You wouldn't be willing to part with a baby fungia or two, would you?

snail eggs, i get the same in my tank

All sorts of things moving along in the tank. Coral is starting to darken, which I think is a result of high nutrients from the flatworm exit a few weeks back.

I am also seeing a 2 acros receeding from their base, it not RTN its more like slow bleeching from the base. 1 of these corals have done this before, I can stop it at anytime by appling putty, so I think its an infection. Maybee receeds 2-3mm a week.

My IKS dosing pump failed (just stoped working). POS. I've ordered a new one (Aquamedic) so hope to get freshwater top off sorted soon, having to do it manually (12L a day) is a real chore.

Some pics:

One of my first corals. I got this from Reef in mid 2003. Its never done much for colour other than the nice blue/silver tips. Its had a hard life, been stung by anemones, aipstasia, and hynophora as well as being fragged several times yet is continues to grow:

The same coral from above not long after I first got it:

Blue Tang, survived whitespot/velvet from earlier on in the year. Looking good and no signs of the damage. There is a pic eariler on in the thread that shows how infected it was, I am genuinely surprised to see this fish has survived:

The Sailfin also got a bad dose of whitespot/velvet but has made a great recovery.

Pies

Thats great!! Did you do anything to get rid of it?

Nope, I waited until 7 other fished died and whatever fish were left built an imunity to it.

Pie

Hey Pies, have you got your phyto culture up and running yet?

Layton

yeah, coz if you have let me know where you sourced everything from!

No I havn,'t, i have been lazy (and playing BF2 AND GTA).

Still in the fridge. Will start it late next week though.

Pie

Galaxia are the most evil corals in the tank. Nasty mofos:

Its all looking good:

Tank is going well, everything is ticking along. Just sitting back and letting it go.

Pie

Pies

Put some of your photos in the reef central photo contest and knock them dead

Just sitting back and letting it go

that must be the hardest part of all!

Cookie - Nah, I am a patient man.

Bubble coral. I brought this from Steve Woods about 18 months ago, it was quite small, and attached to an awkward piece of rock. Its doing great, slowly growing and its base and grown over onto another piece of rock too.

Acro polyp extension 15 mintues after lights out.

Baby fungia coral today, see how they have grown

Pie

phat man, looking great. that bubble coral looks edible!!!

hey pies, do you know what brand name the ball valves are on your closed loops etc?????

No but I can look when I get home. Chimera knows too I think.

I purchase mine from MICO Plumbing and pipelines.

Pie

From Mico tax invoice:

Description: VGF355 Coloro B/V 20mm BSP BalValve Union

Mico Item code: 5164946

Cost me: $27.70 + gst ($31.16)

List price: $48.86

(3/4")

Description: Coloro VGF355 Union Ball Valve ASMUSS (Plastic Systems)

Mico Item code: 5190217

Cost: $42.19

(I assume the 1"?)

dang, any other types??

Any other types? Whats wrong with those ones?

Pie

if only we got UK prices...

http://www.coralculture.co.uk/shop/product_info.php?products_id=671

even when you convert it its still dirt cheap - and thats a 50mm ball valve through a marine store!!!

Collected 250 litres of water last night for a water change (10%). Also re-treated for flatworm.

What an awesome night, the water was crystal clear, was very warm and a great way to spend an hour.

when I got the water home and did the water change it was LOADED with little critters, including some that looked like cockroachs! cool, fed em all straight into the tank, I don't expect them to have survived.

Was good seeing the tank this morning, the feeding response from the corals was obvious. Great stuff.

the skimmer experiment continues, although I am starting to favor the slower throughput through the skimmer, the actual about in volume of skimate removed is similar is both consistancy and colour and smell!

All good from my perspective, have my eyes on my baby fungias, growing consistantly now, and getting larger. Hope to have them for sale/trade within the next3 months (be 5-10c piece size).

Piemania

the skimmer experiment continues, although I am starting to favor the slower throughput through the skimmer, the actual about in volume of skimate removed is similar is both consistancy and colour and smell!

is it really necessary? your tank sounds like it's going really well, in terms of coral growth and colour and healthy fish etc. a completely zero-nutrient free tank might have adverse effects? (speculating )

Not for my SPS corals it won't

Pies

Things are going 'OK' in the tank. Pretty much just leaving it alone. I am always asked what addititives I am using on the tank. Currently CA reactor with 10% mg chips, Aquamedic phosphate remover. Thats all, not even using Kalkwasser at the moment, just water. I also use carbon, some cheap crap I bought a while ago (a sack full), which is going great. I use 2 litres at a time, changed every 2 months (ish).

Coral growth appears to be steady, colour as always could be better. Water paramaters are all in the green. I am starting to get to the point where I am woundering what the point of testing the water is.

This acro 'stag' coral is the common one with brown body and blue tips. Grows very fast. Note lots of new 'chutes' for new branches to start growing. Also take a peak of the purple monster in the background

This photo just freaks me out:

7 feet of water:

Looking good. This coral fell down, but it seams happy so its staying there:

These anemones are awesome. I got 2 from a local reefer who has been lucky enough to have a few bud off. I've had great success with them and now have 9. The don't grow large (max size about as big as a choc-chip biscut). Stunning to look at. If I can figure a way to detatch them i'd like to spread some around:

Gorgonian doing its thing:

Reefscape:

So not much to report. I am off on holiday for a week tommorow. People keep asking me 'whos looking after the tank' or 'whos feeding the fish'. No one. The tank and the fish will have to figure a way to survive without me for the week. I did however give in and feed the fish today.

Chat with you all soon.

pie

looking even better pies. things look like they have settled down really nicely. nice bumps on your acan.

looking great dude, i like the last shot - not overly "packed" with sps, easy to look at yet stunning all the same. if work out how to split that anemone, i'll put my name down for one