Reef A

This is an overview of the center of Reef A. This reef is nearly two years old. The Xenia was just trimmed back again as it tends to shade colonial animals. This reef has 3 species of acros, 2 monti., 2 pocillo., and 1 Hynophora (aka horn coral). Four species of zooanthids, star polyps, Xenia, Tree Coral all competing for territory!

Note the M. capricornis, the orange plate coral.

Reef A

This Pagoda coral does not seem to be too disturbed by the Montipora or the Capnella (Tree Coral) - bottom, right corner. It has expanded some and added more polyps to its matrix.

Reef A

The pinkish frag in the center is a new Pocillopora introduced about a month ago.

The Hynophora is showing considerable growth. The concern is that it might affect the Pocilloporas on both sides of it. Hynophoras are fairly aggressive and intolerant of most other Cnidarians. The green clove polyps aka star polyps are expanding over much of this reef and have been trimmed a couple of times and most likely will require even more drastic measures to keep them under control.

The blenny appears to be getting old. It is quite thin.

Reef B

An overall view of reef B. It has been almost a year since it was set up. The furry mushrooms in the foreground have taken of since the specific gravity was corrected a while back.
the recently added Yellow Tang is feeding a little on the algae but has not made much of an impact on the saw blade Caulerpa.

Reef B

This is a new piece of live rock recently added to the left rear corner. It has 2 frags of Pocillopora, a furry mushroom and some Halimeda.

Reef B

A new Six-line Wrasse. It has been flitting around so fast that it has been very difficult to get its photo. It has been gorging itself from something(s) on the live rock. It has also been noticed occasionally pecking on this colony of Pocillopora but it does not seem to be doing any damage The coral has a small crab living at its base. It is even more camera-shy!

Reef B

This Mandarin awakens very early to begin its hunt for food. It spends most of the time on the prowl all over the reef. It appears to be finding enough to eat. It recently recovered from several frayed fins.

Reef B

The Mandarin recently had frayed fins but today it appears to have recovered. It is up very early hunting its plankton. It stays on the move constantly. It is however, easily side-tracked by its own reflection in the sides of the tank.

Reef B

This leather coral has suffered greatly from the hypersalienty (around 1.039). It is making a gradual comeback. The competition with the algae Caulerpa is likely not helping much either.

Reef A

Behind the gorgonian is another new frag of acro. It has very small light green polyps.

Reef A

The orange coral is a capricornis frag. It has shown considerable growth since the the salienty was brought to WNL. The Xenias require very frequent trimming.

Reef A

The acro in the center is new. A trade for frags about a week ago.

Reef A

The feather-duster is new. I traded some frags with a lfs in the Portland, OR area.

Reef B

This Pocillopora colony has a small crab living in close association. It never leaves the coral.

An overall view of Reef A. This shot shows the extent of the star polyps. But the Zenia are no slouch when it comes to taking territory!
A healthy reef is a good example of the importance of real estate on the reef! Sometimes sexual reproduction is not very evident in captivity but spreading and taking territory as quickly as possible is quite visible. The major competitors are the star polyps, Zenia, Capnella (lower right) and and the Golden Polyps (upper right)

In the center is a M. capricornis. The paler edges indicate areas that this coral is growing. Up close one can see numerous small polyps. Above it are two colonies of M. digitata, Under the MH lighting this coral will darken considerably over time.

A closeup of one colony of P. crassicornis. Note the color and polyp extension. Behind it is a large colony of star polyps, It has to be cut back as it has caused injury to the crassicornis.

A group of zooanthids was fragged and glued to the face of the reef. The hope is that they will spread and cover much of this area over time.
In the bottom left corner is the encrusting gorgonian. It has also recently begun to spread.

Center is the Endive Hydnopora showing growth since the salienties were corrected. In fact all the corals have darkened and are displaying increased polyp extension.

Center background is a newer Flame Scallop. The one that had been around for a couple of years recently succumbed. On the right is a frag of the Star Polyps. On the left a frag of the Montipora digitata.

Reef A

In the center is a M. capricornis. It has darkened and grown since the salienty was adjusted.

This is Reef B. The leather corals that were doing well in this system began to decline due to the hypersalienty

Reef A:

The mother colony of Pocillopora is behind the base of the gorgonian. It is also recovering nicely from the hypersaline condition.

Some of the Xenia were recently fragged. The Trumpet coral in the rear does not appear to be recovering however.

Note the Pocillopora in the middle of the photo.
A couple of weeks ago I was checking my sp. grav. against a new hydrometer. It showed the water at nearly 1.040 with the new one when the old on read 1.025. My conclusion: old hydrometers need to be replaced every couple of years. In the meantime rinse them in fresh water and occasionally soak them in white vinegar.

Before this I could not explain the bleaching of this and loss of some other corals. All other parameters were WNL.

Zoes that had been added to Reef A but refused to open until the salienty was corrected.

Pocillopora damicornis fragged on 8/11/07.

Loctite super glue control gel was used on the frags.

The benefit of using sun glass plugs is that they can easily be trimmed to fit in their new homes.

Frag of Montipora digitata fragged on 8/11/07.

Today fragged Montiporas and a Pollicipora. Frags were glued to small pieces of sun glass easily cut and drilled to individual frag. The sun glass was once a large ilter block rom a sump.

Yellow Tang zipping along over patch of Xenia.
(Reflections are often difficult to avoid with acrylic tanks).

Overall view of Reef A.

Reef A with Aragonite added today - after being throughly washed, A bag of Aragonite was also placed in the freshwater reservoir.

Reef B; Lighting has new ballast.. Gravel added today.

Reef B: Added some Carib Sea Aragonite gravel (1-2 mm). Feather duster in the center is from Reeftopia, Key West.

New sponge. Traded for some colonies of xenia at a LFS in south Portland area.

Reef B: unknown acro. grwing under PCs and back lit with a 65 W yard light.

This very small piece of life rock in Reef A has a feather duster, Xenia and Taro Tree coral colonies besides algaes.

Banggai Cardinal in Reef A.

Note the size of the Star Polyp colony - and the Xenia. The coral on the right is a Pocillopora damicornis. The mother colony is up higher and appears more bleached out.

Reef A:
The Yellow Tang does not seem to care for having its picture taking. Actually I think seeing the camera spooks it. It is swimming over an extensive bed of Pom Pon Xenia.

The basslet and firefish are in view. The gorgonian frag was added yesterday.

A close-up of the3 Furry Mushrooms in Reef B. They appear to be doing fine but have not reproduced; there are 8 'shrooms in total.

Reef B:

This system seems to do well with gorgonians so two were fragged and attached yesterday. They opened shortly after being glued in place.

The Acro that was in this spot died and this is a frag of the Acro from Reef B. It shows some light pink on the tips. It is the one SPS coral that is doing well under PC lighting, a total of 285 watts.

Reef A:
a cabbage leather appearing to be expanding in its territory.

This is probably one of the most attractive fish I have ever owned. It is wary but curious.

Reef B: A Black-Capped Basslet rec'd on Jul 3rd. At first it hid behind the reef for several hours. Today it readily took Formula One flakes.

They constantly seem to want to make contact. When one wonders off it always makes it back to its mate in a very short time. BTW this pair did not come in as a pair on July 3rd.

Reef A: Neon Goby pair exploring a cave perhaps as a future site for a nest. They have not been interested in food just courtship (or so it appears).

Pair of Neon Gobies sticking together like glue.