Mid-Year tank progress! Let's see your growth!

[Acros]

Beginning of the year.

June 3rd.

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

I can't see the difference....
6months isn't long enough in my tank.
January 23' to present day

and they're blue, smurf style

 

[RBuchetto]

First reef tank and started in February 2023. Having a blast and learning so much!

March 2023

July 2023

Congrats!

 

[Grizzat]

Well I am having a rough start to this hobby.
Started Sept 22, 2022
20 Gal Tank
November - had 2 Clown fish, 2 Pajama Cardinal Fish, 1 Diamond Goby, 1 Neon Dottyback, 1 Cleaner Shrimp
CUC - 4 zombie snails, 5 trochus snails, 2 turbo snails, 4 blue legged hermit crabs, 2 emerald crabs
Added GSP corals in November and 2 zoas to try them out.
December 22nd - Goby died (was not starvation, he was plump if anything - he sifted and also ate directly at feeding time) found his head under some coral. I suspected it was the Dottyback, but it was over a month after adding the Neon Dottyback.
Cleaner shrimp vanished - no trace was every found
December 30th - Added a replacement Diamond Goby - He went under the coral and I never saw him again. Missing Jan 4th
January 28th - added 2 sandsifting starfish
February 11th - Larger Clownfish started attacking the smaller Clownfish and it didn't survive. I caught on too late and the smaller one had most of his tail fin missing by then.
February 25th - 1 Cardinal Fish missing - no trace was ever found
March - Sandsifting starfish both vanished. I know one is dead as I saw him getting cleaned up but the hermit crabs.
April - 2nd Cardinal Fish started floating odd and was I thought he was a gonne. He was actually floating upside down, but I was able to isolate him for 5 days and he survived!
Current status: 1 Clownfish, 1 Cardinal Fish, 1 Neon Dottyback, 2 Emerald Crabs, 2 Turbo Snails, 4 Trochus snails, 1 zombie snail, 2 hermit crabs. The corals all appear to have died off. I had issues with algae growing on them and they just didn't thrive.

Now I have this little white dots growing on the rocks and I have been advised they are hydroids or "Aiptasia" but I am not sure how to proceed. It's night here but I put on the cleaning light to take some photos.

I am not sure if I have my flow wrong or lighting wrong or what.

 

[Cpc83]

Here is mid year update. After moving last year and having tank crash about 5 months after move, I spent all winter and spring picking up parts for a new build, cycling Marco Rock for 4 months. New tank cycled biota yellow tang in it and yellow scopas hybrid are learning the lay of the land.

 

[Propane]

Battle with zoa eating nudis is slowly being won. Still can’t find a spot for my clove polyps so they aren’t getting blasted. I’m slowly getting my alk up and getting a handle on how to deal with it. My calcium and magnesium are finally at acceptable levels. NO3 and PO4 are steady but PO4 spikes occasionally then goes back to normal. As far as growth I have a few little specks of coralline and a few of my corals have covered the frag plugs.

 

[ianw163]

I recently added some new fish to my tank. No corals yet but planning to have one.


here is a photo

 

[JonnyKane]

Okay, so I'm kinda new to this and still getting used to what works and what doesn't. But....
December 22

added

Added gsp around March 23

Think this was May 23

June

Today

 

[artyboy]

Its Mid year and we have seen many members at the beginning of the year acquire new fish, new coral(s) and even a new tank. By now, you have experienced tank maturity and even growth in both fish and coral.

What changes have you seen since that acquisition?

Tell us and post photos! We'd love to see it !

For me, its been fish and coral. I got this tank in Early December and it's matured quickly with noticeable changes literally monthly.

January:

July:

Beautiful tank ... hopefully I will get there one day.

 

[Jamestmc]

So, my 20g started leaking. So my partner found a bargain 60g local. So we picked that up the following morning and got it all set up! So far going good.

 

[Waters]

The only early full tank pic I have lists all of my frag names so ignore that lol.

Sept of last year.......

Current......

 

[Wildblue4]

I started mine the last day in August of 2022. I started it 100% dry rock. This is a used Acrylic tank I purchased after my 250 lost a bottom seal. It has been a slow process but it is starting to look good at the 1 Year mark. It’s a combination of LPS and SPS(very little). I choose not to go with any Anemones with this tank to see if I could get my Corals to expand all over the tank. It’s in progress. Any ideas or criticisms is very much welcome. I run Macro sump with Pods and live rock, Neptune grow light, Skimmer, Red Sea filter roll on one discharge leg, 15 watt UV. Dose BRS 2part Balling, Red Sea trace elements and AB+ once a week, Brightwell Aminos, and Algae barn Phyto. Then feed fish daily and Coral weekly with pellets and combo of Reef Roids/Reef Chili, mixed with Reef Snow. Lights are Red Sea 90 supplemented by T5 that are run by my Neptune.

 

[OneZenReefer]

Well, we are still waiting to set up our tank. We have been dealing with customer service to get the proper color stand that we ordered, but they have been excellent getting it all put together in a timely manner. So needless to say, we are beyond excited to get started, back in to the Hobby.

 

[IamChrismWard]

6 month update pics, beginning pic also new freshwater tank I'm trying

 

[vetteguy53081]

The only early full tank pic I have lists all of my frag names so ignore that lol.

Sept of last year.......

Current......

Impressive I.d. on corals. Many call them the blue one and the red one, etc

 

[PhishMonger84]

Day 1 & this morning

About 90 days in

 

[JFinlay]

Started in March with a budget build consisting of a 40 breeder with a HOB tidal 75 filter and things developed quickly, this hobby has taken me over and turned into my favorite thing to sink money into and spend time on. I love the challenge and the science behind everything, and all of the unknowns like why my bubble tip is bubbly some times and has long stringy tentacles other days.

Everything has gone smooth except for when I took a week vacation, had my first fish death due to the cover being left open and he jumped (RIP Lenny the Blenny) and came back to my tank absolutely filthy from being over fed. Just came back around from that

My tank is now pretty stocked with corals and completely stocked on fish, maybe a little overstocked
2 clowns
Starry Blenny
Yellow coris wrasse
Pistol shrimp YWM goby
Royal gramma
Mandarin goby

Can’t wait to upgrade to a bigger tank in a year or so

 

[Zero_Cool]

April 15th:

Recent:

Had some setbacks; drain and relevel tank, dinos, 3 different wrasses, a Chocolate Tang and an anthias have died and a beautiful trachyphyllia jellied. Currently battling ich in the DT.

Have had some wins; automation works, my wife is engaged (she loved the Jason Fox live sale), met some great local reefers and have gotten great advice here.

Plans for the next 6 months; slow down, let things settle, focus on stability and health of all tank inhabitants.

 

[SneaksMcdoogle]

Finally coming out of a battle of Dinos, and bryopsis. As this is my first tank ever I’m excited to see things clear up. Happy 7mo old tank

 

[A_Blind_Reefer]

While I can’t enjoy all these pics, I love the concept of this thread. I’m sure that these are all amazing, even those that recently started or had a decline of some sort. I totally appreciate all the honesty in these posts. Keep it real, and keep them comin!