# the progress continues...



## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

so i have been "patiently" awaiting the infamous "pods" to show them selves. and have found a ton of various other life in my tank. including the "MONSTER".. i was looking around at my new zoa's and suddenly this thing poped up, then another, and an other... oh my what is going on!?!?!?!?! then it hopped out into the open i have a brittle starfish!!!!!!!!!! its body is about the size of an eraser on a pencil and the legs look almost like hairs.... i was sooo excited... then i noted that my other small colony of zoa's that were next to his home had been moved..what?... so i asked the better half and my daughter and niether had moved it. i liked the new location so left well enough alone.. then this morning it was moved again!!!! grrrrrr to i placed it in a better crevice away from that part of the tank and hopefully it will be left alone... i wonder who is moving it?!?! could it be a worm, crab, the star, or some other mysterious inhabitant i have yet to see?
oh yeah and speaking of seeing. i was looking at sometihng totally unrelated in the tank and my eyes sort of lost focus and relaxed and i thought i saw something on the glass this morning.. so thinking i was just beeing hopeful i ignored it for a bit... then i was looking close because it kept happening... I GOT THE PODS!!!!!!! they are so small but i saw like 30 of them and no mistaking it was them for sure.. they look like miniture fleas and the tend to move in a semi-circular motion. and they move jerky.... wow when you all said they were small you were not kidding!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 
i dont know how many ways to say it I LOVE THIS ADVENTURE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:thumbsup:


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

That sounds AWESOME! I'm so glad you are enjoying yourself. Any updates pics for us??


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

camera batteries are charging and our plan is to shoot pix tonight then i intend to do a pic log of this tanks evolution and continuing progress....i have to send a few more from my phone and grab some from other posts that i do not have on my home PC then all should be in order.. so i thin kby this week end i should be ready to post and document this tank


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## aunt kymmie (Jun 2, 2008)

Looking forward to seeing your pics. I love that you're so excited. It's contagious!


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## Justina (May 2, 2010)

Bear,

I have a question for you. What type of protein skimmer do you have? 

And how much rock do you have in your tank? Did you buy all live rock?


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

the brittle star your talking about never get bigger then about that size.


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

Justina said:


> Bear,
> 
> I have a question for you. What type of protein skimmer do you have?
> 
> And how much rock do you have in your tank? Did you buy all live rock?



actually i don't use one at this time and based on my plans i may not use one.. the use IMO is based on live stock and i intend to do only inverts and corals at this time. as for my LR and LS i have 45 pounds of LS and at this point i have put in 47 pounds of base rock (dry rock) and 4-5 pounds of Live rock.. the LR and LS will seed and mature the base rock and as of right now is doing a really good job at it... the sand and rock do the vast majority of my filtration and what little other stuff needs to come out at this point is being done by an HOB with a sack of carbon in it.. (no pad or floss as the changes every day are just a pain in the back side i don't really want to bother with LOL...i am a lazy man)... i am building a skimmer just for the point of the experiment not the need for it that way if the thing does not work no big deal and if it does GREAT!!!! (i am a firm believer that one can never "over filter" any kind of tank).... i hope that helps if not i am sorry 

1f2f - thank you i did not realize that the star wont grow much if any larger.... its still very cool though and i am always happy with new and interesting life in my tank. in particular life i did not know was there... although i must admit it is a bit frustrating to find things and see things that i can not identify and that are so brief that i am unable to take pix of to try searching them out LOL... for example i have these tube like creatures that poke out of the rock at night (and sometimes during the day) that don't ever fully leave the rock and i can not tell what they are.. or that in one spot under my original piece of LR i get little piles of detritus and then the next day they are gone (good CUC!!!!) or that at times i can see the drop of this but can not see the creature (perhaps the worms??) but man it is cool....

Aunt Kymmie- thank you for sharing in my enthusiasm!!!!! i love when i can spark a positive emotion in others.. (usually i just get them angry LOL)..... the photo shoot last night went well now we are just organizing the pix in an order that flows and deciding what parts to leave or cut.... i think that it would be helpful to include most of this journey in the log as this will show other new folks that it is possible to have this adventure... i am still so new to SW yet i have learned more in the last 4 weeks with this tank than over the last year or so with my FW ones!!!!!!! i love that i learn more by the hour (literally) and that this project is an on going learning and growing process.... i have plans to expand this tank already but as i am in such a good spot right now i don't feel pressure to make it happen NOW and that is great.. i can finally slow down and learn and grow WITH my project..... man listen to me i could go on for days LOLLOLOLOLOLO.... 


sorry to write so much but.... man.... wow ... i can not get enough....


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## Justina (May 2, 2010)

Bear,

Did you get the dry rock from a LFS or did you purchase it online.


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

LFS.. my guy specializes in salt water and when i went to get a piece of LR i saw this piece sitting by the holding tank and asked about it... he made me a really good deal on it and then i went home and broke it up LOL that was an adventure.... if you want the guys site pm me and i will send it to you.. he does ship....


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

pssssssst... i am getting some beautiful purple all over the rock in my tank!!!!!!!!1 i just noticed it as i was looking at the pic thread LOL.... i mean a saw it at home but for some reason it never really sank in til just now.. woohooo i so excited lol


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## Justina (May 2, 2010)

Check your PM Bear


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

unless you sent another that did not get through i responded to you on Wed... in the event that did not work... contact a mod to find out why... other wise i will try to find a way to get you my email addy


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

ok folks a little help is needed i think.. i recently got a big feather duster and a really nice brittle starfish (tip to tip he is like 5 inches or so and the body is about 1inch!!!!!!!!!) i got some great food for te tank that every one seems to enjoy and are doing well with.. i also now have a small air lift skimmer i got froma friend until i have my design perfected and working.... all seems well.. my rocks are turning a really cool mix of light and dark purples with some greens and small spots of red (its really dark almost purple)... again all seems well... i dont have pix ATM but here are the potential issues... i saw a rather large (1/4-1/2 in) slug? in my tank it was moving over the tube of my feather duster and onto the rocks fairly quickly it is sand color and has two feelers in the front.. any idea what this is?? also noted are a lot of little curly white things attatching to the rocks and the sponge that is on one of them... they look tubular and about 1/8th inch white semi to fully circular and dont appear to move... again any ideas as to what they could be?? thanks in advance i will look up any things you name and then reply...


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## onefish2fish (Jul 22, 2008)

the slug may have been a stomatella snail, which if it was, keep it they are good.

the white tubes may be from dead feather dusters. a feather duster is actually a worm inside a tube and the "feather" is pushed out to catch food particles floating by. sadly most large store bough feather dusters slowly starve out in alot of tanks as with any filter feeder.


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

as for the slug good deal!! 
as for the white things i thought they were from small feather dusters that did not make it as well except i am seeing new ones and in places i never had any dusters... all my larger dusters that came on the rock (they are small 1/4 in or less) survived the cycle the new guy (HUGE) is doing well... i just dont get why so many all of a sudden... perhaps they are trying to propagate?


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## trukgirl (Jan 28, 2010)

I don't really know anything about the dusters.... but when are we gonna get some pics??


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

pics are on my other thread here http://www.tropicalfishkeeping.com/saltwater-fish-pictures-videos/evolution-bears-29-gallon-42448/ as for pix for this issue i will get them when i find a few moments LOL so hopefully by the week end


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

ok no pix at this time for the other thread but a quick update (really have a lot of work to get done then prep for graduation sat!!!) so 
so current stock i can identify LOL
5 crabs 
5 turbo snails
1 sponge that made it through the cycle on my LR and is growing!!!
three small feather dusters (yellow, pink, and a brown/white stripped one)
on huge feather duster WOW big
a great little brittle star that hitched a ride on my LR
one great big brittle start (body 1- 1 1/2 inches and legs easily 6 inches accross)
all sorts of pods
two small colonies of Zoa's 
and variouse worms to include bristle 
and a new found slugg !!!!!!!!!

some great algae growth everything is turning purple with small patches of greens, reds, and blues (i think! i am partly color blind thats the colors i was told LOL i can see most just not shades of a color or colors close to the same ie purple and blue)

working on a stand for the sump and the sump.. also a new hood..... got some stuff coming in soon to make a whole bunch of Dry rock and recently got a good situation to leach it out so its safe for the tank and a good deal on a place to seed it for a few months in trade for a few pieces... i figure i can not go wrong spend $20 bucks and some time and get 90+ pounds of live rock !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! man i love this salt water stuff trades are good the DIY is funn as all can be and i love finding new ways to keep it growing LOL 
man my wife sure puts up with a lot... i am so spoiled LOL


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## trukgirl (Jan 28, 2010)

I can't wait for pics of all your new growth!!! 
_Posted via Mobile Device_


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

new corral for graduation and some incidental critters i will be updating the evolution thread by the week end LOL


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

whoooohooooo... my guy just got my sand sifter star in for me!!! had this one on special order and its finally here!!! gonna go get it in a few hours darn i wish work was over LOL,..... so providing he does not bury him self straight away he will be part of tonight's photo shoot... then on to post in the evolution thread!!


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

ok so i got the star and my other guy called and said hey i need a 10 gallon and have some extra rock you want it?? um hello is the sky blue yeah i want it... so for an empty ten i get about 5-8 pounds of LR and 2 more corals!!!!!!!!! man this day just keeps getting better!!! so i have rescaped the tank and new pix will be up in about 30 minutes in the evolution thread....


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## bearwithfish (Sep 29, 2009)

another good weekend.... through the help of a wonderful person i got a skimmer for my tank, through the patience and extremely high tolerance of my wife i was able to pick it up 2.5 hours away and then get all the rest of the supplies for the sump. the sump is built, the hole has been put in the wall for the plumbing to run through. the plumbing is complete and the PVC welding is cured. to day is final assembly and running with the water mixed over night. 
found a box store that actually had a clue over the week end and they keep there shop remarkably clean and well cared for not to mention they actually had employees that had a clue as to what they were talking about. that said i got a very good deal on some live stock to add to my reef.. i now have a new plant (can not recall the name) an anemone and i broke-down and got a blue devil damsel (she was just to beautiful)...
i will be posting pix after all testing and any needed mods are complete and everything is running smooth...
i will have to make another post as i do have a question i would rather not take up space with here....


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