Then vs. now - and it's all your fault =)

[dreaminmel]

So thanks for the influence guys and gals... I got bit by the sps bug after reading this forum for a while and voila, my checkbook thanks you. :lol: What do ya think? (There's individual pics of some of my corals in the homepage link, I need to take pics of the rest still.)

And not to worry, it was not a hostile takeover but I will spare you the progression pics and go right for the dramatic difference.

Then - 5/9/2005

Now - 9/24/2006

 

[garvondavis14]

not too shabby

 

[dreaminmel]

Thanks... now I just need to hop over to the photography forum for a while and get the "new camera" bug. =)

 

[garvondavis14]

lol...these are some pretty expensive "bugs"

 

[kirstenk]

Great transformation!

 

[dots]

Goood.........goooood.........our plan is complete!!!

 

[DarkXerox]

The rockwall+island aquascape is awesome! I'll have to try that the next time that I rearrange everything.

It sure is amazing how all of our tanks look very similar in the start (mushrooms, damsels, low light, etc)! Then they all of a sudden morph into SPS gardens with MJ mods, high flow, high light, and an overall fancy look.

Great job!

 

[dreaminmel]

Thanks everyone!

Yah, I was starting to feel a bit out of control until someone in the same LFS walked out spending $1100.00...:eek2: The hubby witnessed it too so I'm a bit off the hook for now.

After looking at these, I can't believe I used to have three 15watt bulbs over my tank...

 

[jay24k]

You can save alot of money buying from local reefers. I've sold large blue tort frags for 25 bucks that would be over 100 bucks in the store.

You can save alot this way especially on SPS Good prices here too.

 

[dreaminmel]

Yeah, just got 17-18 more frags that way Saturday. Most of the frags in my tank were acquired from other members locally. (With the exception of some from my LFS and a bunch of frags from Reefermadness) Our club had a frag swap last weekend at one of the Buffalo LFS, AquaTech. In my red house you can see the three containers of frags acclimating... I don't want to talk about how much I spent but it was less than the $1100 someone else did... =)

 

[nwrogers]

Looks great Mel! I hope the frags I sold you are doing well

 

[Dr.Maybe]

Looking good mel the frags I got from you are doing great

 

[dreaminmel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8223215#post8223215 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nwrogers
Looks great Mel! I hope the frags I sold you are doing well

Thanks Nate! Yes, they're growing fast and have excellent color, some of the favorites in the tank...

 

[dreaminmel]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8224243#post8224243 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Dr.Maybe
Looking good mel the frags I got from you are doing great

Thanks Kris! Glad you like the frags... in about 6 months I should be ready to trim some of my unique ones. I have high hopes for my yellow w/ blue polyps nasuta. It was green in the old tank but is growing a few new branches that are the correct yellow/blue in the new setup.

 

[bosborn1]

Yellow with Blue Polyps huh.....For a frag of that I would be willing to let a frag of one of my Torts go. The Oregon Tort I got from Keith at that same meet is incredible.

I know what you mean Mel...Before I started reading RC I was content for many years with Softies and LPS. I never touched SPS after a bad experiance with a wild colony in the late ninties. I thought that they were just not good aquarium corals. In the last year my tank has become SPS dominated.

Scott

 

[dreaminmel]

I'll make a note of that for ya Scott. You'll be one of the first to know.

And I'm probably going to get beat up for this but I do have three wild colonies in my tank. All are growing and colorful to this point. I'll have to try to get a pic of the divaricata one for ya. Got it from LiveAquaria... it's green and purple w/ bright light blue growth tips. One of my more expensive buys but well worth it.

I've been REAL close a couple times to getting the zoa bug but have kept myself in check so far... famous last words.:lol:

 

[bosborn1]

Watch out for the Acan Lord bug. That one is expensive.

Scott

 

[dreaminmel]

You're not kidding... I've got one so far. =)

 

[Ti]

looks good!

 

[Norwood IND]

Mmmm... sps bug.

The only cure for the sps bug is BUY MORE SPS !!!!!


Your tank looks great!