Finally Upgraded-Pics Included!!!

[Leviathan]

Hey everyone,

I took a few updated shots the other day after putting a few new pieces in the system.

First a full tank shot:

[Leviathan]

Here are the three new Fragolonies ( hmm thats an interesting term I just came up with, or maybe its just lack of sleep )

A. millepora

[Leviathan]

Unknown Mustard Acro sp.

Trying to ID the next two, so any ideas would be appreciated.

[Leviathan]

Unknown Purple Tip Acro

This is the first SPS I have got that the polyps only extend during lights out.

[Leviathan]

I also got a really nice Crocea, but due to the placement I am having a hard time getting a clear shot. I will get one though eventually and will post it ASAP.

The Death count from the Hurricane power outtage has finally maxed out. I ended up losing my Orange Cap., and 90 % of a Purple rim Cap. ( there is still an encrusted portion on the rock that I believe will pull through fine, but will take some time to regain its size )

Next project on the horizon, is an auto topoff system. So please stay tuned.

Thanks for looking!

[Gujustud]

lookin' sharp!

[Leviathan]

Just when you think everyting is going great, running smooth, growing in nicely-NoNoNo

Well to make a long heartbreaking story short, I have to do some major overhauling to this system.

About one month in I started noticing tiny white starfish, dozens of them in the tank ( especially at night ) and did some research on them. I found mixed views on them being predators, with about a 50/50 split as to their harmfull effects. I decided to let it go and see what happens. Untill a week ago, I would have completely agreed with the people stating they are harmless. However, in the last week I started noticing tips on 50% of my SPS with no tissue on them. I was pulling my hair out testing everything and coming up confused with the readings I was getting, when everthing seemed to be going wrong. Then two days ago, I got up looked in the tank and guess what I saw? Little white starfish on the tips of 2 different SPS, as they moved by a spot, no tissue was left.

Again last night with a flashlight I saw several munching on a Monti dig. and my Miami Orchard. Today, where they were no flesh is to be had.

So in conjunction with wishing I had gone barebottom to start with, I will be completely tearing this system down over the next few days. My plan is to manually pick out as many of theses little you-know-whats as I can ( keeping all corals and other inhabitants in a 40 gallon breeder till finished )

I will also be going ahead and pulling out my SSB. I am tired of cranking up the flow to have sand all over the place. I am most likely going to paint the bottom white instead of using starboard. It just seems easier, and I will get the same reflective benifit from the paint. I doubt very much the aquascape will be similar ( this hurts too, I love how it looks so much )!!

Anyhow,

I will post some pictures of the little munchers and some of the damage they did ASAP.

Wish me luck.

[TylerZr2]

I like the aquascaping. Looks great. Makes me really wish I had a larger tank, Sometimes the 55 just ain't enough.

You're rock looks very eary looking. Like you are climbing a mountain to defeat the dark prince of terror, on my. doomsnell....very neat

[cyclgrl]

Yes, please do post pics of those pesky starfish. I want to see if they look like a few I have seen in my tank.

Also, what are you using for the flow on your tank? I'm planning to upgrade the flow on mine, but since I have a sandbed, I'm concerned that I might run into the same issues as you.

[melev]

Are you talking about asterina(sp?) stars?

[Leviathan]

Originally posted by melev
Are you talking about asterina(sp?) stars?

I believe that is what they are refered too!

Even if they are not, I have seen them eating them, the thing that gets me is they didnt touch anything for so long then wham!!


cyclgrl,

I have a mag12 as my main return split into dual returns, and run 4-MJ1200's on a wavemaker.

I have always had to direct the MJet flow to not disturb the sand, leaving the lower 1/2 of my tank with a very mild flow. With no bed at all I can finally crank it up a notch.


TylerZr2,

Thanks!

I hope my re-do has the same inspiring look. I am VERY nervous about getting an aquascape I am as happy with.

[Leviathan]

Last night was just not a fun evening.

If it wasnt heartbreaking enough to tear the system down, I got a big ouchy on my big toe.

In an attempt to clean out the breader before putting the corals in there temp. during the overhaul. I dropped the corner of it on my left big toe. Thats right, 40 gallon breader 1/3 full from a height of about 2 feet!!!

After a round of swearing and what not, I finally got the tank broke down and got all the rocks cleaned off and ready to go back into the system.

I ended up finding aprox 100+ of the starfish ( even after previously scrubbing the rocks ). All of them were concentrated around where frags were. I have a cup of them I will take a picture of a little later.

Also I may have to ditch the white paint idea. I forgot there is a center brace on the tanks underside. If I paint there will be a VERY noticable black strip in the center. I have thought of possibly going with black paint, but see really no benifit either way.

Will keep posted on the progress.

Debating taking a picture of my gimp toe for giggles!!

[TylerZr2]

Yout think it would be broken...Ouch.

How do you attach your rocks to stank like that? If glue? What kind?

[melev]

What are you trying to figure out (re: white / black paint)? I didn't see your previous mention of it.

When I built my stand in-wall, I painted the edges of the walls black where they would be visible through the glass, and that worked out well.

[Leviathan]

Originally posted by melev
What are you trying to figure out (re: white / black paint)? I didn't see your previous mention of it.

When I built my stand in-wall, I painted the edges of the walls black where they would be visible through the glass, and that worked out well.

I was going to paint the under side of the tank white, but now that I have figured in the fact that there is a center brace on the tank's bottom that would not look all too well.

I was thinking maybe painting the bottom black, but would not get a very good reflective surface if I did that.






TylerZr2,

No glue, rods, ties, etc... were used when stacking the rocks!
Just a little bit of planning ahead and paitence.

[Leviathan]

Ok, almost done.

I got the aquascape done tonight. It looks similar but flipflopped and yet still a bit different then it was. I gave myself even more spaces for frags this time, and left a small gap in the middle.

I will wait and take a pic or two of the new layout, tommorow when the dust settles. I forgot how sore playing with rocks makes your fingers ( raw is more like it )

I decided not to paint the bottom at all, and unless you look through the top straight down it is impossible to tell. Needless to say my skimmer is working over time, and I am running some carbon at the moment to help clear things up.

I will post some pics of the new layout, and of the little starfish sometime by the weekend.

And yes, my big toe is broke!!!!

[cyclgrl]

Did you get a photo of those starfish by chance?

[melev]

Hope your toe heals nicely. That had to be very painful!

Looking forward to the pictures.

[Leviathan]

Thanks Marc!
I am still hobblin around from it.

cyclgrl,
Yes I will post a few either tomorrow or fri on my day off.

[Leviathan]

Sorry about the image quality, but I had been up all night and wanted to get a shot of them and get to bed. You can see a few from the last picking of the rocks.

[Leviathan]

As you can see in the next few images, for the most part they only attacked the tips of the SPS. In a few instances they also worked on the base.

Oddly though, my Pavona & Porcillepora frags were untouched.

[Leviathan]

[Leviathan]

This was one of the few pieces that they ate not only the tips, but around the base as well.

[Leviathan]

This was another one that was attacked at the tips and base. I had alrady cut and re-mounted the frag before taking this picture, removing the damaged base.

[Leviathan]

Here is the final aquascape now. There is a couple frags that are not in their permanent place yet, but this gives you an idea of how the overall picture is going to look.

I have to tell you I am VERY worried about the damage done to the frags. Combined with the starfish and stress of being moved, my concern is a steady decline in at least a few of their health.

I have bumped up the flow in the tank considerably, and also been running some carbon to help get the water crystal clear as fast as I can.

I have considered going ahead and fraging the healthy branches ( just in case ) but am trying to wait it out till the last possible moment, to see if they can recover on their own.

Here is how it looked tonight.
And on a completely un-related subject. No SB makes it much much easier to take pictures under 20K lamps.

I will get a good clear shot in a few weeks to document the recovery process, but for now here is a semi-crisp shot.