Another tank? How could I not!

[i cant think]

Just got everything in so it’s still quite stressed out and not extending yet, but man this has truly come together!

Added 2 more gorgonians, 2 Zoanthids (Purple Monster and Gob Stopper), plus some Forest Fire Mushrooms. Now to just add the final few inverts and we’ll be complete!

Also, #ree#reefsquad IDs on this gorgonian? It’s fairly chunky.

 

[Red_Beard]

Looking good! Sorry though, I'll be no help with the gorgonian

 

[i cant think]

Looking good! Sorry though, I'll be no help with the gorgonian

Thanks - it’s taken a while to get to this point but man it’s been worth it. And no problem on the Gorg - I’m struggling with IDing them so you’re not the only one who’s no help

 

[Troylee]

Thanks - it’s taken a while to get to this point but man it’s been worth it. And no problem on the Gorg - I’m struggling with IDing them so you’re not the only one who’s no help

Sticks and stones I can help… other stuff lol

 

[i cant think]

Sticks and stones I can help… other stuff lol

Yeah, these things are a pain to ID, I have 3 others and they’re different but look almost identical, they’re just thinner or thicker

 

[Rocks reef]

It looks like a giant split pore.

 

[tbrown]

Gorgs are not anything I can ID... I always look to @danieyella for all things Gorg.

 

[i cant think]

It looks like a giant split pore.

I think you’re right with it being Plexaurella nutans! I’ve just found a photo of one that looks quite similar to the one I have.

 

[i cant think]

Update time!!
Starting off, I got 3 chunks of new Macroalgae. These are all Gracilaria parvispora. Now, with all macros I get I always do a 30 minute RO bath to ensure they’re clean. Then, pull them out and straight into the tank they go. These have added some nice “wire” textures to the back of the system, I think I’ve ran out of room for macros currently - although I still aim to have a small lump of rock in the back right of the tank, mainly to have a 5th & 6th gorgonian (yes, I have more due to hit this system within the coming weeks), and eventually, some blue ochtodes!

Then, update 2, I finally caught my male Pink Streak Wrasse (Pseudocheilinops ataenia) in territorial colours. But this time, he was doing it towards me! He did not like me being near his home, but I have enough blind spots that he doesn’t get irritated towards his 2 gobies he’s housed with.


And some photos of his displays prior to the video. Safe to say, he was a bit moody today.

Update 3, I bumped up the inverts! Finally!
I added 2 new inverts, an Elegant Squatlobster (Allogalathea elegans) and a single, female Sexy Shrimp (Thor amboinensis). I do aim to add another female (or two) and a male for her to chill with. Plus obviously a load more inverts, I just don’t know what else to add.

But currently for a tank that’s been running for 6 months, we are in an ideal scenario! Maybe one day it’ll be a tank for ROTM!

 

[i cant think]

Oh! And I guess it’s time for a stocklist update!!

**FISH**
Pseudocheilinops ataenia - Pink Streak Wrasse (x2 - PAIR)
Koumansetta rainfordi - Rainford’s Goby
Callogobius amikami - Amikami Goby

**MACROALGAE**
Caulerpa prolifera
Caulerpa sertularioides
Caulerpa lentifollia
Halymenia maculata
Gracilaria mammilaris
Gracilaria parvispora

**CORAL**
GobStopper Zoanthid
Green Star Polyp
4x Photosynthetic Gorgonia sp.
Forest Fire Rhodactis
Green Fuzzy Rhodactis
Green Striped Discosoma
Orange Clove Polyp
Jasmin Clove Polyp

**INVERTEBRATES**
Mithraculus sculptus - Emerald Crab
Neopetrolisthes maculatus - Pink Anemone Crab
Lybissia tessellata - Pom Pom Crab
Allogalathea elegans - Elegant Squatlobster
Thor amboinensis - Sexy Shrimp
Conomurex luhuanus - Strawberry Conch
Astraea phoebia - Spiny Astraea Snail

And I’m sure I’ve missed something off of that list, but here’s another FTS, this time from the “back” of the tank!

 

[i cant think]

Been busy cleaning up some of the shots I got around the tank today, now the micro bubbles are a bit less obvious in photos!

Oh, and if I can find a male and another female Sexy Shrimp, I’ll hopefully be adding to the inverts this weekend!

 

[i cant think]

Just done the Phosphate and Nitrate test, no wonder the macros are so happy! They’ve nuked my nitrates!
0.5ppm nitrates
1.0ppm phosphates

 

[tbrown]

I need to test the 8 gallon. I keep getting Dinos on my hayii (sp?)

 

[i cant think]

I need to test the 8 gallon. I keep getting Dinos on my hayii (sp?)

I was sat watching my newer macros and noticed by now I’d see colour improvements, but I didn’t and couldn’t work out why. Then I looked at my other nano and noticed tons of algae and thought maybe my nutrients, man how I’m glad I checked the nutrients - looks like it’ll be a water swap day!

 

[i cant think]

Check it out! All of my new additions in one shot!

2 more Sexy Shrimp - I now have a male and 2 females
A small pinch of Chaetomorpha (I have loads in my 5 foot’s sump)
Another feather duster

All on the new rubble rocks I have added to the tank!

Oh, and the Gracilaria mammilaris I have? Yeah, that’s taken off so quickly, I didn’t even notice the growth. It’s now like tiny umbrellas ontop of the old growth.

 

[i cant think]

Also just tested some of the PAR if you’re interested!

 

[i cant think]

Today’s update on this tank!
Starting with, the Caulerpa sertularioides required another prune back, usually I don’t do it quite so early on, but today I had some things coming home which required space that the Caulerpa was hoarding.

Now, what could it be that required more space to grow?… only one thing that’s for sure, Macros!!
Check out my two newest Macroalgae! They were only added a couple of hours ago!

This is a Halimeda species, possibly H. macroloba, and yet another Caulerpa species, this time C. webbiana. Hopefully as these grow in, the tank will truly be a sea of macros, these bring it to a total of I believe 9 macros I grow and culture;
Caulerpa sertularioides
Caulerpa prolifera
Caulerpa lentillifera
Caulerpa webbiana
Halymenia maculata
Gracilaria mammilaris
Gracilaria parvispora
Chaetomorpha sp.

There may be a 10th I’ve forgotten, with this amount of macros it’s hard to keep count

But it sure does look stunning! Here’s the front of the tank with all the new macros now in.

And yet another photo of the Gracilaria mammilaris’ growth! I’m so glad I only have one large chunk of this as I’m sure it would’ve just engulfed the tank at the rate of which it grows

 

[i cant think]

Been a while! Well, this tank fell into a hole of neglect. It began to nutrient cycle and I lost all of the Caulerpa sertularioides within this system,
That lead down the route of more nutrient buildup which eventually caused the tank to look like this.

Well, today I finally changed the look! Instead of a pure mess of bacteria and algae, it is back to the macro and gorgonian heaven!

As you can imagine, seeing this was below that sheet of brown and yellow was definitelyca surprise. But to even more surprise…
Everything is thriving! From the coral to the inverts and macros, and my pair of pinkies still spawn!!
Here’s just some of the shrimp in the tanks.

 

[i cant think]

Macroalgae are too nice… they create some insanely scenic photos

Oh and, call me insane… I have gotten another GSP Variant to put in this system… But I promise it’s a really nice variant!!

 

[i cant think]

Not really much to update on…
My Macros are thriving again! I’ve been keeping the bacteria at bay and we’re finally at the lowest it’s been so far. Now just to keep it there! It’s not had a water change yet this week, and it’s already looking clear.

And some close up shots around the tank…