TheWB’s IM Lagoon 50

[TheWB]

The anemone has moved again, just a few inches, and decided to make an appearance for the first time in a while. It pops it’s tentacles out here and there but it hasn’t puffed up this much in a while. I aimed a wavemaker in its general direction and that seems to have perked it up.

The other coral that was seemingly unhappy was the Duncan. I moved it to a slightly shadier spot and it opened back up a little. That gave me a chance to direct feed it a couple of times and it seems to be much happier now.

I don’t think I’ve ever taken a good picture of the Rainbow Goni until today.

I also don’t recall a good pic of the Purple bottle brush Gorgonian with full polyp extension. I thought it had died after the day last week when the lights didn’t come on all day while I wasn’t home. It went several days with no polyp extension at all. Then I aimed that wavemaker I mentioned before towards it more directly and it’s had full polyp extension pretty much ever since.

It’s nice to see some things making a comeback after losing those other corals recently.

 

[jcolliii]

Some nice looking corals in there!

 

[TheWB]

Some nice looking corals in there!

Thanks, I’ve been lucky to find some nice pieces here and there.
Did you see the better pics of the clowns in the Zoas I stuck in at the bottom of the last page? Should give you a pretty good idea of what your clown could end up looking like If you try to get it to do the same thing.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

tank parameters are good, these can be persnickety!

 

[TheWB]

tank parameters are good, these can be persnickety!

I think it might want a bit more light?

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

I think it might want a bit more light?

nah... too much and it won't extend... borrow my par meter to make sure its where you want it--but it looks great to me... Mine rarely extend that much because it's just too much light is my suspicion.

 

[TheWB]

You’re probably right. It’s hard not to want to tinker. See a coral stretching and I want to move it. It’s a good time to remember that most of the time doing nothing is probably the correct choice. That coral does look pretty good as is.

 

[TheWB]

Ok, two new Nero 3’s are in. View is from left side, I’ve got one on the left rear side and one on the right front side, both up high.

I also stopped by Barrier Reef in Renton and grabbed a Green Slimer. First real sps frag. We‘ll see how long it lasts lol.

 

[jcolliii]

How did the flow change with the Neros? I know that with my nero-like clones, the flow is extremely diffuse, but they do push a LOT of water.

 

[TheWB]

How did the flow change with the Neros? I know that with my nero-like clones, the flow is extremely diffuse, but they do push a LOT of water.

The biggest visual cue is that the torches blow around in random ways when before it tended to be one direction. They are pushing much more water and because it’s diffused I’ve been able to run them at higher power levels than the previous pumps. This has been a positive change for sure.

 

[TheWB]

I’m loving the flow I’m getting from the two new Nero 3’s. However, the Bluetooth connectivity and software is junk. One pump or the other fails to respond after a little while and the only way l get them back to being accessible again is to delete My AI, download it again and create a new tank. The pumps will connect to that and then inevitably one disconnects itself. It’s maddening. I’ve gone back and forth with AI customer service via email but that’s a joke. Tonight I told them I want to speak with someone directly and get the issue resolved. This should be simple, program the schedule and then set and forget. It’s been anything but that so far. Tough to dial in the right flow when you keep losing connectivity with the pump. Very frustrating.

 

[TheWB]

Took some top downs and an FTS just before maintenance this morning. I moved the green slimer right in the middle between the lights with both Nero 3s pointed in its general direction. I’m going to slowly increase the flow if the My AI app decides to cooperate.

l vacuumed the sand bed and moved the corals from the middle to the side rocks so it’s more open now. I guess I need another updated FTS now.

 

[Mywifeisgunnakillme]

Took some top downs and an FTS just before maintenance this morning. I moved the green slimer right in the middle between the lights with both Nero 3s pointed in its general direction. I’m going to slowly increase the flow if the My AI app decides to cooperate.

l vacuumed the sand bed and moved the corals from the middle to the rocks sides so it’s more open now. I guess I need another updated FTS now.

Look at that green slimer!

 

[TheWB]

Look at that green slimer!

Yeah, I’m really hoping it grows out. I switched the Unos to an SPS setting. Hopefully it’s getting the light and flow it needs. Nothing else seems unhappy with the changes.

 

[jcolliii]

My slimer never really took off. Dunno why either. I have enough light to keep my other SPS happy, including another higher-end acro. My parameters are mostly spot on, I have majors, minors, and traces. I target feed, I keep the tank clean, NO3 to PO4 ratios are usually quite good at between 20:1 to 50:1; PO4 does not get to bottom out. It's color is always fantastic, and it always has amazing polyp extension, just grows slowly in my tank. Perhaps it doesn't get the flow it wants where it is. Anyhow, that one will find a new home in the redo.

Keep with it though - hopefully you'll find the combo that works!

 

[TheWB]

My slimer never really took off. Dunno why either. I have enough light to keep my other SPS happy, including another higher-end acro. My parameters are mostly spot on, I have majors, minors, and traces. I target feed, I keep the tank clean, NO3 to PO4 ratios are usually quite good at between 20:1 to 50:1; PO4 does not get to bottom out. It's color is always fantastic, and it always has amazing polyp extension, just grows slowly in my tank. Perhaps it doesn't get the flow it wants where it is. Anyhow, that one will find a new home in the redo.

Keep with it though - hopefully you'll find the combo that works!

I hope it grows. It would be really disappointing to have the “easy” one fail. My parameters are always pretty stable but I’ve had trouble getting some lps to grow so something could be off. Others are fine though so who knows. The branching cyphastrea is starting to encrust it’s rock a little more and the gorgonian has good polyp extension so I’m taking these as good signs that this tank is mature enough, well lit enough and has enough flow to make one little green acro happy. We’ll see in a month or two.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Took some top downs and an FTS just before maintenance this morning. I moved the green slimer right in the middle between the lights with both Nero 3s pointed in its general direction. I’m going to slowly increase the flow if the My AI app decides to cooperate.

This is similar to how I've placed my Green Slimer. So far it's had nice PE and it has encrusted like crazy but next to no vertical growth. I'm just glad it looks happy!

 

[TheWB]

This is similar to how I've placed my Green Slimer. So far it's had nice PE and it has encrusted like crazy but next to no vertical growth. I'm just glad it looks happy!

I dunno, already I think it’s not looking very good. I tried to angle it so it gets as much light as possible by putting it between the two Unos. what do you guys think?

 

[TheWB]

I have moved some things around trying to make a good spot for the Green, I mean Brown Slimer. It’s not too happy but I’m trying to help it out. New FTS.

The aforementioned Slimer. I have tried to put it in a position where it’s getting lit without any shadows but thats been difficult. It does have some color but it’s not green. Kinda teal on the backside.

Side shots.

 

[happyhourhero]

Your branching cyphastrea is coming along! For me with acros, they sometimes take a while to “settle in” and then once they are ready, they grow quite fast. Even though slimers are beginner acros, they are honestly some of my favorite. I got mine from wwc a few years ago > grew it out > sold frags > left the hobby for over a year > came back and got a frag from my original colony in this tank.