Oh wow was I ever frustrated lastnight!! I was trying to drill the rock, insert the acrylic rods, and create a nice rockscape...well, easier said than done! There were a couple pieces that are entirely undrillable (tried masonry and metal/wood bits), I think they were both Tonga branch. I don't know what they are made of, but holy cow they are tough!
Anyway, that finished with me putting all the rock back into the tank and going to bed disgusted with it.
So, not much to update...so I will entertain you guys with a very tentative, very rough stocking plan!!
My idea is create a lot of different textures, so I will be looking for coral oddities as far as growth pattern goes to mingle in with the general broad spectrum of LPS I so adore that will make up the bulk of the coral inhabitants. I will also be including pretty much every
colored photosynthetic gorgonian (
gorgonians, gorgonians, GORGONIANS!!!!) known to man that I can find, which won't be many as most are brown.
Gorgonians (still working on learning the species myself, I believe all listed are photosynthetic):
Eunicea sp
Muriceopsis sp
Plexaurella sp (if I can manage to find a decently colored specimen)
Pseudoplexaura sp
Pterogorgia sp (if I feel confident in being able to provide it's needs, kinda of semi-photosynthetic from what I understand)
Gorgonia sp (if I can find some as I understand their collection is banned, so I would need to find cultured, which I think is rare)
A few of the more interesting LPS species (imo) planned:
Heliopora sp Blue Ridge
Tubipora musica Pipe Organ (white or pink polyps)
Cyphastrea sp including
C. decadia, will have several different color variants.
Many various brain corals, as I have a "thing" for them.
A few select SPS species, with the Acro species being mostly deepwater:
Acropora sp 'Bali Tricolor'
A. lokani
A. suharsonoi
A. subglabra (maybe...)
Stylopora sp (looking for an outstanding color specimen)
Seriatopora hystrix Birdnest (of exquisite color).
Some fish plans:
True Percula pair (I have a loner already)
Banggai Cardinals (I still have a female, after the male was eaten by the bubble coral)
Kole Tang (the unusual colored one I already have)
Bellus Angel (that will hopefully keep the female coloring)
Wrasses (Carpenter's? Red Velvet? Long Fin? McCosker's?), either a pair, harem, or single male.
Blue Assessor (if I can find one)
Rainford's Goby (for algae eating)
Green Mandarin Dragonette pair (would like to purchase "used")
1-4 Pearly jawfish (I would like a small harem, but depends on how many other fish find their way into my tank)
Orchid Dottyback pair (maybe not with the Assessor...will have to check some info)
Who knows what else. Probably not even all of these...I will see how it comes together, and how the live rock manages to process the nitrates. I have more ideas, but that's all I can come up with for now. I would prefer to buy the fish from other reefers just because it's one less fish from the ocean.
Oh and
CLAMS!!! Lots of em. By processing nitrates, clams may allow me to stock a couple more fish than I normally would as I refuse to keep a reef where I'm battling nitrates constantly.
If anyone has any experiences with a Bellus Angel in a reef this size I would be interested to hear.