My 65G Shallow Reef Tank
- Thread starter DiscusHeckel
- Start date
DiscusHeckel
Acropora Gardener
Sorry for the late reply Matt. I must have missed your post. :headwally: Thank you.
It has not grown even a millimetre nor has it started to encrust its base. It is almost holding its colour though it looks very slightly off colour (i.e. slightly less red and a little more brown). This is probably because it did not receive enough lights due to overhanging copiosa colony. The mighty copiosa went to another home today and the dragon started to receive more lights. I will observe its progress in the coming weeks before considering moving it to a brighter spot.
DiscusHeckel
Acropora Gardener
Hi Cameron,
I planned to take a short break in your part of the world this Easter, so that I could bring the coral to you in person. As I told you before, I love your island, but sadly our trip did not materialise.
I considered your proposal carefully, but I feel unable to post such a huge piece in case it dies during transit. It took me so long to grow it. A gentleman is driving 65 miles from the south of the country to collect it next week. Really sorry about this Cameron. However, I have two small pieces, which I advertised on UR lately. I will be happy to challenge my inhibitions about posting corals and send them to you with my compliments if you can cover the postage. Where would I get heat packs? Please let me know if you are interested.
DiscusHeckel
Acropora Gardener
I parted company with one of my oldest staghorns, A. copiosa, today. Although I fragged it many times over the years, the copiosa still looked mighty today (11.5" X 9" X 7"):
It went to a good home and I am sure the new owner will look after it well. After the colony was out of the water, this is how my tank looked:
I would say the tank looks a lot less mature without the copiosa.
I used the two large A. digitifera "frags" (5" X 5" each) to find out how my tank would look like in the future if I placed two plate forming corals in the space vacated by the copiosa. This was the result:
I will only keep one of the frags and the second one as I said in my previous post will be removed next week. I have not yet decided which piece to remove, but I am inclined to keep the one on the left hand side for two reasons: first, it has my trusted four-year-old acro crab living on it; second, it has a long trunk, which means that it will occupy less real estate.
I would welcome your views on the future look of the tank and which piece to keep.
Thanks in advance.
It went to a good home and I am sure the new owner will look after it well. After the colony was out of the water, this is how my tank looked:
I would say the tank looks a lot less mature without the copiosa.
I used the two large A. digitifera "frags" (5" X 5" each) to find out how my tank would look like in the future if I placed two plate forming corals in the space vacated by the copiosa. This was the result:
I will only keep one of the frags and the second one as I said in my previous post will be removed next week. I have not yet decided which piece to remove, but I am inclined to keep the one on the left hand side for two reasons: first, it has my trusted four-year-old acro crab living on it; second, it has a long trunk, which means that it will occupy less real estate.
I would welcome your views on the future look of the tank and which piece to keep.
Thanks in advance.
Hi, that is very kind of you and I'd love a smaller piece. A bit bit would probably be more than I need as my tank is only small and I like to let the smaller bits grow in. I think you can get heat packs from any fishing tackle shop. Did you want a piece of the prostrata in return?
I'll switch to PM on UR if you like so as not the fill your thread here with unnecessary posts.
Cheers,
Cam.
reefmutt
Active member
Looks very different Bulent, i agree with moose man Matt on keeping the crab piece but i'd place it on the lower spot if it will be happy there since you know it's going to table and shade again.
Ya know I've been called worse things but it IS a bit rich coming from the Aussie who's best friend is a mischievous koala named Kevin..
plyle02
Active member
Love that FTS Bulent!
Looking so mature and colorful. I love the makeover, we have to all do this from time to time, I am always a big believer in evolving the tank. We learn every day, mostly through our reefing experience, taking the learned information and applying it to enhance your reef speaks volume Bulent. Colors, health, and the overall contrast of the colors and growth patterns makes the tank look so much larger, great job!!!
Cheers
Looking so mature and colorful. I love the makeover, we have to all do this from time to time, I am always a big believer in evolving the tank. We learn every day, mostly through our reefing experience, taking the learned information and applying it to enhance your reef speaks volume Bulent. Colors, health, and the overall contrast of the colors and growth patterns makes the tank look so much larger, great job!!!
Cheers
milsaltnewbie07
New member
WOW. Gorgeous !!!
DiscusHeckel
Acropora Gardener
Thanks for your advice Matt. I have kept the sub-colony with the crab and sold the other one today.
Looks very different Bulent, i agree with moose man Matt on keeping the crab piece but i'd place it on the lower spot if it will be happy there since you know it's going to table and shade again.
Thank you Andrew. Sadly the sub-colony is so big that I cannot place it any lower spot. Thankfully it does not grow mega fast like my staghorns. Having said that I have placed a smaller piece further down as you suggested.
Thank you for your encouraging words Perry. I really appreciate it.
Everyone is so supportive. It is so nice.
Thanks a lot.
DiscusHeckel
Acropora Gardener
As Matt put it, the deforestation is now over.
I had to take out the aspera colony to remove one its branches.
Sadly, my coral cutter could not cut the coral due to its thickness and I do not own a dremel. I had to use a mini hacksaw for a bit before finally cutting the trunk. While I was messing about with the hacksaw, the other branch, which was supposed to remain on the live rock, snapped off too.
This allowed me to shorten the trunk of the second sub-colony, which I am going to keep (the one on the right above), before attaching it to rock all over again. This is good because the tips of the coral was about to reach the water surface. I have gained 4"-head space. Hopefully, I will not have to touch this coral again for at least a year.
A gentleman travelled 65 miles one way to pick up my A.aspera and A. digitifera sub-colonies yesterday. The aspera was so big that we could not place it in a reef crystals salt bucket. The bucket was not wide enough. I had to use a TMPR salt bucket instead. My corals will be living in a 1200 lt tank. I hope they do well.
Despite the fact that the two large corals have gone, my tank still looks rather crowded. I am now in the process of attaching lose corals to live rock. Once I finish this process, I will upload a photo. In the meantime, here are three photos I took two days ago (Note the new sarmentosa. The blue colour on its tips in the third photo is not real and is due to iPhone. The ice-fire echinata seems to be on a growth spur. With this rate it will clash within its neighbour the gomezi.):
I had to take out the aspera colony to remove one its branches.
Sadly, my coral cutter could not cut the coral due to its thickness and I do not own a dremel. I had to use a mini hacksaw for a bit before finally cutting the trunk. While I was messing about with the hacksaw, the other branch, which was supposed to remain on the live rock, snapped off too.
This allowed me to shorten the trunk of the second sub-colony, which I am going to keep (the one on the right above), before attaching it to rock all over again. This is good because the tips of the coral was about to reach the water surface. I have gained 4"-head space. Hopefully, I will not have to touch this coral again for at least a year.
A gentleman travelled 65 miles one way to pick up my A.aspera and A. digitifera sub-colonies yesterday. The aspera was so big that we could not place it in a reef crystals salt bucket. The bucket was not wide enough. I had to use a TMPR salt bucket instead. My corals will be living in a 1200 lt tank. I hope they do well.
Despite the fact that the two large corals have gone, my tank still looks rather crowded. I am now in the process of attaching lose corals to live rock. Once I finish this process, I will upload a photo. In the meantime, here are three photos I took two days ago (Note the new sarmentosa. The blue colour on its tips in the third photo is not real and is due to iPhone. The ice-fire echinata seems to be on a growth spur. With this rate it will clash within its neighbour the gomezi.):
DiscusHeckel
Acropora Gardener
I have just looked at its base and cannot see any encrustation. It has only just started to receive more light since I moved the copiosa last Saturday. I will monitor it in the next ten days. If there is still no improvement, then I think I will move it to a brighter spot.
reefmutt
Active member
Wow, yes, still looking full but also very rich and colourful. I just love your ice fire. It's gorgeous and I am lusting after it! Very nice sermentosa as well.As Matt put it, the deforestation is now over.
I had to take out the aspera colony to remove one its branches.
Sadly, my coral cutter could not cut the coral due to its thickness and I do not own a dremel. I had to use a mini hacksaw for a bit before finally cutting the trunk. While I was messing about with the hacksaw, the other branch, which was supposed to remain on the live rock, snapped off too.
This allowed me to shorten the trunk of the second sub-colony, which I am going to keep (the one on the right above), before attaching it to rock all over again. This is good because the tips of the coral was about to reach the water surface. I have gained 4"-head space. Hopefully, I will not have to touch this coral again for at least a year.
A gentleman travelled 65 miles one way to pick up my A.aspera and A. digitifera sub-colonies yesterday. The aspera was so big that we could not place it in a reef crystals salt bucket. The bucket was not wide enough. I had to use a TMPR salt bucket instead. My corals will be living in a 1200 lt tank. I hope they do well.
Despite the fact that the two large corals have gone, my tank still looks rather crowded. I am now in the process of attaching lose corals to live rock. Once I finish this process, I will upload a photo. In the meantime, here are three photos I took two days ago (Note the new sarmentosa. The blue colour on its tips in the third photo is not real and is due to iPhone. The ice-fire echinata seems to be on a growth spur. With this rate it will clash within its neighbour the gomezi.):
If I were you, I'd just leave it. No need to move it, I don't think. You'll just be string it back again...
DiscusHeckel
Acropora Gardener
Thanks Matt. The gentleman who came to collect the big colonies is a lot more experienced than I am. He said to me that it was the best looking ice fire he saw in people's tanks. I was chuffed with that comment.
DiscusHeckel
Acropora Gardener
Thanks Mark. Anthias use this coral for shelter.
You are probably right.
