The Bluegrass Reef

[Wildcats1023]

Just read through the entire post. Tank looks great a few months ago I added a @Biota_Marine Yellow Tang from an LFS and it was pale for about a month now yellow and doing great. I noticed you are in Ky what part? I'm in Independence just south of Cincinnati

 

[Wrassenaround]

Just read through the entire post. Tank looks great a few months ago I added a @Biota_Marine Yellow Tang from an LFS and it was pale for about a month now yellow and doing great. I noticed you are in Ky what part? I'm in Independence just south of Cincinnati

I'm in Southern Kentucky, in the Bowling Green area. Do you have many LFS up there? I've been to one north of Cincy but nothing where you are.

 

[Manose]

I went through the whole thread, and love how you came through all the losses and kept going in a positive direction!
I am down sizing and looking at the G2+ 350 peninsula

 

[Wrassenaround]

I went through the whole thread, and love how you came through all the losses and kept going in a positive direction!
I am down sizing and looking at the G2+ 350 peninsula

Thank you for the kind words! Because of your comment I actually went back through myself to see how it really has grown. There were definitely some frustrating times even second-guessing myself on if I should have upgraded. I'm glad I stuck it out. Really 2024 has been the year for it. Prior to December 2023 it struggled with algae blooms and as you saw, livestock struggles. (Actually dealing with hair algae now but should be able to knock it out pretty quickly)
I'm at the point now where I'm really at the peak for fish (maybe one more) and I'm going to have to cut back some of my big Euphyllia colonies (don't have space for them so idk what to do after I cut them.

You should get the Peninsula! My "dream" build is a multi hundred gallon peninsula that would be a show tank in a living room. Having both sides to fill with coral would be amazing.
Make sure to start a build thread if/when you get it and let me know because I'd love to follow along!

 

[Manose]

Thank you for the kind words! Because of your comment I actually went back through myself to see how it really has grown. There were definitely some frustrating times even second-guessing myself on if I should have upgraded. I'm glad I stuck it out. Really 2024 has been the year for it. Prior to December 2023 it struggled with algae blooms and as you saw, livestock struggles. (Actually dealing with hair algae now but should be able to knock it out pretty quickly)
I'm at the point now where I'm really at the peak for fish (maybe one more) and I'm going to have to cut back some of my big Euphyllia colonies (don't have space for them so idk what to do after I cut them.

You should get the Peninsula! My "dream" build is a multi hundred gallon peninsula that would be a show tank in a living room. Having both sides to fill with coral would be amazing.
Make sure to start a build thread if/when you get it and let me know because I'd love to follow along!

Reading through your thread made me see all the same things I went through as my tank grew. Many people go through the same things, but until reading from that persons point of view does it make the little light bulb in our head light up and we think "Hey I had that happen".
When I read about other trials and troubles it comforts me when I face those same experiences.
I have a big tank and its time to go smaller as I am getting a new floor put down, even though the 350 is smaller, I'll have 2x 36in sides to play with for viewing area. Just not sure what pumps I will use to make the current reef chaos.
Yes I will make a new build thread and hope to have some input and help.

 

[Wildcats1023]

I'm in Southern Kentucky, in the Bowling Green area. Do you have many LFS up there? I've been to one north of Cincy but nothing where you are.

There are a couple up my way. Discover Aquatics and a newer one that I haven't been to yet in Nky and I believe several in Cincinnati area. Aquarium Artisans would be my guess on the one north of Cincinnati

 

[Wrassenaround]

Reading through your thread made me see all the same things I went through as my tank grew. Many people go through the same things, but until reading from that persons point of view does it make the little light bulb in our head light up and we think "Hey I had that happen".
When I read about other trials and troubles it comforts me when I face those same experiences.
I have a big tank and its time to go smaller as I am getting a new floor put down, even though the 350 is smaller, I'll have 2x 36in sides to play with for viewing area. Just not sure what pumps I will use to make the current reef chaos.
Yes I will make a new build thread and hope to have some input and help.

Super jealous of having 2 sides to fill with coral. I've pretty much ran out of room now which is a good thing but also kind of sad because I can't add anything else. Good for the wallet though :face-with-tears-of-joy:

 

[Wrassenaround]

There are a couple up my way. Discover Aquatics and a newer one that I haven't been to yet in Nky and I believe several in Cincinnati area. Aquarium Artisans would be my guess on the one north of Cincinnati

Aquarium Artisans is the one I've been to. I actually got the three teal colored hammers (2 on the left 1 on the right) from there a few years ago and they were in my old tank. When I got it, it was just one colony with about 6-7 heads.
There's only one place in the BG area but I get all of my live goods online. They struggle to keep a good selection.

 

[Wrassenaround]

I am going to be placing a large order with Reef Beauties this week to get my CUC numbers back up. Right now I have less than 12 CUC members :confused-face:
Looking to order the following
- 10 Scarlett Hermits
- 25 Blue Leg Hermits
- 5 Turbo Snails
- 5 XL Nassarius Snails
(may do more to get free shipping since I have $100 credit with them) I might pickup a Midas Blennie to add more yellow to the tank.

I placed my order with Reef Beauties today and ended up ordering
10 Scarlett Hermits
8 XL Nassarius Snails
7 Turbo Snails
25 Blue Leg Hermits

This should really strengthen my CUC. I've never had turbo snails before so I'm hoping these guys will munch on the hair algae that I currently have.

 

[Manose]

I placed my order with Reef Beauties today and ended up ordering
10 Scarlett Hermits
8 XL Nassarius Snails
7 Turbo Snails
25 Blue Leg Hermits

This should really strengthen my CUC. I've never had turbo snails before so I'm hoping these guys will munch on the hair algae that I currently have.

I love Nassaius snails and how fast they move on sand.

 

[Wrassenaround]

I love Nassaius snails and how fast they move on sand.

Those suckers are speed demons! I forgot how many I had one time when I setup a bristle worm trap with a water bottle and 15 minutes later it had 8 snails in it :face-with-tears-of-joy:
It looks like based on the photos from Reef Beauties that these will be in fancier shells than the "normal" ones

 

[Wrassenaround]

A little Independence Day FTS and top down along with my biggest colony (30+ heads) that I needed to trim

This hammer coral started out as one head from a tank that had an electrical current go through it from something faulty. LFS in TN gave it to me for free since they didn't know if it would survive. Needless to say.......it has THRIVED :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:
I split it on accident last year so now I have 2 colonies that are roughly the same size but this one is slightly bigger.

 

[Varmette]

Just read through the entire thread, your hard work and determination has paid off. You have an amazing tank!!

 

[Wrassenaround]

Surprise update!
If you have seen my first post in this thread at the end I have a wish list area and it says "Anything that is appealing to my eye and doesn't break the bank :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:"
Well...... yesterday I was in TN at an LFS that I've visited quite a bit but never actually purchased a fish from. I've looked at getting a Blue Spotted Jawfish in the past but haven't pulled the trigger. For what ever the reason I've passed on them in the past I don't know, but this time I decided to get it. It was out and moving about the tank which I found intriguing since they usually stay in one area and it kept coming up to the glass as if it was checking me out as much I was to it :face-with-tears-of-joy:

I added him last night and so far he's doing great, only thing is he's settled in the back of the tank and is hard to see from the front :disappointed-face:
I'm hoping he'll move because where he's made a little burrow is right under a turbo snail and it won't stay in that spot on the wall forever. If not I'll try and "entice" him to make a home in a more visible spot so he can show off.

^photo is from the tank at the LFS

 

[Manose]

Surprise update!
If you have seen my first post in this thread at the end I have a wish list area and it says "Anything that is appealing to my eye and doesn't break the bank :beaming-face-with-smiling-eyes:"
Well...... yesterday I was in TN at an LFS that I've visited quite a bit but never actually purchased a fish from. I've looked at getting a Blue Spotted Jawfish in the past but haven't pulled the trigger. For what ever the reason I've passed on them in the past I don't know, but this time I decided to get it. It was out and moving about the tank which I found intriguing since they usually stay in one area and it kept coming up to the glass as if it was checking me out as much I was to it :face-with-tears-of-joy:

I added him last night and so far he's doing great, only thing is he's settled in the back of the tank and is hard to see from the front :disappointed-face:
I'm hoping he'll move because where he's made a little burrow is right under a turbo snail and it won't stay in that spot on the wall forever. If not I'll try and "entice" him to make a home in a more visible spot so he can show off.

^photo is from the tank at the LFS

He will get confortable and get a better spot I bet

 

[Wrassenaround]

He will get confortable and get a better spot I bet

Well you were right! He's moved twice and has settled in the perfect spot in the tank. Right smack in the front under one of my hammer colonies. He's made a burrow and moved some empty crab shells and an empty turbo snail shell (I guess he turned into a meal for someone) to "build up" the entrance.

 

[Manose]

Well you were right! He's moved twice and has settled in the perfect spot in the tank. Right smack in the front under one of my hammer colonies. He's made a burrow and moved some empty crab shells and an empty turbo snail shell (I guess he turned into a meal for someone) to "build up" the entrance.

That is soooooooooo awesome as he is loving lif now!!!

 

[Wrassenaround]

The tank was looking rather photogenic today so I decided to snap a few pics and actually got really lucky with the fish. My two most colorful wrasses stayed in frame long enough to get them together and I was able to get a somewhat decent photo of my Swissguard Basslet who is very cryptic.

 

[Manose]

The tank was looking rather photogenic today so I decided to snap a few pics and actually got really lucky with the fish. My two most colorful wrasses stayed in frame long enough to get them together and I was able to get a somewhat decent photo of my Swissguard Basslet who is very cryptic.

Looking very good!!! I have just made a new tank purchase myself

 

[Wrassenaround]

Looking very good!!! I have just made a new tank purchase myself

Thank you! What did you purchase?