JB’s 60 Gal Cube Adventure

[Jason boles]

Thanks Hannah!

All is moving along well.

Interestingly when I started I had 3 tube anemone and one day I found one as only a head, and it had a black bulb that it was attached too. I was going to try and put it in a container with some sand to see what would happen and when I turned back around... it was gone. I figured it melted. My other two have gotten huge, so huge I had to move one to a lone corner. Then the other night i was feeding the tank and I see some pink tentacles sticking up out of the back rock where I cant really see it. The thing is alive and well. It comes out every night to feed, and I still havent gotten a great look at it!

Nature.

 

[Jason boles]

I also got a par meter from the local reef club. I realized once I started taking measurements I had gotten my intensity and color mixed up. I was putting my lights to 100 percent color and 25 percent intensity. I switched these and the corals are loving it. At the very top next to my acro I am getting 215 par.

Going to wait a few weeks to see if it colors up and does well. If not I will get a new light.

I am having sump woes. I have no clue why, but my sump level seems to drastically change over time. Makes it really hard to run my ATO. It dumped into the tank the other night and I have just been allowing the salinity to creep back up. Going to keep keeping an eye on it. Also I only have a 2 gal ATO so it doesn't do too much damage.

 

[Jason boles]

Just got home.. and this is happening...

I feel bad that I’m going to allow it and get another Ric to glue down. One that came in damaged had a small piece hanging over and over hang and it eventually just fell off and I glued it!!

Nature. Also some more pics of the tank.

See the missing tube anemone that somehow found it way in the rocks after releasing its cocoon thing sticking out in these two pics.

 

[Jason boles]

Also a small update. I found my skimmer wasn’t skimming well. I removed the carbon and gfo to allow some nitrates to come up. Acans have reacted really well and finally puffed up. My skimmer is finally pulling some nice skin mate and the Chaeto is still plugging away!

Also joined local reef club to borrow the par meter. Found my par was super low. Then relized I mixed up the intensity and color and had color going to 100 and intensity peaking at 20. I switched it around and everything seems to be reacting well.

Highest par is 240 at the top. Going to give it a few more weeks to see if my first Acro colors up before I look into another light.

Am debating on getting a kessil 360. Then I could have all three or sell the other two... decisions.

 

[Jason boles]

I think he is proud of his new mushroom hat

 

[Jason boles]

Was still feeling I needed more light. I removed the AI HD Prime from my sump amd put it on the top of the tank in between the two kessils. So now I have 3 LED Lights LOL. I didn't want to give up the kessils and didnt need a ton more light, just on the top.

I set the AI to Saxby setting from the website and put it in acclimation mode starting at 20 percent for 30 days. I really only need the light at the top. My sps are living but loosing color. Left the kessils at 100 percent.

Fingers crossed Im not going to fry anything. I also want to get a clam at some point!

Resisting adding another fish for now. I will pick up a Prime fuge light tomorrow at the LFS.

 

[Jason boles]

This guy came back from death on the right, and the kamakaze had completely browned out but is now doing well. Little tissue loss on the bottom. I thought these two were gonna join the acro grave yard at the top. Had to move the banana on on the right today because the nem chose to be right where he was.

This guy was completely dead... so I thought. It now has this brightly colored patch of skin that is spreading!!

My favorite coral!!!

This guy had shrunk to nothing and was clear. The t-5's have worked their wonders on it. This is three weeks and its looking amazing.

Someone is loving the new clean up crew!!

 

[Jason boles]

Little update on the tank. I had a huge GHA outbreak. I was starting to knock it down a bit and went on a vacation for a week. When I got back it was horrible, and the corals were not looking all that great.

I had removed the GFO and Carbon, so I put it back online. I then realized the sump was horrible and out of control. It has GHA, slime algae, Red algae, it looked horrible. So I completely cleaned it out. Almost immediately the whole tank looked healthier and cleaner.

I then started brushing all the GHA off the rocks with a striff brush in the tank. I took my water remover thingy and had it siphon into the filter sock and went to town. I did this for several days in a row and it knocked it down pretty hard. I replaced the melted Chaeto, and bought a Lawnmower Blenny.

A week later I got me a Mandarin Goby. I had pods out the whazoo. The Blenny bit off its back fin and it died. Im pretty sure that he is the only one who could / would have harmed him.

So still going strong and most everything is doing great!!! The softies are starting to take off!

 

[buddy.]

Good to see things are looking better. A few years back I also had a Blenny attack my Mandarin and eventually kill it. I am not sure why as it wasn't aggressive to anything else.

 

[Jason boles]

It always looks so darn good after a good scrubbing!!

I toothbrushes the green algae as much as possible yesterday. It isn’t sticking like it was when it first grew. I have cut back feedings a lot. Cheeto is starting to take off, or I’m just noticing. I also did my weekly stir the sand bed and water change!!

I feel like the whole tank hates me during cleaning!!

 

[Jason boles]

If anyone is wondering what happened to my clean up crew ‍♂

also my magic carpet is looking extra huge tonight. It has grown extremely well.

 

[Jason boles]

Newest edition!

 

[Jason boles]

So I did a thing today!!

got a steal of a deal on a tank from a guy in my local reef club.
We are moving to a new house, and I’m terrified of putting my precious livestock in buckets for hours while I hurriedly breakdown and setup a tank.

once we close I’ll get this bad boy going and after a couple weeks move everything over gently.

also got a full apex system including a trident at a local reef store from their anniversary. Going to wait to set it up on new tank.

having a custom cabinet built for the sump etc.

I’m super excited.

new build thread soon!

currently in storage until closing.

 

[Jason boles]

It’s a 120. 4x2x2. So doubling what I currently have.

 

[Jason boles]

Pics of some of my favorite photogenic corals!

rainbow chalice, forgot the name

rainbow chalice

Magic carpet! Fat and happy

Elegance / scoly

Acan garden growing

 

[Jason boles]

Also super excited. I hated the top brace, so I said f it. Why hate the tank when I’m buying all this expensive fun gear to go in it.

I order a rimless 180!! 6x2x2 (roughly) Got a steal of a deal from a local shop.

 

[Jason boles]

My Jason Fox Triple Threat rainbow (I believe, I also bought real time rainbow), and my WWC jelly Bean chalice both got vernitid snails on the side of them. Only place I have seen them in the tank!!!!!

I was going to just leave them alone, but then I noticed the corals skeleton beginning to show.

so I superglued them very carefully. These are both very expensive chalices for me.

crazy thing is they bounced back immediately, but with much more intense and better coloration!!!

cant see jelly bean well. I will be moving tanks and putting it much closer soon, but wow.

 

[Jason boles]

I think my beautiful elegance Coral I got from WWC may have elegance coral syndrome. I’m so bummed.

it’s not only large, gorgeous and expensive but it’s one of my favorites.

I noticed my sexy shrimp gathering on it the last week or so. It seems some of the tentacles are falling off and look like poop. There is some goop that looks like it’s sloughing off certain points. I noticed today some of the mouths are enlarged oddly.

first I thought the shrimp where aggravating it but I know they aren’t malicious and there was something they must be eating.

going to target feed everything tonight and see if it eats.

 

[Jason boles]

So it did feed.

I’m preparing a FWD right now. Hoping I can save my beautiful coral. I don’t have a lot of completely shaded areas in my tank, but I’m going to put it in the one that is most shaded.

 

[Jason boles]

@Butuz here is your “little” baby in my tank!!!

of course it decided to rest on the side facing away. It’s huge though!!

I ended up with 4 shrooms.2 baby polyps where on those rocks as well.

was awesome meeting you and your tank!! Check out my new 180 build.