Budget doesn't exist in this hobby: Brian's 45g Build

[coolhandgoose]

Nice scoly. Hope it colours up for you.
Lots of algae going on there
Candy canes are the one coral that's bullet proof in my tank so I'm sure it will come back around nicely for you.

[mrhasan]

For the CC, put it in a low flow low area light. They recover miraculously when they are not getting blasted with light or flow.

Impressive progress

[Etaloche]

Originally Posted by coolhandgoose

Nice scoly. Hope it colours up for you.
Lots of algae going on there
Candy canes are the one coral that's bullet proof in my tank so I'm sure it will come back around nicely for you.

Ya I added a whole bunch of livestock in the past few weeks and my feeding hand got a bit heavy cause I got so excited
Just did a 10% WC yesterday and lots of manual removal of algae. Doesn't help that the weather almost went up 10 degrees in the past week and lots more sunlight coming through even though I live in a basement.
Still learning the ins and outs of algae control.

Originally Posted by mrhasan

For the CC, put it in a low flow low area light. They recover miraculously when they are not getting blasted with light or flow.

Impressive progress

Oh ok, I just moved it to the lowest flow part of my tank which happens to be a low light area as well. Fingers crossed now. Lawnmower blenny keeps picking at the algae on the tips and making it retract ugh.

[SeaHorse_Fanatic]

The zoas are called Green Bay Packers or Boy Scouts, depending on whether you follow NFL football or not, I guess. If the candycanes survive, they're yours.

[Etaloche]

I've been fragging all my zoas when I first get them so that I always start with just 4-5 heads. I just wanted to see growth pattern and speed of their growth individually.
The idea is also to have one of my rock evenly spread with different kinds of zoas.

Anyways, I traded in all my small frags for this open brain coral. I didn't get the one I wanted because it was sold 2 days after I decided I wanted it
Anthony told me to always ask to have the coral you want on hold from now on. Will definitely take on that advice from now.

Still very happy with this one, has awesome splashes of colors.


I noticed yesterday that my firefish has developed a bit of a cloudy eye on one side. After some research I've narrowed it down to some possibilities: physical damage like scratches, internal parasitic infection, or bacterial infection.
I couldn't really get a clear photo but will try to. I have a QT tank setup but haven't been able to catch the fish.
Not ready to tear down my scape and decided to keep an eye on him for couple more days. Planning to add a UV in case it's an infection. Any other advice?

Could be related but I added a springer's damsel to my tank last week who disappeared in a single night. I assumed my pistol shrimp got to it and ate it.
Maybe it was carrying some sort of disease... I really hope not but I'm prepared to act on it in case it was.

[Etaloche]

Had to whip out the DSLR to get somewhat decent photo of the eye

The cloudy left eye, hard to tell but it has a slight hazey area right in the middle.


Right eye seems completely clear and will give better contrast to what I'm talking about in the left eye.

[Dash]

Hi Brian,

Newbie here. I've been reading tons on Canreef since setting up my tank last Nov. Great info but most of it is so far off from what I've got running. I have a 75g fowlr cobbled together mainly for my 2 green spotted puffers (that the LFS told me were freshwater). Anyway, these guys have been the gateway to a new addiction, albeit on a budget.

After adding a couple of softies I'm now looking for a new light. I've been looking on ebay for a deal on Evergrow lights but have also looked at the SB Reef lights. Just wondering, what were the Chinese box lights you had before?

Ps. I have a goby/shrimp pair and lawnmower blenny too. I love "character" fish

Maggie