# Nemesis Portal 10 Gallon Reef



## Sunstar

Okay, enough messing around with an emergency tank keeping my livestock out of danger while my paramaters drop and return to "normal" Which it finally has. Ammonia Dropped to 0 Nitrites almost dropped to 0 and Nitrates is very low too. Good good good. 

I am going through the whole diatom algae bloom once more, but all said and done, it seems to have pulled through. 

Just my pulsating xenia and my stomatella that faced extinction. Let us say some valuable lessons learned here.

Anyway. I have a 10 gallon tank! Woot! I need to upgrade my lights at some point...I want more live rock. (I can do that in a bucket or that 5 gallon once I fix the leak.

So I will get pictures soon. 

I am running two filters. One is a penguin mini with biowheel and sachets of carbon, zeolite and clearmax. The other is filled with that plant stuff and I saw one baby stomatella in it.


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## Sunstar

(forgot how linking hates me.)










Quick little pick


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## Sunstar

I got exactly two pounds of live rock. It's a large rock that actually has star polyps as a hitch hiker. So it came with the rock.  I've seen a brittle star and a stomatella with it.


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## Ciddian

Happy to see the tank doing okay 

So sorry for the losses Sun... I've had my share as well lately D:


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## Sunstar

I love this peice of live rock. It has Huge purple feather dusters, some sort of clam like mollusc, a tiny sea star (put into my filter) I'd like to get another 2 or 3lb of live rock.


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## Sunstar

very nice tank.


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## Sunstar

oops!!! thats odd!!!


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## Sunstar

those two posts were my mother... using my account thinking she had an accoutn here. >.>


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## Sunstar

couple pics, two of existing inverts and one of a new invert. M y tank si going realllly slowly due to the lack of cash to put into it.








badlink








My original hitch hiker and its growing good. if it is good or bad is beyond me, but it hasn't done anything but move over half an inch.









Green Star Polyps are spreading nicely.









My new puky guts up shrooms. I need more light.


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## Sunstar

they perked up a bit today.


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## Sunstar

I have a rather large pink tipped bristle-worm thing in one of the rocks. It kinda surprised me when I saw it. About as round as a night crawler. Um....suggestions? they are beneficial are they not?


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## Sunstar

dumb link









Alpha Crab









Ate my winkle and moved in.









One of my random shells... he moved out, then moved back in









tiny crab makes up for his size by picking thr longest shell....


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## ameekplec.

He's compensating.

Any shots of the full tank?


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## Sunstar

I can do one tomorrow. it's all gone to sleep. I fo not have much of anything in there.


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## KnaveTO

ameekplec. said:


> He's compensating.
> 
> Any shots of the full tank?


LOL @ ameekplec. Interesting comment there.

Remember Sunstar nest time you are comming to the city let me know a couple of days before you come here and I will frag off a piece of my Xenia for you. Looking forward to the full tank shots. I keep my tank journal over at Aquariumfans.ca


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## Sunstar

link hates me


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## Ciddian

Wooo coraline.. awesome.

Mann.. I really miss the hermit crabs..


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## conix67

Nice coraline, lovely color. Nice plants too. Are those hitchikers or you brought them in from somewhere?


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## Sunstar

The plants in the substrate I got from cid. the stick thingd are hitch hikers


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## Sunstar

I got more "plants" and some frags,.


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## Sunstar

Admittedly, my tank is not an amazing system... it looks like a pile of rock heaped up....








bad link









Full front on a slight tilt....









The mushroom has purple spots under the actnics









Cute...and yellow.


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## Ciddian

You are doing a great job sunstar!  Much better than I ever did


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## Sunstar

I dunno, I liked yours. Mine is still touch and go.


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## KnaveTO

One thing I know... we are never happy with our own tanks


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## conix67

I like it. You got some interesting corals there too.


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## Sunstar

I just hope I don't kill it off


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## Sunstar

Primus... conix67 was like Santa clause today... We did a trade, he brought in some frags and a t5HO lamp that makes my tank explode with light. I am keeping my T8 50-50 on over the tank keeps it a bit brighter, but it looks great. 

I got several corals from him 


deep water zoa 
green center zoa 
eichinopora 
milliepora frag 
monti digi frag
pinkish bird nest frag 

They're on plugs... can I remove them from said plugs?

Things are drippy dripp now


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## UnderTheSea

Let's see some pics with all those frags  

You plan on removing the coral from the plugs? Going to glue directly to rock?


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## conix67

You could get the bird nest off the plug but leave others ontue plug until they settle down and start growing. Some zoa frags are really tiny and I hope they survive (they usually do). I realized I forgot to bring two frags and one of them is a bigger zoa Frag that would have looked nice.

I'll keep those two frags until the next meeting.

Good luck with those frags!


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## Sunstar

Okay, I'll let them chill out. I got the plugs poked into spots.

About the birdness, what level of that tank do you think it would enjoy?

I do think I will get another rock or two


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## ameekplec.

If you're using a 2x18W T5HO light, the Millie should be as high as you can get it. The bird's nest can be 3 -4" below the surface, but no lower and in a high flow are (but not right infront of the powerhead). Same for the minti digi.


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## Sunstar

I will try to get the mili in a better spot. my Hermits keep re-organising for me. They've explorred each plug looking for noms.


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## conix67

Frags get easily knocked around by hermits. It's best to glue them down once the location is finialized, or use frag rack to keep them in place.


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## Sunstar

that plug the birdsnest was glued to, , I put it ona rock, the hermits cleanred almost right off. they loved it. I am gonna grab another bit of rock, I should have enough by then... operative word is "should"


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## Sunstar

I learned that camel shrimp are also called "durban dancing shrimp" I like that name better and it'll convince my hub to let me get some. he's from durban.


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## ameekplec.

Camel shrimp are not reef safe - they'll eat your corals. They're somewhat known for eating coral parasites, but when they're gone, they like to munch on coral.


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## Sunstar

aaah
drat :/ I was gonna look them up. Okay


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## KnaveTO

Good piece of advise... always research what you are looking for or at prior to purchasing them, will save you and possibly your tank a lot of headaches down the road.


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## Sunstar

Yeah, I had come home to do that. I was hopeing they'd be good reef friends. Eh, maybe I'll google Sexyshrimp. I know Ameekplec had some of them. I do my homework where I can. 

Eric's advice is always welcome here


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## ameekplec.

Sexies are fun to watch. I'm contemplating getting a bunch more just to have a sexy party a la Stewie Griffin.


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## Tabatha

Sexies are sometimes on sale for $10.00 at Sea U Marine...


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## Sunstar

one of these days, if I am not on a beat the rushhour schedual with my bike, perhaps I'll get up to Sea U marine.


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## Sunstar

Last rock in. 3 pounder..... any more and I cna't have anything else...

I feel kinda happy with the apperance, I do hope the crabs stop knocking slag around. I glued stuff.

EDIT: Why does the site cause me to have to view my pic before I see the image?!


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## Tabatha

I love your rockwork but make sure there is enough flow through. Try to eliminate any dead spots which may occur in your tank. You might find you have too much rock in the tank and difficult to place corals. You'll probably play around with your rock more when you add to the tank.

Calupera is a b#tch - it really anchors itself to the rock and is almost impossible to get rid of. I know you probably like it now but it will take over.


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## Sunstar

I do have two filters and a pump blowing in there, I am hoping the dead spots are few. There is a lot of holes, and I needed the rock as it was difficult to place corals as I have a lot of little rocks.... Something I was doing for the 5 gallon. 

the Calupera, I originally had in my tiny refugium. but I can't get a light over it, so I dropped it into the tank.

I would like to get a few more macro algae. I seem to have a soft spot for that stuff. I'll hate it later


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## Tabatha

Sunstar said:


> I do have two filters and a pump blowing in there, I am hoping the dead spots are few. There is a lot of holes, and I needed the rock as it was difficult to place corals as I have a lot of little rocks.... Something I was doing for the 5 gallon.
> 
> the Calupera, I originally had in my tiny refugium. but I can't get a light over it, so I dropped it into the tank.
> 
> I would like to get a few more macro algae. I seem to have a soft spot for that stuff. I'll hate it later


LOL, I know what you mean, I added it to my office tank and it took over, now I want to get rid of it and I can't. I have to get all new rock!


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## Sunstar

Noticed that I have a small red crab in my tank. shiny shell, very very shy.


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## Sunstar

new shots...


















Powder blue I got from Ameekplec









I've yet to find it's sweet spot....


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## ameekplec.

Looking good there! Everything seems to be doing great 

Any plans for any creepy crawlies yet?


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## Sunstar

I have 5 hermit crabs... that creepy crawlie enough? I fill happy with just that. Oh and a large little neck clam that hides in the corner with its valves sticking out.

Okay... update on something in my tank... a hitch hiker I had since the day I bought the first pile of rocks (after the lump i had in the vase) large letters for effect...Growth of a hitch hiker....









This....









....Funky, Squishy what the frag thing.... 









...Which even "glowed in the dark"....









...and then took a two step to the left hand size after getting larger and which I had asked a number of times, what the hell is it?!









Abruptly went from this...









To this!









Then split up and took a hike....









And it still glows!​
I contacted wet web media shortly after fission; asking them, "what the hell is it?". Super sticky, loves to eat...even betta   We won't go into detail how that girl took a dive into my tank... sad sad sad  I did not think it was Aptasia or Majano.

They replied: It's a *Stichodactyla tapetum* "Mini carpet anemone."

Which to me, looks like a clever "latinified(if that is a real word on my part) "Sticky tape" to me. Which actually describes it pretty darned well.

it got to roughly the size of a toony before it went sulky into the rock it had chosen to hide in. I was wondering what was up, checked it and then...there were two. Sorcerer's apprentice coral...*starts to hum the music from fantasia*

It can grab fish, it has hell of a grip even on my feeding stick. But this is quite cool. I hear larger carpet anemones can be really nasty.."lethal" but these smaller ones seem to be quite okay in a nano tank. When it gets too many, I may put some up for trades.

My weird update.


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## ameekplec.

Wow, that's one sweet hitch hiker!! Looks like a pretty nice one too - they go in the States for pretty big coin


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## Sunstar

Hitch hiker crab

He's really super shy. I hardly see it out side of its rock.... it peeks but stays within the stone.

It moulted, which usually throws me because it looks dead. I checked tonight and it peeks at me.



















So what the heck is it?


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## KnaveTO

well the claw tips being white is a good sign for if they were black I would say gorilla and that you should permanently remove it, however as to what you have there... sorry no idea.


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## Abner

I have no idea what it is but at one time my wife wanted me to get a strawberry crab kinda looks like so maybe look it up could maybe be one.


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## Sunstar

I got myself a peppermint shrimp. So this is the newest addition to my marine tank, and it's gone and hid behind the rock I am having the aptasia problem on.


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## ameekplec.

They don't particularly come out in the light if they don't have to - I find all the ones I have/had were nocturnal, or liked to skitter around in the rocks. 

Have you seen it dancing yet?


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## Sunstar

yeah, similar to the macarina.


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## Sunstar

shrimp eaten an aptasia.


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## Sunstar

*10 gallon nano - Nemesis Portal*

After a year and a half running, I decided I would much like a fish in my marine tank. I would like something that will live okay in a 10 gallon. At least until I can at somepoint upgrade to a larger tank and perhaps get another fish. But for now, fishless tank is fishless.

I ideally would like a royal gramma, but they are quite expensive and I would be heart broken if it dies. I would like a more forgiving fish.

tank is waterchanged 40% every 2 weeks. has some corals and a plate coral growing in it quite happily. has 7 small hermits and astria snails. I have a AC 110 as a refugium in the back as well as a pump to create circulation. I also have several mini carpet anemoes that I might consider parting with if I can figure out how to get them off their rocks.

I got oodles of macro algae, red, green sort of short stuff that reminds me of my husbands beard.










Just before a cleaning session. I've got a coral in teh trap that only seems to want to grow int hat trap. not had success outside the tank. unsure why.


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## Big Ray

hello 

are there any aiptasia in the tank ? if not, Dwarf seahorses 

or maybe even 1 adult seahorse  but they are expensive..

forgiving fish ? NEMO lol


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## Sunstar

the aptasia was removed by peppermint shrimp. Seahorses are... how do I say... not in my game plan. rather go with a good starter fish than something that's more difficult.


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## loonie

I will suggest yellow and green clown goby. You do not often find them but they do appear once awhile. They go for sale at bigals from six dollars, normal is about fourteen dollars each. They are about 1inch plus in size.


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## xr8dride

As stated by Ray, a clownfish is a very forgiving and easy maintenance fish...he'll love the anemones.


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## Sunstar

Not sure the carpets are ideal for a clown. they are very sticky and would likely eat a clown than co-habitate. also the mini carpets only get to about a toony diamater before it divorces itself.


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## Big Ray

Sunstar said:


> Not sure the carpets are ideal for a clown. they are very sticky and would likely eat a clown than co-habitate. also the mini carpets only get to about a toony diamater before it divorces itself.


not sure if anyone talked about carpet anemone, or where you get your info from but your info about carpet anemones are wrong.

either way, 10G is way to small for a carpet anemone LOL it would overflow each time you feed it lol

you could get 1 clown, and if your lighting is good, *maybe* a small anemone, which will be TOUCH to keep in that small tank.

PS. clown can also host in many different corals


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## Sunstar

this carpet anemone is only an inch or two in diamater. I got it identified by wet web media.

Stichodactyla tapetum/*Mini-Carpet *

So my information about this particular mini carpet is correct.

Edit:

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=656736

my *min*i carpets:



























*Mini Carpet* with a stomatella


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## Kweli

Use liveaquaria to narrow down your search. You can find their ease of care and maximum size of tank needed.

Yellow Clown Goby is a fun guy to watch, but mine died (jumped out of tank) before i could teach it to eat frozen food.

There are also Blennys that you might like... alot more personality then clown fish and some might be ideal for your tank size. Midas is too big, but maybe a tailspot blenny?

Check LiveAquaria


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## Kweli

They are a comical addition to the marine aquarium that spends much of its time out in the open hopping and perching from one location to another.

Blue and Gold Blenny:
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+23+2105&pcatid=2105

Tailspot Blenny:
http://www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+23+2229&pcatid=2229


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## Sunstar

I was considering a yellow-tailed damsel or a blue damsel. Thoughts on one of these?


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## ameekplec.

eyyyy yooo.....long time no see! 

I would avoid a blenny or gobie just for the fact that it's likely one day to decide to rest on top of one othe minis and get eaten. Likewise with any fish that might decide to rest in one (eg, clown), although people do keep clowns with them. 

A yellow tail damsel might be a great first and only fish for the tank. It would certainly be very tolerant and forgiving. 

If I recall correctly, el fabuloso on nano-reef had a pico reef with a yellow tail damsel that looked pretty happy. I'd give it a go


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## Sunstar

Yeah only one fish was what I was considering and the resting on the mini was a major concern. I saw what it did to a betta that decided to go deep sea diving instead of carpet surfing. 

Major reason I have held off on a fish was due to the tank size. The mini's are adorable.


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## Sunstar

While I am at it, I want to know more about Skimmers. I am looking at an Oceanic BioCube 14 - 29 Gallons. It's air powered. 

Price is sort of an issue (as usual.)


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## ameekplec.

Skip the skimmer - it won't do much. Save it for other things... Like a new 30 g tank!


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## BettaBeats

what light have you used on your 10 gallon?
Also, what are you using in your fuge?


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## Sunstar

I have... crumbs I forget now. High output hood lamp and a 50/50 about 30 watts

the refugium I am using a AC 110. it holds the heater, and sand substraite. Some live rock, macro algae. No corals in it. Just mostly algae.


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## Big Ray

demsel is fine for sure. hey I have one in my lion fish tank lol the lion cant even catch it ....

Ive seen clowns adn mini carpets together, but ....


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## Sunstar

I'd love a clown, this I admit. And a proper anemone. But until I decide I want to upgrade, I'd rather get a simple starter fish to learn marine fish care.


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## 50seven

Yeah, and damsels are cheap too, only $5. I'd go for a yellowtail rather than a blue - more color and attitude IMHO.

They look like this when they swim,










but when they stop, or swim backwards, or look at you and blow you kisses, they stick out all their fins like this:


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## Sunstar

they are adorable!!!

Okay I must have one of them! :3 Once I am ready I will do this. 

Found my largest mushroom coral fragged itself. the flow of water twisted it around until it cut its top off. So got the top and gonna find it some rubble.


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## carmenh

They have a tiny little dymax tank set up at Big Al's Hamilton with a yellow-tailed damsel...it really made me re-think that fish, he's gorgeous!!!


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## Sunstar

I think I saw that one. Big als hamilton is where I usually go during summer. during winter I head to oak ville.


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## ajdelosr

The damsel is an easy fish to take care of, mine will eat anything thrown into the tank. I don't know if anyone else has had this happen to them before, but late at night I'll turn on the room lights and then my damsel will come out although he looks like he's lost almost all of his colour and is translucent to a point where I can see his internal organs and then he swims around like he's blind bumping into the glass (maybe he's just sleep swimming, or just groggy from being woken up) but when it's daytime he looks completely fine.


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## 50seven

Yeah, they do that depending on whatever lighting you have. I had to separate one of mine from the other fish so I threw him in the sump where I have daylight CFL's running, and he looks bleached all the time. Poor guy, he's so lonely.... I'd love to put him back in the DT, but I'm afraid he won't remember his tank mate and they will start to fight...


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## Sunstar

Woot! just simply exicted with the pending fish coming. 

Anyway, I think I am gonna try to kep this as my thread. Anywhoo. Been fussing with the tank, removed some chato that was growing on a rock and popped it into the back refugium. starfish haven that was. little white and black brittle stars scattering.

Mini Carpet anemones I removed from the rock where they were sitting. I would like to remove a few more later. I will be selling these little creatures later once I am sure they find themselves new home in the shells I provided for their little feet. That and if they survive the trauma of being moved.

What I have observed. they can get about as large as a toony perhaps a bit larger. they will split and move in different directions. They don't seem to affect anyone adversely. they don't sting. They've been sitting next to some of my corals without any agression. they don't agress with each other either. 
They will floures under blacklight or actinics.










PM me if you are interested in these stichodactyla tapetum (Mini carpet Anemones) I will be posting a for sale thread soon. I will be Asking 20 each head.

30 minutes later they all perked back up. hardy things they are. I'll feed them in a day or so.


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## Kweli

I would be interested in one....


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## Sunstar

Kweli, they recovered from their eviction well. So they are now available.

http://gtaaquaria.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18804


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## Sunstar

I am looking forward to things tomorrow :3


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## Sunstar

my new feesh in the drip bucket.










Giving him a big name for its little stature. The Great Devourer.


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## ameekplec.

Looks like it's a few tentacles short of a tyranid, but I'm sure you're stoked to see a fish in there


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## PACMAN

Sunstar said:


> my new feesh in the drip bucket.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Giving him a big name for its little stature. The Great Devourer.


i wanna fish in my tank :'(

soon i guess. patience is a virtue. nice nems


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## Sunstar

ameekplec. said:


> Looks like it's a few tentacles short of a tyranid, but I'm sure you're stoked to see a fish in there


Would be a better name for an octopus I am sure . I am very stoked. I waited a very long time for this day :3


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## Sunstar

The Damsel really coloured up suddenly and beautifully.


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## 50seven

Yay! He looks happy! I'll show the Kids your pictures in the morning-they will be so pleased. Here's to a long and healthy life! 

Thanks for giving him such a nice new home where he can show off his attitude- I'm sure he's glad to be out of that miserable refugium!


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## Sunstar

he's out of solitary and in paradise, or so I hope :3


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## 50seven

Sunstar said:


> he's out of solitary and in paradise, or so I hope :3


Ha ha!

First he gets busted for aggravated assault, then involuntary manslaughter, then resisting arrest. He gets denied parole after being classified as a dangerous offender, and now look! ...this is one badass successful jailbreaker, LOL!


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## Sunstar

50seven said:


> Ha ha!
> 
> First he gets busted for aggravated assault, then involuntary manslaughter, then resisting arrest. He gets denied parole after being classified as a dangerous offender, and now look! ...this is one badass successful jailbreaker, LOL!


that cracks me up. He seems really really happy. Bought him some frozen foodstuffs, but I got various foods he should be quite happy. Such a tiny mouth.


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## explor3r

Very nice, he must be loving his new place, just for him


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## Sunstar

Just for him :3 he has established a territory under my alien eyes.


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## Sunstar

I got two small frags of candy cane coral from big als oakville. one's blue and one's green. not longagter putting them in, they poofed up and the blue is sticking tentacles out. got a coralife 24 watt t5HO lamp now. IF I can find replacement bulbs for the other lamp I'll see about rigging it up too.


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## Sunstar

Okay some pics. My tank is not neat and tidy like erics unfortunately, but... it has its wild charm I think.









I got these two at an Awesome price :3









the splash of deep blue in the "black hole" is The Great Devourer; my fish.


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## Sunstar

I got One kenya tree, One Pulsating xenia (again) and some zoas from Violet. Purchased a peppermint shrimp who was berried. No chance in hell for fry, but then agains stranger things have happened.


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## Sunstar

Pics... The Pulsating Xenia I'll get a pic of when it's a bit happeier









My new Zoas. I'll likely clip the branch of that rock off and glue them somewhere else later. but they seem chipper.









Kenya Tree perking up or may require viagra.

Not new but old:








Mini Carpet. It's quite large for one of my minis. it perked up after the water change.


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## Sunstar

there is something "big" in the works.... Hopefully things go through.


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## Sunstar

I have some grape Caulerpa in my tank, just drifting. got it from violet. My little Damsel, the Great Devourer seems to be pushing and pulling the spring around. It is SOOOO cute!


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## Sunstar

There is a small story about one of the rocks in my tank.










I refer to the oblong whiteish one that is laying as a support. This setup has been since changed ages ago.

My sister and her family went to Cuba nearly 2 years ago. Just at the very early stage of my tanks life. My neice, then about 9 collected up a numbre of rocks and shells to take home with her. Probably a bad idea, really. If everyone went to cuba and took a rock home, the island would disappear. She brought home a couple of the rocks and gave me one as a present. And boy was I happy.

Simple stone I rinsed off, checked it out and finally added to my tank. It was shockingly white, extremely porous and full of holes. After a while it went greenish-brown, then patches of pink formed on its surface. Pods explored and set up small territories, fireworms moved in, and then a few peanut worms decided this was a great place. More time went by and the stone looked like the rest of them, brownish and looked as if some sort of wild painter went nuts and splattered it with red, pink and purple paints. Some macro algae started to get a foot hold, feather dusters moved in and then brittle star legs could be seen waving out of the holes. Even Vermetid Snails have made this rock their home.

And until recently, it was free of corals, but my alien eyes coral has grown out enouth that it has finally touched and merged with the rock. It has been a facinating journy watching life move into the barren wasteland of the white rock and make it a thriving part of my 10 gallon tank. It has been one of the few gifts I have been given that I know exactly where it came from. It is one of the few gifts that give me the greatest amount of warm fuzzy feelings. The unfortunate part is my neice, "the squidge" can't remember giving me this rock. But I haven't forgotten B)


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## Sunstar

The little damsel was really fighting with the macro algae this morning. Insisting that it keeps out of its chosen territory. The fish finally managed to pull the sprig out and it is drifting near the top of the tank. The Great Devourer has succeeded again.


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## ameekplec.

Spawning behaviour? I remember reading that damsels will clear a small area of algae on the reef for their nests.

Or maybe he's just into landscaping.


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## Sunstar

its just a drifting peice and it kept going into his chosen territory. I think he's into landscaping. It kept getting under my alien eyes and sortof held there the fish needed to pull it above that so it did not drift under again.


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## Sunstar

Woooo I dug up my old thread. Mostly because I was searching for Proof that I hav e had a shrimp before...


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## Sunstar

I found the bulbs I needed for my current USA lamp Except... the daylignt bulb I got contained another actinic. So I need to take the other actinic back.


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## Sunstar

Thanks Ciddian for Merging the two for me. Just heads up, cid put my 10 gallon nano -fish help thread in to my original.

Anywhoooo I took a FTS this morning. It's looking... Full.


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## Ciddian

I cant get over how that great that tank looks!


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## Sunstar

it's a mess....


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## BettaBeats

I literally just went through every page of this thread. Wow! What a healthy and mature looking tank! I'm surprised at how big this nano looks. 
You've really given me some great ideas. 

Do you think your refugium plays an important role in this tank?


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## Sunstar

it adds a lot of flow and places for pods to grow.


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## Sunstar

Another carpet went for a strole and was easily moved to the floating refugium. I love them <3. I can't wait until I can get the large tank in my hands and then set it up.. then grow carpets in the refugium or frag tank.


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## Sunstar

I got the Tank from Shiver, Now dubbed Nemesis II. A bouncing 25 gallons of marine reef in my near near future. I am so jazzed :3

Anywhooo my pigeon rundown is attracted to this new curiosity. He keeps landing on it, trying to get in to it walking around it, pecking at it. 

Iwill get pics of it later, right now I do not have a spot for it, but I will once I decide how to reorder things. I hope to enclose the base as a cabinet for the refugium and other stuff. I will take a look at Ameekplec's stands. 

All in all Nemesis II shall Rise.


----------



## Sunstar

I saw a tiny jellyfish in my tank. It was aboutt he size of a pinhead. it was being blown through the tank by my pumps and filters, but when it found a still area, it resumed its bobbing movement until it got caught in the current again.


----------



## Sunstar

Bubble Algae lament.

Bubbly bubble algae, how I loathe thee. 
True thou art pretty in thine own way. 
But thou art making it difficult to remove thee.

Oh bubbly bubble algae, what must I do, to get rid of you?
Please tell me?
*sigh*

Other than that, my kenya tree fragged itself and has kindly attached itself to the front of my tank until such time as I decide on a pretty shell to place it on for the time being. Some of my powder blue antelia has been saying, we need to be fragged and put on shells. My palys of whatever nature wish to attach to everything in sight. My sponge is spongeing and my happy little fireworms are sifting the sands. I have even seen a peanut worm against the front glass in the sand at night. Been facinating to watch them. And the countless legs of little white and brown brittle stars waving in the current. life is flourishing in the crevicies and recesses of the tank. I am amazed at the coralline growth. The new discovery of some pretty lobophora amongst the thick forests of macro algae that has chosen to live on my rocks. 

The Great Devourer has found himself a favourite area that he has decided must be kept free of anything I put in it, particularily drifting macro sprigs. 

The Chalice is putting on record growth and I NEED to frag it before it connects to the one pump. The green star polyps that came in on a live rock seems to be retaking hold. One section is bleached from a macro that hid it from the light. I was utterly shocked to see that it survived. it too is reaching for the light. yet I wonder if it will ever recover its colour?

My two frags of candy cane coral are doing quite well. One is green and that has filled out since I got it, the other is blue and it has developed more mouths than ever before. I have one sps in there, god knows what it is called, that was an inch high when I got it, it has broken and branched, I poke it here there and everywhere. I just wonder how to get it to colour up. growing tips are pink, the polyps are kinda brown. (It was brown when I got it) 

the tropic marin salt seems to be nice, but I think it has triggered a bit of an algae/diatom issue. Trying to control this with my water changes once a week, but I wonder if I should do a 2.5 gallon change twice a week.


----------



## 50seven

I like the Kenya tree- glad it's doing well. I'll have to find something to trade for a frag of it at some later point!

What do you feed you corals? You have good growth rate by the looks of it. I've been looking for some steroids for mine...

Go with the water changes for now, and try to siphon off whatever loose bits of nuisance algae you can, so it can't spread even more. I just cleared up a minor outbreak of cyanobacteria doing that. (Plus I also made up a small DIY Phosban reactor, which probably also helped.)


----------



## Sunstar

I wanna see your DIY Phosban reactor pleasums :3

I try to syphon algae off during my waterchanges or stalk with a turkey baster.


----------



## Sunstar

I just attempted the frag of the chalice. I am not sure how to do it so cleanly. the rock cannot come out of the tank. It really needed to be done as it was approching my one pump and As attractive as it would be, I did not want it to become a part of my reef structure. I got two small bits out. hopefully one will be Set for my Nemesis Nano.


----------



## Sunstar

I told them they could have a stay from their death sentance if they work for me. they were eager to get on with the job. They can't really enter the tank because there is a peice of glass in the way. and if they do, I'd likely just put them back up. there are 4 not all are in the s hot. they are, however chowing through the diatom. It is unfortunate they are the cold water vareity so will not do well long term. I hope to perhaps make a compromise to them by setting up a filtered cold water tank (read as unheated) They really perked up as soon as I started to add salt water to the bowl I was trying to aclimatise them from.


----------



## BettaBeats

For your salt tank? 
Hopefully they're super-snails and can adjust to the temperature. 
However, do you think a larger/more frequent water changes for the next week would rebalance the nutrients and solve the diatom issue?

I'm just asking because I don't know.. but I'd like to know.


----------



## rrobbiiee

Great thread! I really like how your rock work really fills up the tank. That is a skill I've yet to master, every time I try to add more rock I find it fills my tank up *too* much and I just end up removing it.

What kind of snails are those?


----------



## Sunstar

snails = periwinkles from the seafood section. I never said I was orthadox 

I have no idea if the frequent waterchanges would help with balancing the issue. I do know that it might help until I can devise something like a phosban reactor.


----------



## Sunstar

Ohai! Night shots.

Moonlights.

I figured I would set the tripod up. exposure was about 2 seconds. Long, so super blue.









Chalice









FTS at night. Note that you can't see anything.









Mini carpet(my largest) in some palys(I think)


----------



## Sunstar

MOAR PICS









FTS. Looks like a mess.









they appear a little redder than they should. or maybe they are and my lights wash them out. they are pretty little mini carpets.









Like the one night shot..... my largest mini in the palys









Ohai thar chalice! <3


----------



## Sunstar

It took a lot of fighting, but somehow I managed to get my skimmer working again. Well at least air runnign through. I can't turn it down enough that it doesn't flood the cup. running it in a vinegar solution.


----------



## Sunstar

Well my 10's refugium is having issues so I have had to tear it down to re-mod it. not a happy Jet I am.


----------



## Sunstar

Mod is successful. I will get pics of it tomorrow when I am ready to re-fire it up. I know what I am doing on a smaller scale :3

Anyway. lack of filter means one lamp has to be off today. because the filter helps support it. So lack of all that, I got a nice (sort of) shot of my paly patch from above and my largest mini carpet in th emiddle of it. OH yes my mini likes it there. that is basically under the lip of my refugium, so I assume all manner of nommy goodness gets washed out and into it's hungry mouth. Since the light change, this sucker's grown. Happy carpet it is.


----------



## Sunstar

OMG do I have goodies!!!!

I got some lovely macros. carmenh please remind me of their names again. some xenia from carmen, black sun coral from kweli and a fox coral as well thrown in. 

I have found the People of the GTAA forums to be what makes reef keeping in this area fantastic. They are generous, helpful, friendly, informative. I am proud to call the members of the GTAA my friends :3.

sorry, but the pics of my refugium didn't work out and now it's hung on the back. its like the flow is 10fold now.


----------



## carmenh

Halimeda
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halimeda
and
Caulerpa serrulata
http://www.welltankedaquatics.co.uk/index.php?p=1_20_Saw-Tooth-Caulerpa



Sunstar said:


> OMG do I have goodies!!!!
> 
> I got some lovely macros. carmenh please remind me of their names again..


----------



## Sunstar

*Voltage leakage*

Perhaps things will be better now I just threw out my heater. the little cut on my thumb from my mod the other day sort of enabled me to realise my heater was pooched. Tweezer+saltwater+cut+electricity = significant tingle. I had a voltage leak into my tank O.O. I had another heater handy. But I am now down one, so I should go out to buy a new heater shortly. Suncoral might be considering food. it's "puffing up" looks really abused right now after the duel effort to frag it.


----------



## Ciddian

Wow nice new macros!  Did I give you some as well years ago???... I love that stuff. I was telling Tbird all I want is a tank full of green.. X)

So sorry about that skimmer.. It gave me a lot of issues too, at the time it was one of the only micro skimmers I could get around here.


----------



## Sunstar

Ah cid, I think I know how to tweek that skimmer down. Back then I had no idea how a skimmer functioned. I STILL have your prolifera and I have been tryhing to spred the joy around. I love macro algaes in salt tanks. 

OH Kweli, your mysis shrimps hitch hiked. I found two.


----------



## Kweli

Thats good = )

Hopefully they can survive long enough to make babies before your fish eats them

My tank explodes with shrimp every night... dont have an active pod eater in my tank.... yet


----------



## Sunstar

Hopefully when warmer weather returns I can get some before you get an effective pod eater.


----------



## Sunstar

WOO! this morning I was treated to a rapidly recovering black sun coral. Also my Candycane's holes all seemed to have sealed up. thanks carman for the vitamin c. I do think it is helping its healing.

SO pics. and yes I need to clean the glass. I need more razors.









FTS. Stuff is getting moved around. I need to remove some more excess... I haz frags awaiting the nano :3









Black Sun coral is recovering from its abuse. I will hopefully beable to attach it to a rock or shell as a sort of anchor when I feel like handling it again. I wanted it to rest a bit, have some food and get over the shovk before handling again. It almost fed last night. It thought about it.









Fox coral. (might end up in the nano.)









blue candy cane. I am still watching it, but that was the side that got stung to hell. Seems like it is recovering rapidly.









The halimeda I got from Carmenh









Improved refugium. Admittedly it's flow is uber powerful. I need to get the chaeto back in. but I am r unning extra carbon due to stressed out corals. The screen there is the bottom of the basket. I actually cut it so it would fit on the top of the over flow. I siliconed in a support on the left hand side and siliconed the whole lot together. Worked a charm. it has baffles now and that keeps the sand out (I hope) from the impeller. pods and bristle worms can enjoy a nice place to do their thing.

I feel as if I am nano tank reborn right now. I have learned SO much more now and I am pleased with myself. There were thing, admittedly, that did not click until much later. I think half of it was the overwhelming amount of information that is out there and to start it is absolutely mind boggling and nearly too much to take in.


----------



## Sunstar

Suncoral is wanting food!









Light on for a breif moment.









Lights out. It's a bit slow, but at least tonight it came out for food. in a few days I'll bug it again to get it better seated onto somethign solid so it can be easier m oved/fed


----------



## Kweli

ITs looking really good... Once you feed it they start to come out more puffy


----------



## Sunstar

Once I get stuff moved to my nano setup when I can set it up I will get it into a better spot.


----------



## Sunstar

verry happy sun coral.


----------



## carmenh

Hey Sunstar, does your chalice hate your sun coral??? Mine is extending his tentacles longer than I've ever seen, trying to sting it! He's always nasty but not like this! So much for using the chalice's shadow to keep the sun coral shaded ...


----------



## Kweli

Love to see a picture of that


----------



## Sunstar

the chalice and sun are in two differnt ends of the tank. My chalice does regularily extend tenticles long. 4 - 6 inches in tehpast which left me wondering how it never tied itself in knots. you don't really need to shade it. it grows in caves because that's where the food collects.

Last night the sun was hungry as ever. Naming it Audry. It was considering daytime extention. I need to do a waterchange shortly.


I did my watertests. Calcium was 420 Magnesium was 1140ppm

how does one increase the magnesium?


----------



## Kweli

Those little green eyes on the chalice you gave me extend a few inches? holy smokes!!!

People have trained their suncorals to come out during the day.. theres forums/threads on that out there.... I tried unsuccessfully... but i couldnt get them in the shade, so that may have been my downfall


----------



## Sunstar

not they eyes itself but a small tenticle that is barely visible do. for the most part it's Mine don't always extend that far, but they often do.


----------



## Kweli

When do the tenticals typically come out? night, day, during feeding?

Its been looking good so far..

Though my wife was wondering why i bought a "white shell" off you, lol


----------



## Sunstar

okay.. it stresses me out still i SO desperately want it to survuve and flourish. white shell was all I had for it, and as I explained as a sort of more natural looking mount for when it grows around it. I know the one I had the chalice really grew around the plug forming a very strong bond to it.


----------



## Sunstar

lights are on and suncoral was OMG you HAZ SHRIMP! GIMME NAO! FEED ME NAO SUNSTAR!!!!!!!! So audry likes me :3


----------



## Sunstar

I am so epically in love iwth my suncoral. :3 It was open fully by 11PM for feeding. I try to feed just before lights out and it's learned so I am happy.

I got my new heater in so I am just testing it in the water bucket. I'll use the stealth to heat the bucket water next time.

Edit: 
pics and my battery went BAAAH


----------



## Kweli

wow, you must be treating them really good because I never had all the heads out at the same time.... for me, its as if they took shifts opening up


----------



## Ciddian

Wow sun! They are sssuupppperr happy!


----------



## Sunstar

I treat them like royalty and change the meal offering each night


----------



## Sunstar

So... I wanted to take a pic of my coral last night. But the hermit knocked it off as I was getting set up. Coral went all flumpy as did the xenia neither wanted to behave until today. So I get setup and ready to tak emy shot.. batteries died  ARGH! Now I need to wait until tomorrow.


----------



## 50seven

You really need to get some new batteries...  or leave those batteries on the charger...LOL


----------



## Sunstar

new batteries are needed :/ I did an iodide test, got the distilled water to make the regent. I appear ot have very low iodide levels. This needs ot be corrrrected.


----------



## Will

I'll trade you some concentrated Aquavitro iodide for one or two black sun coral heads? I have a big bottle for a 2 gallon tank... (years worth). Beautiful pics and beautiful coral. I have some purple gorg to frag up too.


----------



## Sunstar

I can't frag that black sun yet. I do not see any areas that I could cut through without significantly damaging it. I'll have to give it some time. it is a wonderful coral, but I do need it to get more length on some of the little heads. that and I am not sure hwere the hell I stowed away my dremel. They are eager for feedings that is for sure.


----------



## Sunstar

by the time I wanted to get a pic tonight, everything decided it wanted to close up. so perhaps a pic tomorrow. 

Although I have been playing with my 10 gallon tank for almost 2 years, I have learned MORE in the past 3 or so months than I have learned in the time before. Admittedly, I was using kent marine nano reef supplements, but until I decided to put on the big boy pants (I prefer mens undies) and buy supplements, I had no idea the potential I was missing out on. My little reef has been growing like crazy since I started the stronium, then the calcium + buffer (lets not hit the double g's again) now the dose of iodide since my tests indicate this is low. I have seen changes in my reef. 

My never pretty coloured sps (brown with a pinkish growing tip) has started growing more new points and thicker ones at that. My Chalice seems thicker, richer in colour with a more even green across the surface. My mushrooms and palys are almost out of control! Even the yellow polyps that kept dying off are flourishing. 

Even my mini carpets have decided to double in size before they fission. The new additions, such as my candy cane corals are fattening up. even the blue who got injured by the yellow polyps, recovered and is growing larger and larger. 

Admittedly a few issues still need to be addressed, but time is going on and thigns are going nuts. 

I picked up a bottle of iodide and starting that. decanted some into another bottle for the nano in my bedroom. a drop of iodide in that once a day every day or every other day should meet its needs.


----------



## Sunstar

I said frag it, and tossed the batteries out. I took but one pic yesterday and when I finally setup for my shot this evening, pressed the trigger *change the batteries* you little fraggers, you sat in the charger for 36 hours. I can cry.


----------



## PACMAN

Sunstar, which additive did you find to help the most? 

(was teh flatworm exit a success?)


----------



## Sunstar

not using the exit in main tank yet. too many flatties to get out first. 

Considering I went with te stronium then the calcium with buffer, I saw massive imprivement in the softy growth with the stronium and then the peice of SPS I have really has started to grow rapidly. 

So those two seem to really made a difference. I am adding the iodide so I will soon see what that does. But yeah stronium/molybdenum calcium for the win!


----------



## PACMAN

Sunstar said:


> not using the exit in main tank yet. too many flatties to get out first.
> 
> Considering I went with te stronium then the calcium with buffer, I saw massive imprivement in the softy growth with the stronium and then the peice of SPS I have really has started to grow rapidly.
> 
> So those two seem to really made a difference. I am adding the iodide so I will soon see what that does. But yeah stronium/molybdenum calcium for the win!


cool, thanks!

I think i'll pick up some strontium and monitor the progress!


----------



## Sunstar

it really seemed to make my powder blue anthelia extend. it usually has good extension, but it really seems full and almost 4 inches long each polyp+stalk. the Xenia I got from Carmen is doing wonderfully too.

As I said I was using nano reef s upplemnt but the individuals seem to be MUCH better results for me.


----------



## Sunstar

Portal pics!



























the great devourer says hi!

I got new batteries :3


----------



## Sunstar

Arrgh lost my writing by getting the two windows confused.

Nemesis portal, as this history thread shows started its life in a 10 gallon in june after I discovered serious problems in my 5 gallon (namely leak) After crashing the tank after the move, I had to work to salvage what it was. Not that it was much of anything then.

Nemesis Portal Historical Progression









June 9 2006









August 6 2009









August 25 2009









August 29 2009 (sadly not all frags made it in my tank at the time. but some were amazing.









August 31 2009 (final major rock addition)









September 24 2009









March 29 2010 (not in thread pic)









July 1 2010 (not in thread last pic before the great neglect)









November 3 2010 (after my return and state of neglect)









November 22 2010 (I was starting to dose stronium around the time I got the kenya tree from violet)









December 15 2010









December 19 2010









January 7th 2011

The growth really picked up steam during the last two months after the neglect.


----------



## Kweli

wow, really like the progression. Always wondered how you had such a full looking tank, finally got to see the rock structure behind it...


----------



## Sunstar

a lot of rock. likely too much if I could change it I would reduce the clutter.


----------



## 50seven

Great pics! Thanks for the progression I love too see how it all comes together! I definitely think the most recent picture is the best!


----------



## Sunstar

I just pissed everyone off by shifting the candy cane. It's grown so much that I had to move it more away from the glass. I need a new pair of latex gloves as the cuff tore off mine.


----------



## carmenh

Looks great!


----------



## Will

Those photos are great! I bet between the success and learning from mestakes of this tank, Nemesis Nano has a great chance to be a major competitor in the contests reef group.

Great mix of colour in there.


----------



## Sunstar

nem nano's disadvantage will be the dry rock I used. I'm going through some serious diatom issues right now. some bleaching too (think related to the blue LEDS) I will find its sweet spot. Will, I will try to get you a bit of the black sun, I need to get a dremel saw in order to do so. found the dremel. I'd REALLY like a bit of black sun in the nem nano. So if I get a bit of black sun, save me a bit of gorgon?


----------



## Will

Sunstar said:


> nem nano's disadvantage will be the dry rock I used. I'm going through some serious diatom issues right now. some bleaching too (think related to the blue LEDS) I will find its sweet spot. Will, I will try to get you a bit of the black sun, I need to get a dremel saw in order to do so. found the dremel. I'd REALLY like a bit of black sun in the nem nano. So if I get a bit of black sun, save me a bit of gorgon?


I think Bleaching is usually due to a sudden increase in temperature and or PAR from a change in light. Blue LEDs tend to push very little PAR. It could be a factor, but blues on their own usually don't bleach. I have a couple mothor colonies of the purple gorg, i intend on giving one to a friend. I will save the other for you and will trade you for a head of black sun when you are ready.


----------



## Sunstar

could be heat, I was having heat issues. been much cooler now since I got a decent working fan. light change could be it too. could be all of the above. Not that that particular bit of coral ever had decent colouration. I'll go find a diamond blade or something robust. Black Suncoral is as hard as antler. it's not like other stuff that's brittle. It's REAL tough stuff.


----------



## Sunstar

starry eyed and a lefthanded hermit to find their homes in here.


----------



## Sunstar

Some corals grab hold of bare naked places as quick as it can, such as the powder blue anthelia. A periwinkle died and boy did it go funky (did a waterchanget his morning) but it must have been in the softies long enough for a bit to attach. The reason this is interesting is because a hermit crab is now wearing the s hell of the periwinkle and is hauling itself around with a bit of the attached powder blue. I was wondering what the hell it was I could see under the rock near the back.


----------



## Sunstar

back during the great neglect my poor ricordia when white. I dropped it ot a lower level and it just didn't do anything happy. it let go of its rock, so I moved it into the nano. Prognosis is dire. But.. always a chance  

I removed one of my strangely brown SPS coral frags ot the nem nano too. It's well established on a chunk of shell. I made it durning the neglect, and almost lost it in the neglect. it perked up, encrusted the shell and seems to be doing fine.


----------



## Sunstar

took two pics this evening









Left handed hermit.









I fed this about 30 minutes before.


----------



## Kweli

taking really good care of those suncorals, they look great.

Mine come out during the daytime when I feed now (only have 2 heads though)


----------



## Sunstar

I plan to frag off a couple heads. but it's producing mor eheads. I just need the dremel blade. It gets a feeding every evening befor elights out. I can get it to take food any time of day if I prime it right.


----------



## Ciddian

Yay suncorals are happah! 

LOL the crab is the best. <3


----------



## Sunstar

they are realllly happy. well fed. my starry eyed hermit moulted (she's in another tank) I showed the moult to my husband he frowned. thought she was dead. pointed out the empty eye stalks then picked up the shell she wasl iving ina nd she zooped back in.


----------



## PACMAN

Just did flatworm exit yesterday..... it didnt do much damage on my flatworm population 


I did see a lot dead, but theres still a bunch more. I guess I have to do it again with a strong dose to get them once and for all?


----------



## Sunstar

I am going to do a second dose too. I intend to get out the shells andthings they might be hiding in and dose that seprately.


----------



## Sunstar




----------



## PACMAN

Sunstar said:


>


Awwww

lol


----------



## Sunstar

that brings a whole new meaning to finger food...

here's the other one. sbhe's sifting through the sand:


----------



## Kweli

Did you buy a new camera? You went from having problems charging batteries to coming out with nice closeups.


----------



## Sunstar

I bought new batteries :3


----------



## BettaBeats

what is that fuzzy pink crab called? great colours and nice blue eyes.


----------



## Sunstar

She's a Starry-eyed Hermit. Well I call her a s he. She could be a he.


----------



## 50seven

Sunstar said:


> took two pics this evening
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Left handed hermit.


Looks like he's gonna go tobogganing with one of those saucer things. Yee haw!

Congrats on the new batteries, LOL! Your pics are coming out real nicely now!!


----------



## Sunstar

I have more time to play with settings now. before I'd get it set just right and "change batteries" popped up.


----------



## Sunstar

black sun was fragged. I cut a branch off so it'll be easier to feed in the 10 gallon. the branch went to the nano. Damned s ucker stung me again. But hydrocortizione is your friend.


----------



## Sunstar

My poor blue candy cane coral has been constantly harassed by my crabs (as in knocked over repeatedly) and a bit of damage done. I am having to move t he poor thing to my 2 gallon until I can find some decent putty to attach it somewhere. or else, if it likes it in my 2 it could stay there....


----------



## uslanja

Just read all the way through, nice chronicle!! Your tank looks amazing!!


----------



## Sunstar

My starry eyed hermit has moved into yet another larger shelll. I am gonna have to go buy her some more. I offered her a larger house tonight and she eagerly moved in. She's moved house twice in just around a month.


----------



## acer

glad the hermits are doing well... where are you getting the shells? I need to find a new one for my lefty and blues


----------



## Sunstar

I had a load kicking around, I bought a bunch from the dollar store for the lefties. I need to check them out to see if they have more + larger. I even threw in some empty assassin snail shells too.


----------



## Will

I also have shells to share and trade. 

When we meet soon I can bring some, or if you are around you can come choose some at will.

acer too.


----------



## Sunstar

the other hermit moved shells. too I thought she might. she seemed interested in the starry eye's shell. so the additional shells went down well. I must say these hermits are growing FAST.

I was told it takes skill to kill a mushroom coral. I managed to kill 4 of 6 I had, they bleached and fell off their rocks to end up primus only knows where in my tank. Well while feeding my suns I was shooting some noms at the devourer and his cave, and spotted, what I think is a new mushroom like the ones I had lost hiding in the shadows. It looks pretty good, seems like these shrooms like low light and the light I had before might have been too bright. So hoping that my little mushrooms perk up and start to grow. I was sad to have lost so many.

My ricordia was also severely bleached. Not sure she will ever recover. I moved her ot my pico where she disappeared, but I found her recently hanging out in a crevice of the rock. She seems to hide in and out of it and has been more "active" since, so perhaps there is hope there. 

Gorgonian in both tanks is not doing very hot. Not sure I have the right setup for it.


----------



## acer

Sunstar said:


> Gorgonian in both tanks is not doing very hot. Not sure I have the right setup for it.


hopefully they survive until you get the LEDs going. assuming they are photosynthetic gorgs...



Will Hayward said:


> I also have shells to share and trade.
> 
> When we meet soon I can bring some, or if you are around you can come choose some at will.
> 
> acer too.


I might take you up on that.


----------



## Sunstar

they aren't the photosynth type. I try to give them small stuffs, like phyto or a mix of fine foods like golden pearls 5-50 microns and whatnot. The tippies keep receeding. and one small branch was lost due to it falling against another coral. I feel really bad I am failing miserably at this.


----------



## Sunstar

large collony of soft corals just melted. I did a 30% waterchange with another to follow as soon as my mix is ready. Looks like it got my cold :/


----------



## conix67

Sunstar said:


> large collony of soft corals just melted. I did a 30% waterchange with another to follow as soon as my mix is ready. Looks like it got my cold :/


Which type did this occur to? I've had similar experience with Xenia species.


----------



## Sunstar

xenia species. Powder blue anthelia. huge colony that's been living with shrooms I think just did the Brown Jelly.


----------



## sig

Very nice. What is on the back wall? I like it

*100% free webcam site! | Awesome chicks and it is absolutely free! | Watch free live sex cam - easy as 1-2-3*


----------



## conix67

Sunstar said:


> xenia species. Powder blue anthelia. huge colony that's been living with shrooms I think just did the Brown Jelly.


Same thing happened to me a long time ago. The blue anthelia was spreading like there's no tomorrow, one day I wished it would stop because it was overtaking everything in the tank. Funny thing is that it did stop, and there are some patches still left but mostly gone now.


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## 50seven

The colony you gave me grew kind weird too. I moved it a few times, and usually takes a week to get used to a new location. At one point it almost withered away for some completely unknown reason, but now it's back and spreading, even to other rocks in the tank. My corals really stated to kick off once I reduced the flow in my tank and started dosing Kent Marine Essential Elements.


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## Will

The second batch of this coral you gave me is doing very well, much better than the first.

Hope you're feeling better?


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## Sunstar

Bad things happened this summer. Likely due to my injury and just not being able to do what I needed to do. Bad leg, can't carry buckets across the room. did what I could. Summer heat ballsed up both tanks but my 10 gallon, oddly, suffered the worst. Most of my corals were lost, (black sun still hanging in there.) trochus, astria and the great devourer and hermits were fine. 

The 2 gallon has survivors of the 10 gallon's coral populaiton. I will try ot reintroduce when I get the slaggin thing to stop getting messed. 

I am gonna try the oceanic protine skimmer. See if that helps. dunno. Might be time to retire that tank and start the other one >.> I'd put the great devourer in my 2, but the carpets might devour him.


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## Sunstar

long story short, bad things did happen. I basically only have live rock, a few fireworms and perhaps a couple peanuts.

I drained it today, took teh rock out, rearranged rock and refilled.

I am not so sure I will make it a reef tank this time, I may see if macro algae will survive under hte current lights, and perhaps go either a mantis only or a great devourer again. I am thinking a fish of some sort. 

I am just waiting for the water to clear.


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## Sunstar

No life, but I have been cleaning it.

I drained it again recently, took everything out, took the tank and replaced it then put everything back. This arrangement is more open - easier to get to clean the sides. Having a hair algae issue. Fireworms are chowing at it too.

Currently I do not have light to sustain corals so I may go dendros and a fish or two. Itr was running neglected for two years, it is now being maintained again, Some rock is mature, some has been replaced to make for a roomier setup. Also the HOB fuge still has the sand in it untouched - although I have reduced the rubble.

crappy cell pic 









all the lights need bulbs replacing.


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## Sunstar

Currently I am still managing the algae issue in this tank, and I think the problem with the hair is about to come to a natural end. 

The bloom likely has been the result of stiring up the stuff after 2.5 years of neglect. Also added to the tank recently was macro algae that had "insect" life on it, so the tank is absolutely teaming with small things all over the rocks, up the glass on the algae, assuming to be eating it. I have also seen bristle worms in and out of the rocks munching away.

I found some clear dead zones where detritus gathers, so I will be adressing it soon with a pump, after a quick little vac and some filter floss in the refugium. 

My first addition of lifeforms will be that of hermit crabs and snails.Mostly to assist in the clearing of algae, although I have noticed a macro starting to grow that looks like a sort of nail "T " shape. I am gonna identify it. 

I need to do something about the lights soon.


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## Sunstar

Not much to add to this thread other than added snails and they have taken care of the algae issue - interestingly a tiny ball anemone survived the terrible neglect. The tiny nem has been m oved to the 1.5 tank. I only noticed it when a nassarius snail nudged it and recoiled.


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## Sunstar

Nemesis Portal Nano now has brand new bulbs over it. 

I can now get a few frags in there - I don't have much unfortunately sooooo GSP I suppose is a great start. 

T5HO 24 watt 10k and Actinic

This means my frag tank is now in the works. The frag tank is about 6.2 gallons if I got the measurements right. It was originally a 10 gallon tank, but that tank had a huge break near the top, so I cut it down. I'll start a frag tank thread when I get some egg crate and a spot to put my lights.


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