Neptune Aquatics

Joel's Tank Journal(s)

My friend had a sand sifting goby like yours, it made a mountain around it's home and didn't like anything planted or sitting around it.
 
Select Photos: In the Beginning

Joint Effort - Kritter Tank, Cabinet and Canopy, Thx to All

Wrecking Crew - Vince's Aquatic World

Topless - Wont See This One Topless Again - Till It Dies

Measure Twice, Cut Once

Never Seem My Sump So Clean - Really

The Beast - PFO (Too bad they are going to be no more)

All Systems Go - Fire Power

Under The Hood - Fiercely Quiet

Reef Friend - Hanging Out

Custom Made Fuge - Red Macro Fragged from Marco (Thx Marco) and Chaeto from OTA (Thx Derek)

New 7 Gallon Hex Fuge (Given to me by Jeremy) Thank you Jeremy of Coastal Aquatics :D

EcoPlus 1/4 HP Dual Stage Chiller- Time to chill out

Night Shot-Under T-5

Three Little Fish

Day Time

Juvi In RBTA

R2s on R2 Controller - Waxing Gibbous Moon @ 67% from being full photo (dancing in the moonlight)

Tang, Amphiprion Ocellaris and Macro Doreensis (continued on thread #16 next page)

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Reef Log Update 09/28/09

New Coral Added

ORA Blue Chalice

(Nice large piece scrolling and simmers marine green with magenta eyes under actinics)

New Fish Added (09/16/09)

Diamond Watchman Goby (Valencienna Puellaris)

I could not locate a Yellow Tiger Tail Cuke, so I purchased this Goby from Aquatic Central. This critter has a good appetite for diatoms and is good at turning over the top inch of sand keeping things real pretty. Only thing is, it burrows under the coral garden often undermining them. Still it's a very industrious little critter and is making a welcomed additon and lessening my work load at the same time.

Equipment Update 09/28/09

I just ordered a 2nd Drew's Doser, from BRS, to dose 2 Part and 50lbs of dosing supplies; it should be on the way this week. I should be set for CA and KH automation going forward and have enough CA, KH and MG bulk goods for the next 6 months. $)

I seem to be using a lot of MG supplement; and not sure why? Ryan at BRS states the system (as it is now without the dosers hooked up) should be using 10 to 1 CA to MG, but I'm using 1 to 1 right now, and for the life of me, I cannot figure out why.

My only guess is that the salt I've been using is only around 1100 MG, and I've been doing regular W/Cs one to two times per week, so I may be depleting the amount of MG I've been having to supplement. Or, my Seachem MG test kit is wrong. Every week, my Seachem MG kit indicaties I'm dropping 100 parts. I just looked at my hard copy journal, and saw that I was dropping 100 points using my Red Sea test kit too, so now, I'm pretty sure it's not the test kit. I am open to any insights you folks may have. I'm befuddled :~ See further on, Red Sea test kit was off 175 points.

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I'm so glad you and Susan had a good time. I did too! And it was a pleasure meeting you both. :) I'm happy you enjoyed the cookies. :D
 
REEF DATE 09/12/09

Attended the MARS Frag Swap and I came back with some beauties

New Corals Added 09/12/09 from MARS Swap Meet


Orange Digitata (Thanks Chad)
Aussie Purple & Green Acan (looks like Purple Snake Skin or Crazy Grape Can't tell feel free to chime in) Reef-A-Holix.com - RMRJWIEGER
Blue Tubbs (Boviac)
Idaho Grape (Peter Grieve)
Meteor Shower Cythestrea (Perry)
Neon Green Monitpora ORA (don't know whose Frag) High Light, Medium Flow
Nuclear Green Palythoa (Chad)
Purple Death Paly (Shasta)
Oregon Blue Tort (Thanks PatrickB) Good meeting you Patrick
Orange Capicorns (Chad)


Everyone was great. Aunt Beez, Kay, Chad120, Shasta12399 from Reef Central, Joes210, Mike123 from Emeryville BARS and PatrickB from SF BARS too.

I won 2 separate $25 raffle prizes, and I was able to trade each of them (since the LFSs were from away from sacramento/swap stores) for the Purple and Green Acans and Nuclear Green Palys respectively. It felt like the old days, back on the trading desks). Loved it: A real peak experience. And great reefing folks. Thanks Aunt Beez and Kay for befriending; and same to Joe too.

I can't, for the life of me, remember the last time I had so much fun and got so worn out at the same time.

I want to express a special thanks to Chad, Shasta, and Patrickb, without them the day just wouldn't have been the same. There was good food, good planning and good kinship; and well worth the 2 hour drive to be with these folks.

Clicking on the photos makes them larger and show more detail



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Lyn said:
I'm so glad you and Susan had a good time. :D
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Hi Lyn,

It certainly was "good." I am especially glad that Susan had the opportunity to me you and some of our members and other Directors too. I / We belong to a few other clubs including a couple of motorcycle clubs that while they are mellow, they don't jive well with Susan; and only just so so with me. Susan gave them a shot, but after a couple of years, it looks like we're calling it quits. I think BARS appealed to Susan (today) because these are folks who are passionate, intelligent, friendly, generous with there time and expertise and know how to have good clean fun without upsetting the karmic balance of things. I wanted Susan to meet like minded folks like me who have been at this hobby for as long or longer than me. Folks that she would be comfortable with. You certainly made us welcomed from the first day my membership kicked in. I appreciate that, and want to thank you for your sincerity and candor (and sweets too- yum yum). I hope that I will be able to enjoy years of friendship and learning from some of the nicest and brightest folks in the hobby. Thank you for following my thread and for posting too. :bigsmile:

Best,
Joel, for Susan too
R.K.
 
10/10/09 October Lecture, BOD Annual Election and Raffle - New Corals Added

My wife Susan and I Just got back from the Annual BOD Elections and Dr. Paul Whitby's Aquascape Lecture. There, our Club had their Inter-Club DTC and Member DBTC exchange and raffle. I won 1 Montipora (appears to be a green Spongode). Susan and I found the Lecturer to be very informative and interesting. This was Susan's first exchange with our Club Members and she found them to be cordial, very intelligent and comfortable to associate herself with. Included were: Mike and Diane, Bobbie from Napa, Charles, Jeremy, Norm, JAR, Lyn(Thank you for the Goodies Lyn - Yum), Scott / Darrel (from from Redding), Erin and Richard (Thank you for the Green Branching Acropora SPS Richard) .

New Corals Added 10/10/09

Rainbow Montipora From JAR / John
Superman Monti from Sid700 / Bernie (Awesome Frag and Packing Job Bernie)
Superman Mushroom from Anderson99 / Eric
Green Spongode Montipora- Raffle Prize from OTA
Green Branching Acropora Given to me by Richard- Looks like a Slimer or Surf and Turf) I'll have to see it with MHs on to tell - or ask the sponsor and you folks, on the boards, to id it. It looked red in the bag.

Thanks to John Eric, Sid and Richard. I appreciate the confidence you've placed in me. I will post pictures once acclimated and positioned. Thank you Ocean Treasure for donating the Monti and other items too. And "A Very Special Thanks" to BARS for sponsoring Paul's Lecture and making the day fun for us. Paul was very informative; and he kept Susan and me on the edge of our chairs. Great job. Congrats to all our Board Members.


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Great additions to the tank and nice wish list, Joel. I've recently made room for some more chalice frags myself. In your second pic, the coloney behind the chalice looks like a micromusa coloney that I purchased at Neptune a week ago. It's looking great today!
Where's the pic of the magenta eye'd chalice? :cool:
 
Wish List:(Updated 11/03/09)

SPSs: Branching Yellow such as Portites Cylindrica or Cumulatus in particular.

LPSs: Unusual Ultra chalice such as Watermelon Taffy & "Acid Trip" Echinophyllia ($400 per eye-polyp)

Softie: Red- (rare) and / or Orange Cycloseris Tenuis

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screebo said:
Your persistence with catching the Flame Angel is commendable. Nice work! Good 'ol critter cages!
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Thanks John. You're right about the critter keeper. Thank you for offering me the use of your's last time we got together; it was just the right size too. Much appreciated.

Life seems so peaceful now. A wish for my departed friend is that it finds a really good home / tank where both angel fish and owner will thrive. 0:)

Best,
R.K.
 
Real nice scrolling Echinopora. I love to watch it grow. I have some Vivid Firefly Echinopora. It's quite thin and fragile but grows like a weed. One late night I watched my largest coloney extend sweepers from a couple of it's eyes that were about 1 1/2" long. Thin and clear with little stingers on each tenticle. Ouch!

Gotta see that tank in person! Nice results from your labors.
 
screebo said:
Real nice scrolling Echinopora. ...Gotta see that tank in person! Nice results from your labors.
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Thanks Screebo,

I got the tank up dolled up because Jeremy was coming over yesterday, but then could not make it over, so we met up at Happy Taco off Hwy1 and 92 instead for lunch. So, the tank is looking picture perfect right now. You're always welcome, so give me jingle or :mail: and we can go from there.

Thank you for following my thread, posting back and offering words of wisdom and encouragement; plus all that other good stuff. :)

Happy Reefing ,
R.K.
 
screebo said:
Great additions....Where's the pic of the magenta eye'd chalice? :cool:
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In the group shot, it's the large scrolling one on the far left side-mid reef perched above the cave entrance and above to the left of the Red Nedosa.

Here is a close up photo below taken the day I picked it up. It has a aqua blue shimmer to it under the actinics that doesn't show itself well in the photos. One of these months, I plan on getting a HD SLR, that should do the trick going forward.

Update:

Per Gresham http://www.bareefers.org/home/node/8460 , I just learned that this is the Tyree LE Echinopora Lamellosa - Blue Chalice. I'm a very happy reefer now. Excerpt below:

Do either of you have a photo of this Blue Chalice. I'm asking because I am trying to id a Blue Chalice I have, that might be a Limited Edition Echinopora Lamellosa. Here is a link to a photo that looks like my Chalice. If anyone has any input, I'd welcome your feedback. Sorry to bust in here, you just seemed like the right folks to ask.

Here's a good link for folks to learn more about it (It has an interesting history)
http://www.reeffarmers.com/limitedechinopora.htm

Happy Reefing,
R.K.



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Lyn said:
I really enjoy watching the progress on your tank. Beautiful! :)
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Hi Lyn,

Thank you. :bigsmile: You have a terrific knack for making me feel so good and welcomed. It's been good for me too. I'm enjoying the progress and successes I've been having since joining BARs; and glad to be able to share them with the Club too. There are times, I feel like / am the dumb one in the group, because there are so many brilliant and committed folks in this club. Sometimes, I have difficulty on the boards (but I am starting to get better at this stuff). :Shy: Your post arrives at a welcomed time.

Thank you for following along and for your encouragement. I feel lucky and happy BARs found me as I journey the years learning the higher art of husbandry, and developing my virtual world skills on the boards. I'm gaining some valuable personal and interpersonal skills too.

Happy Reefing,
Joel
 
We are all learning. If we were not, then we'd be dead. LOL ;) Don't worry about feeling less "brilliant". Many of us feel a little "dim" at times. This is a rapidly developing hobby, and there are so many aspects of it. The fact that your tank is healthy and the corals are thriving proves that you are doing a great job. :)

Also, don't worry about fudging posts. It is very difficult sometimes to write exactly what we mean. It's hard to see the nuances of communication over the internet like we could in person. I regularly reread my posts before hitting the "save" button to make sure it is not offensive or could be misconstrued. Not everyone does this, and I have to remember this at times. I guess it is just part of the technological world we live in. :)
 
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