DrGibbys 10g shutting them down :(

[metrokat]

oh.

 

Okay. So first step is to check the underside to make sure there are no parasites. Google pyramid snails to see what you should be looking for. Another possibility is that it may have an aiptasia or hydroid on its shell that is causing irritation. Before you reach in there, observe if it is bothered by the flow. Flow is usually the biggest reason they will move. If you feel it needs to be moved due to flow do it all together, as in check for parasites then move it in the same instance, so you don't have to touch it twice.

 

Usually a stressed clam will calm down if not disturbed. In many cases they may have pinched mantle disease. There is just far too much about that to put in one post but a small clam like this will not make it though PMD. Hope is not lost though, it may just be irritated. Fingers crossed.

[drgibby]

oh.

 

Okay. So first step is to check the underside to make sure there are no parasites. Google pyramid snails to see what you should be looking for. Another possibility is that it may have an aiptasia or hydroid on its shell that is causing irritation. Before you reach in there, observe if it is bothered by the flow. Flow is usually the biggest reason they will move. If you feel it needs to be moved due to flow do it all together, as in check for parasites then move it in the same instance, so you don't have to touch it twice.

 

Usually a stressed clam will calm down if not disturbed. In many cases they may have pinched mantle disease. There is just far too much about that to put in one post but a small clam like this will not make it though PMD. Hope is not lost though, it may just be irritated. Fingers crossed.

 

So Today is Water change day for me and im was really nervous about irritating him more. But he was still pinched in the back and my ocd was driving me crazy wondering what i could do. I knew he had some small aiptasia on him and had taken care of most of them. he was already running off the tile on the sand this morning so i decided to pick him up look for the snails clean off the aptasia and all that stuff. Didn't see any snails removed the aptasia and did a water change. I burried the tile under the sand about a 1/4 inch and placed rocks in front of him and behind to make it difficult for him to move because i dont want him attaching to the glass under the sand. after that i forgot the turn on the mp10 and when i came home he looked much better

20160824_113203 by drgibby, on Flickr

Hopefully he becomes happy and expands even more but at least hes even and not to pinched. I did turn on the mp10 after feeding so if he closes up more i will blame it on to much flow and work to figure out how to do that in a tank i want to be mostly sps...

 

Thanks Kitty for the help!

 

And for everyone else here is august fts

 

20160824_113123 by drgibby, on Flickr

 

it looks very bare now on the bottom left but all those frags will be placed next time i have free time. I think some katropora would look great in here Pm me if you have any

[drgibby]

Happy Monday All!

I got nothing done on the tank this weekend. I think the clam is finally setting in and is happier but i haven't been home to much to do or look at anything

[drgibby]

So I absolutely love my clam and he has been getting happier and happier the more I leave him alone. Only problem was he has a lot of apitasia on it so i had to pull him out and glue or scrap them off. If only i could do it underwater. anyway i think he needs a name. here is an updated happy picture of him.

20160830_122303_012 by drgibby, on Flickr

[RIP Sebastian]

So I absolutely love my clam and he has been getting happier and happier the more I leave him alone. Only problem was he has a lot of apitasia on it so i had to pull him out and glue or scrap them off. If only i could do it underwater. anyway i think he needs a name. here is an updated happy picture of him.

20160830_122303_012 by drgibby, on Flickr

 

Please name him Chowder.

[Mariaface]

Chowder's good.

 

Also, for some reason: Eggo. Full name 'Leggo my Eggo', but Eggo for short.

[drgibby]

 

Please name him Chowder.

 

Chowder's good.

 

Also, for some reason: Eggo. Full name 'Leggo my Eggo', but Eggo for short.

Everytime i hear chowder i get hungry....

 

Im like eggo though

[RIP Sebastian]

When I set up an illegal clam bar I was accused of mollusc-station.

[drgibby]

When I set up an illegal clam bar I was accused of mollusc-station.

[drgibby]

Water change day! I asked the clam if he liked the name leggo and he didn't close up so i think he liked it. We will try it out for a bit see if it grows on him.

 

I finally attached some corals and placed some others to see if i / they like the new locations.

 

I want to start doing less water changes but am afraid of nutrient buildup. I feel like every time i do a water change i throw of the chemistry of what has been going on in the tank and it takes a couple days for things to bounce back.

 

Also this piece is starting to glow green in places?!

20160831_094824 by drgibby, on Flickr

 

And FTS for August

20160831_094806 by drgibby, on Flickr

[Mariaface]

Very nice!

 

Do you know what your tank's parameters are, and what the new water's parameters are? I upset some corals if alk goes up too high for the nutrient level.

[drgibby]

Very nice!

 

Do you know what your tank's parameters are, and what the new water's parameters are? I upset some corals if alk goes up too high for the nutrient level.

I have been monitoring them very closely and yes alk is the reason i dont want to do water changes anymore. The salt i use to use was IO which had good alk around 8-9 but calcium was only 250-300 so i bought a small bucket of Red sea pro which had CA around 400- 450 but alk around 11-13. So ive been doing half and half which makes alk 10-11 calcium 400. I then add a little ca to the mix to bring it up.

 

After water change the tank sits around 9.8-10 alk and Calcium right around 450-480.

 

Im still not happy with the salts and will continue to look into and try new things. Ive heard Red sea blue bucket had better alk but i feel like its the same as IO. I really dont want to keep adding to the new salt mix before changing but i guess its better then irritating the tank each time i do a water change.

[Mariaface]

If the new alk is that high, I'd definitely look into a different salt. If it had been 8 or 9, I'd have suggested letting your dosing bring alk up to match in the previous day or two. Maybe Red Sea blue bucket will have a decent calcium level?

 

I'm using Aquavitro and it mixes to about 9dKH, 420cal, 1320 mag. Each bucket has a batch test result on it (and I think Red Sea is doing the same for new buckets, so you may be able to look before you purchase in person) to let you know what that batch should mix to.

 

I am also interested in seeing how long mixed saltwater will keep, because if I can dump the entire mix into the appropriate amount of RO/DI, I save myself the worry of uneven parts of the mixture as I use it. ..But that likely won't happen with a Fusion 20.

[drgibby]

If the new alk is that high, I'd definitely look into a different salt. If it had been 8 or 9, I'd have suggested letting your dosing bring alk up to match in the previous day or two. Maybe Red Sea blue bucket will have a decent calcium level?

 

I'm using Aquavitro and it mixes to about 9dKH, 420cal, 1320 mag. Each bucket has a batch test result on it (and I think Red Sea is doing the same for new buckets, so you may be able to look before you purchase in person) to let you know what that batch should mix to.

 

I am also interested in seeing how long mixed saltwater will keep, because if I can dump the entire mix into the appropriate amount of RO/DI, I save myself the worry of uneven parts of the mixture as I use it. ..But that likely won't happen with a Fusion 20.

Interesting. Aquavitro seems to have decent parameters. I wish i could buy salt in person but i always have to order it in. All the LFS (petco) dont carry a great selection of salt.

 

Parameters on the blue bucket are When mixed to the salinity of 33.5 ppt. (1.026 specific gravity), it provides the following levels: KH - 7.3-7.7 degrees dKH, Ca - 390-410mg/l, Mg 1170-1230 mg/l.

 

seems low for kh to me but who knows my corals seem to love it closer to 8?!

[Mariaface]

It might be just right? Those parameters are closer to low nutrient levels. If you're able to keep nitrates below 5 and phosphates around 0.03ppm, I'd consider using it. My corals are also happier as alk gets lower (closer to 7, but not below), so when I'm out of Aquavitro I might be going that route.

[drgibby]

It might be just right? Those parameters are closer to low nutrient levels. If you're able to keep nitrates below 5 and phosphates around 0.03ppm, I'd consider using it. My corals are also happier as alk gets lower (closer to 7, but not below), so when I'm out of Aquavitro I might be going that route.

Is it safe to have Alk that low? I always get nervous when things sit at 8!.

[Mariaface]

Is it safe to have Alk that low? I always get nervous when things sit at 8!.

 

 

Don't quote me, but I think 7 is where you should start worrying Just be sure that if you go that low, you maintain it.

[FlamingPrawn]

You're going to be the reason I end up getting a clam... hopefully my Tide comes back this week and I get my glass top cut

[drgibby]

You're going to be the reason I end up getting a clam... hopefully my Tide comes back this week and I get my glass top cut

I love leggo i still dont think hes opening evenly but hes opening up very big and is looking good to me.

[Mariaface]

Just keep throwing food in there; it'll love it

[drgibby]

So i talked to Dave and he says hes back to water changes weekly again. He did say he has switched to aqua forest salt which has some interesting parameters and low nitrates and phosphates... It has me intrigued

Aquaforest Reef Salt Parameters at 75°F
Cl: 19,000-19,500 mg/l
Na: 10,500-10,600 mg/l
Mg: 1,300-1,380 mg/l
S: 840-890 mg/l
Ca: 410-440 mg/l
K: 380-400 mg/l
F: 1.2-1.3 mg/l
Fe: 0.08-0.09 mg/l
Sr: 7-9 mg/l
dKH: 7.4-8.2
pH: 7.8-8.2

[reeferbrownies]

Water change day! I asked the clam if he liked the name leggo and he didn't close up so i think he liked it.

 

 

Might get a clam one day, but I'm scared of killing them

[metrokat]

I love leggo i still dont think hes opening evenly but hes opening up very big and is looking good to me.

Like, how big? Is the little opening wide open?

[dferrari13]

So i talked to Dave and he says hes back to water changes weekly again. He did say he has switched to aqua forest salt which has some interesting parameters and low nitrates and phosphates... It has me intriguedAquaforest Reef Salt Parameters at 75°FCl: 19,000-19,500 mg/lNa: 10,500-10,600 mg/lMg: 1,300-1,380 mg/lS: 840-890 mg/lCa: 410-440 mg/lK: 380-400 mg/lF: 1.2-1.3 mg/lFe: 0.08-0.09 mg/lSr: 7-9 mg/ldKH: 7.4-8.2pH: 7.8-8.2

I do water changes every Sunday and I never trust Salt mixes....I only use Nutri seawater it's expensive but it's consistent and I've had good results.....also its a pre-mixed saltwater and ready to go, which makes water changes very easy... they even use it on the show Tanked... I have found that salt mixes are not usually consistent.... I used those salt mixes the same way everytime and its not always chemically consistent... good luck on the clam I have had 3 so far and they seem very vulnerable and I haven't been able to keep one alive for long... even with perfect water parameters

[drgibby]

Like, how big? Is the little opening wide open?

20160830_122303_012 by drgibby, on Flickr

this big is probably his average

 

 

I do water changes every Sunday and I never trust Salt mixes....I only use Nutri seawater it's expensive but it's consistent and I've had good results.....also its a pre-mixed saltwater and ready to go, which makes water changes very easy... they even use it on the show Tanked... I have found that salt mixes are not usually consistent.... I used those salt mixes the same way everytime and its not always chemically consistent... good luck on the clam I have had 3 so far and they seem very vulnerable and I haven't been able to keep one alive for long... even with perfect water parameters

Thanks, im hoping he will be fine. Hes opening every day which i think is a good sign.