melev

With the sign material covering up the lights, the tank looks so pretty during the actinic period. However, my camera really doesn't do it justice, unfortunately. Here's a hint of what I see each morning before the metal halides turn on. The colors are crisper, and less vivid than these depict.

This staghorn coral grows new tips that are blue, and they almost ...

About 18 months ago, I purchased some full sheets of black sign material. They come in 8' x 4' panels, and are about 1/8" thick (like cardboard, but very smooth). This is great to bond a poster or picture to to keep a nice flat presentation. Since I had it handy, I cut a 20" strip to cover the front of the tank for some pictures today. The other half was held in place with magnets on the fishroom side. Without the blue VHO lighting filling the living room and my eyes, the colors of the corals ...

Here's an Acropora millepora I got last month. I never seen any fish near it, but it tends to be rather closed up.

10 days ago, I posted a picture of a birdsnest with potential branches. Here it is today.

The blastos to the left are pretty, but my eye is on the Montipora on the right. It's green with blue polyps, and came from Sea World San Antonio.

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After finishing up my cup of coffee, I decided to tackle some needed reef tasks:

Cleaned the skimmer collection cup. It was filled with standing foam, and my tank sitter told me the waste collector and filled to the shut off point during my recent trip to Arizona. I'd imagine the anemones probably spawned one night. The Skimmer Swabbie is such a wonderful device, I don't know how anyone can run a skimmer without one. It keeps the neck completely clean so the skimmer operates at peak ...

For some reason, no matter what tank I set up, people invariably ask me "where is the woodwork" or "when are you going to do the woodwork" or any other compilation of such words... it's almost a running joke going way way back to 2005.

Woodwork is nice, and hides all the equipment. The bright lights are shuttered behind panels or doors, and the finished look is quite appealing. That being said, it never has been a pressing issue to me. Perhaps my reasonings are merely excuses but ...