My first tank! Progress and coral questions

Mombo · Jul 13, 2017

Well its been a few months since I started this tank and now its finally coming together. I had some early on problems with some clowns that I never really figured out how they died but after that I decided I needed to wait a while and let the tank stabilize more before trying again with fish.

Ive got a ton of pictures im am going to post after this one. I have received quite a few coral from locals free or cheap to try out in my tank. Some of them I know what they are some I do not. Some doing well I think and some not haha.

I am definitely not skilled at taking pictures of tanks yet. I def need to watch a video on how to do it....or just not use a cellphone probably.

This was it in the very beginning.

And here we are now.

Mombo · Jul 13, 2017

Some of the coral I got that I believe I know what they are. I tried to take them when the different colors of lights were on. Please correct me if I am wrong on any of these. I would like to know the correct names for everything.

I got this as a Tri Color Hammer

Sunny D Palythoa

Utter Chaos Palythoa

Green and Purple Branching Frogspawn

Blasto it is red around and green on the inside.

Montipora I believe. Very cool looking. It appears to be green and then there are little blue polyps all over the surface. Kinda purple'y sometimes

In the back is a small piece of Digitata I believe. I got it free it appears to be pink or tan

Blasto's from above with more white light

That same montipora above with white light...Never seen it with just white. It actually looks purple now. When I got it it was green. Under blue lights its very green....

Digitata again

Hammer again

Frogspawn....

Mombo · Jul 13, 2017

Some of the ones I got I have no idea what they are though...

This one I believe is a mushroom of some type

The one on the small frag up front. I think its a mushroom? Hard to even get a pic of it.

Candy cane? Trumpet or whatever?

its on the rock. Hard to see not even an idea on that one

same as above. You can see its lifting up a little on the side. No idea.

Mombo · Jul 13, 2017

And now the ones I am not sure if they are doing alright and what to do.

This first one is some rastas I got because the guy wasnt having any luck with them. I am not either. They opened for the first couple days then started closing. The guy did have a hair algae problem that seems to be attached to the rastas themselves. I could get it off of them. I have moved them to various spots but havent had much luck. I just barely moved them to a more shaded area to see if that will help. Maybe too much light.

This is an Octospawn. I am afraid it might be getting too much flow. See how its pushed down in the middle. Its on a weird plastic plug thats like a tube. Have no idea how to remove it. It has a giant round plastic bottom on it to hold it in the sand I believe.

same as above. Maybe its ok.... Not sure where to put it because the plug is so strange.

Mombo · Jul 13, 2017

The plug that the octospawn is on is a weird black plastic thing with a large round bottom. It almost looks like the base of the octospawn is in the tube. Anyone know how to remove it?

Any ideas for my dying rastas?

Mombo · Jul 14, 2017

Ive been reading about a peroxide dip for the rastas. I think it sounds like exactly what they need. I am thinking just 4 to 1 with tank water and peroxide so I dont go to strong.

DancingShark · Jul 14, 2017

If you can't get the plug of easily because of it being encrusted you can cut the base off the euphylias skeletons.
As for the rastas, I would place it in front of a power head for some minutes to blast off any algae off and then place somewhere and not disturb them for somedays. I have gotten zoas/ polys that did not open up for weeks.

LV3 · Jul 14, 2017

Looks great, keep it up!

Mike N · Jul 14, 2017

Nice progress and corals.
Do you have coralline growth on the glass or rocks yet?

Mombo · Jul 14, 2017

Ok I'll give the powerhead trick a try. The algae that's on it seems "really" on it haha.

I'm going to give a little pull on the octospawn and see if it can slide out. The plug is kinda awful that it's on.

On the pic above that I said I think are blasto's. Can anyone confirm that those are blastos. Also need to figure out what the small bright green one is.

I'm trying to figure out how high in the tank they need to go for lighting.

Mombo · Jul 14, 2017

No coralline yet. I didn't add anything that had coralline until just recently a couple of the pieces I got had a little bit on it.

I just have a bad case of the uglies right now. All my rock is got a green coating on it haha. Snails are loving it I think.

Mombo · Jul 14, 2017

After taking those pics I now think I'm killing the montipora up top. It was green when I purchased it and it looks green when I have the lights on but when I look at it with just white light it's kinda purple but the base skeleton of it is kinda pale. So I think I'm bleaching it?

Mike N · Jul 14, 2017

I'd definitely move it lower and see if the color returns. Are any other corals showing similar signs or just that one?
Also, what light are you using?

Mombo · Jul 14, 2017

I cut the top open and installed an SBreeflights SB Sprite.

All of the polyps on it are blue and still extending out. The only other coral I have up top is a digitata and it has tons of polyps on it that come out every day.

Mombo · Jul 14, 2017

Also on a side note. My Palys are doing great. I have sunny d's and utter chaos. I got them with 2 polyps each about 2 weeks ago and they already have 7 heads on both frags now.

My hammer and frogspawn both have 3 heads popping out of them as well. Although the new heads are super tiny right now.

littlebigreef · Jul 14, 2017

For you Rastas try a Lugols dip. Its super simple and doesn't require using any harsh chemicals. I've been able to bring back many a way-ward zoa using this method. If you have amazon prime you can generally get Lugols in a day if you don't have a bottle already.

Mombo · Jul 15, 2017

Any particular version of the Lugols dip you recommend? If you have a link to one that you would recommend that would be fine. Also seems like there are many different options when it comes to Lugols Iodine. Is there a specific brand that is best or should I just go with one of the aquatics brand ones?

I murdered my Octospawn today. I was trying to get it out of the plastic plug it was in and crushed it. Lessons learned on that one. Def should have carefully cut it out with a razor or just let it be as it was. I just hated the plug it was in. Ill be more aware next time... Good thing I have been able to get alot of these coral cheap or free or these lessons I am learning would be racking up some bills.

I got my blastos mounted to a rock and placed. They are looking really great. They have about 8 heads it looks like. Also go my 3 set of paly's mounted to a rock and they are opening up. After the peroxide dip some of the rastas started to open but most of them are staying closed. Most of the algae is still on them. I might have done my peroxide mixture a bit to light trying to be careful but a little progress so ill take it.

I also moved my two newer mushrooms down by my other one near the bottom of the tank. Still not sure what to do about the montipora. I really got it so it could be right where it is and im not sure where else in the tank I would even put it. If it still has all of its little polyps showing is that a good sign or would it still extend those even if it was dying?

I still have no idea what that little bright green coral is with the two heads.

littlebigreef · Jul 16, 2017

Mombo said:
Any particular version of the Lugols dip you recommend? If you have a link to one that you would recommend that would be fine. Also seems like there are many different options when it comes to Lugols Iodine. Is there a specific brand that is best or should I just go with one of the aquatics brand ones?

I murdered my Octospawn today. I was trying to get it out of the plastic plug it was in and crushed it. Lessons learned on that one. Def should have carefully cut it out with a razor or just let it be as it was. I just hated the plug it was in. Ill be more aware next time... Good thing I have been able to get alot of these coral cheap or free or these lessons I am learning would be racking up some bills.

I got my blastos mounted to a rock and placed. They are looking really great. They have about 8 heads it looks like. Also go my 3 set of paly's mounted to a rock and they are opening up. After the peroxide dip some of the rastas started to open but most of them are staying closed. Most of the algae is still on them. I might have done my peroxide mixture a bit to light trying to be careful but a little progress so ill take it.

I also moved my two newer mushrooms down by my other one near the bottom of the tank. Still not sure what to do about the montipora. I really got it so it could be right where it is and im not sure where else in the tank I would even put it. If it still has all of its little polyps showing is that a good sign or would it still extend those even if it was dying?

I still have no idea what that little bright green coral is with the two heads.

Hey here's the link. I always use the Kent brand, not sure if the other stuff is ok to use.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B000...kent+lugol&dpPl=1&dpID=41UVb3nI7QL&ref=plSrch

There's plenty of YouTube videos and literature out there but I usually do 3-4 drips to 12oz of water. Usually 10mins is good. I'd suggest a weaker ratio until you're comfortable with the process.

Mombo · Jul 16, 2017

Thanks ill grab some of the Kent stuff.

Can anyone confirm what these two corals are for me really quick. I believe the one is a mushroom of some type.