RyanB's 1 YR. Old MIXED RSM-Updated FTS PIC! P.15

[NanoCube-boy]

oh ok. I'm looking for Frogspawn right now. I want it aquactultured only. So are you still in the car scene?

[hb2envy]

oh ok. I'm looking for Frogspawn right now. I want it aquactultured only. So are you still in the car scene?

 

I kinda am, like I was going to enter my car at HIN in Plesanton on September 20, but I just didn't wanna deal with towing my car that far - my car isn't registered or street legal - you know how it is!

[NanoCube-boy]

My brother quit racing recently, he sold everything except the motor from his old hatch that was popular. Everyone is getting sick of rules and regulation now. Even I am. Now I just keep my car simple, not flashy, while my brother does fishing.

[hb2envy]

My brother quit racing recently, he sold everything except the motor from his old hatch that was popular. Everyone is getting sick of rules and regulation now. Even I am. Now I just keep my car simple, not flashy, while my brother does fishing.

 

 

Those are wise moves there - time definitely changed!!!

[NanoCube-boy]

Yup. It is. Well. Let's go back to reef. So you redid your light huh? Was it hard?

[hb2envy]

Yup. It is. Well. Let's go back to reef. So you redid your light huh? Was it hard?

 

 

OH YEaaah, doing the customized 10 LED moon lights was a PAIIIIN in the ass - but it fits and works just fine - what do you think of my light?

 

Here's a pic of the hood closed with the moon lights on (6-21-08)

 

And here's a pic of the hood opened with the moon lights on (6-21-08)

 

I personally like the look with the hood open - which I can't leave like that, but I also got use to the look of it being closed. I wish my RSM had the option to switch to actinic lights!!!

[NanoCube-boy]

looks awesome man. I'm awaiting to install an LED in my tank as well.

[hb2envy]

looks awesome man. I'm awaiting to install an LED in my tank as well.

 

Cool - can't wait to see it!!!

[NanoCube-boy]

have you seen my tank? http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=168738

[hb2envy]

Okay, so since my last FTS of 8-10-08, I noticed that my True Percs, Royal Gramma, Chalk Bass, and African Golden Midas Blenny had ich and were scratching like crazy. Well there is no way that I will be able to catch all of those fishes unless I break down my tank. So I was researching and found out that “Marine Aquaria NO-ICH” was safe for my fishes, invertebrates, and corals. Before using, it says not to use any other chemical during treatment and that I need to turn off my skimmer, remove my Chemi-Pure Elite as well as Purigen in order for the medication to work. So I did as follows on 8-11-08 to 8-27-08 (16 Days with no water change) which was working great for my fishes, BUT……I noticed that my Xenia’s and a few of my other corals were stressed out and looked like they were not going to survive anymore. I’m totally new at treating fishes and was talking to LFS saying that I should stop using the medication immediately and put back the Chemi-Pure Elite and Purigen A.S.A.P. Once they told me that, it made total sense – STUPID me!!! Freakin my Pom Pom Xenia’s shrinked and went from pink to dark purple. One of my darker colored Xenia’s melted away and half of my lighter colored Xenia’s melted. Luckily, I removed the bad portion of it and will just have to let the rest of the half grow back if all is well. All three of my Goniopora Flower Pot’s (yellow, green, and blue/purple) started melting away, so I removed them as well as my green Alveopora frag that was doing great. My Montipora Spongodes/Confusa turned white (bleached), but the polpys are still opening – I’m not sure if I should even leave it in my tank or what – will the color come back??? One of my small GSP frag died as well. And my anchor hammer in the center of my tank turned from brown/neon green into white/neon ultra green – I’m not sure if that’s a good thing or not??? My ORA neon green and fluorescent green birdsnest died as well as my purple/brown Montipora Digitata. I also had to remove my pink carnation coral, pink palys, and my lovely red sea fan gorgonian. I started to get an algae problem and noticed that my red gorgonian would not stop growing algae all over it after removing it from time to time. I also noticed that my Tyree neon green polyp toadstool leather had algae all over it which I removed using a small brush, but now the polyps won’t come out anymore – I’m not sure if I should continuing leaving that in my tank as well. And lastly, my orange lace cloves aren’t opening up anymore as well as some of my neon green lace cloves turned light pink and light green? I believe that this whole problem was due to not having the Chemi-Pure Elite and Purigen in my tank for 16 days as well as not keeping the PH at 8.3. I checked and noticed that my PH was at 7.8, but couldn’t mixed or use any other chemical during the treatment process from what the directions say.

 

Anyhow, on 8-28-08, I finally did my water change after the two week treatment and put back the Chemi-Pure Elite and Purigen. My fish were doing great for about a week and noticed that the Percs, Royal Gramma, and African Golden Midas Blenny started inching again. I didn’t want to and will most likely never treat my tank with that stuff again, but talked to a few LFS saying that the garlic stuff won’t really work and that I should try to start feeding frozen foods more often to help build their immune system. So I fed the fish with frozen mysis and brine shrimp from 9-5-08 to 9-28-08 (3 weeks) and noticed that there were no more white spots of ich on the fishes –TRUELY AMAZING!!! And after my red sea fan gorgonian died, I started leaving the skimmer off at 7PM, feed the corals 40 drops (20 on each side of the tank) of “Reef Nutrition Phyto Feast Live” then turn it back on at 7AM – right before I go to work. At least now I changed the habit of leaving the skimmer off from 1 ½ hours to now 12 hours. I also noticed that my 4 nassarius snails, green emerald crab, pom pom crab, and sand dollar were missing – not sure if they’re all dead or not?

 

So….on 9-29-08, I noticed that my corals were doing a lot better and were recovering by the looks of their colors and polyps extending out again. I decided to finally test my water after 3 to 4 weeks and noticed that my all of my parameters are good except that my Nitrates are now at 60-100ppm. I was shocked and worried. Well, on 9-30-08 was the 6 month anniversary of my tank which I had to and decided to clean the rear chambers of my tank. I had to replace about 8-9 gallons of salt water – and man was there a lot of crud back there!!! So, my plan to lower my Nitrates is by doing 3 20% (5 Gallons) water changes a week for 1 month. Since then, I moved some corals around and made space for new corals.

 

New corals added:

 

Fine Grape Frogspawn different colors (2)

Ricordia different colors (4)

Red Sponge

White Pipe Organ

White anchor hammer

Favites

Pulsing Xenia

Montipora Orange Capricronis frag

Montipora Idaho Grape frag

Black Sun Flower

Candy Cane frag different colors (2)

Purple Sea Fan frag

Purple Ribbon Gorgonian

Corky Finger Sea Whip Gorgonian

Aussie Acan – Red

Aussie Spider Sponge

 

New live stock added:

 

10 very small blue leg hermit crabs

 

So, I did my fourth water change again on 10-7-08 and just tested my PH which is 8.3 as well as my Nitrates are now back to 40ppm – amazing change. I hope for it to drop tremendously in about 2 weeks. I also assume that my Nitrates raised to 60-100ppm due to the frozen foods that I was feeding and the chocolate starfish leg that I feed once a week to my Harlequin Shrimp every Wednesday. I will start to feed flakes and frozen foods for the fish every other time.

 

Here is my maintenance for my RSM now with supplements added, etc.

 

Maintenance for my 34 Gallon Red Sea Max

 

Supplements:

E.S.V. B-Ionic 2-Part Calcium Buffer;

Component No.1 Alkalinity – 8.5mL everyday in the morning (do not mix together)

Component No.2 Calcium – 8.5mL everyday in the morning (wait about a minute)

 

Lugol’s Solution Iodine Supplement;

1 and a ½ drops every Monday morning (Sunday midnight – do not overdose)

 

Seachem Reef Buffer;

1 tsp. every Tuesday and Saturday morning (the midnight before)

 

Seachem Reef Plus;

1 and a ½ capful every Wednesday and Sunday morning (the midnight before)

 

 

Water change:

Buy 5 gallons of salt water every Tuesday @ FF&MF and change it every Thursday night.

 

Buy R.O. water from FF&MF whenever I’m empty as well as top off my tank whenever I can see the water level drop from the outside.

 

 

Filter Floss clean & change:

Clean it every Thursday and Sunday. Change it every two weeks (after 4 cleans).

 

 

Sponge clean:

Clean it every Thursday and Sunday.

 

 

Filter bag change:

Chemi-Pure Elite and Seachem Purigen;

Change it every 2 months (rubberband them together before putting it back into rear chamber 1).

 

 

Treatments:

3 and a ½ scoops of ChemiClean Red Slime Remover every end of the month on a Tuesday before a 20% water change. NOTE – remove Chemi-Pure Eltie and Seachem Purigen from the rear chamber 1 as well as turn off the skimmer before adding the ChemiClean Red Slime Remover (after 48 hours, do a 20% water change – Thursday).

 

 

Feeding:

Flakes (a pinch on each side of the tank) or Frozen brine (1 cube) and mysis shrimp (break a piece the size of your pinky nail) every other day.

 

Sinking pellet (3 pinches on the left, center, and right sides of the front of the tank) every other day.

 

Reef Nutrion Phyto Feast - 20 drops on the left side near the power heads and 20 more drops on the right side of the power head.

 

NOTE – turn off the skimmer before feeding and turn it back on in the morning.

 

 

Skimmer:

Clean the skimmer every 3 months or as needed and clean the skimmer collection cup after every water change.

 

 

Rear Chambers:

Every 6 months, clean out the 3 rear chambers. NOTE – first move all top corals to the bottom of the tank, turn off all switches, remove the 2 white plastic hood pins, move the adjustable shutter close to the top of the tank, remove; filter floss, sponge, skimmer, heater, custom fuge (stick and leave the fuge in the main tank), and the 2 power heads (clean all of the parts removed from the rear chambers). Clog the 2 holes and start using a pad on a stick to clean all of the walls in the rear chambers, and then finally siphon out all of the water in the back (it’s about 8-9 gallons of salt water). When finish, fill up the rear chambers with new salt water and put all of the parts back in place (pour about 6 gallons of salt water in the rear chamber and 2-3 gallons in the main tank – top off with R.O. water).

 

 

Light change:

Purchase and change Red Sea Max lights every 8-12 months.

 

 

Fragging:

Start fragging Anthelia coral and sell on www.craigslist.org

 

 

Alright, well here are the new pictures after 2 months – hope you enjoy:

 

FTS as of 10-08-08 where some of my zoo’s, sun coral, and Aussie spider sponge are not fully opened – I like this picture a lot because you can actually see all 12 of my fishes here. Try to find them all!!!

 

RTS as of 10-08-08 where I’m not fully satisfied with this side, but will definitely add more colorful coral and just patch up the live rock.

 

LTS as of 10-08-08 where my freaking sun coral did not want to open up!

 

TTS as of 10-08-08 – I’ve seen a bunch of you guys take this kind of shot and finally I did it!!! Yay!

 

Moonlights /w hood closed as of 10-08-08

 

Moonlights /w hood opened as of 10-08-08

 

Here are a few pictures of my new corals that I really like:

 

Ricordia’s:

 

 

 

 

And for the very last picture – my VERY RARE Aussie Spider Sponge coral frag, commonly named “White Line Sponge”. And for the scientific name – it’s called “Trikentrion flabelliforme“.

 

Hopefully when it opens up again, I will try to take another FTS!

[Sexy Shrimp]

I think it was probably a combination of the nitrates and the meds that killed the corals. Nitates above 20 are bad for corals so 60-100 is inevitable really. We did warn you that 12 fish was a lot and would produce a high bioload and since then you have added corals that do the same.

 

You didn't say in your post if your evita goby is still alive...

 

Your current water change of 20% twice weekly is probably ideal for a tank this heavily stocked.

 

Glad you go through it though and that the heavy losses didn't dishearten you too much.

[hb2envy]

I think it was probably a combination of the nitrates and the meds that killed the corals. Nitates above 20 are bad for corals so 60-100 is inevitable really. We did warn you that 12 fish was a lot and would produce a high bioload and since then you have added corals that do the same.

 

You didn't say in your post if your evita goby is still alive...

 

Your current water change of 20% twice weekly is probably ideal for a tank this heavily stocked.

 

Glad you go through it though and that the heavy losses didn't dishearten you too much.

 

 

Yeah....Nitrates and meds does sound like the main problem. But yeah, I never had an Evita Goby, you probably mean "Catalina Goby" right? If you look at my new FTS, right above it says that I have all 12 fishes in the picture - Look at the very right bottom of my tank next to the scallop - that's where you should be able to see the Catalina Goby! And yeah..the heavy loss actually made me very concerned, but what motivated me to continue and pursue this hobby is just the amount of time, effort, and money spent on this tank. I actually had a similar negative feeling just like this, where my show car was parked in front of my house and was vandilized. I was at the point where the funds needed to repair the car could've been used on buying a new car, but instead....I had hope in the car and got publicity to help win lots of trophies which was well worth it.

[hb2envy]

Here's the same FTS as of 10-08-08 with the fishes circled with names:

 

[Sexy Shrimp]

Ur right - I meant catalina lol

[SeeDemTails]

That spider sponge is sick!

 

Next time your fish get ich just get the nitrates back to 0 and you will solve your problem. "Reef safe" meds never work IMO and just cause more issues.

[reefdan]

you use red-slime remover as a maintenance product?

 

if you could get rid of your phosphates and nitrates your need for it would go away

[hb2envy]

That spider sponge is sick!

 

Next time your fish get ich just get the nitrates back to 0 and you will solve your problem. "Reef safe" meds never work IMO and just cause more issues.

 

 

Thanks for the comment - But, yeah....when my corals started doing really bad, I went to the LFS for advice, and they said the same thing that those products really never work and that they will cause problems. I should never believe what the label always says. And I do hope that my Nitrates will finally drop after sticking to my 12-14 water changes in this month of October - we'll see what happens and I'll let you all know!

[hb2envy]

you use red-slime remover as a maintenance product?

 

if you could get rid of your phosphates and nitrates your need for it would go away

 

 

Yeah...my Phosphates are usually at .5 and Nitrates were always at 20-40ppm, but now at 60-100. So yeah...if this months big time maintenance plan helps, then I will be SOoooooo freakin happy becuase I just hate the fact that I have removed the 2 power heads in order to remove my Chemi-Pure Elite and Purigen. I hate the chamber of death on these RSM's!!! But yeah..thanks for the advice Dan you're definitely right!

[Sexy Shrimp]

20-40 is tooooo high! 10 should be the top and ideally less than 5.

[hb2envy]

20-40 is tooooo high! 10 should be the top and ideally less than 5.

 

 

Exactly..........like when I first started my tank - it was ALWAYS at 20ppm for some reason. Then I went to the LFS which they say 20ppm is common, but just don't go over 40ppm. And over time...it just got worst and worst. So yeah, I'll find out by the end of the month is the Nitrates dropped and let ya'll know.

[Sexy Shrimp]

I really think you should bin your LFS! They have given you some really bad advice. Yes nitrates of 20 is OK for fish but it definitely isn't for corals...

[HankB]

Exactly..........like when I first started my tank - it was ALWAYS at 20ppm for some reason. Then I went to the LFS which they say 20ppm is common, but just don't go over 40ppm. And over time...it just got worst and worst. So yeah, I'll find out by the end of the month is the Nitrates dropped and let ya'll know.

Another option is a fuge with chaeto or other macro algae. I saw a mention of "custom fuge" in your big post above, but no description of it.

 

With the level of stocking that you are running. I would put the biggest tank I could find in the stand and fill it with chaeto. There are considerations to figure out like how to prevent a flood should a pump stop and things like that, but it would give you extra water volume to moderate changes and the macro would help with nutrient export.

 

With the stocking level you maintain, I would suggest doing that in addition to water changes.

 

It's good to hear that you recovered from the difficulties w/out a complete crash but with that stocking level, the tank is right on the edge and any minor problem could push it over again.

 

best,

hank

[debbeach13]

Glad all the fish made it. The spider sponge it really nice. I would never have the bio-load you have but the tank looks great. Hope it gets and stays healthy for you. Nice pictures.

[hb2envy]

Another option is a fuge with chaeto or other macro algae. I saw a mention of "custom fuge" in your big post above, but no description of it.

 

best,

hank

 

 

Actually, my so called custom fuge is pretty much a square "Fiji" drinking water bottle that I cut in half and mounted it in the rear chamber next to the skimmer. It's filled with Chaeto and some other macro algae. I don't have any sort of custom mounted light to help make it grow, but just depend on the inside light that comes through the black rear wall - hehehe - Yeah I know it's ghetto! Anyhow, I will definitely look into your suggestion about putting a giant tank filled with chaeto in the bottom of the stand. Thanks for the great advice!

[HankB]

Actually, my so called custom fuge is pretty much a square "Fiji" drinking water bottle that I cut in half and mounted it in the rear chamber next to the skimmer. ...

 

Not so different from what we are running:

 

We're using a light like this: from Discount Pumps, but I doubt that would be enough for your bioload.

 

-hank