I wrote my experience with Goni0poras today in the (rec.aquaria.marine.reefs or r.a.m.r) newsgroup. I might as well include it in the journal since it hasn't really been delved into here:
This is what the Favite and the Fungia look like.
The Favite is difficult to take a picture of currently because of its condition as well as lighting. This shot was taken under actinics. The Fungia is a baby, about the diameter of a penny. They grow to be about 3"- 5" typically.
I added a few new zoos from a local reefer's tank last night. Most of the zoanthids haven't opened up yet, for various reasons. Mostly because my hermit crabs are checking out the new guys and that causes the polyps to remain closed. Some very light pink ones have fallen off their perch twice, so I couldn't get a good picture of those either.
These are the prettiest ones of the ones I got, and they were open today.
New Zoanthids. They are the size of a pencil eraser or smaller.
The Acropora sp. I dipped last night is extending polyps tonight, which I consider to be a good sign.
The Coral Banded Shrimp molted yesterday and now has two arms with pinchers again. I'm sure he's happy about that. Water tests were completed yesterday on all tanks.
I was amazed that I caught this guy last night. I was about to do a coral dip to save the coral, and who happened to be hanging out on the backside? ;)
I put him in a small dish trying to decide whether to listen to the advice of those that opposed this pretty guy, and he hung on the edge of the dish for at least 15 minutes out of water.
Finally I dropped him into my refugium for now.
In a dish: Black Mithrax crab
I've really been impressed with the striking orange of my pair of tank raised True Percula Clownfish. They are 8 months old yesterday (Born 4-23-03), and just a joy to watch as they swim like Orcas in the 55g. I'm hoping they decide to host in the Red Goniopora, because it was hosting to a pair of clownfish when I bought it from a local reefer.
On Saturday, I picked up some Cheatomorpha from a local reefer and added half to each refugium. I may pulled out all the caulerpa in there and let this be my way of removing nutrients instead. Cheatomorpha looks like green thread, and grows in a tangled bunch that reminds me of loosely of steel wool.
The baby blue Zoanthids opened up and I got a nice picture of them today. They are green in the very center, and very tender & small. Each polyp is probably 3/16" wide in diameter.
Taking pictures under actninic lighting only is rather difficult and results can be very disappointing. Using a digital camera, take as many as you like until you achieve success. These were taken with a Fuji S602Z under 220w of VHO '03' lights. I adjusted the camera's "white balance" setting and switching to Macro, these are the results after resizing and sharpening.
I've been feeding corals at night, with live brine nauptilii (48 hours old, hatched with yolk sac still connected), Cyclop Eeze, or CoralPlankton (as well as Phytoplankton every other day like usual).
I did a small water change on the 29g last night, and today the BTA was big and fluffy and happy. I need to check the Nitrates, but I think I need to do a series of water changes on this tank to get them lowered further. I believe they are the reason this tank hasn't done as well as it has in the past.
