Updated Introduction

[D3monic]

Hi all Im D3monic (Mike).

I joined this quite a few months ago but havnt really visited much. I would like to just give a reintroduction and share alittle info about myself and my little reef. In february I took the plung into reef tanks. Ever since then I have been addicted. I blew a small fortune on my 28gal nano cube hqi. Here is my equipment list.

28gal hqi (as stated above)
Lighting: 20k radium hqi, two 18watt pc actinics and the 4 stock led moonlights.

Filtration: in the little box in the rear chambers I run Chemipure elite, purigen and filter floss. Also plumbed into the system on a shelf above my DT is a 5gal refugium stocked with cheato, calurpa (the one that looks like wide blades of grass) a christmass tree worm rock, A big bag of Brightwells zeolite media (no media reactor) and a host of different pods from Tisbe, pseudocylops (spelling) and some of the biggest amphipods I have ever seen.

Controller: I run a AquaController jr using serial port for computer use.

Chems: I run all brightwell products which are as follows.
Replenish, Microbacter, Reef biofuel, Koral color, Vitamin C, Koralle-vm, CoralAmino and iodion. I also occasionally dose some Zooplanktos-L, Amino Omega for food supplimentation and Phytochrom.

Before you loose intrest heres a teaser pic.


Livestock: You will love this

One grey YWG, A bonded pair of Ocellaris (acting like they may spawn), 1 bangaii cardinal, 1 cleaner shrimp, 1 pom pom crab, 1 squamosa clam, the CUC, A BREEDING PAIR OF SYNCHIROPUS SPLENDIDUS (green Mandarin) and a newly aquired and quickly fattening up Male Picturatus (spotted Mandarin).
Next tuesday my Female spotted should arrive at my LFS and assuming shes not totally emaciated or bigger than my Male I will be bringing her home

Feeding: Since I assume this is the next question.
Mostly consists of Frozen hikari mysis enriched in Selcon or AminoOmega and My Mandarins favorite treat Bloodworms also enriched. Every once in a great while I will feed some rods food but theres alot of junk in there my fish will not touch. I do not use the "Mandarin Diner" I just turn the pumps and powerheads off prior to feeding. I use a feeding tube to squirt some on a certain rock that they have come to recognize as the feeding area.

I also have tons of coral stuffed in there too much to list. I will post pics and videos in my next couple posts for your pleasure. (Since no one wants a picturless post)

[D3monic]

As promised Reef P0rn.

Most pics taken with a canon rebel xti

My Male "Jack" a few weeks afte I purchased him. He is much fatter now.






My fuge (needs a good trim)


Mandarins spawning


Mandarin prolarvae

[SeahorseBT]

Welcome to Reef Sanctuary! I have been following your progress on the mandarins on uber frags, I am BlakeT over there.

[D3monic]

Heres a video of the Kreisel I just set up.
YouTube - Kreisel

dinner time
YouTube - D3monics reef (Feeding Time)

A quick overview of some of my zoas. Warning crummy video quality.
Ohh and at the end I trip over a fire truck and curse sorry.
YouTube - Zoa overview

Mandarin Larvae in my mini in Dt kreisel. Visible about 30seconds in.
YouTube - Synchiropus Splendidus (green mandarin) Larvae 37 hours post spawn

[D3monic]

lol HEY Blake!! Small world. Im starting up on a few more forums since things are slow this summer. (that and im a forum whore) lol

[D3monic]

Heres some pics I just took.

This is my current kreisel build. There are currently 3 Mandarin fry. I am unsure of their age i think I collected them wed-thursday night? I did not think they where fertilized and didnt collect very many. I didnt document the time for the same reason. To my supprise a few hatched.

[lcstorc]

Awesome!
Welcome to RS!

[TylerHaworth]

Very cool!

[nanoreefing4fun]

to ReefSanctuary, a real Sanctuary of reef forums, with lots of very nice members, that are very knowledgeable & always willing to help

Tank looking great !

[D3monic]

Thanks for the welcome,

Looks like these couple of random fry I raised are actualy getting close to my record batch. Only 3 hatched out of a couple collected and all 3 are still alive. Not sure of the exact time frame but I know its over 96 hours post spawn. Unfortunatly my Rotifer culture is getting alittle thin. I think theres getting to be too much ammonia maybe? Ill do a 50% water change tonight in the culture and maybe split the remainder 2 run two cultures. Cant tell if my Female is just fat or hydrating again.

[reefsmoker]

very cool! - Welcome to RS!

[plecosword]

Thats so awesome! and you have a LIVE banggai, im jealous!

[D3monic]

He was tiny when I got him and now hes one of my biggest fish. They definatly grow fast. Im keeping him because hes a good spawn indicator. He loves to gobble down some Mandarin eggs. If the lights are out and I see him chomping away I know I had a unnoticed spawning. That and I need something in the water column to look at.

[plecosword]

man that just sucks, I tried about 8 different banggais, they all died somehow. I love them but cant keep them, I had a really small one too for a while, then he got sucked up the power filter pipe, but that was my fault. and thats my Banggai history haha

[Nowellsy SNR]

Welcome to RS

Great pics love the Mandarin