Wow, a few weeks pass and there’s been a lot going on with the tank – pretty much all good!
Last week my girlfriend surprised me with a school of eight (now, seven) green chromis for the Envision and she bought a lawnmower blenny, a McCosker’s wrasse, and a Yellow Coris wrasse for “her†ADA. She’s taking complete ownership of the ADA and I love it. While the two tanks are plumbed together, she’s been working on coral placement to get things “just right.†It’s been fun to watch her get into the hobby.
I missed my “monthly†update at the beginning of the month because I was having an issue with my Nikon D90. I ended up getting it fixed, sold it and bought a new camera body – the Nikon D600. That just came in yesterday so I played around with it at a friend’s house (
see evolved’s tank thread) then headed home to take pictures of my tank. Pictures from the ADA weren’t turning out because it was late and so far into the blue spectrum – I need to figure this camera out still.
In fact, I realized that there’s still a lot to learn even after taking pictures under the full-spectrum of the Envision, which I’m pretty comfortable with, but I know I’ll get there eventually. For any photographers viewing this, I must say that it’s pretty awesome to be able to shoot at ISO2000 without having much (if any) noise issues. Several of these pictures were taken at ISO1250-ISO3200. As a comparison, my D90 was unusable over ISO800 (and even that was pushing it).
I’ve been feeding really heavily for the past month and running the tank sans carbon/gfo for the same amount of time. And, more recently, I’m bringing my alk levels down to the 7-8 range (currently just a pinch over 8 dKH). I think coral coloration is starting to improve but there are still a few pieces with some STN and a few that don’t look great. The 30k Lokani is having some STN issues, which I think is related to how it was mounted (didn’t like the super glue), and the Greenbird Nest has really browned out ever since I got it. It’s interesting because the birdsnest is growing really well – it’s just lost that super bright fluorescent color. Also, I just noticed (as you’ll see below) that the Oregon Tort has a bright white spot on it that looks like a bite mark or a burnt tip – I’m not sure what the cause of that is. I’m hoping that I don’t have a pest, although another friend warned me that he found AEFW in his tank after I took some corals home from him. Just going to continue to monitor things.
Anyway, I’m impressed if you read all of that. I’ll get on with the show but please remember that a lot of these pictures are to document growth/coloration changes so they aren’t going to be the best.
New Fish!
Small schooling fish add such an awesome dynamic to the tank. I couldn’t be happier with the addition of these guys to the tank. Sure, it’s likely that the school will dwindle down to 1-3, but for now, it’s cool and they all seem happy.
Corals
Purple Plasma
Polyp extension isn’t as good as it was when I first added this coral and it’s lost a bit of color. Hoping it bounces back now that alk levels are being reduced to the 7-8 range.
Vivid Rainbow
Front view (not as impressive)
Left view (better) – need to get a top down box!
This coral is looking great – encrusting nicely and great poly extension.
Tyree Purple Unknown
This frag was hollowed out by a some type of coco worm (which stayed with the main colony). I just placed it on the rock with the intention of acclimating it to the light and I forgot to move it. Next thing I knew, the coral started healing the hollowed out area and encrusting. It’s slowly starting to color up (it was almost entirely white just a month ago).
Joe the Coral
Front
Left
Growing well but polyp extension isn’t as good as it was when I first added it.
Pearlberry
Still settling in.
Oregon Tort
See the questionable bite/burn marks? Anyone have an idea what this might be?
Tyree Setosa
Front
Right
30k Lokani
Front
Left
See, I told you, not looking the greatest. Hoping this one pulls through. I’m also posting this so y’all know I don’t hide the bad things that are going on with the tank!
You get the good, the bad and the ugly.
Strawberry Shortcake/Pink Lemonade (still don’t know what this is)
This thing is one of my favorites – polyps out, encrusting and growing really well! J
Hawkins
Front
Right
Zibba’s Saguaro
