Raddogz's 120g Piece of Reef

[Apon]

Here is one from our tank tour.

 

[Raddogz]

Here are some random updated shots

My "special" rescue tang

Shot from the side of the tank

My slightly re-arranged and still somewhat empty tank

 

[skorpinok]

Whoa, nice collection of clams Eileen. How long have you had the 2 Tomini Tangs.

 

[Raddogz]

I've had the two Tomini's for about a little over a year now.

 

[Paradox]

Looks good. If you want to check out the helios 20k bulbs, your welcome to come by any time.l I have a 3rd center bulb on my tank with a reeflux 12k which I think you are using, so you can see them side by side. I think I might actually go back to the 12k next time I buy bulbs which hopefully will be a while since Ive already bought 3 sets of bulbs in the last 4-6 months.


They really should make a combo pack of haide bulbs that contains every bulb but they only burn for a week each hah.

 

[Raddogz]

Ouch!

Actually, I'm thinking of either Reeflux 12k (400watters) or Radium (250watters) or AquaConnect (400watters). I haven't decided yet.

There is a mini colony that I picked up at the last frag swap that is getting the blue back in it's tips now that I have gone back to the 12k Reeflux (250w) from the 14k Ushio (400w).

 

[Paradox]

Although I dont agree with the pricing, I have a feeling that my 'perfect' bulb im searching for are the aqua connects.

 

[Raddogz]

Some new pics of my Dragon Face Pipefish.

Okay, yes I said that the ho-hum fish you can get around now is quite dismal and shipping can be sketchy and I went ahead and ate my words all the same - sorry. I received the email notification these were in stock over at liveaquaria.com and jumped on it.

Bought two - I guess they were nice enough to give me a pair because the one bag that had one of the pipefish had babies in it - ooops. These things were so small it wasn't worth thinking about trying to raise as apparently half of them were already dead in the bag. I opened the other bag, hoping it wouldn't have any surprises and there were none.

Once they were acclimated they were scooped in a container and transported into the display tank.

 

[kmaintl]

Nice photos, interesting fish.

 

[LeviT]

Awww look at them cuddle. so cute ;D

 

[skorpinok]

Eileen, are those the same Dragon Face Pipefish that you bought during the sf. tank tour?

 

[Raddogz]

No the pipefish I bought before was an Alligator pipefish that just wouldn't eat, and frankly did not do nor will do well in a tank with high flow.

As of right now I have the Vortec pump turned down about halfway, so as to not suck them in.

 

[sfsuphysics]

I was wondering about that Vortech Eileen, I can just see them "oooh those look like nice little cracks I can hide in... brrrapt.. dragon soup!

 

[Raddogz]

Exactly, as of right now they are slithering around the rocks and the foreground of the tank. Many of frags have fallen down between the clams and they like the relatively low flow area. I do worry that my clams will slam shut on one of them.

 

[Raddogz]

Update

Lost one of the pipefish sad day. I don't think there are enough pods in the tank along with the mandarin and the leopard wrasse - lesson learned. Something to think about if you guys think about getting one these guys.

These little guys can stand a lot of flow. The slither along the floor and on the rocks and seldom do they drift in the current.

Upgraded one side of the lights right before the swap from 250w to 400w bulb. I only have one Icecap 400w ballast hence only one side. I bought slightly used (3 months) 400w Aquaconnects.

Yeah yeah yeah, the uber expensive bulbs. So far I like it lots and lots. If Radiums had this kind of par I would be all over them, but like with many bulbs they either have the par but not the color spectrum i.e. Ushio 14k or the right color but not enough par 12k Reeflux (at least with 250w) that I am looking for. Obviously this is purely subjective.

I'm finally getting the Steve Ruddy mini colony I picked up at the August swap to color up blue - it's been brown in the 12k Reeflux (250w) and the 14k Ushio (400w). I've tried different heights and to no avail could I get the colony to color up like the way I first got it.

Now I just need to pick up another IceCap 400w ballast and I'll be set for a couple years

 

[Gomer]

Unfortunate about those fish. they were really cool

 

[Apon]

Can you tell which gender died? was it a pair. Sorry about the loss, did they eat articpods? maybe add a fuge to grow extra?

 

[LeviT]

Sorry to hear that On another sad note I was really excited to bring home your turquoise stag and baby blue tipped stag from the swap but neither of them made it. so far I think everything else is doing ok but the DBTC turaki that isn't showing polyp extention. I guess for all I brought home..... 3 out of 15 or so frags isn't bad.

 

[Raddogz]

Baby blue tipped stag and turquoise stag grows like a weed so you'll see again soon.

Fwiw - Tom - aka EarthBoy took home a colony so maybe he can chime in.

As for the pipefish - the larger of two died and I know the larger one was a male. The smaller one is just picking away at stuff. Fingers crossed

They wouldn't eat cyclop-eeze or arctic pods - believe I tried! I would have loved to say online "Arctic Pods Rock" my dragon faced pipefish eat them - the food rocks anyway, but it sure would have been nice to say

 

[sfsuphysics]

wonder if they'd eat red flatworms!