View Full Version : GMGQ's 70Gal Diary/Log
I figured I should start a new thread in this forum, since the DIY stage of my project is pretty much DONE.
Original DIY Hood/Stand/Power Center/Plumbing, etc. Thread (http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=5759999#post5759999)
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_050921080611_432_1_7.jpg
70 Gallon Dispaly Tank
20 Gallon Sump
Blueline 40-HDX Return Pump
Ocean's Motions Squirt
3/4" Locline Outputs
Coralife Super Skimmer 120
(2) Ushio 250W MH Bulbs + Reflectors
(2) 54W Actinic Bulbs
(2) Icecap 250W MH Ballasts
(1) Icecap 660 Fluorescent Ballast
R2 Moonlights
Sealed Compact Fluorescent Refugium Light
(2) 120mm Panaflo 12V Fans
(4) Intermatic SS8 Light Timers
Custom Built Overflow Box + Stockman Standpipes (2 x 1" drains)
Custom Built Hood
Custom Built Cabinet
Custom Wired Power Center
Kudos to:
Melev (Marc)
Countertopguy (Steve)
RC Citizens
melev
09/21/2005, 05:42 PM
I'm on board.... subscribed and ready. :)
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_050922055740_432_1.jpg
(FYI, there's only ONE clown fish. I stitched the picture together, and he swam to the right side when I took the last shot.
Ricordia:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050922054645_432_1_3.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050921080313_432_1_2.jpg
Notice the litte neon-orange circle under the Ricordia. That's a little CLAM! He found a hole under the LR and made that it's home. Very cool.
Orphan Ricordia:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050922054645_432_1_2.jpg
I found this guy amongst the LR the other day, floating around. I put him on one LR, but later that day it must have gotten blown away. I found him again last night, and put him in a low flow area in a hole in some LR. Hopefully it will attach itself to the LR.
Tridacna Crocea Clam (Blue):
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050922054645_432_1_4.jpg
Tridacna Crocea Clam (Purple):
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050921080313_432_1_11.jpg
Prior to getting him from my friend, he noticed this guy had what appeared to be the dreaded Pinched Mantle. He was iffy about giving it to me, but I took it anyways to see if he can be saved. We decided to do a Fresh Water Dip. I dipped it for 15mins. 2 of those little shrimpy-like insect things fell out. Upon putting him back in the tank, he hasnt opened up since. He still reacts to changes in water flow, twitches here and there. Hope he pulls through :(
Tridacna Maxima Clam (Gold Teardrop):
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050921080313_432_1_8.jpg
Zoanthids:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050922054645_432_1_6.jpg
Green Star Polyps:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050922054645_432_1_7.jpg
Not all the buds have come out yet. They're slowing coming out and getting used to their new surroundings.
Bubble Coral:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050922054645_432_1_8.jpg
It's really opened up the past day or so.
Candy Canes:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050922054645_432_1_9.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050921080611_432_1_9.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050921080313_432_1_3.jpg
So I've noticed this mucous/slimy stuff being spewed from the corals and clams. Is that their waste? Or are they not happy about something?
Also, my CSS120 skimmer isnt really skimming much. Is it because my bioload is low? Do corals not give out much waste? I guess it would go up when I get more fish?
Next I wanna get some cleanup crew guys. I was thinking:
(5) Astrea Snails
(1) Bumblebee Snail (for looks)
(4) Cerith Snails
(5) Nassarius Snails
(2) Cleaner Shrimp
I've got (2) left-handed hermits in the display tank right now. Should I worry that they'll kill the snails?? Plus is it too soon to get so many snails? Will they starve? The LR are established, so there's lots of stuff on them and some coraline algae. There's a bit of stuff on the surface of the sand in the quiet areas (but thanks to the OM Squirt, there really arent that many dead zones).
On the personal side, I just want more activity in there to look at as well ;)
Ky_Yaker
09/22/2005, 12:46 PM
Tanks looking great!
Thanks man! Wait until I get my fluorescent ballast back, so I can hook up the Actinics. Then the corals should REALLY pop out.
You can actually see that the right side is more yellow than the left side. The right side is the bulb I've had for a little while longer. The left side is the brand new one I received yesterday.
Both are Ushio 250W 10K MH bulbs. Do they really turn yellow that fast? I've had the right one running 6hrs a day since the weekend.
Oh on a side note, my little ball of Chaeto is tumbling quite nicely in my sump. I cant wait to see how much growth I can get with the reverse photo period.
Originally posted by spalmer114
Tanks looking great!
melev
09/22/2005, 01:54 PM
Gary, corals spewing stuff isn't typically a good thing, and usually is a stress-reaction. What is new or different?
I'm following too many threads, and may remember your current setup incorrectly.
The major difference yesterday was the addition of the 2nd MH bulb. I checked the temperature, and it was at a steady 79*F. I added the heater in the sump and set it to 79*F as well, in case it gets cold at night. I dont think the temperature went up much, since I have a 120mm fan that comes on on the opposite side of the hood for each MH.
But other than that, not much.... I've been doing manual auto topoffs with RO/DI water each day after I get home from work, so the salinity might fluctuate a very little bit. But I noticed the spewing last night.
Plus I also spent some time rearranging their positioning in the tank (i've been reading up on what light/current each coral likes, and adjusting their position accordingly). That could be why too...
Originally posted by melev
Gary, corals spewing stuff isn't typically a good thing, and usually is a stress-reaction. What is new or different?
I'm following too many threads, and may remember your current setup incorrectly.
Something just popped into my head and is kinda worrying me. I just put the new Ebo Jager 200W heater in the sump. It's in the Right section where the Chaeto/Fuge light is in. The return is Tee'd off to feed some water into this section.
At night, with the fuge light on, that section maintains it's temperature. So would the thermostat in the heater be "tricked" into thinking that the system temperature is sufficent?? Because the fuge light, albeit a CF bulb, still gets kinda of warm. It's only a few inches from the water surface. Plus the sump area inside the cabinet is pretty humid at night, so it's sorta warm in general down there.
The water flow through the fuge is pretty low, so even though that water may be warmer, not that much of it will get pumped back up to the display tank (at least not enough to make a difference in it's temperature.
I cant put the heater in the first section, the skimmer takes up all the room. And the middle section is the return section, so the water level isnt too high (I assume I cant submerge the Ebo Jager heater).
pledosophy
09/22/2005, 04:24 PM
My ebo is fully submerged. Has been for year.
Tank is off to a great start.
melev
09/22/2005, 04:30 PM
Good thinking. If your refugium water is slower flowing, then it will be warmer than the rest of the system.
You <i>can</i> submerge Ego Jagers, but they aren't 100% safe that way with several that I've used. Eventually they tend to stick on. This happened to me with 3 of them.
Currently, I have one in my son's tank with its cap above water, but the two in my reef are submerged. Since those two are controlled by the Aqua Controller, even if they want to stick on, the AQ turns them off at the plug.
Ah... Yeah I was wondering why there were so many reports of people saying their heaters were leaking electricity. When I got mine, I saw that you're not supposed to submerge it beyond that line on the side, so I couldnt understand how it could leak electricity.
I'll try to put it diagonally in the middle return section. Would it be bad if only 3/4 of the heater was submerged?
Originally posted by melev
Good thinking. If your refugium water is slower flowing, then it will be warmer than the rest of the system.
You <i>can</i> submerge Ego Jagers, but they aren't 100% safe that way with several that I've used. Eventually they tend to stick on. This happened to me with 3 of them.
Currently, I have one in my son's tank with its cap above water, but the two in my reef are submerged. Since those two are controlled by the Aqua Controller, even if they want to stick on, the AQ turns them off at the plug.
melev
09/23/2005, 10:02 AM
Yes. You need it submerged to the line, which would be tough to do in your sump. What about in the overflow box?
msn711
09/23/2005, 11:58 AM
The CSS takes forever to break in; I think mine took 3-4 weeks before it finally seemd to act right, and even then it seems to be working much better with the addition of a mini fuge.
Clean up crew looks fine, but I'm not a fan of astreas since you have to flip them over every time they fall (which is often). I prefer trochus snails.
Doh. No, the overflow box is about 10" tall. Plus the (2) stockman standpipes take up a lot of room. The heater is about 15" long.
Y'know what, I'm gonna order a Won brothers titanium heater instead. The 250W is only 11" long, so it would fit in the middle return section of the sump perfectly. Plus it comes with that digital thermometer display (I've been thinking about getting a new thermometer, because my floating one keeps getting turned away from me, so I have to reach in to turn it around to see what the reading is).
Originally posted by melev
Yes. You need it submerged to the line, which would be tough to do in your sump. What about in the overflow box?
Ah, interesting. I'm also wondering about the drainage to my sump. It's really high flow, so when the (2) 1" drains from the overflow go into the sump, it goes into the small column that I acrylic'd off (as per Melev's sump designs). I put some LR rubble in there in hopes of dissipating some of the microbubbles.
But it appears that a LOT of the water doesnt go down that column and out the toothed bottom. It seems like there's so much flow that the water overflows back up and over the top of the column. There's lots of gurgling and foaming over the top of the column. I took out some of the LR (since it was packed to near the top), and I spaced out the remaining LR so it's not as compact at the bottom, but the water still seems to overflow at the top.
Here's an old pic of the section I'm talking about:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050805225826_432_1_5.jpg
I put the intake of the CSS pump in that area, and it seems to be foaming more at the top of the cup. The strainer part is about 2" below the water surface.
So I'm wondering:
a) is this affecting the skimmer's production?
b) how can I stop the overflowing and also reduce microbubbles in this area?
Originally posted by msn711
The CSS takes forever to break in; I think mine took 3-4 weeks before it finally seemd to act right, and even then it seems to be working much better with the addition of a mini fuge.
Clean up crew looks fine, but I'm not a fan of astreas since you have to flip them over every time they fall (which is often). I prefer trochus snails.
So this past sunday, I went to the local fave LFS and got a conservative cleanup crew:
- (2) Cleaner Shrimp
- (2) Astrea Snails
- (2) Nassarius Snails - Fast little buggers!! I want more!
- (2) Cerith Snails
- (2) Margarita Snails
Say hello to "Jacques" and "Cousteau" my pair of cleaner shrimps!
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050927070740_432_1_3.jpg
BTW, at what point will they start cleaning the fish? I've seen them try and entice the Percula with their antennae, but he hasnt gone up to them yet.
The other night, I tried to feed the Clown Goby at a corner of the tank that was quiet. I squirted the mysis shrimp into the corner, and within MINUTES a Nassarius snail had ZOOMED over! Out of no where! These little guys can really hunt down the food! And I like how they look like little tanks, with their snout/turret waving in front of them. It was cool to see them bury themselves in the sand with that snout sticking up too. So I'm very anxious to get more of them to keep my tank clean.
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050927070511_432_1_5.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050927070511_432_1_3.jpg
And I also got a highly anticipated Yellow Clown Goby (named Alu, as in Alu Goby like the indian dish :P). However, he hasnt eaten??? I've tried feeding him right to his face, but he doesnt go for the food. Half the time he's scared of the turkey baster that I use. I've tried mysis shrimp and brine shrimp. The percula loves it, and so do the cleaner shrimp and nassarius snails. Hope the clown goby pulls through :S Any suggestions?
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050927070511_432_1_6.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050927070934_432_1_4.jpg
As an impulse buy, we also got a blue spotted Porcelain Crab -- but the little bugger has gone MIA!! We cant find him now. When I put him in the tank, he crawled under the blue clam. After a while, I thought he might irritate the clam, so I shoo'd him away. Haven't seen him since :(
Sure glad I snapped this pic of him. It'll remind me that he's in there "somewhere."
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_050927070511_432_1_4.jpg
My green star polyps are growing at a tremendous rate! They REALLY love the high flow that I have blowing across them:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050927070740_432_1_7.jpg
And it looks like the Toadstool is coming around...! Last night I saw these little bud-like things sticking out, a lot more than they have previously:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050927070740_432_1_5.jpg
This Florida Ricordia seems to be spreading quite nicely too. It's in the corner where there's low flow:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050927070740_432_1_6.jpg
The Candycanes seem to be doing OK now. They were expelling that stringy, slimy stuff before. So I moved them to the mouth of the little cave area. A little bit shaded. They havent been sliming as much. The one on the right was falling apart too. A back piece was dangling. That seems to have subsided. Hopefully it will pull through:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050927070740_432_1_8.jpg
And my CSS120 skimmer has finally broken in nicely! Sunday morning, I noticed a nice collection of really dark skimmate. Since then, I've been getting about 1/2" per day. I guess the real test is when I empty it and reset the dial (I've marked a line on the side of the dial, and onto the base of the knob, so that I can line it up afterwards.
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050927070740_432_1_4.jpg
p.s. the fluorescent ballast still hasnt arrived yet. maybe today?? <fingers crossed>
BTW, last night I noticed some copper coloured algae building up on the sides of the sump and on the teeth where the chaeto is tumbling. I assume it's due to the reverse photo period of the refugium light. Plus the way the ball of chaeto is tumbling, I think there's not enough flow on those 2 sides of the sump. The algae hasnt really attached itself, it's very easy to wipe off right now.
I tried putting a Margarita snail in there to see if it can clean it up (find out later today if it made a dent). But any other suggestions on how I can keep a firm grip of that situation? Looks like it will be a constant issue if I cant find some way to get it to self-maintain...
------
Microbubbles still prevalent. It helped a bit when I raised the water level in the sump during the last water change.
------
I also figured out why one of the MH bulbs was yellowish. I looked at the bulb after it turned off yesterday, and there was this yellow substance covering one side of the bulb, on the filament inside. Since I couldnt screw the bulb in a way that would turn the yellowish side to the top, I unscrewed the socket and screwed it back at 180*. Now the yellowish part is on the top. I turned it back on, and the light is whiter now. Woohoo!
melev
09/27/2005, 12:39 PM
Gary, your new Porcelain Crab may yet come back out and surprise you. You'll have to look very closely, as they love to hang upside down and filterfeed.
The clown goby will probably eat flake food. It is a very slow eater, and can be starved by aggressively fast eaters, so as you add more fish, make sure some food is near the clown goby. Being that it is a tiny fish, it won't eat much.
The candycanes (on the right - mostly white, correct?) look dead to me. Is there any tissue left on them? If so, they'll need some light, but avoid handling them too much at this point. Maybe they'll recover.
The algae growing in the refugium is semi-normal, especially in a new system. This will dissipate away in the future - it isn't a constant problem ime. It might even be a minor diatom bloom.
Microbubbles are normal during the first 14 days of new plumbing, sumps, pumps, etc. If you still have them, then your bubble trap isn't up to the job, or the return pump is too strong, or the water falling into the return section is falling too far perhaps.
If your Toadstool is happy, you'll see much more than those little bumps. In one of the most recent Reefkeeping Slide shows, you'll see all kinds of leathers, up close. Check out not only the lush tubes but even the flower-like polyps at the tips of each tube. It will look amazing when happy. Nibbles, my powder blue tang, loves eating them right off the leather. Argh. :mad:
I asked Sanjay Joshi about the nipple within the MH bulb, and he told me that was a myth. However, you seem to see the difference, and that is what counts. ;)
Flake food eh? Is there a certain kind you can recommend? That stuff is a dime a dozen, too many :S When I tried to feed it with the turkey baster, one time he was on the sand and just sitting there, stoned, with mysis shrimp all around him. I think he's still scared.
My check valve is coming from marinedepot.com, so once I get that on the return pump's intake, i can turn off the pumps and let everyone feed. I think he might be afraid of all the current too.
The candycanes on the right are whitish/beige. It could be the lighting in that pic too (no actinics yet, just 250W MHs), so it could be washed out in the light. They dont look 'dead' to me, there's still some light colour in the middle of each one. They still slime a bit. But less so since I put them there. I'll keep an eye on them. It's the same issue with some blastos that I have, I've put them in a quite area in the sandbed. So far so good, still comes out a bit.
Yeah, the MB issue is more than likely due to my return pump (as we've discussed before). It's too late to turn back at this point, so I'll wait it out and hope some more slime builds up. I cant afford to buy a new return pump and a separate closed loop pump, then replumb everything at this point.
The toadstool, yeah I was wondering why mine was so different when I researched it on the net. My friend told me it was recovering. Him and the Goniopora appear to be coming around.
You call that yellow stuff on the MH bulb a "nipple"? I'll try to take a picture of it later... it's this yellow substance that's built up on the part of the bulb that lights up... only on one side though.
Originally posted by melev
Gary, your new Porcelain Crab may yet come back out and surprise you. You'll have to look very closely, as they love to hang upside down and filterfeed.
The clown goby will probably eat flake food. It is a very slow eater, and can be starved by aggressively fast eaters, so as you add more fish, make sure some food is near the clown goby. Being that it is a tiny fish, it won't eat much.
The candycanes (on the right - mostly white, correct?) look dead to me. Is there any tissue left on them? If so, they'll need some light, but avoid handling them too much at this point. Maybe they'll recover.
The algae growing in the refugium is semi-normal, especially in a new system. This will dissipate away in the future - it isn't a constant problem ime. It might even be a minor diatom bloom.
Microbubbles are normal during the first 14 days of new plumbing, sumps, pumps, etc. If you still have them, then your bubble trap isn't up to the job, or the return pump is too strong, or the water falling into the return section is falling too far perhaps.
If your Toadstool is happy, you'll see much more than those little bumps. In one of the most recent Reefkeeping Slide shows, you'll see all kinds of leathers, up close. Check out not only the lush tubes but even the flower-like polyps at the tips of each tube. It will look amazing when happy. Nibbles, my powder blue tang, loves eating them right off the leather. Argh. :mad:
I asked Sanjay Joshi about the nipple within the MH bulb, and he told me that was a myth. However, you seem to see the difference, and that is what counts. ;)
melev
09/27/2005, 06:18 PM
Well, flake food comes from many vendors. A very popular one in my tank is by Cyclop-eeze. The other kind you might consider might be from BrineShrimpDirect.com Either would be tasty morsels and all of your fish will like it I'm sure.
I'd like to see a picture of this yellow stuff. I thought you were referring to the "orientation of the nipple" inside of the bulb, as people have mentioned that depending on where it pointed, the light was yellow or not.
So I realized that the yellow substance moves around :S Like I told you before, I turned the whole socket upside down, so that the yellow stuff was at the top of the bulb. I checked the next day, and the tank looked yellowish to me again. After the bulb turned off, I realized the yellow stuff dropped to the bottom of the bulb again! So I'm guessing it's some sort of liquid that melts and moves down due to gravity.
So last night, I unscrewed the bulb, and zap strapped it Vertically. I'm hoping after today's run, the yellow stuff will drop to at least the end of the bulb where it will be away from the middle part that lights up...
Here are some pics of the yellow substance on the side of the bulb:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050929041956_432_1_3.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/050929041956_432_1_2.jpg
What is this stuff???
Originally posted by melev
I'd like to see a picture of this yellow stuff. I thought you were referring to the "orientation of the nipple" inside of the bulb, as people have mentioned that depending on where it pointed, the light was yellow or not.
Man, yesterday after work, I couldnt find the clown goby again. This time, I immediately looked in the overflow box. Then the sump. Bingo. He got sucked down into the sump!! I fished him out and put him back in the main display tank. He was sooo pale, I could practically see right through him. After about an hour, he was ok again. And he finally started eating!! He looks absolutely famished. But I squirted some mysis shrimp to his location under some rocks, and he actually ate some. Although, I think the mysis shrimp is too big for his tiny mouth. I saw him suck up half of one, wait a second, then suck in the rest. I fed him some frozen brine shrimp after, and he had a much easier time. So I'm glad he's on the road to recovery. He's also zipping around the tank, so that's nie to see. Here are some pics of his recent adventures:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_050929041956_432_1_6.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_050929041956_432_1_4.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_050929043029_432_1_2.jpg
I've since made a new egg-crate covering for the intake box of the overflow. So the sides are covered more now, and it actually made the flow of water much more smoother into the box -- so it was instantly quieter!! It actually raised the water level of the tank by about a centimeter, but that's ok.
This morning, I had to find him before I went to work. And guess what? He was still in the display tank! Hopefully this will be the case after work <fingers crossed>.
melev
09/29/2005, 11:15 AM
I can't see the yellow stuff, but I'm learning toward defective bulb if that is so glaringly obvious.
Congrats on your tiny fish and the fact that he is eating again. I do like them, but they cause trouble with some SPS corals unfortunately. I still have mine, but only because I'm too lazy to get him out of my tank. ;)
http://www.auphanonline.com/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_050929171949_432_1.jpg
So yesterday I added more snails. I now have:
(2) Bumblebee Snails
(6) Cerith Snails
(10) Nassarius Snails
(2) Margarita Snails
(2) Astrea Snails
The new Bumblebees look cool, but they're not that fast.
The Margaritas and Astreas haven't really done as much as I would have liked. They seem to pick areas on the rocks that they like, and stay there for quite a while. So not much activity with them.
The Ceriths seem to be constantly moving around the glass, so that's awesome. However they cant seem to turn themselves over when they fall on their backs >_< So once in a while, I'll have to stick in my glass rod to turn them over.
And the extra (8) Nassarius that I just added were everything that I expected. They just zip around the sand as if they were on wheels. I received a bigger one this time too, so he's really cool. When I dropped them in, they immediately lashed about to right themselves. They're soooo coool.
And at the store, the Pink Coco Worm really caught our eye. It's a really vibrant cotton candy colour. So we're thinking it over (since it's $60cdn).
My first priority is to lower the nitrates. I checked it again a couple of days ago, and it was at 10. I had changed a big IO bucket's worth of water since then, so I'll see where it's at tonight.
My check valve and heater are "in transit" out for delivery today, so hopefully someone will be home to receive it. I gotta turn off the pumps to feed the Cyclop-eeze and DT Phytoplankton that I got yesterday. The pipette that came with my refractometer is Perfect for feeding Phytoplankton to the clams.
On a side note, I've also drastically choked the return. This has slowed the flow through the sump, and the micro bubbles are to a very minimal now. I can still see decent flow in the tank, so until I add more corals and whatnot that need more flow (anemonemone??), I guess I'll keep it like this for now...
It's that milky white stuff in the middle of the bulb. It should be crystal clear, right? At least my other bulb is crystal clear.
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_050929041956_432_1_2.jpg
Originally posted by melev
I can't see the yellow stuff, but I'm learning toward defective bulb if that is so glaringly obvious.
Congrats on your tiny fish and the fact that he is eating again. I do like them, but they cause trouble with some SPS corals unfortunately. I still have mine, but only because I'm too lazy to get him out of my tank. ;)
melev
09/29/2005, 11:45 AM
Oh. I never looked there! :o I'd contact the vendor, especially if you've had another similar bulb not do that.
So I've exchanged a few emails with the store I got it from. It's just over a week old anyways. So they told me that it may take up to 100hrs for new bulbs to burn in and get the right colour. I'm about halfway there already. He said if after 100hrs it hasnt improved, then they can exchange it for me.
So I'll give it another week and see how things are. It's reassuring to know the retailer is so hopeful though.
Originally posted by melev
Oh. I never looked there! :o I'd contact the vendor, especially if you've had another similar bulb not do that.
So my ballast still hasn't come back yet, and my float valve order hasnt come either. But I did get the clear check valve.
Nasty time hooking it up last night, cutting the spaflex on the return pump's intake, and puting the check valve in line. The spa flex was heated and bent into shape to curve along the walls of the middle of the sump, so when I inserted each end into the spa flex, there wasnt a complete seal. So air bubbles got in, and water leaked out, etc.
Luckily I had a small piece of spaw flex lying around that was still 'round.' it actually worked out better, since now the intake is vertical, there are no horizontal parts at the end. It's much shorter too. So basically the check valve works.
However, after a power down test, the return pump didnt turn back on. Water on the output end must have completely drained out (into the refugium area). So even though there's water in the intake side, the output side is empty, so there's not enough back pressure to start the pump.
I guess I'll have to either go with a submersible pump later, and just dunk it into the middle of the sump and be done with it. Else I can rearrange the blueline so that the output faces up, so that water will be stuck in there if the power ever goes out (since I have the intake side taken care of already). But space is an issue in that cabinet. It was built for these specific parts already.
But I did make some progress with the pump tonight. The noise, although bareable, has still been a lingering concern. So tonight I screwed in a screw above it, into the crossing 2x4, and a hook into the underside of the countertop, and connected some zap straps together, looped them around the pump, and unscrewed it from the frame. So it is now basically being suspended. I immediately asked my wife what she thought of the sound, and her response was "Nil." Awesome! It isnt entirely Nil, you can still hear the fan, but at least now the cabinet is not absorbing and enhancing the vibration from the pump. Plus you may have noticed the soundrpoof foam I have inside the cabinet. That absorbs the echos too. I also had to zap strap a section of the plumbing to hold it up, now that it cant rely on a sturdily mounted pump to hold it up. So that worked out pretty nicely.
With my check valve, I also got the Won Pro-Heat II 250W titanium heater (with LCD display). I've been testing it in my water change bucket for now. So far so good. The LCD shows 79-80*, and so does the floating thermometer in the bucket. My goal is to put this heater in the sump, and put it's wired thermometer up in my overflow box.
The problem right now is the ebo jaber 200W is in the sump, but at night with the refugium light on, and the cabinet doors closed, the sump area warms up pretty good. So the thermometer is tricked into thinking the whole tank's temperature is fine. But last night, the sump was 79-80*, but the displan tank was closer to 75*. I already have the ebo jaber in the first baffle of the sump, where all the drainage and skimmer output water is flowing through. But since I choked back the flow, not as much water is going through, so I guess there's not enough drainage water moving fast enough to tell the ebo jaber that the display tank's temperature is too cold.
Actually I do want to raise the flow a bit. But because of the extra egg crate on the overblow box, the display tank's water level is really high now (if I incease the return slightly, the water will hit the underside of the piece of glass at the top of the tank). So tomorrow I'm going to drill holes on the intake of the overflow box to lower it about 1/4"+. Once it's lower, I will be able to pump up more water and not have to worry about the water level being as high as it is now.
-------------
On another note, Alu my clown goby is doing great these days. No more rides into the overflow and down into the sump. But tonight I found out something interesting. It appears he's made friends with my Blue Tridacna Crocea. He's constantly sitting on the blue mantle! It's like he's hosting in it or something. He tries the same with the Maxima, but he actually tries to peck at the tube the maxima sticks out. Other times he'll sit on it's mantle as well.
The Goniopora stuck out pretty far today, much farther than it has before. The only change I've made recently, was put it closer to the middle cave section. This shades it from direct light. I took a clue from it when it stuck out for a few nights when the moonlights came on. So I think less light is good for it at this point. However I'm wondering if there will be tentacle thingies sticking out from it, like I've seen in other Goniopora pics on the internet? The tips of whatever's sticking out right now, are just flat.
Still no sign of the Porcelain crab. I've searched many hours with the flashlight, day and night. He's not THAT small... But I think he's hiding in this big rock I have, that's very porous. That rock is probably hollow. But he's a filter feeder, shouldnt he be more out in the open where there's some current? Damn little bugger...
The one bulb is still making the left side of the tank look yellowish. It just doesnt look right compared to the clear white colour on the right. Cant wait to sort this out with the LFS.
Won Pro-Heat II:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051003192137_432_1_8.jpg
Heating & Mixing water change water:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051003192137_432_1_1.jpg
Alu guarding the Maxima:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051003192638_432_1_4.jpg
Alu guarding the Crocea:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051003192638_432_1_2.jpg
Rearranged the left side a bit, created a new cave:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051003192327_432_1_5.jpg
The shrimps really like to come to this side at night.
Well that yellowish MH bulb BLEW on tuesday. I came home and that side of the tank was dark. Swapped the bulbs and the burnt ont was still out, but the other one lit up. So it was definitely the bulb. Emailed the LFS that night, got a response the next day saying they'll swap it. Awesome!
Long story short, got the new bulb and it works great. Nice white light right off the bat.
Also, we picked up a tiny new Percula and got the Pink Coco Worm!
Pics coming soon.
But guess what finally came? The fluorescent ballast!!! Hooked it up, no joy. After an hour of troubleshooting, I found where the loose connection was (at a socket), fixed it and now the actinics work! Woohoo. Really brings out the Florida Ricordia. It's neon orange, with a lime green middle.
Another thing I noticed last night, I've got a colony of CUP CORALS! Behind the rock where the FLorida Ricordia is on. There are about 5 of them so far. Orange centers, with short, translucent tentacles sticking out. They werent there before, I wonder where they came from? Marc, your site said they can be find on new LR. But these LR arent new. They came before I added the Pink Coco Worm. So go figure. I read that they're meat eaters? So I guess DT Phytoplankton wont tickle their fancy...
I also noticed a couple of white, cotton-like balls forming on 2 areas of the LR. Literally looks like a tiny cotton ball. Actually it looks like a wound-up spiderweb.
melev
10/06/2005, 01:48 PM
That is probably a scypha sponge. Looks like the top of a q-tip perhaps?
The cup corals appeared in my tank as well, but I don't know where they came from. About 45 lbs of LR came with my tank when I bought it, and it might have been from that dense rock everyone loves to buy. The name is slipping my mind at the moment, but it arrives colorful, full of life and usually a few mantis shrimp.
Ok, now I am wondering if these "cup corals" are actually AIPTASIA?!!
http://www.auphanonline.com/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051007062411_432_1_7.jpg
I've looked up pictures of both, and it's very hard to tell the difference between these translucent ones. The center is more green now.
I didnt add any new LR, so it seems more likely that they're Aiptasia sprouting out of the blue -- correct??
And yes, I missed the scypha sponge on your ID page, that's exactly what it looks like! Glad they're safe.
Originally posted by melev
That is probably a scypha sponge. Looks like the top of a q-tip perhaps?
The cup corals appeared in my tank as well, but I don't know where they came from. About 45 lbs of LR came with my tank when I bought it, and it might have been from that dense rock everyone loves to buy. The name is slipping my mind at the moment, but it arrives colorful, full of life and usually a few mantis shrimp.
Yesterday, I was rearranging the LR a bit, and decided to move a larger section back about an inch. This actually allowed me to see within one of the crevices a bit better.
Today after work, guess who's claw I saw?? The porcelain crab!! Spotted his blue and white spotted claw in there! Wasnt easy though, since the view was really distorted from the angle I was at, but it was totally him.
Now if I can only entice him to come out more...
melev
10/07/2005, 09:40 AM
Gary, if you'll look in the New To The Hobby forum, you'll see a stickied thread about aiptasia, along with a picture that is actually 9 images pasted together. I don't believe you're picture includes any aiptasia, and would lean toward cup corals. The stony base is what makes me believe that.
Marc, yeah I saw that sticky, that's why I'm sort of worrying. To me, it sort of looks like the one on the Right column, middle row:
***
**X
***
When I see pics of cup corals, the tentacles look like they're a bit more bumpy. What I have, the tentacles are just long and narrow...
But on the other hand, the middle/base part of mine looks wider than most aiptasia ones.
Originally posted by melev
Gary, if you'll look in the New To The Hobby forum, you'll see a stickied thread about aiptasia, along with a picture that is actually 9 images pasted together. I don't believe you're picture includes any aiptasia, and would lean toward cup corals. The stony base is what makes me believe that.
Ok, I'm having a major algae issue (I think). Hair algae was growing on the back of the tank. I used my magnafloat for most of it, then got fed up and took a sponge to wipe it off. I tried to catch as much as I could have with the net. The front and sides I scraped off with the magnafloat as well.
I've got hair algae growing on a few of the live rocks too.
There was a red coat of algae growing over my green star polyps. I actually took it out and put it in another bucket of salt water to rub it all off, then put it back in. It seems ok for now.
The inside part of the overflow box was covered with a film of brownish algae too, as is the chaeto section of the sump.
Is this what they're talking about when they talk about new tanks experiencing an "Algae bloom"?? Hopefully this is only temporary??
I have the aforementioned snails, but I dont think they're doing much. There are (2) left handed hermits in there, and I sorta see them picking at stuff now and then, but obviously the impact is minimal. They're actually having more fun swapping shells, now that I put some more empty shells in there.
Should I get more hermits?? I'm only afraid that they'll kill off my snails, rather than pick at the hair algae. I already caught them attacking the Margarita Snails a couple of times, and the Cerith Snails. (that's what prompted me to get some empty shells for them).
Or is this just a wait and see situatition?
I think my flow was too slow as well, so there's not enough movement, allowing algae to build up..? I turned it up a bit.
melev
10/12/2005, 12:12 PM
New tanks do experience algae blooms. Can you list how many snails and hermits you have again? (Sorry, I don't remember)
(2) Bumblebee Snails
(6) Cerith Snails (one might be dead, saw a turned over shell yesterday)
(10) Nassarius Snails
(2) Margarita Snails
(2) Astrea Snails
(3) Left-handed Hermits in display (2 in display, 1 in sump)
Last time I checked the Nitrates, it was about 5-10. So about once a week, I've been doing a water change. I pump out most of the water from the middle section of the sump. It's the equivalent of about 1/2 to 2/3 of a bucket of Instant Ocean.
The clump of Chaeto spinning around in the fuge area seems to be thicker, but it hasnt doubled in size or anything. I have it on a reverse photo period from the display tank. The fuge light comes on for 9hrs each night.
Originally posted by melev
New tanks do experience algae blooms. Can you list how many snails and hermits you have again? (Sorry, I don't remember)
melev
10/12/2005, 01:04 PM
I'd put in at least 15 more astreas, or maybe 5 huge turbos. Pluck off the hair algae pinch by pinch, rinsing your fingers every single time to avoid releasing it back into the tank.
Astreas? Y'think so? Cuz the 2 that I have, they dont appear to move much these days. They're always on the same 2 rocks, and their own shells are covered with hair algae as well. Not very active around the tank.
And I heard turbo snails will knock stuff over (that's why I got 2 Margaritas instead). I tried putting a margarita on a part of the glass where there was a film of algae, but it just moved over to a cleaner part of the glass and went on it's merry way. Otherwise, they're usually in the same few spots as well. They can go a whole day and only move an inch or so.
Originally posted by melev
I'd put in at least 15 more astreas, or maybe 5 huge turbos. Pluck off the hair algae pinch by pinch, rinsing your fingers every single time to avoid releasing it back into the tank.
Y'know what? Yesterday I watched where the 2 Astrea I had were. The LR that each of them were sitting on, were Spotless!! Not a piece of hair algae on them. So although they didnt move around the tank much, where they were, they were doing a fantastic job.
So I took each of them and moved them to different locations last night. I put one of them on a major problem spot. Maybe I'm fooling myself, but this morning the major spot looked like there was improvement, and the Astrea was still there, slowly moving around.
I might just try getting more of them now... Letcha know. Thanks, Marc!
Originally posted by melev
I'd put in at least 15 more astreas, or maybe 5 huge turbos. Pluck off the hair algae pinch by pinch, rinsing your fingers every single time to avoid releasing it back into the tank.
LFS gave me a few extras, so now I have 19 Astrea snails in the display tank. After acclimation, I placed them around various problem areas of the tank. Looked like they went to work right away.
I checked this morning, and there appears to be a few spots on the LR that are more white than yesterday! Noticeable reduction in hair algae already. This is simply amazing...!
Well the Astrea have really been working overtime. Where there was once patches of hair algae, the rock is not sorta white. They're still working there way through, but it's a very noticeably different landscape.
Oh, and Nitrates were ZERO yesterday! Finally. So hopefully the 'cause' of all the algae is solved. Just gotta let the snails do their job.
I actually had a simulated earthquake yesterday. I was moving some stuff around, then part of the landscape collapsed. I tried to fix it, and another part would fall. :S What a nitemare. But oh well, a bit of a different look for the landscape now (pics soon). Change is good.
Took my time with a small pippette to blow off some red algae (cyano?) off the green star polyps. Now I can see all the purple again (fingers crossed).
And there's a new addition to the tank. "Zippo" the Firefish! I didnt get any pics yet, cuz he was hiding in the back last night. But by night time, he came out front. I'll try to snap some pics when I get home.
melev
10/17/2005, 01:16 PM
Progress. It is always nice to read a good update with pleasant news.
Yup, thanks. Seems like things are turning a corner for the better. Levels are good, and the skimmer is really getting some nice thick, dark skimmate on a consistent basis.
Only thing now is getting my Float Valves so that I can do up an auto-topoff system. I ordered them 3 weeks ago and never got them. I called and emailed the guy, and he called me back in about an hour to apologize. Apparently he sent the order to his Canadian distributor, and somehow they dropped the ball. So hopefully I'll be getting them within a week. Right now, I've been coming home each day to top it off manually. I"ve even turned on the nozzle to a slow drip, so that I dont have to top-off as much.
Originally posted by melev
Progress. It is always nice to read a good update with pleasant news.
http://www.auphanonline.com/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051018083231_432_1.jpg
melev
10/18/2005, 03:03 AM
Do I see a hungry sun coral in that picture?
Are you referring to the white thing behind the feather duster, to the left? If so, no, that's a semi-dead candycane. I was told that they can make miraculous recoveries. It's not really decomposing or anything, so I figured I'd leave it for now...
Originally posted by melev
Do I see a hungry sun coral in that picture?
melev
10/18/2005, 02:34 PM
I'm talking about that item to the left of the clownfish and goniopora.
Oh, that's my Zoo!
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_050927070740_432_1_9.jpg
Originally posted by melev
I'm talking about that item to the left of the clownfish and goniopora.
So in the past couple of weeks, I've been pretty happy with the status of my tank. Levels are good, fish look happy. So I added a bit more live stock:
Firefish (2 weeks ago):
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051024165643_432_1_7.jpg
Hippo Tang (this past friday):
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051024165147_432_1_6.jpg
The firefish is finally getting over his shyness, and is hanging around the front of the tank more. Otherwise, he hides at the back/left of the tank a lot.
The hippo tang hangs out in that back corner a lot too, but it likes to swim all over the place. She really is shy though, zipping into the LR whenever I open the doors to feed them. Seems to like the nori clip.
Well for the past 2 days, I havent seen the Firefish. He isnt even loittering at the back of the tank anymore. Totally MIA. I checked around the tank, and no sign of it jumping out.
Plus it was only day 2 yesterday, but one of the Neon Gobies is MIA too! :( I only see the one swimming around. Damnit!
I actually had another earthquake in the tank yesterday, and 2/3 of the LR collapsed. So a major re-landscaping occurred last night. But even through all that moving, neither fish was found (not even, *gulp*, remains).
Pretty bummed, damnit. That firefish was just coming out of his shell and swimming around more openly. He was so cool! Oh well, maybe I'll just get another one...................
-----------
Oh yeah, half of my Goniopora appears to have died. So weird, just half of it had this flesh coloured film grow all over it. Freaked me out, so I got the turkey baster and blew it all off (sooooo nasty). What was left was the skeleton. The tentacle things were gone on that side. Now this morning it looks like more of that pink puss has grown back on that side. Should I leave it?? Or should I blow it off again??
The remaining side looks 'ok'. The tentacle things have been coming out a bit here and there.
melev
10/26/2005, 01:58 PM
Gary, goniopora have very poor success rate in this hobby. However, in the recent issue of www.reefkeeping.com, there is an article you can read today to educate yourself on what others are doing to keep this pretty coral alive.
Sorry about your missing fish. :(
Yeah I know, but I sort of inherited it anyways because it was on it's way to recovery. It had that tuff of green hair algae on top of it, then the next thing i know, exactly half of it died. And now that pink puss/film stuff is growing back. It has to be spewing from the skeletal structure for some reason.
I've had it at the bottom of my display tank, about 24 inches under the MH's. I was reading some articles this morning, and they do like Moderate-High light. So I think I'll try moving it up a bit tonight, see if more light will coax it back to health.
Plus I gotta spot feed it. Does anyone feed it meaty foods? All I have is:
- Frozen Mysis Shrimp
- Frozen Brine Shrimp
- DT Phytoplankton
- Cyclop Eez dried food
Originally posted by melev
Gary, goniopora have very poor success rate in this hobby. However, in the recent issue of www.reefkeeping.com, there is an article you can read today to educate yourself on what others are doing to keep this pretty coral alive.
Sorry about your missing fish. :(
melev
10/26/2005, 03:37 PM
Cyclop-eezew ould be best, I believe. Try soaking it in some tank water for 10 minutes or so, then turn off the pumps and baste the coral. Turn the pumps back on 15 minutes later (DON'T forget like I did last Saturday night!).
I know, I came across your thread. Sorry to hear, man!! Sounds like you had a lot of those fish for quite a few years. Was it the lack of oxygenated water? I do have one of those battery operated emergency air pumps. I never hooked it up though...
Originally posted by melev
Cyclop-eezew ould be best, I believe. Try soaking it in some tank water for 10 minutes or so, then turn off the pumps and baste the coral. Turn the pumps back on 15 minutes later (DON'T forget like I did last Saturday night!).
melev
10/26/2005, 06:48 PM
A battery powered one that is plugged into a wall is even better. It only turns on when the power is out, and it gives you a little buffer in case of disaster. Some e-tailers have it available on their sites.
Yeah that's what mine is. It was only like $10. I guess I'd better hook it up.
P.S. I FOUND THE OTHER NEON GOBY! The little bugger was in the overflow box. I had looked there before, but I guess he was on the other side, under the bulkhead. I fished him out and he's back in the tank. Woohoo! But no firefish :(
Originally posted by melev
A battery powered one that is plugged into a wall is even better. It only turns on when the power is out, and it gives you a little buffer in case of disaster. Some e-tailers have it available on their sites.
clord
10/26/2005, 08:25 PM
Aren't you worried about the snails getting into your U tube?
Not really. So far so good, the intake box is away from the glass, so it's not that easy for them to crawl onto that box. So far I havent seen any snails near it. Plus there's a lot of flow into the box. I dont think they would risk going to areas with such high flow.
Originally posted by clord
Aren't you worried about the snails getting into your U tube?
melev
10/26/2005, 08:59 PM
They will risk it, and it can be a problem. Put something like gutter guard screen or eggcrate in your overflow box to keep the snails from getting in, because they will crawl right into the U tube and cause enough of an obstruction to make your tank overflow.
I 'had' eggcrate over it, but I took it off. It was heavily restricting the flow, and algae was growing really fast over it. Taking it off allowed me to surface skim so much better as well. It also caused the water level to rise by about 1/4 inch, so I had to lower the intake overflow box.
I thought about maybe taking out the first inside section around the perimiter of the eggcrage, to make those holes bigger... that might restrict the flow less... But for now, I'll live dangerously...(fingers crossed).
Originally posted by melev
They will risk it, and it can be a problem. Put something like gutter guard screen or eggcrate in your overflow box to keep the snails from getting in, because they will crawl right into the U tube and cause enough of an obstruction to make your tank overflow.
melev
10/27/2005, 02:08 PM
You can put the eggcrate inside the box, about 1" down from the inner lip.
Algae will grow there, but you can remove the eggcrate and clean it once a month. If you have two pieces cut out, you can swap them out as needed in case you are too busy to clean it when it needs it right then and there.
clord
10/28/2005, 05:58 AM
I was thinking about putting gutter guard over mine at homedepot its $1. I dont have anything in my tank yet so I don't know how big the snail are for me to really figure things out.
melev
10/28/2005, 09:55 AM
It depends on the snail. Typically, astreas and turbos are the ones you have to worry about because they fit just right into the overflow, and create a good blockage in the process. Not enough to stop the drain, but it slows it down well over 50% or more. So your guard should be able to keep a marble or larger out.
It's 1:30AM here, and I just had a nightmare.
After the last few messages here, I had trimmed the eggcrate that I had used before, and fitted it so that it was inside the intake of the overflow box. Been in there for a few days now, no problem.
Tonight, I was in bed, watching a late night movie to put myself to sleep. Then I hear this gurgling nose from the tank. It was the kind of sound the intake of the return pump makes, when there isnt enough water for it to suck up. I open the cabinet doors to the sump, and the return section is nearly empty!!
I check the display tank, and it's filling to the brim!! FAWK!!!
I check the overflow tubes, thinking one of them lost suction for whatever reason. Cant really tell. I turn on a nearby lamp, and get the flashlight too. Still cant really see any air in the tubes. But I see something light blue. At first I thought maybe I'm seeing through the tube at the painted blue background of the tank. Not really... I thought it looked like a sponge. But I didnt have any sponges in the vicinity of the tank... I go move the tube a around a bit to get a better view --- IT'S MY HIPPO TANG!!!
FAWKING HELL?!!!!!!!
Damnit! After the initial shock, I take the tube out and shake out the corpse in the display tank, so I can fish it out. After a few shakes, it finally slides out. IT'S ALIVE!!!!! HOLY CRAP!!!!
It's white as a GHOST!! (I was in bed watching a horror movie btw). It swimming around the tank like crazy, dorsel fin all errect, pupils totally dilated. OMG!!!
After that shock, I still had to figure out how to get the water back down to the sump. At this point, I'm still half awake. I turn off the return pump, thinking I shouldnt let anymore water get pumped back up, or else the display tank will overfill. The sump fills fast, and soon IT starts to overflow!!! The light bulb in my head finally turns on, and I cut off the return knife valve, because my locline outputs were back-syphoning. The water was so high, the anti-syphon holes I had drilled were submerged pretty deep, so way too much water was still being back-syphoned. Then I got some 1/4" airline tubing and immediately started up the u-tubes in the overflow again. Once both of them were going, I turned the return pump back on after a couple of minutes.
Things seem to be OK now. Another thing, I found an astrea in the intake overflow box. ***?! I still dont know how the hippo got in there??? Well I think I do. The ONLY way it could have got in, was BEHIND the u-tubes. directly beind them, there is no eggcrate. I had trimmed the eggcrate so that it was a rectangle. Then I just cut in from the middle of the back portion so that it would fit around the 2 u-tubes. I guess there was a gap back there large enough for the hippo tang and a snail to get in???? OMG, what are the odds.
OMG... this is really like a hallowe'en nightmare. Y'know, the last few days, I had a premonition. I was afraid that my display tank would overflow if my syphons broke. Thought to myself, I gotta drill my next tank. Thinking if the display tank would be able to hold the water in the middle of the sump. But y'know what, I think it did. But after tonight, I'm still gonna lower the level in the sump a bit.
I also broke a dinner plate. I had a large maglite on the floor, it was getting wet from the mini flood, so I grabbed it and stood it on the table. BANG, it fell on the dirty dishes that I was going to put away tomorrow. Smashed the dinner plate. (I had already broke a corning wear lid earlier in the night, it fell from the cupboard onto the tile floor, into a million chunks of clear glass).
What an night folks. Followup later.
melev
10/30/2005, 03:03 AM
Gary, I'm sorry to hear what happened. Okay, forget the eggcrate. Let's wrap the box with some Gutter Guard Screen from Home Depot. It is about 4.5" wide. You should just wrap and ziptie it tightly to keep it snug. It should stand up out of the water, so your fish and snails simply can't get in unless they get completely out of the water to scale the fence.
Sorry you had all this excitement. Once everything is set up correctly and your pets stay out of the overflow, you shouldn't have this occur again.
I hope your hippo will be okay. Being very white is okay. They fade when they sleep, but it may have been even whiter dealing with his predicament.
So sunday morning, I wait for my wife to wake up, and I tell her the horrors of the previous night. She jumps up and goes to check out the tank. I had my fingers crossed and I yelled out "How's the hippo tang??" She said it looked fine...!! Not a mark on it, swimming around and pecking at the nori like usual. Phew!!
So later that day we went to HD and I got the gutter guard stuff. Pretty cheap all right. Got some small zip ties and tied it around the 3 sides of the internal overflow box. Looks good (pics later). Hopefully this will be the end of that. My only concern right now is algae growing over the screen. But that's nothing.
-------
On another note, I also bought some 1/4" ID tubing to use as a syphon for sucking up the problem algae. I have an cyano outbrake, and there's some hair algae growing on top of the sand, and on some of the rocks. Sucked out quite a bit (but it's annoying when i suck up some of the sand too).
So the past week has been relatively stable. The gutter guard has pretty much solved my problems with any livestock going up and over. Only issue with that is that the grate holes are trapping a lot of the stuff that would normally have been 'surface skimmed.' Which means I have to do more regular cleaning of it. Does anyone have any suggestions on how to attach it around my overflow's intake box? Right now it wraps around the 3 sides, then I chain-linked some zip-ties across the back so that it fits around the back of the box. Ultimately, some sorta elastic band setup would be great for quick removal/reattachment.
I've made a 1/4" ID syphoning tube, attached the syphoning end to a glass rod, and the other end is plugged into a john guest fitting that's screwed into a plastic plate that clips to the side of my sump. I'm catching the debris with a fish net. I'm using this contraption to suck out the cyano that's trying to take over my tank. It's been working Great. However, today I realized that a lot of the sugar sand is getting THROUGH the fish net :S No wonder there's sand in my sump now!! (anyone know what kind of micron bag I can get that will catch ALL the sand?).
That sand is being sucked up the return, and has been regularly clogging up my OM Squirt (causing it to get stuck. fyi, it is NOT fun to stop everything and unscrew the top of the OM squirt to clear the clog). I also found out the white pvc cement I orginally used when I first plumbed the returns is NO GOOD. While taking one arm of the OM squirt plumbing off, I just pulled one socket right out. I'm guessing this is where some AIR is leaking into the system (causing my dreaded Microbubbles???). I'm pretty sure I did all the returns with this stuff, so this thursday I'm going to my fave plumbing store to get new parts to replumb it.
This weekend, I finally found a rubbermaid container (w/ lid) that's the perfect size to sit beside my sump in the cabinet, for me to use as a water-change holder! It's actually a sterilite hanging file-folder box. It wasnt too big and wasnt too small. I've got a mixing powerhead in there, my ebo-jager heater, and a powerhead402 hooked up with 1" OD tubing that reaches out of the container and points into the sump. After turning on the ball-valve to pump out the dirty water (again, I copied this from countertopguy-steve), I can flip a switch from my power center to turn on the powerhead402 to pump in the clean change water. I tested it today, and it works great!. {I'm still waiting for the float valves I ordered from a guy on ebay. I recently filed a paypal dispute because it's been over a month and I still didnt get my order, and the guy refunded my money but said it's still in-transit; so we'll see}. Once I get my float valves, I can put one in the water change container so that it will be automatically refilled. Then I can figure out how much to change and how much salt to add each time.
I had split the loc-line outputs with Y-adapters, in hopes of creating more outputs so I'd get more flow around the tank. I've been battling cyano and diatom/algae growth over the sandbed. Syphoning is sort of working, but it can get tedious. So I figure it was probably due to the dead zones around the tank. Well the Y-adapters did create more flowage, but of course splitting the outputs means less velocity in the flow. So I wasnt satisfied. Went to the LFS and got some 3/4" round nozzle outputs for the outputs. Wahoo! Big difference. The same amount is being returned, but the round nozzles make the outputs a bit smaller, so the flow is more concentrated. I am now able to point the 8 outputs in various directions, so there are fewer dead zones. A lot of diatoms are already being blown away for good.
-------------------
This weekend I also added a Fighting Conch! I went to the LFSs to look for a new Firefish, but nobody had any. I asked one store what they had to control diatom/algae growing over the sandbed, and he suggested I try a conch. Pretty cheap, so I figured why not. I'm glad I did, this guy is so cool! Freaky eyes though. Sticking up from that antenna thing, complete with a brown iris and black pupil like a human eye!! The trunk is pretty cool when it comes out of the sand and reaches around like a hand. So far it appears the area that it's around is clear of diatoms. It's been pretty active tonight, climbing over some small rocks to get to other sandy areas.
BTW my Green Star Polyps seem to be fading. It's had a bout with hair algae recently, and I've used a soft toothbrush to lightly brush off as much as I could. In the process, I brushed off thin layers of the purple stuff that was on the rock. I'm not sure how well it's been recovering, but the polyps have dwindled in number, and the coverage of the purple stuff on the rock is lessening. What can I do to help this guy out? What promotes it's growth? Calcium? Iodine?
melev
11/07/2005, 05:56 PM
Perfect water quality, as listed on this page: http://www.melevsreef.com/parms.html
I'm not a fan of toothbrushing GHA. Instead, pinch and pluck it off to prevent it from spreading. http://www.melevsreef.com/gha.html
Water quality appears to be on par. But it seems like if I dont get all of it, and little bit is left, it will grow back within a few days. Brushing it off ensures I get a lot more of it... When it gets really long, I do pinch it off, but that just gets off the top part of it, the base of it is still stuck to whatever it's on.
-----------
Here are some pics of the overflow screen:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051109024734_432_1_3.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051109024734_432_1_1.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051109024734_432_1_2.jpg
Fighting Conch:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051109030307_432_1_4.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051109075124_432_1_3.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051109075124_432_1_4.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051109075124_432_1_1.jpg
2005-NOV-08: Overall Shot:
http://www.auphanonline.com/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051109180726_432_1.jpg
Originally posted by melev
Perfect water quality, as listed on this page: http://www.melevsreef.com/parms.html
I'm not a fan of toothbrushing GHA. Instead, pinch and pluck it off to prevent it from spreading. http://www.melevsreef.com/gha.html
melev
11/09/2005, 02:28 PM
Your tank looks great. If you'll get a bunch more snails, the algae problem will be resolved. Try to see if you can get in on a group buy with your local club and get 100 astreas. We did this recently, and I paid $28 for 100 including shipping.
Of course, if you can't get a group buy going, it will cost you more as you carry the cost of shipping all by yourself.
Right now I have:
(24) Astrea
(20) Nassarius
(10) Margarita
(10) Cerith
(1) Turbo +2 tonight
(1) Fighting Conch +1 tonight
(2) Red Footed Conches (coming tonight)
I see them all over the place, so they're doing pretty good. If I get more, will they run out of algae to eat after a while??
Originally posted by melev
Your tank looks great. If you'll get a bunch more snails, the algae problem will be resolved. Try to see if you can get in on a group buy with your local club and get 100 astreas. We did this recently, and I paid $28 for 100 including shipping.
Of course, if you can't get a group buy going, it will cost you more as you carry the cost of shipping all by yourself.
melev
11/09/2005, 10:21 PM
More astreas. Currently you have 44 that clean glass and rock, in a 70g. Or a couple of Turbos if you like.
Algae grows every day. Odds are you won't be starving them out. You do have too many conchs, unless they are tiny. I've had some that are 3" long and those need a lot of surface area to process without competition.
Wow, what a weekend.
Saturday:
Went to a LFS and bought another Firefish. Also got 2 small frags of Anthelia (too cheap to pass up). Figure they'll add to the scenery.
Firefish "Alfie" as in Alfalfa, cuz of the cowlick, and he's got freckles too!:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051114183256_432_1_5.jpg
Anthelia:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051114193436_432_12.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051114192106_432_1.jpg
I also bit the bullet and decided to dose with Maracyn to treat the cyano. It was just smothering my corals, no matter how much I syphoned. I dropped in 2 tablets, and so far so good. The cyano is in full retreat. Even parts that I didnt recognize were cyano, are now much cleaner. I'm gonna give it another day or two before I turn on the skimmer again. I actually had a little flood, because I put some blue foam on top of my baffles, thinking I'd catch the larger bits of dead cyano and whatever else gets down the drains. Guess I got too much stuff, and it eventually clogged the foam pretty good, so that the first section of my sump wasnt draining fast enough, and it overflowed. Lucky I was home and was constantly checking how the tank was doing.
Sunday:
Went to another LFS that I heard a lot about. It's a bit out of the way, but my wife and I made the trip to check it out. JACKPOT! This place had TONNES of frags at very reasonable prices. Ended up getting:
- Pulsing Xenia frag
- Acropora frag
- SUN CORAL (I will be referring to your webpage on them, Marc!).
My wife saw the Sun Coral and loved it. It's pink with purple and yellow and orange. Just looked so colourful. It's pretty big, and I thought it would be $$$, but it was only $30cdn. I guess it's cheap because of the large responsibility of feeding it. But after mulling it over, I dove in. So far so good.
I absolutely love the Pulsing Xenia! It's totally fascinating to watch each 'hand' open and close. This frag even has some microscopic hands that are already opening and closing! They're like the size of a spec of dust, yet I can totally see them opening and closing. I cant wait until this frag gets larger!
Pulsing Xenia:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051114193436_432_1.jpg
Acropora:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051114193436_432_11.jpg
Sun Coral:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051114192106_432_7.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051114193436_432_13.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051114193436_432_19.jpg
Last night I tried to use the top of a 2L Coke Bottle to feed the sun coral, but it wasnt really opening up fast enough, and eventually the food fell to the sand, and the sneaky nassarius snails got under the plastic bottle and started eating it. Plus the cleaner shrimp were trying to get in through the top opening. And I had to reach so far down so that I could surgically squeeze some msysis shrimp onto the heads. That was just not working out.
So I found this old floating quarantine container I had, and clipped it to the top of the tank and put the sun coral inside. Now I was able to take my time to feed each head. This worked out much better. But hopefully it will get more used to my feeding schedule and open up sooner...
Marc, so far so good with the snail situation. It's true that after a day, I'll see a film of green algae on the front and sides of the tank. I usually use my magfloat to wipe it down. I dont see the snails on the front of the glass that often.
I've got the 3 turbos now, and they're very cool. They almost move as fast as the hermit crabs. One minute they're in one location, the next minute they're at the top of the LR. Amazing guys.
Actually the 2 fighting conches have complimented each other quite well. I find they're working in tandem, sometimes together, other times in opposite sides of the tank. They like to go up to some LR and extend their trunks over an inch long sometimes, cleaning the bottom portions of the LR. There's still plenty for them to consume thus far.
Although I have to rearrange some of the LR to allow them better access to the bank of the tank, because the sides are too narrow (I wish they'd do that 'jump' thing that I heard so much about!).
Originally posted by melev
More astreas. Currently you have 44 that clean glass and rock, in a 70g. Or a couple of Turbos if you like.
Algae grows every day. Odds are you won't be starving them out. You do have too many conchs, unless they are tiny. I've had some that are 3" long and those need a lot of surface area to process without competition.
melev
11/14/2005, 05:54 PM
Congrats on your new stuff. The suncoral looks very healthy. Don't worry if other critters get some of the food for the suncoral. Just feed all the polyps you can.
I have a feeling it won't respond as well if it has to be handled each time it is fed, but maybe it won't mind. That is just an assumption on my part.
Anthellia is a real scourge, so watch it closely. You don't want it to spread its mat on other rocks, because it is virtually impossible to remove later. Try to isolate it to its own 'island' to keep it contained, so it will be enjoyable and not frustrating.
Thanks Marc. I only decided to bring up the sun coral to feed, because I read about someone else doing that with success. Hopefully once I've got it trained on a feeding schedule, it will not be so shy to open up, then I can really drizzle some on it under the 2L bottle. Without the tentacle things sticking out, the mysis shrimp dont 'stick' to them.
Do you recommend feeding everyday? Or would every other day be ok? And the LFS told me these were nocturnal, so to feed them at night after the daylight lights go off. Do you think it has a preference? I would rather feed it in full light, than in moonlight light...
Originally posted by melev
Congrats on your new stuff. The suncoral looks very healthy. Don't worry if other critters get some of the food for the suncoral. Just feed all the polyps you can.
I have a feeling it won't respond as well if it has to be handled each time it is fed, but maybe it won't mind. That is just an assumption on my part.
Anthellia is a real scourge, so watch it closely. You don't want it to spread its mat on other rocks, because it is virtually impossible to remove later. Try to isolate it to its own 'island' to keep it contained, so it will be enjoyable and not frustrating.
melev
11/15/2005, 05:16 PM
You can train it to be open all day if you like. You'd have to feed it at the same time daily, coaxing it out with mysis juice (thawed mysis in a dish of tank water). It has to be open with tentacles out to feed.
Once it is used to it, you can get away with feeding it every other day.
Ever since I discovered what all the hype was about at this LFS, I've been going every weekend! Check out what I got on sunday:
Frogspawn Frag (2-Heads):
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051121195156_432_1.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051122070819_432_2.jpg
They didnt have any frags at the time, but the guy was nice enough to cut a frag for me right then and there! Just had to wait 20mins. Really happy with this addition, adds so much to the landscape of the tank.
Montipora Frag
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051122071011_432_1.jpg
This one has really nice colours. The base is hot pink, and the polyps have a tiny bit of purple in them. I also bought some epoxy putty and stuck it on the side of this big LR that I have. Hopefully it will grow out really nicely. I cant wait...!
Birdsnest Coral (Thick Branch)
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051121200007_432_1.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051121200112_432_3.jpg
Pictures dont do it justice (but i'll try again later). Hot pink, really vibrant under the MH lights. I saw pics of others that have really blossomed after 3 months. So I cant wait to see how mine will turn out.
Bengaii Cardinal
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051121200112_432_5.jpg
My wife loves this guy. Really adds something to the society in the tank. He doesnt move much though, picked the left corner and he's there most of the day. Comes to life when the moonlights come on though, I gotta try feeding him then.
Royal Gramma Basslet
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051122070819_432_1.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051122070819_432_3.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051122071011_432_2.jpg
Very nice colours on this fish. Luckily this one is really not too shy when people are around the tank. By the next day, he was already swimming around the front of the tank. At first he was hiding in a cave on the side, now he spends his nights in the nook under my bubble coral. Again, this speciman adds a lot of wonderful colours to the tank.
So the chaeto section of my sump was growing a lot of algae again. A lot of it was sort of hairy, but brown in colour (I think it's the dead cyano from the maracyn dose). Anyways it was sort of getting out of control again.
I had the urge to finally get some hermit crabs, so I figure why not. I thought maybe they'd pick at it and some detrius too. After a week, it didnt look like they put a dent in it at all.
Then I figured I'd put 1 of my 3 Turbo Snails into the sump. Next day, BIG IMPROVEMENT! I could see the silicone at the bottom of the tank again, pure white!! Wow!!! I couldnt believe how much work this guy did overnight! It's been a few days now, and that section of the sump is almost spotless.
So yesterday I got 2 more Turbos for the display tank, and some more Astrea. Actually sent my wife there. She called me and said "her" purple tube anemone was still at the LFS <hint hint>. Aw heck, why not.
I had to put another piece of LR in the sump to make room. Ended up moving the frogspawn to the new location (cuz he's growing fast!), and putting the Tube Anemone where the frogspawn used to be. Looking good!
During feeding, i squirted some msysis shrimp on the tube anemone, what a sight! It caught the food and reeled it into it's mouth, GULP. Gone. So cool! Pics to come.
My Royal Gramma developed Ich after coming to my tank. Must have been stress. When I noticed, I immediately added some fresh squeezed garlic to the daily mysis shrimp feeding.
Next day, the ich was noticeable reduced :D.
But last night, I noticed something cool. The Royal Gramma was almost vertical, allowing one of the ORA Neon Gobies to clean him!! Woohoo! I love it when those guys get working! I occasionally catch them cleaning the Firefish too.
Too bad I dont really see them working on the Hippo Tang (not that it needs it, seems been Ich Free since I got her).
Now if only the 2 cleaner shrimp get their act together too...
I'm not sure where to put my Acropora frag. When it's on the bottom in the substrate, the polyps will come out a little bit.
When I put it near the top, the polyps are retracted all the way, cant even see them.
Everywhere I've read, said they like high light for growth and colouring. So should I worry about whether the polyps are coming out or not? Is that an indication of it's happiness?
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051125193324_432_7.jpg
I really like how this shot came out!
So on sunday, I found the Bengaii Cardinal dead :S I only saw it eat ONCE. The other times, it was in a trance. Food would hit him in the face, and he wouldnt eat it. So I'm guessing that's probably why. I should have asked the LFS to feed it. Damnit, lesson learned.
The Royal Gramma was developing fin rot. I told the LFS on friday, and he said to bring it in and he'll exchange it. So I was going to go on the sunday, but he's been MIA!! last time I saw him was saturday night. Damnit. Both fish lasted 1 week only. No idea where the RG went... So sad.
Everything else is doing fine. I started running carbon yesterday to clean up the water. There's some stuff floating around.
Also, I just noticed some red stuff growing on the rocks. It's hard, sort of like coraline algae? I cant scrape it off. Is this stuff good or bad?
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051125192629_432_1.jpg
melev
11/29/2005, 02:01 PM
Your tank is looking really nice.
Sorry about the fish. The Royal Gramma may surprise you yet. I had one come back from the dead twice.
Added to things yesterday:
3Head Cream Tip Branching Hammer Coral:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051205192258_432_1.jpg
Under Actinics:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051205200045_432_7.jpg
Lipstick Conch:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051205200045_432_1.jpg
And the Frogspawn seems to be splitting a new head already:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051205200045_432_9.jpg
I had to rearrange things to put in the hammer coral, but I think it's much better now. I had to move some more LR to the sump, so things are less cluttered. Overall shot coming tonight.
------
On another note, my Hippo Tang is sick. At first I thought it was ich, he had white blotches over him. Now there appears to be some black splotches as well >_<. I've tried marinating the mysis in freshly squeezed garlic for a few days, but that hasnt seemed to make a difference. I tried taking some pics of it, but it swims away whenever I get in for a close up shot.
melev
12/05/2005, 10:23 PM
Better post that in the Fish Disease forum to get some advice quickly.
Cprowler
12/11/2005, 06:01 PM
Hi Gary,
Thanks for the PM, I actually seen your other thread (I thought I subscribed, I don't know what happened) I'm now subscribed to this one.:D
I haven't read this thread yet but will tonight.
So things have been pretty good lately. The Hippo Tang is looking better. It's constantly getting cleaned by the Neon Gobies and the Shrimp. Body doesnt look half as bad as before, but still not 100% healthy yet. Appetite is strong.
The RBTA has moved to the back of that archway, but it's slowly moving forward a bit (to get more light I assume). This guy is another reason I was thinking of redoing the landscape (see thread below). I figure if I make it so that there's no light in the back, then it will be forced to come forward, no?
My Pulsing Xenia fell over the other night. I didnt notice it until the morning. Several of the 'hands' looked like skeleton hands! But they were still pulsing, so weird. I put it in a more secure location near the top, and it seems to be recovering now. I'm going to the LFS today, and I'm hoping to get a white version.
Here are some recent pics:
RBTA in the archway. It has sinced moved back, barely out of site at night.
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051212032452_432_3.jpg
Tridacna Maximus Clam. Had an accident, and it got ripped off of the large rock it was on. I put it in the sand and it seem to be happy... as a clam:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051212032452_432_2.jpg
Green Star Polyps. Recovering VERY well, since I moved it to a low flow, lower light area. The polyps are in bunches again, and the purple base is finally regenerating:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051212024603_432_5.jpg
Frogspawn 1 (brown w/ green tips). Growing very nicely. You can sort of see the left one has already started to split into a new head:
http://www.auphanonline.com/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051216192910_432_1.jpg
Frogspawn 2 (green w/ pink tips). It has settled in very nicely as well. The tentacles get Really big, and I like the contrast they give each other:
http://www.auphanonline.com/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051216192910_432_2.jpg
-------------------
Here are a few things I'm working on. I figured I'd start new threads for them:
Renovating the Landscape:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=730065
DIY Acrylic Refugium:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=730072
Wow, what a trip yesterday! A buddy of mine called me out of the blue. He was back in town from school, and wanted to go coral shopping. Who was I to turn him down?? We drove out to a place that's about 1.5hrs away, I'm so glad we did!! We got some FANTASTIC deals. Here's what I got:
Large Green Porcillopora Mother Colony (w/ an Orange Acro Crab!):
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051218033753_432_6.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051217084637_432_12.jpg
Green Table Acropora:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051218033753_432_7.jpg
Red Panova Coral:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051218033753_432_3.jpg
And here's what I just picked up today:
Pink Zooanthid:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051218033753_432_14.jpg
Here it is being filled up:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051217084637_432_7.jpg
Here it is with sand and LR this morning:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051218033753_432_9.jpg
I'm using my 'water change outlet' as the plumbing for the fuge for now. I plan on redoing my plumbing in a big way in the coming months, so this will do for now.
I was also able to fish out my Yellow Clown Goby this morning, and dump the little bugger in the fuge. He's been really bugging my original Acropora frag, and recently my Pink Birdsnest Frag as well. Plus with the sensitive SPS's I got yesterday, I could NOT allow the little bugger to ruin them by pecking away at their polyps.
Anyways, the fuge also allows me to dump in all that LR that I've been removing from the main tank, due to my new landscape renovations. Speaking of which...
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051218033753_432_10.jpg
From the Right:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051218033753_432_11.jpg
From the Left:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051218033753_432_12.jpg
As you can see, I've decided to move the LR against the back of the tank, and have it slope forward. I got this idea from a lot of the other tanks I've seen here. It gives me a Lot more real estate to work with, when placing new corals. It also gives my tank more visual depth. I'm really happy with how it turned out.
I've still got flow at the back of the tank from the OM squirt outlets, and I left a path on the bottom along the sandbed for my conches and snails to get around.
This past weekend was pretty crazy. I got the above stuff on friday, then saturday and sunday I got a few things.
Purpley/Green Riccordia:
http://www.auphanonline.com/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051222172452_432_1.jpg
Blue w/ Purple Riccordia: (at the top left), and the BENGAII CARDINAL!
http://www.auphanonline.com/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051222173134_432_1.jpg
Sorry for the bad pic of that riccordia back there, I realized I didnt take a nice pic of it close up yet. But also notice the large Green Porcillopora. I didnt like how it was sort of propping itself up against the rock on the left. So I found a small piece of LR that fits PERFECT as a stand for it!! it's like that rock was made to fit under the porcillopora. (fits sorta like one of those plate stands to display antique plates). So now it's higher, and not touching anything around the sides.
I went to Big Al's, and saw they had some decent looking Bengaii Cardinals. I chose this one because it was the bully of the bunch. Figure he'd be more lively than the last one I had (which didnt eat and ended up dying). Well it's day 4 now, and although he doesnt swim around the tank that much, he goes crazy during feeding time!! Great sign. So I'm confident that it will pull through. But I did notice there was this milky white film on it's side last night... gotta keep an eye on it.
Pink Zooanthids:
http://www.auphanonline.com/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051222172918_432_1.jpg
Here's a nicer shot of the Pink Zoos, the polyps are opening up more now. Although a few of them seem to have died off?? But most of them seem like they'll recover nicely.
Porcelain Crab (hosting in my RBTA?!:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051222025259_432_1.jpg
This little bugger tried to attach itself to my Green frogspawn when I dumped him in the tank. But the frogspawn totally didnt like it (getting all shribbled up). So I used my glass rod to shoo him away. The next day I found him clinging to the RBTA. At first he just had it's hind legs wrapped around the base of the anemone. Then later he was right in the center of it! But yesterday he was to the side on the rock, so hopefully he'll stay there.
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051222025259_432_10.jpg
melev
12/22/2005, 01:45 PM
Things look good. :) Plenty of room for good potential too.
Yeah, thanks Marc! I'm really pleased with how the landscape is now. Definitely more potential for adding new stock now. Most of the stuff in the sand can be moved up onto the LR, so it's only a matter of time until I find new things to add!
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6339128#post6339128 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Things look good. :) Plenty of room for good potential too.
ROSE CYNARINA!!!
http://www.auphanonline.com/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051226013634_432_4.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051226013634_432_3.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051226013634_432_7.jpg
Well up here in Canada, we just had our annual Boxing Day sales events. Asides from the electronic gadgets I picked up, I got some Aquarium equipment:
- Misc supplies, float valve, thermometer, etc
- Phosphate Reactor (to run carbon)
- (2) XM 250W 10K MH bulbs
- Eheim 1262 Return Pump
- CORALIFE 500 CALCIUM REACTOR PACKAGE!! (with regulator, solenoid, 10lbs tank, etc).
- Milwaukee pH Controller
The calcium reactor was there, but the regular stuff has to be backordered, so I cant set it up just yet. But I'm so ecstatic that I finally made the plunge. I was originally going to DIY the reactor, but I factored in the time and Murphy's Law. Then the sale came and the price was very attractive (a negligible amount more than if I DIY, not including my own time). So it was a no brainer to just go for it. I cant wait until it's hooked up, so I dont have to dose anymore, and I can sit back and watch the corals grow!
I also bit the bullet and ordered a pre-made autotopoff setup. So I cant wait to get that in the mail.
Livestock wise, I wasnt looking for much. But I did pick up a new Royal Gramma that I'm sooo happy about! I actually went the next day to the store, and the Royal Gramma tank was empty. But I found this little guy in one of the invert tanks, in a hole in the LR!!! The girl there was shocked that they still had one. Woohoo! I got 2 more Neon Gobies too.
Here's the new Royal Gramma. It seems very happy with the LR aquascape. He's already zipping around the caves and crevices, and he's not at all shy about swimming out in the open either!
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051228080444_432_12.jpg
Here's a pic of the tank, before and after the swapping of bulbs. I had Ushio 250W 10K bulbs in both moguls before. The one on the left decided to lose it's glow on me after about 4 months. So I figured I'd switch over BOTH to XMs to see what all the hype was about. All I can say is WOOOOW! They are definitely whiter than my Ushios ever were. Pure, crisp white. Check out the difference:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051228080444_432_1.jpg http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051228080444_432_14.jpg
And look who's back!! The RBTA had decided to go to the BACK of the LR it was on for a few days. I figured it would come back to the front eventually, since there's not much light back there. But nope, after 3 days it was still back there, so I got worried. I put some more LR on top of the back, limiting the light futher, and I also pointed one of the nozzles down, so that that area got less flow. BINGO! Later that afternoon, the RBTA had popped it's tentacles out of the hole of this LR at the top. I was satisfied with that. But then the next day it had went down and back out to where it was originally, as shown in this pic! MUCH better. And obviously much more visible!
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051228080444_432_3.jpg
Here's a pic of the center stage of my tank. The Rose Cynarina is doing Very well. It swells up HUGE:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/051228080444_432_15.jpg
And here's a nice overall shot of the tank, from a higher angle looking down:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_051228080444_432_4.jpg
melev
12/28/2005, 09:50 PM
Very nice Gary! You did good.
FYI, whenever you post a huge image that will scroll off screen, I usually post it all by itself in its own post so the text won't scroll off like what happened in your post above.
Lots of nice pictures, and a good report about your Rose BTA. :)
Well unfortunately my friend's web server was hit by a power surge, so their server is in for data recover (been a week, and they're charged by the HOUR!! >_<). Therefore I cant upload any pics yet (plus all the previous pics cant load). So here's a text update for now:
28-DEC-2005:
- Started to run Carbon in the Phosphate Reactor
31-DEC-2005:
- Added: a nice Round Pagoda Cup Coral. The top of the disc is peach coloured, and the large polyps on it are yellow. It's true when they say the polyps are similar to that of a Gargonian's.
- Added: Scroll Coral. This frag was part of a disc, but apparently upon mounting it to the plug, it folded around itself. The base is Pink, and the tiny polyps are yellow, with a ring of lime green around them.
- Added: Frag of Pink Porcillopora, with Pink/Purple Polyps
06-JAN-2006:
I had this day marked on my calendar. A LFS was getting a big acro shipment! I came away with 4 nice pieces:
1) Bushy, Think Branched, Dark Purple Tips, Tan Base
2) Bottlebrush, White/Baby Blue tips with Lime Green polyps
3) Branching, Baby blue base, Yellow tipped polyps
4) Branching Green/Blue base, Purple Tips
08-JAN-2006:
Finally bit the bullet that weekend and re-vamped my plumbing. I installed the Eheim 1262 as the Return Pump in the sump, exiting at a Y-branched 3/4" locline, with a Hydor Flo Rotating Nozzle at each exit. I'm REALLY impressed by this little device. As advertised, no electricity to run them, yet they give you 360* flow. I have them coming out around the middle of the tank, so they provide flow towards the ends of the tank.
I then moved my Blueline 40HDX to the other side of the inside of the cabinet, and created (2) intakes for it at either side of the tank. The 2 intakes are joined at a T with spaflex, and into the intake of the pump. I used 2 intakes so that the suction is reduced to 50% at each intake screen, minimizing the chance of a weak fish getting stuck to it. Once that was done, I raised all 4 locline outputs with zip-ties, so that the plumbing was less obtrusive. The amount of flow in my tank went through the roof!! I actually had to quickly reposition all the outputs (Y-split at each of the 4 outputs already), because some of my LPS werent happy. But they have since gotten used to the flow. PHEW!! My Table acro is REALLY happy. Full polyp extension 24/7 thanks to flow coming from all sides My new acro colonies are also adjusting well.
10-JAN-2006:
Installed the Coralife Calcium Reactor 500!! I wanted to put it on top of the stand, next to the display tank, because I had the room there, and I didnt want to put it behind the stand or else I'd never see it. So I changed a few of the tubes to extend them. Overall, it seems to be working pretty good. I'm still having major issues measuring the calcium level though. Before the reactor, my salifert kit kept showing around 360-380. Two days after installing the reactor, it's still around 360. I checked the online calculator, and I dosed 210mL Kent Liquid Calcium tonight to bring the level up to 420. I tested it about 2 hours later, and it still reads 360... I'm test it again tomorrow. But this is really frustrating. The ALK is around 12-13.
12-JAN-2006:
I had my wife stop by at a LFS that she passes by on the way home everyday. As luck would have it, she stopped in as they were opening a new shipment!!! She called me and gave me the play-by-play (haha, i love her). We ended up getting an Acropora millepora (I've been thinking about getting one lately!). It's baby blue, with pink/violet tips. It's gettin' fuzzier by the hour. I cant wait to see it tomorrow.
So yeah, LOTS has happened to my mixed reef the past few weeks. I'm so sorry I cant show you guys the pics yet (server should be back by the weekend). Anyways, stay tuned!!
Cprowler
01/13/2006, 09:37 AM
Sounds like you’ve been busy.
I was at OA the morning of that acro shipment, some very nice pieces, I hear another shipment will be in next week.
Are you going to the frag swap in Richmond on Sunday?
Looking forward to the pics?
Ah, yeah I snuck out of work at lunch on that day and booted to Delta. Half the stuff was already gone, but I'm pretty happy with what I got. Hey maybe I'll see you at the next shipment!
Frag swap in Richmond? Was it posted on C.R.? I thought I saw it, but not sure. But I dont know, I havent gotten into fragging my stuff yet. Plus I'm reaching maximum capacity in my tank. I gotta concentrate on the primo stuff, and forgo the little filler frags... :( I dont even know what I'll get next week.
Is there a Coralholics Anonymous in the GVRD??? It's soooo hard to say no!! Almost bought a Female Bluethroat trigger tonight too, but luckily I didnt (gonna hold out for a male one).
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6490424#post6490424 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Cprowler
Sounds like you’ve been busy.
I was at OA the morning of that acro shipment, some very nice pieces, I hear another shipment will be in next week.
Are you going to the frag swap in Richmond on Sunday?
Looking forward to the pics?
melev
01/13/2006, 12:01 PM
Gary, you've really been busy. Amazing what one can get done when they aren't posting on RC, eh? ;)
Have you checked your Magnesium yet? Perhaps it is low and thus your calcium can't come up yet.
You always seem to have room for more corals. Do you ever lose any corals, or do you simply have the midas touch? :)
Yeah, I've been too busy shopping and working on the tank to post. I Have been taking lots of pics, so hopefully I can share them soon.
Yes, I've been readinga lot of articles, and I realize there's a relationship between the magnessium and calcium. Looks like I may have to finally bite the bullet and buy a MG test kit. Salifert I assume?
I'm telling you man, I'm seriously reaching maximum capacity now. I can still move some LR down to my refugium, but I'm getting close. Afterall, I still have to leave room for everything to grow out (especially the new influx of Acros!). I've bunched up my brown frogspawn w/ the green frogspawns, which makes for an interesting contrast. I gotta leave room around the purple tube anemone, because that sucker spreads out pretty far at night, so I dont want it to sting anything (I already had to move the toadstool over by an inch, because it was waxing over a lot more than usual.
I actually want to leave some Acro's on the sandbed. Do you know which species do well in that situation? Or is it always best to put them higher with higher flow? When I was acclimating them into my system for a week, they were all on the bottom, most of them had pretty good polyp extension, but I want the tips to colour up more... No choice I guess? The tank is about 18" tall... MH's are about 11inch about the water surface.
BTW I havent had any real coral trajedies... I lost a tiny frag of Blastos I got from my friend before, because a turbo snail must have knocked it over during the night. I found it the next morning headfirst in the sand, and it never recovered. But no 'significant' losses <knock on wood>. All the corals seem to be thriving pretty nicely in my setup. This dark neon green trumpet coral my friend fragged for me has already started to split after a a few weeks. All the LPS always look all puffed up. My green table acro has Amazing polyp extension all the time now (polyps reach up to 1/4" at night!). So I'm pretty happy so far.
Oh yeah, my moonlights were on yesterday morning when I left for work, when they should have been off. Turns out my Intermatic SS8 needed a new battery?? I thought the battery was for saving the settings in case of a power outtage? If it's hardwired, shouldnt it be drawing power from the house?? Anyways, I'm thankful that it's only a tiny AAA battery that I had to change to get it working again.
Oh, and I noticed yesterday that one of my U-tubes in the overflow lost it's syphone. I couldnt get it started, then I realized it was cracked down the middle! It must have been when I was messing with the new plumbing, one of the tubes must have been crushed by the piping. Never noticed. Luckily I had a spare one. Sucks because the 2 that I was using, I had painted black to avoid algae grown in them. The spare one I had was bent weird, so it doesnt totally match the other one now. I might have to buy another one and paint it...
And I got the RO/DI solenoid from autotopoff.com, but I havent received the float switch from the other place yet. Cant wait to setup the autotopoff, one less worry.
Oh one concern I do have is my refugium. Whenever I put snails in there, it seems like they wanna get out of there ASAP. I always find them crawling over the overflow lip, into the sump. The LR in there was from my display tank. The sand was sort of new. But that was like a month ago. There are a lot of bristleworms, and the pods appear to be breeding slowly but surely. Is there anything I should be worried about, due to the snails making a run for the border?? I was thinking of putting a shrimp in there to cause more detrius maybe? <shrug>.
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6491491#post6491491 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Gary, you've really been busy. Amazing what one can get done when they aren't posting on RC, eh? ;)
Have you checked your Magnesium yet? Perhaps it is low and thus your calcium can't come up yet.
You always seem to have room for more corals. Do you ever lose any corals, or do you simply have the midas touch? :)
melev
01/13/2006, 12:46 PM
Yes, I've been readinga lot of articles, and I realize there's a relationship between the magnessium and calcium. Looks like I may have to finally bite the bullet and buy a MG test kit. Salifert I assume?
Yes, Salifert works for me. Just don't rush your situation, nor force the numbers. Dialing in a calcium reactor can take a couple of weeks. Your tank shouldn't have a problem with calcium at 360.
I actually want to leave some Acro's on the sandbed. Do you know which species do well in that situation? Or is it always best to put them higher with higher flow? When I was acclimating them into my system for a week, they were all on the bottom, most of them had pretty good polyp extension, but I want the tips to colour up more... No choice I guess? The tank is about 18" tall... MH's are about 11inch about the water surface.
Yes, if they are mounted on a small rock or something to keep the sand off of them, they'll grow down there but they need to be closer to the light to get the nice colors.
<b>BTW I havent had any real coral trajedies... I lost a tiny frag of Blastos I got from my friend before, because a turbo snail must have knocked it over during the night. I found it the next morning headfirst in the sand, and it never recovered. But no 'significant' losses <knock on wood>. All the corals seem to be thriving pretty nicely in my setup. This dark neon green trumpet coral my friend fragged for me has already started to split after a a few weeks. All the LPS always look all puffed up. My green table acro has Amazing polyp extension all the time now (polyps reach up to 1/4" at night!). So I'm pretty happy so far. </b>
I love looking at SPS at night. They look amazing. The trick is getting a decent picture of them.
<b>Oh yeah, my moonlights were on yesterday morning when I left for work, when they should have been off. Turns out my Intermatic SS8 needed a new battery?? I thought the battery was for saving the settings in case of a power outtage? If it's hardwired, shouldnt it be drawing power from the house?? Anyways, I'm thankful that it's only a tiny AAA battery that I had to change to get it working again.</b>
I don't know. I would think that is the battery back up only, and not affect the moonlights. Perhaps that is a wierd way of getting your attention to replace the battery already? ;)
<b>And I got the RO/DI solenoid from autotopoff.com, but I havent received the float switch from the other place yet. Cant wait to setup the autotopoff, one less worry.</b>
I need to hook up the solenoids I have. I just have them wired the old way.
<b>Oh one concern I do have is my refugium. Whenever I put snails in there, it seems like they wanna get out of there ASAP. I always find them crawling over the overflow lip, into the sump. The LR in there was from my display tank. The sand was sort of new. But that was like a month ago. There are a lot of bristleworms, and the pods appear to be breeding slowly but surely. Is there anything I should be worried about, due to the snails making a run for the border?? I was thinking of putting a shrimp in there to cause more detrius maybe? <shrug></b>
I don't know. If you can make the partitions taller to keep the snails in there (using eggcrate), that might help. Maybe they are just wandering out for the sake of wandering out. I have snails going everywhere in my sump, and sometimes I move them back to the fuge, and sometimes I move them up to the tank.
Well, after I discovered today that I was using the Salifert CA and ALK tests WRONG, I retested as soon as I got home from work:
CA = 500
ALK = 11.5
So that's not TOO bad. At least I'm not under now.
NEW EQUIPMENT:
The top-off.com float valve setup came today! I just finished hooking it all up to the solenoid I got the other day. I even made a quick little plastic bracket to screw in two 1/4" john guest fittings, one for the topoff from the solenoid, and one for the calcium reactor effluent drip. Cleans it up a little, instead of using suction cups. I manually moved the float switch up and down by hand, and it appears to work pretty good. I'll check the water level later tonight to make sure it's working properly.
As mentioned before, pics as soon as I can...
Cprowler
01/14/2006, 11:06 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6491036#post6491036 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GMGQ
Ah, yeah I snuck out of work at lunch on that day and booted to Delta. Half the stuff was already gone, but I'm pretty happy with what I got. Hey maybe I'll see you at the next shipment!
Frag swap in Richmond? Was it posted on C.R.? I thought I saw it, but not sure. But I dont know, I havent gotten into fragging my stuff yet. Plus I'm reaching maximum capacity in my tank. I gotta concentrate on the primo stuff, and forgo the little filler frags... :( I dont even know what I'll get next week.
Is there a Coralholics Anonymous in the GVRD??? It's soooo hard to say no!! Almost bought a Female Bluethroat trigger tonight too, but luckily I didnt (gonna hold out for a male one).
I will be at the next shipment, early bird gets the acro.
Yeah the frag swap is on CR called “Super meet in the new year†in the Van reef club forum. You don’t have to bring a frag to go. I’m still not sure if I’m going.
How are the pics coming?
Ok, I just uploaded some pics to my personal webspace for now:
http://members.shaw.ca/adina_gary/SW/IMG_0494.JPG
http://members.shaw.ca/adina_gary/SW/IMG_0495.JPG
http://members.shaw.ca/adina_gary/SW/IMG_0496.JPG
http://members.shaw.ca/adina_gary/SW/IMG_0497.JPG
http://members.shaw.ca/adina_gary/SW/IMG_0671.JPG
http://members.shaw.ca/adina_gary/SW/IMG_0675.JPG
http://members.shaw.ca/adina_gary/SW/IMG_0683.JPG
http://members.shaw.ca/adina_gary/SW/IMG_0684.JPG
http://members.shaw.ca/adina_gary/SW/IMG_0743.JPG
http://members.shaw.ca/adina_gary/SW/IMG_0745.JPG
http://members.shaw.ca/adina_gary/SW/IMG_0752.JPG
http://members.shaw.ca/adina_gary/SW/IMG_0796.JPG
http://members.shaw.ca/adina_gary/SW/IMG_0797.JPG
http://members.shaw.ca/adina_gary/SW/IMG_0878.JPG
http://members.shaw.ca/adina_gary/SW/IMG_0828.JPG
http://members.shaw.ca/adina_gary/SW/IMG_0831.JPG
http://members.shaw.ca/adina_gary/SW/IMG_0832.JPG
http://members.shaw.ca/adina_gary/SW/IMG_0833.JPG
Cprowler
01/15/2006, 01:16 AM
Wow, those acros are nice and all that new plumbing and new toys.
Well done.:thumbsup:
http://members.shaw.ca/adina_gary/SW/2006-01-14.JPG
Cprowler
01/15/2006, 01:26 AM
You weren’t kidding about reaching maximum capacity. It looks great.
How do you like the Hydor Flow Deflector?
Yeah man, I'm SO HAPPY that I finally got the auto topoff setup. No more topping off for me!!! Plus having the CA reactor setup is another load off, no more dosing everyday!!
So I'm 2 steps closer to maintenance automation...
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6503311#post6503311 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Cprowler
Wow, those acros are nice and all that new plumbing and new toys.
Well done.:thumbsup:
Yeah man, that's why I'm sooo scared about going to OA next week. I was thinking of putting more LR on the left side, so I can stagger some pieces there. We'll see... I'm sure I can still re-arrange some stuff. But it's good right now.
I LOVE the Hydor Flows man. I dont care what other people say. They really do work, and they work Great. I figure they mix up the flow a bit more, in tandem with my OM squirt outputs.
They snap on perfectly to the Locline 3/4" Round nozzles. I hooked them up to my return from the Eheim 1262, which is already choked back. So I'm not too concerned if they do restrict flow somewhat (but it's still pretty strong!). Only concern I've had is that once in a while, a bit of chaeto from the sump gets sucked up, and gets wound around the propeller inside one of the hydor flows, jamming it. But it's very easy to take apart to clean it. Best $17.59cdn each I've spent. (Get them from big al's online w/ free shipping, dont goto the store, they charge more than DOUBLE!).
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6503335#post6503335 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Cprowler
You weren’t kidding about reaching maximum capacity. It looks great.
How do you like the Hydor Flow Deflector?
Cprowler
01/15/2006, 01:42 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6503358#post6503358 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GMGQ
Yeah man, I'm SO HAPPY that I finally got the auto topoff setup. No more topping off for me!!! Plus having the CA reactor setup is another load off, no more dosing everyday!!
So I'm 2 steps closer to maintenance automation...
Yes, I know what you mean. I added mine at different times so I don't know what was more of a load off. Adding them both must be quite rewarding.;)
Cprowler
01/15/2006, 01:51 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6503375#post6503375 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by GMGQ
Best $17.59cdn each I've spent. (Get them from big al's online w/ free shipping, dont goto the store, they charge more than DOUBLE!).
Thanks I might just try them out.
So now I'm having some bubble issues with my Closed Loop. Every now and then, I hear this whooshing sound, then suddenly I see a GUSH of microbubbles come out of one of the CL outlets.
The CL intakes are deep enough so that I dont see any signs of a 'whirlpool' effect around them at all, not even a dimple on the water surface. Where else can this be??? I tighened all the unions all ready.... :S
melev
01/16/2006, 04:59 PM
Take off the intake screen and see if this continues. If the system is starved of water, the impellar will cavitate, creating air from within the water which is pushed out into the display.
The intake screen may just need cleaning.
Well I think (HOPE) I solved the problem. I noticed there was a gap between the main body of my OM Squirt, and the top half. I must not have tightened it all the way, the last time I opened it up to clean the drum. So I gave each screw a few good turns. I hope that's it for now. I didnt notice any bubble buildup under any of the nozzles this morning. Confirm later today...
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6515032#post6515032 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Take off the intake screen and see if this continues. If the system is starved of water, the impellar will cavitate, creating air from within the water which is pushed out into the display.
The intake screen may just need cleaning.
melev
01/17/2006, 04:25 PM
That should resolve the problem. :)
Well there was one surge of MBs last night. So I opened up the OM Squirt, ran my finger around the top part to get rid of any gunk, and put the top part back on. I didnt notice any MBs for the rest of the night (but I'm still holding my breath).
I also noticed, when I turned off the CL pump, a gush of air came out of one side of the CL intakes. I'm wondering if the suction is too low (due to 2 intakes), that there were some bubbles trapped in the top bend of the CL elbows? So I grasped my hand over the other intake, to cause more suction to the left intake, and sure enough a bunch of MBs came out of the outputs. I did the same to the left intake, but no bubbles came out. So maybe that helped too.
The acros are coming along quite well. I finally noticed the top right one extending it's neon green polyps (usually it only extended them at night). The dark purple tipped one still hasnt extended it's polyps much during the day. I've only seen it extend the stringy feelers out sometimes.
Oh, I added (8) more Bumblebee Snails recently for 10 total. They're on sale at a LFS, and they just add a little eye candy to the tank ;)
http://members.shaw.ca/adina_gary/SW/IMG_1043b.jpg
Acropora Millepora - Yellow Cluster w/ Greenish Yellow Polyps, & Acro Crab:
http://www.auphanonline.com/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060122062440_432_1.jpg
Lobo Brain - After sitting in the bag for almost an hour :S :
http://www.auphanonline.com/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060122062440_432_2.jpg
Lobo Brain - The next day:
http://www.auphanonline.com/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060122062440_432_7.jpg
Acropora Tenuis - Yellow w/ Yellow Polyps:
http://www.auphanonline.com/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060122062440_432_8.jpg
Acropora sp. Frag - Broccoli Green:
http://www.auphanonline.com/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060122062440_432_9.jpg
And my PIECE DE RESISTANCE:
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A FRAG OF WATERMELON CHALICE!
http://www.auphanonline.com/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060122062758_432_1.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060122062758_432_2.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060122062758_432_3.jpg
Cprowler
01/22/2006, 01:06 AM
Nice! where did you get them? I heard that OA had their order delayed at least a week.
Yeah, I hung around with James at OA yesterday afternoon for a while. I had high hopes for this weekend, I guess I overcompensated :S Most of it is from OA, and my wife also visited Hidden Reef for me.
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6556511#post6556511 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Cprowler
Nice! where did you get them? I heard that OA had their order delayed at least a week.
Lobo Brain feeding on 2pieces of raw shrimp:
It wasnt able to finish these 2 big chunks in time. After a while, some snails came over and dragged the shrimp out, then the cleaner shrimps came by for a piece of the action.
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060126062600_432_1.jpg
Rose Cynarina eating shrimp:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060126062600_432_2.jpg
Broccoli Acropora:
I love the deep green in this acro, and it has so many polyps all over it!
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060126062115_432_4.jpg
Watermelon Chalice Under Moonlights:
The blue moonlights really make the colours pop out. The picture doesnt do it justice, but you get the gist:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060126064915_432_1.jpg
Watermelon Chalice Under LED Flashlight:
Thought I'd try using my white LED Flashlight on it. Better colour:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/060126063243_432_1.jpg
Purple Zoanthids Frag (obviously not open yet):
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/060130021446_432_6.jpg
Red Zoanthids Frag:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060130021446_432_10.jpg
Blue Ricordia (just a baby piece that will colour up very nicely:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060130021446_432_11.jpg
A MALE BLUETHROAT TRIGGER!!!!
(those white specs on his forehead are just sand)
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060130021446_432_5.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060130021446_432_4.jpg
Acclimating:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060130021446_432_1.jpg
Totally wasnt expecting to see him at the LFS. Apparently they got 2 in the previous night. Already sold one. Talk about right place at the right time. This guy is about 4 inches long. It was on my MUST HAVE wish list, but I wasnt expecting to get one anytime soon! Such a bonus.
He's really shy right now, hiding in some rocks. Hopefully I can coax him out. Does anyone know if I should get another seaweed clip and put some Nori out for him? I have a clip on the left side for the Hippo Tang already...
It's beena busy weekend... We had a blackout for 5hrs, which was NOT fun. My sump overflowed, and my wife was left alone all day to deal with keeping the tank warm and the SPSs happy. But I loaded up on some new zoos, etc:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060206054044_432_11.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060206054044_432_8.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060206054044_432_7.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060206054044_432_2.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/060206054044_432_5.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060206052407_432_5.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/060206054044_432_1.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060206052407_432_3.jpg
melev
02/06/2006, 06:24 PM
It looks great, and doesn't seem affected whatsoever by that power outage.
What caused the sump to overflow? This is something you should prepare for by simulating a power outage, and make any adjustments in the plumbing to prevent that from occuring.
Hi Marc,
It overflowed because too much water got drained from the display tank. Remember I had recently emailed you about the reefcast tip about having (2) anti-syphon holes on the return. That worked great. However, the overflow box continued to skim a bit more from the display tank. Obviously too much for the sump to handle. Here's the sump:
http://www.auphanonline.com/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060207042238_432_1.jpg
You can see my Eheim1262 return pump in there. I use the foam that's around the eheim (to block off any bits of chaeto that likes to float over the teeth on the right), so I cant have the water level too low. I've since lowered the level in the middle section so that it's about an inch above the grey perimeter of the pump.
I 'could' screw on the intake nozzle on the pump and use that again, but I will definitely need some sort of foam to filter out the chaeto bits. (Plus I had one incident where I had a snail stuck on the intake, which caused my return to get clogged :S).
Other than that, the only other way to get more space in the sump, would be to lower the teeth on the right, so that the chaeto section holds less water. But there's no easy way to do that.
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6681285#post6681285 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
It looks great, and doesn't seem affected whatsoever by that power outage.
What caused the sump to overflow? This is something you should prepare for by simulating a power outage, and make any adjustments in the plumbing to prevent that from occuring.
melev
02/06/2006, 10:56 PM
Ah, I see. And I do remember that conversation now. So now if you turn off the pump, will it still overflow, or will it stay contained?
Do you have two refugiums at this point? I see the elevated container on the right, but there appears to be another refugium zone behind the center brace or stile.
So I've started a new BLOG website to log my tank's progress. It sort of ties in all the numerous pictures I take, so that you're not just browsing through such a big gallery.
http://reefblog.shorturl.com/
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060209082628_432_1_5.jpg
Well my tank just turned 8 months old last friday, so I thought I'd give an update:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060524060405_432_1.jpg
And here are some of my recent acquisitions that I'm most fond of:
Teal Blue Zoos:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060523165715_432_1_13.jpg
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060524053243_432_1_4.jpg
Fire & Ice Zoos:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060414042822_432_1_14.jpg
Montipora verrucosa:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060508175019_432_1_3.jpg
Blasto wellsi (currently in recovery :():
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060423072428_432_1_10.jpg
Red&White Coco Worm:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060418181051_432_1_1.jpg
Green & Purple Acro:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060414042822_432_1_13.jpg
Red Yuma 1:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060423072428_432_1_5.jpg
Red Yuma 2:
http://www.auphanonline.com:8080/gallery/images/uploads/1/l_060504064115_432_1_1.jpg
I've also started using Poly Lab's Reef-resh two weeks ago, so hopefully it will help my tank reach that next level. Stay tuned...!
melev
06/14/2006, 11:48 AM
Hey Gary, what's the latest?
I saw your website, and the front page picture looks great!
Hey Marc!
I'm battling Cyano right now, and I feel like I'm losing. About a month ago, I started trying out Polyp Lab's Reef-resh, since it's supposed to reduce nitrates, etc. But I think the cyano is out-competing it for the nitrates. I've been syphoning it out every other day so far, but it just comes back to carpet areas of lower flow. I'm thinking about doing a treatment of Chemi-clean so that I can buy some time and start with a clean slate.
Other than that, I definitely see some growth spurts which I've attributed to Reef-resh, so that's a good thing.
And as I pointed out in my other thread (Orientation of MH Bulbs (http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=7559401) ), I'm going to lower my MH lights, and I'm considering changing the orientation of the bulbs too. What do you think?
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7559417#post7559417 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Hey Gary, what's the latest?
I saw your website, and the front page picture looks great!
melev
06/14/2006, 12:28 PM
I just voted in your poll. ;)
I'd use the Chemi-Clean, and remember to turn off your skimmer. They recommend adding an airstone, but I don't think we have to do that since we run a sump. The water pouring down mixes with air 24 hours a day. After 48 hours, change 20% of the water, and restart your skimmer. Be sure to dial it way back because it will overflow quickly.
If you read my thread yesterday, you'll see that I used more than the recommended amount.
Actually, I have a U-tube overflow, which is choked back at the bottom (where the sump is) so that it's silent (i.e. the herbie silencer method). So I dont think a lot of air actually mixes in my situation? So I might have to add an airstone just in case...
I couldnt find which thread you're referring to, got a link? (you have so many posts, it's a needle in a haystack!).
And thanx for voting! I'm leaning towards that option as well...
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7559729#post7559729 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
I just voted in your poll. ;)
I'd use the Chemi-Clean, and remember to turn off your skimmer. They recommend adding an airstone, but I don't think we have to do that since we run a sump. The water pouring down mixes with air 24 hours a day. After 48 hours, change 20% of the water, and restart your skimmer. Be sure to dial it way back because it will overflow quickly.
If you read my thread yesterday, you'll see that I used more than the recommended amount.
melev
06/14/2006, 12:51 PM
When I say my thread, I mean the one and only Melev 280g thread.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=7555752#post7555752
Ah of course. My bad!
You said "Most of the cyano died in my tank this time." So I assume you've used Chemi-clean before? Would you say the cyano got more resistant then? Is that why you almost doubled the recommended dosage?
Since this is my first time, I'm wondering if I should just stick with the recommended dosage, rather than hit the cyano too hard, and make it even tougher to get rid of in the future?
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7559902#post7559902 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
When I say my thread, I mean the one and only Melev 280g thread.
http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=7555752#post7555752
melev
06/14/2006, 04:22 PM
I use it rather often, at least 5 times a year. I'd go with the recommended dosage for your tank.
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