Zechenia's 28 Gallon Bowfront Beginner Reef [UPDATED]

I like your rock scape. I couldn't possible remember how many time I redid my rocks and at times still wonder if I could do something else.

 

Duncan decided it was finally settled in and openned today!

 

How is everything going for you?

 

Everything is going great. Just got a small little candy cane frag. Since I have been in so much, they threw in another coral frag in for free. Pictures soon.

The acan is still struggling, though it seems to have stopped deteriorating. Still crossing my fingers it pulls through. My coral supplier has been awesome to me... and I really don't want to have him need to replace it!

 

Random Picture time!

I changed out the eggcrate on the top. I cut a hole in the center (leaving a couple squares thick of eggcrate on the edges) and put in netting from Bulk Reef Supply. Not sure if the pictures show the lighting difference, but it's obvious in person! Going to pick up another firefish soon now that I have a suitable top!





New Candy Cane. Will be moved after light acclimation


Free Polyps Thrown in with last order:


Acan Still struggling.


Random Other shots:





Probably can't tell from the pictures. But my 2 headed frogspawn is well on it's way to being three heads (one head has two mouths, and is slowly growing tentacles between them).

Overall everything seemed to be going good. Just hope my acan cheers up so I don't need it replaced!

 

Everything is looking great. I hope your acan pulls through.

 

Acan isn't going to make it. Being replaced this weekend. Hopefully starting with a healthy one will work out better. I am also about to pull the trigger on a 3 inch crocea clam, so I'll be picking that up this weekend as well

Also, I think my bulbs are in need of replacing. I had an explosion of what reminds me of diatoms on the glass this week. I will be replacing them after Christmas. I recently removed the eggcrate top and replaced with netting. So I want plenty of acclimation time before I bump up the power with new bulbs.

Current Bulb Plans:
2 Blue Plus, 1 Aquablue special, and 1 Purple plus or 2 Blue Plus, 2 Aquablue special

 

Clam Pictures! Plus me practicing with my camera. Also, I added a sixline wrasse and a firefish (firefish isn't in any of the pictures, he's still shy)














Couple questions: How can I tell if my clam is happy in his current lighting (the best looking place for him is a little lower in the tank than I planned). Also, I have a candy cane, but it seems to look the same no matter where I put him. How do I know he's happy?

 

Update:

I have had a major Cyno outbreak, and have lost my birdsnest. Duncan's are openning, but less than before. Everything else looks good, outside of the cyno.

I have restocked my clean up crew. Just purchased an RODI unit since I am thinking the RO water from the Grocery store might be the source of my problems, and just made my first RODI water last night, and am mixing salt now. I plan on doing 5 gallon water changes every other day until I have done 50% to 75% of the system volume in water changes.

I thought the cyno was originally from my old bulbs, replaced those, and it's only gotten worse. Added a new CuC, with little change. REALLY praying the RODI water helps!

Edit: I've also tried aiming powerheads straight at the cyno, without any change. Infact, I have cyno in 2 places. On sand bed in front corners, on rock at the very top next to the powerhead. Also, I was worried about it being dinos. Did a 24 hour black out. From what I've read, if it was Dinos it would be noticably different after this blackout. The cyno was not changed.

 

So....


Got rid of most of my algae problem. Little hair algae left, but cyno is totally gone.

I had an anemone crab, however after about a two weeks he suddenly didn't make it. Super bummed about it as he was awesome looking!

I had to ditch the six-line. It was attacking and killing my snails. I'd like to try one again, but it'll probably be when I have a bigger tank.

I've attached some pictures. I've gotten a few new corals. As mentioned above, I lost my birdsnest during my cyno outbreak, so a local reef club member hooked me up with some tester SPS. I've started using kalk in my top off water as well.

I think everything else is looking good, except my candy cane. I swear I can't keep em alive, so this will be my second and last attempt with it! My xenia is growing so crazy that I placed my torch coral in a position to keep it from spreading toward the middle of the rocks.

Here's the Pictures:




















Acan's were on death bed. Now they look like this:













I've also gotten a reef angel controller (don't know if that was mentioned on here yet). Still waiting on purchasing the wi-fi adapter. I LOVE the controller. The coral seems to enjoy the wavemaker functionality!