not much new, just a photo update.

[noahm]

Not much has gone on lately. Everything seems pretty stable. I miss my greenery, so I am going to try and reintroduce some caulerpa from the fuge. I have added a few zoas and some chromis. Also fragged the sea fan gorgs a bit. Gonna try fragging the pink sponge to another rock out front as well.

Everything seems pretty happy. A couple of sponges (tall red trees) need a bit more flow IMO so I am getting a k2 to catch the backside of the tank. Even the basket star has grown, so I guess so far so good. Pics are pretty basic, but I may post a few more detailed ones later.

Enjoy

 

[shadowbearwv]

Wow that's looking awesome!

The Chromis' look so tiny hehe.

SB

 

[noahm]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14790971#post14790971 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by shadowbearwv


The Chromis' look so tiny hehe.

SB

They are ... only about an inch. Makes the tank look huge
Actually, we wanted to watch them grow, but after chasing them out through the overflow teeth several times, I wish I had gotten them about 1/2" longer :rollface:

 

[divemonster]

That's one of the most natural aquascaping jobs I have seen. The way you have the 2 "islands" is stunning, like a well thought out bonsai your tank really is a minature reef system.

 

[noahm]

Thanks for the compliments. I really wanted that 'island' look. I have to confess that I was a landscape designer for some years. I was kind of worried when I got part 2 that there was too much rock, but actually with the help of my wife and inlaws critiquing and me with my hands in the tank I really like how it turned out. The left island is actually just 2 huge rocks and the right island is surprisingly hollow inside making for a very nice protected cave. You can look inside and see about 20 porcelain crabs lining the cave walls at any given time.

The thing I had to learn is that you can't 'plant' anemones where you want them

 

[tektite]

I'm curious what the bright red thing is on the rock on the left side of the tank. Is it a type of sponge?

 

[noahm]

Yeah,... sponge. DK the kind, but it is very similar in structure to the orange ones next to it only a bit more lobed/'bushy'. Seems very hardy/easy. I don't know sponge morphology terms, but the smoother, less porous ones seem to be easier to keep happy. Small tubules run along the surface and remain open at the tips when they are healthy.

The very porous ones I have seem to be less happy, and I am going to adjust the flow and see if that makes a difference.