Two Tanked too Enjoy It...

[MECOMI]

Lol welcome to the world of mixed reef tanks. Enjoy
D

Thanks MonkeyC, I am so happy i have invested in the hobby. Talk about adding a sense of wonder to adulthood.

 

[MECOMI]

Following! I have a biocube as well so I can wait to see posts about yours and possible get some inspirations along the way. Keep it coming! I love your rock.

I find myself more drawn towards the inverts as well. I didn't think that would be the case, but it is. I often find myself struggling to give people fish recommendations. But ask about inverts, and I will gladly chime in.

The rock was a must have. Originally i was never sure if anything would grow so as long as i had something for the fish, shrimp, snails, and crabs to swim around, I was a happy camper

 

[MECOMI]

Inverts are my favorite. I love snails, crabs, and shrimp. They are my kids favorite too.

That is exciting to hear. I have a niece and nephew that are a little to young to understand much other than, uncle has fish ;Facepalm, they are right around the corner though and more curious every year.

If your kids love inverts check out these guys below, have you ever found stomatella snails in your tanks? I think besides shrimp these are my favorite inverts. Most likely since they just crawled out of the rock work one day

 

[MECOMI]

So I am just going to come out and say it. Taking pictures of a fish tank is an art form and when you first start out, nothing seems to develop quite as nice as you hoped.



If you just give it time and keep practicing, pictures do seem to get better after a while.



But i digress...

After about two weeks of clean up crew life, and another test of my water I was given the nod from the LFS that it was time for my first fish and shrimp. I had no idea where to start and was given overall decent advise from the fish store to start with a clownfish pair. At least this is something i knew i wanted from the beginning so i jumped at the chance.

I went with a Juvenile Ocellaris and a Wyoming White.



Oh and since my eyes were still this big.. I grabbed my first coral, some green mushroom and green zoa. The zoa was in the bargain bin at about $10, and the mushroom were $25, so not a bad price for some starters.





I mean at least sometimes the stock biocube lights have some personality


Next morning and the mushrooms are waking up!


No names yet, just the clowns!


Quick aside about our first shrimp. Only one shrimp made it after the initial introduction to the tank. It seemed like both were doing well initially and everyone was still around at lights out. To our surprise the next morning when the lights came on the shrimp below was EATING the remains of the previous shrimp like a snack pack. This is how we came to affectionately name them Ted Bundy.

Please note: after learning that skunk cleaner shrimp are hermaphrodites we made sure to change it to Teddy Bundy.


At this point I am ecstatic and dreaming about my next additions. I feel everything is falling into place, settling in, and that i have a good handle on things. But boy oh boy do i have a metric ton to learn and lessons start to come hard and fast...

Later days,

B-Kind

 

[MECOMI]

I have officially fell in love with the hobby and hitchhikers are coming out of the rock-work.

Is that a banded starfish arm i see?


The next time i go back to the LFS i find myself ready to purchase another fish. It has only been about two weeks since the initial introductions and everything was still very stable according to my tests at the store. I sadly never saved much of my levels at this point in the hobby to report, so all i went off of was the OK from the employees there.



Now all my early purchases have been an impulse buy. Very little research, very little understanding of the overall science behind a reef tank, and being driven by excitement more than anything.

After seeing the Signal Goby in the fish store i was hooked. At the advise of the LFS, i went home with some pods. Seeded the tank with a couple bottles of active looking bugs and went back the next day. I was also told that this little guy did accept some target feeding of brine shrimp.


As I start to dabble into the world of forums and aquarium articles, i began to realize how important flow can be in a reef tank and started to feel the overall flow in the Biocube needed some improvement. All i had was the stock BC pump which is about 270-300 GPH. So the first upgrade i made to the tank was on the return line. I added the VCA random flow generator. Then added a 270 GPH Sicce nano voyager pump for some extra movement.



Now things start to take a bit of a turn.

The WW clownfish, the first fish i placed in the tank, died . This absolutely floored me. I am super protective and invested in my animals so something like this happening had me distraught. Then soon after the juvenile ocellaris got sucked up into the flow generator, got pinned there and past as well. Tough week.

I'm still not sure exactly what happened. The WW didnt appear to have anything wrong with it, she was eating ok and yet deteriorated. What i learn from looking back is just how skinny she was so i vowed to feed more (i fed every other day at that point). But i'm still unsure this was the only cause.

Last pick taken of the two. Thank you for being a part of this journey little one's.



Sincerely,

B-Kind

 

[MECOMI]

When it rains it certainly does pour from time to time.

So after losing a couple fish i decided to deep dive into the forums. I wanted to know everything about possible diseases or reason why something like this can happen. Even after my extensive research it is still unclear to this day. I finally chalked it up to new tank syndrome and moved on the best i could as the hits just kept coming.

Welcome Doc! and Is that a Lobo i see?


When i went back to the fish store i continued to search for my next fish. I wanted life in my tank ... so i came home with a Yellow Watchman Goby. Great little fish that made himself at home and proceeded to bully my poor little Signal Goby.

Before i knew it, the Signal stopped coming out of its den under the mushrooms and i lost another fish. Bullying a fish to death was another new one on me but at least this time i knew what happened. And it is still my fault for not better understanding the overall dynamics of territory in a small tank. I actually found a Signal Goby that ate well, sand sifted all day long, and i added a tank mate that wanted the same land for itself. Hard to be mad at Doc for that.

The strange thing for me is that even with my fish troubles something strange was happening... The coral just kept growing









So I am having some success, some failures, and my knowledge and understanding is starting to grow. I still depend on the LFS for almost everything when it comes to RODI and saltwater but now after a couple losses i am learning to do my own research. This is when my love for the hobby started to turn into something different. I did not just want a small box of water with some rock and shrimp, I wanted a reef and a true ecosystem. And as cheesy as it sounds, knowledge truly is power.

Later days,

B-Kind

 

[MECOMI]

So let's get this started...

Shrimps are always cool. But floating scarlet hermits...very cool!


So i wasted no time adding new fish. I was down to one after all, so movement was a must. Back to the LFS about a week after the loss of the Signal Goby. Due to the size of this fairy wrasse i was told they should find some success in my tank due to all the rock so i came home with a beautiful specimen. At this point i did start formulating a plan for the LFS trips. I planned on one fish to see how things went, and came home with two corals as well .

I believe it was something close to the Social Wrasse family.


As a quick aside: i didn't even realize i had a pic of the signal goby with the first wrasse. I do really miss that little guy.


What a cool fish and an absolute game changer. This wrasse loved pecking away at the rocks and always came to greet us when we visited the red room. I am sure i waved at them a little too often (similar to Deadpool at Yukio for those familiar with that sort of thing ).

So for those of you following along I am a little over two months into my journey and I am three fish down. Still, that has not discouraged me in the slightest from making my reef tank dreams come true. The fish and the coral just keep coming, my excitement boiling over and my patience disappearing out the window.

Enter a Devils Hand Leather, and a beautiful little Trumpet!


Back in the blues


And a Yellowfin Fairy Wrasse to join in on the fun!


Wow, another one with the Signal, I was a little off on my timing but very happy to still see him. Amazing how events get mixed up over time!


All three fish and shrimp in one photo, it must be my lucky day!


The action in my tank is just picking up. After a little charging and posturing the first couple hours between the two wrasse i noticed things settled down. Phew. Both got along just fine after the initial introduction and they really seemed content with life in the cube. The movement in the tank was really something to behold.



Later days,

B-Kind

 

[MECOMI]

Let's watch this thing transform.



As a reminder i am doing weekly water changes at 2.5 gallons and using Easy Aquariums salt water. They used Fritz Pro which came with 11dkh alkalinity. Since i was not dosing at this point I believe the higher mineral levels really helped maintain my reef for a long time. I would test at the store and maintained pretty decent levels overall too.



About three weeks later i went back to the LFS with a plan of buying one more fish. I was immediately drawn to a Clarkii in the store and only wanted one. I have always felt that Easy Aquariums was excellent at giving advise and only wanted their customers to succeed. They were always cautious about what fish you could or could not handle with your setup.

Now this day there was a customer there that i thought was an employee and received some bad advise. I was talked into taking both the Clarkii's available and brought them home.

These additions sadly caused a ton of stress in the tank. The Yellowfin Wrasse started hiding almost immediately and only came out a couple more times before i found its remains. Another tough loss. The Social Wrasse played sick and dead for a bit but as most fairy wrasse this was just for show and remained the dominant fish in the tank shortly after.



Dang i loved that Pipe Organ coral. Huge piece for the reef and an excellent addition. I kept seeing it in the LFS for only $50 and i couldn't resist once i saw how it would fit into the rock. This is the first piece i glued down. I also bought a large rock of Peach Paly's that dont look like much during the day lighting, but boy oh boy do they light up under the blues.


Even though i run into more fish trouble later on, the reef is really starting to take shape!



The sun coral was eventually moved down to the lower portion of the tank. I didn't realize initially that it was closer to an NPS so it should not have been so high up. The red coral when i bought it was a bit of an unknown and never really flourished in the tank.






I really should think about taking some more top down photos. They always turn our pretty darn cool!




The reef really started coming along after the new additions. A week later after the Clarkii, pipe organ, and palythoa were settled in, i realized i wanted some color on the back wall of the tank and bought a long piece of green star polyp. Cut it into three pieces and glued it to the back wall.

From here we watch it grow!

Later days,

B-Kind

 

[MECOMI]

The tank is becoming a beauty and i am amazed at the overall success of the coral. A couple recent trips to the LFS has the tank really humming along. The big colony's settled in nicely and the color, movement, and diversity is a game changer.






Still, there is trouble brewing amongst the fish and the wrasse was the first to go. The picture's below i am sharing with the community as a warning. Always inspect the fish you are buying, as the two Clarkii's were heavily coated with ich and or another disease. I always thought it was ich initially but im still not sure as the infection looks like it could be something else too.

This is the last of the fish loss for a while so lets get through it together. Goodbye my little friends.




Since things are starting to look up after the losses lets wrap this post with some coral growth and beauty. The reef is an ecosystem and life finds a way.

Pipe Organ!

Red Lobo!


Green Mushrooms!


Devils Hand!


Peach Paly, Green Star Polyp!


The Reef!


Left View!


Right Side!


Later days!

B-Kind

 

[MECOMI]

As the reef colored up, just one fish remained. The Yellow Watchman Goby was a true loner for some time.



I decided to let the reef grow and monitor the Watchman. After so much fish loss i read enough forums on disease to understand that some fish are just healthier then others and in many cases immune. I wanted to go fallow but with a survivor i just slowed down instead.




As my research expands i started reading about things like coral types, placement, and cultivation. I loved the idea of growing something on my back wall and was introduced to the Green Star Polyp. I understood it can become invasive and really take off but the back wall was free and clear so it seemed like a good idea to me.


The surprise came with my discussion about the GSP coral with the owner of Easy Aquariums. I wanted to place the coral in three different locations and they only had one long piece. "Just cut it in three pieces with scissors" 'Oh'...Let the fragging begin.

I had a ton of hitchhikers come from the large piece of pipe organ coral. The coolest was definitely these things which i think were some kind of tunicate.





Palys are just waking up, what are the little white things growing on them, still not sure?



Random story time about owning a reef tank. I really enjoyed looking for creepy crawlies after dark with the red flashlight. Seeing all the bristle worms or pods crawling around the rock was expected. What i did not expect was my singular sun coral feeders. When i saw it, i dropped the light and let out a small manly yelp. I guess i should read up on my corals a little more...Gosh.

Still cool though!



Later days,

B-Kind

 

[MECOMI]

Our Watchman Goby Doc really liked to go out for a swim from time to time.

While he was alone in the tank and did not need to guard his den against other curious fish this was a regular occurrence. I absolutely loved watching this 'big' 4 inch fish swimming happily through the tank.



I really loved the relationship Teddy the shrimp and Doc had. Cleaning was a nightly occurrence from head, mouth, gills, to tail. Watching a shrimp actually turn a fish is wild! I dont believe i ever took one picture of this as i enjoyed watching the process.

Peach Paly growth!


For that matter i believe everything is growing fine.


I think i see some coralline growing on the back wall!


I love having a reef in my home. It can be fun, it can be relaxing, it can bring wonder, it can bring a challenge, it can change your whole view on the ecosystem on land and sea, and it can be darn frustrating . And i still love every minute of it!

FTS!





Once i started seeing my sand and my tank getting dirty, it felt like i was finally on the right track. Weirdly enough a super clean tank just looks sterile. Surprisingly enough the coralline algae and the filth seemed like a level of maturity i was waiting for...

Right side!


Left side!


Happy Leather and pipe organ


In the blues, man it took a while to figure out color balance


I wonder if it is time to add more fish...

Enjoy your day!

B-Kind

 

[MECOMI]

We are diving deep tonight and ready to fast forward.

Anybody else ready for a pic dump!!! Enjoy.

Pods galore in this tank!


Teddy being Teddy


#babyTrochus


Weird angle.


GSP on the backwall!


Doc the ever-Watchman Goby


GSP in-da Moonlight


Maturity and color!


Forever eating!


Starfish hitchhiker yay!


Peach-Paly finally looking peachy!


Let the curiosity begin!


Short lived relationship , still very cool


Later days my fishy friends!

B-Kind

 

[MECOMI]

The fast forwarding continues. The writing is light the pictures are many!

Tank age 5 months, weekly 2.5 gallon water changes, running Chemi-pure Elite, filter floss, and a flourishing refugium.

Enjoy:

FTS and red room!


Mushrooms are really poppin!


Weird angle,


Do i have something on my face?


Teddy pregnant again, get off my palys ya punk!


Pregnancy continues, free food incoming!


Power outage really brings out the pods!


What in the world is that?!?! oh well never saw it again.


The power outage lasted three days during cold weather, -10F yikes, i heat plastic bags full of water on the gas stove to keep the tank warm. No losses!


FTS, growth and maturity abound!


Time for your big close up pipe organ!


Oooooh pretty!


Sunset in the Biocube,


Always loved watching Doc take a swim!


Enjoy your day!

B-Kind

 

[MECOMI]

As i move into month six with the tank its time to recognize that the tank seems in balance. The corals are growing, the Watchman has stayed healthy, and the inverts are thriving.

It is time for more fish and found this little guy asking to come home. Tail-spot blenny +dog tax!


After a night hiding in the rocks it found a place right out front and center. Cute little thing that adds some real character to the tank. And the camouflage color change is a nice touch .



Mushrooms are starting to wander!


More growth woohoo!


After a couple weeks and another 5 gallon water change it was time to add the clowns. I always liked Wyoming White Clownfish and when the LFS received some juveniles i jumped at the chance. Sticking with the oscellaris clownfish genus i decided to go with a Mocha Clown as my number two.

These two joined the watchman and tail-spot in their new watery home.


The live rock just keeps giving. Out crawls a Stomatella snail. Absolutely one of my favorite critters in the tank and i found three total over the years.



And the reef continues to grow!


Owning a fish tank continues to confound me. Every week i feel like i make progress. A water change here, a coral there, some fish sometime, and inverts whenever. I am still not testing at this point except when i go into the LFS. So this has me confused . All i read on blogs is about testing your water, dosing your water, and know whats in your water and all im doing is water changes and hoping for the best. I am using Fritz Pro Reef Salt and everything is going smoothly.

Surviving and thriving.

Later days,

B-Kind

 

[iquitreef]

So I am just going to come out and say it. Taking pictures of a fish tank is an art form and when you first start out, nothing seems to develop quite as nice as you hoped.



If you just give it time and keep practicing, pictures do seem to get better after a while.



But i digress...

After about two weeks of clean up crew life, and another test of my water I was given the nod from the LFS that it was time for my first fish and shrimp. I had no idea where to start and was given overall decent advise from the fish store to start with a clownfish pair. At least this is something i knew i wanted from the beginning so i jumped at the chance.

I went with a Juvenile Ocellaris and a Wyoming White.



Oh and since my eyes were still this big.. I grabbed my first coral, some green mushroom and green zoa. The zoa was in the bargain bin at about $10, and the mushroom were $25, so not a bad price for some starters.





I mean at least sometimes the stock biocube lights have some personality


Next morning and the mushrooms are waking up!


No names yet, just the clowns!


Quick aside about our first shrimp. Only one shrimp made it after the initial introduction to the tank. It seemed like both were doing well initially and everyone was still around at lights out. To our surprise the next morning when the lights came on the shrimp below was EATING the remains of the previous shrimp like a snack pack. This is how we came to affectionately name them Ted Bundy.

Please note: after learning that skunk cleaner shrimp are hermaphrodites we made sure to change it to Teddy Bundy.


At this point I am ecstatic and dreaming about my next additions. I feel everything is falling into place, settling in, and that i have a good handle on things. But boy oh boy do i have a metric ton to learn and lessons start to come hard and fast...

Later days,

B-Kind

Following. Love the shrimp

 

[MECOMI]

Following. Love the shrimp

Thank you much for the visit and follow! Much more to come!

Sincerely,

B-Kind

 

[MECOMI]

Some days i love the tank life and cant get enough. Some days I cant stop thinking about that one G-darn coral that started to shrivel, or get eaten, or just decide to let go one day or decide to just pack up and leave without saying a word .

Today my stupid Pavona looks like somebody has been snacking on it in the RSM S-500. There are a few culprits but i have a funny feeling it is the Christmas Fiji Wrasse. I noticed it initially going after some pods and i worry it got a taste for it.

The brown flesh color one on the bottom ledge, not the flashiest coral but it has been growing happily!


Here is the culprit, lucky they are a beautiful fish!



Eh, oh well we shall see...

Just be happy!

B-Kind

 

[MECOMI]

Lets move on to lighter thoughts.

In the seven month range of the Biocube everything was really humming.

Beautiful coralline algae growth along all the rocks, a healthy ecosystem that i could not get enough of, and color galore.

I know i should close my blinds but seeing a fish shadow swimming on my wall was too cool.

Oh man the dinky clownfish are sooooo cute in the tank. It took a little longer for us to name them since we had some sad losses. Once it was clear they were establishing themselves we decided to call the Mocha Clown...Mocha, and the WW Clown...Spike. I always thought Spike was the female as it always seemed a little bigger as a juvenile but as they aged Mocha really seemed to take over the throne as queen bee. Mocha clownfish start out as a typical Nemo looking clown and as they age they become more and more coffee colored hence the name .

Doc is staying true to his name, always watching

For flow in this tank there is a 240 Koralia and a 425 Koralia nano pumps along with the 1.5 Sicce Syncra adding a little more turnover as well. The 240 is just pointed at the back of the rocks to keep the detritus down.

I mean why not add a Red Monti to the tank! Oooo that GSP is looking nice.

Get outta the way clown!

There we go, King of the Mountain the Emerald hermit in all its glory!

Ahh thats better. Purging some negative thoughts about my tanks with good vibes...

Later days my friends!

B-Kind

 

[MECOMI]

I really do love my fishy friends.

Tailspot and the clowns.

Another sneak peak of the RSM S-500. Love the selection.

The stories continue...

And life goes on!

B-Kind

 

[MECOMI]

Once the reef hits its stride it is an absolutely beautiful thing.

So much beauty and life i would not change a thing...........

Except for that empty space on the rock

And all that swimming room...

Maybe a little change?

Perched?

So many fun angles on the Biocube 32. It becomes very photogenic. SMILE

When you first get into the reefing hobby you just think...oh this will be pretty or interesting. This could be really cool swaying in the flow. But dang who knew that there is so much personality on the reef.

Blennies are cool now!

B-Kind