Mr. Fosi's budget 20L

[travisurfer]

hmmm, the xenia does sound strange. it may just not like your new setup

[Mr. Fosi]

So, at the end of last month, my wife & I walk in the house and I say, "Where's the clown?" Peering into the rockwork from all angles, checking around the stand with a flashlight (carpet surfer?)... nothing.

 

Until...

 

 

 

 

Here are some of the frags I made. Infested with GHA, as you can see. Not sure what to do about it.

 

 

 

 

This is a piece of rock that I have had in an unlit bucket for over 7 months. There is still coralline present as well as some PITA Halimeda. I have been picking it off as it sprouts. I learned that it grows uber fast & eats up Ca like it's going out of style.

 

 

 

 

My kenya tree. Does it look bleached to you? I seems like it has lightened up significantly since I put in in here.

 

 

 

 

And the Obligatory FTS. Note the ginormus ball of chaeto which gets bigger every day. Maybe it is time to split it & either sell some to the LFS or to some fellow reefers.

 

 

 

EDIT: I almost forgot... This is the plumbing I made for my seaclone. I think it restricts the waterflow too much because the pump just won't suck air in through the venturi. I still want to use it, I just don't know what to do about it. The date on the pic is wrong.

 

[jimbro]

Here are some of the frags I made. Infested with GHA, as you can see. Not sure what to do about it.

 

Pull it out! It'll probably grow back, but at least it won't be choking out those zoa frags you made.

[Mr. Fosi]

I guess that'll mean pulling the frags out of the tank & doing the weeding since I don't want GHA blowing around the tank.

 

If I have weed every couple days (or even every week!) it's gonna be a real PITA.

[jimbro]

How long has it taken to grow from not too much to what it is now? I'd do just what you said and maybe add a few hermits to get the last of it if possible.

[Mr. Fosi]

Been growing since 1/23, so a little more than 2 weeks.

 

I need more snails & I few hermits probably wouldn't be a bad idea either. Hopefully the LFS will trade me some chaeto for some CUC components.

 

The last crop of blue-leg hermits that I got didn't seem to do much with GHA, so you think they are my best bet or do you have another suggestion?

 

Also, what do you think about the current pics of the kenya tree vs. what it looked like when I first added it?

[jimbro]

Yeah bluelegs have always been kind of iffy for me too. I've had some mexican red legs that seemed to go after HA, and I've heard people say that red legs are better than the blues. I usually just get blues because they're cheap and so am I.

 

But nothing will eat it if it's in big clumps like that.

 

Re: the kenya tree, I think it actually looks better, maybe a little gray near the base. You could try moving it to the bottom of the tank while it gets used to the brighter lighting, but I wouldn't mess with it too much. You'd probably just end up stressing it more.

[Mr. Fosi]

I'll see what the LFS has & how much they want for it, then go from there.

 

Thanks for the input.

[jimbro]

No prob, fosi

[travisurfer]

I agree, that kenya is looking pretty good imo. As far as gha goes, try getting your hands on a mexican turbo. I have 3 in my 20H and the tank is spotless

 

EDIT: My lfs got some white/silver pom pom xenia that I may try to get depending on how much they want. You have a pinkish variety, right?

[Mr. Fosi]

Correct.

 

I still owe you a frag, despite whether you buy the stuff from the LFS.

[clifford513]

Man, I hope you get a handle on that gha soon. I would think it is just burning up stray nutrients caused by the move. With regular maintenance, and I know you already know this (just reassurance), it will soon be gone. I know it is frustrating as is always seems to grow right where you have done some work and are trying to "baby" something. Tanks looks great, Fosi.

[travisurfer]

lol, I know but it was worth a shot to get a second variety of xenia since its just so cool. i ended up with these crazy looking mottled colored mushrooms. I'll post a pic after their done acclimating(the meticulous process of taking them out of the back and finding a nice spot for them )

 

EDIT-They are still really mad about the ignorant lfs employee but they may be ric yumas

[Mr. Fosi]

I haven't been on NR.com for a while, but I thought I would post a little good news.

 

The GHA is no longer a deep, healthy green but is starting to look white. Meanwhile, my chaeto ball is growing visably larger every day. In fact, it is big enough to sell some off, but I don't want to do that until the GHA starts falling off the rock.

 

There is a sale tomorrow at one of my LFSs & Ron Benner is supposed to be there. I am going to try to get there early and pick up some snails & maybe a few hermits (thinking maybe 1-2 blue legs & as many scarlet legs). I don't really want to have to use crabs, but I think they might help kock the GHA all the way down.

 

Also, I think I am going to stay away from NR for a while. I have too many responsibilites between school & home that I don't feel I can't spend much time here.

 

- Teaching three freshman lab sections

- Grading lecture exams

- Taking two courses (grad statistics & chemical oceanography), both of which have graded homework

- Research proposal (actually the qualifying exam that I must pass to be admitted to PhD candidacy) due by May 15 & I don't even have a question yet

- Wife & 5 month old baby

 

I'll be around every so often & I'll keep an eye on this thread as well as my PM box.

[kinqcuonq]

WOW! You have one busy life, and I complain about mines . Good luck with everything. Try not to stress too much and come back soon!

[bonsai reefer]

Fossi sorry for the late response I am in the blythe wood area .As soon as I get my tank up I will pm you for some of that cheato. The last tank I had a 20 gal, I had a simmalar problem with gha and got turbo snails and scarlet hermet crabs they did an ok job but fins had a small naso that crushed it almost completly and I was able to re sell it back when it got to big .

[moonlightxpress825]

I haven't been on NR.com for a while, but I thought I would post a little good news.

 

The GHA is no longer a deep, healthy green but is starting to look white. Meanwhile, my chaeto ball is growing visably larger every day. In fact, it is big enough to sell some off, but I don't want to do that until the GHA starts falling off the rock.

 

There is a sale tomorrow at one of my LFSs & Ron Benner is supposed to be there. I am going to try to get there early and pick up some snails & maybe a few hermits (thinking maybe 1-2 blue legs & as many scarlet legs). I don't really want to have to use crabs, but I think they might help kock the GHA all the way down.

 

Also, I think I am going to stay away from NR for a while. I have too many responsibilites between school & home that I don't feel I can't spend much time here.

 

- Teaching three freshman lab sections

- Grading lecture exams

- Taking two courses (grad statistics & chemical oceanography), both of which have graded homework

- Research proposal (actually the qualifying exam that I must pass to be admitted to PhD candidacy) due by May 15 & I don't even have a question yet

- Wife & 5 month old baby

 

I'll be around every so often & I'll keep an eye on this thread as well as my PM box.

good luck with everything mr fosi..

[travisurfer]

wow, that is a lot going on. what exactly plan to do with that fancy degree anyway?

[Mr. Fosi]

king: Doin' my best.

 

bonsai: Cool man. Maybe I'm being retarded, but what is a "naso"?

 

moonlight: Thanks bro.

 

travis: I used to think that I wanted to work in academics (teaching/researching), but I am not so sure now. The experience(s) that I have had in the last 7 months has turned me off to the idea. An untenured professer is more busy than a 1st year grad student. They stay that way for up to five years, after which they may or may not get a good review.

 

When I got my BSc, I thought I would go find a job & make a little $$, but I quickly discovered that my degree didn't qualify me to do much more than wash glassware in a lab. Every job that looked even remotely interesting required either an MS, 2+ years of PhD work, or 5+ years of experience.

 

So the short answer is: I don't know, but I am sure that I will be better off than just having a BSc in Biology.

 

Tank news: I picked up the last scrlet hermit that they had, as well as three more astrea snails. I am kinda bummed that they didn't have any blue-legs or more scarlets, but I'll just roll with the punches.

 

The xenia is looking very nice now. It used to be very leggy & generally unhappy. Since I have gradually been moving it more into the light (0.5-1 cm/day), they look more like xenia should & have started pulsing.

 

My green palys have been looking really unhappy since I moved them into this tank & I can't get them to snap out of it but my pink palys are looking great. They have actually started extending tenticles, something that they haven't ever done.

 

I found a very unhappy shroom in the AC70 mini-fuge that I removed I from the 2.5g. It was balled up (about the size of a dime) & was looking very brown. Since I jammed it in a rock crevice, it has begun to lay its skirt down & color up. It looks like it'll be green-striped pink/purple eventually.

 

A lot of my coralline algae is in the process of bleaching out, but that is to be expected with such a dramatic lighting change (26W to 130W).

 

I have started adding a little bit of kalk to my topoff water (not automated yet) & it has really helped to keep my pH up. I am only adding ~1 tsp to 2+ gallons of water because I top off several hundred ml, all at once, every day or two.

 

I made a surface skimmer for my 2nd AC70, but I haven't put it into use yet.

 

If I have the time later today, I will take some pics of the various things I have reported on.

 

Also, I am in the planning stages for an air-driven ATO system. With the extra lab section that I picked up, I am makeing a lot more $$ than I was last semester so I think I can afford to pick up the float switch(s) & relay that I need.

 

I am also going to buy a 10g for use a s a sump sometime in the few weeks.

[clifford513]

Way to order your priorities. I need to work on that myself. I think he is referring to a naso tang You are tired

[PhatSOB]

best of luck with your studies Fosi. See you around when you have the time. Make sure you post some pics when you do get the chance though.

[travisurfer]

travis: I used to think that I wanted to work in academics (teaching/researching), but I am not so sure now. The experience(s) that I have had in the last 7 months has turned me off to the idea. An untenured professer is more busy than a 1st year grad student. They stay that way for up to five years, after which they may or may not get a good review.

 

When I got my BSc, I thought I would go find a job & make a little $$, but I quickly discovered that my degree didn't qualify me to do much more than wash glassware in a lab. Every job that looked even remotely interesting required either an MS, 2+ years of PhD work, or 5+ years of experience.

 

So the short answer is: I don't know, but I am sure that I will be better off than just having a BSc in Biology.

 

The xenia is looking very nice now. It used to be very leggy & generally unhappy. Since I have gradually been moving it more into the light (0.5-1 cm/day), they look more like xenia should & have started pulsing.

Thanks for the reply. I am still considering if its worth doing what I love for a job. lol, the field is really tough so I'm not too sure how it will all turn out. As far as college goes, I deffinitely don't want to go any further than a MS. So I am sort of thinking about teaching on the highschool level(which would give me free college ), an aquarium currator position(go figure), or some kind of ecology or aquaculture position. Not too sure yet, but it would be nice to be able to enjoy what I do.

 

Good news on the xenia

[clifford513]

So I am sort of thinking about teaching on the highschool level(which would give me free college ) Not too sure yet, but it would be nice to be able to enjoy what I do.

You won't have much time for anything else if you become a teacher. Very demanding job with notsohot pay.

[travisurfer]

lol, I know. But then again, I do like helping other people out and teaching. The pay really isn't all to great unless you have been working for awhile. Even though college would be free and I would have a guaranteed job, I just don't know. For some reason I just don't think it would be as good as an aquarium currator but I would like to keep my options open. After all, I am only a sophomore in highschool.

[clifford513]

Yeah, if I could do it all over again, I would want to be a marine biologist somewhere tropical A fellow teacher and I were just discussing this, Friday.