Red Sea Reefer update- 6 months in

[Jenene]

It's been awhile since I have updated. Things were just kind of holding steady. I have just recently started seeing lots of new growth for the first time since this has been set up. Everything is dividing and spreading exactly how it should. It is really fun to watch. I must say this is really rewarding after putting corals in and seeing them just sit and not propagate at all. I think the biggest thing was the learning curve of balancing water chemistry and adjusting the lighting correctly. Too much light enhances algae growth and too little inhibits coral growth.

The only new things I keep popping in there are Flower Rock Nems since you can put them in tight next to each other and they come in so many colors they become kind of an addiction. The Coral Dudes are local here and do huge online sales. I have the benefit of knowing the owner who is kind enough to hand pick the best two out of the 500 extreme rock nems he just got in for the sale tomorrow. The first one he ever chose for me is still my favorite. Looking forward to seeing what he set aside tomorrow.

I have had a recent problem with algae again but I know what I need to do to regain balance. I stay on top of it but it is a battle. I don't really have room for reactors or any other crazy stuff in my sump. I really want to keep it simple.

I did find an interesting stow away today. I had no idea what it was and sent a pick to the reef shop guy. He recognized it as a Bristle Starfish that is in the process of regenerating two arms. It is really tiny. Not sure what it snuck in on but I will let it stay as long as it behaves.
Anyway here are some pics.

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[Ryan925]

Looks great. Nice work!!

[Pardal]

Really Nice.

[Jenene]

There’s my friend! Thanks Ryan- remember when I was playing with this idea? Seems like ages ago. It’s been fun but expensive. You guys have better corals at cheaper prices out there. Your next!

[Jenene]

Really Nice.

Thank you!

[two utes]

Your tank is looking great Jenene.
All the hard work, your commitment, and dedication is paying off. I can only imagine how good it would be to watch it all grow and flourishing, as well as discovering new things in there like the star fish...Who knows what other little organisms are hiding in there?
Photos look a lot clearer as well.

Thanks for keeping us updated :)

[Ryan925]

There’s my friend! Thanks Ryan- remember when I was playing with this idea? Seems like ages ago. It’s been fun but expensive. You guys have better corals at cheaper prices out there. Your next!

No don't give me any ideas!!! No new major projects. Not yet anyway. Was just working on a new one today. We will see how it works out. Will have to unveil it soon

[Jenene]

[QUOTE=Ryan925;1276856]No don't give me any ideas!!! No new major projects. Not yet anyway. Was just working on a new one today. We will see how it works out. Will have to unveil it soon[/QUO
You crack me up Ryan . No new major projects except the one you are not discussing! Funny! Can’t wait!

[Jenene]

Your tank is looking great Jenene.
All the hard work, your commitment, and dedication is paying off. I can only imagine how good it would be to watch it all grow and flourishing, as well as discovering new things in there like the star fish...Who knows what other little organisms are hiding in there?
Photos look a lot clearer as well.

Thanks for keeping us updated :)

Thanks Joe,
Yes finally seeing the growth is really rewarding. The Candy Cane is dividing for the second time. It started at 3 heads and is almost 12 now. There is finally a new baby mushroom and everything else is growing and multiplying.

I gave in and got a new phone. Helps with the pics. One thing I noticed with the clearer pics is you can actually see the blue feeding tentacles on the Candy Canes. I had never seen them before. That is very cool.

There is also an unexpected new fun addition I will update soon. Just want to make sure he settles in okay.

Thanks again!

[two utes]

Thanks Joe,
Yes finally seeing the growth is really rewarding. The Candy Cane is dividing for the second time. It started at 3 heads and is almost 12 now. There is finally a new baby mushroom and everything else is growing and multiplying.

I gave in and got a new phone. Helps with the pics. One thing I noticed with the clearer pics is you can actually see the blue feeding tentacles on the Candy Canes. I had never seen them before. That is very cool.

There is also an unexpected new fun addition I will update soon. Just want to make sure he settles in okay.

Thanks again!

Hi Jenene.
I was looking through some of your other threads in this section about your reef tank, and i really must say that its coming along nicely. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us. I thought the cucumber was cool and how it had divided in two, and was wondering how its progressed? Did that starfish rear its head again? Or do you think it ended us as a treat? Any new additions, or would that upset the balance?

Sorry about all the questions, but I've often thought about starting a reef tank and was wondering how much time it takes to maintain one.... with all the new found experience you now have? I didn't think about asking you about it at he NADA discus show....We were both distracted by all the beautiful Discus ;)

I understand that you get rewarded for all the time you put into things no matter what that may be.

Would love to see an update with pics on how its all going...I bet it's looking great :D

[Jenene]

Hi Jenene.
I was looking through some of your other threads in this section about your reef tank, and i really must say that its coming along nicely. Thanks for sharing your experiences with us. I thought the cucumber was cool and how it had divided in two, and was wondering how its progressed? Did that starfish rear its head again? Or do you think it ended us as a treat? Any new additions, or would that upset the balance?

Sorry about all the questions, but I've often thought about starting a reef tank and was wondering how much time it takes to maintain one.... with all the new found experience you now have? I didn't think about asking you about it at he NADA discus show....We were both distracted by all the beautiful Discus ;)

I understand that you get rewarded for all the time you put into things no matter what that may be.

Would love to see an update with pics on how its all going...I bet it's looking great :D

Thanks Joe! I welcome your questions! They are actually very good ones. I’ll try to be methodical and answer them in order so I don’t miss anything.

The cucumber... to give you the best answer on that - I went searching for them. The lights had not come on yet so I overrode the system and turned them on. Couldn’t find either one of them! Being filter feeders they are very, very slow movers and tend to just stay put once they find a good spot. I was surprised to not see them. Thinking maybe they “shrink” like the corals do during lights out, I checked back later. Sure enough I found one. The other may have found a cozier spot in the rocks.

I never did see the bristle star again. Unaware he was even in there at all for months I’m not all that surprised. My instincts tell me the Puffer fish was much smarter than him and most likely finished him off arm by arm a long time ago.

I do have some new additions Joe! I had been watching a guy on a site called Upstate Reefers (sounds kind of illegal doesn’t it?) and he often offers frags of his pieces at very fair prices. I was after one piece specifically called Todd's Torch. Around here in the shops they can be prohibitively expensive. He also went to his friend’s house and gave me a video tour of things to choose from. He is in the Albany area and I was able to stop and pick them up on the way home from NADA. I was surprised at the quality of them. He sent me home with the torch, a yuma, a Duncan and a small set of cloves. The balance is fine when I add new things. The real issue is finding room. I need to learn to cut some of my collection back to sell or trade. I have a problem getting up the nerve to cut apart a living thing. I told the guy I was afraid and was accused of being “overly dramatic.”

The older more stable tank takes much less time to maintain than it did when it was new. It took about a full year to mature to that point. Yes it is very rewarding now to see things dividing and flourishing. There’s some “warfare” that goes on between things taking over space. From just growing over the top of something else to sending out poisonous tentacles- there’s never a dull moment. Weekly 25% water changes, water top off, testing and some element dosing are are that is really required at this point. I think the one thing to keep in mind is you can’t just walk away from this tank for a week or more like you do discus. I saw your thread “Who can help?” If you are thinking about reefing and traveling you should probably start training that cute little girl in the art of mixing the perfect salt water. When she can carry a 5 gallon bucket of water across the house you are all set to start one up. (-;

Thanks for checking in. I welcome your interest and curiosity on the salty side of things.

Here’s some pics.

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This is the new torch. I love the thinner tentacles and the dramatic green.

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The Duncan belongs in a Dr. Seuss book.

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This is not new but my favorite and best spreading... Passion Fruit Palys some call “Fruit Loops” They started out as a colony of five.

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This tank has been worth the work as most things worth anything are. ;)

[brewmaster15]

Jenene its a beautiful tank...really very beautiful!
al

Ps..actually Its so beautiful I am nominating it for the pic of the month Club!:)

[Jenene]

Jenene its a beautiful tank...really very beautiful!
al

Ps..actually Its so beautiful I am nominating it for the pic of the month Club!:)

Awe!!! Thanks Al... It’s changed a lot since you saw it. It’s been an experience!

[two utes]

Wow Jenene.

Thanks for answering all my questions. You sure have given me lots to think about. I don't think i'm ready to give up my many trips as yet, and will probably put a reef tank off until i either settle down a bit, or gain more volunteers to help.

I see you have moved some things around, and that everything is thriving. I'm really impressed with how much the Passion Fruit Palys has spread. Obviously you are doing all the right things....Sit back...pour yourself your favorite beverage...and Enjoy!

[Pices]

Your tank is fantastic. I’ve been tempted a couple times to try my hand at it. Seeing what you’ve done tempts me once more.
Patty

[Filip]

Lovely reef you got there Jenene .
Your zoas looking and progressing great .

Fellow reefers from my domestic forum use some kind of blue filter lenses(i guess they are cheap on eBay or amazon ) as an addition , when they take shots of their reefs .It takes away the "blue hue " from the photos , making the colours look more natural .

[Paul Sabucchi]

Thanks for the great photos and info from me too (you are making it increasingly more difficult to resist the temptation to take a walk on the salty side). I think I will follow Al's example!

[Jenene]

Wow Jenene.

Thanks for answering all my questions. You sure have given me lots to think about. I don't think i'm ready to give up my many trips as yet, and will probably put a reef tank off until i either settle down a bit, or gain more volunteers to help.

I see you have moved some things around, and that everything is thriving. I'm really impressed with how much the Passion Fruit Palys has spread. Obviously you are doing all the right things....Sit back...pour yourself your favorite beverage...and Enjoy!

Thanks so much Joe,

Thank you for the kind words on the tank. Yes, you are absolutely right. I do tend to move things around as they vie for space or I have something new moving in. I’ve learned to grow things that spread -on their own rock so I can contain them better and move them without cutting them off their bases.

For now everything seems well balanced. I can never take things for granted and need to keep up the effort and care to keep it thriving.

Something lively and colorful is a great way to enjoy the beginning and end of the day with though. It lifts the spirits and clears the mind.

Thanks again. I hope you find time to experience this side of the fish keeping hobby some day.

[Jenene]

Lovely reef you got there Jenene .
Your zoas looking and progressing great .

Fellow reefers from my domestic forum use some kind of blue filter lenses(i guess they are cheap on eBay or amazon ) as an addition , when they take shots of their reefs .It takes away the "blue hue " from the photos , making the colours look more natural .

Thanks Filip,
It’s good to see you back hanging around again!

Yes I’ve heard of the filters. I have my tank lights set a bit bluer than the whiter spectrum. I really enjoy the phosphorescent colors that really pop in this spectrum. I also have an aquarium cam app that allows you to use filters. I didn’t try to filter out the blue but capture how they appear to me daily with the lights on them. I tend to keep the white red and green lights down to limit algae growth too.

I do enjoy them in their natural state as well. An experienced photographer can do miracles with coral subjects.

It was great to hear from you. Thanks for stopping in!

[Jenene]

Thanks for the great photos and info from me too (you are making it increasingly more difficult to resist the temptation to take a walk on the salty side). I think I will follow Al's example!

Ha ha! Thanks Paul!

I’ve reslly enjoyed this side of the hobby. There’s a continual learning curve here. You could do this your entire life and always find more to learn.

It is a balancing act. If one element is off it throws everything else off and the result runs from the weirdest algae blooms to massive die offs. I’ve lost a few things along the way but for the most part it’s bern very rewarding.

I encourage anyone thinking about starting a reef to read up, and better yet find people in the hobby to exchange ideas with. As with discus the fish bring in all sorts of new friends.

Thanks for your note, it’s very much appreciated!

[Jenene]

Your tank is fantastic. I’ve been tempted a couple times to try my hand at it. Seeing what you’ve done tempts me once more.
Patty

Thanks Patty! If I can do it anyone can.

Someday when you are ready, ask lots of questions just like the discus tank. Then research what you like, and what can live in such a small place without kiiling each other.
They don’t play fair... ever.

Good to hear from you Patty!

[rickztahone]

I finally remember your tank Jenene! TFS. It looks great. I have been getting a rather small itch to start up this tank that has been sitting empty for 2+ years now...lol. People have reached out to me SO many times asking when i am going to get it up and running. Luckily for me, i have a lot of of fellow reefers around me and many are willing to give me frags to start off. I just can't pull the trigger. I need to do the plumbing but am super lazy lol.

[Jenene]

Your tank is fantastic. I’ve been tempted a couple times to try my hand at it. Seeing what you’ve done tempts me once more.
Patty

Thanks so much Patty, it’s been incredible really.. I haven’t been here much between maintaining the tanks and work so I apologize for the very late reply. One thing I keep hearing ... and I’ve lived this...is if you are serious about starting a reef. Start bigger. The Red Sea 43 was cute at first but grew out of itself in 18 months... hence the next chapter. It’s a good one. ;)