35 Gallon Mixed Reef II

[ArowanaLover1902]

When I checked on the fire and ice zoa that was moved it’s doing great down in the sump. I’ve wanted to put a frag rack down there for a while but never gotten to it. Also, I’ve moved the leather coral and moved the trash paly rock to the back right corner. Hopefully my leather picks back up.

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

The previously picture microfauna was a munnid isopod, thanks @Crabs Mcjones for identifying it

 

[NY_Caveman]

The previously picture microfauna was a munnid isopod

A cute one at that. FWIW, my green Toadstool Leather loves light and flow.

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

Ha ha ha, that he was. I saw a few more scuttling around in the tank too. Before I moved he had high flow and good light and did great, I’m trying to replicate that. Do you mind posting some pictures of it? I love leather corals.

 

[NY_Caveman]

Ha ha ha, that he was. I saw a few more scuttling around in the tank too. Before I moved he had high flow and good light and did great, I’m trying to replicate that. Do you mind posting some pictures of it? I love leather corals.

Just now

From a few weeks ago

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

Wow that looks awesome. That’s one of the corals on my watch list, speaking of which that is:
Gorgonians
Toadstool (not sure where it’d go but I’ll find a place)
Some palys
A few zoas I won’t go into
A plate coral
Maybe a donut coral
I’d consider a really nice acan or micromussa

 

[NY_Caveman]

Wow that looks awesome. That’s one of the corals on my watch list, speaking of which that is:
Gorgonians
Toadstool (not sure where it’d go but I’ll find a place)
Some palys
A few zoas I won’t go into
A plate coral
Maybe a donut coral
I’d consider a really nice acan or micromussa

I never would have bought that coral. I got it as a freebie on an IPSF.com order and the whole family just loves it.

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

I really love it too, it looks great. It's crazy, one of the LFS around here has one that is maybe 2-3 feet tall and thicker than my arm.

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

Went to LFS and picked up water and two zoanthids. Mohawks and something I don’t know. Also made an order for a sailfin blenny.

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

Here’s some pictures for the loyal followers: I have a picture mode programmed into my lights (thanks reefbreeders), in reality my tank is much bluer and many of the zoas look different. I took out all the hermits I’ve seen today (except my red leg, I like him) and banished them to the sump. I attached a picture of one eating my blue hornets (they were removing tissue, I can see it) and my radioactive zoas were closed too, after I threw them in the sump it’s back to being happy. In some of the pictures you can see a hermit running from me, then attacking my hand. My carpenter wrasse is doing great and so is everyone else.

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

When my zoas are looking weak I just look at the polyp extension on my birdsnest and it’s better

 

[Corey Shelk]

I love the look of your tank! I'm having the same problem with wanting more coral but on a college student budget. Try looking into local clubs or Craigslist. They sometimes have good deals where people have too many of one coral and sell drags for cheap cheap. Keep us updated :)

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

I haven’t checked craigslist in a bit but actually was talking to another local reefer about getting some super palys soon. I’d love to make a big order soon but won’t, corals honestly at the bottom of my wish list right now. I really need a better wave maker and I’m waiting for my sailfin blenny too. Sadly, no real local clubs here, there kinda was but it died out a few years ago. If you’ve got a build thread post a link, I’d love to check it out. College builds are cool.

 

[Corey Shelk]

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/20-gallon.454875/

Here it is, nothing too fancy. Keep us updated!

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

Thanks for the link, I like the build a lot. Every hermit has been exiled to the sump. Wondering how they will get along with the giant emerald crab down there ha ha ha. The new zoas are looking great. I’m trying to revive an old colony of Mohawks I’ve had for a while but closed up a while back after being stung by my frogspawn. The leather that got more flow is back to his old self and as big as ever.

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

I have a folder of pictures on my phone from my first tank to now. It’s missing a few stages but it was cool to see the growth of coral that I still have (not so cool to see that one or two have gone back and a few are missing. Just going through I realized I miss my hairy mushroom.

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

My aquarium events for the month:
- Go see a guy about an hour away who sells the most amazing zoanthids for super cheap
- Go to an aquarium convention meet, hoping to snag some frags there too
- My sailfin should be arriving this week too, can't wait for that

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

I really could be happier with my zoanthids. A lot of them aren't always open and I suspect:
1. Flow - hopefully I'll install a better wavemaker soon and that will help them out
2. Low nitrates - my goal for years, and now its too far, I'll likely bring a clump of my evergrowing cheato to the LFS to give them for free or just give it to anyone there who wants it
3. I don't dose - I don't think I should have to, but maybe?
4. Water changes - I do these more to put minerals back into the water, obviously nitrates aren't the problem

One thing for sure, my filter is working well. Still zero nitrates and phosphates (phosphates is cool because I don't run a skimmer, ever, little trick I learned from my old LFS: remove skimmer, double down on biomedia, and add seagel)

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

Actually the only problem it could really be would be flow. I have great lighting all across the tank. Plus, I have zoas that do well that are in better areas. I've purchased a 1365 gph wavemaker (A big change from my 625) it'll disrupt the tank a bit but they'll thank me for it long run. It was $17 so it's worth testing out.

 

[ArowanaLover1902]

Trying to duplicate whatever this is without cutting. It’s been encrusting like crazy. When I got it it hadn’t even touched the frag plug base, it was just a stick freshly glued on. I reckon within 3 months he’ll be ready.