Long-Awaited Update

[flipturn88]

In response to some request, this is just an update of my present involvement in the hobby. Since my more active days in the ARC, I've been concentrating on college life, but these past few months back here in the ATL have reignited my interest in this hobby--as well as my desire to bring a tank back to North Carolina (school) in a week.

While away, both of my parents helped keep two nano tanks running; I practically force-fed them my hobby when I left. They started with one--my 26 gallon bow (formerly one of my seahorse tanks)--that houses a pair of
Onyx clowns. Pictures of this tank (from May) are below:

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Since that picture, I've moved many of the coral into other tanks (and added a few), but the tank hasn't changed too much. The anemone has since split three times, but everything else remains fairly stable. This tank is lit with one 175 W halide (14k) and two PC actinics.

The Onyx pair:

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This pair has spawned a few times, and I raised the fry to 8 months while at school, after which I brought them home for my parents to continue their care. Unfortunately, due to an unknown tank accident, we lost all 10 of the juvie clowns overnight. I was devastated, but such catastrophes are an unavoidable facet of this highly rewarding hobby.

Here are a few other pics of this tank from the past few months:

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The tank also houses a lemonpeel angel that has grown from 1.5 to over 3 inches. She's a pig!

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I'll post updates of the other tanks shortly. Stay tuned!

 

[flipturn88]

I will never forget the day I realized I had officially converted my parents into saltwater addicts. While home for a weekend in April, they informed me </em>that we <u>needed</u> another tank to house some of the corals that were not doing as well in the 26 gallon (thanks to Miss Lemonpeel's voracious appetite). Naturally, with their checkbooks in hand, I gladly consented to the task of acquiring another aquarium. We kept it small due to fiscal and size restraints, but the second tank--a 20 gallon in our kitchen--has turned out to be quite a hit.

Here's a picture of it as of today:

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And a few of its inhabitants:

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This tank is lit by a 24" Tek light. I'll share the last tank, my new nano, later tonight. In the meantime, happy reefing!

 

[ralph atl]

very nice! great job!

 

[eric b]

Nice tanks and great photos!

 

[dough]

I've always enjoyed your skills behind a camera. Your pix look great. Tank is looking good.

 

[miami dolfan]

Don't lemonpeel angels go after the coral? Beautiful!

 

[flipturn88]

Thank you everyone for the kind words - they mean a lot to me. To answer all above questions, I use a Canon Powershot SD850 IS. It's been my point-and-shoot of choice for a few years now, and although my pictures are far from professional quality, it does the trick for me.

Miami, the lemonpeel does nip at certain corals--namely LPS, most of which I moved to my other tanks. Overall, though, she's a good fish that adds a TON of personality to the tank (especially around feeding time).

Please feel free to ask any more questions you have

 

[flipturn88]

Very recently, I decided to bring a slice of the ocean back to school with me. I found a great deal on a 12 gallon Aquapod, which I determined to be the ideal size and setup for my situation (a 4-hour commute and dorm-ish living arrangements). Since then, I've filled the tank with a collection of frags, as well as two fish: a tiny royal gramma and one purple firefish. They will be the only vertebrates in the tank; otherwise, I've added a cleaner shrimp in addition to the staple cleaning crew of snails and one (scarlet) hermit.

Here are a few pictures of the "college tank:"

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[jmaneyapanda]

Flipturn88;376789 wrote:
Miami, the lemonpeel does nip at certain corals--namely LPS, most of which I moved to my other tanks. Overall, though, she's a good fish that adds a TON of personality to the tank (especially around feeding time).

My philosophy exactly- "let them eat".

VEry nice. Your parents have done a great job. They should open a side business in tank maintenance.