Sniperhank's UPGRADED 55 gal Build

[paul87]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

Went out to simply get some mysis as I ran out. Came back with some and rotifiers. Add an elk antler for my dog and things are getting interesting. Then...a 'moonstone' coral and a oulophyllia. Odd considering the oulophyllia is called a moonstone...but the moonstone looks like it is a frag of a worm brain to me. Busy screwing with my Radion schedule so not to murder these beauties. One thing I am going to do as well with the Radions is take out the red.

Don't think Ive heard of a moonstone, cant wait to see it! Pics soon?

[Sniperhank]

A couple of pictures from my day and the two of the new coral...though blues are on and it is hard to see anything.
Gorgeous beta that was in a planted tank at my LFS

Two guys craving starfish

'Moonstone' in the middle.

And the other guy

[paul87]

Nice looking pieces from what I can tell. The last one a blasto? That is a very colorful betta and I love the harlequins. Thoroughly enjoying mine.

[Sniperhank]

No, it is an oulophyllia. I'll never remember the name of it. Also known as a moon coral. Usually mistaken for brain corals. Not a piece I'm that familiar with, in all honesty. Saw it and snatched it up after some quick reading.

[paul87]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

No, it is an oulophyllia. I'll never remember the name of it. Also known as a moon coral. Usually mistaken for brain corals. Not a piece I'm that familiar with, in all honesty. Saw it and snatched it up after some quick reading.

Ohh, very cool. I probably would've had to snatch it up too. Corals I've never heard of or seen peak alot of interest to me if you know what I mean. Nice find.

[skywhitney]

Tank is looking good man! Sorry to hear about the losses due to vermetids, thats rough.

[Sniperhank]

Just a quick water change day update. Was able to swing into my local Ace and grab some Loctite gel. Needless to say, I should be vermetid snail free at this point after the purge of the giant birds nest and now gluing 7 inside their shells.

[paul87]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

Just a quick water change day update. Was able to swing into my local Ace and grab some Loctite gel. Needless to say, I should be vermetid snail free at this point after the purge of the giant birds nest and now gluing 7 inside their shells.

LOL. Payback!

[Sniperhank]

Put an order in for an epic ton of snails. Also going to give mangroves a try again, just because I can. When I get home from work tonight it'll be another round of 'find the vermetid'. Got another one this morning. Just watching for webs and am sure there are more hiding in my trumpet coral, which is where they came in from to begin with.

[Sniperhank]

Snails came yesterday and were acclimated. Put 3 of the mangroves in the overflow and 2 in the sump. Want them to be in a controlled area while I wait for them to start to root.

[Sniperhank]

Things are going pretty well it appears. The increased flow in the tank has stopped the cyano from smothering things on the one side...don't recall if I mentioned putting one of the old koralia's on the back of the tank or not.
The coral I brought home from Petco colored up nicely. It doesn't appear to have blue 'eyes' anymore, but are greenish and the brown has turned a nice red. An interesting comparison next to my war coral. I'll have to try to get some pictures on my days off, wife allowing of course The only thing that I'd like to do is give it some space, it and the chalice on the rack beside it might not be friends as there is a small spot whitening on the side near it.

[paul87]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

Things are going pretty well it appears. The increased flow in the tank has stopped the cyano from smothering things on the one side...don't recall if I mentioned putting one of the old koralia's on the back of the tank or not.
The coral I brought home from Petco colored up nicely. It doesn't appear to have blue 'eyes' anymore, but are greenish and the brown has turned a nice red. An interesting comparison next to my war coral. I'll have to try to get some pictures on my days off, wife allowing of course The only thing that I'd like to do is give it some space, it and the chalice on the rack beside it might not be friends as there is a small spot whitening on the side near it.

Good to hear!

[mr_X]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

Things are going pretty well it appears. The increased flow in the tank has stopped the cyano from smothering things on the one side...don't recall if I mentioned putting one of the old koralia's on the back of the tank or not.
The coral I brought home from Petco colored up nicely. It doesn't appear to have blue 'eyes' anymore, but are greenish and the brown has turned a nice red. An interesting comparison next to my war coral. I'll have to try to get some pictures on my days off, wife allowing of course The only thing that I'd like to do is give it some space, it and the chalice on the rack beside it might not be friends as there is a small spot whitening on the side near it.

Check them out at night when the lights go out. Chalices can whip out 4" sweepers.

[Sniperhank]

A slow day for me after working 16.5 hours yesterday. Figured since I had to feed, clean the glass, and eventually look at the skimmer again, I'd take some pictures.
To show off the damage of large vermetid snails


Looking for thoughts of solving the issue of algae growing on my acan skeleton

Blue Symphodium opening up for the day

The unknown red macro algae that loves to grow. I've broken pieces off time and time again now.

The color morphing of zoas

Zoa island

The damage of my remaining plate coral

The chalice...totally forgot what kind since I'm no chalice expert, think hollywood stunner

The frag I got from Petco all colored up. I think worm brain

My dueling duncans

Carpet anemone

[paul87]

That nem looks good. Do you have a picture of those vermetid snail you had or maybe a link to one that looks like the ones you had? I looked them up and seen several different types. Just curious. I have plenty of tube worms and things in my tank, just though I should defiantly be on the lookout ya know.

[Sniperhank]

I didn't take any pictures of them this time, but somewhere in the thread there is a picture of one I removed that tube was several inches long. Think it was over the summer.

[Sniperhank]

Oh, I should also say I am seeing an improvement in color since dropping the intensity and red out of the Radions. Really pleased about that. 3 more vermethid snails glued shut on the trumpet. This is the only place I've been finding them. Simply following the webs they shoot out and it has been really effective.

[paul87]

Thats good, glad tank I improving. I didn't realize that they got that size!

[Sniperhank]

Most don't. I just got some that are a real pain. I have the small ones that I don't even notice until I accidentally break one off with my arm when I'm working in the tank.

[Sniperhank]

Maintenance day. Cleaned out the skimmer, which wasn't working right again, the reactor, and of course water change. I changed out the Purigen and GFO...which was replaced by ChemiPure Elite. Simply because it was easier for me. As for the Purigen, that stuff was all through the sponges. My The Bag's are MIA, so I am trying out panty hose. This system is really being held together by all the panty hose that I run on it for filtration and preventing salt creep.