Dee's Happy Place

[deetu]

Update
Added another clown fish, two firefish (wish I got a third for their schooling) some snails. I went to ACC. It's an pretty cool place. You get discounts when you tell them the internet prices of stuff you want (quoted $30 for my mocha clown until I asked about it being $17.99 on line... and it went down to $15 while I was there checking other prices lol). But I was disappointed they didn't have sexy or peppermint shrimp, a royal gramma or larger nassarius snails... there were only two small ones left. (They did have a lot of frags... even brought more out while I was there.) And they forgot to put the hermit crabs in the bag (know I overfeed so needed the scavengers and have hair algae growing).
Wish places were closer or shipping for little things were cheaper but live is live so all the same I understand.

Meet Mocha and Chino... who instantly bonded and love each other.

Sally and Molly

Yes, that's a bubblebee snail, got a few. I saw a hitchhiker brittle starfish hiding in the rocks too
Still looking for some blue ochtodes macro... hint hint

 

[deetu]

Okay, so one firefish wasn't looking too good... next morning realized it was getting picked on by the other. The guy at ACC said they would be fine together when I double checked with him. Doing research, they say they school in the wild but are very territorial to own when in tank. So, I was going to bring him back to the store and take my losses but then the SOB grabbed ahold of one of my clownfish and either broke or dislocated it's jaw! Can't return now. Only hope is that the shy one realizes the mean one can't bite anymore and the mean one can still eat...

 

[deetu]

ARRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!

So my least favorite thing is green... Okay, okay, I'm know for my paintings with green marsh grass but in my house... The last owner had moss green walls inside and I painted it a beachy blue that brightened it all up. Even outside I painted the trim and doorways white to cover that dark green. The fascia is still dark green but I'm hoping that will be a nice blue in future.



Anyway, back to my frustration. I planned the tank out. I bought what I thought was pink and purple coraline encrusted live rock that turned out to be the artificial colored rock. The fish store gave me some pink to seed the tank and I should have crushed it but I put it here and there in the tank thinking it would take. I got the pretty red graciliaria and hoping to get the blue ochtodes.

BUT it looks like I have GREEN coraline started instead! Florescent no less! Must have been on the live rock.

At least it's a green that doesn't clash with the maroon... sigh

I do have hair algae growing (remember they forgot to give me the hermits) but I have hermits and a captive bred court jester goby (wouldn't have gotten if not captive so will be used to tank) coming that should take care of that. Also coming is a Royal Gramma, snails, 3 sexy shrimp and a feather duster. They are coming tomorrow!! so excited!

Last note, the other firefish started bullying the clown and broke it's jaw!! and was still going after it even with it's mouth stuck open. I had a firefish in my last tank and before it committed suicide it was fine with the other fish. I'm wondering if I had one right at the start if it would have been different. shrugging

 

[deetu]

New fish!
I ordered fish, snails and crabs from Live Aquaria. It would be $30 for shipping but free if I ordered $32 more worth or stuff... no brainer.
I got a captive bred Court Jester Goby and a Royal Gramma. Unfortunately the Royal Gramma kept floating upside down in the bag and died the next day... poor baby. They were good and refunded my money but felt bad the guy died.
And I got a dwarf feather duster. The thing decided it likes one spot and it is interesting trying to keep it fed.
Oh oh oh! and I got three sexy shrimp! They are the coolest things
Haven't seen the scarlet hermit lately though.
I was a little disappointed that the snails and hermit crabs were so tiny.
I got a new Royal Gramma at Absolutely Fish
And there is pink coraline algae growing! Yay! See the little dots?

 

[diana a]

@deetu How is the tank coming along?

 

[deetu]

Been meaning to update but with the holidays and bad cold... still coughing...it's nice that you asked diana.

The thing that was constantly bothering me about the filter was that I wished I had cut the return hole just a 1/2 inch lower because the water level would upset the powerhead. Then the idea came to use a fountain pump and after one bad choice, the new pump (Aquatop 305) is working wonderfully.
I altered the skimmer, so it is much quieter now.
I also got a preset mini Aqueon 100 watt heater that fit inside the chamber. It keeps the tank at 76 degrees. I replaced the old one because I wanted it out of the display and because it was very touchy, bringing the tank up in the 80s at times.
I also found out that the digital thermometers stink. Got a three pack and each one stopped working right after a couple months. So back to the glass.
Happy with my DIY filter now.

The Court Jester Goby that I was so excited about came in looking sad. I thought maybe a little fattening up but after two weeks, he didn't look any better so liveaquaria gave me a week extension then a refund... he died the next day. I like they gave a refund but would rather have had a replacement since he was captive bred and I was looking for more hair algae eaters. (I have a tendency to overfeed)
Do you think the moonlight feeds the hair algae too? Seems to be the thickest right there

My red graciliana really seems to like my tank, growing so fast that I brought a bunch back to Absolutely Fish at my last visit in the area... along with the evil bumble bee snails I had gotten because of wrong information. (think the astrea and bristle star hitchhikers got eaten by them along with a few snails) Exchanged them for hermit crabs... wanted small blues but all they had were scarlets so I now have 5. I believe that one has been "trimming" the tube of my dwarf feather duster... a little too much so he is in solitary until a new home can be found.

It has been interesting watching Mocha and Chino wondering which one will end up being the female. Some days I think it is Mocha and others Chino...

Sooo, here is my tank as of today. I would have liked to have one more fish but the four are getting along so will not try. The Royal Gramma has established his territory in the middle. I have seen him grab a snail and send it flying across the tank but funny, he doesn't seem to mind any of the fish swimming with him. Sometimes I wish I had gotten the yellow clown goby so I can quickly find it but the black is cool because he changes color. Sometimes being a blue... like he is in this picture.

And yes, that is a fake anemone. The sexy shrimp hosted in it for couple days but went back to their favorite red. The clowns showed no interest in it until recently now that it's gotten green.
Ta da!

 

[deepblue68]

I love 20 longs! I really like you rock work and you have a very nice tank.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[diana a]

@deetu enjoyed reading about what's going. Evil bumble bee

Your photos in your last two posts aren't showing up for me.

 

[deetu]

I love 20 longs! I really like you rock work and you have a very nice tank.

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Thank you deep but it is a 20 gallon high... made it very interesting to configure the intank filter. But because of the depth and the fact it is a macro tank, I was able to fill the space in filter bottom with rock rubble.
And I was happy with how the rock came out... if you look at it a certain way, the hole looks like a heart. Didn't mean to do that, just worked out that way

 

[deetu]

@deetu enjoyed reading about what's going. Evil bumble bee

Your photos in your last two posts aren't showing up for me.

huh...wonder why that is

 

[deetu]

The acrylic top I made kept bending with the heat of the light so I put the legs on. Think this might help with the excessive hair too. Still looks good too... shelf is high enough

 

[deepblue68]

such a great job incorporating the macro looks great and pops !

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[deepblue68]

I also like your star wars fiqure's.lol

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[diana a]

I can see the photo in the last post. Love the macro. Where did you purchase it? Love the heart too.

 

[deetu]

I can see the photo in the last post. Love the macro. Where did you purchase it? Love the heart too.

Absolutely Fish had it the one time I stopped in...they were thrilled I brought a bunch back. Been growing like crazy.
Would you like some?
I'm looking for some blue Ochtodes. They had some blue but I didn't want to spend the money at the time. I have someone in Florida that is willing to give me some but he had a mini crash so is waiting for it to grow up again.

 

[deetu]

I also like your star wars fiqure's.lol

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Hee hee...was wondering if anyone would notice them

 

[deetu]

So the fake anemone started getting green and funky looking but it seems like Mocha likes it now.

I put it in to keep the room for the blue macro I'm waiting on getting once it's available.

And look at all that pink coraline algae on it! Not growing on the rocks but on this stupid thing lol

 

[myrjon]

Time 4 a real anemone.

 

[deetu]

Time 4 a real anemone.

My tank is nano... 20x12x14... what do you do when it gets too big?
I don't mind cutting back the macro but an anemone is a live animal.
Someone said a bubbletip grows slow...

 

[myrjon]

trade him in with someone for something else