A new beginning

[wilsontantw]

haha yes 3 feet. SIAN my whole tank now got epidemic! -__- white spot like siao. I think have the catch all my fish and cure and let my tank go fallow for awhile.

Give ur bubble some time. Bubble coral takes a little bit longer than other corals to open up fully. Ur GSP, maybe can try putting it near water flow? or higher towards light. Mine just open str8 away after placing in tank.

I really dunno this GSP thing. It's supposed to be an 'easy' coral, but i never had luck with it.

High flow, low light... low flow, low light...

low flow, high light... high flow, high light...

Here's what i tried doing (after some advice)...

take the GSP rock and try to blow off the dust accumulated on it.

The detritus could be preventing the polyps from opening.

I did that, and now more polyps are opening. However, still not as much as i would expect...

Sigh, dunno lah... now i'm showering it with coral food almost daily... What else is needed for GSP to grow? (anyone?)

[yikai]

dun need to feed it. they photosynthesize. My gsp growing like weed. only 2-3 weeks since i bought it and alot of new polyp growth. Already encroach on my live rock. The coral i have problem with is zoos. suppose to be easy, but i always fail in keeping zoos -.- dam sian dunno why lol. Anyway, give ur GSP some time bah. If conditions are right, should not be a problem. this coral is dam easy...easier than zoos and mush combined lol. Dun keep moving it. will stress it. leave it and give it a few days, maybe a week. if 1 week still not open, then move the thing.

Haiz, i also always throw away lfs water....and i put fish inside betta box. i have no idea where my ich came from. Anyway, if all my fish up lorry (touch wood), then i think i make my tank full LPS tank bah. no need fish lol. Or maybe some super easy fish like chromis...

[peacemaker]

Maybe this will help you to understand the different types of water perimeters and why we need them at the recommended levels.

[yikai]

Maybe this will help you to understand the different types of water perimeters and why we need them at the recommended levels.

i think my perimeters are alright...i can keep most corals alive except zoos. bubble, hammer, torch, GSP, clavularia, suns, mushies... anyway, today my zoos look good! all fully opened up and nice. But my T5 light cant bring out their colours. sad

[raydiative]

rescaping??? tomorrow??? lol.. =]

[peacemaker]

i think my perimeters are alright...i can keep most corals alive except zoos. bubble, hammer, torch, GSP, clavularia, suns, mushies... anyway, today my zoos look good! all fully opened up and nice. But my T5 light cant bring out their colours. sad

The perimeters reference is for bro wilsontantw.

Glad that your zoas are doing better.

[yikai]

oh psps haha

[wilsontantw]

rescaping??? tomorrow??? lol.. =]

Bro, much as i would love to, think i better do it another time.

This thursday is my boys actual full month day. So i better spend time with him.

Furthermore need to prepare for Saturday's party... knew it's not going to be easy thing being a father.

But thanks man, i will still need your help for the rescape. (When we both have time).

[wilsontantw]

Maybe this will help you to understand the different types of water perimeters and why we need them at the recommended levels.

hi bro, thanks so much for the link! It's really helpful. Now i realised that some of my parameters are lower and not higher (or so i was misled by the test kit recommended levels).

One lesson i'd learnt from Marine hobby is... READ!!!! and be PATIENT! these ARE the basic ingredients to successful hobby (not forgetting the ultimate one... MONEY!)

[wilsontantw]

i think my perimeters are alright...i can keep most corals alive except zoos. bubble, hammer, torch, GSP, clavularia, suns, mushies... anyway, today my zoos look good! all fully opened up and nice. But my T5 light cant bring out their colours. sad

i've got mushies (growing new polyps), zoas (growing new polyps)...

but have never made it with GSP, hammer and elegance.

at least for now the GSP is not receding liao... so i think that's 'some' improvement. Just hope i can find out what's wrong with my water parameter (besides the obvious PO4).

[yikai]

i've got mushies (growing new polyps), zoas (growing new polyps)...

but have never made it with GSP, hammer and elegance.

at least for now the GSP is not receding liao... so i think that's 'some' improvement. Just hope i can find out what's wrong with my water parameter (besides the obvious PO4).

Never made it with zoas...my US zoos will be my current benchmark. Last time all zoos die. This US zoos will determine if i REALLY succeed or not.

GSP growing like grass now. encroaching into nearby rocks. Hammer coral now blooming very well. Looks like a rose. Only problem is my torch coral...bought it for 3 days liao still not fully opened. getting worried. I'm going to give it another 1-2 weeks. If still like this, ill give away or sell it lol! scared die. Elegance, don't dare to try. Heard they very hard.... My mushroom...got once i drop the rock. one polyp flew off. landed on another rock and grew into a huge mushroom lol.

Anyway, good luck with ur GSP.... if mine gets too wild, ill scrape them off and give u lol. maybe mine is magic

[wilsontantw]

Update: 30 Jan 2009.

It's almost 1 year since i set up my tank... just wanted a journal to see how far (or how little) i'd done so far.

Most of my existing life stock are still with me. Sold my regal tang. Bought a few more tangs (not too wise for a small tank).

Most corals are still with me too... except some died during the past 3 months of neglect.

Here're some new updates:

Some new purchases:

Green and Orange Yumas (now opening up big big).

Orange about 5 polyps (3 big, 2 small)

Green about 10 polyps (5 big, 5 small)

Another view:

[wilsontantw]

Part of my existing mushies corner (some polyps not opening fully, coz i did some shifting earlier).

Notice there's a very very rare (yellow-golden) mushroom?

Will try to take a proper one under MH tomorrow.

Another view of the mushies corner (this mushie corner is still work-in-progress...

[wilsontantw]

Together with the Orange yuma... came this bunch of unidentified zoas (about 30 polyps of them).

Can some zoas specialists ID them??

In case the lighting doesn't bring out the actual colours:

the skirting is green, the area surrounding the head is purplishly with some white speckles, head is orange.

Seemed like eagle eye - but dun think i'm that 'lucky'.

Some ID would be helpful.

[wilsontantw]

Another rock with a few very special zoas (need ID as well).

Within this rock of maneater zoas, there are some with yellow skirting, area around head is black/dark purple, head is yellow with red spot.

At the top of picture, there 2 polyps that are ALL yellow (close to gold colour).

The whole zoas is yellow in colour... i call them my 'gold zoas'.

[wilsontantw]

Went Irwana earlier today to find some leftovers or see if any cheap sales... (actually there are cheap sale!)

Can't really say how much cheaper, but its really quite a lot of savings!

Today's purchase 4x items.

1) Pretty common by now... cateyes

A couple of polyps opened within 5 mins of introduction to the tank.

[wilsontantw]

An unwanted supersun. There were a couple of dead polyps, but those that are 'alive' are very 'lively'.

Pic is taken 5 mins after introduction to tank also (amazing!)

I would believe this is a 10plus head Super Sun!

[wilsontantw]

Finally, thought i had given up SPS for good, but today's prices for SPS was just too good to resist. bought a couple of left-over Millies.

Top one is purplish with blue 'hairs' and the bottom one is normal green.

Dun have a proper digital camera, so can't do any proper macro shots.

So that's all for today...

Can't make it for Saturday's Prata sale... so gotta wait for the next shipment.

[yikai]

those zoos look like eagle eyes? i have the exact same one. im not sure what its called..

[wilsontantw]

So this is how i setup my fish trap.

When the lights are turned off at night, i quickly set up my fish trap to look like this:

On a closer look: here's what i did:

1) Setup a trap with magnet to hold it wherever i want it to be.

2) Place mirror at the bottom of the trap (this is usually used to trap $aggressive fish).

3) Tie a piece of LR to the trap door.

4) Prevent the trap door from opening by using a toothpick to hold the trap door open.

5) Test the trap door by removing the toothpick and test how fast it closes.

6) Since the trap is set up at night, the fish will not know of it's presence (or so i think)...

7) I placed some nori into the trap, hopefully the fish will be kuku enough to eat it tomorrow morning...

Hopefully this works... (i need to catch: 1 PBrowntang, 1 ruby head wrasse, 3 spotted cardinals, 2 black clown fish)...

Wish me luck...

[yikai]

So this is how i setup my fish trap.

When the lights are turned off at night, i quickly set up my fish trap to look like this:

On a closer look: here's what i did:

1) Setup a trap with magnet to hold it wherever i want it to be.

2) Place mirror at the bottom of the trap (this is usually used to trap $aggressive fish).

3) Tie a piece of LR to the trap door.

4) Prevent the trap door from opening by using a toothpick to hold the trap door open.

5) Test the trap door by removing the toothpick and test how fast it closes.

6) Since the trap is set up at night, the fish will not know of it's presence (or so i think)...

7) I placed some nori into the trap, hopefully the fish will be kuku enough to eat it tomorrow morning...

Hopefully this works... (i need to catch: 1 PBrowntang, 1 ruby head wrasse, 3 spotted cardinals, 2 black clown fish)...

Wish me luck...

good luck i think all will be easy except the cardinals... they usually nocturnal, so eye sight very good. anyway good luck

[wilsontantw]

The trap seems not working too well.

Maybe the fish got smarter.

Anyway, will just wait for a few more days.

Today decided to drop by LFS to buy some NSW... wanted to buy a red prata for CNY, but realised that the red is quite dim maroonish... Or at least those left.

Plus, how to pay more than 2 blue notes plus some red notes... bo pian... so drove around to find some 'cheaper' catch.

Managed to see a few gems... i can't say which LFS, but they had sun corals as big as 2 fists combined. And it's super healthy. Going for less half of the price of the 'red' prata lor.

In order to reward myself for waking up so early for LFSing... i decided to buy some corals...

1) Ultra Luminous Green Open Brain. How do i describe it's colour??? You gotta see it to believe it... now... how do maintain it? Any advice anyone??

It's got a little bluish coloration too.

[wilsontantw]

Blue Mushroom... well, not exactly blue... this is more of cyan colour.

These are still quite stress... one of the polyp dropped out and now it's inside the pile of rocks... lost!

Some visual effect, created by Pablo the Powder Brown Tang.

[wilsontantw]

And the 3rd coral bought today...

A black sun... strangely, it's not the skinny type of sun coral... this one has THICK body stem.

Stem colour is a little black/purplish with lime-green mouth... Not sure about the tentacles though... still waiting for it to open (and tempting it)...

[wilsontantw]

And finally, a little treat for the corals and fish today! (maybe i should make this a weekend thing)...

Does anyone knows how to "DIY sea monkeys"??