90g living room reef

[Schnizzle]

Just after that reply was sent I found out my neighbors are starting their own mental health therapy business and leaving social work behind. We all get along well so that might come in handy if she does experience postpartum depression.

 

[Schnizzle]

Lets add some eye candy while I have a minute. The recovery projects are doing great! The Caulastrea is really puffy and the Seriatopora nub is getting very bumpy. I'm guessing this is going to be all the new branches.

My zoa garden that, despite being attacked by the urchin, is filling in nicely.

The Burning Banana Stylocoeniella is starting to make a strong comeback. I'm loving the yellow color in the tank. Sorry for the blur, some days I just can't take a clear photo of the corals.

One of my favorite spots to watch in the tank. I'm still afraid that something is bound to go off the rails with the RFAs and Pectinia so close.

 

[Maxx]

I love the Alien Eye Pectinia.

 

[Schnizzle]

I love the Alien Eye Pectinia.

It’s my favorite. Further back you can see it was my first and I nearly killed it.

 

[Maxx]

Yeah, I saw that and I'm glad you were able to pull it back from the brink.

And apologies for misnaming it....Space Invader pectinia is what I meant.

 

[Schnizzle]

Yeah, I saw that and I'm glad you were able to pull it back from the brink.

And apologies for misnaming it....Space Invader pectinia is what I meant.

I knew what you meant. lol I'm not correcting anyone.

 

[Schnizzle]

Tank is doing quite well. Just wanted to drop a note to prove I'm still here. haha Baby girl and a bathroom remodel are eating up all my time. Hopefully I can remember to snap some pics and post an update.
I have a few frags I need to trade off so I really need to get some pics of them up.

 

[Schnizzle]

Still here. Holy cow they don't lie when they say kids occupy all your time. If she doesn't need something I just stare at her (and the tank). Thankfully she seems to like it. Anyway, here's a little something until I can do a bigger update with cleaner photos.

 

[Schnizzle]

Managed to snap a few photos the other night. Between a job promotion, a six month old and ANOTHER on the way, time has become a precious commodity.

I need to do a live stock update at some point as well. I don't even remember when the last one was or who was still there. I know there have been a few changes. Most notably to me is the addition of a Coral Banded Shrimp the nobody wanted from the LFS. It's name is quite fitting, meet Patriot. The "purple" looks more blue to the eye.



Recently some neglect let my nitrates climb high and my alk to drop. The only coral that seems to have suffered visually is the cyphastrea. I'm taking weekly photos to monitor the recovery or decline. Hopefully it survives.

I had some blue clove polyps appear from somewhere and decided that I am on the side the doesn't mind them. All my corals appear to be able to out compete them. It may be coincidence but it seems that the aiptasia was overpowered by the polyps as I only find it in the sump these days.

I don't seem to give plating montipora what it wants to be able to grow fast, if at all. The mystic sunset and tubbs stellata are growing fairly well though.





Everything else is doing great, especially my bargain bin scoly and S.I. Pectinia.

















I have some frags I need to clear out if anyone in the MD/DE area wants to make a trade as well. I may actually want to trade my large Duncan and keep the smaller one. I also have some green mushrooms pictured above. One dime sized has turned into five over the course of a year.



This photo reminded me of something. My GSP rock worked perfectly! I put a magnet on it and stuck it on the back glass. On the right side there is now a patch about the size of a dinner plate. I recently cut the rock off and move it to the left side where it has already started to spread. The motion that it adds is beautiful. I'll have to make a video of the tank again one evening.

 

[count krunk]

Looking good! I bought a gsp frag today to eventually get growing on the back glass.

 

[Schnizzle]

Looking good! I bought a gsp frag today to eventually get growing on the back glass.

I would recommend starting it low. I started mine in the middle and it is moving upwards quite fast but not really going down much.

 

[count krunk]

I don't have a magnet rock so I'm just going to lean the plug up against the back glass from the sandbed.

Starting from the bottom!

 

[Schnizzle]

Long time no post! Kids man… Now a two year old girl and one year old boy reside here as well. We are hoping to move soon. It will be a perfect opportunity to reboot the tank. Most is well. Had a couple losses over the past two years.
My biggest regret is allowing the blue clove polyps to get established. They grow over EVERYTHING! Rock, sand, glass, small zoas, all of it.
My pipe organ got massive and then crumbled when I tried to trim it up.
Hopefully I can make a post here shortly with everything I learned from this tank and then start a new build thread. We shall see.
Here’s some not great pics in the meantime.

 

[Schnizzle]

Better pics for your weekend viewing pleasure. I think it’s safe to say that Pectinia is my favorite coral.
If anyone has an odd color variant, I would be happy to trade a Duncan or an ORA Filefish. The “Voidwalker” that Tidal Gardens once had is on my list to find.

One of the new crabs decided to be king of the hill for a few nights.

 

[Schnizzle]

In an interesting turn of events, I now have 0 PO4. Since getting past the uglies and GHA takeover I have always been high on NO3 and PO4.
Starting at 0.33 PO4 I dosed lanthanum chloride three times and each time had the exact measured result I expected. First was a three day spread, second and third were minimal doses able to be done at once. Fourth round test two weeks ago (pre dose) I was at .05 PO4 so I did not dose. That’s right where I want to be. Last weekend and still today I’m sitting at 0 PO4.
I did notice cyano disappearing. All I can figure is the Pom Pom Gracilaria is devouring the PO4. Haha
I’m nervous about 0. I supposed I’ll send off a test kit for verification.