BranchingHammer’s sps journey

[BranchingHammer]

Currently dosing two part

 

[RedReefer]

Yeah I’ve always used two part. I’m setting up a Kalk stirrer next week. I’ve always benefited from weekly water changes. I use IO salt and like it better than the higher priced salts.

 

[BranchingHammer]

I'm gonna start dosing kalk maybe just to have higher pH, but currently having good pH readings with a bit of chaeto in the sump.

 

[RedReefer]

Yeah I don’t have very good luck keeping Chaeto. That was my reason for the Kalk stirrer. Your tank looks good. Good job on the BC frags!

 

[BranchingHammer]

Thanks so much, yeah I'm loving the BC corals, and I'm astonished that they haven't lost their color at all!

 

[RedReefer]

Yeah that’s pretty awesome I hear good things about BC, That also means you’re doing something right!

 

[BranchingHammer]

I would totally recommend BC as a vendor. Frags came in with healthy PE, and when I dipped them, nothing except good pods came off of the frags. Simply amazing! Thanks again for the kind words.

Also, just mounted my BC Aquatic man and BC Strawberry fields on the rocks because they had fully encrusted their plugs.

 

[BranchingHammer]

 

[BranchingHammer]

So while the rest of the tank is doing pretty well, I unfortunately found some pyramid snails on some of my snails, including one on the shell of my prized derasa . I will check again tonight for snails and I'm ready to perform an aggressive scrubbing schedule to rid the clam of pests. Just love this clam, had it for almost two years. It has at least quadrupled in size since I bought it. I really don't want to lose it. If anyone has any advice, go ahead and post away.

 

[BranchingHammer]

Clam didn't have any pyramid snail adults on it last night which is a win! Magnesium tested low at 1050, no wonder my calcium level won't rise. Slowly raising both with careful testing so as to not shock the corals. I have been keeping a close eye on alk in case something happens while I am dosing the other two. I DO NOT want any alk spikes. They are little devils that can happen so quickly behind your back.

 

[BranchingHammer]

FTS:

 

[BranchingHammer]

Took some pictures tonight:

Cool yellow and blue zoa

JF slow burn

Cool zoanthids

BC rainbow melon rocking the actinics

My little-known mushroom corner

Beautiful BC Strawberry fields (very red in person)

Teaser picture on new grow-out system build

 

[BranchingHammer]

Cool image of microscopic ostracod that I took today:

 

[BranchingHammer]

Had some UWC coral cleanse dip shipped to me so I could dip some new smooth skin acros!

I’m excited to show off some new corals so stay tuned!

 

[BranchingHammer]

Got some awesome new corals from @Rickyrooz today, here are some preliminary actinic shots, but I’ll snap som new ones tomorrow as well. Thanks so much again Ricky, great seller. Also used the UWC cleanse on the Hawkins so that it would not RTN, seems to be working well...

 

[BranchingHammer]

Merry Christmas everyone! Thanks again @Rickyrooz for the chunky frags! Here are some more shots of the tank:

Current FTS:

Bali green slimer

RRC Pink Cadillac

Ricky’s Jurnee’s unicorn tenuis

Ricky’s lavender fields

Vivid’s rainbow delight (needs a bit of coloring up still, but I‘ve heard the colors come in as it grows)

BC magic wand

Poseidon tort

PC rainbow

Ricky’s Strawberry shortcake

Hawkins Echinata

 

[BranchingHammer]

Working on my photos with an overhead coral viewer:

Also, I added to the aquascape a bit, I’ll post some pics later.

 

[BranchingHammer]

Currently feeding really heavily and I have never seen better results. Many corals went from pale to brightly colored, and my gsp finally grows lol. Loving the tank right now! Dont test other than alk, cal, and salinity really.

 

[BranchingHammer]

Agh! Found either flukes or ich! On the clownfish today... :mad:, took forever to catch him and broke/irritated many corals. Finally caught him, gave him a FW bath and put him in QT. Seems ok for now...

 

[BranchingHammer]

Clownfish is doing ok in QT and I'm waiting to get general cure to cure the flukes/internal parasites. (he has white stringy poop as well). I might treat the other fish in the tank using focus to bind the meds to the food as well...
Corals are doing great for the most part!