Anse Chastanet reef - in the Fluval Evo 52l

[Lowlandreef]

Nice additions! Phosphate is a little high indeed, but a few waterchanges will probably fix it.
Xenia is a very nice looking coral, but it grows really fast. If your'e going to give it a spot, make sure you place it on a separate rock. Otherwise it will overgrow your other corals. Mine is even trying to cross sand to reach my main rock work now haha

 

[lukefish]

Nice additions! Phosphate is a little high indeed, but a few waterchanges will probably fix it.
Xenia is a very nice looking coral, but it grows really fast. If your'e going to give it a spot, make sure you place it on a separate rock. Otherwise it will overgrow your other corals. Mine is even trying to cross sand to reach my main rock work now haha

Thanks! I’m sitting here on this Friday afternoon enjoying watching life on the reef! It’s so therapeutic.

I’ll keep my eye out for the pesky Xenia. I kind of want to to grow and have the privilege of cutting it back. Same for all my other corals.

my underdog, the leather, is turning out to be my favourite! I love the shapes it makes throughout the day and night. Always looks different.
My next addition will be a BTA. I love those. Just a small one

anyway, here is my Friday afternoon view

thanks for following my build and for your time you take to comment!

 

[lukefish]

Update on the Anse Chastanet reef on 26 April 2021

I think trouble is brewing!

I know it’s only Monday, but my GSP hasn’t come out since Sunday morning. Only some of it came out on Sunday and now nothing!
I know it’s only been a day but obviously as a new reef parent I’m concerned. I know these corals are hardy so I’m still holding out hope that it’s not dead.
I picked it out of the water today and noticed there was what looked like a traile sand running across in between the GSP heads. I wish I took a pic. But my instinct was to pipette wash it all out.

I’ll keep an eye out for the GSP to come back but any idea why it might be unwilling to come out?

here are my parameters for the day after a 10% WC.

Ammonia 0

Nitrite 0

Nitrate 5

Phosphate I think is 0.03 - I can’t get used to reading this test kit! Salifert is the brand

pH I’m so confused about....

PH isn’t on the colour scale...

Salinity is 34ppt

Any help understanding the temperament of GSP would be great!

thanks

I also did some aquascaping

 

[lukefish]

Update on the Anse Chastanet reef on 26 April 2021

I think trouble is brewing!

I know it’s only Monday, but my GSP hasn’t come out since Sunday morning. Only some of it came out on Sunday and now nothing!
I know it’s only been a day but obviously as a new reef parent I’m concerned. I know these corals are hardy so I’m still holding out hope that it’s not dead.
I picked it out of the water today and noticed there was what looked like a traile sand running across in between the GSP heads. I wish I took a pic. But my instinct was to pipette wash it all out.

I’ll keep an eye out for the GSP to come back but any idea why it might be unwilling to come out?

here are my parameters for the day after a 10% WC.

Ammonia 0

Nitrite 0

Nitrate 5

Phosphate I think is 0.03 - I can’t get used to reading this test kit! Salifert is the brand

pH I’m so confused about....

PH isn’t on the colour scale...

Salinity is 34ppt

Any help understanding the temperament of GSP would be great!

thanks

I also did some aquascaping

Maybe GSP hides when it’s a full moon...? Is that really a thing?

 

[lukefish]

Update on 28 April 2021

Despite my GSP being stubborn (or dead) I’m still enjoying this reef journey

I hope it comes back.

I’ve just started using Red Sea Coral Nutrients. 1ml every few days

wish me luck!

 

[count krunk]

Your gsp should be fine. I saw you mentioned clown eggs earlier, you won't see those for a while.

 

[lukefish]

Your gsp should be fine. I saw you mentioned clown eggs earlier, you won't see those for a while.

I think I was jumping the gun with the hope for some clown eggs. Only to find them yesterday biting each others fins... no eggs. Not even friends yet! Haha

 

[lukefish]

Your gsp should be fine. I saw you mentioned clown eggs earlier, you won't see those for a while.

Just went to check on my GSP. You must be some sort of good luck charm! Im starting to see some of the heads re-open! Slowly but surely!!

 

[lukefish]

Update on the Anse Chastanet reef on Monday 3rd May 2021

The GSP has finally come back out to play. Not sure why it was being so stubborn.


My cleaner shrimp has some weird black marks on it.

Not sure what that is.

He doesn’t seem too bothered by it. Hopefully after a molt he will be ok.

I also upgraded my media. Got rid of that big sponge that comes with the tank and replaced it with an in tank media basket.

Also got rid of the stock lights and replaced them with an AI Prime Reef 16 HD. No prizes for guessing which preset I’m running! Just in case it’s not obvious, it’s the Saxby.

I couldn’t get rid of the stock lights and lid and not get a jump guard. I don’t want my clowns leaping out.

Now there is no lid, I’m dealing with significant evaporation. I was planning to get an ATO but will try manual top ups for now
Finally I also completed my stock collection today with a goby and pistol pair! Waiting for them to find each other in the tank now.

I don’t ever name my fish but I think this one has to be called David

Let me know what you think of the upgrades and additions!! Cheers

 

[count krunk]

tank looks good. The orange stripped prawn goby was the first sw fish I ever got. It survived my blunders and lived for 8 years in my care

 

[lukefish]

tank looks good. The orange stripped prawn goby was the first sw fish I ever got. It survived my blunders and lived for 8 years in my care

That’s good to know!!!
I just saw my cleaner shrimp picking something out the mouth of the goby.... is that normal?

 

[count krunk]

it's a cleaner shrimp, so I would think so. Just doing his job.

 

[lukefish]

Update on the Anse Chastanet reef on May the 4th (be with you)

The pistol and goby are yet to pair. All that’s happened so far is that the pistol has dug up my sand and used it to cover my zoa. Cheers! It also knocked over my Xenia frag... thanks

One thing I didn’t realise was why it’s called a pistol shrimp... every so often I’ll hear a loud clap sound. It’s so loud that I heard it from upstairs today!

Anywho... here is a picture of the reef today

Let me know what you think!

 

[lukefish]

I couldn’t resist posting this.... my clown has found a host!

How cute is this?!?!?

Also... my pistol and goby finally found one another! However the pistol shrimp is slowly but surely creating sand dunes on my sea bed!! It’s very annoying to wake up each morning. And have to dog out my Xenia frag and blow the sand off my zoa... but it’s worth it for this:

(I think....)

They cost me and arm and a leg so they are staying!!

 

[lukefish]

Update on the Anse Chastanet reef on 10 May 2021
On Saturday I came down to have a look at the tank... saw what looked like smoke coming from a snail. I panicked and netted him out, thinking he was dissolving and therefore going to contaminate my tank.

After putting him to one side, I realised he was {er hem} enjoying his Saturday morning. Spawning! I don’t have a picture as it all happened so fast. He also spawned all over the tub I kept him in whilst I researched what was happening....

Anyway, all was well and he now back in the tank ready to spawn another day.

also the cleaner shrimp molted!! Whoop. And no more black marks.

Also the pistol shrimp seems to have taken a chill pill and now I don’t wake up to a ruined seabed each morning.

I’ve moved the leather coral slightly higher up in the tank and brought the elegance coral forward. While the elegance has opened up dramatically.... the leather hasn’t come out at all. It’s all shiny. I’ve read that he is shedding and can be like this for a few days... I’ll keep you posted.

here are some pics for now

thanks for reading and following!!

 

[lukefish]

 

[Lowlandreef]

Spawning snails are very cool! I once added 3 trochus snails, and now I have dozens of them in all sizes haha

 

[lukefish]

Spawning snails are very cool! I once added 3 trochus snails, and now I have dozens of them in all sizes haha

I’d never seen this before and now I saw the same snail doing it again!!
I’m either going to have lots of baby snails or my fish and corals are enjoying a new tasty meal

 

[KellyCorals]

Update on the Anse Chastanet reef on Monday 3rd May 2021

The GSP has finally come back out to play. Not sure why it was being so stubborn.


My cleaner shrimp has some weird black marks on it.

Not sure what that is.

He doesn’t seem too bothered by it. Hopefully after a molt he will be ok.

I also upgraded my media. Got rid of that big sponge that comes with the tank and replaced it with an in tank media basket.

Also got rid of the stock lights and replaced them with an AI Prime Reef 16 HD. No prizes for guessing which preset I’m running! Just in case it’s not obvious, it’s the Saxby.

I couldn’t get rid of the stock lights and lid and not get a jump guard. I don’t want my clowns leaping out.

Now there is no lid, I’m dealing with significant evaporation. I was planning to get an ATO but will try manual top ups for now
Finally I also completed my stock collection today with a goby and pistol pair! Waiting for them to find each other in the tank now.

I don’t ever name my fish but I think this one has to be called David

Let me know what you think of the upgrades and additions!! Cheers

Nice upgrades! I had an AI prime...they grow corals really well. Did you happen to move your GSP? I’ve had mine close up for days just by moving it in the tank. It usually always come back within a week for sure.

 

[lukefish]

Nice upgrades! I had an AI prime...they grow corals really well. Did you happen to move your GSP? I’ve had mine close up for days just by moving it in the tank. It usually always come back within a week for sure.

Hey!
The GSP came back! I was so happy. I’ve heard it’s indestructible but it’s usually just my luck that I manage to kill something like that. So far so good!

I love the AI Prime but other than using the preset signature settings, I don’t really know how to use it.