And now for something a little different ...

[LBReefer]

Well, while I wait out the fishless cycle I decided to pick up some corals from LAX Aquarium. Their 35% of sale text campaigns are extremely effective on me.

My wife was more than mildly amused by my insistence that they needed to come into the restaurant with us when we stopped for lunch.

 

[LBReefer]

I originally posted this under the hitchhiker ID, but I thought I’d share it here as well. I’m excited to have a more robust CUC, but also a little scared to be inundated with baby Nerite snails.

 

[mmw64]

I originally posted this under the hitchhiker ID, but I thought I’d share it here as well. I’m excited to have a more robust CUC, but also a little scared to be inundated with baby Nerite snails.

following

 

[LBReefer]

While I wait out the fishless period after my velvet outbreak I decided to build a hood to house my t-5 and recently transplanted kessils.

I wish I had take better progress photos, but here are a few that I took along the way. This ended up being way more complicated than I had anticipated.



Before

During

After

 

[LBReefer]

Updated FTS.

 

[LBReefer]

Misguided check-in

 

[LBReefer]

Some updated photos. I'm still struggling with cyanoz but after some heavy dosing of nitrates it looks like I'm moving in the right direction.

 

[LBReefer]

I finally moved the Blond Naso over last night from QT and decided to do another round of tank photos.

My Yellow Tang went after the Naso full bore. They seem to be getting along now. It's funny the pygmy angel that was a nightmare in my office tank is small potatoes around these guys.

 

[LBReefer]

I also added a 55 gallon RODI storage container to my fish room. I got tired of flooding the room when I forgot that I was slowly filling a 5 gallon jug. We'll see how this goes.

 

[LBReefer]

I picked up a green acro and cleaner shrimp to throw into coral QT. I had ordered some new frags from Cultivated Reed last week, but they got caught in some bad weather and we're delayed. Only the softies and one small bridsnest appear to have made it. Cultivated Reef was super supportive and offered to replace the dead/dying corals in my next order.

 

[LBReefer]

FTS of my coral/invert QT. It's a repurposed biocube. It seems to be working like a charm. Some of my frags are going to hang out hear longer than I had planned - at least until I can do another series of major water changes on the main display to reduce the nickel and vanadium numbers.

 

[LBReefer]

My best attempt at getting a full body shot of the Naso. He's really quite a bit more striking in person. I haven't been able to entice him with Nori yet, but I have big plans.

 

[count krunk]

jeez man you have been thru it! looks like it's getting better tho

 

[LBReefer]

jeez man you have been thru it! looks like it's getting better tho

Thanks man. I've certainly learned quite a bit through the process.

 

[LBReefer]

I got the big camera out for a few photos. I now realize that my macro lens does not work with my newish camera body, so more training is in my future.

 

[LBReefer]

 

[LBReefer]

So I'm debating pluming my biocube into the system to creat a separate tank for a Mandarin and another pair of clowns. Is this worth the effort?

 

[LBReefer]

Start of a new project to house my chrismikah stash ...

 

[LBReefer]

I made a bit more progress on this in the last two weeks. I installed the dos head unit, but then discovered that my aqualink cable was missing.

I've sent in a support ticket to Neptune. We'll see where this goes.

I'm excited to automate my dosing. My hand measurements are not making the grade. I'd like to make this an SPS dominate mixed reef. I have a few acans and zoas spread out. I hope they will tolerate the low nutrient levels. I probably need to do a better job targeting feeding them and my BTAs.

 

[LBReefer]

Did I mention that painting ikea furniture is a pain? Sanding, two coats of primer, three coats of paints and two layers of seal and I've still managed to scratch the thing.