Myka's 90 gallon build & 3 province move (Pics Feb 6)

[Myka]

Thanks guys!! I got both the Gorg and the Teardrop Maxima for reeeeeeeeeally good prices at The Reef Shoppe.

Well, I finally finished the plumbing today!!! Imagine that! It only took 4 1/2 months. *gasp* Scary part is that the tank is full, so if the plumbing leaks it's going to be a PITA. Oh yes, I like to do things the hard way. I'm mixing up more water now, so if I'm brave I will get it going tonight, but my reasoning says I should wait until the weekend. So far bravery is winning.

I'm not happy with my bulbs right now...the PlusRite 20Ks really lack pizazz. They are bland looking. I'm tossing around the idea of trying out some XM 20Ks or Phoenix 14K. Ugh...expensive decision to possibly not like. I need to replace my T5s too, the AS 17500K and the Fiji Purple have about 8 months on them I think, and I've been switching back and forth between a Giesemann Pure Actinic and a Hagen Glo 18K, both of which probably have 14 months use on them. I can't decide on T5s either. Since my T5s aren't all beside each other (2 are together, the third is on the other side of the MHs) I'm noticing the different colors as stripes along the length of the tank. Since I don't need the PAR from the T5s, I might keep 2 Pure Actinics (prob switch to UVL since I don't like Giesemann), and one Fiji Purple. Ok, just rambling out loud here I guess!!

Anyway...critters are looking good. I got some frags from Coral Master. Very nice!! I will snap some pics once they color up.

Caught the Blue Assessor in his new favourite hideout:

[Myka]

I need to figure out how to get better FTSs. Especially with the halides on...all my FTSs are just T5s. The halides wash the photos out.

The tank is looking like a scrapbook with little pieces everywhere since I started collecting SPS. It should look a lot nicer in a year. Patience fledgling reef.

Here is today's:




I was trying to take a pic of the Gorg with its polyps out:



Purple rim cap I got from The Reef Shoppe:

[lobsterboy]

yup, those caps and gorg are great. that gorg is HUGE.

[hillegom]

I really like that gorg!!
And the clams! Beautiful colouration. What do you feed them Myka?
Thanks

[Myka]

Originally Posted by hillegom

I really like that gorg!!
And the clams! Beautiful colouration. What do you feed them Myka?
Thanks

I appreciate your comments. I don't feed the clams...aside from a couple Zeo products which I think they benefit from; Coral Vitalizer, and Sponge Power. They seem to look after themselves. I bought the Squamy from Red Coral at the end of March when the shell was about 1.5" from end to end, and now it is just a hair under 3" so I think it is doing well. The Maxima I just bought a few weeks ago from The Reef Shoppe. Hummm....I think the clams probably appreciate the fact that I don't have a skimmer or any other type of mechanical or chemical filtration. Maybe I will need to feed them when I turn my skimmer on...?

[mseepman]

Mindy,

The tank is looking great. You've done a wonderful job of making that tank take shape and made some awesome finds. That Gorg is drool worthy.

[Myka]

Cheers Mark!

I took some top downs today just through the water so they aren't that good, but they are kinda perty.

RBTA from The Reef Shoppe:



I know, it's the cap again...but it's so photogenic! The rim glows, especially from top down. Also from The Reef Shoppe:



Acropora squarrosa (?) from Fragalot:


Blue polyp pink birdnest originally from Coral Master, but I got the frag from another reefer.
Aug 16 (a couple weeks after I got it):



Today not much growth, but the color is improving. Polyps are just starting to transition purple-ish. 10 weeks time lapse. Oct 24:




Coral Master's Rainbow Stylo (I got it as a frag from another reefer as well).
Aug 16 (two weeks after I first got it):



Today not much color, but growing like a weed! 10 weeks time lapse. Oct 24: