Biocube 29 w/LEDs: A learning experience.

[Rollermonkey]

So the ammonia is under control?

 

It's better, but not great with daily WCs. The clowns are still breathing quick, which of course generates ammonia faster. I'm going to get a small powerhead, see if that gets the chunks of LR more into play.

 

I was able to get away with skipping WC days with a singular fish, but not with a pair in such a small volume QT.

[Rollermonkey]

Snagged a bottle of Prime, added a drop and fired up a small airstone. Bam. Within the hour, the clowns are up, out, active and respiration looks to be about normal. They still have that slight darkening of the dorsal area, but I think that will take longer to clear up than the rest, as it took longer to set in.

[Deleted User 3]

Win I hope everything goes smooth from here out. I'm telling you prime was my BFF during my QT. I would not have fish if it wasn't for it, since I did what you did, just set it up and couldn't cycle it or anything.

[Rollermonkey]

Clown poop.

 

...and they look much, much happier than they did two days ago.

[metrokat]

[Rollermonkey]

OMG! That's prexactly how they are behaving!

 

 

I've got a regular SW production line going now. I make 5 gallons of RODI tonight, then let it warm up to room temperature over night. The next day, I make another 5 gallons, and add salt to the previous night's water. (I get too much precipitate when the water is cold.) The next day, after 24 hours of mixing and heating to tank temp, it gets used in the WC, while the next batch gets mixed and the following one goes through the RODI. I dose the Prime and whatnot before putting the new water in the QT. It sucks how much salt I'm going through, though.

[eitallent]

Clown poop.

 

...and they look much, much happier than they did two days ago.

 

Sweet!! I am so glad you caught it in time!

 

I hope your finals are going well for you. Good luck!

[Rollermonkey]

I removed the sponge and ceramic rings from the QT. They were congealed masses of biofilm. I added more carbon to the AC20, plus a little Dr. Tim's One & Only. (My new LFS' suggestions.)

 

Also:

The clowns seem to be hosting the thermometer probe in the QT.

[Rollermonkey]

Yay. I made it 48 hours between WCs in the QT with no sponge or rings, just carbon, LR and flow.

 

Still going to stay on top of the WCs, though. Only 10 more days.

[metrokat]

ima steal your avatar if that's okay?

 

Do you want to add a nem for the clowns eventually? maybe now it the time to get them to live in it while they are alone in a QT without distractions?

[Rollermonkey]

Steal away. I found it with a google search.

 

On the idea of an anemone, I'm not sure.

 

I'd like to, as it seems like the nice thing to do, but I'm going to have to think it over. Right now, I worry that my water quality isn't up to spec, despite all the evidence that it's fine: The fire shrimp molts regularly, every coral in the tank is thriving with new heads and polyps all over the place. With the ATO, I know there's some stability, too. Then I've still got the algae farm of the typical new tank going on.

 

I worry that the cube isn't big enough for an anemone. That the other fish who've been there a "long" time without it might get snagged.

 

What I might do is get an RBTA just as the Clowns come out of QT, and hope it works out that they host. I really need to get in there and start mounting frags, but the stupid bryopsis is right where I want to start, of course, and I'm still trying to do manual removal. I also got some Kent Marine magnesium, and I've got the matching test, so I'm going to try the Mg-dosing method of bryopsis removal.

 

I'm also considering getting a sump from the new LFS here, Oceans By Design. They do custom filtration setups in-house. That would make me feel more prepared for a crocea clam in the DT a few months down the road, too.

[metrokat]

You can drain the tank into a bucket so that there is enough water left for the goby and other shrimp. Then drip straight peroxide on thebryopsis areas from a brand new bottle of peroxide. Wait 3 minutes before filling the tank back up again. Have enough water on hand for a 100% water change if needed over the next few days. If you have a skunk cleaner shrimp,I would put that guy in the QT or a temporary bucket while you do the peroxide.

[Rollermonkey]

I have just the two shrimp: the Randall's Pistol and the Fire shrimp.

 

The bryopsis is pretty high up in the tank, so I wouldn't actually need to take that much out to do a peroxide treatment. It just sucks that it showed up on the biggest piece of rock, that's glued to two other pieces.

[Rollermonkey]

I thought I'd try a non-chemical solution first, and I was arguing with myself between an urchin or a lettuce slug. A trip to the LFS made the decision for me. I also grabbed a couple scarlet leg hermits with the lettuce slug.

 

The new hermits started chowing down on filamentous algae as soon as they landed on the sand. The slug has cleared over a square inch of bryopsis in two hours.

 

[Rollermonkey]

OK. Photos time.

 

Please don't mind the algae. I'm working on the whole 'new tank syndrome' thing.

 

Duncans:

This started as 4 heads, three additional baby heads have polyp extension pretty regularly and several more are working on getting through the skeletons of the parent heads.

 

 

 

This mushroom has gone from dime-sized, to quarter-sized:

 

 

These trumpets were nothing but skeleton a month ago:

 

Good feeder tentacle extension nightly, but they still haven't colored up.

 

 

This maximini was hanging upside down for almost two months. I figure since it was actually on top of the rock for once, I'd snap a picture.

 

 

This was the 'mystery frag' Reef Goddess gave me when I bought the other maximini from her. (Happily munching on some mysis.)

 

 

...and after many attempts, I finally got a clear picture of the clown pair in my QT.

 

[eitallent]

OK. Photos time.

 

Everything looks great. I love the growth of all your corals! Your clowns look so cute. Thanks for sharing.

[Rollermonkey]

Yeah, the coral growth tells me everything is fine, but I'm still freaked out about water quality because of the algae. I'm really trying to not tinker.

[codydemmel4]

i just went through a lot of this thread and you made a lot of progress and it looks great! the clown and coral look great too! keep up the good work!

[Rollermonkey]

Got home tonight to find that Gus is hitching a ride on the chiton. :naughtydance:

[Rollermonkey]

Hmm... I hope the AC20 on my QT lives another week. Last couple times, the motor didn't want to start right away. I always make sure that there's water in the chamber, but this time it wouldn't start until I drained it...

 

Just two more WCs, it only has to live another five days.

[Rollermonkey]

Snagged a Kessil gooseneck yesterday and modded the lid to accommodate it. Now, that should be enough light for a clam.

[Rollermonkey]

That pretty blue mushroom finally got free of the superglue on its frag. I found it wedged under a rock. I guess I ought to glue it down again somewhere.

 

My AC20 impeller for the QT must be almost completely impounded by biofilm. I stuck a bamboo kabob skewer in there and gave it a nudge while the unit was plugged in and it started right up. Three more days until the clowns move. Yay.

 

Also, Now that I know where my Mg level is, I mixed a small dose of Kent Marine Tech M with tank water, nudged the lettuce slug well clear and out of the way and sprayed the solution right into what's left of the bryopsis. 5 minutes later, the slug was back in there eating up the remnants.

 

 

That's the good news. The bad news is the cyanobacteria seems to be rearing up again now that the bryopsis can't out compete it.

 

Sigh.

[Rollermonkey]

Well, with free shipping, no tax, and $200 in gift cards, Amazon was the way to go on the Kessil.

 

 

$25 out of my own pocket.

[Rollermonkey]

Hard to believe, but nearly 7 months in, and I finally have a hitchhiker: a "black" stomatella. The shell is nearly 1/2 inch long, and the body almost an inch. I spotted it with a flashlight, and it moved faster than any other snail I have out of sight. When stretched out, it actually looked kind of purple.

[1.0reef]

Awesome clowns!