Lisa's Reef
  • Home
  • About
  • System Details
  • Livestock
  • Tank Diary
  • Full Tank Shots
  • Previous tanks
  • Links
  • Contact

Do you believe in ghosts?

1/12/2020

0 Comments

 
In a further attempt to raise my nitrate levels I decided to add a few more fish to the tank. I was watching a video posted on social media by my LFS and spotted that they had some Ghost Cardinalfish (Zoramia leptacantha) in stock. I have rather fancied trying these fish ever since I saw a large group of them in a tank at the Horniman Museum in 2019, whilst they are not really showy, they do have the most incredible blue eyes. I checked that they were still available and the shop kindly allowed me to pay for them over the phone and pick them up outside which was perfect for me.

The recommended minimum number of Cardinals to add to any tank is five so that's what I purchased. On introduction it didn't take long for Sunny the Sunburst Anthias to decide that he did not like these fish at all (there's always someone/something that has to play up whenever I add something new!). One of the new fish became separated from the rest and ended up trapped in the top right hand corner of the tank where it was repeatedly harassed by the Anthias. The rest were chased as well but they had safety in numbers. I kept mentally willing the solitary fish to go and join his brothers and sisters but he just couldn't pluck up the courage to move. After a while, when I could bear it no longer, and I shooed the solitary fish over to the others with a net. Now it was five against one, much better odds. The Anthias continued to chase the group but they just scattered briefly before shoaling together again so no damage was done.

Here they are sticking together on the day of introduction.
Picture
23rd November 2020.
They didn't eat anything on the first day and didn't seem keen to eat on the second day either so I tried adding some live copepods. They loved these and that seemed to give them the boost to try frozen food later on and they haven't looked back since. In fact I have since discovered that these fish love to eat, they love to eat a LOT! In fact they are like little piranhas. I use a pipette to target feed some of my fish and they very quickly learnt to associate that with food and crowd around it whenever it enters the water. It's refreshing to have some fish that are not finicky with food but the downside is it's made it trickier to feed some of the more shy fish. I can't really win, lol.

It's been just over a week now since they were added and they don't tend to keep together as much any more. Three of them swim together in front of the big gorgonian, one hangs out above the A. hyacinthus and the last one swims round the back. They all come together however when it's feeding time. They look fantastic under the LED lights, the blue around the eyes really seems to light up and the scales look like they have been dipped in silver. Sunny the Anthias still chases them every now and again especially at feeding time but the Cardinals don't seem to care one bit, they just dart out of the way and resume whatever they were doing two seconds later.

All in all I've been very pleased to add these fish, in hindsight I wish I'd added more than five now. I hope that I have a mix of males and females and they settle enough to start breeding. Fingers crossed.
Picture
1st December 2020.
0 Comments

ICP analysis etc.

14/11/2020

0 Comments

 
I received the results of my second ICP analysis yesterday. Cobalt and Aluminium are still elevated but there is a little less than before so maybe the TMC eco rock has stopped leeching or is a least leeching less now, time will tell. The nutrient levels are still low despite my feeding a ton of food and dosing extra nitrate. I have been seeing a little bit of green cyano on the rocks and the sand is looking a bit greener too. I'm still debating whether I should do anything about it or just wait and see. I'll probably just wait and see. Oh and I have been plucking out tiny bits of Ulva from the sand (mainly) whenever I see them, grrr! I'm resigned to have to keep doing this from now on. 

The sun coral has christened the new rock, the first baby is coming along nicely.
Picture
25th July 2020.
The baby Trochus snails are doing really well.  I've been moving any that I find in the sump over to the refugium. The refugium needs cleaning and they are better off in there, I want to avoid the scenario where they get crushed by an impeller or jam up my X-filter. I have discovered some in the DT too which I'm surprised about, I thought that they would all have been wrasse food but I guess they are able to hide well enough to avoid such a fate. They do blend in with the rockwork extremely well.
Picture
The Coco worm continues to do surprisingly well, it has extended its tube even more now. Kylie the Pink Streaked wrasse is keeping a beady eye on it for me.
Picture
I'm also pleased to report that the Menella gorgonian appears to be doing great now. It's finally decided to pop out another branch at the base, woo hoo! Unfortunately I can't get it to completely recover the sections that lost some flesh earlier on because hair algae has taken a hold. It's only possible to see the algae when the polyps are fully retracted but it does annoy me no end. When the algae grows long enough a hermit comes along and gives it a trim which I appreciate.
Picture
Unfortunately the Rei Yellow wrasse seems to have taken a bit of a disliking to Jessie the Rainford's goby, I have no idea as to why; a dominance thing maybe. There is no chasing or actual fighting but a fair amount of posturing goes on between the two. When they meet they both fully flare their fins and engage in some sort of a staring contest, Jessie may be the smaller fish but he stands his ground. Rei had better watch his step because if it comes to a choice he'll be the one to go. Catching him would be the issue...
Picture
A quick pic of Sunny the Sunburst Anthias.
Picture
0 Comments

Life at last

7/11/2020

0 Comments

 
Once the cycle was complete (fingers crossed it was) I switched on the light (I say light because at that time I only had the one unit up and running at that time) to encourage the growth of diatoms. By day 34 the tank looked like this:
Picture
Picture
I decided it was time to add some clean up crew and a fish. I'd spent a lot of time thinking about what to add as a first fish and I emailed several shops asking about special ordering fish but only one bothered to reply to my query, very disappointing. In the end I decided to go with whatever was available in the shops. We visited two different places and I ended up with 5 black foot Trochus, 5 teeny tiny hermits, a conch and a Sunburst (aka Fathead) Anthias. The anthias settled in a treat and is a really lovely fish. To begin with he hung out at the darker end of the tank (the side without the light) which is pretty much as I expected but after a week or so began exploring the whole tank. The snails and crabs got to work on the algae straight away, I did sadly lose one of the Trochus after 11 days but the rest were fine.
Picture
6th April 2020
Since the fish and CUC seemed to be doing fine I decided to try transferring over a few tester corals from the Reefer. I decided to move over a couple of the gorgonians first, both have been severely shaded by other corals for a long time and deserved a break plus if they didn't make it I wouldn't be overly upset about it. Anyway as it happened they were totally fine, bulletproof it seems, and are loving basking in some good light again. The Plexaurella was quite bleached (and a bit deformed too) but is looking much happier now. The Muricea is hidden at the back of the tank but is also looking much improved. I know that gorgonians are not everyones cup of tea but I really like how they sway about in the current.
Picture
6th April 2020
Once it became clear that the gorgonians were not going to keel over and die I decided to press on with a few more transfers especially since the second lighting unit had arrived and been hung. I was also starting to feel a bit of pressure by the rest of the family to just get it done already. I keep having to remind them that slow and steady wins the race.  This time I chose to move a couple of more accessible corals, ie the ones not actually welded to the rockwork. The Heliofungia (plus shrimp) and, gulp, the Scolymia. I was particularly nervous about moving the Heliofungia in case Milo, the resident shrimp, decided to jump off and vanish into the rock-work or be eaten by a hungry fish! I needn't have worried Milo was not going to leave his home no matter what, wherever the coral went he was determined to go too, phew!
Picture
6th April 2020
I wouldn't say that the Helio or Scoly are entirely happy in their new home, they are not as expanded as they were in the old tank. I'm hoping that they are just adjusting to the different lighting and/or the reduced nutrient levels. I hope that they will settle given a bit of time.
Picture
6th April 2020
0 Comments

    Author

    Hi, my name is Lisa and I live in Derby, UK. I am a self-confessed reefaholic!

    Archives

    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016

    Categories

    All
    Acanthastrea
    Acropora
    Acropora Echinata
    Acropora Gomezi
    Acropora Hyacinthus
    Acropora Loripes
    Aiptasia
    Aiptasia RX
    Aiptasiax
    Algae
    Algaebarn
    Alkalinity
    Allogalathea Elegans
    Alpheus Rubromaculatus
    Ammonia
    Amphipod
    Anclyomenes Venustus
    Anthias
    Apogon Parvulus
    Ascidian
    Asexual Reproduction
    Asterina
    Astralium
    ATI Carbo EX
    ATI ICP OES
    ATI ICP-OES
    ATU
    Balanophyllia
    Ball Anemone
    Barnacles
    Beach Bum Montipora
    Beamswork EVO
    Berghia
    Bivalve
    Blackbarred Goby
    Black Sun Coral
    Blistering
    Brightwell NeoNitro
    Brittlestar
    Bruun's Cleaner Shrimp
    Budding
    Caulerpa
    Cerith
    Chaetomorpha
    Chaetopterid Worm
    Chilli Coral
    Chlorodiella Nigra
    Ciliate
    Cirrhilabrus Isosceles
    Clam
    Clapping Shrimp
    Clibanarius Tricolor
    Cobalt
    Coco Worm
    Colpomenia Sinuosa
    Commensal Shrimp
    Conch
    Conductivity
    Copepods
    Coral
    Coral Crab
    Coralline
    Court Jester Goby
    Cowrie
    Crab
    Crab Trap
    Cucumber
    Cuprisorb
    Cyanobacteria
    Cyphastrea
    D-D Reef-pro 1200
    DD Reef Pro 1200
    DD Titanium Heater
    Deltec SC 1351
    Dendrophyllia
    Diatoms
    Dinoflagellates
    Dipping Corals
    Ecdysis
    Eggs
    Egg Sac
    Elos
    Emerald Crab
    Equipment Failure
    Euplotes
    Fathead Anthias
    Fauna Marin Skim Breeze
    Favia
    First Birthday
    Fish
    Flatworm
    Foraminifera
    Fragging
    FTS
    Gate Valve
    GHL Doser 2.1
    GHL Profilux 4
    Ghost Cardinalfish
    Glass
    Glass Bubble
    Goby
    Goniopora
    Gorgonian
    Graceful Shrimp
    Green Tentacled Corallimorph
    Hair Algae
    Halichoeres Chrysus
    Haliptilon
    Helfrichs Firefish
    Heliofungia
    Hermit Crab
    Heteropsammia Cochlea
    Hitchhiker
    Holothuria Hilla
    Homotrema Rubrum
    Iodine
    Iron
    Isis Hippuris
    Kessil H80 Tuna Flora
    KH
    Koumansetta Rainfordi
    LED
    Leptogorgia Chilensis
    Leucosia Sp.
    Live Rock
    Lobophyllia
    Lotilia Graciliosa
    Lybia Sp.
    MACNA
    Mail Order Corals
    Maldives
    Marginopora Vertebralis
    Menella
    Mexican Turbo
    Microscopy
    Mithraculus Sculptus
    Mitras LX7
    Monetaria Annulus
    Montipora
    Moulting
    Mouth Brooding
    Muricea Elongata
    Mussel
    Mysid Shrimp
    Nassarius
    Nemateleotris Helfrichi
    NeoPhos
    Nephthyigorgia
    Nerita Sp
    Nitrate
    Nitrite
    Non Photosynthetic
    Non-photosynthetic
    NT Labs Anti-Aiptasia
    Nudibranch
    One And Only
    Ostreopsis Sp
    Oxypora
    Pale Corals
    Pebble Crab
    Petrolisthes Galathinus
    PH
    Phosphate
    Pink Streaked Wrasse
    Pinnigorgia
    Pintail Wrasse
    Plexaurella
    Pocillopora Eydouxi
    Pom Pom Crab
    Porcelain Crab
    Possum Wrasse
    Potassium
    Power Cut
    Priolepsis Nocturna
    Protula Bispiralis
    Pseudocheilinops Ataenia
    Pyramid Snails
    Rainford's Goby
    Random Flow Generator
    Rapid Tissue Necrosis
    Red Bugs
    Red Dragon Acropora
    Redox
    Red Spot Cardinalfish
    Red Spotted Goby
    Red Spotted Pistol Shrimp
    Red Striped Goby
    Reefer 170
    Reefloat
    Reef Primer
    Reeftops
    Reefworks
    Refractometer
    Refugium
    Reverse Bleeding Apple
    Ring Cowry
    Roller Filter
    Rotifer
    Rowaphos
    RO Water
    RTN
    Rusting
    Sabellidae Sp
    Sand
    Scolymia
    Second Birthday
    Seriatopora Hystrix
    Serranocirrhitus Latus
    Shrimp
    Sicce Syncra SDC 6.0
    Siporax
    Sipunculid Peanut Worm
    Skimmer
    Slow Tissue Necrosis
    Snail
    Snorkelling
    Spawning
    Spherasorb
    Spiny Astrea
    Spirorbid Worms
    Sponge
    SpongExcel
    Spotted Mandarin
    Squat Lobster
    Stomatella
    Strontium
    Stylophora
    Sump
    Sunburst Anthias
    Sun Coral
    Sweeper Tentacles
    Sycon Sponge
    Symbiotic Pair
    Synchiropus Picturatus
    Tank Cycle
    Tank Upgrade
    Tank Views
    Tegastes Acroporanus
    Temperature
    Third Birthday
    Tigertail Cucumber
    Tigropus
    Time-lapse
    Tin
    Tisbe Biminiensis
    TMC EcoReef Rock
    Tomiyamichthys Nudus
    Top Down Photos
    Trapezia Cymodoce
    Tridacna Crocea
    Tridacna Maxima
    Trimma Cana
    Trimma Rubromaculatus
    Triton ICP OES
    Triton ICP-OES
    Trochus
    Trochus Babies
    Trochus Spawning
    Tropic Marin Balling Salts
    Tropic Marin Reef Mud
    Tubastrea
    Tubastrea Micrantha
    Tube Worm
    Ultra-reef Akula 160
    Ultrareef Akula 160
    Ulva
    Urocaridella Antonbruunii
    Valonia
    Venus Anemone Shrimp
    Video
    Vilamendhoo
    Walking Dendro
    Wetmorella Tanakai
    Whitecap Goby
    X Filter 1.0
    Yellow Wrasse
    YouTube
    Zoanthids
    Zoanthids Agarve
    Zoanthids King Midas
    Zoanthids Red Tuxedo
    Zoanthids Sunny D
    Zoanthids Utter Chaos
    Zoanthids Wango Tango
    Zoa Pox
    Zoramia Leptacantha

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • About
  • System Details
  • Livestock
  • Tank Diary
  • Full Tank Shots
  • Previous tanks
  • Links
  • Contact