4’x2’x2’ build… The Dragons’ Forest

[NowGlazeIT]

Freddy Krueger?? lol

Those were the days I tell ya!

 

[Paulandreti]

Nice tank!

 

[i cant think]

Nice tank!

Thankyou! It’s got to be my favourite large tank I’ve ever done as it’s actually looking like a reef and not a fuzzy mess of mushrooms.
Although, if I did find another Hairy Mushroom I would happily take it as I believe it could add some great texture with the other coral and inverts in there.

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Thankyou! It’s got to be my favourite large tank I’ve ever done as it’s actually looking like a reef and not a fuzzy mess of mushrooms.
Although, if I did find another Hairy Mushroom I would happily take it as I believe it could add some great texture with the other coral and inverts in there.

I keep a single one in my 180. When it splits or drops a baby, the nem cannon is put into actin and the split removed.

 

[i cant think]

I keep a single one in my 180. When it splits or drops a baby, the nem cannon is put into actin and the split removed.

The left side of my 3’ tank was my mushroom heavy side and at the very top were Green Striped Mushrooms and a grouping of Hairy Mushrooms with I believe reds somewhere further back. Absolutely love the mushrooms due to the texture and colours they have and some of the common guys are the ones I absolutely want to hunt down. In the centre of the tank was my Ricordea Yuma rock and this is the original mother colony of the guys in my 4’ tank.

 

[SaltyT]

Thankyou! It’s got to be my favourite large tank I’ve ever done as it’s actually looking like a reef and not a fuzzy mess of mushrooms.
Although, if I did find another Hairy Mushroom I would happily take it as I believe it could add some great texture with the other coral and inverts in there.

I wish I could send you some of my hairy mushrooms they split all the time so I have to thin them out.

 

[i cant think]

I know I know, this is extremely overdue however the photos I originally intended to use were rather bad. I finally got round to grabbing photos of everyone though so it’s go time!

The Wrasse Update is finally here!

Paracheilinus sp. - Flasher
This guy is doing amazing… although the Lubbockis are failing at their job of getting this guy to display. So for now it’s still a question of what he is as he’s incredibly difficult to get a photo of. In this photo you can see the red dorsalfin and yellow anal fin though.

Cirrhilabrus lubbocki - Lubbock’s/Multicolour Fairy
Let’s start with the Indonesian, this guy is doing amazing. He’s usually the one that displays towards the flasher which I’m not complaining about as the flasher doesn’t get stressed, the flasher flays his fins and swims off. Him and the Cebu still display but now they’re doing it during the day and not just in blue lighting. This guy when he displays is stunning and I wish I was fast enough to get a photo that was in focus.

Now for the Cebu! This guy I have an even better photo of and I’m sure @SaltyT will love it. He often circles the tank with the Indonesian to display but each time there’s a different victor, I think the most times it’s been the Cebu for sure. This guy is still stunning and I finally got a decent photo of him in display just now! When wrasses display they are hell to photograph I will admit that.

Cirrhilabrus melanomarginatus - Black Margin Fairy
This guy is currently MIA however, he was out for a couple days this week (I believe he was out yesterday - Thursday). So I can’t really update much on him other than when I saw him he was looking nice and healthy. The photo below is a photo from last week.

Halichoeres iridis - Radiant/Multicolour
This guy is doing great and I haven’t seen any major chasing between him and the Chloropterus. Instead he just seems to enjoy colouring up more which I’m not going to complain about. He’s a stunning species and is definitely one of my must haves for Atleast one of my tanks that can fit a medium/large wrasse.

Halichoeres chloropterus - Jade/Green Coris/Pastel Green
This guy is doing great and as I said above, no major chasing is going on. He more so chills around minding his own business. If I’m honest the only wrasses I’ve seen aggression from are the Lubbocks and the Radiant. This guy and the Flasher just mind their own business, chilling and helping out (Whether it’s by eating algae scraped off the glass or by hunting pests).

 

[i cant think]

Went to my further LFS today to get some more coral for my nano. As it was their one year anniversary this week they have had several events going on and today they had several different things going on. I picked up some LR that had come straight from the gulf of Cuba to try get rid of a huge flat area on the tank so I’ll keep an eye out for microfauna that pops up

 

[Reefdiculous22]

I found a few photos of some of the fish, coral, my 3’ tank and some downsides to this hobby…
Here’s the 3’ tank’s old inhabitants (Scopas tang, CBB - Beaten to death by the scopas, as seen in the centre of the 3rd photo, Chilli coral is still with me).
23/08/2019 2:12pm

4/10/2019 5:4

1/11/2019 3:53pm

Unfortunately in the photo above this comment, that is a dead CBB from my 3’ tank, that scopas was about 2”, I think most of the coral actually died from a “small” incident that ended in Atleast £300 in coral death and £200 in fish death. Those photos above were from 21st November 2019. When I moved house that’s when I took the chance for a 4’ tank (This was December 21st 2019). Then it had fish in on January 27th - I think 3-4 weeks after it cycled. Here’s the photo of the first fish that went in.. rookie mistake, using the old sand in the new tank.
Results were this:
21/12/2019 9:41am

21/12/2019 9:10am

You guessed it, ammonia spiked quickly and did damage instantly (It was either this or die of hypothermia) this was the decision nobody wants, knowing their fish will die..
Now you will see the bacteria/algae that takes over tanks, and the first 5 fish that went in!!
This photo below shows the black photon clownfish pair that went in, and the bubble algae that spread. Aswell as that beautiful Indonesian colony of torch - Still have this except the colony is now one head.
29/01/2020 3:16pm

and now the other part of the bubble algae (Uglies!) phase, the rockwork is slightly different because we changed the sand for the radiant - The wrasse I have always wanted since having a 3’ tank and seeing a 1” juvenile.
29/01/2020 3:17pm

Phase 2 of the uglies - Bubble algae is dying off, something else (I think it was the diatoms next) came in.
29/01/2020 3:17pm

And now the fourth and 5th/6th inhabitant got added! The CBB I have today (Such a joy to watch!!) and the two skunk cleaners I also have today. Both are Atleast 2” now!!
29/01/2020 3:17pm

This next photo shows the pretty colouration my 3rd inhabitant haha, I have always and will always have a Foxface in my larger tanks!!
AND the acacia I still have - it has grown a lot more too, the fragplug is almost invisible now!
I still have the Duncan too - That was the 2nd coral to go in, the 1st was the torch.
29/01/2020 3:17pm

And then in went the tang (Twin spot). This guy and the Foxface beat the ugly stage to the curb!! And it shows the female Black Photon - I lost the male unfortunately.. so I replaced him with the juvenile misbar that is now the female, this female also vanished and I give up on keeping pairs, I may try one more male black photon though.
Stage 3 of the uglies is also shown and this is where the Foxface had the dinner of a life time - Green Hair Algae!!
5/02/2020 3:22pm

ugly phase #4, diatoms have grown and so has GHA (Finally, a use for the Foxface haha)
5/02/2020 3:26pm

GHA is more clear now
5/02/2020 3:26pm

The tang again - Still highly brown and still beautiful!! Asterinas starting to take over aswell (Bloody things)
5/02/2020 4:25pm

And here’s where the male black photon clown died.. Still no idea why (Everything was in place, no spikes). Diatoms and GHA still taking over - The Foxface still having a buffet
10/02/2020 3:32pm

And finally, Cyano out competed the other two algae’s, I didn’t mind it so much - Nothing got harmed either.
26/02/2020 3:35pm

Here’s my first of two wrasse - Both died (And some backstory as to why I love C. Naokoae so much!!) this guy died from spinal injury from jumping… a month or so later. Also a small bit of one of the pink pincushion urchins (There was two, they’re now replaced with two white pincushion urchins).
4/03/2020 11:16pm - 14 days before my birthday, this was an early birthday gift to myself

And my second wrasse, H. leucoxanthus (Silver belly wrasse) she died at some point in June or July 2020. Also - My chilli coral in that tank!!
16/03/2020 7:37am - Also an early birthday gift.

And then part of the rockwork fell (Nothing died or got injured) I got lucky with that one, it’s now stable though.
24/07/2020 9:49am

How did you beat the cyano? It has completely taken my sand bed and is now going on the rocks.

I found a few photos of some of the fish, coral, my 3’ tank and some downsides to this hobby…
Here’s the 3’ tank’s old inhabitants (Scopas tang, CBB - Beaten to death by the scopas, as seen in the centre of the 3rd photo, Chilli coral is still with me).
23/08/2019 2:12pm

4/10/2019 5:4

1/11/2019 3:53pm

Unfortunately in the photo above this comment, that is a dead CBB from my 3’ tank, that scopas was about 2”, I think most of the coral actually died from a “small” incident that ended in Atleast £300 in coral death and £200 in fish death. Those photos above were from 21st November 2019. When I moved house that’s when I took the chance for a 4’ tank (This was December 21st 2019). Then it had fish in on January 27th - I think 3-4 weeks after it cycled. Here’s the photo of the first fish that went in.. rookie mistake, using the old sand in the new tank.
Results were this:
21/12/2019 9:41am

21/12/2019 9:10am

You guessed it, ammonia spiked quickly and did damage instantly (It was either this or die of hypothermia) this was the decision nobody wants, knowing their fish will die..
Now you will see the bacteria/algae that takes over tanks, and the first 5 fish that went in!!
This photo below shows the black photon clownfish pair that went in, and the bubble algae that spread. Aswell as that beautiful Indonesian colony of torch - Still have this except the colony is now one head.
29/01/2020 3:16pm

and now the other part of the bubble algae (Uglies!) phase, the rockwork is slightly different because we changed the sand for the radiant - The wrasse I have always wanted since having a 3’ tank and seeing a 1” juvenile.
29/01/2020 3:17pm

Phase 2 of the uglies - Bubble algae is dying off, something else (I think it was the diatoms next) came in.
29/01/2020 3:17pm

And now the fourth and 5th/6th inhabitant got added! The CBB I have today (Such a joy to watch!!) and the two skunk cleaners I also have today. Both are Atleast 2” now!!
29/01/2020 3:17pm

This next photo shows the pretty colouration my 3rd inhabitant haha, I have always and will always have a Foxface in my larger tanks!!
AND the acacia I still have - it has grown a lot more too, the fragplug is almost invisible now!
I still have the Duncan too - That was the 2nd coral to go in, the 1st was the torch.
29/01/2020 3:17pm

And then in went the tang (Twin spot). This guy and the Foxface beat the ugly stage to the curb!! And it shows the female Black Photon - I lost the male unfortunately.. so I replaced him with the juvenile misbar that is now the female, this female also vanished and I give up on keeping pairs, I may try one more male black photon though.
Stage 3 of the uglies is also shown and this is where the Foxface had the dinner of a life time - Green Hair Algae!!
5/02/2020 3:22pm

ugly phase #4, diatoms have grown and so has GHA (Finally, a use for the Foxface haha)
5/02/2020 3:26pm

GHA is more clear now
5/02/2020 3:26pm

The tang again - Still highly brown and still beautiful!! Asterinas starting to take over aswell (Bloody things)
5/02/2020 4:25pm

And here’s where the male black photon clown died.. Still no idea why (Everything was in place, no spikes). Diatoms and GHA still taking over - The Foxface still having a buffet
10/02/2020 3:32pm

And finally, Cyano out competed the other two algae’s, I didn’t mind it so much - Nothing got harmed either.
26/02/2020 3:35pm

Here’s my first of two wrasse - Both died (And some backstory as to why I love C. Naokoae so much!!) this guy died from spinal injury from jumping… a month or so later. Also a small bit of one of the pink pincushion urchins (There was two, they’re now replaced with two white pincushion urchins).
4/03/2020 11:16pm - 14 days before my birthday, this was an early birthday gift to myself

And my second wrasse, H. leucoxanthus (Silver belly wrasse) she died at some point in June or July 2020. Also - My chilli coral in that tank!!
16/03/2020 7:37am - Also an early birthday gift.

And then part of the rockwork fell (Nothing died or got injured) I got lucky with that one, it’s now stable though.
24/07/2020 9:49am

 

[i cant think]

How did you beat the cyano? It has completely taken my sand bed and is now going on the rocks.

I did actually, although I don’t quite remember what it was that got rid of it unfortunately.

 

[i cant think]

Operation blenny was a score!
As I’m sure many of you dont understand it, Basically, operation blenny is what I call “Blenny Removal Day”. The reason for me having to remove the blenny is due to the blenny being an SPS freak and loving to nip my frags (Mostly the prized extra fluffy Acros). I finally got sick of the blenny and I gave him one last chance, and this morning he decided to nip on one of my newest SPS frags. Sooo… During the water change I tore down the nano of its rock and got him out. I absolutely love this guy’s personality though so it’s hard to let him go and instead I figured as the 4’ won’t have as many Acros and instead Montis and the easier acros/SPS then he could go in there.
He found himself a nice nook in the rockscape and now he’s pretty much at home!

 

[i cant think]

Feeding time for the fish and the Coral decided to join in! Here’s a nice shot I got of the feeding reaction from my Duncan colony. Also, look at that life that’s often hidden under the polyps, stunning!

And the blenny, appearing on the opposite side of the tank to where I introduced him. He appears to enjoy this rock as it has many nice books to hide in… Nice to know it’s the side that has barely any coral and I plan to work on when the new rocks establish.

As for the coral, I plan to keep with the LPS/Softie combo and eventually I plan to stick maybe 2-3 SPS (possibly some easier Acros that won’t be nipped at) in the centre of the tank. I would love to try stick with the encrusting and non-acropora SPS though as it may just be easier to mix with the softies and LPS.
Here’s one SPS I would love to frag from my nano in the future to go into this tank. The Montipora spoingodes (Sunset Montipora).I may also frag one of the acros that the blenny didn’t seem to irritate.

 

[NowGlazeIT]

Feeding time for the fish and the Coral decided to join in! Here’s a nice shot I got of the feeding reaction from my Duncan colony. Also, look at that life that’s often hidden under the polyps, stunning!

And the blenny, appearing on the opposite side of the tank to where I introduced him. He appears to enjoy this rock as it has many nice books to hide in… Nice to know it’s the side that has barely any coral and I plan to work on when the new rocks establish.

As for the coral, I plan to keep with the LPS/Softie combo and eventually I plan to stick maybe 2-3 SPS (possibly some easier Acros that won’t be nipped at) in the centre of the tank. I would love to try stick with the encrusting and non-acropora SPS though as it may just be easier to mix with the softies and LPS.
Here’s one SPS I would love to frag from my nano in the future to go into this tank. The Montipora spoingodes (Sunset Montipora).I may also frag one of the acros that the blenny didn’t seem to irritate.

Awesome! what’s on the menu?

 

[i cant think]

Awesome! what’s on the menu?

It was a mix of frozen brine and mysis, I feed once a day (I do want to try boost it to 2x a day eventually) but it’s I believe 7 cubes, 4 of one then 3 of another so they do end up extremely fat after it.

 

[i cant think]

This is something I wasn’t sure on if I was going to update on just yet however I figured it was important.
Yes, the naoko has moved tank however, the reason is he was undergoing some strange injury that I wish I could get a photo of. I only discovered it today, I decided to move him into my 4’ as I think the nano may not be the best for healing a fish in any natural way. This is due to some parameters not always remaining stable in comparison to the 4’ tank’s parameters. The injury is on one of his pelvic fins, it’s extremely similar to what the Angel had. Maybe one of you can help me as I haven’t dealt with many diseases in my time in the hobby (Even when working in the LFS I didn’t really come across new diseases/issues that weren’t velvet/ich, flukes or a spinal injury).

 

[i cant think]

On a happier note, look whose settling in nicely
I’m glad I can enjoy his personality in a separate tank where he won’t nip prizes fluffy acros. Which if you’re curious are recovering nicely from him nipping them a couple times.

 

[i cant think]

This is something I wasn’t sure on if I was going to update on just yet however I figured it was important.
Yes, the naoko has moved tank however, the reason is he was undergoing some strange injury that I wish I could get a photo of. I only discovered it today, I decided to move him into my 4’ as I think the nano may not be the best for healing a fish in any natural way. This is due to some parameters not always remaining stable in comparison to the 4’ tank’s parameters. The injury is on one of his pelvic fins, it’s extremely similar to what the Angel had. Maybe one of you can help me as I haven’t dealt with many diseases in my time in the hobby (Even when working in the LFS I didn’t really come across new diseases/issues that weren’t velvet/ich, flukes or a spinal injury).

This is the best photo I could get of his injured side for now - Will get a better one in the morning.

 

[SaltyT]

Looks like an injury, but hard to tell if there's a bacterial infection going too since the pic is so blue. Is the discoloration on his head and on his side real or is it just the way the photo came out?

 

[i cant think]

Looks like an injury, but hard to tell if there's a bacterial infection going too since the pic is so blue. Is the discoloration on his head and on his side real or is it just the way the photo came out?

I think it’s real, hopefully the white light photo tomorrow will be able to show it - He’s gone to sleep now so I can’t really compare the photo to in person right now.
From what I saw earlier it didn’t look as bad as it does in the photo.

 

[i cant think]

Another issue in the 4’ is the melanomarginatus has been missing for a while now. Last time I saw him was Saturday. This week has not been a great week for wrasses it’s seems.