came on it's hard to plan with a great big chunk of rock attached to a certain coral. I think I'll now be purchasing small frags 10 or so polyps of Zoan's from Fleabay as they will be much easier to position from here on in.
Anyone in GB offering colourful Zoo frags at the moment.
Keep an eye out for the pics later.
Regards
BigC
I've bought 2 cleaner shrimp. A Pussy coral, A Cornet coral, Button polyps and a piece of Mushroom rock, and against all my morals, a dead sea fan decoration. I thought the fan would look nice behind the centrepiece finger leather. What do the membership think yea or neigh. I would have liked to get a proper piece of Gorgonian but I dont know enough about them as regards to their husbandry and if I had the facilities to keep one. I've positioned all the corals, some of the rock ie mushroom and button polyps, I fraged into 3 pieces of each and dotted them in certain areas around the tank. The Cornet coral, (lfs labeling) I think is a Torch coral (EUPHYLLIA) is this correct, would someone please confirm.
When I post the pics later would some kind person please confirm the correct nomaclature for the Pussy coral.
I went to two shops in the area to aquire the aformentioned items.
As I have the touch of an elephant when positioning corals I thought I'd damaged the Torch as it released some toxic looking white substance when handled to which the leather took offence and contorted. (I'm stressed out again) But hours later its back to it's former glory, opened and fully polyped.
I think thats all I'll be adding for a couple of weeks and then I'll probably be looking for filler corals such as Ricordia, Coloured Zoanthids, and Red and Green Mushroom rock.
My tank looks nothing like it did at the start, not so much to do with the corals themselves but rather the amount of extra rock they came on it's hard to plan with a great big chunk of rock attached to a certain coral. I think I'll now be purchasing small frags 10 or so polyps of Zoan's from Fleabay as they will be much easier to position from here on in.
Anyone in GB offering colourful Zoo frags at the moment.
Keep an eye out for the pics later.
Regards
BigC
@ombomb
Fish Gatherer
i've seen colourful zoas once in a fish shop and then they refused to sell them as they were part of a display
there's a very good (but expensive) seller on ebay that has some great colour morphs, zoaexotica or something like that
there's a very good (but expensive) seller on ebay that has some great colour morphs, zoaexotica or something like that
Yeah I drove into Belfast yesterday specifically to get some Mushroom rock only to be dissapointed (after a phone call in which they said they had small mushrooms in stock) they only had the larger Red type. They did have what I wanted in a little nano display tank. (The tank was absolutly crap IMHO) who ever set it up must have had a white stick (No offence to blind people) I gestured and made it known I would pay extra, but to no avail. The mushrooms (Red and Blue) were at the front of the display and numbered only 4-5 on each piece so they were not even blending into the aquascape (if you could call it that) in any way shape or form. But anyway I probably wont patronise that shop too much in the future.
Yeah I'll stick to you guys or Ebay for the rest of the corals.
Below (as promised) are a couple of full on pics of the aquarium as she stands at the moment as you can see I've still a lot of filling in to do.
Please confirm if I have a Torch Coral (Cornet Coral in LFS)
And the second, will try and get some coral closeups later.
Take a look at the video. Apologise for clarity due to camera limitations.
Livestock list as of 05/07/08 includes.
2 False Clownfish
2 Cleaner Shrimp
10 Jumbo Cerith Snails
4 Pacific Turbo Snails
3 Nassarius Snails
8 Star Astrea Snails
3 Cone Astrea Snails
3 Red Hermit Crabs
8 Blue Leg Hermit Crabs
Finger Leather Coral
Torch Coral
Pussy Coral
Clove Polyps x2 colour varieties..... (One fragged into 2 pcs)
Green Button Polyps..... (fragged into 3 pcs)
Green Mushroom Rock.. (fragged into 3 pcs)
Have I room for a Scooter Blenny, please advise.....
It's taking shape nicely
Regards
BigC
Yeah I'll stick to you guys or Ebay for the rest of the corals.
Below (as promised) are a couple of full on pics of the aquarium as she stands at the moment as you can see I've still a lot of filling in to do.
Please confirm if I have a Torch Coral (Cornet Coral in LFS)
And the second, will try and get some coral closeups later.
Take a look at the video. Apologise for clarity due to camera limitations.
Livestock list as of 05/07/08 includes.
2 False Clownfish
2 Cleaner Shrimp
10 Jumbo Cerith Snails
4 Pacific Turbo Snails
3 Nassarius Snails
8 Star Astrea Snails
3 Cone Astrea Snails
3 Red Hermit Crabs
8 Blue Leg Hermit Crabs
Finger Leather Coral
Torch Coral
Pussy Coral
Clove Polyps x2 colour varieties..... (One fragged into 2 pcs)
Green Button Polyps..... (fragged into 3 pcs)
Green Mushroom Rock.. (fragged into 3 pcs)
Have I room for a Scooter Blenny, please advise.....
It's taking shape nicely
Regards
BigC
@ombomb
Fish Gatherer
definately a torch 
missed that on first read through...
scooter blennys aren't actually blennys, they're dragonets, so every bit of bad news you've heard about keeping a mandarin in a nano tank applies
they're very difficult to get to accept frozen food and even if they will, you'll find it difficult to stop them getting beaten to the food by more aggressive feeders
it can be done, but it's not easy and the odds are against you, if you're dead set on it, find one that is confirmed to take frozen food, make sure your pod count in the sump is as high as possible, and target feed it at least twice a day is my advice.
just my opinion but i think there's something a bit odd about the clown swimming around in open water like that, i think fish like something to go behind, clowns especially. every marine fish i've kept has liked a secluded corner somewhere in the tank which your rock arrangement doesn't appear to provide. may be something worth considering.
missed that on first read through...
scooter blennys aren't actually blennys, they're dragonets, so every bit of bad news you've heard about keeping a mandarin in a nano tank applies
they're very difficult to get to accept frozen food and even if they will, you'll find it difficult to stop them getting beaten to the food by more aggressive feeders
it can be done, but it's not easy and the odds are against you, if you're dead set on it, find one that is confirmed to take frozen food, make sure your pod count in the sump is as high as possible, and target feed it at least twice a day is my advice.
just my opinion but i think there's something a bit odd about the clown swimming around in open water like that, i think fish like something to go behind, clowns especially. every marine fish i've kept has liked a secluded corner somewhere in the tank which your rock arrangement doesn't appear to provide. may be something worth considering.
jkrekord
Fish Addict
If you decide to skip the Scooter Blenny, from what i've seen and read, a Bicolor Blenny could be worth you looking into.
timpetty
Fish Crazy
In regards to @ombomb's comment... I have a mated pair of true perculas that have been swimming around in the open for months. There is plenty of rockwork for them to hide if they so chose. I am not saying he is wrong (I have no real knowlege of their natural habits) but I just wanted to note that mine are always right in the open water and seem to be thriving.
Thanks for the replies guys,
Algae for now has vanished, What little I had has totally gone, virtually overnight.
A note on the clownfish side of things, Below the Finger Leather and behind the Green Polyp rock (Btm/Mid) there is a cave behind the polyps they retire in there sometimes, They were swimming in open water because I'd rocked their world so to speak with the uphevial of me doing a spot of coral placement. They seem healthy enough, they are eating well and have vibrant colour, erect fins and they deport well in the water, so I have no cause for concern.
I would really like a Scooter Blenny (Dragonet), but I'm not about to just go out and buy one just for the sake of it. I'll leaise with the LFS in respect of obtaining one that is feeding on frozen food. I would want to see this ofcourse and I dont foresee my LFS objecting to this request.
Is anyone using the new AquaRay lighting from TMC yet, Seen some in action on Saturday and they sure look impressive, exaggerated Shimmer effect was a fantastic addition to the reality of a reef display. Coupled with low running costs I think I'm gonna get some of these down the line.
Regards
BigC
Algae for now has vanished, What little I had has totally gone, virtually overnight.
A note on the clownfish side of things, Below the Finger Leather and behind the Green Polyp rock (Btm/Mid) there is a cave behind the polyps they retire in there sometimes, They were swimming in open water because I'd rocked their world so to speak with the uphevial of me doing a spot of coral placement. They seem healthy enough, they are eating well and have vibrant colour, erect fins and they deport well in the water, so I have no cause for concern.
I would really like a Scooter Blenny (Dragonet), but I'm not about to just go out and buy one just for the sake of it. I'll leaise with the LFS in respect of obtaining one that is feeding on frozen food. I would want to see this ofcourse and I dont foresee my LFS objecting to this request.
Is anyone using the new AquaRay lighting from TMC yet, Seen some in action on Saturday and they sure look impressive, exaggerated Shimmer effect was a fantastic addition to the reality of a reef display. Coupled with low running costs I think I'm gonna get some of these down the line.
Regards
BigC
Just a little update,
One of the shrimp moulted this morning, I found a snail dragging the moulted carapace around with it (removed it from the tank).
My Finger Leather has retracted.... Is this normal from time to time. I think I read threads on here to that effect. Going to a Wedding at the weekend in Leeds UK. So I'll hunt down a few Aquarist establishments and see what I can rustle up.
Everything else seems fine, the Button Polyps and the Mushroom rock have fully extended and have certainly grown in size, The Clove Polyps are covering their dedicated rock nicely, The Torch Coral is swaying in the water currents and is extending itself, looks pretty healthy.
All in all pretty pleasing at this stage in the life of this tank. The only concern I have as I say is the Finger Leather which has remained closed all day, anyone like to comment on this.
Regards
BigC
One of the shrimp moulted this morning, I found a snail dragging the moulted carapace around with it (removed it from the tank).
My Finger Leather has retracted.... Is this normal from time to time. I think I read threads on here to that effect. Going to a Wedding at the weekend in Leeds UK. So I'll hunt down a few Aquarist establishments and see what I can rustle up.
Everything else seems fine, the Button Polyps and the Mushroom rock have fully extended and have certainly grown in size, The Clove Polyps are covering their dedicated rock nicely, The Torch Coral is swaying in the water currents and is extending itself, looks pretty healthy.
All in all pretty pleasing at this stage in the life of this tank. The only concern I have as I say is the Finger Leather which has remained closed all day, anyone like to comment on this.
Regards
BigC
kj23502
lazy dayz
Can I ask a dumb question? I know fw crayfish will eat their carapace to help gain back nutrients from shedding it. Will sw shrimps or inverts that shed do the same thing?
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