Acropora Granulosa Up Close

Pictured this week is a macro shot of an Acropora granulosa. This coral is extremely pretty, but there’s an issue with the coral in this picture. Can anyone spot it? I’ll give you a hint, it’s very tiny and is not desirable to have on an Acro coral. Click on the image and then zoom in to get a better look. You should see what I’m talking about. If nobody has guess it correctly in a week, I’ll spill the beans.

The AquaNerd Photo Book

I was browsing the thousands of photos I’ve taken over the past few years and I decided to try make something of them. Recalling a photobook a friend had given my wife for our wedding, I decided to a photobook of my own. This book will not feature pictures of my wife and I, much to the dismay of the misses. Instead, the photobook will focus on saltwater fish and corals. The project is just getting started, but I’ve got around 90 pictures gathered up and the layout is currently being hammered out. If all goes well, this book might become available to purchase, but I can’t promise anything. I’m assuming the book will be 20+ pages, and the more images I can take (or get a hold of) the better. Above is an example of the cover of the book. Again, this project is in the early stages and the book cover above might not end up as the actual cover when all is said and done.

Would you like to contribute images to the AquaNerd Photobook? Simply EMAIL US a high resolution image (the higher the resolution the better), as well as your real name and other contact information. We will review all the pictures we receive, and if your image is selected, it will be featured in the book. Your name will accompany the image (in the caption) as well.

ORA Blue Cespitularia

Here’s yet another new ORA release…a Blue Cespitularia. These corals are amazingly beautiful, with a sparkling blue body and polyps with an touch of orange. Additionally, these corals adapts to a variety of lighting conditions, but have the most intense coloration under lower light levels. This, along with the fact that these corals are aquacultured will make them a great addition to any reef tank. For more information on these corals, read the ORA press release below.

ORA now offers a unique variety of Blue Cespitularia which has a sparkly turquoise body and peachy-orange polyps. This variety differs from the African variety which has a darker blue and purple coloration. It is rare to find such a bright and beautiful soft coral that is photosynthetic and so easy to care for.

Blue Cespitularia, sometimes referred to as “Blue Xenia”, is one of the most sought after soft corals in the industry. The color and movement of this coral appeals to all types of reefers, and its peaceful nature and hardiness make it an easy addition to any reef tank.

Blue Cespitularia adapts to a variety of lighting conditions, but we have noticed the most intense coloration under lower light levels when compared to typical SPS requirements. So as always, we suggest starting this coral out on the tank bottom and gradually moving it up to the desired location. Our other observations show that this coral prefers moderate to high water current and spreads by sending out a foot-like projection which attaches on to a nearby rock or solid surface.

Steve Tyree Purple Monster

Pictured is a stunning Tyree Limited Edition Purple Monster. This particular specimen was housed in a ZEOvit filtered aquarium, so it’s color seems more pastel and lighter than most other Purple Monster Acropora corals.

Pink and Green Chalice

This week’s AquaNerd Picture of the Week is of a stunning pink and green Chalice colony. This coral is vibrantly colored and can be quite expensive, unless you find a good deal on it.

Dragon Faced Pipefish

See our gallery below, which is full of interesting pictures.

Drs. Foster and Smith Aquaculture Facility

© 2010 Foster & Smith, Inc. Reprinted as a courtesy and with permission from http://www.LiveAquaria.com

LiveAquaria announced today, via their Facebook Page, that they will be hosting several Open Houses at their Aquaculture Facility in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. This is a great opportunity for hobbyists to see how the pros do it. If you’re in the Rhinelander area, or willing to make a long trip, you should definitely go to the open house events. Below is a list of dates available for the open house as well as some stats and pictures of the facility.

OPEN HOUSE DATES: Noon – 4pm (CST)

• Saturday, April 17th, 2010
• Saturday, June 19th, 2010 – half full! Sign up soon!
• Saturday, August 14th, 2010
• Saturday, November 13th, 2010

To RESERVE YOUR SPOT email Tours@LiveAquaria.com.

Drs. Foster and Smith Aquaculture Facility Coral System

© 2010 Foster & Smith, Inc. Reprinted as a courtesy and with permission from http://www.LiveAquaria.com

The LiveAquaria/Drs. Foster and Smith aquaculture facility was opened in July of 2005 under the supervision of Kevin Kohen. In 2007, the facility received a half-million dollar expansion and renovation, which more than doubled the size of the original facility. Ten employees work at this 20,000-gallon capacity facility year round. All of the systems in the facility are hooked up to a natural gas-powered generator, which automatically kick on during power outages. The building is also sealed off to the outside world, allowing for a constant humidity of less than 50% and temperatures around 76 degrees Fahrenheit. Reverse osmosis units in the facility are capable of 2,300 gallons per day and heaters total to 9,000 watts of power. The primary salt mix used is Reef Crystals.

Drs. Foster and Smith Aquaculture Facility Fish Quarantine

© 2010 Foster & Smith, Inc. Reprinted as a courtesy and with permission from http://www.LiveAquaria.com

Overall, the aquaculture facility has eight different systems, each with their own filtration. Three systems are dedicated to fish. One of these systems is a treatment system, one is a quarantine system, and the other is the main housing system. The facility also features three main coral holding systems, as well as an SPS quarantining system, and a LPS/Soft Coral/Invertebrate quarantine system. Water parameters are maintained via ReefKeeper 2 or Aquadyne aquarium controllers.

LiveAquaria Soft Coral and Clam Quarantine

© 2010 Foster & Smith, Inc. Reprinted as a courtesy and with permission from http://www.LiveAquaria.com

For more information on the facility, as well as a breakdown of each system with more information, please visit LiveAquaria.com.

Permissions and Sources:
© 2010 Drs. Foster and Smith, Inc.
Reprinted as a courtesy and with permission from
DrsFosterSmith.com (http://www.DrsFosterSmith.com)
Free pet supply catalog: 1-800-323-4208

Rainbow Acropora

I just got an email from the guys at Reefexotic.net with details of a really good sale they will be having. The sale starts today and ends February 20th, so act fast!

All Corals will be 35% off the Price Listed on the site with Free Freight on all orders over $149.99. We will also have 3 Rainbow Acro Frags and 2 Red Wire coral frags available, but first come first serve. All Customers who place a order of $300.00 or more will also receive a $100.00 gift card to use on their next order. This sale is for a limited time only so act fast. Free freight is applicable to the total after all approved discounts including gift cards.

Lava Chalice

Wild Orchid Favia

Wild Orchid Favia

This week’s AquaNerd Picture of the Week is of a Wild Orchid Favia from ReefExotic.

National Coral Registry Association Logo

An interesting new concept was revealed to me over the weekend, and it’s a coral naming and registering system. The National Coral Registry Association, or NCRA, is a site that promotes aquaculture through the registering (and subsequent selling) of corals that you grow in your own aquarium. Farmers name and send in a high resolution image of a rare or limited edition (LE) corals that they have grown. The NCRA will then assign a registry number to the coral, which is also attached to the image of the coral. The registry will then identify the coral down to the species level. Once all of the information is confirmed, it is placed on a certificate. The certificate will include a image of the coral, the registry number, the coral’s name and species, and finally the grower’s name. Once frags are available to sell, they are listed on the NCRA Marketplace, which is an auction based marketplace. In addition to the registry certificate, numbered frag plugs are available to farmers. This further ensures that purchasers of the rare coral frags will get the frag they are purchasing.

Here’s a brief description from NCRA of how the registry works and why it’s important:

Through our process each coral receives it’s own registration number and registry. As smaller fragments are farmed, they are sold or passed along with their own registered certificate of authenticity, guaranteeing the source and origin. By doing this we are convinced this should help great L.E.’s remain unique and retain their values. There are many services and tools available. for namers and farmers that will ensure their success and viability while promoting the name of their business and protecting their hard earned reputation. We encourage farmers to contact us to discover the wealth of information available to them. We also encourage hobbyists to enjoy our NCRA Forums. This bulletin board is a great place to share information and learn as we all progress together through this hobby.