Jan 1, 2020

Xenia & Xeniids Jan/Feb 2020 CORAL magazine

XENIA & XENIIDS: Beautiful, beguiling, and sometimes a bane

by Felicia McCaulley

Oct 20, 2019

My New Kamoer F4 Pro WiFi Dosing Pump

What have I been up to? Trying to automate as many functions on the Unicorn Reef Bowl as possible. Kamoer F4 Pro to the rescue.

Things have not been going as well for the bowl as I wish they were. Many corals have finally been recovering since the crash last year when I was stuck in the hospital for 3 weeks. Having a new baby makes it difficult to keep up with maintenance and dosing, however, and the poor bowl has been neglected. I am happy to report that most of the original corals from the 2 gallon reef jar that were moved into this bowl are still alive and doing better. I am still mourning the loss of my favorite M. setosa, but the others are healing and growing.

Calcium and Alkalinity Dosing

Something I have changed about my reef bowl routine since my last post - I am now dosing Tropic Marin's All-For-Reef (Carbo-calcium with added trace elements). I used to be able to do near-total water changes frequently to replenish calcium and trace elements, but that wasn't working for me any longer, and I needed to start dosing, especially after the Superman Cyphastrea frag my sister gave me spread like wildfire and started sucking up so much Ca and Alk, stunting my other corals.

Tropic Marin's All-For-Reef and Carbo-calcium are awesome because they are one-part Ca and Alk dosing supplements (like Kalkwasser, but without the bad side effects or limitations).

So what am I using my Kamoer F4 Pro for?

Kamoer F4 Pro overkill on a nano? No way. I see most folks using dosing pumps to, well, dose various supplements, elements, and foods. Since I only needed one dosing head for my All-For-Reef which takes care of my calcium, alkalinity, and trace elements, I had 3 dosing heads left over.

Feeding the Bowl

I've been using Benepets Benereef, which was reviewed by my friend Marcin on Reefs.com. I was definitely chronically underfeeding this tank for years, and my Zoas were the first to show signs of malnutrition. They've been enjoying better health since I've been using this food. I don't have to worry about overfeeding and jacking up my nitrates and phosphates with Benereef, so it's ideal for a nano/pico like this.

I also got a sample of EasySPS to try with my new doser, so I decided to use pump #2 for feeding. The best part is that it comes with a hanger and fittings for a dosing pump, so it was very easy to connect to my dosing pump.

Automatic water changes with a dosing pump

I had two dosing heads left, and I had a final problem to solve - water changes. The tubing holder that comes with the Kamoer F4 pro has tube connections on both sides, so I was able to attach some clear airline tubing that I can hide inside the bowl to draw water out of the bowl from closer to the bottom of the tank. I programmed the doser to remove 150ml of water from the bowl at 2pm each day. The water goes into a 5 gallon bucket next to the tank that I empty later. Then the last head replenishes the water from another 5 gallon bucket next to the tank full of saltwater that has a heater and powerhead constantly running to keep it fresh and oxygenated.

Dosing pumps aren't really meant for water changes, and running them constantly can wear them out faster. I would definitely not recommend using these for automatic water changes on larger tanks. Pico tanks only! If you're looking for something that can handle automatic water changes on a larger tank, check out the Smart AWC.

I love my Kamoer F4 Pro so far. It's aesthetically pleasing, so I didn't mind hanging it right above the bowl. I love the colored dosing heads, and I decided to use different colors of silicone airline tubing than the colored tubing that was provided with the doser. I wanted more "girly" colors that matched my bowl and the artwork hanging above the bowl better. I'll keep you all updated on the Unicorn Reef Bowl, as always.

Aug 5, 2019

Saltwater Aquarium Radio Podcast 038: Micro Reef Tanks with Felicia McCaulley

http://saltwateraquariumradio.com/sar038/?fbclid=IwAR3oBuaWuhe9xkBD1A6Khr8HQQLWabUvX-Ps7QpzV7sRWm0XzIGnJooZgyc

May 29, 2019

Why is my protein skimmer overflowing?

https://youtu.be/V5wbMJBAFQc

“Why is my protein skimmer overflowing?” - This is one of the most common questions asked in reef keeping and today we are going to look at the reasons why.

#proteinskimmer #proteinskimmeroverflowing #proteinskimmeroverflow

The good news is that an overflowing skimmer is not broken or defective. Let’s talk a bit more about protein skimmers to help us understand how they work and what can cause them to overflow.

When food, livestock waste, or any decomposing organic matter breaks down in your aquarium, it forms organic compounds in the water column. Each molecule of these compounds has one side which is positively charged, and one side which negatively charged. These charges are the reason you may see an oily film on the surface of tanks that don't use a protein skimmer. One side of the molecule is attracted to the water while the other (side of the molecule) is repelled by it, drawing them to the surface.

Just as the charged waste molecules are attracted to the surface of the water, they are also attracted to the surface of the tiny bubbles created by your skimmer.

As the bubbles rise through the skimmer body, they collect these waste molecules. Once they reach the top, they form a foam that will overflow into the skimmer cup and can be easily removed.

Occasionally, the skimmer can overproduce foam, quickly filling the cup and resulting in an overflow.

Within the first two to four weeks, it pretty standard for your skimmer to overflow. Until the body builds up the appropriate "biofilm", the skimmer tend to act pretty erratically.

Adding activated carbon to your filtration and doing additional water changes will reduce the viscosity of your water, causing less foam and fewer overflows.

It's also pretty standard for skimmers to overflow during tank cycles. Since there typically isn't much waste in the tank during this period, its ok to just leave your skimmer off until the tank is cycled.

Outside of removing waste from your water, another benefit of skimmers is that they heavily oxygenate your water. If you still want this oxygenation during your tank cycle, feel free to leave your skimmer on and just remove the collection cup.

Whenever you add new chemicals to your tank, they are going to change your water chemistry. As skimmers are very finely tuned, even the smallest changes can affect their performance and will often result in an overflow.Some of these overflow perpetrators include Water conditioners, bacteria mixes, oily foods, medications, and frag epoxies, but the list goes on.

Another culprit that tends to fly under the radar is fresh filter socks. Often times when filter socks are produced, they will have some sort of residue left over on them from manufacturing. When introduced to your tank, this can unfortunately get into your water and cause your skimmer to go crazy. A quick rinse of the socks before installation will fix this problem and make your life much easier.

Even household cleaning solutions such as soaps and air fresheners sprayed near the tank can change your water chemistry just enough to trigger an overflow.

Again, carbon is your best friend here and is great for pulling these undesirable chemicals out of your tank.

If you are introducing medication directly to your main tank, expect your skimmer to go haywire. Unfortunately, the skimmer is going to overflow until you are done medicating and all of the excess chemicals have been pulled out either via carbon or water change.

Remember to always check your skimmer’s user manual for its recommended water level. Although nearly every skimmer allows you adjust its internal water level, this can only go so far. If the water level in your sump is too high it will elevate the foam to a point where there is too much running into the cup, once again resulting in an overflow.

If you find that your water level is too high, a number of companies sell skimmer stands just for this reason.

Make sure to keep up on your regular maintenance as well. Just soaking the pump parts in a vinegar and water solution and giving them a quick scrubbing with a toothbrush will greatly increase your skimmers performance. Don’t forget to clear your venturi’s airline of any blockages as well.

If you find yourself with an overflowing skimmer, just remember to ask, "what's changed?"

Have you recently done a major water change or started dosing medication? Did you just switch out your filter socks or change to a new frozen food? Did you see the first spots of ICH on your fish and dose and medicate your tank in a panic? The simplest way to solve a overflowing skimmer is just to figure out what is different from before.

Let us know your experiences with overflowing skimmers and how you handled them in the comments below. If you found this video helpful, please share it with your friends and don’t forget to subscribe for similar videos. As always, Take care and enjoy the reef-keeping journey.

May 24, 2019

Fluconazole for Green Hair Algae & Bryopsis: How To Treat Your Tank with Flux Rx from Blue Life USA

22,087 Views

May 24, 2019

https://https://mdshop.us/FluxRx Today we are going to focus on green hair algae and how to get rid of it using Flux Rx from Blue Life USA

https://youtu.be/gZlh8sNSwGw

Hair algae Derbesia and Bryopsis, have always been a major nuisance for reef aquarists. Given adequate lighting and nutrients, these algae can quickly grow out of control and smother our precious corals.

Getting rid of hair algae has always been a hassle. Manual removal is typically the go-to for getting rid of algae. But water changes, media reactors, refugiums, and algae scrubbers are also used to reduce nutrient levels. Once the algae really takes hold, these approaches unfortunately may not be enough.

You can also look into stocking fish and inverts that are known to eat algae; however, relying on animals to take care of this issue is often questionable as you can’t guarantee what they will want to eat. Many of these algae eating species have also been known to pick at coral polyps while others such as the sea hare will release toxins when they are scared or dying.

If typical methods aren’t solving your hair algae problem, it may be time to look at Flux Rx from Blue Life USA. Fluconazole, which is the active ingredient in Flux Rx, has been used by professional aquarists to remove hair algaes successfully for years. Unfortunately it’s pretty tough to find a reliable source for fluconazole and even more difficult to dose it properly. Blue Life USA Flux Rx puts the algae fighting power of fluconazole into the hands of aquarists in a way that is simple to use. The major bonus of Flux Rx is that it is reef safe. After testing it on our tanks we saw no negative effects on our corals or other sensitive inverts.

One thing to keep in mind is that Flux Rx will only target Bryopsis and Derbesia, so it likely won’t take out other types of hair algae like turf algae. The active ingredient in Flux Rx is thought to stop these algaes by blocking important enzymatic pathways and disrupting integrity of the algae’s cell walls. Some reefers have reported that macro algaes can be affected by Flux Rx so if you are running chaeto or other macros in a refugium it would be best to remove them while treating your tank. This also means that if you are running a algae reactor or algae scrubber, you would temporarily need to remove them as well.

Always remember to remove media reactors and carbon filters from your system to make sure that it doesn’t immediately remove the Flux Rx from your tank after dosing. It's also recommended to turn your skimmer off when you begin dosing as it will likely begin to overflow. Once the algae starts to break down after about 72 hours and release the nutrients, you can turn your skimmer back on.

When dosing, noticeable results may begin in the first couple days of treatment. Certain strains of algae may be a bit more resilient so they may take a bit longer to be affected. After the full 10-14 the results will be apparent. Once you pass the 14 day treatment period, do a 20% water change and feel free to start reintroducing your reactors and filters.

It is fairly easy to reintroduce the algae back into your tank so it is a good idea to give any equipment that you are reinstalling a quick wipe down with vinegar and to change out your filter media. Doing so will remove any algae traces that may be left over from before the treatment. Even after the algae is eliminated, its important to continue keeping an eye on nutrient levels as they can open the door to another algae infestation.

Blue Life also makes the regenerable medias, Phosphate Fx and Organic Fx to help you out on this front as well.

Let us know about your experience will nuisance algae down in the comments below and please share this video if you found it helpful. Don’t forget to like and subscribe, and as always take care and happy reefkeeping.

#fluconazole #greenhairalgae #bryopsis

Buy Flux Rx at Marine Depot (and read product reviews!): https://www.marinedepot.com/Flux_Rx_Bryopsis_and_Green_Hair_Algae_Treatment_Blue_Life_USA-BL0118-FIADAL-vi.html

Buy Blue Life USA's Regenerable Resin Medias at Marine Dpeot: https://www.marinedepot.com/search?tag=regen-media-blue-life-usa

May 22, 2019

How to Stop Your Protein Skimmer from Overflowing

Dec 3, 2018

Acropora Facts You Probably Didn't Know

Acropora coloration - it’s all about the symbionts

A beautiful and rewarding relationship between stony corals and single celled dinoflagellate algae began sometime in the late Triassic over 200 million years ago. Corals formerly relied solely on food capture with their polyps for energy, making them slow growers. Adopting these algae cells called Zooxanthellae allowed corals to utilize both photosynthesis and food capture for faster reef-building growth, which led to the creation and evolution of our now irreplaceable, essential reef ecosystems. Acropora corals first appeared during the Eocene Epoch 37 to 54 million years ago, the beginning of our story.

Acropora coloration is in part due to these symbiotic zooxanthellae, which are plant-like cells, that live within their tissues. The coral produces CO2 and H2O, and the zooxanthellae use these for photosynthesis which in turn feeds the coral polyps. In captivity, dark brown or green Acropora are usually a result of overfeeding the zooxanthellae organic matter with high concentrations of nitrate and phosphate in the tank water. Excessively bright lighting or high temperatures can cause “bleaching,” which is when the zooxanthellae leave the coral, making its tissue nearly transparent and exposing the white skeleton beneath.

It isn’t fully understood why corals produce fluorescent coloration which is visible under actinic lighting in aquariums. UV light found in some LED lights and metal halide lights can bring out the protective fluorescent blue, purple, and pink pigments of shallow-water Acropora. Deeper water corals may produce fluorescent pigments to provide more light to their photosynthetic symbionts.

In addition to Zooxanthellae, there are other symbionts working with Acropora to process nutrients and influence their coloration. Little known fungus-like protists called Thraustochytrids may be responsible for some of the fluorescent proteins found in Acropora and other corals.

It’s almost impossible to identify captive grown Acropora

Identification of captive grown Acropora corals is difficult and in most cases, futile. Even experts who have studied wild Acropora for a lifetime can’t identify a captive Acropora with any certainty. We hobbyists have managed to change the coloration and morphology of our Acropora corals using unnatural conditions, making them nearly unrecognizable. This difficulty is compounded when faced with identifying tiny frags or small colonies. When you see an Acropora identified by scientific name in the hobby, chances are it’s just an educated guess.

The fastest growing Acropora are staghorns

The general consensus among aquarists is that the Green Slimer Acropora yongei is the fastest growing Acropora coral in captivity today. Acropora yongei branches on the Great Barrier Reef have been recorded growing as much as 4.3” during a 15 week summer. That’s more than an inch a month!

Image found at [1]. Created by NOAA's Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary

Acropora palmata form the largest Acropora colonies

The largest Acropora species is the rare and endangered Acropora palmata from the Caribbean, which typically grows to over 13 feet across, 6.5 feet high, and with a base of 1.3 feet thick.

Acropora corals are easy to frag

Despite being considered one of the most difficult corals to keep in captivity, Acropora corals are surprisingly easy to frag. Thin branches can be carefully broken with your hand, but thicker branches should be cut with a pair of stainless steel “bone” or coral cutters. If you have a coral wet saw, you can frag large colonies quickly.

Small frags can be superglued to plugs. Frags will stick better if the plug is dry. If you want branches to be glued to plugs in an upright position, use plugs with holes drilled in the center that are slightly larger in diameter than the branch. It is also possible to glue a branch horizontally onto a flat plug. Hold the coral for about 30 seconds to set the glue, then carefully place the plug in a frag rack until it cures. Larger frags may need epoxy and superglue to secure them into a hole in live rock. New frags can be traded or sold when the flesh starts to encrust onto the plug.

Big R Corals Walt Disney Acropora tenuis photo credit Coralust

Pedigreed Acro frags can cost more than a month's mortgage

One of the most sought after and expensive Acro frags is the Jason Fox Homewrecker Acro frag retails for $999.99. Many hobbyists were skeptical of its extremely bright coloration in photos, some calling it “Photoshopped.” Those who saw the frags in person at MACNA 2017 in New Orleans will attest to the accuracy of photos of this unbelievable coral.

A modestly expensive and sought after Acropora frag is Mike Biggar’s of Big R Corals Walt Disney Tenuis Acropora frag. A ¾” frag of this blue and pink A. tenuis with yellow polyps retails for $199.99.

Possibly the most expensive Acro frag today is a ½” RR’s Bleeding Avenger Acro which retails on Cornbred’s site for $1999.99. Two. Thousand. For a half inch.

Those on a budget should not discount the value of the $5 brown Acropora frags in the local fish store’s sale bin. With some TLC and proper conditions, that tiny brown frag could regain bright coloration and eventually become a cherished show piece.

Acropora efflorescens - an unusual growth form for an Acropora

There’s more to Acropora than branching

We tend to think of Acropora corals as being “branchy,” but the nearly 150 different species of Acropora have 7 distinct growth forms - tables/plates, staghorn, bushy, massive, bottlebrush, corymbose, and digitate. Some of the most sought after are the deepwater bottlebrush forms like Acropora echinata and the tabling forms like Acropora hyacinthus.

Digitate Acropora coral

Acropora can share and adopt new Zooxanthellae

The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago reported that their Caribbean Acropora corals were adopting Zooxanthellae from the Pacific species. The spawn collected A. palmata frags they housed in the same system with Pacific Acropora started sporting new purple polyps, and DNA test results proved the Zooxanthellae were Pacific in origin. Zookeepers and public aquarists lament the delicate nature and difficulty of A. palmata and cervicornis. Could introducing Pacific Zooxanthellae to Caribbean Acropora make the corals hardier?

Acropora corals are unique, important ecosystems

Acropora are called “reef-building” corals because they form hard skeletons that create important habitats for countless reef fish and invertebrates and nurseries for reef fish and large open water fish fry. One billion people world wide depend on coral reefs economically. A collapse of coral reef ecosystems would have devastating consequences, and its effects would be felt by every living human.

Even small colonies of Acropora corals can host many varieties of species. Tetralia and Trapezia crabs are symbiotic defenders of Acropora corals, feeding on coral mucous and chasing away predators. Polychaete worms and feather dusters, barnacles, crabs, shrimps, commensal shell-less hermit crabs, tiny fish like coral gobies and coral crouchers, copepods, amphipods, flatworms, sponges, and tunicates have all been known to make their homes either inside or underneath the safety of Acropora colonies. Dr. Ronald Shimek reports in the July/August 2018 issue of CORAL magazine that in a single large Acropora hyacinthus colony is likely to house several thousand species of symbionts.

Acropora in the wild need our help

American Acropora palmata and Acropora cervicornis were once some of the most common stony corals in their respective ranges in the Caribbean, Florida keys, Gulf of Mexico and Bahamas, but populations have declined by estimates of up to 95% in the last 30 years. Their rapid decline has been attributed to climate change and pollution, which makes the Acropora susceptible to other threats like disease. Climate change also increases coral damaging hurricane frequency and severity and higher ocean surface temperatures which contribute to coral bleaching events.

Serratia marcescens, a pathogenic, gram negative bacteria commonly found in the gastrointestinal tract and other mucosal surfaces of humans, causes a disease specific to A. palmata called white pox disease. Other diseases that plague A. palmata and A. cervicornis are Black band disease and White band disease which can also decimate entire populations quickly. Black band disease is caused by Cyanobacteria and bacteria infecting coral tissue. White band disease is not well studied, but experts believe there are many types that may be caused by several species of bacteria such as Vibrio harveyi and/or ciliate parasite Philaster lucinda.

All Acropora are listed under CITES appendix II, and many are threatened. Other species of Acropora that are endangered according to the IUCN red list are A. rudis and A. suharsoni.

There is little hope for the recovery of American Acropora species, but organizations like the Coral Restoration Foundation are not ready to give up. Ken Nedimyer and his team frag, grow, and redistribute healthy Elkhorn corals. They use innovative techniques like hanging frags on elevated trees to prevent them from being smothered by sediment or exposed to pathogens. If you’d like to help out, please visit their website www.coralrestoration.org.

https://www.bigrcorals.com/products/wd-tenuis-acropora

https://reefs.com/magazine/thraustochytrids-the-most-important-coral-symbiont-no-one-knows-about/

https://aem.asm.org/content/75/12/3851.full

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4083779/

http://www.iucnredlist.org

https://www.coralrestoration.org/about

https://www.jstor.org/stable/2401075?seq=1#page_scan_tab_contents

https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/07/why-do-corals-glow-in-the-dark/532992/

http://www.icrs2012.com/proceedings/manuscripts/ICRS2012_4C_1.pdf

https://coral.aims.gov.au/factsheet.jsp?speciesCode=0899

Veron Corals of the World Volume 1

Sep 13, 2018

The Flashiest of Wrasses: The McCosker’s Wrasse!

My parents set up a 30 gallon reef tank about 6 months ago, and they were looking for one perfect fish for their tank. I suggested clownfish, but they think those are are boring. I showed them dozens of easy, peaceful, small reef-safe fish, and they fell in love with the McCosker’s wrasse.

Paracheilinus Wrasse or McCosker’s Flasher Wrasse do best in 55 gallon or larger aquariums, but we planned on them being the only fish in the 30 gallon tank. My parents bought a male/female pair at our local fish store on an impulse, worried someone else would buy them.

I stopped by their house to help acclimate the fish, and realized they had not yet installed the net around the aquarium’s canopy to prevent the fish from jumping. I knew from previous experiences with this fish, it is imperative to have a fully enclosed top. These fish can jump high, and they can jump accurately. If you have even a tiny, unnoticeable gap between your net and a U-tube or heater’s wire, they’ll find a way to get through it.

Luckily, they had some fine mesh netting in the basement, so we were able to cut it and staple it to the canopy temporarily while the fish drip acclimated.

They were worried that the fish looked dead in the acclimation bucket, but I reassured them that it is normal for this type of wrasse to lie down and appear mottled for camouflage. It’s also common for them to do this in small containers, but they recover quickly when given room to swim. Don’t be alarmed if you see your fish lying on the bottom of the tank at night covered in slime, since these fish form mucous cocoons at night to sleep in.

I warned them that the fish might hide for a while, but our LFS did a great job of conditioning them. They were out the next morning, eating frozen mysis shrimp and brine shrimp. We plan to also add some tasty, nutritious oyster eggs and copepods to their diet to help provide a more complete nutrition, besides who wants to eat the same thing everyday?

I recommend quarantining all new fish. This species tends to suffer from Monogenean Flukes, which are microscopic or tiny clear flat worms that crawl on the skin and eyes of the fish, eating the mucous and causing damage. A short freshwater dip (make sure to match the pH to your tank) can remove most of the flukes, and treatment with Praziquantel in the quarantine tank can remove any leftover flukes.

It’s also a great idea to treat these fish for Cryptocaryon, aka ICH, before they are added to your display tank with other fish. They don’t tolerate Copper or Chloroquine Diphosphate well, so use the tank transfer method instead. If you notice your fish losing weight despite eating well, treat for internal parasites by soaking their food in Metronidazole and Prazi-Pro.

These fish are always beautiful, but when they display their “nuptial colors,” they are downright electric. The Males will display for females, other males, or mirrors. The male will flare all of his fins as large as possible while doing an erratic back and forth dance. The blue lines on his body appear to glow from the inside. The more females you have per one male, the more he will flash and display. It’s best to have just one male per tank, but some experienced keepers have multiple males in large aquariums.

#Paracheilinus Wrasse

articles and photos by Felicia McCaulley

Aug 15, 2018

Aqua Illumination Prime Review and Unicorn Reef Bowl Update

A lot has been happening with the 8.5 gallon Unicorn Reef Bowl lately. I got a few new frags from Reef-a-Palooza 2018 and TSM Corals in New Jersey.

Unicorn Reef Bowl with AI Prime

I also got new Aqua Illumination Prime from Marine Depot to replace my ABI Tuna Blue light, and I couldn't be happier with it. I still use the ABI bulbs in other tanks, and they are trusty and true, but I enjoy the programmability, customizability, and rich colors the AI Prime offers. The ABI is a good, inexpensive bulb that has faithfully grown my coral for a couple years now, b ut the AI Prime is in an entirely different league with its controls and sleek, aesthetic design.

The AI Prime is controlled by an app that I easily downloaded to my Samsung phone. The app controls are so intuitive, this low-tech 35 year old lady didn't even have to read any directions. The controls just make sense. You can program each of the 7 colors down to the percent. The colors are absolutely stunning and there are endless combinations. The app has a handy acclimation mode so you can slowly get your corals used to the new light. You should also use acclimation mode when you get new coral. My favorite feature on the app is the weather. You can program clouds and lightning storms to happen each day, and you can even choose the probability and intensity of the storms.

I get a lot of questions about what is the "right" percentage for each color. Stick with your typical 6500K, 10000K, 14000K, or 20000K spectrum (depending on the look you like and the types of corals you have) if you're a beginner with this light. Go to Control > Manual, then tap the "semicircles" icon at the top right corner. This will allow you to adjust the Kelvin rating and intensity. Choose the Kelvin and intensity you want, then click the "sliders" icon at the top right. Remember the percentages of each color. Now go to Control > Auto > Easy Setup and input those percentages. Set your sunrise and sunset and the ramp time for an hour to simulate gradual sunrise and sunset. If you're still unsure and want to download settings that have been designed and used by expert reefers, visit http://www.aquaillumination.com/signature/

Here you can see a video of the ramp up from sunrise to sunset. This is what a day in the life of my tank would look like on hyperspeed if these were the settings I chose.

I also got a new toy to help me photograph the reef bowl with my camera phone without having to manipulate the colors in post processing. The Polyp Lab Coral View lens for Smartphone and Tablet kit comes with three lenses - 15,000K, 20,000K, and a 10x macro lens, plus a holder that clips onto your phone. The lenses are stackable, so if you want to use the orange lens and the macro lens at the same time, you can do that! The kit also comes with a cleaning cloth, cases for each lens, and a sturdy box for storage. I've been taking this kit with me everywhere I go just in case I need to quickly and easily photograph a tank (which usually happens everywhere I go!)

You may notice another huge change to the Unicorn Reef Bowl - my favorite Montipora setosa that my friend Ryan Pettit gave me years ago has died. It started to STN (slow tissue necrosis) about 6 months ago, and I just could not save it to matter what I did. None of the other corals, even the Montiporas, were affected.Sometimes we never know what causes corals to die for seemingly no reason. The last bit of flesh finally disappeared recently, and I removed the sad skeleton. It was the hardest coral loss I've ever experienced. I could replace it with another setosa, but it wouldn't be the same. That coral had so much history. I remember driving to my long-time friend Ryan's house in 2014 and enjoying a rare visit with him and his family, as he excitedly chose and cut corals to selflessly give to me. When I moved back to Pennsylvania, I took this coral with me and put it in my friend's tank for safekeeping. When I was ready, he gave me a piece of it for my reef vase, where it flourished and grew to the size of my hand.

January 2018

June 2017

November 2017

What's interesting is that it always grew in a weird, nearly perfect ring around a barren center. It finally covered the center in November 2017, but when it started to die, the STN started right there in the center. A friend suggested I cut the center out and hope it would recover, but that didn't help. I tried cutting healthy pieces off the edge, but those died, too. I even put some of those healthy edge pieces in tanks of various friends hoping it would revive in their tanks. They died.

The corals are doing great now in the Unicorn Reef Bowl with the new AI Prime light. I also got a new wavemaker and a generic eBay Sun Sun canister filter that is helping to improve conditions. I like the Sun Sun, but I think eventually I'll upgrade to an Eheim filter just for quality and longevity.