Looking to add some blue

racingtiger03

racingtiger03

Member
Most everything in my tank is red/orange aside from the coraline and algae on the back glass. I would like to add some corals with some blues and yellows to the tank, maybe even some greens. I currently have GSP, purple Xenia, orange digitata, pacific rose brain coral, and a small colony of hidden cup corals. inverts/fish - Coral banded shrimp, peppermint shrimp, yellow watchman goby, flame angel, two true percs, serpent star, 8 blue leg hermits, 4 red reef hermits, 12 various snails, and a RBTA.
Tank specs -
29 gallon
4 bulb 36" T5HO to be upgraded with new bulbs (2 10,000K current and 2 actinic(460nm stock current bulbs)
1 bulb GLO unit 24" (1 6700K Glo bulb that by itself puts out more light than the other 4, and helps to pop my reds better than the blue tinge of the 2 10ks and actinic.) just recently added it back, hoping it will give the digitata a growth spurt!
<65 corallife super skimmer
1gal HOB fuge
Koralia #2
PH hangs stable around 8.2
Calc ~420ppm
DKH a little low at 9-10
nitrates/phosphates both don't register and occasionally (wc time) will show the lowest measure on seachem test
I'm still a little wary about SPS as the digitata is surviving but not showing any great growth. But, if you guys want to suggest some SPS for after I get new bulbs for the 4 bulb unit that's fine with me too :)
Like the title states just looking for some blue corals and maybe some greens
Thanks!
 
fishtaco

fishtaco

Active Member
Blue mushrooms are pretty easy to find, although they seem to grow and reproduce a little slower than the other mushrooms I have in my tank for some reason.
Fishtaco
 
racingtiger03

racingtiger03

Member
Thanks for the idea of mushroom fish taco, That lead me to ricordea which I for some reason completely forgot about.. o_O...
The coloration on that blue cali tort is amazing! That's the kind of blue coloration I am looking for!
One thing I read makes me thing I was looking at a different picture though, one website lists that the blue oregon tort has more blue coloration where the cali is more purple..? researching those some for sure. My LFS has started carrying ORA SPS frags so that helps in finding them too :)
 
kraylen

kraylen

Member
Tubb's blue zoas, ORA blue chalice, misc blow rics and mushrooms.. there is a ton of blue stuff out there.
 
fretfreak13

fretfreak13

Active Member
Just a quick FIY, I've noticed that blue zoas seem to be a million times more expensive than all the other ones. Just sayin. lol Theres a pretty kind of blue Pipe Organ coral, I have a little frag of it but it's not doing too well. The mother colony was beautiful.
 
kraylen

kraylen

Member
Originally Posted by Fretfreak13
http:///forum/post/3191496
Just a quick FIY, I've noticed that blue zoas seem to be a million times more expensive than all the other ones. Just sayin. lol Theres a pretty kind of blue Pipe Organ coral, I have a little frag of it but it's not doing too well. The mother colony was beautiful.
Not really, Tubbs used to be like 25 a polyp.. you can find 25 polyps for 20 bucks now.
 
fretfreak13

fretfreak13

Active Member
Huh, point me in that direction then. xD Also the blue-ish brain coral that SWF has frags of sometimes is really cool. Meowxer has some I think, but check it out. Some trumpet corals are cool too, if you're afraid of SPS.
Brain
Trumpet
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
I don't think you have the lighting to support SPS, just my opinion. And blue/purple SPS is harder to keep than other colors.
As for blue zoos, it honestly depends where you live. They're pricey in NY, you're easily looking at $25 per polyp for Silver Surfers or Blue Tubbs here, but I've seen them cheaper in other areas. FYI, the reason for the higher price is that many people have more difficulty fragging blue zoos.
Blue mushrooms are the way to go to add some easy corals and blue coloration to your tank. As for green, there is so much out there, most people complain about too much green in their tank (like me).
Take a look at some cool acans for some different colors, some can be pricey, but have really nice color combos.
 
kraylen

kraylen

Member
Blue LPS can be very expensive... it all really depends on what type of blue you are looking for. Some blues are almost green, while others are practically purple.
Take ORA's blue chalice vs say.. My miami?
50 dollars for a 5x5 piece with 100 eyes vs. $1,500 for a 1/2" x 1/2" single eye.
Both can be considered "blue" but the price and size speaks for itself.
 
racingtiger03

racingtiger03

Member
Originally Posted by BTLDreef
http:///forum/post/3191541
I don't think you have the lighting to support SPS, just my opinion. And blue/purple SPS is harder to keep than other colors.
As for blue zoos, it honestly depends where you live. They're pricey in NY, you're easily looking at $25 per polyp for Silver Surfers or Blue Tubbs here, but I've seen them cheaper in other areas. FYI, the reason for the higher price is that many people have more difficulty fragging blue zoos.
Blue mushrooms are the way to go to add some easy corals and blue coloration to your tank. As for green, there is so much out there, most people complain about too much green in their tank (like me).
Take a look at some cool acans for some different colors, some can be pricey, but have really nice color combos.
Really? You don't think 5 T5HO bulbs over a 29 gallon with 3 daylights is enough even after I upgrade all 5 to ATI bulbs? My digitata is doing ok with the extra bulb, and I'm sure with the near 100 par upgrade per bulb from the stock currents to ATI it will be doing amazingly well. I was planning on trying some harder SPS after that if my digi still is doing well.
Thanks for all the suggestions so far everyone, I will run by the LFS and see if they have any blue rics or zoos tomorrow! :)
Kraylen, for the blue's I am looking for something along the lines of a deep royal blue, so more to the purple side of the spectrum, but my tank is lacking in the green area aside from one small zoo colony, so a blue/green would be ok, just not exactly what I'm hunting for to finish of my color variations :)
 
fretfreak13

fretfreak13

Active Member
I personally was told that it would be enough for SPS, which is why I am getting a beautiful upgrade (Current USA Sundial Nova 30", four bulbs, two atinic two white, with moonlights) this christmas just for that reason. Was that info wrong? o_O
Also, what about a blue clam? =O Don't get much more "royal blue" than that. lol
 
btldreef

btldreef

Moderator
Originally Posted by racingtiger03
http:///forum/post/3191752
Really? You don't think 5 T5HO bulbs over a 29 gallon with 3 daylights is enough even after I upgrade all 5 to ATI bulbs? My digitata is doing ok with the extra bulb, and I'm sure with the near 100 par upgrade per bulb from the stock currents to ATI it will be doing amazingly well. I was planning on trying some harder SPS after that if my digi still is doing well.

I'm so sorry, I read your lighting wrong, DAMN MY PHONE!
Anyways, yes you have enough. Get rid of the Current bulbs, they're garbage.
And as FretFreak says, why not try a clam?
 
racingtiger03

racingtiger03

Member
LOL he scared me too, same reason I bought the nova fixture. I bet you just saw the glo fixture. Thats why I never surf SWF from my phone lol!!! Even with a 4" screen that's a no no haha
The current bulbs truly are garbage. I didn't relise how bad until I put my single glo 6500K as they call it "LifeGLO" back over the tank.. it almost makes the ligthing from all 4 bulbs of the nova wash out!
I have a flame angel, and am afraid to drop the kind of money on a clam. I hear while they are hit or miss with reef, they WILL nip at clam mantles. Mine occasionally nips my xenia, so I don't think a clam would be safe either. As much as I would love a nice maxima clam with a royal blue and black or purple mantle.. *drool*
 
fretfreak13

fretfreak13

Active Member
You could get a clam and put half a waterbottle over it. A lot of people do this to help keep them fed, and it would keep the angel away from it. At first glance, since it's clear, I don't think it would be too noticible. *shrug*
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by Fishtaco
http:///forum/post/3191458
Blue mushrooms are pretty easy to find, although they seem to grow and reproduce a little slower than the other mushrooms I have in my tank for some reason.
Fishtaco

Good luck finding yellow, I want something yellow for my tank as well., however true blue mushrooms look great. Here is a picture of mine.
 
racingtiger03

racingtiger03

Member
Dont get me started on yellow... my LFS had some zoas that had a black mouth, orange disk, and yellow tentacles. They were in the propogation tank, and I was waiting on them to put them in one of the sell tanks... next time I went back they were gone.. but there are a couple in their huge reef display and the owner said when it grows out again I can buy a few polyps for my tank. As for blue I'll report my findings at the LFS later today, I'm going to look into this water bottle over a clam thing some too...
 
flower

flower

Well-Known Member
Originally Posted by racingtiger03
http:///forum/post/3191965
Dont get me started on yellow... my LFS had some zoas that had a black mouth, orange disk, and yellow tentacles. They were in the propogation tank, and I was waiting on them to put them in one of the sell tanks... next time I went back they were gone.. but there are a couple in their huge reef display and the owner said when it grows out again I can buy a few polyps for my tank. As for blue I'll report my findings at the LFS later today, I'm going to look into this water bottle over a clam thing some too...

There is a very pretty looking yellow leather toadstool SWF sells. It looks great, and someone on the site got one and for over a year so far it hasn't faded. It is artificially colored.
I have been reluctant to purchase it, but maybe you would like to check it out. In my tank leathers grow so fast I don’t think it could hold its color.
 
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