Rich's 75g Reef Update (Image Heavy)

[richfavinger]

Hi all just thought I'd make a post of my 75g reef and it's additions in the past few days as well as a tank shot. I know I've not posted much lately or had pic. Just can't seem to doing that "Tank Log" thing all you mega posters do... LOL (Melev) ;) Besides I have other things I need to buy with money... :o
http://www.favingerphotography.com/reef-images/2006/blue_mushrooms_nov-06.jpg
Blue Mushrooms (Not new but nice...)
http://www.favingerphotography.com/reef-images/2006/blueTMax_clam_nov-06.jpg
Blue T.Max Clam (Moved up, opens more now... Size about 4")
http://www.favingerphotography.com/reef-images/2006/_DSC0249.jpg
SPS ? New frag about 2.5"
http://www.favingerphotography.com/reef-images/2006/_DSC0261.jpg
SPS ? New Frag about 2"
http://www.favingerphotography.com/reef-images/2006/75g_reef_left_nov-06.jpg
Note the new guys, ID's if you can? The Yellow Orange frag is about 1.5"

http://www.favingerphotography.com/reef-images/2006/75g_reef_11_12_2006.jpg
75g Full Tank Shot 11/12/06

Reporting, HUGE growth on the Mont' Cap (Upper Left) he's about 6" now. New buds on the Purple Tort' (Center). Brown Fuzzy Mushrooms exploding off rocks (literally), 3"+ round. Yellow polyps, and Start Polyps encrusting well. Crocea Clam (Front Sand) growing well, now about 3.5". Mandrane Fish, fat n' happy... Kol Tang and Fox Face fat n' happy. Algae Blenny SUPER FAT!... Cleaner Shrimp 3"+, Coral Banded Shrimp HUGE! Like, he could take your arm off man!

Lost my Goniopora Coral, just went down hill one week, never came back full RTN in about 2 weeks. He was in the system for about 8 months. Also lost my Red Pipe Organ Coral, same story doing well, then just went closed one week, and never really recovered, also in the system for about 8 months.

System eats, Formula 1, and 2 Small Pellet, Assortment of Frozen Cube Foods alternating, Phyto-Feast, and Cyclop*Eeze...

Plans... Need some Zoo's!!! I need something that will grow on the rock walls, places that I can't really attach frags, if you guys might have a suggestion, as well as the low light over hangs. Also want to replace the XM 10k SE lamps with a 12k, 14k, 15k lamp, suggestions? Thinking Sunburst 12k or Hamilton 14k... From what I read XM 15k's are junk... and 20k is just too much...(for me)...

Your comments as always, welcome!

[drives300]

Looks great so far. If you add zoos I would consider getting them their own rock away from all the corals as they spead quickly. Also dony hesitate to put a few pieces of rubble next to them so you can trade them away later.

Anthony

[drummereef]

Wow, very nice. :thumbsup:

[richfavinger]

I need something that will grow on the rock walls, places that I can't really attach frags, if you guys might have a suggestion, as well as the low light over hangs. Also want to replace the XM 10k SE lamps with a 12k, 14k, 15k lamp, suggestions? Thinking Sunburst 12k or Hamilton 14k... From what I read XM 15k's are junk... and 20k is just too much...(for me)...

Your comments as always, welcome!

[CPT. MURPHY]

Very nice!

CPT.

[richfavinger]

burp...
You guys don't have more suggestions on lighting or coral recommendations? c'mon guys... :sad1:

[richfavinger]

I added 3 new SPS frages to the system...

Pink Acropora SPS (About 2.5")
http://www.favingerphotography.com/reef-images/2006/bali-pink-12-17-2006.jpg
Yellow Acropora SPS (About 2.5")
http://www.favingerphotography.com/reef-images/2006/bali-yellow-12-17-2006.jpg

I will get the other new guy up soon, I need to get a better image... Also as an update I sold off 2 of my brown fuzzy mushrooms... and sad news to report, my Algae Blenny committed suicide :( ... on a happy note my tan acropora is recovering nicely after it's fall and encounter with my Hammer Coral. All corals are now firmly secured to rocks by epoxy. :D

Temp 79°
SG 1.025
pH 7.75 to 8.1
Ca Under 300 :eek2: Working on that...
dKH 11
PO4 0.1 With fresh PhosBan? Hmm
NO3 5.0

[skeeter-doc]

looking good

[richfavinger]

Might any one know the proper name for them 2 SPS I just posted?

and
My tanks a little sparse on the fish department and I need some suggestions. The tank is a 75g reef system, mostly SPS, LPS, schrooms, and polyps.

What I have:
1 Kol Tang
1 Fox Face
1 Blue / Rainbow Damsel
1 Blue Mandarin
1 Skunk Cleaner Shrimp
1 Coral Banded Shrimp
2 Clams, 1 Sand Sifting Star

My considerations:
Flame Angle (Never had one before, Risk?)
Long Nose Butterfly (Never had one before, Risk?)
Chromis (3 or so)
Yellow Watchman Goby
Diamond Goby
Algae Blenny
My adult Blenny just committed suicide , he was in the system for almost 2 years!

Avoiding:
"Evil" Damsel's
Yellow Tang (Too "Normal")
Clown Fish!!!
All mine committed suicide, would not pair, or took over the tank, or hosted a coral not anemone. I went threw 6 Perc's and 1 truly evil Maroon Clown.
Cardinal Fish? Just never had luck... Got 3 at LFS, all DOA with in 1 week very strange!
Eels... Had Snowflake, very cool, just ate too much, and "redecorated" too much.

Your additional suggestions welcome please!

[skeeter-doc]

as for the SPS, all I can tell you is that they are Acro's :)

for fish, I would try a sixline wrasse, and/or a fridmani pseudochromis

[richfavinger]

Thanks Doc,
Yea I forgot about the Six Line, yea if I could ever find one local I may get one, but I know they are known jumpers, and that concerns me, as I run an open top system.

Update:
Today I preformed a "Super Clean" on my refugium, stirred the sand slightly, removed a skim coat of sediment and cut back the Cheatomorpha about 75% to really open it up. Cleaned pumps and power-heads. Also lowered the lights about 2"... :)

[melev]

Hi Rich,

Regarding lighting, I really like the 10,000K ReefLux bulbs by Coralvue. They don't seem to last 12 months, but the color looks really good.

Picture #4 is Montipora digitata, and is is probably supposed to be mostly purple. The picture looks like it is brown with purple tips. If you had less nutrients in the water, it would color up nicely.

I love the clam. I had one just like it a couple of years ago.

The orange/yellow coral may be a Surabaya acropora. I can't see it, but here's a shot of mine for comparison. Ignore the shape, as it is literally reincarnating from virtual death.
http://melevsreef.com/pics/06/11/surabuya_pic.jpg
Hmm. Now that I look at it, the colors don't match. I guess I don't know then.

The new SPS are really pretty, but I don't know what they are. You might try sending a PM to Servo - he's pretty good at labeling them.

Fish - Flame Angels may nip at clams and corals, or may not. You have a 50/50 chance with them, plus there is the factor of keeping them alive. Many die within the first two weeks, probably due to how they are captured. If you can get past two weeks, next you have to get past two months. If you can, then you'll be home free.

Longnose Butterflyfis are very hard to catch once added to your tank. They'll eat featherdusters and tiny worms, so if you like those types of creatures, I'd avoid it.

Clownfish are easy! ;) Seriously, if you get a pair of True Perculas, you should be happy. False percs are your other option, and people raise their fry often in this hobby. Perhaps your CBS is killing them.

You might consider a Four Line Wrasse instead of the Six Line. The Six Line can be a tad aggressive, and the Four Line is a bit less common. They are pretty.
http://www.melevsreef.com/pics/macna16/4line_wrasse.jpg

Phosphate - what is the PO4 reading of the effluent (water coming out of the Phosban Reactor)? If it reads .1, slow down the output and test it again. You want the flow coming out so that it reads 0 (zero).

Did you buy any zoanthids yet?

[richfavinger]

You the man Marc... Thanks... :D
I'm slightly redecorating at the moment, need to get and find some free spots for the frags so I can get and glue them in. I don't have many flat steps to set corals so I guess I'll have to start gluing on angles.

I was always a little concerned on how close I can reapply place the frags? Obviously they should not touch, but how close is too close for the SPS?

No I have not got any zoanthids yet, I really want some. I just visited the LFS (I got the new SPS from there), he got zoanthids in last month but even this month he has them listed as Not for Sale. They are fraged out and have 3 to 6 heads per rock; and I quote "I just bough $4000 in zoanthids" he says. They are the ones he has sitting in a prop tank. SO maybe next month.

[melev]

$4000? Was this some PPE from Ebay? :rolleyes:

Frags are fine with a little space, but keep in mind that they will grow and get closer to their neighbors.

[skeeter-doc]

as for fish, you could also try a flame hawkfish, ... although it could jump too, but then again, so could almost any fish if spooked enough and in the right direction, :)

[richfavinger]

I already had a Longnose Hawk commit suicide :( I'm not one for the best of luck am I? :(
The guy runs Frazer Zoo a pet shop in PA. Although he gets a good selection of stuff, and has had some good looking SPS, it always seems he has stuff NFS, just in, or "Going to order more / More coming in 'next week' " :rolleyes:

I guess I should get and order some stuff over the net, I just HATE the shipping fees, but I guess ya got to pay to play. The 2 frags in the newer photos where $49... The 2 clams I now have where $49 for Crocea and $59 for the T.Max if I recall. His prices are not "Bad", at least not compared to our own LFS, that is selling Crocea for $79, Button Polyps for $59, Bubble Coral $69 (1/2 dead)... Red and other assorted mushrooms $49 to $59... keeps no SPS, and very very limited LPS. Oh and yes live rock at $7.99 lbs, I'd call it base rock myself. :mad:

:wavehand: