Nano Tank Diary...

[parker313]

You're not just trying to get me to cut up one of my credit cards are you now??? My husband didn't tell you to say that, did he?!

OK, a quick google search seems to say that it's similar to the green star polyp, which I have growing very successfully in my tank. The corky was placed at about the same height and in about the same rate of flow, so that looks good.

 

[parker313]

Stupid hermit crab knocked off my new blue mushroom and I had to go digging way down in the rockwork to pull it back out. The mushroom was *not* happy with me but has been replaced into a quieter corner of the tank where it should be able to attach itself to a rock on its own. I just hope it pulls through...

I got some of the coraline algae off the glass but then Brodie woke up from his nap so I had to call it quits for the day. I can't do too much tank maintenance while he's up b/c he already likes to stick his hands in there and try and catch Nemo... Gotta love 2 year olds

 

[parker313]

Yeah, I know this is a tank diary, but it's mine and I can post pics of my kids if I want to Brodie is going to be Captain Feathersword for Halloween. He's got the hat on b/c they had their party at pre-school this morning...

...and here's Mason the dragon...

 

[steelhealr]

It IS your thread....BEAUTIFUL family ya got there K....thanks for sharing. SH

 

[parker313]

Thanks Frank This is the first year Brodie's been old enough to really "get" Halloween and he's having a blast!

OK, fishy stuff now PLEASE ignore all the coraline algae ) ) I'm working on it and yes, I know I need to clean out the skimmer tube too ) I think having the skimmer has really saved my tank with my shoddy fishkeeping since Mason's been born. Glad I got it, even if it takes up a chunk of the tank.....

Ricordea

Mostly red mushrooms and orange with red skirt zoas. Can also see some button polyps in between the musrhoom clusters.

Green Star Polyps. LOVE these. Can also see a button polyp right underneath and then the corky to the right.

This is the new purple corky gorgonian. Some of the polyps are starting to come out. I was really imressed with what a nice size colony he sent me, especially since this was the freebie!

Lavender with green skirt zoas. As you can see, I'm also still waging my battle with hair algae. I had it beat, but it came back. It's on it's way down again though.

My red zoas, starting to open. They are so pretty, but in a hard spot to photograph. I can't wait to see them all the way open.

Red zoas with ricordea in the background, this is a long-ways shot of the tank, from the left end.

My poor blue mushroom. It looks better than I expected it to after the mauling it got last night. I really hope it makes it, it's a gorgeous shade of blue...

 

[parker313]

Update on the new softies...

The gorgonian seems to be settling in nicely and more polyps are open today.

The red zoas also seem to be settling in and more open as well.

My poor blue mushroom on the other hand doesn't seem to be faring so well. I've tried gluing it to some rocks a couple of times, but it keeps unsticking itself and falling off. I don't want to damage it with too much handling so I'm kinda leaving it alone. It was in an OK spot yesterday, but seems to be tucked down under some rocks today. I have been debating whether it would cause more damage to leave it there or move it *again*....

 

[steelhealr]

Parker....see what inspiration brings? You can try and rubber band that mushroom to a small piece of LR and it should adhere in 1-2 weeks. You could also buy plastic (not wood) toothpicks and sort of surround it with small dabs of epoxy putty to hold it in place and still allow it to get light. SH

 

[parker313]

Yeah, but it takes $50 outta my bank account too Just kidding, I love getting back "into" my tank.

I was just looking around in there again (gotta love naptime) and I think my ricordea is starting to split into two! YAY!

Also, saw one of my blue leg hermits walking around without a shell. That was pretty freaky. I assumed it would have a blue body, but it's white/translucent! I don't know why he's out of a shell, there are plenty in there for him! Hopefully the others will leave him alone til he finds one of his liking.

OK, I think I'll bite the bullet and try the rubber band trick for the mushroom since I've got rubber bands but no plastic toothpicks right now...

 

[parker313]

I think my hermit crab found a new home. There are several "new" shells walking around now

The corky and red zoas are making great improvements and more polyps were opened by the time the lights went off.

The blue mushroom still has its color. I didn't get to attaching it to a rock today b/c naptime was over pretty much as soon as I said I was off to get that done. Now the kids are down, and I'm going to bed too. Getting up 4 times a night with the little one is draining!

 

[parker313]

Miraculously, my blue mushroom still seems to be hanging in there. It blew out from the corner it was hiding in when I did the water change today so I took the opportunity to scoop it up and try gluing it to a different piece of LR. It's holding on, so far and I put it up about medium high in the tank, out of the current for right now. The mouth is *wide* open, but its color is looking good. It's a very pretty blue with a touch of purple.

The corky is doing really well. The polyps are a pretty purple that match its encrusting foot (about the same as a nice dark coraline algae) and the inside of the polyp "fingers" and the polyp "mouth" is white. It's a nice contrast.

The red zoas are doing well also. Most are a nice, dark red and then some are a pretty mint green.

Not quite all of the polyps have opened on either the corky or on the zoas, but more are open every time I look.

So, more fingers crossed that my mushroom pulls through...

 

[Ethos]

Sounds like its going very well!

 

[parker313]

It is, and I'm so happy about it

I saw the shell-less hermit crab again last night. It's so funny looking!! I couldn't believe it was still alive!

This morning, I saw a decent size mini brittle starfish. It's not huge by any stretch of the imagination, maybe an inch or two from the tip of one arm, across to the tip of another arm.

Almost all of the polyps on both the corky and zoas are open. They both look really good. The mushroom is still hanging in there - only time will tell I guess!

 

[parker313]

Well, the mushroom decided it didn't want to be glued to the rock anymore... It dropped off yesterday and I don't want to risk traumatizing it even more with a rubber band. However, I did notice the *perfect* spot for it. I can't believe I didn't see this before. There's a "cup" shaped indention in one of the rocks that's about 1/4 cup size and is already positioned so that the waterflow just pushes the mushroom into the cup, instead of out if it. I put the mushroom in there, mouth facing out and am hopeful that it will attach there. The only downside is that it's the rock where all my red mushrooms are, but if I can get this blue one to attach, I'll worry about that then. On this cup side of that rock, there is plenty of room for more mushrooms, the red ones are all over on the other side of the rock.

Keep your fingers crossed that this works...

 

[fish_keeper2]

Hopefully it does work out. Have you really had this tank set up for over 1 year? any major problems.......its been a long while since i read through your whole diary.

 

[parker313]

Yup, I really have! I can't believe it's been that long...

I would say that the only major (or even minor, really) problem that I've had is hair algae. What a pain in the rear... I've conquered it once though and am beating it this time too.

I've lost a few corals - toadstool leather mushroom, finger leather, and a very nice colony of yellow polyps. I think that's it...

I've lost a snail or two and a hermit crab or two, but nothing too out of the ordinary there.

I haven't lost *any* of my fish...

I honestly don't know why or how I've had such good success with my tank. My tank-upkeep practices have definitely left a lot to be desired.... The only thing I can think if is that running the skimmer has really helped but who knows if that's what it really is.