Red Sea Reefer 625XXL - "The Big One"

[Reefing_addiction]

Bouncing it up on the back of Mushroom Mountain. The baby got big, and even has a little brother now.

Lick lick lick

 

[Reefing_addiction]

Mr. Mohawk

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Bouncing it up on the back of Mushroom Mountain. The baby got big, and even has a little brother now.

He LLS yes! That looks fantastic!!

 

[Reefing_addiction]

Someone is amazing. And that someone is you @Smirkish thank you for my oversized flipper I love it cleans that pesky algae from by the sand

This by far has been my best birthday ever! I wanna cry! Between getting to spend time with my sister and get amazing gift from you and my bf buying me coral I’m happy to be Turing 38!

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

U ded?


: )

 

[Reefing_addiction]

U ded?


: )

Trying to dig her self a tunnel to my house with a spoon

 

[fishguy242]

"BRAINS"......

new lights,camera n cpu,i'll get better pics SOON...

 

[Smirkish]

"BRAINS"......

new lights,camera n cpu,i'll get better pics SOON...

“Better”?!

Glad to see you “back in the saddle”, Frank.

 

[Jaden9933]

I just got caught up on the entire thread. All I can say is…WOW!! You’re clearly doing something right in your tank and have done your research. I aspire to have a tank as beautiful as this one day!!!

 

[fishguy242]

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

#Twinning

 

[Smirkish]

That Booger got big! What are you feeding him?! Reef-roids?

I’m still here, Frank! I’ve been busy, but this weekend is looking like it will be a nice one for an update on the build and what I’ve been up to in general. The tank has been good, overall, but I have had some ups and downs along the way. Still working to find that balance with all that’s changed in my life.

I’ll be back later with a run down on things for everyone. I know it’s been a while since I showed the Reefer a little love on here.

 

[Smirkish]

#Twinning

#Twinning is right!

 

[Smirkish]

Where to begin? So much has changed since my last actual update here. This has been a hard one to get to, and the longer I put it off, the more difficult it becomes to find the beginning of it all again.

My life and schedule took drastic shifts and while I learned to adapt to it, the Reefer stood steady through it all. Despite my blunders and near neglect during the first few weeks back to work, with most days spent coming home to a dark tank and hungry fish, the only loss suffered through it all was my Torch.

I can’t say when it happened for certain, but it was knocked loose and buried by the Diamond Goby. By the time I found it the damage was done and it did not recover. My Pretty Prawn had to go…so I trapped it until I could situate a place to hold it.


Or so I thought.

Goby 1/Leslie 0
There wouldn’t be an easy way to catch it now. It knew.

I kept up my battle with the Goby daily and the corals held on through my absence for the most part. The fish didn’t miss a beat.

Including the “yellow tang” that came with the tank, which has now been properly identified as an Orange-Shoulder thanks to a friend.
The little Sunset Strip settled in nicely, and still hasn’t budged from the spot it chose in the rockwork.

And the Goby continued to taunt me…


Still, there were days and moments that reminded me of why I had gotten the tank to begin with, and why I was choosing to keep it now, with my time so constrained.



Things began to take a turn, as I learned to balance everything. I purchased a 20L tank to use as a quarantine, set it up, and got down to getting things straightened out. I planned to remove my Regal tang (nearing 6”) and trade it for a Powder Blue.
(And I finally caught that blasted Goby!)



But I started with cleaning the glass.


Then it was time to say goodbye to our “Dory”. I spent about thirty minutes catching the Blue, and was about ready to disassemble the arches to get it out when I managed to snatch her with two nets. This was my daughter’s favorite fish in the tank, so removing it wasn’t an easy decision. The size and aggression difference (my other largest fish is still under 4”) were the deciding factors.


So yesterday the Regal went off to High Tide, and I returned with a Powder Blue plus some.

He had a Red-Headed Fairy Wrasse as well that I fell for while we made the exchange, so naturally it had to come along to keep the Powder company. I also collected a Beach Bum Monti frag that I had been waiting for.


The two quarantine cuties are already settled in and eating well. The Powder colored up quickly, and has gotten over being camera shy, coming up to the glass to greet me.



They may soon have another roommate, though what that might be hasn’t become clear just yet. I have been gravitating towards a Sailfin, so I am considering having a Desjardini ordered next week. Time will tell.

This update doesn’t scratch the surface of what has transpired these last couple of months, but it’s a beginning. Hopefully those of you who have hung on this long will stick around for the next one.

 

[danieyella]

Where to begin? So much has changed since my last actual update here. This has been a hard one to get to, and the longer I put it off, the more difficult it becomes to find the beginning of it all again.

My life and schedule took drastic shifts and while I learned to adapt to it, the Reefer stood steady through it all. Despite my blunders and near neglect during the first few weeks back to work, with most days spent coming home to a dark tank and hungry fish, the only loss suffered through it all was my Torch.

I can’t say when it happened for certain, but it was knocked loose and buried by the Diamond Goby. By the time I found it the damage was done and it did not recover. My Pretty Prawn had to go…so I trapped it until I could situate a place to hold it.


Or so I thought.

Goby 1/Leslie 0
There wouldn’t be an easy way to catch it now. It knew.

I kept up my battle with the Goby daily and the corals held on through my absence for the most part. The fish didn’t miss a beat.

Including the “yellow tang” that came with the tank, which has now been properly identified as an Orange-Shoulder thanks to a friend.
The little Sunset Strip settled in nicely, and still hasn’t budged from the spot it chose in the rockwork.

And the Goby continued to taunt me…


Still, there were days and moments that reminded me of why I had gotten the tank to begin with, and why I was choosing to keep it now, with my time so constrained.



Things began to take a turn, as I learned to balance everything. I purchased a 20L tank to use as a quarantine, set it up, and got down to getting things straightened out. I planned to remove my Regal tang (nearing 6”) and trade it for a Powder Blue.
(And I finally caught that blasted Goby!)



But I started with cleaning the glass.


Then it was time to say goodbye to our “Dory”. I spent about thirty minutes catching the Blue, and was about ready to disassemble the arches to get it out when I managed to snatch her with two nets. This was my daughter’s favorite fish in the tank, so removing it wasn’t an easy decision. The size and aggression difference (my other largest fish is still under 4”) were the deciding factors.


So yesterday the Regal went off to High Tide, and I returned with a Powder Blue plus some.

He had a Red-Headed Fairy Wrasse as well that I fell for while we made the exchange, so naturally it had to come along to keep the Powder company. I also collected a Beach Bum Monti frag that I had been waiting for.


The two quarantine cuties are already settled in and eating well. The Powder colored up quickly, and has gotten over being camera shy, coming up to the glass to greet me.



They may soon have another roommate, though what that might be hasn’t become clear just yet. I have been gravitating towards a Sailfin, so I am considering having a Desjardini ordered next week. Time will tell.

This update doesn’t scratch the surface of what has transpired these last couple of months, but it’s a beginning. Hopefully those of you who have hung on this long will stick around for the next one.

That powder is gorgeous, glad to see you back a little more (hopefully).

 

[F i s h y]

Thank you for the update. Glad to see you stranger. Hope all is well.

 

[Smirkish]

That powder is gorgeous, glad to see you back a little more (hopefully).

Thank you, girl. It’s definitely made me fall hard for it. A powder has been on my list of dream fish since I started looking for a larger tank. Fingers crossed we make it past quarantine and safely into the DT. (That should be fun!)

I’m hoping to be back more, and try to keep up with everyone’s builds too. I need to see what happens with that Mini you’re setting up!

 

[Smirkish]

Thank you for the update. Glad to see you stranger. Hope all is well.

Doing better here, thank you, J. And congratulations on your newest little “Fishy”. ;Cat She is 10x as precious as any quarantine cutie I’ve seen.

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Yo, that's a Flippin update!

That PB is beautiful. What's on the list that "may be joining" them?

 

[Smirkish]

Yo, that's a Flippin update!

That PB is beautiful. What's on the list that "may be joining" them?

Thanks, Sauce. It helps that I had time to save up all this spam! The next one won’t be nearly as interesting, I assure you.

I think I got a good Powder. It’s happily gulping down frozen and nori and following the poor Fairy around like they’ve known one another since they were wee fry.

Short list- Desjardini is at the top right now, but another gang member isn’t out of the question entirely. I am likely going to put a couple of PJ Cardinals in with the hope they will habitate the opposite side of the tank from my two current Cards. Also intending to add a couple of Anthias so the one I have isn’t so lonely.