150g - "H2O+Something" SPS Reef

[deeznutz1]

Great tank! Even better photos.

What are you shooting with and what are your setting? I have such a hard time
shooting under leds.

-deez

 

[Denadai]

Hi Ricardo,

I love this setup...well done.

Best Regards

 

[pstank1]

Thanks guys.


I'm thinking on adding a few more fishes over the next 3-4 months (one big fish per month) and I'd like your comments over my fish selection:

- Naso elegans
- Lo magnifica or Siganus uspi
- 2x Hemitaurichthys polylepis

Do you have any other suggestion?

Cheers,
Ricardo

If you had a screen on the tank, Cirrhilabrus rubrimarginatus would be stunning with all the deep colors you have. Maybe try Serranocirrhitus latus? If you have a good pod population, any of the leopard wrasses would be nice. They're all special in their own way.

 

[Bpb]

This tank looks spectacular. I absolutely love the rock layout and will be doing something very similar whenever I rescape one day. I love how minimal it is and how much negative space you get. Amazing. Your colors with the ocean revives are terrific. I've tried a similar color percentage on mine and it doesn't look as white as yours does.

 

[glaukos]

Amazing pics ricardo,love the open space and the rockwork:thumbsup:

 

[Marco Madeira]

Nice to see your tank here in RC my friend!
Keep up the excellent work that you are doing with the tank and with all this beautiful pics!

 

[Ricardo Pinto]

Hello,

@ reefmutt
Thanks for your comments. I'm planning to add a leopard wrasse in a near future.


@ M007
This morning I bought a Naso elegans, but one very small (almost tiny). I hope that the PBT just ignore him. So far, so good. The naso is very small and can hide in small places where none of the other tangs can get into.


@deeznutz1
Canon 400D with 50mm lens. Aperture mode


@Denadai
I'm delighted to see your comment - I'm a big fan of your reef tanks. Thanks for "stopping by".


@pstank1
I almost bought a Cirrhilabrus rubrimarginatus today. I ended up bringing a exquisitus, but I will definitely will consider to bought the rubrimarginauts in a near future. It is very beautiful.


@Bpb & glaukos
Thanks for your compliments.

@Marco Madeira
My dear friend, thank you for your kind words. I hope we keep continuing sharing our experiences for another ten years. I have always learned a lot with you and your aquariums.


Finally,

Today I bought a naso elegans, a Halichoeres chrysus and a Cirrhilabrus exquisitus. I will not buy other tang for this aquarium, I think 4 is more than enough.

Here is a list of my current fish stock:

- 2 x Pseudochromis fridmani
- 5 x Chromis viridis
- 1 x Stonogobiops nematodes (+ 1 alpheus randalli em "simbiose")
- 2 x Elacatinus oceanops
- 2 x Amphirion ocellaris
- 1 x Salarias ramosus
- 1 x Zebrassoma flavescens
- 1 x Ctenocheatus tominiensis
- 1 x Acanthurus leucosternon
- 1 x Naso elegans
- 1x Halichoeres chrysus
- 1x Cirrhilabrus exquisitus

Total: 19 fishes

Kind Regards,
Ricardo Pinto

 

[Ricardo Pinto]

Update Day +80


Apparently the tank is doing nicely. I think my SPS are getting good colors under this light fixture, even more than I was expecting, I must confess.
The naso that I've mentioned on my last post died 48h after. He wasn't bullied by the other tangs and he didn't had signs of cryptocaryon. He just got "stresses" all the time and got weaker I think. Nevertheless, I didn't add any other fish during 3 weeks and just bought yesterday 3 more chromis viridis and Halichoeres chrysus (I have now 2 banana wrasse), small fishes. I will wait a few more weeks until I start addding more "bigger" or "sensitive" fishes.

A good friend and fellow reefer, Pedro Torres, dropped by during this week to see my tank. It happens that he is a great photographer so he was able to get a few wonderful macro shots from my corals. Hope you enjoy.... I know I liked a lot his photos (Thanks Pedro).

 

[Ricardo Pinto]

And a few more...





















Cheers,

Ricardo

 

[sahin]

Sorry about the fish dying. The tank looks great and the SPS colours are very nice. Keep up the good work. :beer:

 

[M007]

Maybe next time try a Naso similar in size to the other tangs, sorry for your loss :uhoh2:

 

[Ricardo Pinto]

@Sahin
Thanks. I've just noticed that you're from London. As I said on my first post, I lived in London between 2010 and 2012. I lived in Fulham / Putney Bridge, and I still visit London regularly, at least 2 times per year. Can you please tell me one or two LFS in London where you get your top SPS? I'm looking especially for Montipora setosa, which I know you guys there can get it more or less easily.

@M007
I think it was too early to try a Naso or other sized fish for this aquarium - my mistake - the tank was only two months old and has already many fishes. I just got excited because everything was doing so well and pushed of my luck.
However, to be on the safe side.... I'm planning to add a 25 gallon tank to the system so I can introduce "delicate" fish more gently into my system - not a pure QT tank, but just an adjacent tank where the fish can be good fed and become "more" healthier before being placed on the main display.

 

[reefmutt]

Nice photo update!
The corals are looking very healthy and your scape and coral placement is very nice.
Looking really good!

 

[Bpb]

Is setosa hard to come across where you're from? It's always interesting how certain species seem to be more common in some areas. Setosa is found in just about every tank here in my area. Generally one of the fundamental red sps pieces

 

[sahin]

@Sahin
Thanks. I've just noticed that you're from London. As I said on my first post, I lived in London between 2010 and 2012. I lived in Fulham / Putney Bridge, and I still visit London regularly, at least 2 times per year. Can you please tell me one or two LFS in London where you get your top SPS? I'm looking especially for Montipora setosa, which I know you guys there can get it more or less easily.

Hi.

I have a Setosa I can frag for you.

There are nice LFS in the London area. However, AEFW and Redbugs; especially AEFW's is present in many of the systems...I havent bought Acros from LFS's in more than a year. I only swap with or buy from other reefkeepers I trust. If you have a QT system and access to Interceptor, then its not a real issue.

Within London area; Aquatic Design Centre/Reefworks have nice SPS stock. Reefshack is on the outskirts of London; but has very nice SPS at good prices.

Most of my collection though, I obtained by driving around the country.

 

[Ricardo Pinto]

Nice photo update!
The corals are looking very healthy and your scape and coral placement is very nice.
Looking really good!

Thanks reefmutt.

Is setosa hard to come across where you're from? It's always interesting how certain species seem to be more common in some areas. Setosa is found in just about every tank here in my area. Generally one of the fundamental red sps pieces

It's still relatively rare nowadays. Last year, my good friend Marco Madeira brought one frag from the US and, as a great reefer that he is, shared mini-frags with at least 6-10 other guys. Unfortunately, due to a sudden unnoticed Alk rise to 10 dKH, I lost my frag. I think that maybe in an year or two setosa will be a common SPS between us Portuguese reefers.

Hi.

I have a Setosa I can frag for you.

There are nice LFS in the London area. However, AEFW and Redbugs; especially AEFW's is present in many of the systems...I havent bought Acros from LFS's in more than a year. I only swap with or buy from other reefkeepers I trust. If you have a QT system and access to Interceptor, then its not a real issue.
Within London area; Aquatic Design Centre/Reefworks have nice SPS stock. Reefshack is on the outskirts of London; but has very nice SPS at good prices.
Most of my collection though, I obtained by driving around the country.

Thank you Sahin, that is very kind of you. Next time I'll be in London, I'll get in touch - I can buy your frag or maybe we can exchange frags, if I have anything that you might be interested.
I've been dealing with AEFW since 2008-2009, in all my aquariums. It was the first time I could identify it in my aquarium. At some point it can drive you crazy and I think sometimes I got paranoid along the way.
I found it to be impossible to live without AEFW (at least for me who don't have a QT tank) and so I had to learn to live with them. I usually take out the rock from the frag plug and occasionally I do basting to my corals and in my last aquarium I got things under control with just that. But just in case, I have melafix, coral Rx and TMC pro-cure "in stock".


Finally, a couple of full tank shots

 

[Ricardo Pinto]

Hi there,



A few macro shots from a great classic, one of my favorite SPS since the beginning... Acropora efflorescens

 

[reefmutt]

Wow! Those are some seriously high resolution photos!!
Really nice!!
Fts is looking fantastic as well.

 

[Ricardo Pinto]

Thanks reefmut. My friend Pedro Torres, he really knows how to take macro shots. Even with Led's he was able to take great shots. It is just wonderful to see your aquarium through these high quality macro photos.


Besides being a fanatic of SPS corals, more lately I have been developing a particular interest also in Zoanthids.
Please let me share with you a few photos from some of my zoa's in this tank.
I'm not sure that I've made a correct id, so please feel free to correct my name "suggestions".

Zoanthus "Watermelon" (?)



Zoanthus "BamBam" (?)



From left to -> right
Zoanthus "Radioactive Green" (?) -> Zoanthus "Fire & Ice" (?) -> Zoanthus "Dragon Eye" (?)



Another frag of
Zoanthus "Dragon Eye" (?)



Hope you enjoy,
Ricardo

 

[reefmutt]

Beautiful intense colors.
Very nice!