Tank Journal Archive

[Ranibranch]

Current FTS and some crappy iphone pics of recent additions!

I need more blue lights so the corals can show off their neon bling.

Picked up pretty zoas the other day! They look better under blue lights. :p

Love my Duncan. Trachy has to keep relocating because of Mr Jiggles...(the heliofungia)

Found some Xenia! It's just sooking because I turned off the pumps. Also picked a tiny Acan. Blaster Master (blasto) is growing polyps on the other side!

Mr Jiggles doing what he does. (Weird things with his tentacles. Yesterday I touched him and his tentacles puffed up like sausage fingers)

Fluffy morph that I think might split soon!

Anyway :p I'm not actually sure what I want in here except for more zoas, mushrooms, ricordea (and co) Mr Jiggles will have to go soon, to my partners disappointment...

 

[daveH]

You're doing that little tank proud - brilliant

 

[Ranibranch]

You're doing that little tank proud - brilliant

Thank you! It looks really good in person! There's a lot more contrast in colour. In photos, it just looks like a mess of brown and green-pinky blobs. Also, it's really hard finding that line between what's good for the corals and what's aesthetically pleasing. >_>

 

[Ranibranch]

1. Forgot to mention that I am now dosing Seachem Trace and Plus (on alternating days) so looking forward to seeing if it makes a difference!

Also, I love seeing how they react to natural sea water changes. They love it!!

2. Finally purchased a refractometer too. Much better than my glass hydrometer :p

3. Still haven't decided if I want inverts yet. I'm too scared of shrimp because of salinity swings but it's too small for a lot of the snails and crabs I've seen (although I definitely want to try some form of telepathic mind meld with a strombus snail as I gaze into their eyes.)
I wouldn't mind some form of mini clean up crew, mainly for the substrate so I don't have to disturb it so much with a siphon. Some of the corals don't appreciate a mouthful of grit. :p

 

[daveH]

So glad you've jumped on the Trace and Plus wagon - great stuff.
Try and see if you can pick up some zombi snails - good cleaners and entertaining.
Steer away from peppermint shrimp they can take a liking to a number of corals.

 

[Andrew B]

i will happily take Mr. Jiggles from you :)

 

[Ranibranch]

i will happily take Mr. Jiggles from you :)

If I can break my partner's heart...:p

 

[Ranibranch]

Oh ho ho! I thought I was hearing things last night but I'm hearing a very distinctive clicking sound coming from the tank after lights out again tonight. It stops when I whip out my flashlight and go hunting but I guess it's not going to pop out and say hi...

We'll find out!

 

[MichelleShocked]

3. Still haven't decided if I want inverts yet. I'm too scared of shrimp because of salinity swings

If you are hearing that distinctive click of a night - you already have a shrimp :D :D

If it's a mantis, it will eat your CuC but your corals are 100% safe (though he may rearrange corals to suit his own interests and aesthetic taste)
If it IS a mantis, please don't kill it (I'm not assuming you will, it's a general request :)
If you want try a mind meld, those guys are not only up for it but possibly even an education! I've kept a few as pets and they're awesome :)
Your tank doesn't look like brown & green blobs - it looks gorgeous!
Mr Jiggles made me giggle :)

 

[DeWalt]

Tank looks beautiful and very healthy mate.

 

[Ranibranch]

If you are hearing that distinctive click of a night - you already have a shrimp :D :D

If it's a mantis, it will eat your CuC but your corals are 100% safe (though he may rearrange corals to suit his own interests and aesthetic taste)
If it IS a mantis, please don't kill it (I'm not assuming you will, it's a general request :)
If you want try a mind meld, those guys are not only up for it but possibly even an education! I've kept a few as pets and they're awesome :)
Your tank doesn't look like brown & green blobs - it looks gorgeous!
Mr Jiggles made me giggle :)

I thought it might be a pistol shrimp but god knows where he's hiding. :p Of course I wouldn't kill it! I love all my little hitchhikers (although some of the monster bristleworms make me squirm. :p)

 

[MagicJ]

Looking good :)

Keep an eye on the Green Start Polyps - they can take over once they get a foot hold.

 

[Ranibranch]

I was

Looking good :)

Keep an eye on the Green Start Polyps - they can take over once they get a foot hold.

I wasn't sure if they were GSP. I remember GSP as having a purple base with bright green polyps (under normal lighting). They came as friendly hitchhikers from Dave's tank!

I really just want the xenia to take off. But I'm not sure I'd have the heart to prune it back if it went too nuts. >_>

 

[Andrew B]

i will take those green star polyps off you, i am currently on the hunt for them :)

 

[daveH]

Oh . . don't worry that Xenia will take off and it won't take long before you're happily slicing off kilos of the stuff and trying to give it away.

 

[ReeferRob]

Like Dave said, you'll be pruning that Xenia in short order as well as the GSP. Watch your alkalinity LIKE A HAWK because if it goes too low, the Xenia WILL melt and poison the tank very fast.

Forgot to add, damn spiffy tank mate.

 

[Ranibranch]

Like Dave said, you'll be pruning that Xenia in short order as well as the GSP. Watch your alkalinity LIKE A HAWK because if it goes too low, the Xenia WILL melt and poison the tank very fast.

Forgot to add, damn spiffy tank mate.

Good to know! So far I've only been doing weekly 30-50% water changes with NSW and dosing Reef Plus and Trace on alternating days. I don't own any test kits yet. >_>

Coralline algae growth is down but it's hard to tell because the collector urchin eats it all. I do see it appear in places he can't get to....until he forces his way in.