And in the beginning........

myzislow

myzislow

Member
Originally Posted by spanko
http:///forum/post/2515034
Thank you for the comments and for looking at my tank. I have looked at yours myzislow and am amazed at the diversity of coral from all parts of the reef. How do you keep the chemical warfare from so much diversity in check? Do you see much damage to coral that are close enough to each other to touch and harm each other? So much color though, really incredible.
Thanks!! I really like your tank as well, your corals have awesome color. I don't do anything special really, just regular maintenance and I frag my zoos back once they get a little too large. I don't even run carbon, ever lol. I do have many zoos growing at the base of several acroprora colonies and have yet to have a problem. It seems impossible for the zoos to take over and grown onto the healthy acropora as the acro constantly keeps the zoos in check by stinging them. It's really cool to watch. They have been like this for over a year and growth/color has always been excellent. I do keep an eye on the situation though as you never know when things can change
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Thank you everyone. I am having fun with it. My biggest task(s) are get rid of the Caulerpa, or as much as I can to keep it in check, and keep my mitts out of there so I don't rearrange anymore.
Thank you for looking!!!
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Okay how about some updates. Things are going well. I have finally found a foxface small enough to go into the tank for now. He is decimating the Caulerpa, what an eating machine he is. I will keep him for a while, got him on Good Friday, and see how much of this he can get gone. Then before he gets too big it is back to the LFS for credit. I will keep an eye on the Caulepa and when, because I believe it will, it starts to come back I will find another small on to do it all over again. Also am trying a Crocea. Corals are growing water parameters are staying very good and sump in back of tank doing well. Okay here are some pics.
FTS1

FTS2

New fabricated screen top

Home made drip tray with phosphate pad, carbon pad, in second chamber with stealth heater, Chaeto, Azoo palm light, bag of Purigen and Chemipure Elite under drip tray.

Top down shot of Crocea

Top down of Neon Goby over tabling Acro

Straight on of Crocea.
 
K

kat74

Guest
Wow!!~ Your tank truly looks like a work of art!

I absolutely LOVE all the colors in your tank! The coralline on the back wall is amazing!
Gorgeous!!~
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
That means a lot to me coming from you with your gorgeous tank. Thank you for the compliment Kat. I am following you 14 build with great expectations!
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Sorry for updating so soon. I have returned the Foxface to the LFS as it has accomplished the task I got it for. CAULERPA DESTRUCTION. I will now be looking for another smaller Foxface or other rabbitfish because I know even though I cannot see any Caulerpa now, there are still those tiny runner anchors in the rock and it will come back.
So in having to catch the Foxface I had to remove the rockwork which gave me the opportunity to rescape. Here are some new pictures.










Thank you for looking.
 
A

alexmir

Guest
Amazing tank!!! I love all of the beautiful coral, I can imagine you have to calcium dose ALOT in that small of a tank and with that much SPS.
 
acroshark

acroshark

Member
alexmir makes a could point! what do you dose and how often do you dose to keep up with your sps needs? also what lighting are you running?
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
I do dose calcium, alkalinity. I guess a lot is a relative kind of thing. I use ESV B-Ionic 2 part. I do 10 ml of each every other day (Sun, Tue, Thur) and then do a 20 % water change with Nutri Seawater on Saturdays. I made a promise to myself and my coral that I would try to give them the best possible conditions while trying to do this reef flat biotope. So far so good. It is growing well. I am sure I could get more growth faster but I am content going like I am and learning as I go.
My lighting is a 150 watt HQI MH Sunpod. I am currently running a 14K Phoenix bulb. I think the more growth statement above could be facilitated running a 10k, but I am afraid I would get more algae growth. I may try it though because my bulb is about 5 months old now and due for a change at the end of May.
Thank you for the kind comments.
 
A

alexmir

Guest
sounds like you have it under control!!! My wife was watching me look at your pictures and said " Those are beautiful, that one too! Why dont you get one of those?" So coming from a girl who doesnt get interested in tanks at all, thats a HUGE compliment
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
I find that anyone who complinents my tank to be a huge good feeling. However your comment about it coming from your wife who is not interested in tanks at all is a really good feeling. Tell her thank you for looking.
By the way you are a good looking couple and your avatar conveys a certain togetherness not seen a lot. My wife and I have been married for 33 years and we are as in love with each other today as we have ever been. You have that look that says you will be one of that type of couple.
Funny here I am now seeing some Caulerpa already starting to grow back. No a lot but non the less growing back. Thinking about getting another small Foxface now. The problem is will there be enough for him to eat or will I have to supplement his diet with other foods, nori, even purchase some macro algae to put into the fuge with the Chaeto to give him once in a while.
I love the challenge of trying to keep ahead of things. This is got to be the best hobby IMO. I make about 200 gallons of wine a year. It is one of the most happiest feelings I get sharing sharing the wine I make. I love to sit and have a glass with friends and family all throughout the year. (I make a kick ass Sangria to take out on the boat and drink with the other boats we raft up with and party with )but that feeling does not compare to the joy I get from 29 gallons of saltwater and the life it contains. Oh well I guess I better start looking for another small Rabbitfish and thinking about keeping it happy.
Oh yeah gonna look for a nice green Pocillopora too
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Bored tonight, took some pics.
FTS

Hawk taking a look

Another of the Hawk

Purple Stylophora

Found some shrooms growing.

Talbots Damsel

Another

Like I said, bored thought I would share.
 
K

kat74

Guest
Simply breathtaking...

Your back wall covered in purple, green and pink serves as the perfect canvas of the beautiful, creative artistry that is your tank.

LOVE it!~
 
spanko

spanko

Active Member
Thanx Reb and Kat. I am really enjoying the way the tank is maturing. Hope you all are too!
 
rebelprettyboy

rebelprettyboy

Active Member
Originally Posted by KAT74
http:///forum/post/2595204
Simply breathtaking...

Your back wall covered in purple, green and pink serves as the perfect canvas of the beautiful, creative artistry that is your tank.

LOVE it!~

Yeah the coraline is sick. my girlfriend saw the pics and she was all
her - "how can I get mine like that?"
me - "Just give it time"
her -"Can we just rub purple up on the back of the tank lol"
All i could do was laugh
AND NO I DONT USE PURPLE UP CUZ ITS A WASTE OF MONEY. HER BROTHER USES IT EVEN THOUGH I TELL HIM NOT TO!
 
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