jimbro Posted June 16, 2007 Share Posted June 16, 2007 Love the tank dude. This thing is gonna be sick once it's fully stocked/stable. I'd like to second checking out the BRS, there's usually always some deals on there and a lot of people with some nice stuff. Regarding the caulastrea, I wouldn't worry about it too much unless you see the tissue receding and skeleton starting to poke through. Mine seem to tolerate any place I put them. I swear I could almost grow them on the floor next to the tank. Link to comment
aparker Posted June 22, 2007 Author Share Posted June 22, 2007 So a quick update on the tank - everything in the main tank is doing well, Caulastrea has started really opening up during the day, as has the leather coral, although the latter seems to go through a couple cycles of expansion/contraction each day. It is always very expanded at night, and is probably interested in getting fed something at that point... The yellow Ogo in my fuge totally crashed. One day it was looking OK, the next it was mush. The red Ogo that came along with it seems to be fine, in fact growing some. When I removed the remains of the yellow Ogo, a bunch of fine particulate stiff got washed into the main tank, which the leather coral loved. Every polyp immediately grabbed something and closed in on it. I should stir the fuge again here soon... Going to test the water here in a minute, and do a WC (the first for this tank) tonight. Link to comment
aparker Posted June 23, 2007 Author Share Posted June 23, 2007 So I'm getting a little bit more hair algae and a light diatom crop growing. Maybe in part owing to PO4 released by the imploding yellow Ogo algae. So I stopped into the only worthwhile LFS in Boston, Skipton's, and got one very small emerald crab, another small hermit, and a moderate-sized turbo snail. Hopefully the first and last of these three will be willing to tackle the larger strands of algae that the little hermits pass by. While there I (of course) could not resist this nice rock full o' zooanthids: Here are some updates of the rest of the animals: Sinularia looking happy - I know it's blurry, but there's a LOT of water flow - the thing is always moving. I think it likes this. Increasingly happy Caulastrea (expands more every day) and red mushrooms hiding in the shade behind. Overall view of the right side of the tank: Link to comment
aparker Posted June 27, 2007 Author Share Posted June 27, 2007 For some reason my Caulastrea is looking bummed this afternoon - quite shrunken. Maybe a snail was climbing on it and pi$$ed it off. Anyway, I've been meaning to test my water and do a little chemistry experiment. Before: NH4, NO2, NO3 all zero. I need to get me a PO4 test kit. pH: 8.29 Ca: 305 mg/L (as best as I can interpolate doing the "one drop at a time" titration thing). I am minded to bring some precision liquid measuring equipment home from my lab at Amgen and get really OCD about doing this accurately... Alk: 9 dKH Anyway, it is obvious that I will have to supplement Ca to keep levels up, so I added the recommended dose of Kent Marine 2-part additive (5 ml each for 20 gal), and waited about 20 min for the pH to stabilize. After: pH: 8.37 Ca: 330 mg/L Alk: 10 dKH I'll do another before/after in a couple days, and then do before/after on a 5gal WC as well. I want to start getting a feeling for how much of a change each input makes and what the consumption is (will obviously go up w/more critters later). I think I may get a Tailspot Blenny when I get back. Cute and should like to eat my algae crop... Link to comment
aparker Posted June 28, 2007 Author Share Posted June 28, 2007 Argh. Hair algae is definitely growing faster than it is being eaten. I really don't want to let this get out of hand, esp since I am leaving for a week vacation on Sunday. Got that PO4 test kit. My RO water reads zero, tank water maybe just a trace like 0.1 mg/L. Added 100ml of PhosGuard beads in a media bag anyway - what can it hurt? Also added more macroalgae to the fuge - going back on my previous pledge I added some Caulerpa prolifera on the logic that it will grow faster than the Ogo, Sargassum or Gracillaria, thus competing with the Kot Tam hair algae. And I can always thin it to keep it from taking over the fuge. Finally, added another Turbo and two Astrea snails. Right now my photoperiod is 13 hours for the actinics and 4 for the daylights. I am thinking about cutting back the actinics and maybe even leaving the daylight bulbs off while I am away. The corals won't die from that, but at least it reduces the chances that I'll return to a REAL algae nightmare... Thoughts on that? Continuing the Calcium chemistry experiment, the values this evening (before any additions) were pH: 8.28 Ca: 320 mg/L Alk: 10 dKH Since the Alkalinity is well within the reef "target range" while Ca is low, I decided to try adding just Part A of the two-part supplement, again just a 5ml addition. After: pH: 8.25 Ca: 330 ml/L (but this difference is probably within the test error. I would do some repeat-test accuracy if I had more energy tonight) Alk: 10 dKH Will try it again tomorrow. Go snails. Oh and the Caulastrea is looking happier today. Link to comment
msn711 Posted June 28, 2007 Share Posted June 28, 2007 My favorite snails are trochus snails. They never stop eating algae, and unlike astreas, they aren't constantly falling over and waiting for you to pick them back up. I put a dozen in my 40br, and I'm tempted to get more. If I were you, I'd keep scrubbing the stuff out of the tank and make sure your RO/DI filters don't need changing. Personally, I'd be afraid to run my lights for less than 6 hours. I definitely wouldn't try under 4, but maybe someone can chime in if they've done it successfully. Good luck. Link to comment
aparker Posted July 1, 2007 Author Share Posted July 1, 2007 My favorite snails are trochus snails. They never stop eating algae, and unlike astreas, they aren't constantly falling over and waiting for you to pick them back up. I put a dozen in my 40br, and I'm tempted to get more. If I were you, I'd keep scrubbing the stuff out of the tank and make sure your RO/DI filters don't need changing. Personally, I'd be afraid to run my lights for less than 6 hours. I definitely wouldn't try under 4, but maybe someone can chime in if they've done it successfully. Good luck. So I went for one full day of no lights, and a couple of 4 DL, 6 AC. It seems to be turning the tide - the snails are definitely getting the upper hand. In the long run I think I will gve the turbos back and replace them with some smaller snails - maybe Trochus as you suggest. The turbos just look too big visually for my very small-scale reef (and I'll be getting more small coral frags that they could potentially knock over). Now I have one last chance to change things before I'm gone for a week. I think I may turn the light up to 6/8 just to make sure the corals get enough. I think the algae will not overgrow given the grazing pressure it is under now. I love the closed-lid approach - I am going to be gone 'till next Sunday and am quite sure there ill be no more than 200ml evap over that period. Update when I return, plus pictures of real reefs (I'm going to Akumal, Yucatan)! Link to comment
Deleted User 7 Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Hey! I just got an SCWD for my 20 long as well and I'm having some trouble with it. The current is definately not switching directions. I is just coming out of both ends at the same speed at a constant rate. Right now I just have a $35 T-junction. I was wondering if you have had a similar problem with yours. p.s. the tank looks great. It's been quite an inspiration for my own. I hope I can live up to it! Link to comment
moe sizlack Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Hey! I just got an SCWD for my 20 long as well and I'm having some trouble with it. The current is definately not switching directions. I is just coming out of both ends at the same speed at a constant rate. Right now I just have a $35 T-junction. I was wondering if you have had a similar problem with yours. What pump are you using? Do you have a ball valve before the SCWD? Link to comment
Deleted User 7 Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 I'm using a quiet one 1200. I don't have a ball valve before the scwd but I was told that it wasn't necessary, as that is only used to bring the flow rate down. Link to comment
aparker Posted July 9, 2007 Author Share Posted July 9, 2007 I'm using a quiet one 1200. I don't have a ball valve before the scwd but I was told that it wasn't necessary, as that is only used to bring the flow rate down. I would look into getting your SCWD replaced - it is probably defective. Mine switched just fine from day one. Thanks for the kind words about the tank BTW. Looking forward to seeing yours up & running as well. Link to comment
Deleted User 7 Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 Yah, I think I'm going to have to replace it though I can't seem to get a hold of the company. Sorry for the temporary Hi-Jack of your thread and best of luck! Love this setup! Link to comment
turk22 Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 Excellent setup, but your way overdue for some updated photo's. Hope to see some soon.... Link to comment
aparker Posted July 10, 2007 Author Share Posted July 10, 2007 Excellent setup, but your way overdue for some updated photo's. Hope to see some soon.... Well, no new tank photos right now, but the good news is that adding extra snails has killed my hair algae dead. When I came back from vacation there was not a bit to be seen. I think I will give one of the two big Turbos back; one should be enough and they are awfully big for the size of the tank. So now I'm feeling ready to do some additional stocking up. Fortunately I just got the check from a recent consulting gig, so should be able to "afford" it (like we can ever afford this hobby). Until then, here is a link to some photos of the sea life off of Akumal, Mexico. Sadly my camera malfunctioned partway through the trip and I did not get photos of some of the coolest stuff I saw, including HUGE parrotfish (over 2 feet), a gorgeous reef moray, and CUTTLEFISH, the first ones I've ever seen in the wild. Also lovely tilefish, French Angels, 4 different species of puffers...GD camera. But here's what I did get: http://s177.photobucket.com/albums/w237/al...rker/AkumalReef Link to comment
Deleted User 7 Posted July 10, 2007 Share Posted July 10, 2007 Wow! Looks like a great trip! There ya go and put those pics up and make us all realise that the reefs on here will always be nothin' compared to those! Great shots! Link to comment
aparker Posted July 12, 2007 Author Share Posted July 12, 2007 Boring water chemistry update - I am putting this here so i don't have to start a spreadsheet with this data... Since I got back from Mexico I've been adding the max recommended daily dose of just part A of my 2-part Ca/alk supplement to try and boost my calcium levels (in anticipation of new residents who will want to use some dissolved Ca). So as of this afternoon I'm now at 370 mg/l Ca, 8 dKH. So I think it's now going to be max dose parts A and B until I get to 410+ Ca and 10-11 dKH. When I run out of Instant Ocean I'm going to get some SeaChem salt with extra Ca - no sense dropping my Ca level everytime I do a water change! SeaChem claims their ReefSalt mixes up at 425 mg/L, versus my measured 350 mg/L for freshly made IO at 1.025 SG. Pix of new SPS and zooanthids tomorrow.... Link to comment
KoolFish Posted July 12, 2007 Share Posted July 12, 2007 Boring water chemistry update - I am putting this here so i don't have to start a spreadsheet with this data... Since I got back from Mexico I've been adding the max recommended daily dose of just part A of my 2-part Ca/alk supplement to try and boost my calcium levels (in anticipation of new residents who will want to use some dissolved Ca). So as of this afternoon I'm now at 370 mg/l Ca, 8 dKH. So I think it's now going to be max dose parts A and B until I get to 410+ Ca and 10-11 dKH. When I run out of Instant Ocean I'm going to get some SeaChem salt with extra Ca - no sense dropping my Ca level everytime I do a water change! SeaChem claims their ReefSalt mixes up at 425 mg/L, versus my measured 350 mg/L for freshly made IO at 1.025 SG. Pix of new SPS and zooanthids tomorrow.... I recently switched to Seachem Reef salt and my corals have been much happier since. I tested the salt mix and the Ca was about 410, much better than IO. I think you will like the Seachem salt better. Chris Link to comment
aparker Posted July 12, 2007 Author Share Posted July 12, 2007 I recently switched to Seachem Reef salt and my corals have been much happier since. I tested the salt mix and the Ca was about 410, much better than IO. I think you will like the Seachem salt better. Chris Cool - thanks for the confirmation on that. I'm going to order some now. Maybe I can find someone with a fish-only tank who wants to buy the rest of my IO. Link to comment
aparker Posted July 15, 2007 Author Share Posted July 15, 2007 Pix of new SPS and zooanthids tomorrow.... Ack - just did a 107 mile bike ride in 90+ degree heat. Too blown to post lots of pix (why do I continue to DO these things to myself?). Here's a new FTS as a teaser... Link to comment
jaels Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 you are perhaps the most methodical nano reefer i have seen in a long time. great work on the tank and i'll definitely be keeping a watchful eye as the tank matures....kudos. Link to comment
aparker Posted July 16, 2007 Author Share Posted July 16, 2007 you are perhaps the most methodical nano reefer i have seen in a long time. great work on the tank and i'll definitely be keeping a watchful eye as the tank matures....kudos. Thanks for the compliments! Either I'm methodical or just slow/indecisive.... Still trying to figure out exactly what I want for fish. Nanos are hard because you have to do just a few things exactly right - there's no room to add another fish or something later when you see something you like more. Link to comment
divecj5 Posted July 16, 2007 Share Posted July 16, 2007 Tank looks awesome man....great job with everything. I have an t5HO Aquatinics fixture on my 55 gallon tank and I couldn't be happier with it. They make some amazing fixtures for sure....yours looks great on yours. So what are all the SPS that you have now? I am trying to figure out a good SPS starter frag for my nano and yours look awesome. Great job and can't wait to see some more pics. Link to comment
aparker Posted July 17, 2007 Author Share Posted July 17, 2007 Tank looks awesome man....great job with everything. I have an t5HO Aquatinics fixture on my 55 gallon tank and I couldn't be happier with it. They make some amazing fixtures for sure....yours looks great on yours. So what are all the SPS that you have now? I am trying to figure out a good SPS starter frag for my nano and yours look awesome. Great job and can't wait to see some more pics. OK, here's the rundown on the new critters. All are from Live Aquaria, and as other have noted, their packaging is OBSESSIVE - really amazingly thorough. Not cheap, but clearly a quality operation. First up is a pink/peach Birdsnest - Seriatophora hystrix. This guy is maricultured somewhere in the South Pacific (where I should be right now...) and was actually snapped off of its rock base during shipping (the only shiping issue of any sort with this batch). Fortunately I had acquired a tube of gel superglue which fixed that straight away. Next is a maricultured Echinophora lamellosa - just a beautiful creature - I really like it. The others are aquacultured domestically, either at LiveAquaria or ORA. I am going to try to do 100% non-wild-harvested corals for this tank, at least as far as the stony corals are concerned. Here is a blue-tipped Acropora of one or another of the staghorn-like species: A small salmon-pink Montipora digitata: And a nice avocado-green morph of the same species: Doesn't it look nice next to the Anthelia? Too bad I'm not going to leave it there... In fact, I won't leave any of these frags stuck in the sand, obviously, but have them parked there while I decide exactly where they will go. I'm planning to epoxy the frag plugs to the rock substrate, so better to take some time mulling it over (measure twice, glue once?). Finally, a red Montipora capricornis. I am contemplating getting a green one of these and possibly one of the blue/purple danae or similar, and trying to get them all growing off the top/side of the same rock.... And finally, some orange zooanthids: Which will hopefully spread to better cover that rock. Ultimately I plan to get some more smaller polyp frags and glue them about such that all of the free space between hard corals has a "lawn" of various polyps on it. Other than the green Sinularia I don't think I'm going to have any additional larger soft corals, just low-growing polyps and mushrooms. On the water chemistry front, I have been doing 2 doses daily of part A and one dose of Part B, and am still at 375 mg/L Ca++ and 9 dKH. Of course, I just added some Ca++ demand to the system... My GF swears the Acro has grown visibly since last Friday. I will try going to 3x Part A per day, but I can see already how upping the ante to CaOH (kalkwasser) may be needed. Just gotta re-read the bit on how to keep the ionic residual balanced. Hopefully the higher-Ca salt gets here soon too. Nothing wrong with water changes. Link to comment
aparker Posted July 18, 2007 Author Share Posted July 18, 2007 Added 4 peppermint shrimp yesterday - hopefully they will kill off the one Aiptasia growing in the main tank and however many there are in the 'fuge. I hope the current is not too much for them in the main tank - it is pretty extreme and they are such wispy little things. We'll see. Also bought a nice rock with some dusty blue Palythoa on it - will take a pic tonite.... Link to comment
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