Usernam Invalid
New member
Truly astonishing when you see the recap of last six months
Urbanek's 250
- Thread starter urbaneks
- Start date
urbaneks
New member
Usernam Invalid - Thanks so much! I love looking back at the recaps, makes all the work of getting the photos over the last 6 months worth it. I'm glad someone else appreciates it.
urbaneks
New member
July 7th, 2016 - Photo Update
Out with June and into July. Here in Phoenix, AZ, we are in the dog days of summer. Good time of year to be inside looking at the tank. Thank goodness for AC!
Chromis Eggs - If you look closely at the top of the rock, you will see a clutch of Chromis Eggs. They look like sugar to me, if that helps. I have a couple sets of Chromis that pair off and lay eggs every week or so. They protect them with all their might for 4-5 days before they end up getting eaten. The cycle starts over several days later.
Strawberry Fields Colony - This photo is a bit busy but I like how it shows the size of this tabling Strawberry Fields. Scale is a bit difficult to determine but the table is about 10" from left to right. Also pictured here is my ORA Hawkins which is just above the table. Below the table you can see some Frog Spawn that is almost 100% shaded from the table but continues to grow great in the reduced light.
ORA Purple Plasma
Great Oceans Wonder Stag
I wanted to share a quick photo of my latest addition to the tank. The scale is difficult to see but the space between the water line and top of the class is 1" which makes this whopper of a clown fish about 3/4". Before adding this clown, I had a pair that dated back to my first 28g Nano Cube. Sadly, my female jumped from the tank a few months back which left the older male solo. I wanted to add as as small of a clown as possible to eliminate any dominance issues. All is well, the new little guy paired right up with my older clown.
Out with June and into July. Here in Phoenix, AZ, we are in the dog days of summer. Good time of year to be inside looking at the tank. Thank goodness for AC!
Chromis Eggs - If you look closely at the top of the rock, you will see a clutch of Chromis Eggs. They look like sugar to me, if that helps. I have a couple sets of Chromis that pair off and lay eggs every week or so. They protect them with all their might for 4-5 days before they end up getting eaten. The cycle starts over several days later.
Strawberry Fields Colony - This photo is a bit busy but I like how it shows the size of this tabling Strawberry Fields. Scale is a bit difficult to determine but the table is about 10" from left to right. Also pictured here is my ORA Hawkins which is just above the table. Below the table you can see some Frog Spawn that is almost 100% shaded from the table but continues to grow great in the reduced light.
ORA Purple Plasma
Great Oceans Wonder Stag
I wanted to share a quick photo of my latest addition to the tank. The scale is difficult to see but the space between the water line and top of the class is 1" which makes this whopper of a clown fish about 3/4". Before adding this clown, I had a pair that dated back to my first 28g Nano Cube. Sadly, my female jumped from the tank a few months back which left the older male solo. I wanted to add as as small of a clown as possible to eliminate any dominance issues. All is well, the new little guy paired right up with my older clown.
Mr.Fishtank
New member
Stunning pics. Always love looking at your tank progression. Thank you for sharing this with us.
urbaneks
New member
Mr. Fishtank - Thanks so much for taking the time to view and comment on the journal. I'm happy to have this place to share my tank.
urbaneks
New member
July 14th, 2016 - Photo Update
It looks like it's been about a week since my last photo update. Here are a few new photos of the tank. Thanks for the views and comments. Always appreciated.
Blue Chromis - Here is a shot of one of the large males that are part of the chromis eggs ordeal that I described a couple of days ago. The guys are tenacious at defending their eggs. Be it another fish, a turkey baster or my hand, these guys will defend their nest. In the photo, the Chromis is between my Pro Corals Rainbow and the ORA Green Slimer. I like the detail of the fish and the beauty that can be seen in the fish.
Strawberry Shortcake - I wish that I could explain why certain days/nights my corals look better than other days/nights. Last night was one of the nights where I call the wife in to look at the tank and say, look how amazing the corals look tonight. She will typically amuse me and agree but I don't think she really sees a difference. I've posted many of photos of my SSC colony but I think you can look back and compare and see that there is definitely a difference. The lime green pigmentation was just rocking where many times it's more yellow than green. As of this morning, it's back to being more yellow. It's truly amazing how the color can shift from day to day.
Sunburst Anthias - If you are interested in keeping Anthias, I'd strongly recommend getting Sunburst. I have both Sunburst and Bartletts and these guys are way more interesting. These guys are inquisitive, always out and swimming. They seem to love looking at people as much as we like to look at them. Once they get acclimated, they will eat about anything, including pellets. All in all, just a great fish, not to mention they are pretty photogenic as well.
ORA Green Slimer - I've posted a few photos of this Slimer over the last 6 months. This one I really like. The detail in the coral is second to none when it comes to any of my photos. If you are looking at the photo on a phone, I recommend zooming in a bit so see it in detail. This coral is very versatile when it comes to light and flow.
Misc Zoa Colony - For today's post, I just wanted to show a bit of the diversity I have in the aquarium. This zoa rock was purchased a couple years back and had a few misc polyps on it. It has of course filled in the rock and then some. While SPS is still my favorite, I still find the color variation of Zoas amazing. Not to mention, anyone that comes not in the hobby loves them.
Purple Humilis - This shot was taken from the far end of the aquarium or almost 6 feet away from the coral. For perspective purposes, the Green Slimer in the back is 18" across. The humilis is now 10" across. If you ever see this coral for sale, stay away from it unless you can give it crazy amounts of light. This coral is mounted in the highest location of my tank. I've tried frags in lower locations and it turns brown within days.
Sailfin Tang - I've mentioned before that this fish has to be the most photogenic in my tank. I try an try to get good shots of the other fish without much luck. It's typically because this guy gets in between the camera and the other fish I'm trying to shoot. In the background is a colony of nuclear green palys, my WWC Red Gonipora and a green cap. I think the 3 corals in the back make for a nice backdrop.
It looks like it's been about a week since my last photo update. Here are a few new photos of the tank. Thanks for the views and comments. Always appreciated.
Blue Chromis - Here is a shot of one of the large males that are part of the chromis eggs ordeal that I described a couple of days ago. The guys are tenacious at defending their eggs. Be it another fish, a turkey baster or my hand, these guys will defend their nest. In the photo, the Chromis is between my Pro Corals Rainbow and the ORA Green Slimer. I like the detail of the fish and the beauty that can be seen in the fish.
Strawberry Shortcake - I wish that I could explain why certain days/nights my corals look better than other days/nights. Last night was one of the nights where I call the wife in to look at the tank and say, look how amazing the corals look tonight. She will typically amuse me and agree but I don't think she really sees a difference. I've posted many of photos of my SSC colony but I think you can look back and compare and see that there is definitely a difference. The lime green pigmentation was just rocking where many times it's more yellow than green. As of this morning, it's back to being more yellow. It's truly amazing how the color can shift from day to day.
Sunburst Anthias - If you are interested in keeping Anthias, I'd strongly recommend getting Sunburst. I have both Sunburst and Bartletts and these guys are way more interesting. These guys are inquisitive, always out and swimming. They seem to love looking at people as much as we like to look at them. Once they get acclimated, they will eat about anything, including pellets. All in all, just a great fish, not to mention they are pretty photogenic as well.
ORA Green Slimer - I've posted a few photos of this Slimer over the last 6 months. This one I really like. The detail in the coral is second to none when it comes to any of my photos. If you are looking at the photo on a phone, I recommend zooming in a bit so see it in detail. This coral is very versatile when it comes to light and flow.
Misc Zoa Colony - For today's post, I just wanted to show a bit of the diversity I have in the aquarium. This zoa rock was purchased a couple years back and had a few misc polyps on it. It has of course filled in the rock and then some. While SPS is still my favorite, I still find the color variation of Zoas amazing. Not to mention, anyone that comes not in the hobby loves them.
Purple Humilis - This shot was taken from the far end of the aquarium or almost 6 feet away from the coral. For perspective purposes, the Green Slimer in the back is 18" across. The humilis is now 10" across. If you ever see this coral for sale, stay away from it unless you can give it crazy amounts of light. This coral is mounted in the highest location of my tank. I've tried frags in lower locations and it turns brown within days.
Sailfin Tang - I've mentioned before that this fish has to be the most photogenic in my tank. I try an try to get good shots of the other fish without much luck. It's typically because this guy gets in between the camera and the other fish I'm trying to shoot. In the background is a colony of nuclear green palys, my WWC Red Gonipora and a green cap. I think the 3 corals in the back make for a nice backdrop.
urbaneks
New member
July 21st, 2016 - Photo Update
July 21st, 2016 - Photo Update
July 21st, 2016 - Photo Update
It's been a week since my last update. Here are some current photos taken over the last week. Thanks for looking. Comments are always appreciated.
July 2016 FTS
Cornbread Starburst Monti
Yellow Clown Goby
My newest addition - Starry Blenny
My oldest addition - Blue Tang
The hardest working inhabitant in the tank - Harlequin Shrimp
July 21st, 2016 - Photo Update
July 21st, 2016 - Photo Update
It's been a week since my last update. Here are some current photos taken over the last week. Thanks for looking. Comments are always appreciated.
July 2016 FTS
Cornbread Starburst Monti
Yellow Clown Goby
My newest addition - Starry Blenny
My oldest addition - Blue Tang
The hardest working inhabitant in the tank - Harlequin Shrimp
urbaneks
New member
Squibege - Thanks for the view and comment. If you have or ever have an issue with starfish, I strongly recommend the Harlequin. They do great work as advertised.
Dan - Thanks for the kind words. I'm glad you were able to look through the journal. I just recently removed my biopellets. ~5 weeks ago. I have not seen any noticeable issues with corals, my nitrates have climbed from about 5 to 25 which is something I'm watching closely. Current filtration is nothing more than a big skimmer and I'm running a bit of GFO.
E.litvin
New member
February 14th, 2016 - Photo Update
I wanted to share a photograph of our living room. This room was quite a challenge to pull together for many reasons. First was the overall sales job I had to do with my wife. Where the tank is sitting was originally our formal dining room. You can imagine how that conversation went, "Honey, I'm thinking about putting a reef where your dining room table is."After getting over that hurdle, the room is huge so the scale of the tank needed to be appropriately sized. It's difficult to tell from the photo but from the wall to where the cabinet ends is 9 feet. To help fill the vertical space and scale, I added the barn beam to help pull it all together. The project table in the foreground with the task lighting above it, really helped to pull the whole room together. What we ended up with was a room that is a focal point of the house rather than a dining room that was used 2-3 times a year.
Thanks for looking
Full Room Shot
Such a beautiful tank from top to bottom. The stand is amazing and your photography skills are just as impressive
E.litvin
New member
February 11th, 2016 - Photo Update
Here are a few new photos. Thanks for looking.
This is a coral I got in a trade with the LFS. It's a Red Gonipora from World Wide Corals. This is my first attempt at Gonipora. So far so good, I'm about 3 months in and it's doubled in size. I'm looking forward to shooting some more photos of this coral with the pumps off.
WWC Red Gonipora
Here is a shot of my latest addition. One of the fellow reefers from our local reef club was breaking down his 400+ gallong tank and needed to find homes for all his fish. I was fortunate enough to adopt this beautiful Powder Blue Tang. It's hard to tell from the photo but he's ~8" long which makes him the biggest fish in the tank.
Powder Blue Tang
Here is a shot of one acans. Over the years, I have not had much luck with Acans but recently, I've had some new found success.
Rainbow Acan
That red goni looks incredible, great coloration
urbaneks
New member
reefmutt - Thanks for the reply. I have 2 clown gobies (yellow and green), they don't seem to damage any of the corals. They also don't have one spot, they bounce around from coral to coral.
E.litvin - Thanks so much. I love that Full Room Shot that you quoted. One of my favorite shots of the tank.
E.litvin - Again, thanks for taking the time to view and comment. That Goni is a WWC Red Gonipora. Very awesome coloration. What is not visible is the blue accents on the top of the polyps.
deaclauderdale
Lover of Fishies
Every time I view your thread I have a tiny coralgasm. It's not just the photos you take, or the attention to detail on the building of your stand and equipment selection, but it's seeing how fat, healthy, and happy everything in your tank looks. I really admire your tank Urbanek!
Reef keeping is life!
Reef keeping is life!
It will be interesting to see how it develops, maybe a slightly less aggressive method of removing PO4 and NO3. Algae turf scrubber or refugium Spring to mind. It may have been mentioned and sorry if it has but what is you current water change period and how much?
Dan.
urbaneks
New member
deaclauderdale - A new word for me - Coralgasm! Thanks so much for the kind words and taking the time to view and comment.
Dan - Thanks for chiming in. I've tried a fuge in the past and it really didn't seem to do much for me. Not saying they don't work, just didn't really work for me. Perhaps my application was bad. So far so good without pellets. The reading are up a bit but the corals and fish still look very happy.
choss - thanks for your continued following and comments. I too love the PBT. I'm very thankful to finally have one.
urbaneks
New member
July 30th, 2016 - Photo Update
July 30th, 2016 - Photo Update
July 30th, 2016 - Photo Update
Time for my weekly photo update. Thanks to all those that continue to view and comment.
We will start today out with a current FTS.
Here is a bit more of a detailed shot of the front right of the aquarium. For scale, the slimer is 18" from left to right.
ORA Pearl Berry - One of the GOAT
My new Starry Blenny - Love this addition
Tazardi - Really like how this lone stalk stands out among the other branches
Jason Fox - Fox Flame
Midnight Stag - Love the details in the coralites
WWC Red Goni
Lobo
Rocky Mountain Corals Skull Cracker
July 30th, 2016 - Photo Update
July 30th, 2016 - Photo Update
Time for my weekly photo update. Thanks to all those that continue to view and comment.
We will start today out with a current FTS.
Here is a bit more of a detailed shot of the front right of the aquarium. For scale, the slimer is 18" from left to right.
ORA Pearl Berry - One of the GOAT
My new Starry Blenny - Love this addition
Tazardi - Really like how this lone stalk stands out among the other branches
Jason Fox - Fox Flame
Midnight Stag - Love the details in the coralites
WWC Red Goni
Lobo
Rocky Mountain Corals Skull Cracker
