jda's 240g Acropora Rebuild

[Eagle_Steve]

Usually a colony like that has a stalk that I cannot even get the bone cutters around. I was really shocked that the stalk was so tiny. I need to remove it anyway since it was going to start to overtake some of my more prized acros in a few months, so I guess that I should be glad that the fish did it for me.

I was expecting this colony to be the same way, but it never really branched out down low, just encrusted a good bit and then shot up like a weed on a single stalk, then branching out.

I will say, when colonies start to get on the large side, I do look at the base more lol. Would have sucked if it would have fell on my clam and damaged it.

 

[ScottB]

I imagine that everybody's fish make frags, at least once you get past the frag or teen-mom stage of growth. I was in front of the tank actually watching and one of my angels made this RR Piny Cadillac frag. It kinda surprised me until I saw that the whole colony was off of a 3/8 inch stalk - would not have lasted much longer anyway. I took it out, along with another pieces that fell off months ago that I let grow underneath and moved them to one of my backup tanks that I am going to start up with some limited acropora that I want to see grow to large sizes.

...more on that tank in the future, but has had fish in it and has not seen light in quite some time... year or eighteen months? I am going to have these two grow in a cascade type of deal and let them have this whole 24x27 area, if they want. This thing grows like a weed for me, so it might not take long.

This is the largest fish-frag that I have ever had.

Agrred pink Caddy grows like a weed for me too. Almost as fast as tricolor valida. The Valida lays down a strong base trunk though. I had to take a diamond wire saw to cut mine out.

 

[jda]

Just a cool photo op. Same clones, same tank, same lights and same basket. Those were likely once the same nem since I tend to keep the cuts in the same baskets once I get done. I have no idea why they do this...

 

[Miami Reef]

I have so much to say:

1. Nice to meet you. I’ve seen you post a lot. I’m young, and all this time I thought your profile picture was your family photo.

2. You keep angels with your acros?

3. You keep BTA with your acros?

4. What parameters do you keep your tank at? Mainly Alk and phosphate.

 

[jda]

That is funny. Now you know that if you see that record at a family member's home or at a garage sale, you need to at least investigate it. It could be worth more than nearly any single reef system on this board. I am in my mid-40s, so The Beatle Craze was over before I was born, but I to collect fun things. If you want to have some fun, I have one of the first presses of Jimi Hendrix Electric Ladyland European Cover that was one of the first 5 off of the press in London un 1968 - it is another of my prized records, but I cannot post photos of it here.

Yes, I keep angels. The nip some. Some more than others. I have found the Genicanthis to be totally reef safe, but otherwise if people tell you that theirs don't nip, they either have not noticed, have not had them long enough or are liars. The larger Pomacanthus are acropora safe for me, but they like to eat Z&P (fine with me) and sometimes some clams (not fine with me, but I have other tanks if I have to move them, so I live with it) and the dwarf angels to nip at acro polyps but not really do enough damage to matter. Within the angels, that queen that I have is a monster - it will devour Z&P and I had to move my clams. The emperor appears mostly fine. I don't have any dwarfs at the moment, but I have 3-4 Christmas Island Flames on the list if/when collection ever opens up there again.

The Colorado Sunbursts are in their own tank/system. I also use this system to "QT" fish even though I don't really do QT like most people think. I mostly keep them to sell and trade for nice acropora. They grow really fast for me and they are pretty neat. I would never risk them in a display with acropora since they would decide to sit right on top of my best acropora.

I still keep my alk around 7, although it can wander down to 6 at time and up to 7.2-7.4. I keep my P at 1-3 ppb on Hannah Ultra Low.

 

[Miami Reef]

I have a FOWLR that I’m upgrading into a new tank. Here’s the inhabitants that I’m contemplating keeping: the tank will be only sps and clams

2 maroon clownfish (I feel like they will just be aggressive). And they will probably only go in the corner because I don’t plan on keeping bubble top anemones with my acros.

Coral beauty - going to rehome

moorish idol - he’s my baby. I’m keeping him for life. SPS and clam safe; not LPS safe.

emperor angel juvenile - I don’t know if I should risk adding to the SPS tank

Queen angel - absolutely not putting it with SPS.

blue face - my favorite angel, but I can’t risk my sps

Rock beauty - he’s a great eater, but enjoys clams on half shell and gives a vibe as a picker. I feel bad to though. Haha.

Majestic angel: Doesn’t eat clams on half shell. I think I might risk adding him to the SPS tank.

 

[Miami Reef]

I really like polyp extension. That’s why I’m so limited on what I want to add to my sps tank.

 

[jda]

Of those fish, I would trust the coral beauty the least. I have had Rock Beauties that were as safe as anything. I have a baby one now that I am growing up. There is just no way to know.

 

[jda]

Got this in the used section of the LFS for a Hundo - barely even used. I know that some of you do not care, but you should at least browse the used section since you could find a gem. For the people who do care and will PM asking me to ship them the ballasts (please, don't - I am going to keep them), this pretty cool, I will likely never use the fixture, but the ballasts, sockets, switches and stuff are really handy when you run 8x HQI fixtures like I do.

I have gotten some really nice finds in the used sections of LFS like PanWorld 150 and 250 pumps for $25, LifeReef Skimmers for really cheap, Ballasts, Osmolator for like $20 (this was really dumb) and much more. For the nerds amongst us, I once found a few SGI Indigo 2 with monitors and all accessories in the recycle pile.

 

[jda]

Got a new underwater case for my newer iPhone and even though I cannot take as clear of photos with it, some of these are OK.

This is a group of acropora that I would recommend to most who want colorful stuff that does not wreck your budget and that are pretty tolerant.

RR The Vihn. This one is the real RR one, but there are other flavors/names that are nice too:

Greg Carroll Utimate Stag. Tyree stole the name - not really, but lots of folks call it Tyree Ultimate Stag:

Copps Blueberry Miyagi Tort. Nearly all Miyagi Torts are nice, but I love this one. Photos don't get all of the contrast in person.

AV99 Orange Crush. Not many like it.

 

[jda]

Here are some that are similar.

First is Gonzo's Cookie Monster. IMO, this is the best of these types of corals... just wonderful for my eyes.

Next one is Route 66 Merlin's Staff. The last one is Battlecorals Space Laser. Merlins Staff under just a bit more light. Put me down for these being the same coral - would like to know if somebody has both and has a different opinion. One of these might have to go.

 

[jda]

I messed up this BC Joker. Was a beautiful purple and green, but I was not paying attention and other corals grew into it and I had to prune off about 3/4 of dead stuff, where the arrow is. I mostly just took this one to watch it grow since I doubt that too many will be impressed with it, but I put a link to BC site which is what it looked like before. For me, this is not a super easy coral... not super hard either.

Joker 2.0

This time he actually lives!

battlecorals.com

 

[jda]

RMF Gila Monster is one of my top-10 corals. I don't recommend it too much since it can be a bit sensitive, but I love the white and yellow tips and the mauve/orange is not seen too often.

 

[i_am_mclovin]

Got a new underwater case for my newer iPhone and even though I cannot take as clear of photos with it, some of these are OK.

This is a group of acropora that I would recommend to most who want colorful stuff that does not wreck your budget and that are pretty tolerant.

RR The Vihn. This one is the real RR one, but there are other flavors/names that are nice too:

Greg Carroll Utimate Stag. Tyree stole the name - not really, but lots of folks call it Tyree Ultimate Stag:

Copps Blueberry Miyagi Tort. Nearly all Miyagi Torts are nice, but I love this one. Photos don't get all of the contrast in person.

AV99 Orange Crush. Not many like it.

I’ll take one of each.

 

[i_am_mclovin]

RMF Gila Monster is one of my top-10 corals. I don't recommend it too much since it can be a bit sensitive, but I love the white and yellow tips and the mauve/orange is not seen too often.

Your stuff is looking amazing.

 

[jda]

RMF Red Gecko. This one should be more white, but I think that I made it mad when I forgot to change my MH bulbs last year. Peng's Metallic Red Mille (amazing sheen that I cannot figure out how to capture with a camera) to the left and OG Garf Bonsai to the right.

 

[jda]

The RR Wolverine. This one can be elusive and there are lots of fakes, but the OG is really nice. What eludes me is getting a clear photo of it. The purple and yellow contrast more in real life and it is becoming a favorite - if I could get the colors to show better on this one, it would likely make more people's lists.

 

[jda]

Tyree Superman Tenuis. Under rated. Not a rainbow, but as blue as it gets with red polyps (that are hard to photograph). Really quick grower for me too.

 

[jda]

Nothing special, but a big bushy Mr Pacman.

 

[jda]

Pearlberry needs to get growing faster...