Miami‘s Clam and SPS Tank

[Miami Reef]

that's what she said.

 

[rmorris_14]

that's what she said.

Beat me to that one though

 

[Eagle_Steve]

Beat me to that one though

She said that too!!!!!

 

[rmorris_14]

She said that too!!!!!

Im laughing way too hard at this comment... HAHAHAHA

Also....Miami posts a boomer GIF and in come Eagle Steve.

 

[Miami Reef]

I added the mandarin today!

 

[Sean Clark]

Now that is really starting to look good (she told me that once).

 

[rmorris_14]

Now that is really starting to look good (she told me that once).

I’ll take “things that never happened for 500 Alex”

 

[rmorris_14]

 

[1ocean]

love them I got 4 right now, had for about a year..

 

[Miami Reef]

love them I got 4 right now, had for about a year..

It looks like I’m gonna have 14 by August 3rd.

 

[Miami Reef]

So cute!!

 

[Miami Reef]

Here’s the changes I made to my system (did not happen all at the same time).

• Closed UV sterilizer
• Feeding fish more
• Vinegar dosing during daylight hours
• Silicate dosing 2x/week
• Cheato gro once a week
• Live phytoplankton dosing
• Added live KP rocks.

The vinegar and phyto dosing is to feed bacteria, corals, and filter feeders. Just like what happens in nature.

Silicate is to encourage diatoms to feed copepods, and for sponges. It’s a small dose so no worries there!

I am excited to see the progression of my tank. So far the acros and corals are very happy. These changes happened slowly and not all at once.

 

[Projects with Sam]

You are really busting out all the stops! Its going to be a mandarin mecca with all the pods you're encouraging!

 

[Miami Reef]

You are really busting out all the stops! Its going to be a mandarin mecca with all the pods you're encouraging!

The mandarin is constantly eating which makes me so happy. Just trying to replicate nature.

 

[Projects with Sam]

I have a scooter blenny that's always fun to watch; just minding his own business cruising around the rockwork picking up pods. For such a small fish in a big tank its incredible how visible he is; I can only imagine its better with the stunning markings on your mandarin! Are you planning on getting any red scooter dragonets?
Your Mandarin made me jealous and the local Petco has had a bunch of green Mandarins for a few weeks so I got one, its in my QT with Cheeto and live rock for observation.

Any recommendations for QTing? I heard they're skin is really good with deterring parasites. And they're pretty sensitive. I only observed and dipped my Dragonette.

 

[Miami Reef]

I have a scooter blenny that's always fun to watch; just minding his own business cruising around the rockwork picking up pods. For such a small fish in a big tank its incredible how visible he is; I can only imagine its better with the stunning markings on your mandarin! Are you planning on getting any red scooter dragonets?
Your Mandarin made me jealous and the local Petco has had a bunch of green Mandarins for a few weeks so I got one, its in my QT with Cheeto and live rock for observation.

Any recommendations for QTing? I heard they're skin is really good with deterring parasites. And they're pretty sensitive. I only observed and dipped my Dragonette.

Thank you Sam!

I actually am thinking of getting red rubies, but I wasn’t sure if they will get along, so I was waiting until I could ask @eatbreakfast on Humblefish’s forum.

About quarantining.

First, I’m not sure if my tank is 100% ich free. I saw like a grain of sand on my naso’s fin, maybe a tiny dot or two on the yellow tang.

I’ve been observing them for over 2 weeks and I haven’t seen any new spots at all. I don’t know if it’s ich. The fish look completely clean now.

So anyway, I still QT new fish to prevent adding ich/velvet/brook.

For my mandarin, I put him through Hybrid Tank Transfer. It’s basically TTM, but you do 30 min peroxide baths before 2 of the transfers. I had to buy copepods from the LFS and that wasn’t cheap.

Ultimately, after the second peroxide bath (about 6 days in QT) I put him in the display. The mandarin was trying to jump out of the little container I had him in. He didn’t like the small sterile environment even though it had a lot of pods in it.

Once in the display he immediately perked up and looks so happy.

I became smarter and now I started culturing 3 bottles of pods. I’m waiting until I can split the cultures and have more bottles of pods.

So for QT, I terminated it short because I felt like the probability of a parasite coming on a mandarin and staying after 2 peroxide baths was pretty darn low.

 

[Projects with Sam]

I know what you mean by not being able to guarantee no ich... I'm still jumping on the Poly-Lab medic train every time I see a grain of sand...
Hmm not sure I can do the TTM because I'm growing out the Cardinals in the tank I use for that and I dont have a dedicated pod population for that. I may do extended observation (with Poly-lab medic) and parasite baths. And will be going back to the Petco to check on his tank mates. I probably should have held-off on getting him except he is the kind my daughter wanted and I wanted to surprise her for when she got home... heh oops

 

[Projects with Sam]

Any news on the cabinetry? I want to see it in full grandeur!

 

[Miami Reef]

Any news on the cabinetry? I want to see it in full grandeur!

No new progress since he doesn’t work on weekends.

Until then, here’s a FTS of our tank that I just took now.

 

[Miami Reef]

Guys guys guys!!! Today is such a GOOD day!!

First, This morning I spotted my emerald crab. I’ve only ever seen him like 2-3 times within the past MONTHS!

Then, Later today I added some fish that completed their QT:

• 1x Red Firefish
• 1x pyramid butterfly
• 4x Lyretail Anthias (squamipinnis)

And the FINAL part that is making me SO happy right now…

I’ve been reefing for years, and I’ve never ever seen a pineapple sponge in any of my tanks. I changed my DI resin and I see a PINAPPLE SPONGE!!! @Dan_P

I’m doing the right things guys!!! Look at all the filter feeders! I doubt it’s the phytoplankton since I literally just started it like a few days ago. I believe dosing cheato gro, adding vinegar, and adding the KP rocks made this impact! I’m so fricking elated!