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MatthewDVM's Fluval Edge - Happy Birth-tank-day


Matthewdvm

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I was telling my boys the other day that at the age of 42, I can only remember 5 years when I didn't have an aquarium... the eldest (the only one without a tank in his room), now wants his own tank. (and the wife wants birds). I have a hard time saying no, since I'm a vet!

Ahh, that's explains it, (about not being able to say no). Of course you love animals if you are a vet! Our family was similar in our love of animals and I worked 12 years at a pet store. We've had bearded dragons, anoles, cats, dogs and of course fish and other aquatic creatures.
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from what i see you have to expect an algea outbreak then ride it out and not worry about it and do what your suppose to do every week and thats the key. [TO BE PATIENT} by far sir you are doing a very fine job. i can see you have been reading and resaerching before hand.

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So I had a couple of quick questions - I took apart the filter basket today and realized that the previous owner of the tank had a bag of Purigen in there, along with the stock fluval sponge and some carbon, and those little filter "rock" things. My two questions are:

1) will the Purigen have been inhibiting my cycle? I did some googling, and the general answer was "maybe", and it isn't needed until I have some bioload in the tank anyway, so I took it out of rather time being. Actually I took out the carbon and the filter rocks out, too, and just lef the sponge in it for now.

2). What is the role of the filter "rocks"? I have them in the planted tank, too, and don't really know their purpose, other than providing more surface area for bacteria.

3) once the cycle is complete, what should I be putting back into the filter basket?

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Well, it the last 48 hours, I realized that:

1) Ammonia test kits that expired 3 years ago are no longer accurate (it was reading the same for my tank's water and RO water, both of which were high)!

2) My ammonia, nitrates and nitrites are all at 0 (based on new test kits)! Cycle done.

3) The algae I had growing in my tank while it was cycling was Bryopsis, and it was getting out of control, so I waged a peroxide battle with it, and am quite pleased with the results (see the details over here http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/268706-peroxide-saves-my-tank-with-pics-to-prove-it/?p=4922920)

4) it is time to go get a clean up crew, and perhaps my first corals! Can't wait!!!

 

Current FTS:

http://s1247.photobucket.com/user/Matthewdvm/media/DSC_6127.jpg.html'>DSC_6127.jpg

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I got my first corals!!! :happydance:omgomgomg:happydance:

Nothing to exciting, but a couple of frags to get me started. If I remember correctly (there was a lot of information at the LFS), I got a cluster of 4 Hairy Green Mushrooms:

DSC_6150.jpg

DSC_6147.jpg

(Not sure what the little soft smooshie thing at the bottom of the photo is, but maybe someone here does?)

 

 

A little hammerhead frag (was green tipped and purple in the store, but is a little more bland in my tank)

DSC_6139.jpg

 

And, some Green Star Polyps:

DSC_6142.jpg

 

And there is the FTS (including the Cerith Snail who is my sole CUC right now):

DSC_6164.jpg

 

I can't stop looking at the little dudes!

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Your little soft 'smooshie thing' is probably a small sponge. Won't do any harm, have loads on my LR.

The hammer will probably colour up once it settles in. Different lighting can bring out different colours in coral too. I've got a lovely hammer frag off a friend. In his tank it's sort of translucent light purple. Under my knock off par 38 that lights the coral bay/refugum in my sump its gone a vivid green with electric purple tips.

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Thought I'd try something to simulate randomness of flow with the Koralia Nano power head. I've plugged it into a timer that cycles through 15 minutes on, 15 minutes off during the daylight hours and 15 minutes of, 30 minutes off during the nighttime hours. 15 minutes is the shortest increment my current timers can do. Anyone have any thoughts as to whether a reef system would benefit from that level of randomness?

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Found a couple of hitchhikers on my LR this afternoon, and was wondering if anyone could tell me if they are friend or foe:

1) A cute little seastar - hoping he's a good guy:

DSC_6231.jpg

2) a long tentacular thing - I saw 3 tentacles like this hanging out of the LR, but no body. I think I remember seeing something on another forum post about it being a sea star of some type, but I can't remember if it is good or bad:

http://s1247.photobucket.com/user/Matthewdvm/media/DSC_6242.jpg.html'>DSC_6242.jpg

 

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Both starfish both fine.

First is astrea starfish, the second is a brittel starfish.

 

Some people say astrea starfish mess with zoas and stop them opening. But I had hundreds in my edge 46 with no issues and have a healthy population in my new system.

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Thanks for the ID help, Benny. After I posted it, I went to the identification threads and found the same info! Glad to hear they are happy creatures, as I didn't like the idea of battling the brittle star! After I saw those guys, I found another white tentacled creature, that I assume is another brittle star, as well as a few tiny free ranging brittle stars and several hitchhiker snails. It seems like the tank just came alive last night!

 

Just out of interest, hoe is the korallia 240, to much not enough? I'm looking at getting one in my 8g

 

The 240 seems to be doing a fine job with the amount of flow. I don't have much in my tank yet (and have only been into the SW side of aquariua for about a month), but I would say that about half the time I look at the tank and think "that looks like a lot (too much?) flow" and the other half of the time I think "that looks like just the right amount of flow", so I imagine it is fine. Sometimes the hammer and the GSP looks like it is being buffeted a lot, so I currently have the power head on a timer with it cycling on an off every 15 minutes to get some variety in the flow. Dunno if that is something th corals will like or not.

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So I got some new frags today! Of course I was so excited by what I saw and bought that I foolishly forgot the names of some of them. But here are some pictures (still trying to figure out the right WB for my camera to get good pictures):

First, the current FTS:

DSC_6287.jpg

 

My "Galactic Rock" with a Supernova Zoa frag and a Milky Way Frag (and an Acan that I can't remember the name of - any guesses?):

DSC_6262.jpg

 

My new Duncan

DSC_6252.jpg

 

The Zoa I am not sure the identity of - anyone know?:

DSC_6271.jpg

 

My singleton Bird's Nest (again, help in the identity would be great), with the Red Monti in the front:

DSC_6277.jpg

 

The other Bird's Nest (I bought a frag that touched down in two places, but it was very delicate, and when I went to remove it from the frag plug, it broke in half at the thinnest place)

DSC_6280.jpg

 

 

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Thanks, Slowtwitch. Wasn't sure if anyone was following, so I had put off posting the new and improved photos of some of my new corals (used a different camera and it worked out much better). Anyway, here are some better pictures of some of my new friends:

 

I believe this is a Green Hairy Mushroom:

DSC07131.jpg

 

One of my 2 new Bird's Nests (I really dig the SPS - I just hope I have the lighting to get them to thrive)

DSC07136.jpg

 

My hammer loks far more colourful under the Actinic lights!

DSC07129.jpg

 

My acan (not sure what type) and Supernova Zoa (not as in focus as I would like)

DSC07142.jpg

 

The Milky Way Zoa (my current favourite of my Zoas) on the right and Supernova Zoa on the left

DSC07124.jpg

 

And the current FTS (except last night the hammer fell down off the rock I hd tried to glue him to, so he is just sitting with his base in the sand for the time being. I'll try again at the next want change, which will be this weekend):

DSC07149.jpg

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Thanks, Slowtwitch. Wasn't sure if anyone was following, so I had put off posting the new and improved photos of some of my new corals (used a different camera and it worked out much better). Anyway, here are some better pictures of some of my new friends:

 

I believe this is a Green Hairy Mushroom:

http://s1247.photobucket.com/user/Matthewdvm/media/DSC07131.jpg.html'>DSC07131.jpg

 

One of my 2 new Bird's Nests (I really dig the SPS - I just hope I have the lighting to get them to thrive)

http://s1247.photobucket.com/user/Matthewdvm/media/DSC07136.jpg.html'>DSC07136.jpg

 

My hammer loks far more colourful under the Actinic lights!

http://s1247.photobucket.com/user/Matthewdvm/media/DSC07129.jpg.html'>DSC07129.jpg

 

My acan (not sure what type) and Supernova Zoa (not as in focus as I would like)

DSC07142.jpg

 

The Milky Way Zoa (my current favourite of my Zoas) on the right and Supernova Zoa on the left

DSC07124.jpg

 

And the current FTS (except last night the hammer fell down off the rock I hd tried to glue him to, so he is just sitting with his base in the sand for the time being. I'll try again at the next want change, which will be this weekend):

http://s1247.photobucket.com/user/Matthewdvm/media/DSC07149.jpg.html'>DSC07149.jpg

Really nice Zoas. Love that Milky Way. Never seen that one before. I'm hoping to have several unique varieties once i get this tank stabilized.

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Yeah, the milky way was by far the priciest coral I bought this week, and for just 5 heads, but I couldn't say no. I'm sort of amused as I stock this tank, I am leaning towards the green and blue corals, even though on the other side of my desk I have my gallon planted freshwater tank which is just a riot of different greens. You would have thought I would have wanted to go with different colours on my reef, but I seem to be drawn to the greens and blues!

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When you know what you like, go with it.

Your FW tanks look great btw. So cool to see that your kids enjoy the hobby too. Tried to get my son interested for awhile but I had to take over the maintenance of his tank to stop fish suffering...

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Got some new frags on Tuesday, did a full water change yesterday and took some pictures today. Not everything has fully opened up yet...

 

I came home with the following little dudes:

-Tubb's Blue Zoas

-Arctic Ice Palys (with either some Medusa or or Nebula Palys)

-Nuclear Green Palys

-Forest Fire Digitata

-Sunny D Yuma

-Ponape Bird's Nest

-Acropora tenuis

 

First the FTS:

DSC07335.jpg

 

And the side view:

DSC07350.jpg

 

Now here are some close-ups:

Duncan hanging out with the Sunny D Yuma (a top down view)

DSC07348.jpg

 

One of my earlier bird's nests with the Tenuis in the background

DSC07340.jpg

 

Forest Fire Digi (sorry, crappy picture)

DSC07346.jpg

 

A close up of the side view, with the Hammer, Bird's Nest, Duncan and the Tennis (Actinic lighting):

DSC07356.jpg

 

Ponape and other Bird's Nest

DSC07343.jpg

 

Tenuis and Ponape:

DSC07342.jpg

 

The Nuclear Green Palys (looking a bit the worse for wear after the water change)

DSC07338.jpg

 

No pictures of the Tubb's Blue yet

 

 

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Looking good. IM torn between converting my fresh to salt or buying another and having them on opposite ends of my new furniture a kind of clash between both worlds

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Got some new frags on Tuesday, did a full water change yesterday and took some pictures today. Not everything has fully opened up yet...

 

I came home with the following little dudes:

-Tubb's Blue Zoas

-Arctic Ice Palys (with either some Medusa or or Nebula Palys)

-Nuclear Green Palys

-Forest Fire Digitata

-Sunny D Yuma

-Ponape Bird's Nest

-Acropora tenuis

 

The Nuclear Green Palys (looking a bit the worse for wear after the water change)

DSC07338.jpg

 

No pictures of the Tubb's Blue yet

 

I picked up a small colony of these today along with a few other zoas. Looked at the Tubb's Blue. Decided to pass. Maybe it was the lighting they were under, but they looked like they could get lost very easily. Nothing made them stand out to me. Would like to see yours and maybe I'd go back to get some when my other selections that were cut today are ready to be picked up.

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Maybe I should be dipping - I came home from work last night and found the dreaded Bubble Algae growning on the rocks near my new frag of Tubbs Blue. They were quite small (and dare I say, sort of cute?) but I have heard horror stories about them. So I sucked most of them up and with a test kit pipette and will keep an eye out for more of them. A few got away from me, and I hope they don't get huge in a hidden location and cause problems for me down the line.Anyone have a good recommendation for which dip to use and for how long?Anyone know if peroxide is useful on the dreaded bubble algae (especially if battled in its infancy)?

 

I picked up a small colony of these today along with a few other zoas. Looked at the Tubb's Blue. Decided to pass. Maybe it was the lighting they were under, but they looked like they could get lost very easily. Nothing made them stand out to me. Would like to see yours and maybe I'd go back to get some when my other selections that were cut today are ready to be picked up.
The Nuclear Greens are pretty cool, though mine doesn't look the happiest in his current location - perhaps too much flow?I'll get a picture of the Tubbs Blue in the next couple of days and post it for you, Slowtwitch. They are understated, but a really rich dark blue. I'm no so into the shocking neon colours, more in the subtle, understated colours (with a few exceptions), so the Tubb's blue were a no brainer. Plus, the wife loves anything blue, so I could get it guilt free by telling her I bought it for her. Same goes for the Arctic Ice Zoas, which I don't have a great picture of yet, either...
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