Kevin and Autumn's 60g

[kevnkev]

Well, the move is over - we're in our new house in the San Juan Islands, and our reef is in its new, larger tank. We had no losses during the move, and everyone seems to have settled down from the travel stress.

I got this tank from a colleague of my mom's, and built the stand using the design from jrgilles' post at http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f12/open-backed-75g-aquarium-stand-50524/. All the critters are moved over from our 46g tank (http://www.reeffrontiers.com/forums/f70/kevin-autumns-46g-bowfront-63271/), plus tiny frags of pipe organ coral and favia I picked up from BRA's recent sale.

Things I still need to work on:

• A lighting system more elegant than my busted old 36" PC plus an LED in a desk lamp
• An auto top-off system
• Think about building a sump so I can remove the false back/overflow from this tank

But I'll get to all that soon.

 

[N1Husker]

+1 on the sump, it sure made a difference in the appearance of my tanl look clearer and also helped with my parameters. I just moved and moved from a 36 corner tank into a 50 gal. tank. Everyone lived, even after smashing the pom pom xenia against the side of the bucket. He is alive and doing well, and is currently splitting into two.

 

[user 26995]

congratulations on the successful move.

 

[kevnkev]

I love seeing how corals grow, but don't keep good enough photographic records. Here's my attempt to start that with a few little guys. These photos are from 08 July 2012.

 

[kevnkev]

Some photos from of the same folks from today (20 July 2012)

And a few others

 

[user 26995]

Hey, just checking in. How is everything doing. Getting more growth on everything?

 

[kevnkev]

I was just thinking it was time to throw up some new pictures. My lights just went out, so I'll have to take new pictures of most of the corals tomorrow. But I took some mirrored pictures a few days ago of the finger leather and chromis with the pumps off. He's hard to catch standing still!

<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Nzr7jd2B5Yk/UFFmlrskc1I/AAAAAAAAJ88/oApWfZON7Ds/s800/IMG_0218.JPG" />

<img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-tbD0RIMVSq4/UFFmyYRgh-I/AAAAAAAAJ9E/7dadrjVbw0c/s800/IMG_0222.JPG" />

I really like this one, where you can see his spine, muscles and organs with the back lighting!
<img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-z-eZ5IfWDUM/UFFmzR3IckI/AAAAAAAAJ9M/AU69mQaEq8k/s800/IMG_0224.JPG" />

<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-oaAJTBFNkGM/UFFm-ncVR7I/AAAAAAAAJ9g/YFkgCcWltrY/s800/IMG_0230.JPG" />

<img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-jUUq6sQkEF0/UFFm-k37_gI/AAAAAAAAJ9Y/jEXosY7FJ6Q/s800/IMG_0228.JPG" />

 

[user 26995]

Those are cool pics. Looking forward to more.

 

[kevnkev]

Alright, as promised, more photos!

FTS
<img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-s53P0cMquNM/UFKUDN1YohI/AAAAAAAAJ94/qb6jtjiLM84/s800/IMG_0236.JPG" />

Left side
<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-iJfaobbrGDk/UFKULRR0DbI/AAAAAAAAJ-I/cldFYBsyfaw/s800/IMG_0238.JPG" />

Middle
<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-toutOZH7IY0/UFKUik6MECI/AAAAAAAAJ-c/Tq2VjWWL9CE/s800/IMG_0239.JPG" />

Right side
<img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-cfZh_fzfYOA/UFKUYX1PBdI/AAAAAAAAJ-U/GiNafXZ3x7o/s800/IMG_0240.JPG" />

Chalice - it's gained about 1-2 cm in diameter in the last month.
<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-FRTa6Vdecd0/UFKUlTO0VmI/AAAAAAAAJ-k/krSzL5zzJgQ/s800/IMG_0241.JPG" />

Pipe organ coral - one of my new favorites. We got this one because it has the beautiful flowiness our Anthelia had, but without the crazy rate of growth.
<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-lH5yEstdi_w/UFKUzv2sOxI/AAAAAAAAJ-s/4hQHH83D0vo/s800/IMG_0242.JPG" />

Monti
<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Btb66tZ3RPE/UFKU9NVbPsI/AAAAAAAAJ-4/KPAvyR5oGAE/s800/IMG_0243.JPG" />

I moved the frogspawn, which freed this rock up, so I glued the acan and favias and one zoanthid to it. Hopefully will grow into a nice little flower garden.
<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-zZs-WthT17E/UFKVBAW-kDI/AAAAAAAAJ_A/M8XN0_g3SPY/s800/IMG_0244.JPG" />

The zoa
<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-nMtHc23CyL4/UFKVVXrmlVI/AAAAAAAAJ_Q/UHbG0DmB94M/s800/IMG_0246.JPG" />

This favia wasn't really growing just sitting on the sand bed, but within a few days of gluing it down to the rock it was starting to spread out and cement itself down.
<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-fU4r5oo_RP8/UFKVYHXqAWI/AAAAAAAAJ_Y/L5tyFxK3Yxo/s800/IMG_0247.JPG" />

Acro.
<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-07kzQxn6lXM/UFKVoDI9XEI/AAAAAAAAJ_k/QYX60l4zJ6Y/s800/IMG_0248.JPG" />

These two are tiny bits that broke off the mothers when I was moving stuff around. What the heck, glue em down and see what happens.
<img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-VlhbOnwoVNI/UFKVqtdudGI/AAAAAAAAJ_s/JgJWl1bxiBg/s400/IMG_0249.JPG" /><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-hSuhRgDI2-U/UFKVrGESyxI/AAAAAAAAJ_0/NQDPMWFvYfA/s400/IMG_0250.JPG" />

Finger leather frag. Ignore the red stuff - I'm working on that.
<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-jauvW2kYrDw/UFKV-m89o2I/AAAAAAAAJ_8/ErdpsT3UtCQ/s800/IMG_0251.JPG" />

Zoa
<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-cWKxt4aoz9A/UFKWBWxVRTI/AAAAAAAAKAE/Vj0Kf0-iXxo/s800/IMG_0252.JPG" />

The three vertebrates posing for me
<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-zCnFaOPWyJo/UFKWm5-kEsI/AAAAAAAAKAg/gIhXjuNoZLY/s800/IMG_0255.JPG" />

 

[user 26995]

Wow, everything has grown quite a bit.
Looking great.

 

[kevnkev]

A new time lapse video, 9:30am to 3:30pm, one photo per 90 sec, 15 fps

 

[Katchupoy]

Time lapse is so cool... the one on the left, are those finger leather coral? or what do you call that coral?

 

[kevnkev]

The highest coral in there, above the frogspawn and a little to the left, is a finger leather. There's also a little finger leather down at the bottom left. All of the softies in between those two are hand leathers - Lobophytum I think. There's the one large colony, two medium sized ones, and a whole bunch of little ones scattered throughout the left half of the tank. The large colony drops a new baby about every other week.

 

[kevnkev]

Photo update

FTS
<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9W-z7uwL4QE/UJn7qwbDr9I/AAAAAAAAKBg/wjS-eFkCrxY/s800/IMG_0540.JPG">

Left side
<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-PkWw1Vl_jQ4/UJn9MlMiYKI/AAAAAAAAKDA/SpE0OYbHccs/s800/IMG_0553.JPG">

Mid-left
<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-AQnUh8XFhmU/UJn9YsVAMlI/AAAAAAAAKDI/oxMModg_v-E/s800/IMG_0554.JPG">

Mid-right
<img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-l3INsE6yQuM/UJn9fkiHJOI/AAAAAAAAKDQ/JZ7Uwd2eImI/s800/IMG_0555.JPG">

Right side
<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-v-6LvG8J2ys/UJn9hxCQoaI/AAAAAAAAKDc/z-A55wDVq4o/s800/IMG_0556.JPG">

Chalice and Montipora
<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-yv32DAqrti4/UJn7wxJ0yfI/AAAAAAAAKBo/M_oGhSB7pNE/s800/IMG_0541.JPG">

Zoa 1
<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-gDIvu7jkZXw/UJn7x8gAWjI/AAAAAAAAKBw/9EyCevbtO3Q/s800/IMG_0542.JPG">

Zoa 2
<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-62S_j-NogeY/UJn8sgcoeQI/AAAAAAAAKCk/-lgZdQTgCsM/s800/IMG_0550.JPG">

Pipe organ
<img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-4TZzvbdvowE/UJn8F0oS3gI/AAAAAAAAKB4/DzEmDrpNgn8/s800/IMG_0544.JPG">

Tiny monti frag
<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-kqyHJFgAJuc/UJn8H-0jmYI/AAAAAAAAKCA/wo7ItyyCR1I/s800/IMG_0545.JPG">

Acro colony
<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Fr3ugNFuUXw/UJn8PhaEX6I/AAAAAAAAKCM/loOU66cS20U/s800/IMG_0546.JPG">

Acan
<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-j1dReO3R_40/UJn8hrLejQI/AAAAAAAAKCU/lubOvv3Hiw0/s800/IMG_0548.JPG">

Favia 1
<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-AsSJILMGojA/UJn8k26FMsI/AAAAAAAAKCc/qdDfOHEXOwY/s800/IMG_0549.JPG">

Favia 2
<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-Qnv5IoqyzwQ/UJn9ASP9SbI/AAAAAAAAKC4/9eTJmoCdiZY/s800/IMG_0552.JPG">

Anemone - this was the one critter that really didn't do well with our move last June. It shrank significantly, bleached out, and hid inside the rockwork. But now it's come out, and even split in two. I'm hoping it split because it's getting happy, not because it's a last-ditch effort to survive. Fingers crossed.
<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-S3o_g5cPTCI/UJn8zg-Vv6I/AAAAAAAAKCs/mRuoMg5Gt-w/s800/IMG_0551.JPG">

 

[NemCrazy]

Way to go man your tank looks great! I lost alot of corals in my move, so I can really appreciate what you did.

 

[kevnkev]

New lights!

I couldn't pretend that my cruddy old power compact light fixture (very loud fan, only one of the two bulbs would power up, 36" long fixture for a 48" long tank) was going to cut it any longer. I bought a 4-bulb Tek T5 fixture, and have been loving how bright the tank is, and how much all the colors pop!

I bought several extra bulbs so I can experiment with different arrangements of color, but right now I'm really happy with this arrangement:

front
-------
UVL AquaBlue
ATI Blue Plus
ATI Purple Plus (I wish this one was deeper purple, but not bad)
UVL Indigo Sun
-------
back

One week in, and I'm loving it!

Some photos
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/2qEHRcH7qrjU1rQTKZ1zGOJLcLn42KD3flOXlU4QCQs?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-3U-PoXfYMp0/UQ38Or962yI/AAAAAAAAKgk/CRXNU7Sv9_4/s640/IMG_0641.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a>

<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/eh1fbPLi4GMJMCkt4231iOJLcLn42KD3flOXlU4QCQs?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-B6uqHacdcTo/UQ38PeToLDI/AAAAAAAAKgs/cIRp1t8hjtY/s640/IMG_0642.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a>

 

[kevnkev]

Before and After

I love going over old photos and seeing how much corals have grown. It's so hard to keep track of when you watch them day-to-day, but remarkable when you look at it month-to-month

Jan 2012, just after I bought it. About an inch across.
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/PAdc6s2tHe3ctkZpXMmdKLDh7W67lc9o2zx-5tHeSCk?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-HnTVSxmeM1k/UQ3RYCcwjhI/AAAAAAAAKOc/PoyOyHQKPnI/s640/Chalice%2520-%2520hollywood%2520stunner.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a>

May 2012
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/EKKNUhFCKJzIP1qfm9DnfrDh7W67lc9o2zx-5tHeSCk?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-m4IApL0RUOM/UQ3RY-OBzLI/AAAAAAAAKOk/Ts_MSPs4uNk/s640/IMG_0030.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a>

June 2012
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/7tPFClD-apvYomuyi61t17Dh7W67lc9o2zx-5tHeSCk?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-zM5sDv0BNR0/UQ3RaJknXUI/AAAAAAAAKOs/HyEaevV2av4/s640/IMG_0091.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a>

July 2012
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/S795lbhq645bYrd9sna53bDh7W67lc9o2zx-5tHeSCk?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-2Sn9AEwX8z8/UQ3Ra82o6GI/AAAAAAAAKO0/L7olEMDp6Hs/s640/IMG_0102.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a>

August 2012
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/efErNW38guah50E_01tKBrDh7W67lc9o2zx-5tHeSCk?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-ydVyXI_A0fw/UQ3RcZy-RFI/AAAAAAAAKPE/QmBnzVaS9E0/s640/IMG_0135.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a>

September 2012
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/R56WValFCKoYQGaiwLaUdLDh7W67lc9o2zx-5tHeSCk?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-jirYwnibGq0/UQ3Rcz6bPZI/AAAAAAAAKPM/FAZiUYCWomE/s640/IMG_0241.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a>

February 2013, about the size of a tea saucer, and starting to get in the way of things!
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Z8CY7Mru5Q-hylLfW0fjOLDh7W67lc9o2zx-5tHeSCk?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-d44BKrlHjEE/UQ3ReGQx88I/AAAAAAAAKPc/1gM3SKoyZIo/s640/IMG_0655.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a>

 

[kevnkev]

Before and After

This was a zoanthid thrown in as a freebie on a group buy from My Reef 2 Yours

May 2012 (the big guy in front is the one to watch - the little ones in the background didn't make it :frown
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/yjjMGRr7lVNcPPrwWMZ3n7KZY7hPVdGC2NE7u4ZVu2g?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-DNHy8tMKX-Y/UQ3TqPN6cdI/AAAAAAAAKX4/36BvIAOkCc4/s640/IMG_0019.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a>

August 2012
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/STIQBdcgzy__-5EDO0SKCbKZY7hPVdGC2NE7u4ZVu2g?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-1I-mprNQ_E0/UQ3TrXfN9FI/AAAAAAAAKYI/1dDU4b1v6Kg/s640/IMG_0141.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a>

Sept 2012
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/t8BFmDLusy6wI779Jns9trKZY7hPVdGC2NE7u4ZVu2g?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-cN2uq5p_ARs/UQ3TsNJOwWI/AAAAAAAAKYQ/HUIiYH7R660/s640/IMG_0246.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a>

Nov 2012
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/vyensQVgJdAczC4LWRetIrKZY7hPVdGC2NE7u4ZVu2g?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Zr-WQrZfdFA/UQ3TtjOmSoI/AAAAAAAAKYo/lnmJKw3Gh8I/s640/IMG_0550.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a>

Feb 2013
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/zxY6moOyF2XWXkWXQ6m5lrKZY7hPVdGC2NE7u4ZVu2g?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-H0Lwo-ETQTY/UQ3TulZX0kI/AAAAAAAAKYw/tin87MR7fUg/s640/IMG_0648.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a>

 

[kevnkev]

Before and After

I never really saw the appeal in zoanthids until I was moving rocks around one day and turned one over to find this little guy.

December 2010
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/qNwT8m6nnQoJoVku1N_FXmI3NZ7XYgsDQfONC5OJ_mU?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-dRKHJj6JFQ0/UQ3T4GfjdoI/AAAAAAAAKaM/NKdv5NgOfyc/s640/IMG_5915.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a>

April 2011
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Eek7vKw8ZebgvX9vTGbV32I3NZ7XYgsDQfONC5OJ_mU?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-WEhRvAIASZM/UQ3UaAOyXgI/AAAAAAAAKeg/cA5cUynr8i4/s640/zoanthid%2520polyps.JPG" height="479" width="640" /></a>

August 2011
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/V3kS0lUmzp58uVr-g4OgYmI3NZ7XYgsDQfONC5OJ_mU?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-5vC1SM0jGfA/UQ3UDy3l3uI/AAAAAAAAKcE/rworRDOw6Qw/s640/IMG_6000.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a>

Jan 2012
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/RDcMFemd5ZmTVXjpdaHZu2I3NZ7XYgsDQfONC5OJ_mU?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-F0WFsbu8MrY/UQ3TZbNJgXI/AAAAAAAAKVY/amRvkvPjVWY/s640/Zoanthid%2520-%2520large.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a>

June 2012
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/KLlu0L_f_VzTUKSAX0T6vGI3NZ7XYgsDQfONC5OJ_mU?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-nIUSjOycODE/UQ3TZ9PR9uI/AAAAAAAAKVg/1ctR3R-0g-s/s640/IMG_0096.JPG" height="640" width="480" /></a>

Feb 2013
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/RWprQxYDEqorlu6R3rIo82I3NZ7XYgsDQfONC5OJ_mU?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-b7VPJIQZNSI/UQ3TaoFHu1I/AAAAAAAAKVo/H4N4gn7rB80/s640/IMG_0650.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a>

 

[user 26995]

Amazing what good lighting does. Very pretty tank.
I love the coraline growth in the last pic.
That is coraline, isnt it?