Aventure to Fosters and Smith

[hotimportknight]

Today I wake up at 11:30 to my friend asking If I want to go to fosters and smith a day early, uh, So i called into work and said I was going out of town, find someone to work, and we headed off. When we get there they have a nice sale going on, "Happy holidays, All frags 19.99 unless otherwise marked" So I got a cool colored candy cane for 15.00, a nice frag of galaxea for 19.99, and a closed brian (not sure what it is exactly) but it lost its color since we picked it up, hopefully it comes back...
Here is the candy cane I got, I really like the colors, especially for 15$ when the LFS guy wants 20$ per head on the frag...

Here is the galaxea, I like it for 19.99, I know it needs lots of room due to the long sweeper tentacles, Its already opened up a lot more since I took the picture 5 minutes ago... Ill get some better ones later.

And lastly the brainn, not sure exactly what kind it is, but it was 39$ and it was all red and green when I picked it out, got really dull after they bagged it. Hopefully due to stress and it will come back? If not they have their guarantee I'm pretty sure for 14 days I think it is? Think it will have enough room between the mushrooms Im trying to spread to that other rock before I move them? How long are the brains sweeper tentacles? Does that look like an OK spot for it? I got some underwater epoxy putty I could attach it with, but want to see if you guys think that is an OK spot, the other side is healthier, but the only way it would balance easily was on this side for now.

 

[hotimportknight]

The galaxea looks kinda goony on its large plug fosters and smith put them on, is there anything I can do with it? I dont think there is a spot with a deep and large enough hole to get that thing in... This damn xenia took over 1/4 my tank and possible spots to put corals... Once I get a few more i think I might have to cut those off and just keep the stuff I can maintain on the substrate and not allow it to grab onto rocks...

 

[yote]

You got 2 options with those plugs.
#1 Take a pair of dikes and cut the stub part off.Then you can glue it a rock.

#2 Take 3/4 masonary bit and drill a hole roughly 1" deep,then stick the stub into the hole.

Either option works fairly good.
Nice corals BTW.

 

[hotimportknight]

Ah that makes sense, I dont really have a decent drill, maybe I'll have to find a way to cut that plug down to size tomorow. How does that galaxea grow? Does it encrust or doe sit make its own skeleton? I'm new to hard corals now, but it looks like it grows its own skeleton, am I correct? How about the brain? How does that grow? Do you guys think the brain will be ok on my substrate? I have 216 watt T5's and a 19" tall tank (a normal 55 is 21). Cause the brain fell off that tonga and I don't think it would stay with out some putty. Or another place I could put it, except I think if it has any sweepers at all it would have a radius battle with the galaxea...

Screw the kenya weed if it gets mad the brian is attacking it, it can up and get on the substrate or die... Do you think there would be a conflict at night with the sweepers of the galaxea and the brain though?

 

[yote]

The brain will do best on the sand.Besides that,your galaxea might kill it.Galaxea has long sweepers where the brains are short.

 

[Bifferwine]

The galaxea's tentacles aren't going to reach that far. I think that new position is okay for the brain.

 

[hotimportknight]

Do you think the brain will get enough light in the substrate? If so I think it looks pretty good there... I can save that spot for a new coral when I get more money. I got all that stuff for 10$ less than just the brain would have been at the LFS. I also found some info today on a few reef clubs, I left the papers in my car, but I think it was the Northern wisconsin reef society or something like that, one of them had monthly meetings at the fosters and smith aquaculture facility. That would be fun to join I think... Overall a worthwhile trip.

 

[reeffreak]

Nice addition,really nice purple on the candy cane.

I'm with Yote,the brain will do and looks more natural on the sand bed.Just keep it several inches away from any corals.

 

[hotimportknight]

Thanks, I got it in the substrate over towards the xenia, hopefully the brain makes an invisible barrier and stops their progress. I would feel really bad cutting them out and throwing them away seeing as how my friends dad gave me some. There is now about 6 times more than I got after about 2 months though. Do you guys feed your corals like brains and the galaxea at night when their tentacles are out? I gave them some frozen food when i was feeding the fish today and they ate a little bit.

 

[reeffreak]

I use to feed my brain corals but I quit about six months ago.They are just as big and fat as back them.Once a week wouldn't hurt at night when you see the feeder tentacles exposed.Sorry,I never had a galaxy coral so I don't know anything about them.

 

[Bifferwine]

I have a really huge galaxea (about 10" by 10") and I don't feed it at all. It pulls what it needs out of the water column.