Todays news
 

I had to replace my heater as the Finnex HMA 300 could not hold the temperature stable.

Steve at Red Coral had an Aqueon 250 Pro for what I feel is a good price and I am going to be trying it out! Hoping for 78F!

So today I will be starting to use Chemi-Pure Elite. I have two packages and will be setting them in my return chamber. I do not have a reactor so I will place them at the bottom of the chamber under my drain pipe so to benefit from the most flow possible.

I am also ready to start using my fuge. I am going to have Chaeto today sometime and hopefully it also adds to my system stability. Anyone care to shed light on the proper "refugium" technique?

I have been battling cyano. I siphoned some out yesterday... but what a pain. Hoping the Chemi-Pure helps.

Current light combo
 

I picked up two new bulbs today so here is my current light combo in my 48" six bulb tek light.


ATI BluePlus
KZ New Gen 14k
KZ Fiji Purple
KZ Coral Light 10k
KZ New Gen 14k
ATI Blue Plus


I will soon replace the ATI Blue Plus with two KZ Super Blue.


I also picked up a new acan lord today from Aquarium Illusions... Neon Orange-Red with light purple trim. Once it settles in I will post a pic. Very nice and with the Canreef sale it was only $23!

They are very nice acans I'm liking the colors on mine. A great deal for a frag that size.

New Pics!!!
 

So here is a bunch of shots from today. I decided to mess around with my Pentax W90 waterproof camera and see how it does in the tank.

You will see the issue I have been having in the past bit when you see the zoas.... cyano of some sort likes covering them all so some colonies are not fully opening right now. Either way... hope you like what I have to show.

If anyone knows names of the "unknowns" below... let me know. Thanks.

Blue Steel

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3936

Unknown Paly (from AI)

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3937

Pink Panther

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3939

Unknown Zoa

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3938

Unknown Zoa

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3940

Radio Active Dragon Eye Zoa

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3941

Belle Zoa

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3942

Green Monti Frag

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3943

Favia

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3944

Bubble Coral

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3945

Unknown SPS Frag

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3946


My new can lord… first shot full lights… second is ATI Blue Plus

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3947

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3948

Both Acan Lords I have

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3949

My Cleaner Shrimp

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3950

Yellow Tang ( not best picture - fast mover lol)

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=3951

tanks looking great pat, im loving the pinkm panthers and the unknown zoa in the 4th pic, if they take off i would love to trade for a frag of something i have:):) did the black and blueish ones i give you make it??if not let me know and ill make you a frag its grown quite a bit now and i could make a decent frag:):)

Yea they are doing fine. I ahve a few more Zoa colonies I failed to photograph. Awkward angles and what not. When the Cyano is gone I will add a couple more zoa shots.

As for the zoa Denny.... you talking about the green one with yellow in the center? If so I can frag it anytime.... I have about 100 polyps on that colony. Had it for a few years and it has done awesome in all conditions.

Yeah, I don't know why cyano seems to like to collect on zoas. All you can do is blow it away with a turkey baster until it's gone.

Twice a day. But on the bright side... it looks like it is getting better.

I get that here and there too i try to suck as much out as I can with a turkey Baster then blow off the rest :) good ol cyano lol:):)

Yeah that one looks nice , would love a frag if you make one let me know I could either buy it or trade for it:):)

Reactors
 

Well today I picked up not one... but TWO TLF Phoban Reactors.... for $45!!!


Thanks Saltynuts (Ed).


I am not sure if I should run both, or just one.

Anyone have input? I have seen you can run them inline or "t'd" with one maxi jet power head. Which way is best and what do I need to hook both up?

Current Fish List
 

Yellow Tang
2 x Ocellaris Clowns
Firefish
Rainford Goby
Tail Spot Blenny
Six Line Wrasse
Cleaner Shrimp


Anyone have suggestions of any other suitable additions. Maybe one... two more?

Canopy
 

I am currently building an oak canopy for the tank. It seems to be coming along well. I will try post some "in process" shots today.

I am wondering though... I need to make a nice skirt out of oak to match the top and I am not sure what to do.

I am not a "wood worker" if you know what I mean. I work with steel and find wood a new territory.

I am not sure if I want to make a skirt with doors or something I can just move to have sump access.... perhaps in a "C" shape and pull away in one piece or something.

Anyways.. I am hoping to pick some brains and perhaps get some ideas from you all.

I had one skirt I made out of Oak years ago that was attached via magnets. I cut out openings for "doors" and then put some molding around it and used the cut out as a door except it wasn't a door but a removable panel held on with magnets. Hope this helps, I don't know if I explained it well enough.

Current
 

70 Gallon Display
40 Gallon Sump (approx 25-30 gallons water volume)

Tek Light - 48" x 6 bulb
-ATI Blue Plus
-New Gen 14k
-Fiji Purple
-KZ 10k
-New Gen 14k
-ATI Blue Plus

2 x TLF Reactors (in-line) & MaxiJet 1200
- #1 running carbon
- #2 undetermined

1 x Koralia 3
1 x Koralia 2
Quiet 3000 return pump

Euro-reef RS80 Skimmer

Aqueon 250 Heater

Today's new additions
 

Today I added 3 more corals....

Purple Gorgonian.... (Frilly I believe Denny?)

Purple Monti Cap... (Thanks Dez)

German Blue Polyp Digitata... (and Dez again)


Pics soon. Just added to tank so will let them settle in.

yes it is a purple frilly gorgonian:):) cheers

Eye of Rah - Green/Blue/Orange
Green Implosion Paly
KeddRedd
Heart of Atlantis
Blueberry Fields Forever/Papa Smurfs ( Green/Blue/green)
Blue Steel Zoa
Radio Active Dragon Eyes
Belle
Lily Pads
Pink Panther
Purple People Eater (Sold as, but not completely sure it is - look more like the Purple Puddle)
Purple Fission (lost color under PC but seem to be coming back under T5s)
Super Nova





Partial list from zoaid gallery of what I have

I have to agree with you there Pat. Mine doesn't look anything like purple people eaters. I'm hoping ours color up and turn out to be what we expected.

Update
 

So the cyano is virtually gone. Appears the Chemi Pure Elite did a great job.

All my zoas have definitely began to flourish again.

My pride is also beginning to grow.... African Blue Steel Zoanthids (Thanks Myka)



Here is my updated fish list:

Yellow Tang
Coral Beauty Angel
2 x Ocellaris Clowns
Tail Spot Blenny
Rainford Goby
Six Line Wrasse
Firefish


I am considering adding 2 Banggai Cardinals and a Blue or Red Mandarin.

Anyone know if it really is possible to determine sex of Banggais?

I love the life my tank has. I know having a high bio load means more work... but I have seen other tanks with much MUCH higher loads that do great.

If anyone has any ideas on compatible fish that I should consider, let me know!

Thanks for reading!

Patrick

I have similar types of fish and added a solar fairy wrasse rescently. Very pretty and docile fish. My bi-color blenny has plenty of personality as well.

The last fairy wrasse I added was NOT accepted by my Six line. :2gunfire:

I don't think I will add another Blenny at this time. I really love my tail spot.

I am thinking more along the line of something that will swim around a lot (great description ha ha - a fish? Swimming?)

I have a foxface and yellow tang in the tank and between the two of them they make the tank look busy. My clowns tend to stay in one small area and most of the others just climb around the rocks. I did get a red dragonet a couple of months ago. I expected him to stay hidden but he is always out where he can be seen.

ANOTHER Stock list update.
 

Well I picked up new fish today.

1 x Large Male Lyretail Anthias
2 x Small Female Lyretail Anthias

So new list is:

Here is my updated fish list:

Yellow Tang
Coral Beauty Angel
2 x Ocellaris Clowns
Tail Spot Blenny
Rainford Goby
Six Line Wrasse
Firefish
3 x Anthias (1 male, 2 female)

This puts the stock list to 11. I will be adding no more fish. If I do decide to add another.... the last one will be a blue Mandarin. This will not be added until the tank is more mature.

My tank is alive with color ad I LOVE IT!!!

In the past 4 months it has come a long way. I will add more pics after New Years.

When will we get pics of the new additions?

New Pics!!!
 

Coral Beauty
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=4007

Male Maldives Lyretail Anthias
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=4008


Full Tank Shot 01/2011
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=4009

And a couple more kinda repeats....

Some fish...
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=4013

The Beauty (Quite my possibly my favourite fish of all time)...
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=4011

Two outta three ain't bad… the other clown is usually out and about the tank...
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=4012

Another tank shot...
http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/pic...pictureid=4010

New Additions
 

The new fish look great.

The blue one is from you guys :lol:

I am happy to see my new additions all seem to be fitting in nicely. They all actually had varios stages of Ich, but you would have to look really close to see it now... if you could find it.

The Coral Beauty does not seem to be touching any corals... so as long as she continues this way, she can stay. :twised:

Coral Beauties are one of my favs too......they always seem to have that "halo" around their little heads at first:twised:..... great shots BTW

Thanks!

Yea... this is what I have heard. I hope mine remains an angel.

Pat Buddy! This is looking fantastic! Great job, and nice and clean!

Cheers,

Chris

Thanks Chris!

So I am up to 11 fish, 1 Shrimp, Hermits and snails... 38 or so corals. Coming together quite nicely.

I can say, I will not be adding much more for fish. Maybe a second cleaner shrimp and/or Blue Mandarin in a couple more months, but that would be the last.

As for corals... I am getting edgy about what I should add now.

Jason (Bignose) keeps bringing me SPS frags (So I guess he wants me to get into SPS ha ha). And I have "enough" zoas for now (except for a few choice ones that might come along).... but I need some more moving/branching corals.

Anyone have suggestions for kick ass corals to add some more "life" to the reef?

I am probably going to avoid clams for the next while as it seems there are a lot of them dying for one reason or another. I really want one of the Cook Island clams that Ken at BW is trying to get but man I am scared to drop a $100 and see it pass on to the great fishbowl in the sky. Maybe its good that they are delayed as much as they are. Gives my tank more time to mature and HOPEFULLY the clam issue passes.

Elegance are my all time face but I'll prob not try one again for a long time I've lost three so fAr and I just find they are so picky and sensitive ..... Another one of my faves are duncans and i like toadstools as well:):)

sps

Canopy
 

Well I finished my canopy last night. It actually looks pretty good for someone who does not work well with wood.

I will post pics at another time.

New Zoas
 

well today I added (or shall I say I am in the process of acclimating) Purple Hornets.

My buddy bought some from Red Coral on the weekend and said they were Blue Hornets, but Red Coral has Purple Hornets on the tank... so let's assume they are :wink:

Once they are in the tank I will try get a shot when they open and hope for genuine purple hornets. We all know they are hard to find... and these were priced much, MUCH lower than you would expect to find Hornets for.

Either way... they look like Purple Hornets... so crossing fingers they are... and that they grow!

Nice job on the build, looks fantastic!

How do you find the Maldives in a 70g? Beauty of a fish I'd love to have one.