24 gallon Atlantis

[spanko]

Increased flow to the area - reduced nutrient levels - reduced phoshate levers - are the things that will beat cyano. Cyano is a bacteria not an algae. If you use one of the chemicals to get rid of it you stand the chance of killing off your beneficial bacteria. Have heard of and read other posts where people are successful on the first application only to have it come back again because they did not address the root cause of the problem. Have also read where people have crashed there tanks because the chemical killed their nitrifying bacteria base. Also Dr. Fenner on wet web media is totally against it because of the chance on killing off other things. (Dr. Fenner wrote the Concientious Marine Aquarist book)

 

These chemicals only address the symptoms. If you address the causes you will beat it. It takes time but does work, it worked for me.

 

JMO FWIW

[megan]

I tend to agree with the last post. I am very hesitant to add any chemicals. It would be one thing if there was just a filter or something that improved the water quality, but I worry about messing up the ballance.

 

I don't really know how to increase my flow other than I have moved my pump outflow around to make more use of the tank walls. I am only feeding 2 times a week and doing large weekly water changes and at that time, syphoning off as much of the cyano as I can.

 

I thought I had lost my starfish this morning. There was no sign of him and I had fed everyone yesterday and he hadn't come out (VERY unusual ) Turns out he had somehow gotten back in the filter chambers. I'm sure that would be his place of preference, but it is not mine, so I pulled him out.

 

I got two new mushrooms yesterday. I watermellon and a Fla. Ric. I'm also doing a cascade/waterfall with my mushrooms. So far I am designing my tank much like I would a flower bed or arrangement. I like it lately! I think tomorrow I am going to go to the LFS and get a yellow leather. I am lacking yellow. There are lots of purples, greens and oranges so far. My gorgonian is a pretty blue. Now if I can just get rid of my cyano all would be fabulous!!!

[megan]

So I don't think things are going so well. I bugged the sh!t out of my tank last week when I did my water change and now I have a dead hermit crab and small mushroom, and my brain and pretty ric look very stressed. I'm not sure what to do. I'll go the lfs in the a.m and take what looks sick to them and then do another water change. There is not much I can do now as I don't have any RO/DI to mix with. I'll be worried over night, but I'll just have to hope for the best.

 

On the bright side, my coraline algae has suddenly gone pretty crazy!

[megan]

So it has been awhile since I have updated. Things are good, but a few things have changed. Just last week I took my Mandarin back to the lfs b/c I didn't think he was plumping up the way he should. I had really given it a huge effort, but I was constantly feeding and trying new stuff and while he ate EVERYTHING, he just was still really thin. So, they are going to get him chubby, give my pods a chance to really build up, and then try him again.

 

I have rescaped and like the current configuration. I am going to have to use adhesive though to keep stuff in place as there is a lot of vertical surface.

 

My cyano is mostly gone, I just get it on the sand here and there. I also seem to have mini cycles as I often see little bits of diatom.

 

I can't seem to keep my black foot snails alive. I guess they are a delicacy to the hermit crabs. I've lost a couple of mushrooms, both the same type, so they must have just been a little sensitive.

 

My current livestock includes:

 

My only fish, a starry blenny

My Fireshrimp

About 4-5 Nass.

About 4-5 red leg hermit crabs

1 Serpent Star

1 Cucumber

1 Small Conch

1 Turbo

1 Astrea

@8 Shrooms

1 Yellow Brain

1 Purple Gorgonian

1 6ish Head of Pulsing Xenia

1 small frag of Green Clover Pol.

1 Purple Chalice

@12 polyp Green Eggs and Ham zoas

2 Small orange zoa frags

 

I have the standard AP 24 setup. The only mod is that I put rock and chaeto in the back chamber and have it lit in the back. My only fan is even burning out and will need to be replaced soon. I'm gonna go ahead and do two.

 

Two of my problems are coral issues. My gorgonian is so beautiful, but has some kind of algae, I'm not sure if it is hair or macro. It is really small, fine threads that seem to be covering the stalks. I think it is affecting it as the gorg isn't putting out as many feelers. I'm not sure how rough I can be in removing this algae, it needs to be brushed off I think, but I don't want to man handle my gorgonian.

 

Also, my little yellow brain has brown streaks. I don't know if it has to do with the lighting changes or if it is unhealthy.

 

Here are some updated photos, so please, let me know what you think!

 

This is the brown brain

 

 

Full Tank Shot

 

 

Right Side

 

 

Left Side

 

 

Detail of my Shroomie Side

 

 

Detail of the Piton

 

 

My Starry Blenny and Fireshrimp Palin Around

 

 

 

 

 

 

O

[tinyreef]

i really like that aquascaping!

[megan]

Thanks Tiny! What do you think about my brain and gorg issues? And, have I been moving slowly enough for you? We are suddenly broke (damn real estate market) so by force, I've had to go slowly. I'm happy tho. When I see these guys with tanks as new as mine that look completely stocked and like a 2 year old tank, it stresses me out.

 

Good to see you!

 

XX

[tinyreef]

well, slow isn't always the way but it's a good broad-spectrum suggestion as everyone's technique/approach/personality are different. you've done fine so far though imo (much better/faster than when i picked it up ).

 

the brown on the brain could be zooxanth coloring it up from a change of lighting/situation or it could be some cyano on it. i would guess the former though from the quick look so far.

 

as for the gorgon, i'd try lightly plucking off the algae threads. you can use a tweezer or something similar. not sure what it is from just the desciption though. hth

[megan]

I've made some recent additions! Last Sunday I bought a yellow watchman and a pom pom crab. Such a girlie thing to have! The next day, my Fireshrimp died after a molt and the blenny was picking on the watchman, so I got a pistol shrimp. Then today, I went in to my lfs for water and came home with a button polyp, colt coral and a TRI-COLORED FAIRY WRASSE! He is gorgeous and very showy. Lots of swimming and hanging out in front. I am very excited! My tank finally is looking like it isn't just a start up any more. I'll post some pictures tomorrow.

[megan]

Here are some recent photos...

 

Here's the new wrasse...

 

 

 

 

 

And here is the ever elusive watchman...

[megan]

It is no freakin wonder my tank won't stabalize! I'm a cluster! Go ahead and flame... I deserve it.

 

I went away for the weekend and let my loser brother in law manage my tank for 2 days, thinking surely he could keep it together for 48 hrs.

 

NO! The temp was 87 when I walked in, the entire thing is covered in cyano and hair algae, and of course, no one looks good. Tons of the water had evaporated out so my salinity is high.

 

Ive got the temp down to 82. What do I need to do now? I'm already really struggling with the chemistry in there. Should I take everything out and move it to another stable tank of someone elses, or should I do a big water change? I had a hell of a time last week with corals dying and a fish almost dying. I'll update the thread to reflect that stuff, but now I just feel WAY off track! WTH is my problem????

 

Read here to catch up on last weeks big fiasco...

 

http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...p;#entry1218505

[megan]

ba dump bump

[tinyreef]

give the tank some time to settle if you've just got back and done the waterchange.

 

if things don't look better tomorrow do another waterchange, 20% tops. make sure you remove all the dead or dying corals and keep the temp below 83F, try to shoot for 80F. don't use the baking soda anymore and don't add anything until things stabilize.

 

make sure the salinity is stabilized as well but changes like that should be done gradually. an abrupt correction could be just as bad as a high/low reading. the livestock might not be able to adjust osmotically.

 

tank sitters are the bane of the hobby, along with power outages, stuck snails, and war seasons. hth

[megan]

Thanks Bud. I saw you out there but didn't want to bug you with yet another newbie disaster. I actually couldn't do a water change tonight so I'll have to do it tomorrow. I'm getting the temp back down and I'll be sure to adjust the salinity slowly. I'm also going to add 2 new exhaust fans.

 

Do you think I should tiny water changes every other day to get the excess food byproduct under control? He way overfed!

[tinyreef]

Thanks Bud. I saw you out there but didn't want to bug you with yet another newbie disaster. I actually couldn't do a water change tonight so I'll have to do it tomorrow. I'm getting the temp back down and I'll be sure to adjust the salinity slowly. I'm also going to add 2 new exhaust fans.

 

Do you think I should tiny water changes every other day to get the excess food byproduct under control? He way overfed!

no prob, i was just cruising around with the tv in the background.

 

get a big fan, cheap and effective. these are only for the summer months but they're very effective. look into an ato in the future but make sure you set it up well in advance of any travel. you don't want to experiment while you're away. you want a reliable setup.

 

small waterchanges more frequently is always preferable imo. it more replicates nature and limits the introduction of "too fresh" sw. newly mixed sw tends to be higher in pH due to the buffers in the salt mixes. (i was touching on that on another thread recently) you can also use the multiple wc's opportunity to siphon/vacuum out detritus/crap, especially if know there's an overabundance of it right now.

[megan]

Well, I did a small water change today and sucked out a lot of junk. It looks great now and the temp is back to 78ish. It doesn't look like there was any major damage. I'll keep an eye out for ick. I bought some more nass. and a trochus and the store had this awesome Halloween Hermit!!! Have you seen one of these? I'll try to get a pic up in the next few days, but he is awesome. Quite large with black and orange striped legs.

 

Does anyone have a stand for a 125 gal? Just checking?

[ssirishpride]

i have recently adopted the "smaller is better" mantra for w/c. usually <10% of estimated total volume, say every other week or so. as compared to doing 10g. once a month. after 2 months of this i notice my levels (of the stuff i actually test for) are a lot more stable from week to week. i too really need to invest in an ATO, i top off 2x a day to min. the effects on the salinity. but i know that having an automated system (if it works) would give an even better level of stability. i was glad to hear that your concerns of the other day seem to have worked through themselves. best wishes.

[megan]

Thanks! Yeah, everything seems to be very good actually. All my corals were open today and everything looks great. I have been doing between 3 and 6 gallons every week, depending on whether or not there had been a problem that week (dead shrimp, temp spike, etc). I think for the next week, I'm going to do a tiny, 1-2 gal change every 3 days or so, jusst to try to buffer against last weekends temp spike, then I'm going to do what you do and just do a little tiny one once a week just to vaccuum the substrate.

 

The only thing I noticed today is that my pom pom has lost one fist full and the other anemone looks rough. What will happen to him/her if the other one dies?

 

Also, why did you remove your false wall in your cube? What is the benefit?

 

Now I want a pico.

[megan]

So as I said b4 we got this really cool Halloween hermit and today, my poor husband was so upset to break the news to me that it had died while I was at work. He told me he saved it for me and thank goodness he did , b/c as you can only guess, he'd just molted. No biggie. I was really p!ssed tho when I thought it was dead. Oh, well. The life of a reef enthusiast is never boring!!!

[megan]

I've taken quite a bit of time off, but an anniversary present from my hubby has me all sorts of obsessed again. Last weekend he took me shopping and we got a couple of rics, a huge new gorgonian, a feather duster and some gsp. Then I went on Tues and got some pretty pink palys and a new toadstool with super long feelies that are neon. And then today I bought myself a birthday present... A gorgeous blue eyed anthias. I need my tank to hurry up and mature so I have my fill and can stop my compulsive shopping.

[tinyreef]

hey there prodigal stranger! thought i hadn't see you around lately.

 

glad to see you didn't give up the hobby.

[megan]

hey there prodigal stranger! thought i hadn't see you around lately.

 

glad to see you didn't give up the hobby.

 

Yeah, I had taken some time off of the site for awhile, and my tank had kinda hit a plateau, but things are moving along pretty well again. While I keep waiting for some crash or random outbreak, everything in my tank is doing great. I have lost a few corals here and there, but mostly they are all good. I have only ever lost 1 shrimp, no fish so far (knock knock) and my livestock is pretty much at its max now. I've done it all so slowly, I think it is working out great.

 

I have a pistol/goby pair

solarensis wrasse

starry blenny

blue eyed anthias

serpent star

skunk shrimp

Halloween/Zebra crab

pom pom crab

cuke

5 hermits

??? Nass. snails

1 conch

 

I think thats it. I need to work on my corals. I want to get some plates and then some more exotic zoa/paly frags.

[megan]

I have no idea how people take such gorgeous pictures! I am really good when it comes to getting the kids or other still life, but I cannot seem to get good pics of my tank and inhabitants!!! Anyway, it has been awhile since I've done any updating. I would love to get some feedback. I just added the blue zoas today and the bigger patch of red/green mushrooms in the upper right corner. I think the tank has more color than what the pictures represent, but I know I want more color, I just can't tell what I'm lacking. Every time I go to the store, I swear I won't buy anything brown, green or purple, but no matter what, that seems to be the dominant scheme here.

 

Whatever!

[varanus37]

I really like the setup with the open sandy space in front and the fish bring nice color. Does the anthia eat well for you? That wrasse looks awesome even when it's a bit blurry. I bet in real life it's a beautiful fish.

 

Bill

[megan]

Thanks Bill! I just moved the rocks around today and I like the look of the sand bed. So far, the fish are the only things I've found that bring a big punch of color. I just noticed today that I'm missing an orange ric. I like the yellow polyps but the fish are bright. I started with the wrasse (actually had another one but he jumped) and then I got the anthias b/c I love the color. He eats great. I didn't know they could be problematic?? I just read once that they like to eat twice a day, but I only feed once for fear of overfeeding the whole tank.

[jkreefer]

turn off the flash and turn the iso for the camera to 400 and turn off the water flow.