daisy's tank thread (a.k.a. the everlasting battle against aptasia...)

[daisy]

Thanks again for the kudos on the aquascaping. i have to admit that i got the idea somewhat from the Fenner book. When i started reading it when it first came out, i was already dreaming of my "dream aquascape." this is pretty much it. How lucky am I???!!!

the answer is - very lucky - to have such an amazing hobby and such a supportive network of friends to help me out!!!! :hug:

the back of the tank is done in a dark-tinted glass, and i thought it was going to be really dark, but with the light i put behind the tank, it just looks like darker but still very much transparent glass...

i agree. need something dark in the background.

 

[bad coffee]

How about using some contact paper?

 

[prattreef]

black contact paper works wonders

 

[daisy]

hmmm... black contact paper. sounds good! where to get black contact paper? I've never seen it before in my life!

 

[LeslieS]

ahh...the Fenner two island triangle approach

Looks great!

 

[daisy]

Thanks, LeslieS! It's a mod on that idea - two islands with a bridge between... I totally did get the idea from Fenner, and I really love it. If i had a much larger tank, i might get more complicated, but for this size, this set-up is perfect for me.

and i have to say that after collecting rocks for all these years, i've got some very cool shapes and textures in there...

now i just have to start covering the rock with coral!!!!

 

[daisy]

...post frag-swap pics...

in the lower right corner of the tank I'm developing a garden of Zoas and rics. I need a new camera for this stuff - the colors are simply not well-represented.

possibly the sand is too white, and I do not know how to use my camera to compensate for that? hmmm...

 

[daisy]

...possibly my new favorite coral - a duncan from House of Fish... found in lower left corner for now, at any rate...

 

[1UCKY]

Looks nice!

 

[daisy]

This frogspawn frag is from the swap, but the coral next to it I picked up a few weeks ago and I don't remember what it's called... help?

 

[zahner]

hey lady, lookin good

 

[NYreefNoob]

those are nice, and with all that coraline i think you can handle that elkhorn, is that evs sand ?

 

[daisy]

...so the aptasia battle is one waged daily, but it is getting better. bubble algae, on the other hand, seems to be coming back

but I got a wonderful hitchhiker from a blasto from the swap - a nice emerald crab -- hopefully he has a taste for bubble algae!!!!

so here's the latest full tank shot... (before i noticed that the powerheads had fallen off the wall again... don't worry - i've fixed that!)

 

[NYreefNoob]

really looks nice, looks like you took your time and created what you were after

 

[daisy]

you guys are FAST!!!!

Thanks - I can't take any credit for the corals yet - i hope they thrive!

The coralline is thanks to the fact that most of my rocks are about 8 years in my system... I hope the elkhorn does great! It did not photograph well by itself, but it looks nice. I might glue it in place soon - for now it is just placed carefully...

it is evs sand, and i have to say that while it looks blinding in the pics, it is half blinding, half purple... and still it is too white to photograph!!!

my only regret is that i'm never home to see the tank when it's lit up. I got home tonight after the actinics had shut off. I turned them back on to take these pics - i couldn't bear to wait another day!

my ultimate goal is a mixed reef with very few fishes - the kind of place i'd want to find underwater and just sit on the bottom and look at closely.... a few more years and i might have exactly what I want.

 

[House of Laughter]

Daisy, looks nice - that duncan is awesome.

BTW, the small green coral is a hydnophora.

House

 

[daisy]

thanks, Jim!

The Duncan is the star of the tank - it just doesn't know it yet... more like I just haven't put it in its final home yet - but dear LORD it is sweet!!!!!

i also need an ID on this one --

 

[masterswimmer]

Wow, how fast your reef is growing, maturing and looking so beautiful. White balance is a difficult thing to master. I know, because I stink at it. I'm sure the colors are great. Can't wait to see it in person.

swimmer

 

[daisy]

...dinner time!!!!

 

[daisy]

...it finally opened up - my new fav zoa...

PINK!!!

(btw, I asked Dr. Mac what kind of zoa this is and he looks at me and deadpan says, "pink" like I'm a moron.....)