Jedi's Science Reef

[jedimaster1138]

What corals are doing well in your tank? Might be good to just stock up on those

 

I like where your head is at!

 

 

Seems to me there are only a few assumptions that can be made to explain this.

 

• Some sort of predator
• Some sort of contaminant
• Water is depleted of something this acro needs to grow
• An unmeasured parameter swung big time, harming the coral

 

 

So the green super slimer is one of a few SPS corals that weathered the hell in my tank over the past...2 years or whatever it's been. At worst, there were just a few burnt tips during the stealthy alkalinity swings. Nothing looking like what's happening now. The other corals to make it through the Dark Times were the Tyree Prostrata, the Purple Slimer and the Pink Lemonade (though it teetered on the precipice), along with the often mentioned Purple Stylophora, Katro-thingamabobbar (though both declined horribly) and something else I can't recall right now.

 

All those look FINE now, for the most part, whcih is interesting, though the prostate looks to be changing colors, in a good way. I see reds, purples, and some greens now. PE seems OK, though it might be a hair less? It's actually hard to tell. Growing well though. Lots of new nubs.

 

What's more interesting is that the SPS I've never had any luck with are doing well now. I would call those the much more sensitive corals. The Strawberry Shortcake, previously gray/brown for 2 years is now showing green and shades of that strawberry red coralites. The Red Planet, previously the brown planet, now has green on the base and red at the tips, exactly what you want from a Red Planet. Both have plenty of PE. Less sensitive, the ORA Tri Color Valida is deep blue/purple with bright green polyps. UC Blue Vermiculata is...blue...with various other shades of blue/purple/slight green on the base and the coralites. Again, PE is excellent. I mentioned the Purple Stylophora earlier, it's uh, purple and growing bloody fast.

 

I fragged the Katro recently and put the cutting in a completely different spot 4 feet away with different flow and light, and it colored up and polyped up in 2 weeks.

 

So there's lots happening. Most of it is good except that Super Slimer.

[markalot]

It's not a slimer. I would cut at the base, dip to see what happens, and if nothing exciting toss and look for a real slimer.

 

You still have measurable nitrates, right?

[jedimaster1138]

It's not a slimer. I would cut at the base, dip to see what happens, and if nothing exciting toss and look for a real slimer.

 

You still have measurable nitrates, right?

 

Last few times i checked, nitrates were undetectable. I haven't tested in a while though. Later if I can get off the sofa and tear myself away from Diablo 3. We just walked like 4 miles with Penny and all 3 of us are about to plant on the couch like geraniums.

 

I call it the super slimer because...

 

1) it's green (most of the time)

2) it slimes the holy hell out of me when i touch it

3) it has thick branches

4) this is the description when i bought it from Unique Corals 18 months ago.

Acropora yongei - Bali Maricultured "Green Slimer" Acropora- 3" WYSIWYG Specimen

 

shrug

[markalot]

Ah, a lesson learned that I need to be careful with my terms. I trust unique corals, so I am certain it's a slimer, but maricultured is the important part of the description. I have 3 maricultured acros, one doing well, one ok, and another looks like my tank is crashing. If I were you I would stick to captive grown acros only, at least for a while. Sticl the mari's in a back corner and ignore them.

 

My slimer has been captive grown by someone for over 10 years, which is why it's so rugged. Maricultured just means wild but grown in a coral farm in the ocean, so not adapted to aquarium life at all. They can be a lot of fun to color up, and results might be amazing, but many tend to up and die, or suffer for years.

 

There's a thread on RC covering the topic.

 

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2314687&highlight=maricultured

 

So in short, there's nothing bad happening in your tank, good job, carry on!

 

Might also want to review this thread for fun, at some point. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2470497

 

I'd also point out that if you have undetectable nitrates but still have high PO4 then you are nitrate limited and might want to at least consider some lite dosing of NO3 to see what happens. OR get more fish, a lot more fish.

 

I never got into Diablo 3, but now I think I'll fire up Diablo 2 for some fun.

[jedimaster1138]

Ah, a lesson learned that I need to be careful with my terms. I trust unique corals, so I am certain it's a slimer, but maricultured is the important part of the description. I have 3 maricultured acros, one doing well, one ok, and another looks like my tank is crashing. If I were you I would stick to captive grown acros only, at least for a while. Sticl the mari's in a back corner and ignore them.

 

My slimer has been captive grown by someone for over 10 years, which is why it's so rugged. Maricultured just means wild but grown in a coral farm in the ocean, so not adapted to aquarium life at all. They can be a lot of fun to color up, and results might be amazing, but many tend to up and die, or suffer for years.

 

There's a thread on RC covering the topic.

 

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2314687&highlight=maricultured

 

So in short, there's nothing bad happening in your tank, good job, carry on!

 

Might also want to review this thread for fun, at some point. http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2470497

 

I'd also point out that if you have undetectable nitrates but still have high PO4 then you are nitrate limited and might want to at least consider some lite dosing of NO3 to see what happens. OR get more fish, a lot more fish.

 

I never got into Diablo 3, but now I think I'll fire up Diablo 2 for some fun.

 

Yar. I'm a fan of UC. Probably my go-to coral vendor at this point. The personal attention from Fellman doesn't hurt. He's a good dude.

 

I've had good luck with the maricultured stuff from them. Well I did until the phosphate/alkalinity pendulum lopped off the head of 2 other colonies a while back. One was a red/orange millie looking thing, the other a hairy yellow millie

 

Those are interesting links. I shall enjoy them. Thank you.

 

I have too many fish as it is. lol Well not really. Or something.

 

I was never into either of the previous Diablo titles, but grabbed a demo of 3 on the PC a while back, loved it, but hated the controls - mouse click for uh, everything was murder on the carpal tunnel. Then I saw the ps3 version was something like 30$ and now i'm into that. Controls are much easier on the wrist. I love Blizzard in general, everything else being on the PC. I played Warcraft 3, Starcraft and Starcraft 2 into the ground. I was in college when the original Starcraft hit and my roommate and i would play custom maps vs eachother till 4 am on weekend nights. Ah good times. That's what poor engineering students did on Saturday nights in 1999 And then there's World of Warcraft. I might or might not have been raid leader/guild master for more years than I care to think about. On the bright side, we killed most everything. For the Horde.

[markalot]

 

I was never into either of the previous Diablo titles, but grabbed a demo of 3 on the PC a while back, loved it, but hated the controls - mouse click for uh, everything was murder on the carpal tunnel. Then I saw the ps3 version was something like 30$ and now i'm into that. Controls are much easier on the wrist. I love Blizzard in general, everything else being on the PC. I played Warcraft 3, Starcraft and Starcraft 2 into the ground. I was in college when the original Starcraft hit and my roommate and i would play custom maps vs eachother till 4 am on weekend nights. Ah good times. That's what poor engineering students did on Saturday nights in 1999 And then there's World of Warcraft. I might or might not have been raid leader/guild master for more years than I care to think about. On the bright side, we killed most everything. For the Horde.

 

I was a big player of Dark Age of Camelot, and still run a custom server in the basement where I horked up the mechanics to make it more like Diablo II. I tried WoW but by that time was just about done with games that require such a long term commitment.

 

Apparently I'm too old for console games, I forgot D3 had a console version.

[jedimaster1138]

 

I was a big player of Dark Age of Camelot, and still run a custom server in the basement where I horked up the mechanics to make it more like Diablo II. I tried WoW but by that time was just about done with games that require such a long term commitment.

 

Apparently I'm too old for console games, I forgot D3 had a console version.

 

My gaming attention span has apparently evaporated. I can't stick to games anymore. I just need something mindless that I can smash without too much thinking/remembering maps etc. My other problem is sitting at the computer. I do it all day at work. I can't bring myself to come home and do it for hours after work like i used to. Couch good. Wife on one side, puppy on the other. Or more like puppy wedged in between us. LOL I miss my WoW friends, but my back and arms and head don't. I admit the new expansion looks like fun.

 

Back in the reef...

 

dKH = 7.6

phosphate = 0.85 (hanna), off the low range scale on the Red Sea. Didn't bother doing the high range Red Sea.

nitrate = off the low range scale, repeated on high range = 4-8 PPM.

 

I think i'll dose a small amount of NOPOX daily. Like a real small amount....5 ml - ish. Maybe that will reduce things a hair, but not to 0.

[jedimaster1138]

I fragged a piece of the Super Slimer from the right side colony which has seemed healthier than the left, albeit still exhibiting similar behavior. The frag is doing the same thing both colonies have done - turns pale and no PE. BAH I removed some of the dead branches last night from the left colony (the bigger one). They were just collecting cyano etc. I looked closely, didn't see any damage.

 

It's strange. I don't know what else to say. The other stuff is doing well for the most part. Maybe it just wants high nutrients? Or, and this is the way i'm leaning, all the swings during the last 2 years of hell have finally done it in.

 

The other colony that's not great is the PC Rainbow. It had been red-ish with a green base, now it's more brown ish with a brown-ish green base. I think this might be an acropora that prefers 0 or very close to 0 nitrate. It had been doing so well during the daily NOPOX dosing and undetectable nitrates. Now with my nitrates > 0, it's looking poopy.

[jedimaster1138]

OH GOD YES THIS

 

 

AND THIS

 

 

 

Though really, there's this, and then there's everything else.

 

The. Man.

 

[markalot]

Ok, bump time. I heard you got yourself a new fraglet?

[jedimaster1138]

Fraglet arrived yesterday a little past noon. He's a little stinker and has REALLY powerful lungs. lol Bringing him home tomorrow. I've been living at the hospital with him and the champ wife. Can't wait to get to my own bed etc!

[Pinner Reef]

Congratulations!!!!

 

What are the stats?

[metrokat]

Congratulations!!!!

 

What are the stats?

Fraglet stats?

6 lbs, 7 oz

[Pinner Reef]

Aww! Just a lil guy!

[jedimaster1138]

He shares is birthday with a bunch of pretty big bad-asses. You can see how tough he is already -

 

[Veng]

Fraglet arrived yesterday a little past noon. He's a little stinker and has REALLY powerful lungs. lol Bringing him home tomorrow. I've been living at the hospital with him and the champ wife. Can't wait to get to my own bed etc!

I don't understand how almost everything else doesn't work well, if it all, when they come out, but the vocal cords work just fine....

[TFish77]

OH GOD YES THIS

 

 

AND THIS

 

 

 

Though really, there's this, and then there's everything else.

 

The. Man.

 

 

 

Shhhhhhhhhhhh

[markalot]

Congrats on the new one!!!

[jedimaster1138]

PO4 = 0.13 with just GFO for the past... 2 weeks? Something like that.

Nitrate is between 1 and 4. I haven't changed water in ... a long time. I should vac the sump out, there's a lot of junk there.

 

Brown algae/burnt tips continuing, but not getting worse, except for the cyphastrea, which doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Shrug The condition of the orange dig seems better as does the green pocci. Can't say the same about the slimers, or reefgen stag. The M setosa is a trainwreck.

 

I don't like the flesh dumping on the underside of the football sized stylophora. Grr.

 

Who sells pretty gorgonia and soft corals? I'm somewhat inclined to fill in a few of the high spots with something movement-y and not stress the SPS. Though I'm gonna cave at some point on some montipora or birds.

[jedimasterben]

For gorgonians, KP Aquatics is the only choice, really. They have the largest selection and the best specimens I've seen.

 

For soft corals, that is more 'buy them where they show up'. There is no one place to get a good selection of nice ones, but check LiveAquaria and Divers Den, Vivid has some occasionally, and then a few misc stores have some nice ones too like the Palau green nephthea.

[metrokat]

Live Plants has gorgonians.

[markalot]

Sorry to hear problems persist. What on earth could be lasting this long?

 

I doubt I will ever clean my sump, just doesn't seem important. Maybe try PhosphateRx, just a few drops a day, and see what happens?

[jedimaster1138]

For gorgonians, KP Aquatics is the only choice, really. They have the largest selection and the best specimens I've seen.

 

For soft corals, that is more 'buy them where they show up'. There is no one place to get a good selection of nice ones, but check LiveAquaria and Divers Den, Vivid has some occasionally, and then a few misc stores have some nice ones too like the Palau green nephthea.

 

 

Live Plants has gorgonians.

 

Good call on the KP Aquatics. I like their selection and like their prices more.

 

I have a nice purple candelabra that I think came from Dr. Mac a while ago. I recently moved it up onto the left edge of the big right structure. It's grown a bunch and where it is now it gets decent flow. I actually also have a purple ribbon from Live-Plants Kat. It's super tall. I have moved it about 10 times. LOL might be time to finally lock it down. Maybe in the trench. We'll see.

 

Vivid's selection looks nice. I check Diver's Den daily and have seen a few softies, yeah. Hmm. I'm sorta afraid of Live Aquaria now. Quality has dropped post Petco buyout. It hasn't hurt DD though, yet, which I assume is thanks to Kevin standing in front of the door in Wisconsin with a 12 gauge or something. They've had some fantastic anthias lately. I wish I had money.

 

Sorry to hear problems persist. What on earth could be lasting this long?

 

I doubt I will ever clean my sump, just doesn't seem important. Maybe try PhosphateRx, just a few drops a day, and see what happens?

 

Shrug. The tank is cursed. My Apex display module is failing now. lol New problem every day. If it does go for good I am not replacing it. Cheapo tablet ftw.

 

I was doing the PhosphateRX daily for a while...like 5 drops or so, but was running out and worried about the daily LC. But with the success you've had, I might just continue to use it.

 

I don't know what the cause of most of the issues are, least of all the algae. I guess maybe some parameter swinging when the P dropped off the cliff. dKH has been pretty steady at 8 1/4 lately so, I don't think that is an issue now. The glass still needs cleaning at least every 3rd day.

 

Mostly 100% sure that AEFW murdered my acropora, but I can not explain the issues with non-acropora.

[spectra]

For gorgonians, KP Aquatics is the only choice, really. They have the largest selection and the best specimens I've seen.

 

 

I agree here............. I have ordered 2 or 3 times from KP and always comes in great !

 

 

Live Plants has gorgonians.

 

I ordered from them also and well had a few that did not make it........water smelled like shit and gorgonians were mush in a day......... the macros all looked great though.

[jedimasterben]

I agree here............. I have ordered 2 or 3 times from KP and always comes in great !

 

I ordered from them also and well had a few that did not make it........water smelled like shit and gorgonians were mush in a day......... the macros all looked great though.

Same experience with LP here, too.