A few nice surprises in the Reef

[LoJack]

I just got home from a 3 week vacation and found a new nice surprises that occured while I was gone.

No one really watched the tank, closely at least. Once a week a buddy came by and fed the tank and topped up my ATO reservoir. The tank did very well while I was away.

Here is a pic of a frag I just received before I left. It was pretty browned out and had almost no polyp extension at all.



And then after my holiday. It fully encrusted its plug, colored up and has great polyp extension now



Here is a pic of what I think is a Red Planet frag before I left:



And then what I came home to



One of my blue acros also did very well while I was away:



And also another purple with green polyps. Not sure on the species, but the piece was rather dull before I left. It looks amazing right now.



I guess the moral of the story is that I should keep my hands out of my tank more often. Maybe it only looks like such a drastic change because I haven't laid eyes on my tank in 3 weeks ... but I'm quite happy with what I came home to this time around.

 

[xrayjeeper83]

That's some great growth in 3 weeks. Maybe I should keep my hands out of mine too lol

 

[LoJack]

the purple frag in the first two pics is the one that really blew me away. I can't believe how much encrusting it did already. Its not even in its permanent spot, I have it there acclimating the frag to the light in my tank ... I guess I need to find it a forever home before it starts encrusting onto the live rock.

 

[xrayjeeper83]

I'd say so lol

 

[Borchers]

Maybe ask that guy to do a once a week check

 

[biggles]

Wow that's a nice thing to come home to mate, great growth and coloring up nicely :thumbsup: We should all keep our hands out more but it's bloody hard not to play......

 

[footballdude2k3]

That is crazy, I am guessing you will only look at your reef once a week from now on.

 

[shih87]

Congrats to your nice surprise and your tank pass the exam of three weeks vocation :thumbsup:

Any tips you would like to share how you make your tank survive from a long vocation?

 

[Touring]

Maybe ask that guy to do a once a week check

LOL he probably balanced your parameters while you were gone too hahahah


Whats your friends number so i can have him check mine too

 

[tanked37]

I just got home from a 3 week vacation

This is the first time I think on this forum that a sentenced started like that and ended with increased coral growth and a healthy tank. I do find that the more I leave the tank alone the better.

 

[rovster]

Wow, hard to believe that bonsai encrusted so much in that short of a time. I must be doing something wrong, LOL!

 

[LoJack]

Wow, hard to believe that bonsai encrusted so much in that short of a time. I must be doing something wrong, LOL!

I don't know that this one is a bonsai. I have a garf purple bonsai frag in the tank that I've had for almost a year now ... and it has barely grown at all. And out of no where, this frag went insane.

this frag wasn't shipped to me with an ID, so I don't really know for certain what it is. It does look almost identical to the bonsai though.

 

[LoJack]

Any tips you would like to share how you make your tank survive from a long vocation?

yup, one big one. The one that I'm certain prevents anyone from screwing your tank up.

Anytime I leave, I always pre-portion the food that goes into the tank. I think the biggest reason for issues in an aquarium is people not knowing how much food to put in, and overfeeding the aquarium and spike ammonia

Also, the more you can automate a tank, the less influence an inexperienced helper can have on your tank.

Everything I have is on timers, plus I run an ATO ... so other than filling the ATO reservoir and dropping in a preportioned cube of frozen food they can't really screw anything up. They are really only here to make sure there is no water on the floor lol

 

[rovster]

I don't know that this one is a bonsai. I have a garf purple bonsai frag in the tank that I've had for almost a year now ... and it has barely grown at all. And out of no where, this frag went insane.

this frag wasn't shipped to me with an ID, so I don't really know for certain what it is. It does look almost identical to the bonsai though.

Looks like something that was sold to me as a Darin's Bonsai. Doesn't matter really, very pretty!:dance:

 

[LoJack]

I feel the same way. The species isn't as important to me as the look of the coral. Quite frankly, I prefer the no name gorgeous pieces compared to the name brand corals because I can afford them lol.

add Garf, ORA, or ReefRaft to the name and it costs as much as pieces of equipment ... thats just not right lol

 

[mysticwave_2]

Wow, looks great. You must be the only reefer that can now go on holiday and not worry about their tank with a friend that can maintain your tank in such a way.

 

[rogerwilco357]

Awesome now if you where home you would have moved it around the tank like ten times lol .see what happens when hands stay out I am the worst offender .looks awesome.

 

[LoJack]

Awesome now if you where home you would have moved it around the tank like ten times lol .see what happens when hands stay out I am the worst offender .looks awesome.

haha yup. I've already started moving pieces ... you'd think I would have learned. But I try to acclimate slowly, and then try to find a permanent home. But sometimes you realize that it needs a little more or less light, or a little more or less flow ... so you move it somewhere you think it might do better.

 

[zackw]

i noticed when i went on vacation a lot of my frags looked great too. it really is amazing what doing nothing can do for your tank. if that sentence even makes sense... LOL

 

[DopeCantWin]

i noticed when i went on vacation a lot of my frags looked great too. it really is amazing what doing nothing can do for your tank. if that sentence even makes sense... LOL

I've noticed as much every time I leave. No idea what it is.