Ben's 90gal Mixed Reef

[Ben Weaver]

Hey guys so I've been around here for the past 6 months or so not long after I started this incredible hobby but I haven't done a ton in the way of participation so here goes...
I've don't freshwater for years and finally decided to try salt. I'm loving it so far!
I'm what many would call a budget reefer so progress is slooooowww but I'm enjoying it.
Tank is just a basic 90 gallon with 1 corner over flow.
Lighting is one led black box ( as you can tell the light is very unbalanced but like I said I have a tight budget so I'm working with what I got :O I wanted to make sure this is what I want before I had 2 on my hands that I didn't know what to do with!)
Only fish are a yellow tang, a cleaner wrasse and a firefish.
Coral is more of my interest. I'm starting out with mostly softies trying to learn the rules of the game and let my tank establish!
So tell me what you think!
I'd really love some constructive criticism about my aquasacaping... what can I do different or better?

 

[dbl]

Thanks for introducing your tank. Those are some great pictures!

 

[Ben Weaver]

Thanks for introducing your tank. Those are some great pictures!

Thank you! That's thanks to some nice white balance settings on my wife's camara.

 

[Daniel@R2R Verified Admin]

Great pics! Looking forward to watching this one develop!

 

[Ben Weaver]

Great pics! Looking forward to watching this one develop!

Thank you! Any thoughts one the rock layout?

 

[Ben Weaver]

So I love progression pics si I'm gunna throw some of mine up here!
Eagle Eye Zoas-April 7ish

Eagle Eye Zoas-Today May 7th

I'm super happy with how fast those guys are growing! Sometimes it seems like only ugly things grow fast but these are definitely an anomaly at least for me.
Then these next pictures I'll post I'm not totally certain on the dates but I'm gunna say the first one is
Chalice- November 2016

Chalice- January 24 2017

Chalice- February 6

Chalice- March 26

Chalice- Today April 7

 

[Ben Weaver]

Went up to ARC (A Reef Creation in Buffalo NY) Yesterday.
I love that place!
Got a piece of photosynthetic Gorgonian, a neon green toadstool frag, alittle xenia(I know I know) and a mandarin Dragonet.
Everything's settling in nicely.

 

[Ben Weaver]

I believe one of the reasons reefing is so captivating is my job! Lol after a day looking at this it's about time to come home to some color!

In reality I love my job but it is awesome to have a glass box full of color and soft textures to relax to at home!

 

[Ben Weaver]

So I have been watching this little guy grow which is awesome, cute little bugger. I was wondering if any of you had any opinions on whether my 8 or so turbos reproduced or it can as a hitchhiker on a frag or something.
I take my time checking all my frags when I get them but it's possible that he came as a egg or very very young.
Has anyone ever seen Mexican turbo snails reproduce in your tanks?

 

[mrbncal]

That would be a Banded Trochus Snail (Trochus histrio). I have not heard of anyone raising turbo's in their tanks. Might happen but I doubt it. Nice hitcher!

 

[Ben Weaver]

Wow I've been mislead this whole time! Ha thanks for the clarification!
A Google Image search definitely confirms that you are right and that the 8 snails I thought were turbos are actually banded trochus snails.
So would they breed in a tank or you still think it's a hitchhicker?

 

[mrbncal]

Ive never seen it in my tanks. Stomatellas go like crazy but never the bigger ones. Bet yhey have somewhere though

 

[Ben Weaver]

OK from what I have read it does seem possible that they would! Either way he's cool
I have Collonistas by the thousands!
Soon I will have start calling this a snail nursery instead of a mixed reef [emoji14]

Sent from my SM-G900V using REEF2REEF mobile app

 

[Ben Weaver]

Some more pictures
Tiny toadstool looking happy!

Two baby Yumas growing super slow but I love their watercolor-ish look

Little piece of Hollywood stunner I broke of, growing quick!

Slooooooww growing favia! As you maybe can tell I'm a little impatient when it come to growth!

 

[Ben Weaver]

I'm realizing I'm pretty terrible at taking fish pictures! Does anyone have any advice on how to do this well?

Sent from my SM-G900V using REEF2REEF mobile app

 

[Foxy-88]

All those pictures are amazing!! Great job at capturing all the corals incredible details! I'm awful at getting pictures of mine...

 

[justingraham]

Maby I'm blind (second time I said this tonight) but I do not see ur overflow.

I to have a 90 and stop on over on the interweb and check it out.

work ur mandarin doesn't look to have a sunkin in belly which is good

Keep up the good work

Justin

 

[Ben Weaver]

All those pictures are amazing!! Great job at capturing all the corals incredible details! I'm awful at getting pictures of mine...

Thank you! The corals textures and colors are really what holds my attention in reef tanks so it's fun for me to try to capture them with pictures

 

[Ben Weaver]

Yup blind you are No the pictures don't show it very well so I took some this morning just for you!

That is the back left corner. All grown up in GREEN coralline algae! Why green of all colors lol.
Yeah I just started reading your thread, good stuff
Oh the mandarin is well feed! This place is like a pod factory.
Thank you for the compliment!

 

[justingraham]

Wow that's pretty good camouflage

Hey one more question any problems with cleaning the glass with the rock so close?