One of us – Tadeusz Cegłowski – planted coral reefs at home. Here, he is uploading articles and photos of progress that he and his corals done.
WEEK 1
I kicked off my aquarium adventure just a month before Christmas. First stop? "Acropora" shop, where I picked up the basics: a simple tank, sand, saltwater, and live rock. Initial setup was a bit cloudy thanks to the sand, but after a couple of days, it cleared up. I added the "Reef Mature Starter Kit" to set the stage for corals. To turbocharge things, I threw in some live rock and bacteria-infused saltwater. Next thing I knew, tiny night anemones, a cute snail, and a mini starfish popped up on the rock's surface. It was like an underwater magic show! By the end of the week, I snagged a circulation pump and a trusty cleaner to keep things spick and span.
That’s how the aquarium looked at the start of my journey
WEEK 2
Week two brought the big moment: my first corals! After double-checking the salt levels (which were spot-on), I introduced soft corals Ricordea yuma and Briareum sp. Watching them slowly unfurl and grow was a pure delight. Ricordea yuma, in particular, was on a growth spree, doubling in size in just a week. Talk about an explosion of color and joy in my tank!
WEEK 3
Week three, right before the festive season, saw some new additions: a Sarcophyton sp. coral (looking like a funky mushroom/tree hybrid) and two Lysmanta amboinensis shrimps. These little guys were the life of the Christmas party, especially during feeding time. Watching them dart around and explore was like having front-row seats to a shrimp ballet. What's even cooler? They weren't shy about investigating whenever I dipped my hand in the tank. They'd come over, antennae wiggling, giving me the cutest ticklish welcome!
WEEK 5
Week five? Let's just say it was a green disaster! Algae had taken over, turning everything into a slimy mess. Lesson learned: forgetting to change water and clean the filter spells trouble. It was a tough cleanup job, but I tackled it head-on, armed with new tools like charcoal and a special filter bag. Note to self (and fellow aquarists): regular maintenance is key to keeping your tank in tip-top shape!
WEEK 8
Week eight, post-winter break, brought another surprise algae invasion. But this time, I was ready to roll up my sleeves and nip it in the bud. And as a reward for my hard work, I treated myself to three new corals. The result? A burst of vibrant colours that instantly jazzed up my tank!
WEEK 12
The weeks that followed were pretty quiet on the aquarium front, aside from the usual saltiness checks. But week twelve? That was a game-changer! Turns out, my shrimps had become proud parents, with a bunch of baby shrimps scuttling around. And as if that wasn't exciting enough, I stumbled upon five tiny starfish! It's a full-blown underwater family affair now, and I'm both thrilled and a tad worried about my tank's real estate. Guess it's time for some serious planning and, you guessed it, more cleaning!
Coral Operation Rescue Project 