Stella's Salty 20g

Hm... I usually stay away from ordering online if I can, but in this case, it might be worth it.

 

Hm... I usually stay away from ordering online if I can, but in this case, it might be worth it.

You have a low quality, overpriced LFS at your disposal. Man, you are prime candidate for online ordering.

 

Hm... I usually stay away from ordering online if I can, but in this case, it might be worth it.

The first live sale I took part in was also the first time I ever received something live in a box. I can't say I don't order online though... who doesn't love Amazon?? Lol. Anyway, I was super nervous, but these people know what they're doing, and it's a much better value than it sounds like you're getting bud. Shoot, the cooler they come in is a pretty handy thing to have around itself.

 

I suppose I'm way overdue for an update here. Where to start?

With an FTS of course!


Do you see my favorite fishy? Scorch is doing a lot better these days guys. He does still spend about half his time in hiding, but it's sure better than all the time. He comes out to eat when I feed the tank and several other times of day to do his old thing, albeit, in a much smaller area. He'll hang out on the right side of the tank, but will dart if the clown gets too near. Good thing we love the clown... just not as much as Scorchy!






Dosing has been going well. We dose 7.5ml each of alkalinity and calcium, (BRS Two-Part), each morning, 20-30 minutes apart to avoid precipitation. We're back to testing only once a week and parameters are stable. Jguercio is actually working on a DIY auto-doser using an Arduino right now. This is entirely based off instructions from Reef Dudes if anyone's interested in having a look. We'll be testing this baby all afternoon, and probably for another day or two, before finalizing the project and installing on the reef tank.





The corals are happy and growing. In fact, I didn't get a picture but notices a few new heads on a blasto just last night.

2 Favias, center and right, and 1 Favite, on the left.



Blastos and acans with a brainy looking toxic platygyra in the back. The one acan that is top center, nearest to the blastos, has been sort of upset looking for a very long time. He used to be somewhere else, and the move didn't go perfectly. The weird thing is, it's produced new polyps since then, so is growing... they just look kinda small and sad like the others have. It's like a minI acan now and this makes me wonder if it will ever fluff up like it used to do before the move.


Green and red montI caps and a Kryptonite candy cane trumpet coral. The trumpet's large polyp in the back has started to pinch, so I believe it will soon have 4 polyps.




Shroom corner. The fruity loops from Culprit is as wide as ever and looking lovely. xiholdtruex , see the rhodactis shroom top left? That's what I traded in the torch for at VIP... hrmmm, the $30 trade-in and a $20 paid for that shroom. I think OV might've sold it cheaper, but am unsure because, despite my horrible picture taking, that shroom is almost a rainbow. I was dying for a rainbow shroom, but refused to pay the price, so good thing VIP likes keeping the euphyllia tank full.

 

I suppose I'm way overdue for an update here. Where to start?

With an FTS of course!
View attachment 474091
Do you see my favorite fishy? Scorch is doing a lot better these days guys. He does still spend about half his time in hiding, but it's sure better than all the time. He comes out to eat when I feed the tank and several other times of day to do his old thing, albeit, in a much smaller area. He'll hang out on the right side of the tank, but will dart if the clown gets too near. Good thing we love the clown... just not as much as Scorchy!
View attachment 474099 View attachment 474100View attachment 474103


Dosing has been going well. We dose 7.5ml each of alkalinity and calcium, (BRS Two-Part), each morning, 20-30 minutes apart to avoid precipitation. We're back to testing only once a week and parameters are stable. Jguercio is actually working on a DIY auto-doser using an Arduino right now. This is entirely based off instructions from Reef Dudes if anyone's interested in having a look. We'll be testing this baby all afternoon, and probably for another day or two, before finalizing the project and installing on the reef tank.
View attachment 474101
View attachment 474102

The corals are happy and growing. In fact, I didn't get a picture but notices a few new heads on a blasto just last night.

2 Favias, center and right, and 1 Favite, on the left.
View attachment 474104

Blastos and acans with a brainy looking toxic platygyra in the back. The one acan that is top center, nearest to the blastos, has been sort of upset looking for a very long time. He used to be somewhere else, and the move didn't go perfectly. The weird thing is, it's produced new polyps since then, so is growing... they just look kinda small and sad like the others have. It's like a minI acan now and this makes me wonder if it will ever fluff up like it used to do before the move.
View attachment 474105
Green and red montI caps and a Kryptonite candy cane trumpet coral. The trumpet's large polyp in the back has started to pinch, so I believe it will soon have 4 polyps.
View attachment 474108


Shroom corner. The fruity loops from Culprit is as wide as ever and looking lovely. xiholdtruex , see the rhodactis shroom top left? That's what I traded in the torch for at VIP... hrmmm, the $30 trade-in and a $20 paid for that shroom. I think OV might've sold it cheaper, but am unsure because, despite my horrible picture taking, that shroom is almost a rainbow. I was dying for a rainbow shroom, but refused to pay the price, so good thing VIP likes keeping the euphyllia tank full.
View attachment 474113

It’s looking beautiful as always

 

Did you guys really think I'd do an update without a picture of this? Top-down of the rainbow monti.



Some more SPS. From left to right, Jason Fox Special Porites, Green Mille Acro, Mind Trick Monti.



An unknown acro, that is definitely not a garf bonsai.



A surprise?


Sorry guys, pics of this little dude are hard. Can't explain how we've only found one, but we're pretty sure we have a baby RFA on our hands. We found him in the sand near the Duncan but with a nassarius snail around, little dude would sometimes disappear for a day or two. After the 2nd time this happened, I jarred him up. I kinda hate having the container in the tank, but what can you do?

An admission...


I have never housed a critter that will eat GHA, and those wild days need to end. I kinda hate on crabs but I think I've gotta break down and do it. What's everyone's favorite CUC member for GHA? This is way up high on the back of the rocks.

 

I suppose I'm way overdue for an update here. Where to start?

With an FTS of course!
View attachment 474091
Do you see my favorite fishy? Scorch is doing a lot better these days guys. He does still spend about half his time in hiding, but it's sure better than all the time. He comes out to eat when I feed the tank and several other times of day to do his old thing, albeit, in a much smaller area. He'll hang out on the right side of the tank, but will dart if the clown gets too near. Good thing we love the clown... just not as much as Scorchy!
View attachment 474099 View attachment 474100View attachment 474103


Dosing has been going well. We dose 7.5ml each of alkalinity and calcium, (BRS Two-Part), each morning, 20-30 minutes apart to avoid precipitation. We're back to testing only once a week and parameters are stable. Jguercio is actually working on a DIY auto-doser using an Arduino right now. This is entirely based off instructions from Reef Dudes if anyone's interested in having a look. We'll be testing this baby all afternoon, and probably for another day or two, before finalizing the project and installing on the reef tank.
View attachment 474101
View attachment 474102

The corals are happy and growing. In fact, I didn't get a picture but notices a few new heads on a blasto just last night.

2 Favias, center and right, and 1 Favite, on the left.
View attachment 474104

Blastos and acans with a brainy looking toxic platygyra in the back. The one acan that is top center, nearest to the blastos, has been sort of upset looking for a very long time. He used to be somewhere else, and the move didn't go perfectly. The weird thing is, it's produced new polyps since then, so is growing... they just look kinda small and sad like the others have. It's like a minI acan now and this makes me wonder if it will ever fluff up like it used to do before the move.
View attachment 474105
Green and red montI caps and a Kryptonite candy cane trumpet coral. The trumpet's large polyp in the back has started to pinch, so I believe it will soon have 4 polyps.
View attachment 474108


Shroom corner. The fruity loops from Culprit is as wide as ever and looking lovely. xiholdtruex , see the rhodactis shroom top left? That's what I traded in the torch for at VIP... hrmmm, the $30 trade-in and a $20 paid for that shroom. I think OV might've sold it cheaper, but am unsure because, despite my horrible picture taking, that shroom is almost a rainbow. I was dying for a rainbow shroom, but refused to pay the price, so good thing VIP likes keeping the euphyllia tank full.
View attachment 474113

WOW it is looking great as always! love those shrooms and that duncan! Jason Fox Special Porites look great also makes me want to start getting sps lol for gha I like the nerite snails in my experience. You don't have any hermits I hear they like to munch on it also

 

Did you guys really think I'd do an update without a picture of this? Top-down of the rainbow monti.
View attachment 474114

Some more SPS. From left to right, Jason Fox Special Porites, Green Mille Acro, Mind Trick Monti.
View attachment 474115

An unknown acro, that is definitely not a garf bonsai.
View attachment 474117

A surprise?
View attachment 474118
Sorry guys, pics of this little dude are hard. Can't explain how we've only found one, but we're pretty sure we have a baby RFA on our hands. We found him in the sand near the Duncan but with a nassarius snail around, little dude would sometimes disappear for a day or two. After the 2nd time this happened, I jarred him up. I kinda hate having the container in the tank, but what can you do?

An admission...
View attachment 474119
I have never housed a critter that will eat GHA, and those wild days need to end. I kinda hate on crabs but I think I've gotta break down and do it. What's everyone's favorite CUC member for GHA? This is way up high on the back of the rocks.

My short experience with crabs lead me to believe that they’re not suitable for reefs. They seem to just bother the coral way too much. They walk all over them and pick food off of the polyps, which really annoyed me. Maybe there are some snails that could help you out instead. I’m not super familiar with specific species, though.

 

Maybe this will help.

 

WOW it is looking great as always! love those shrooms and that duncan! Jason Fox Special Porites look great also makes me want to start getting sps lol for gha I like the nerite snails in my experience. You don't have any hermits I hear they like to munch on it also

Thanks! You know, I forgot to post this pic of the Duncan, and you reminded me. All those polyps around the bottom are growing 2-4 pups of their own, so this guy's gonna be a monster someday!

My short experience with crabs lead me to believe that they’re not suitable for reefs. They seem to just bother the coral way too much. They walk all over them and pick food off of the polyps, which really annoyed me. Maybe there are some snails that could help you out instead. I’m not super familiar with specific species, though.

What’s the Best Snail for a Reef Tank?

Maybe this will help.

I totally feel you on the crabs, and hoped never to go there. I just don't know that any snails will eat this since it's already pretty well established. Maybe when it first started to grow, but I can say the trochus sure didn't help with that. I'll definitely check out the link. Thanks!

Edit: Well thank you for the link Adriifu We avoided Astrea snails at the beginning because we did not want a snail so incapable of righting itself when it falls. But, they are apparently voracious eaters of short gha, so I'll probably pick up a few and mow the lawn before I put them in. I'll try anything to avoid crabs, though I must say, many respected reefers would not reef without them.

 

Thanks! You know, I forgot to post this pic of the Duncan, and you reminded me. All those polyps around the bottom are growing 2-4 pups of their own, so this guy's gonna be a monster someday!
View attachment 474125



I totally feel you on the crabs, and hoped never to go there. I just don't know that any snails will eat this since it's already pretty well established. Maybe when it first started to grow, but I can say the trochus sure didn't help with that. I'll definitely check out the link. Thanks!

Edit: Well thank you for the link Adriifu We avoided Astrea snails at the beginning because we did not want a snail so incapable of righting itself when it falls. But, they are apparently voracious eaters of short gha, so I'll probably pick up a few and mow the lawn before I put them in. I'll try anything to avoid crabs, though I must say, many respected reefers would not reef without them.

Good luck! I was gonna suggest to cut the algae beforehand, but I guess you already had that in mind

 

Stella, your pictures are so good! I love the fts!

 

Looking fantastic as always! Your corals are definitely beyond the frag stage now and well into colonies. Very mature and full looking!

So glad to see scorch out, and I even sa all three fish in the FTS.

What about a Margarita snail? Loves hair algae, and they can right themselves. I love astreas honestly. I've only had to right one or two and they're cheap and hardworkers. I vote get a emerald too, if its trouble take it back, but I love mine! Shroom rock is looking fantastic.

An auto doser??? Wow can't wait to see that come out. I've been really happy with kalk in my ATO but I know its temporary... won't be too long before I reach saturation point and have to switch to to part. But its been holding my alk solid.

 

Looks good

 

Fantastic update!!! Photos have me absolutely speechless and great news on Scorch.

I have to say, I really love my emerald.... I barely see her but she’s excellent with all kinds of algae.

 

I’m so jealous of your tank, Stella.

 

The rainbow montI makes me want to touch it lol

 

I’m so jealous of your tank, Stella.

Lol, well, the feeling is mutual Bill, because I'm jealous of your tank and setup too! I dare not though. I've only recently fought off the coral bug and if I had a tank your size to fill then I'd be in the poor house. Also, I've got 6 little corals from the family faviidae, but none as nice as yours, (you know which one I speak of.)

 

Thank you.

 

The rainbow montI makes me want to touch it lol

First time I saw a rainbow montI was a nice close-up in a BRS video. That was it for me because all I could see was a tiny fairy garden. I want to live in it!

 

Wow! It looks much bigger than 20g. Amazing

 

Congrats on the mod Stella.

 

Yes! Congratulations indeed on mod. I saw the thread, but didn't have time to comment on there.

 

Thanks Bill! Thanks J!

Lol, I was just thinking that a mod should probably update her threads a little more often. So, while it's been a strange, exciting weekend and I am unprepared with pics, here's what's been going on.

Fish - Scorch is doing very well. He still spends some time during the day hiding in his lair, but I'd say he's out about 70% of the time, and that's an improvement. He will occasionally not run from the clown, as long as the clown is more than 2-3 inches away. The clown is a pretty nice guy and doesn't appear to antagonize Scorch. The goby is the meanest in the tank. Sometimes when Scorch is hanging out, the goby will come from under his ledge and sit and mightily flare right under Scorch, but Scorchy's not afraid of him. And yep, the clown and goby are still 'paired up', lol. It's a weird dynamic in the tank and can be totally fun to watch. The only real aggression that worries me a bit is that sometimes the clown will back up the goby and be a little jerky towards Scorch. It's nothing the firefish can't outrun though, and I honestly don't think the clown would try to bite anyone. The only time he does that is when the goby is attacking him!

The corals are all doing well, some growing faster than others. I definitely can say that I've seen a rise in growth rate from most of them since we started dosing... and on that note, here's the only pics I have to share right now.





Yep, that's Jguercio 's most recent completed project, a DIY doser for calcium and alkalinity. It uses an Arduino Uno and he used instructions from ReefDudes for this. It's been running all of 2 days, so it's still warranting a close eye, but so far, so good.

That's all for now folks. I promise to take some tank pics soon!

 

Love hearing about the fishies dynamics! One thing I was totally unprepared for was the difference in sw fishy relationships to fw fish but yes, totally captivating to watch these “pairings” develop. And three cheers for the StellAutodoser!!! Wish I was handy like Jguercio !

 

I thought as a mod you can let your tanks go south post pictures of it and get the flattering from all sides. Who doesn't agree with the diatome covered tank being the nicest on FL gets banned for life.

 

Lol, well, in my defense, there are no diatoms to speak of. They only grow very lightly in the sand anymore and it's hardly noticeable as long as we keep up the weekly change and spot vac. Well, she just got a water change yesterday but I've been lazy about cleaning the glass. It doesn't have diatoms but it does have water spots, lol, because of the water change and laziness. Plus, the tank's too blue late in the day, and I kinda hate messing with the controls on the stupid app. It's a good light, but the app stinks.

 

You’re a mod!! First Stella now you!

Love hearing about the fishies dynamics! One thing I was totally unprepared for was the difference in sw fishy relationships to fw fish but yes, totally captivating to watch these “pairings” develop. And three cheers for the StellAutodoser!!! Wish I was handy like Jguercio !

 

You’re a mod!! First Stella now you!

Yep! Back to stella1979 though. She promised us tank pics soon.

 

Pics!! As promised.

A barely blue FTS



A little whiter... and a real FTS that doesn't cut off shroom corner.



The Duncan and the red MontI have been at war for a while now... and it looks like the Duncan is winning. I don't mind this at all, as it's only natural, and the MontI is growing well in the other direction.




The blue Leptastrea is a real grower, especially compared to the orange one. Check out how far under the ledge it's grown! This is exciting.



Der Garten von Acans!!! You'll understand the use of German in a bit. See the very upset acan all the way left? This is the one that I had to move after it had been established in another location for a little while. He would have been grown over in the last spot, but in moving him, some flesh was torn from 2 of 6-8 polyps. He's never looked happy since, but lately, looks a lot worse. The end time may be near for this guy. I'm pretty okay with that though, as a Blasto nearby has a bunch of pups and I hope it will grow in the angry acan's place. Also, the zoas... I think that closed polyp has been aggravated by an acan, but again, I'm fine with that, as the zoa has plenty of room in other directions.



Speaking of zoas.



May as well picture another from my good buddy Culprit So glad you talked me into the Galaxea.



Shroom corner, and yet another coral that I love that was sent by Culprit... the Fruity Loops shroom. I'd really love to move the Ultra Ricordea (the yellow, purple, green guy), but am scared after what happened with the acan.



And the best pic of the clown I've gotten recently.



There's more!

 

The family faviidae


The war is doing great and the platy is happy too, but a slow grower and difficult to capture it's best colors. That tiny guy a WWC Regal Platygyra folks, and while it doesn't look great here, I love the colors on this one under deep blues.



In this one I'm trying to show how the Birdsnest ran into the Unknown Acro... the acro won. There's a teeny dead branch on the birdie there, and it's already growing some algae on it. Bone cutters are on the way.



The JedI Mind Trick Monti



Who used to be two pieces that looked like this.




Can't update without some shots of Rainbow Monti! Yep, it's encrusting on the frag rack, and I love it!




Does anyone remember when it looked like this?


Edit: Oops! Forgot to tell you guys why I've got the German language on the brain. I think I'm finally settled on names for the clown and goby. I wanted to pick names that would represent famous literary brothers. So, what do you guys think about Jake (clown), and Will, (goby), after Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm? Perhaps the most famous literary brothers of all time, whom we can thank for bringing us all the fairy tales and folklore stories that are still famous today.

 

The family faviidae
View attachment 483742
The war is doing great and the platy is happy too, but a slow grower and difficult to capture it's best colors. That tiny guy a WWC Regal Platygyra folks, and while it doesn't look great here, I love the colors on this one under deep blues.
View attachment 483743

In this one I'm trying to show how the Birdsnest ran into the Unknown Acro... the acro won. There's a teeny dead branch on the birdie there, and it's already growing some algae on it. Bone cutters are on the way.
View attachment 483746

The JedI Mind Trick Monti
View attachment 483750

Who used to be two pieces that looked like this.
View attachment 483752


Can't update without some shots of Rainbow Monti! Yep, it's encrusting on the frag rack, and I love it!
View attachment 483747


Does anyone remember when it looked like this?View attachment 483749

Edit: Oops! Forgot to tell you guys why I've got the German language on the brain. I think I'm finally settled on names for the clown and goby. I wanted to pick names that would represent famous literary brothers. So, what do you guys think about Jake (clown), and Will, (goby), after Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm? Perhaps the most famous literary brothers of all time, whom we can thank for bringing us all the fairy tales and folklore stories that are still famous today.

Beautiful pictures as always, and I love the name idea.

 

Forgot to tell you guys why I've got the German language on the brain. I think I'm finally settled on names for the clown and goby. I wanted to pick names that would represent famous literary brothers. So, what do you guys think about Jake (clown), and Will, (goby), after Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm? Perhaps the most famous literary brothers of all time, whom we can thank for bringing us all the fairy tales and folklore stories that are still famous today.

I like the idea I grew up with those stories, way more bloody, gory and spooky than the Disney adaptions though.

PS: Krabat e.g. is one of those old German fairy tales the Grimm's collected, though they never wrote about this particular one.
I just want to share because there is an awesome movie adaption out there. It premier was at the Toronto Film Festival. I guess there must be a English version (at least with subtitles available)

There is even an English trailer. So my guess must be correct

 

Wow everything is looking so incredible! Your coral growth is insane, fastest I've seen I think! Colors are STELLAr, and your tank just looks so healthy. I think the ATO and dosing have made a huge difference. And of course the light. I am so drooling over the rainbow montI and really wish it'd cool off over here!

I think I need more corals now! So extremely good to see Scorch out and about, and I love the names for the clown and goby. Fits them perfecly!

 

I do know of the un-edited versions of Grimm's tales... at least the ones that were published in English. I have a fat paperback called "The Stories of the Brothers Grimm" which says it's their complete works... which is rather misleading since they are not the authors, lol. Still, we may not have these stories without them, and that book is one of my most treasured, being the only paperback that gets a prime position on my bookshelf.

Glad y'all like the names. I think these will stick,

Culprit, you really know how to touch my heart. Thanks for the Scorch love my friend!

 

Everything looks gorgeous Stella. Thanks for the update.

 

Thought I might do a little fragging and have another update today, but nope. The dang power's out! Got one pump running on the tank, powered via a deep cycle marine battery, (like a car battery, but better, and usually used on boats.) It'll run that pump for more than 24 hours... I think. Then we'd have to hook it up to a running car to charge it back up. That takes a while, so we keep two batteries ready for a situation like this. Hopefully the power co. comes through and has it back on by 3pm like they expect to.

Wondering what y'all have to protect the salty tanks during an outage?

 

Honestly, I don’t have anything right now.

 

Honestly, I don’t have anything right now.

Hmm, tsk tsk... Hope your area is less prone to outages than mine. There are other options out there, of course, but our setup, (plus gasoline in cars, needed to recharge batteries), kept the reef alive during a week long outage after Hurricane Irma last year. Being residents of hurricane alley makes us appreciate a long term solution, even though it uses gas... but so would a genny.

 

Yup. Generators use a lot of gas. We usually don’t get a lot of power outages til winter, unless some drunk hits a power pole. I am planning on getting a UPS before winter.