New 220 gallon build
- Thread starter KurtsReef
- Start date
Gary Majchrzak
Team RC
the picture sequence with the Mandarins is really something special. I wonder if the male's emaciated condition has something to do with it.
IME a (healthy) male Mandarin (usually) approaches and chases the female upon first contact. Your female is obviously fat and healthy. The new male is very very thin. I hope he makes it. It would appear the female likes him. Great pix.
IME a (healthy) male Mandarin (usually) approaches and chases the female upon first contact. Your female is obviously fat and healthy. The new male is very very thin. I hope he makes it. It would appear the female likes him. Great pix.
KurtsReef
Premium Member
Gary your too kind, the photos of the "action" were taken at odd angles making for some pretty unsharp images...but they do make for good documentation of the action.
During the reef meeting at my house today we witnessed the females chasing each other. This behavior was not present prior to the entry of the male, who is not being harrassed...at least not that I have seen today. The male has been feeding pretty heavy since the females are leaving him alone, and I think the females are now deciding whom will get the male...in other words who the dominant female will be.
The bad news, at least perhaps will be checking a newer reefer (Paul) was interested in seeing a lot of pods in my sump so we shut all the lights off...went upstairs for a beer and then went down with flashlights. Normally there would be pods all over and it took us quite a while to find one. I will be checking again later as well as feeding a bit heavier with the smaller foods to help boost the population back up. It could be they are not as willing to venture out without the macro algae population or that the fish population (addition of the hippo and lawnmower) in the sump/fuge has reduced the population that much.
There were about 50 adult pods in my filter socks when switching them out yesterday so there is still a population, I think perhaps just not as high as it once was.
During the reef meeting at my house today we witnessed the females chasing each other. This behavior was not present prior to the entry of the male, who is not being harrassed...at least not that I have seen today. The male has been feeding pretty heavy since the females are leaving him alone, and I think the females are now deciding whom will get the male...in other words who the dominant female will be.
The bad news, at least perhaps will be checking a newer reefer (Paul) was interested in seeing a lot of pods in my sump so we shut all the lights off...went upstairs for a beer and then went down with flashlights. Normally there would be pods all over and it took us quite a while to find one. I will be checking again later as well as feeding a bit heavier with the smaller foods to help boost the population back up. It could be they are not as willing to venture out without the macro algae population or that the fish population (addition of the hippo and lawnmower) in the sump/fuge has reduced the population that much.
There were about 50 adult pods in my filter socks when switching them out yesterday so there is still a population, I think perhaps just not as high as it once was.
KurtsReef
Premium Member
As I told my kids when we picked him up, the mandarin was just too far gone I think. He was dead two mornings ago, just have not had time to post it...poor lil guy.
The mesh mod works great until I blow a fuse, which I was not doing before the mesh mod. I am not sure if its heaters or if the pumps are drawing more current if they start to bog down, but after a power outage I have to manually remove part of the pump to get the prop to start again. They are all currently not running as I need to do that when I get home from work.
The mesh mod works great until I blow a fuse, which I was not doing before the mesh mod. I am not sure if its heaters or if the pumps are drawing more current if they start to bog down, but after a power outage I have to manually remove part of the pump to get the prop to start again. They are all currently not running as I need to do that when I get home from work.
KurtsReef
Premium Member
I had to choose which project last night and the rock stack won simply to get corals out of the sand bed and our from behind rocks. I was able to get 80 - 90% of my corals actually mounted to a rock with either superglue or putty (the two part stick) last night and found a few that simply are not going to make it. Of course I accidentally fragged several corals while doing this, decided to put many of them right back in the display in a different area than the 'mother' colonies.
(edited to add
Many of my corals, more than 50% were never attached to the rock simply lying on it waiting for it to encrust. Almost daily I had to reach in and put several back up as the snails and urchins would knock them over at night.
I should be able to finish the rockwork and work on those pumps.
Marc, your right I trimmed it once the other night. I will be pulling them apart today and re-trimming.
Thanks Spo0k
(edited to add
Many of my corals, more than 50% were never attached to the rock simply lying on it waiting for it to encrust. Almost daily I had to reach in and put several back up as the snails and urchins would knock them over at night.I should be able to finish the rockwork and work on those pumps.
Marc, your right I trimmed it once the other night. I will be pulling them apart today and re-trimming.
Thanks Spo0k
KurtsReef
Premium Member
The mesh mod is giving me a headache. Pumps were all running this morning and the foam looked great...tonight I go down and only one is running, of the two stopped one seems to be burned out but will be trying it again after it cools down (tomorrow).
This will make 3 days total without a skimmer running as I will not work on it till tomorrow night. Plan on trying to superglue the mesh and get rid of the zip ties all together, if that does not work will go back to the original set up.
May have to order another pump
I did get the rockwork pretty much done. May add a bit more, up to about 95% of all corals attached to rock now. Couple quick shots:
Left side of rock is much larger than the right
Right side is smaller
This will make 3 days total without a skimmer running as I will not work on it till tomorrow night. Plan on trying to superglue the mesh and get rid of the zip ties all together, if that does not work will go back to the original set up.
May have to order another pump
I did get the rockwork pretty much done. May add a bit more, up to about 95% of all corals attached to rock now. Couple quick shots:
Left side of rock is much larger than the right
Right side is smaller
Conesus_Kid
Premium Member
I really like that stacking job!
Nice work!
Nice work!
Henry Colf
New member
Tank is looking good Kurt.
block head
New member
try a big honking bag with food in it, if u have a little time to kill. i think the fox is a good canidate for a little fishing as well,good luck ,tanks looks great
acdraindrps
New member
Mounting job on the led's look awfully familiar.
chrisqueenz
New member
Great pics with the Mandarins, sorry to hear that you lost the skinny one though..
What camera are you using? You take some really great shots!
What camera are you using? You take some really great shots!
KurtsReef
Premium Member
Yes Chris (Acdraindrps) I copied...somewhat at least from how Randy set them up. It works well, but would work better on a rimless or wider tank...or with the Lumenbright mini's
Chrisqueenz, Thanks...I have several cameras. Most of the more recent shots are with a nikon D3.
Chrisqueenz, Thanks...I have several cameras. Most of the more recent shots are with a nikon D3.
KurtsReef
Premium Member
Had the camera out to take shots of the fish traps I am using to try and catch the foxface that has been nipping too many corals...so
New birds nest frag:
Purple Pillow (I think) encrusting onto the rock
I had my Red Planet originally under the 400w halide, out of town a couple days and it was bleaching out. It has been under a 250w for the past two weeks and is coloring up again well.
New birds nest frag:
Purple Pillow (I think) encrusting onto the rock
I had my Red Planet originally under the 400w halide, out of town a couple days and it was bleaching out. It has been under a 250w for the past two weeks and is coloring up again well.
