What do you think of my BB tank?

[NoSchwag]

I wonder how I'll know when I can get a urchin.

 

[Weatherman]

Chris I have some cheeto dust/rust smudge looking stuff starting to grow on it. I thought it was dirt, but after pointing the penductor at it, I realize it's growing on it.

Not sure what it is.

This is the first algae I had growing in my MarinaBoard, one month after I turned on the lights.

I don't think it's coralline, because it's soft rather than calcareous. In any case, the astreas chewed through it real quick and it was almost completely gone in a couple of weeks.

Here's what the MarinaBoard looks like today, five and a half months after the first picture.

 

[Chrisrush]

Yea, mine is a pretty light color of red and in some places, pink. I'd like to have some dark red grow, but it's hard enough keeping the back of the tank clean as it is.

Chris

 

[NoSchwag]

How do you like my new fish?

How do you like my new fish?

I picked out the fish this time..

What do you think?

 

[NoSchwag]

Here are some more of the tanks inhabitants.

See the little brown spots??

I have no idea what the little dark red things are all over the rocks??? They are hard and crunchy. Any ideas?

 

[NoSchwag]

I also have a fire shrimp in there somewhere.. I haven't seen him since I put him in the tank.

 

[Chrisrush]

Don't see any brown spots. But it may be diatoms, common algae that starts during the first few months of a tanks life.

Nice fish btw. I'm assuming it's a Heniochus Black and White Butterflyfish.

If you want a urchin, you should be fine putting one in along w/ your cleaning crew.

Chris

 

[NoSchwag]

Yeah, it's actually a Heniochus diphreutes.

The Brown Spots are actually in the picture above the caption, I should have put the caption above the picture.

 

[Chrisrush]

Is that fish reef safe?

Spots still look like diatoms to me. Your clean up crew should make short work of them if they don't disappear over time.

Chris

 

[Weatherman]

Is that fish reef safe?

Diphreutes is the safest species in the Heniochus genus.

In the wild they spend most of their time in open water eating plankton rather than picking at worms and coral on the reef.

 

[Chrisrush]

I see. Thanks for the info, but there is still a possibility that it will munch on sps tips, right?

Chris

 

[Weatherman]

I see. Thanks for the info, but there is still a possibility that it will munch on sps tips, right?

I have a Powder Blue Tang that eats Xenia, so I guess just about anything is possible.

 

[NoSchwag]

I see. Thanks for the info, but there is still a possibility that it will munch on sps tips, right?

Chris

So far he hasn't even looked at my 2 corals. I will definitely let you know if he shows any interest.

I didn't get much in the way of search results when I tried. Everyone was saying they were reef safe, but it didn't seem like anyone had one.

 

[Chrisrush]

You wanna send that PBT my way, I've got some Xenia that he could have.

Chris

 

[tsquad]

If you want it to stop growing, my Foxface will nip all the polyps off so that it is unhappy and stubby and wont grow. I'll send him to you soon if you'd like :lmao:

 

[S Helinski]

It looks like you have a good clean up crew in there, however, i think you may have added them way too soon.

Those astreas need algae to munch! You might have to add some small algae rocks or something, b/c those guys might start to starve on you. IMO


Oh, and just to warn you, often with bare bottom or Star board tanks, xenia doesn't grow too much, actually if frequently dies off. Theres just not enough nutrients for them over time.


I still love that aquascape!


Steve

 

[10" Red Devil]

I love the aquascape, but am wondering how stable that structer is? Is it cemented together somehow?

Thanks.

 

[floridareefs]

looks good--would be great with coraline algae on rock and a nice dsb

 

[NoSchwag]

Those astreas need algae to munch! You might have to add some small algae rocks or something, b/c those guys might start to starve on you. IMO

If I start to see shells rolling around, I'll know there is too many. But I gotta tell you, there is a TON of snail poop all over the place. I can't wait to have more flow thru the sump.

Oh, and just to warn you, often with bare bottom or Star board tanks, Xenia doesn't grow too much, actually if frequently dies off. Theres just not enough nutrients for them over time.

I can only hope.. I had it too close to a rock and it attached itself from the stalk. Guess I was wrong to assume that they only attached from the bottom.

Needless to say it was ripped off, and placed in a way that it doesn't touch the rock at all.

I am keeping an eye on where it attached, the white stuff that was left behind disintegrated, so that's good.

 

[NoSchwag]

I love the aquascape, but am wondering how stable that structer is? Is it cemented together somehow?

Thanks.

It's stable enough that I can point the penductors at any part of it, any it doesn't budge. I don't know how it'll be when I have a ton of top heavy coral in there, but I am planning on keeping mostly bushy type acro's in there, so I might be okay.

I have considered using small balls of epoxy to hold it all together, then taking pictures of where it's epoxied in case I ever need to move or something.

But, from what I've read, they will get fused together eventually from all of the calcium and encrusting coral.