Kassuns Reef

Started yesterday tearing out the rock wall. Took about 2 hours just to remove the corals , Rock and fish. I did a complete water change. The removal was pretty straight forward. Was able to get everyone back in just a few minuets ago. The unfortunate casuality was our cleaner shrimp passed away last night.

Our Neon Dottyback of several years jumped out of the tank a week ago. It's a shame because he was one of our favorite fish. I am still battling hair algae, I believe it is from the installation of the foam rock wall. I use ro/di water with 0 TDS and feeding is kept to a minimum so the only way to explain the extra nutrients is from the egg crate. I have read that other people have had a similar problem and attribute it to the different types of egg crate. Our lawnmower Blenny is going full tilt and we are looking at the purchase of a second one.

Our clowns continue to spawn on a regular basis now; However, I haven't made any plans on rearing the young in a separate tank and raising them at this point in time. Maybe this winter when outdoor projects come to a stop.

Not much new. Since the weather has turned warm I spend most of my time out side so their haven't been any new expendures on the tank. The battle with the green hair algae is taking a turn in my favor. Our clowns have since laid a few more eggs up next to the flower pot. I plan on doing a 20% water change this weekend if time allows. The new protien skimmer is working flawlessly. I have to empty it roughly every few days. So far so good.

Clowns laid a new batch of eggs this morning. Same spot as last, with the exception of more eggs this time.

Today was a sad day. Woke up to discover that are new anemone was puking it's guts up. That's never a good sign. Moved him to our quarenteen tank, but he passed away. :(

Success finally, the other clown has joined his partner in the anemone. Now it will me intresting to see which will become the female, since their both the same size.

Yellow Skunk Clown started hosting this evening. The other Skunk Clown has yet to host, but should just be a matter of time now. :)

Picked up a pair of Yellow Skunk Clowns yesterday from Petco. As much as I rather not support large mass pet stores, They were on sale for a good price, and didn't show any signs of disease.

We have been very fortunate that all of our fish get along very well with one another, despite some warnings that are associated with the different species of fish. We already have a pair of False Percula Clowns. I made sure that the Clowns that I purchased were smaller than the Perc's in our tank and that the teperment was the same or more timid. There are alot of people that will swear up and down that only one pair or Clowns should be in 75 gal reef, however it has been my positive experence that 2 different species can be housed in a 75 gal reef tank or larger. With that said I would discourage maroon clowns and a few others that have a good history of aggression. With that said enjoy the pictures, hopefully they will host with in a weeks time or less.

Did my routine 12 gallon water change yesterday evening. Woke up this morning and the flowerpot has finally opened up. I know it's only 1/2 extended, but I'll take it. Also it helps that I moved it up higher so the Clowns leave it alone. :)

Clowns still refusing to host with carpet anemone and choose to bother our flower pot coral instead.

We were getting worried once our starfish headed behind our rock wall a few weeks ago. Today while moving some rock and doing a water change he has been sighted with a leg poking out one of the cracks in the rock wall. Whoo hoo :). Later on today I was able to coax him out with some Mysis shrimp. Hopefully he will stay out from behind the rock wall now.

Star polyps still have yet to reopen.

A quick pick of our Lawnmower Blenny with a full belly of hair algae.

Stopped by my LFS this evening and purchased a sand sifter to clean up our sand bed. He has been hard at work since being acclimated & released into the display tank this evening.

Swapped out our carpet anemone for a long tentacle anemone & added a six line wrasse. Initially the neon dotty back was very territorial, but after a few days she has left the wrasse alone. I took out the 250w metal halide since we have t5's now. So our electricity bill should drop and I'll have a light when I start up a simple propagation tank. Well here are some pictures of the new tank mates.

Just had my appendix out on Wednesday. So not to much new happening around the reef. Out blenny and hawk fish have setteled in quite well. My wife has her eye on a six line wrasse this payday. So I'll have some picks of that up next week.

- Kassun