Tank Progression: 60 gallon

[bertie 83]

Much awesomeness. Seems like its coming together nicely for you. I love new tank build threads, all my tanks have been set for years although now i have run right down and feel the urge for something new

[*GSP*Fan*]

Much awesomeness. Seems like its coming together nicely for you. I love new tank build threads, all my tanks have been set for years although now i have run right down and feel the urge for something new

Thank you! It definitely feels like things are really coming together now. It will feel more together once I actually get the puffer

I enjoy build threads as well. I think I'm already getting that feeling. I know of a 90 gallon with stand for sale and they're asking $250 for it. I'm so tempted but have not decided whether I want to get it or not.

[*GSP*Fan*]

My newest purchase arrived today and I thought I'd post some pictures.

Few of the corals



Mushrooms These don't look to be opened up really compared to my first (one that disappeared). Any insight as to if they look okay would be appreciated.

Ricordia This one looks really nice to me but I am new to this so I also may not catch anything that is 'off' about it or any other corals for that matter

Leather. I feel even less knowledgeable here and am not sure if it looks okay or at least to be expected after just being introduced to new tank.


New black and white clown. Seems to be doing really well and immediately started following the orange and white around. I had a hard time getting good photos of him. He did not want to sit still and I was also in a hurry to get out the door for work.

[Pufferpunk]

Mount those babies on some rock, with superglue gel.

[bertie 83]

It looks like you photographed those clowns in the sea lol

[PufferMe!]

Looking great! If I were you, until you know for sure where you want to place your corals, I would not permanently adhesive them to a rock. I would use a type of coral "puddy", can't think of the actual name. It can be used underwater, and hardens immediately. Pretty cool stuff, but you do need to turn your skimmer off for 24 hours after you use it. Superglue may be faster, but you'd have to keep the corals out of the water until it dried completely, so I don't know who people use that, but I'm sure PP knows.

When I get home from work, I'll post a pic of my mushrooms. I think you may have a different kind than mine. Mine get small when lights are off, and large and "open" when lights are on. They are not laying flat on the rock like yours are.

Gwen

[Pufferpunk]

I have never used the putty. It works better for gluing rock together & larger corals to rock.You can easily break the bond of Superglued corals. You add a big glob of the glue & then quickly place the coral where you want it. As soon as the glue hits the warm water, it will get a harder coating around the glue that you will have to break open by twisting the coral onto the rock to expose the wet part of the glue to the rock. It hardens pretty quickly.

Those purple shrooms are called Rhodactis. The Ric looks fine to me.

[*GSP*Fan*]

Mount those babies on some rock, with superglue gel.

I intend to soon. I'll have to get some superglue gel tomorrow. I was also giving them a chance to get used to the light after being in the dark box, I came across light acclimating corals quite a few times when searching online about corals in general. I was trying to do this right but definitely don't want to deprive any of the light they need. That and that I'm not sure where I'm going to place them yet is why they are still on the sand bed. The polyps from my first order are already on the rock, though not glued down.

I also have 10lbs of live rock still curing in 5 gallon bucket (with heater and powerhead) that I'll be adding to the tank soon. I'll check the levels in that water tonight and see where I'm at. I have no idea where I'll be placing that in the tank yet and was kinda afraid to start placing corals yet because I'm sure I'll be doing some aquascaping.

It looks like you photographed those clowns in the sea lol

Lol. I thought the same when I took the photos. That would sure be neat if that were the case Photos could have been of better quality if I wouldn't have had more time and actually taken my Nikon out instead of using my phone.

Looking great! If I were you, until you know for sure where you want to place your corals, I would not permanently adhesive them to a rock. I would use a type of coral "puddy", can't think of the actual name. It can be used underwater, and hardens immediately. Pretty cool stuff, but you do need to turn your skimmer off for 24 hours after you use it. Superglue may be faster, but you'd have to keep the corals out of the water until it dried completely, so I don't know who people use that, but I'm sure PP knows.

When I get home from work, I'll post a pic of my mushrooms. I think you may have a different kind than mine. Mine get small when lights are off, and large and "open" when lights are on. They are not laying flat on the rock like yours are.

Gwen

Thanks! I've actually got some of the putty, I had purchased it thinking I may have wanted it for aquascaping but never used it for that purpose. I did try to use it a while back to secure some marcoalgae with no luck (though my blenny was partially to blame). I plan on using superglue when I do adhere them somewhere. Its just finding where lol, I'm so indecisive.

I'd like to see pictures of yours if you would post a photo. I know there are varieties but I don't know much more than that. I know these look different from the first individual polyp I had. It wasn't as flat, I guess you could say. But I'm also not sure if these just haven't opened up or what.

I have never used the putty. It works better for gluing rock together & larger corals to rock.You can easily break the bond of Superglued corals. You add a big glob of the glue & then quickly place the coral where you want it. As soon as the glue hits the warm water, it will get a harder coating around the glue that you will have to break open by twisting the coral onto the rock to expose the wet part of the glue to the rock. It hardens pretty quickly.

Those purple shrooms are called Rhodactis. The Ric looks fine to me.

Thanks for the information on the superglue. That will make things easier for me.

Do the purple look okay? I'll look more into them now that I know the proper name. I was worried they weren't opening or something as they should and the Ric looked really good to me. The leather is also looking better to me. Its polyps (I believe thats the correct term) were open today.

[Pufferpunk]

The leather looks much better! Now get it on some rock. Menards has cards of 3 Superglue gels for $1.50 & buy 1 get 1 free sale. Otherwise, I get them at the $ store.

[*GSP*Fan*]

The leather looks much better! Now get it on some rock. Menards has cards of 3 Superglue gels for $1.50 & buy 1 get 1 free sale. Otherwise, I get them at the $ store.

I thought so too, but being so new I don't want to just assume. It certainly looks much different than yesterday and made me happy to see it opened up like it was today

I will definitely get some glue tomorrow. I know I'll be heading to the store as I have to pick up some dog food and various other items that slip my mind at the moment.

If anyone has any suggestions as to where to place any of the corals I'd certainly appreciate the advice. I'm sure it could take a couple tries but I feel as if I will be second guessing myself placing them. Theres a a couple full tank shots in this thread and the aquascape has basically stayed the same. I'm sure it'll still be a bit before the other 10lbs is ready to be added to the tank but I will check the levels tonight. I can't recall exactly how long its been curing but maybe 5 or so days.

I also hope to get the skimmer up and running again tonight now that I have the replacement chamber. I assembled it again last night and had my boyfriend double check to make sure it looked like I had done it correctly as he assembled it the first time. I am waiting on them to send me some mounting screws and am not sure if it will work correctly (level) without them yet. I didn't take the screws off the chamber I sent back ( removed everything else but somehow overlooked them ). But I emailed the company and they've been sent out.

[Pufferpunk]

Depends on your lighting, which is?

How about a FTS, so we can see the rockwork?
(sorry if this stuff is already in the thread...)

[*GSP*Fan*]

Depends on your lighting, which is?

How about a FTS, so we can see the rockwork?
(sorry if this stuff is already in the thread...)

The lighting is a 48" 4 x 54w bulb T5HO fixture, two 10k and two actinic. I intend to buy new bulbs in a month or two and potentially switch up the bulb/color combo which I'll have to look more into.

Also, the tank is 24inches tall, which I'm sure makes a difference.

I'm worried about the lighting and flow for each coral but also that any that may be aggressive, has the space needed between it and others for future growth. Seems like a lot to figure out and I don't know how to go about it, even after what research I've done.

This is the most recent FTS I have. A couple of the rocks towards the middle have been moved but only slightly. As I've mentioned I also have another 10lbs to add in once it is cured and I will probably have to moved some things around a little but don't plan to change a whole lot if I can help it.



I feel now that I could have aquascaped better when it comes to having space for placing corals. But at the time of my aquascaping I did not think I would be adding corals. I may need to change things around more than I thought when I incorporate the rest of my live rock. I also plan on a couple more corals (at least one LPS for certain). I was thinking the space in the middle, on the relatively flat rock, thats open to light would be a nice place for a LPS.

I just don't know what my lighting would be considered for my tank and at different levels, especially without anyway of measuring PAR. I also do not have any intentions of keeping SPS, mainly softies and a few LPS. This could certainly change depending on the temperament/appetite of the future puffer addition.

[Pufferpunk]

Leathers grow quite large & make for a great centerpiece coral. Rics/shrooms don't need a ton of light, so you can place them lower. Don't put your LPS in direct flow--they don't like that.

[bertie 83]

Could you mount them on smaller pieces of rock so you could move them until you are happy and/or they are happy?

[Pufferpunk]

Corals are pretty easy to move off rock, until they start encrusting on the rock.