Jump to content
Coral Vue Hydros

Kylebeano's 4g Finnex Mixed Reef


Kylebeano

Recommended Posts

Unfortunately the wrasse was found under my couch after a day of searching for it. It was out and about more often, swimming closely to the surface, I think when the lights clicked on it must have frightened.

 

I finally figued out how to use my cameras white balance adjustment. Nothing really impressive going on with the tank. Corals are looking glum, but slowly looking better. I found red bugs on a couple of the corals, so have done two treatments and immediately noticed better polyp extension. I wish there was a heartworm medication to kill the vermatids :/

 

067.jpg

 

070-2.jpg

Link to comment
  • Replies 222
  • Created
  • Last Reply

vermatids are the uglies of reef tanks imo, but my tank has a ton of them, not really noticeable except for sometimes, so I stopped worrying about them.

 

Sorry about the Wrasse.

 

Tank looks good though. keep trucking Kyle

 

Love the acans and SPS

Link to comment
  • 3 weeks later...
vermatids are the uglies of reef tanks imo, but my tank has a ton of them, not really noticeable except for sometimes, so I stopped worrying about them.

 

Sorry about the Wrasse.

 

Tank looks good though. keep trucking Kyle

 

Love the acans and SPS

Thanks man, the vermatids are remarkable in my tank though, freaking everywhere. I dont think I can pick up one of the rocks now without piercing my hands/fingers all over. And they slime like crazy when I go to baste the scape.

I will try to keep this tank going, luckily the acans are hardy.

 

I went to the fish store and picked up a new coral and bucket of water the other week. The coral is a chalice, steal at the price I got it for. But, unfortunately the salt water that I have had no problems with for over a year (for water changes), I found out later to be at 1.008 after many of my SPS died. After two water changes my tanks salinity dropped to 1.015. I figured something was wrong with the salinity when I noticed a halocline during the water changes, but I was just hoping it was only a minor difference. So after losing a few corals during the days that the LFS is closed (of course), I brought in the bucket with gallons of their water still in it and a sample of my tank water, and they tested the salinity proving the tank and bucket water to the aforementioned calculations.

 

Below are the effects of hyponatremia on a couple of my SPS specimins:

 

015-13.jpg

017-5.jpg

 

014-14.jpg

012-16.jpg

 

I've never seen a coral die in this fassion, the tissue just seemed to "bubble" off of the coral.

 

And here is the chalice before the water changes!

 

003-19.jpg

Camera's white balance correction

005-17.jpg

Link to comment

I don't understand either. Don't you check your salinity on your water before doing your water change? I don't use a salt mix ( I use natural seawater) but I still check and adjust the salinity as needed prior to the water change.

Link to comment
Kyle, I'm sorry about the SPS, can you explain more about the terminology you just used?

Halocline and hyponatremia.

Thanks

A halocline is the visible difference in water specific gravity, or salinity. When diving it is noticed most notabley in caves near shore where ocean salt water meets with fresh water flowing somewhere from land. You can see a kind of "hazing" where the two water densities meet. In our tanks you can notice it when just topping the tank off with fresh water.

Hyponatremia is a medical term used describing low sodium content in the blood, I figured what happened to the coral was analogous with this condition of low salt.

 

I don't understand either. Don't you check your salinity on your water before doing your water change? I don't use a salt mix ( I use natural seawater) but I still check and adjust the salinity as needed prior to the water change.

I did not check the salinity of the water I use for water changes. I buy premixed saltwater from a good LFS, and just trusted them. I dont own a refractometer or hydrometer, and really never test anything for the tank. I therefore do take partial blame for the event, and now have the LFS check the salinity of their saltwater when I buy it.

Link to comment
I don't understand either. Don't you check your salinity on your water before doing your water change? I don't use a salt mix ( I use natural seawater) but I still check and adjust the salinity as needed prior to the water change.

I check my WC water with a hydrometer and just make sure it is in the acceptable range as opposed to exactly on point, not a lick of difference. I know that a lot of hobbyists are perfectionists when it comes to matching their new water molecule for molecule with the tank and I envy that kind of discipline.

Link to comment
Thanks man, the vermatids are remarkable in my tank though, freaking everywhere. I dont think I can pick up one of the rocks now without piercing my hands/fingers all over. And they slime like crazy when I go to baste the scape.

I will try to keep this tank going, luckily the acans are hardy.

Get a screw driver and and just smash them!

Link to comment
Thanks man, the vermatids are remarkable in my tank though, freaking everywhere. I dont think I can pick up one of the rocks now without piercing my hands/fingers all over. And they slime like crazy when I go to baste the scape.

I will try to keep this tank going, luckily the acans are hardy.

 

I went to the fish store and picked up a new coral and bucket of water the other week. The coral is a chalice, steal at the price I got it for. But, unfortunately the salt water that I have had no problems with for over a year (for water changes), I found out later to be at 1.008 after many of my SPS died. After two water changes my tanks salinity dropped to 1.015. I figured something was wrong with the salinity when I noticed a halocline during the water changes, but I was just hoping it was only a minor difference. So after losing a few corals during the days that the LFS is closed (of course), I brought in the bucket with gallons of their water still in it and a sample of my tank water, and they tested the salinity proving the tank and bucket water to the aforementioned calculations.

 

Below are the effects of hyponatremia on a couple of my SPS specimins:

 

015-13.jpg

017-5.jpg

 

014-14.jpg

012-16.jpg

 

I've never seen a coral die in this fassion, the tissue just seemed to "bubble" off of the coral.

 

And here is the chalice before the water changes!

 

003-19.jpg

Camera's white balance correction

005-17.jpg

 

This is a nightmare. One of the reasons why I make my own saltwater. I don't trust any lfs. I'm so sorry, Kyle. That tank was looking stunning too.

 

L

Link to comment
I check my WC water with a hydrometer and just make sure it is in the acceptable range as opposed to exactly on

Yeah, I went and bought one for the same purpose, just to make sure its not over 1.030 or below 1.020

 

Get a screw driver and and just smash them!

When they first started appearing I would break them off at the base and throw them outside, or crush them. Did not seem to work as they have some back a hundred fold. I think they will starve themselves out eventually though.

 

This is a nightmare. One of the reasons why I make my own saltwater. I don't trust any lfs. I'm so sorry, Kyle. That tank was looking stunning too.

 

L

Thanks a lot! When I upgrade and will be doing larger water changes, I will probably do the same. I appreciate your compliments along the way. The corals are looking better, and I have removed all the dead ones to make some room. The LFS owner now checks his water as I buy it without me having to ask which is very nice.

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Things are looking better, almost all corals are showing better polyp extension (slowly). Even the red planet looks like it will be making a come back. So the sps that survived so far are the birdsnest, tenius, tort, some patches of the MI bottle brush, the red planet, and just a few polyps of the german blue polyp acro (which is a relief with how rare that piece is).

I also snagged a nice Cespitularia/Efflatounaria from the LFS and was able to stick it to the back glass which adds some nice movement to the tank and looks sweet top down. Anyways, heres to a come back!

 

005-18.jpg

 

013-14.jpg

 

006-18.jpg

 

010-15.jpg

 

007-15.jpg

 

009-14.jpg

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...
It's nice to see this tank on the rebound. :)

 

L

Thanks, im beginning to think it will turn around (except for whatever the slime is on the rocks). I took a gamble recently and bought Mr. Coral's $100 shipped millepora pack. I hope they color up the way his pictures look, and they need to grow a bit too before im going to add them to the rock. Which as it turns out, Daniel with Blackrockreef Mag-racks graciously sent me a rack for free and it came in the mail today same time as the corals lol. So now I have a nice space for them to color and grow until the rocks are ready with appropriate space and scape.

 

001-23.jpg

028-4.jpg

004-18.jpg

011-14.jpg

012-17.jpg

013-15.jpg

014-15.jpg

027-3.jpg

026-4.jpg

025-7.jpg

022-8.jpg

021-7.jpg

019-5.jpg

Link to comment
You make me want to start a new tank...................Aissssh, bad idea...........Beautiful tank!

Thanks a lot, I really like your DiY LED light, very clean. Makes ME want to start another tank, an upgrade lol

Link to comment
  • 3 months later...

Wow, so long time since ive updated this. The tank is still going, kind of looking better than it has in the past couple months, on a slow incline. It has had some issues, with me taking vacations and having ten times more evaporation than im used to now that I have a heater in the tank, and some lighting issues, either too strong or not enough, and I dont think the tank has enough flow, theres salt creep coming up the bottom of the tank somehow (leak maybe?), and i STILL have that freaking browm filamentous slime stuff all over. But, I have been keeping up with 1g water changes almost every other day, in the mean time dosing like 7 drops of B-ionic, and corals are starting to look a lot better and color up. I also raised the lights a few inches.

So with all that... I bought a larger tank. I think its a 12g aquapod. It came with two 70w current sunpods, which I think every coral will like better than the par30 bulbs. I placed an order with marine depot for some things to get it up and running smoothly which should be here next week. I dont want to add the rocks from the pico into the new tank because I dont want whatever that slime stuff is to take hold of it. So im trying to think of how it would be best to get my corals into the tank. Or maybe run a UV sterilizer on the new tank for a little after introducing this tanks livestock?

Anyway, im excited. I havnt put much time into reefing since starting my newest hobby of bike polo. But, with a new tank it will get me back into the swing of things (as in spending money on cool stuff).

These will probably be the last pictures of this pico. Sad that things dont look like how I hoped the tank to turn out :/

 

 

A distance (30 feet?) zoomed in shot from my couch:

027-4_zps5ca7b2a2.jpg

 

FTS:

018-7_zpsac8e197f.jpg

 

SPS:

004-19_zpsa3d01916.jpg

013-16_zpsec65c795.jpg

012-18_zpsa1763073.jpg003-20_zps248047b6.jpg

002-24_zps42e968f8.jpg

 

Cans:

009-15_zps0f0bb01d.jpg

008-15_zpsabbb866e.jpg

007-16_zpse4fb7626.jpg

 

Others:

006-19_zps5a3bac76.jpg

005-19_zpsa9ba755e.jpg

011-15_zpsd7ec93ef.jpg

 

My "turf scrubber":

022-9_zps76fc55ea.jpg

 

 

 

 

Link to comment

Hi Kyle. I was just thinking about you and here you are. I seem to have caught the onset of the bacterial slime problem that I recall you had.

Did you ever discover what caused it and how to get rid of it? Did you try dr tims products to correct the bacterial balance in the tank?

Link to comment

Hi Kyle. I was just thinking about you and here you are. I seem to have caught the onset of the bacterial slime problem that I recall you had. Did you ever discover what caused it and how to get rid of it? Did you try dr tims products to correct the bacterial balance in the tank?

 

Aww :angry: , sorry to hear. I really really hope its not the same stuff that is in my tank. I havnt ever sold any corals from this tank, but we may have bought corals from the same person at some point. Reef STDs...

Anyway, ahem. I only had theory as to what might have caused the stuff to take off, and that is silca/silicates. I have used tap water in a pinch for top offs occasionally, and my last apartment had a smoker in it before I took over the lease, and my ex would have air fresheners plugged in everywhere. But, I moved to a new apartment, dont use any scented things, shes an ex now, and the slimy stuff still persists.

I have not given Dr. Tim's products a go yet, but just may while my new tank is cycling just to see what happens. Which one do you think would be best suited for our situation? Eco-balance, or waste-away? I should email this doctor.

Link to comment

Email the doctor. The coral magazine article referenced 2 pages back suggests refresh and waste away. Uve had them sitting in my shopping cart since last evening.

Ordered both =/

Maybe they'll clear up this stuff and I can use these rocks in my next tank.

 

I did buy some new corals in anticipation of the tank move. Which should be in a few weeks once I get the tank cycled and ready. I got all excited and took more pics. Since these pictures I have also added a 425 koralia nano into the pico, sps have really liked the extra flow, PE like crazy.

 

Jedi Mind Trick (these aren't the polyps youre looking for):

029-5_zps0579f628.jpg

Plug it came from(hopefully it will continue to encrust, dont know what that rusty coloring was under the monti that was glued there):

007-16_zps3486033e.jpg

 

Red/pink Milli:

021-8_zpsdf96a192.jpg

027-4_zpsc2434ea3.jpg

 

SPSsss:

022-9_zps3289be9e.jpg

 

Blue cloves:

010-16_zpscf49323f.jpg

 

FTS:

015-14_zpsa5ba28ee.jpg

Link to comment

My upgrade tank is up and grading, I mean hopefully cycling.

It is a 12g aquapod with 70w sunpod. I think all the corals are going to have a better response in health and color to the metal halide.

I went with only a few rocks, as I would like the SPS to fill in the gaps. The rocks along the back wall will have most of the SPS littered about them, and the rock up front left will be for LPS/acans, rock on front right will be softies.

Does anyone have good recommendations for modifications on the aquapod 12s? The overflows are already blocked off except for the very top one to have an actual overflow. I bought a MJ1200 for return pump, but it seems to pump out too much water and the rear chambers get way too low. So for now, there is an 'old' MJ1200 with a beat up and missing blades impeller (freaking loud). Would an MJ900 be better suited? Also, where would be the best place for a media rack so I can use filter floss effectively? StevieINTANK doesnt make one =/



Oh yeah, pics:

002-1.jpg

003-1.jpg

004.jpg

006.jpg

005.jpg

Link to comment
  • 2 weeks later...

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions


×
×
  • Create New...