The LAST big upgrade

[michika]

This is my new aiptasia muncher. He barely made it through QT, isn't one for prepared foods at all, prefers to graze 100%.


My galaxy coral is making a come back.




These two pieces of red digitata grew into each other and made their own colony over a weekend.


I found this guy last night as I was cleaning my tank. I'm not actually sure if it is commensile (sp?) or not. The clam doesn't seem to mind, but maybe he just moved in.


Ponape Birdsnest movie. I honestly can barely tell this isn't your garden variety green birdsnest. But I like the crazy polyp extension, so I'm torn. This is my dream coral, but I love it for its distinct tips, which I can't see in my specimen at all.

Pocci video (turn down your sound). This coral looked the worst after my vodka OD. I am so happy it is recovering. The polyp extension is probably only about 80-90% of its pre ODed state.

[mseepman]

For some reason the video links aren't there. Otherwise all is looking up. Won't that galaxy sting everything close to it when it fully recovers?

[mrhasan]

I was able to score a small frag of ponape birdnest (yellow thin branches with pink tips) and its growing nicely. I would have definitely given you a frag but my tank is velvet infected right now and am still struggling to get the last fish out before the 3 months timer starts. So if your dream coral is still a dream after 3 or 4 months, I will frag you a piece

[michika]

Link for the Ponape movie.

Link for the Pocci. And remember, TURN YOUR SOUND DOWN.

[michika]

Originally Posted by mseepman

For some reason the video links aren't there. Otherwise all is looking up. Won't that galaxy sting everything close to it when it fully recovers?

The galaxy is actually kind of limited on where it can sting. Its sunken down in the rock, and its its pretty sheltered on nearly three sides with rock. I've actually never seen it extend anything, but I do try to remain conscious that it can and probably will eventually happen. I actually want the galaxy placed elsewhere, but this is the place it best thrives, so here it stays.

Originally Posted by mrhasan

I was able to score a small frag of ponape birdnest (yellow thin branches with pink tips) and its growing nicely. I would have definitely given you a frag but my tank is velvet infected right now and am still struggling to get the last fish out before the 3 months timer starts. So if your dream coral is still a dream after 3 or 4 months, I will frag you a piece

I think my ponape frags actually came from you originally.

January Update, since I didn't do one earlier.
- There was a Vokda OD, it sucked. Arguments ensued, which also sucked. Lost a colony, and 6 frags. Also had some STN and RTN. Nearly everything had retracted polyps for a week, and I still like Vodka dosing for a economical way to reduce (available) phosphates, but I'm still very against setting it up on a doser.
- Upside to the Vodka OD is that everything that survived responded with growth spurts. The growth I'm seeing is exceptional and I know its from the lowered phosphates. 0.03ppm in my system seems to yield OK and reasonable growth in my SPS, but 0.02ppm and lower seems to equate to phenomenal growth. I know 0.01ppm doesn't seem like much, but when your overall water volume is so large, it can be significant.
- Still have cyano, but its considerably less since the vodka incident. Funnily enough the cyano seemed to retreat the moment I spent money on chemi-clean as a last resort after 9 months of the maroon velour. Just looking at the thick layer on my sand used to make me want to talk in Zap Brannagan's voice.
- I added more clean up crew members; nearly all of them promptly vanished into the tank only to be rarely seen.
- I have two mandarins, a male and female and I think they've just finally come across each other for the first time. They both change their behavior and swimming patterns when they see each other, its actually very cute.
- I think I'm ready to cut back the amount of my weekly water change; I currently do 150g, I'm going to see if dropping the amound to say 75g/week is as sufficient, and maybe a viable long term option. My goal is to tune my system in so I only have to do 5% weekly water changes, which is ~30.5 gals.

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by michika

I think my ponape frags actually came from you originally.

I think you are mistaking me for someone else You bought the red dragon (which is actually mr.packman), red monti, green birdnest, setosa and the pocci from me

[michika]

Ah yes, that's right. The birdsnest is a very bright neon green now actually. Second brightest SPS in my tank too.

[mrhasan]

Originally Posted by michika

Ah yes, that's right. The birdsnest is a very bright neon green now actually. Second brightest SPS in my tank too.

Awesome

[JDigital]

Things are coming along by the looks of it. That Copperband looks to be doing well, doesn't look skinny.

I'd be concerned about that crab inside the clam, but that's just me, I have no idea what type of crab that is. Good or bad.

Food?

[michika]

I'm making the 10th or 12th batch this weekend. It keeps going before I even get to take it out of the house.

I adore the CBB and he's far better at aiptasia control then anything I've ever previously tried. I just wish he'd show an interest in other foods too.