Our Tbs

[Kenaneu]

Lastly, a couple of shots I liked...

What are those white antler-like things on the polyps?!

Ah, the LTA that neither of my clowns will dare try to host with... At least it's pretty!

I hope I can get some better pics up sometime when I buy or borrow a digital SLR. This point and shoot just isn't cutting it.

Anyhow, thanks in advance for any help ID'ing, and any thoughts, advice, etc. you all may have!

 

[drk70]

Your fine. They are just cup corals. I still have many of them in my tank.

 

[drk70]

Not sure but looks like a brittle stars arms reaching out though the polyps.

 

[Kenaneu]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10324039#post10324039 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drk70
Can you do a close-up of the your tree sponge?

Sure thing.

Not sure if this looks normal or not...

I did read somewhere that if sponges get film/algae or die-off, you can remove it with a soft toothbrush. I am a little cautious to do anything drastic, however.

I wish I had thought to ask Richard to hold off on sending me anything a reef newbie might have trouble with.

Thoughts?

 

[Kenaneu]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10324070#post10324070 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drk70
Not sure but looks like a brittle stars arms reaching out though the polyps.

Thanks for the help Dennis!

Your assessment would make sense - I did save two banded brittle/serpent star babies from the silt in the bag. I wasn't sure if they made it, and honestly didn't notice the arms until looking at the pictures! Could be something else, but it does make sense if it were the arms popping up.

 

[drk70]

I still have them in my tank. That is all you see of them though. Just the arms poking out from the rocks.

Is your tree sponge soft or hard? It looks soft.

 

[Kenaneu]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10324129#post10324129 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by drk70
Is your tree sponge soft or hard? It looks soft.

Definitely soft sponge.

 

[drk70]

Cool! Sent you a PM.

 

[patsan]

Your tank looks amazing Kenaneu! You'll continue to find lots of new creatures and goodies for months to come.

 

[techreef]

Kenaneu, the clear tentacled things are cup corals. The snails near your zoas are sundial snails. They keep returning to the zoas because they're eating them, so you probably will want to remove them from your tank. Check out Melev's ID page for more info on them if you like.

I think your mystery coral w/ the brown polyps is a gorgonian. I have one from TBS too, but I'm not sure of its ID.

 

[Hoots]

Sundials - see this thread here - http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=579214

(I don't post much but when I do, I try to help! )

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10324035#post10324035 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kenaneu
I need some help ID'ing this stuff...

I have had the polyps for a while, but today this white, foamy looking thing appeared on them!

Mystery Scum

I don't know what it is, but it looked like something someone said was bad in a post I can't find anymore. At any rate, it didn't look like it belonged, so I took a soft toothbrush and got it out of there. It was pretty stubborn stuff, and I hope it doesn't come back... Unless someone here tells me it's amazingly beneficial!

Oh, those snails came with the polyps, too, and seem to really like them - to the point of always returning there no matter where I place them in the tank.

Any thoughts on ID?

 

[Kenaneu]

Thanks for the ID on the gorgonian and snails!

I haven't seen the sundials actually damage any of the zoas yet, so I should be in luck. Likely these are just tough enough to have withstood some sundial nibbling. I will get rid of them tonight to be on the safe side though! I'd like to catch them before a whole colony begins!

It's a shame, though, as they are pretty!

 

[cherubfish pair]

Kenaneu, what kind of lights (color temp. or actinics) is your tank under? The glass seems to have an aquamarine glow like you see in pictures of waters just off shore from tropical beaches! It's kinda cool. lol

 

[liverock]

Happy sponge

Happy sponge

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10324090#post10324090 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kenaneu
Sure thing.

Not sure if this looks normal or not...

I did read somewhere that if sponges get film/algae or die-off, you can remove it with a soft toothbrush. I am a little cautious to do anything drastic, however.

I wish I had thought to ask Richard to hold off on sending me anything a reef newbie might have trouble with.

Thoughts?

Sponge is happy...they do that...

Richard TBS

 

[Kenaneu]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10327933#post10327933 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by the cattleman
Kenaneu, what kind of lights (color temp. or actinics) is your tank under? The glass seems to have an aquamarine glow like you see in pictures of waters just off shore from tropical beaches! It's kinda cool. lol

Well I'm not sure if it's just my crappy camera giving everything that glow or what, but due to the very small surface area on the top of the tank, here's my humble set-up:

2 coralife mini aqualite power compact fixtures.

They each have a 9W 10K and 9W actinic 03 power compact bulb. So between the two units I guess that's about 36W of power compact for a 15 gallon tank. Not sure if it's enough, but it's all I can cram onto the top cover!

I think quality control on these bulbs is pretty loose, however, as the back fixture is noticeably more blue on both the actinic and the 10K, while the front fixture is noticeably more green on the 10K and more purple on the actinic... And these are all brand new bulbs lol.

It does look very much like the color in the hawaiian reefs I vist though!

 

[Kenaneu]

Re: Happy sponge

Re: Happy sponge

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10328136#post10328136 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by liverock
Sponge is happy...they do that...

Richard TBS

Hey Richard,

Thanks for the reassurance! The sponge started looking that way after I started feeding the DT phyto to it, so hopefully it will continue to do well. I did move it to a little more shady spot, though - I hope that's ok.

Thanks again for the great rock. I hope my little tank will do it justice.

 

[liverock]

Re: Re: Happy sponge

Re: Re: Happy sponge

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10328247#post10328247 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Kenaneu
Hey Richard,

Thanks for the reassurance! The sponge started looking that way after I started feeding the DT phyto to it, so hopefully it will continue to do well. I did move it to a little more shady spot, though - I hope that's ok.

Thanks again for the great rock. I hope my little tank will do it justice.

You are doing well.....good job!

I like nano storys!

such small tanks...such good owner/operators!

Not an easy thing to do, congrats!

Richard TBS

 

[jmait769]

Hi Kenaneu â€"œ Tank looks great and good to see people posting in the TBS thread!

Here are some recent pics of my tank. On the side shot you can see my Condy, a Donkey Dung Cucumber at the bottom and the gorgonian which is the same as yours. I put some xenia in the tank and they are trying to take over!

One year ago!

Jay

 

[Kenaneu]

Hey Jay,

Very nice tank!!! I really like that you have a very natural look going. It's really encouraging to see so much of the life from last year's pic still there and thriving! That gorgonian of yours looks about as full and healthy as any I have seen pics of - beautiful! I hope I have as much luck as you and can keep things alive!

 

[Kenaneu]

Yay no more sundials... That I can find anyhow. Also removed two whelks that seemed to have taken a liking to the zoas. Sheesh, can't fault them for wanting to eat, but glad they're gone!