Por Que, Mantis Shrimp, Por Que?! - Mariaface's Nuvo 16

[hey]

phosguard is aluminum based, which is known to piss off lps which could explain your hammer. I know I can't run it in my system at all or all my lps closes up.

[Mariaface]

phosguard is aluminum based, which is known to piss off lps which could explain your hammer. I know I can't run it in my system at all or all my lps closes up.

 

Huh. I don't currently have GFO on me; I'd replace it to check if I did. Maybe I should give it a test run without the phosguard for a couple of days? I'm not sure how long that would take to test, and if my tank should go that long without a phosphate remover.

 

I was under the impression that Phosguard didn't release aluminum into the water unless it was hugely overdosed? Maybe I'll do more research in the filtration forums...

 

EDIT:

From what I found here and a couple of posts in the forums, Phosguard does release aluminum but not enough to warrant that kind of reaction. The tests run by Holmes-Farley in the Advanced Aquarist article involved putting 75mL of Phosguard, unrinsed, into 500mL of water, keeping that shut in a jar, and shaking once in a while. That much should normally be added, rinsed, to 90-120L according to the instructions. So 200 times as much water.

 

I think my issue was that Phosguard is outrageously more quick about adsorbing phosphate as GFO, and can strip the nutrients way too quickly. It doesn't get you down to .01 the way GFO does, but it lowers phosphates a lot faster initially and can cause corals to panic. I shouldn't have started at 2tbsp (the recommendation, at the lowest, was 2.14 or so), but maybe half of one. In fact, I think I'll go cut the dose in half right now. The hammer's looking better today, but still not up to par.

[hey]

Huh. I don't currently have GFO on me; I'd replace it to check if I did. Maybe I should give it a test run without the phosguard for a couple of days? I'm not sure how long that would take to test, and if my tank should go that long without a phosphate remover.

 

I was under the impression that Phosguard didn't release aluminum into the water unless it was hugely overdosed? Maybe I'll do more research in the filtration forums...

 

EDIT:

From what I found here and a couple of posts in the forums, Phosguard does release aluminum but not enough to warrant that kind of reaction. The tests run by Holmes-Farley in the Advanced Aquarist article involved putting 75mL of Phosguard, unrinsed, into 500mL of water, keeping that shut in a jar, and shaking once in a while. That much should normally be added, rinsed, to 90-120L according to the instructions. So 200 times as much water.

 

I think my issue was that Phosguard is outrageously more quick about adsorbing phosphate as GFO, and can strip the nutrients way too quickly. It doesn't get you down to .01 the way GFO does, but it lowers phosphates a lot faster initially and can cause corals to panic. I shouldn't have started at 2tbsp (the recommendation, at the lowest, was 2.14 or so), but maybe half of one. In fact, I think I'll go cut the dose in half right now. The hammer's looking better today, but still not up to par.

 

All i know is when I tried it my lps were mad, removed and they recovered. I find lps tend to like more nutrients in the water anyways as when my water is super clear and clean the polyp extension looks a little lack luster.

 

Also are you running the phosguard passively or in a reactor?

[Mariaface]

Yeah, I can see that. Hopefully this compromise of half the recommended dose works out; if not, I'll probably halve it again. And keep feeding.

 

I'm running the phosguard passively, in a stock basket. It's probably being impeded that way, but I think that's for the best right now. And I'm pretty sure Phosguard isn't meant to go into a reactor, so there's that. If the phosguard doesn't work out, I'll probably go back to GFO in the IM reactor.

[hey]

Yeah, I can see that. Hopefully this compromise of half the recommended dose works out; if not, I'll probably halve it again. And keep feeding.

 

I'm running the phosguard passively, in a stock basket. It's probably being impeded that way, but I think that's for the best right now. And I'm pretty sure Phosguard isn't meant to go into a reactor, so there's that. If the phosguard doesn't work out, I'll probably go back to GFO in the IM reactor.

 

I prefer passive for everything so nothing changes too drastically when I do media swaps. halving it is probably the best route to take good luck!

[Mariaface]

Yeah, that's why I downgraded from the BRS reactor. It was way too big for my tank, and took up way more space than it was worth.

 

Thanks!

[Mariaface]

Hah! So I DO have GFO left! I still maintain that the phosguard just cleaned the water too quickly, instead of any aluminum issues, but hopefully the GFO will adsorb phosphates a bit more slowly now. The suggestion was 1tbsp/4gal. So naturally, I only put in 1.5tbsp for the entire tank. Less than half sounds good.

[Mariaface]

TRUE STORY.

 

I was cleaning my glass and noticed an odd all-angles shape moving underneath the lip of the center rock. It came out into view for half a second before hiding under there again, nothing but a face and front... claws? sticking out for me to take a photo of. iPhone photo taken is crap, and my tripod doesn't get here until later today, of all the friggin timing. So I'll have to make do with this crummy photo of the shrimp's front side. And I'll have to head over to the Mantis Shrimp Guide thread and see if it's even remotely possible for me to raise/entertain this fellow in this aquarium. And I get a CUC tomorrow! Why. Those poor snails. Hopefully this shrimp is too tiny to murder them right off the bat?

 

 

So yeah. Any suggestions, advice, dibs if I don't keep it, etc, would be useful.

[Mariaface]

The tripod gets here tomorrow, so that's upsetting, but my brother convinced me to just stack a bunch of boxes together and get a basic go at it. Can't really maneuver that very well, but at least I got a new FTS out of it?

 

 

(Again, if anyone wants to give me advice on how to get the mantis to show itself, feed it [it didn't even come out for krill today, but it might have already eaten], entertain it, etc, that'd be awesome! It's somehow survived since the Gulf Live Rock shipment, which was when I thought I was going crazy hearing clicking.)

 

The ricordea are decently happy now. Less flat, continuing attempts to split.

[Islandoftiki]

You have to keep the mantis! They're the coolest animals on the planet.

[Mariaface]

I plan on it! Assuming it doesn't end up being incompatible with my tank. If it's the kind that burrows into the sand and ambushes, I may have an issue; my sandbed is only an inch deep on average and the tank is glass, so if it gets to the bottom... On the other hand, it's been in there for four months; I suppose if it were going to burrow down and break everything I'd have noticed? Unless it just became big enough. Gha, this identification thing is hard when I don't have a clear picture or an understanding of their color morphs. Do they turn darker over black sand?

 

I'm looking through Roy's List, but haven't concluded anything yet. And just now, I sent an e-mail to Dan at Gulf Live Rock (well, an ebay message, since he responded to that a lot quicker last time) to see if he knows what kinds he tends to end up with. Do you know which are most likely?

[Mariaface]

The snails are here! I ordered the 5.5gal quick crew. I'm glad I did.

 

As per usual, the box looks like USPS kicked it at some point during the journey. But it arrived dry!

 

 

The box was a bit spacious, but that's likely a good thing if you're getting kicked around:

 

The pack is meant to come in with 3 small nerites, 4 florida ceriths, 2 nassarius snails, and 5 dwarf ceriths. Yeah? Yeah.

 

So.

4 nerites, one extra:

 

3 nassarius, one extra:

 

10 florida ceriths, six extra:

 

And holy hell, John doesn't want me to see my mantis shrimp ever, 275 cerith snails. I counted. Are there local stores in NYC that want some ceriths, do you think?

 

I don't even... This has to be some sort of mistake, right?

[Islandoftiki]

I don't even... This has to be some sort of mistake, right?

 

No mistake. This is just par for the course with ReefCleaners. You wanted a sand bed of snails, right?

[Mariaface]

Still no sign of the mantis shrimp. Considering how shy it is, and the descriptions of different species, it might actually be a G viridis? Meh. So long as it's not causing too much mayhem in the tank, I'm happy to keep the little dude. And maybe he'll eventually get used to me. Once he gets through the sandbed of snails John shipped, he'll have to see me as the food source. >

 

ANYWAY. I finally ordered the 2 part package from BRS (along with replacement cartridges for the RO/DI unit, A Sycce 1.5 to upgrade the return pump, new calibration fluid, a back-up 75W heater because my other two backup heaters are malfunctioning or something, and new calcium, alkalinity, and magnesium RSP test kits). Can't wait for that to get here.

 

And because for some reason I'm low on pods and algae is being a jerk in my general direction, I went over to the inTank website and bought a fuge basket and submersible light. And PMed two users about chaeto. If one of them doesn't have it available, hopefully the other will. If they both have it... MORE CHAETO. And more of the awesome little critters inside! I might clip a tupperware container to the side of the tank just to stare and see what might've survived the trip.

 

Basically it's going to be Christmas in September.

[Dr.Brain Coral]

The most common Mantis from florida would be Neogonodactylus Wennerae which is what I am planning on getting. Those Rics are awesome

[Mariaface]

The most common Mantis from florida would be Neogonodactylus Wennerae which is what I am planning on getting. Those Rics are awesome

 

Yehp, could also be that. I did see a light meral spot, and these guys seem to change color depending on habitat (black sand would encourage them to turn darker, wouldn't it?).

 

Thanks! They're nice and fluffy in my tank, but they're also not getting much PAR at all. ...Which I suppose they like.

[Islandoftiki]

(black sand would encourage them to turn darker, wouldn't it?).

 

I would think so. The downside to black sand is that it tends to be kinda sharp and cut up their pleopods (swimmer fins) which are also their gills.

[Mariaface]

I would think so. The downside to black sand is that it tends to be kinda sharp and cut up their pleopods (swimmer fins) which are also their gills.

 

Oh, no! Is there going to be a sandbed switch in my future? I kind of want to identify the species and set up a tank on my desk for it, that way I'd know what its habitat should be like and build to that.

[Genie382]

Holy heck those are a lot of snails! Your tank is gonna be pristine !

 

I'm ordering a small CUC from them in a week or so, now I'm super excited to put in my order.

[Islandoftiki]

Oh, no! Is there going to be a sandbed switch in my future? I kind of want to identify the species and set up a tank on my desk for it, that way I'd know what its habitat should be like and build to that.

 

Check out the link to my 30 gallon nuvo and 25 gallon micro reefs tanks for a general guide to mantis shrimp habitat. It's nothing complicated. Obviously you can keep the smaller species like N. wennerae and G. smithii in a 5 gallon tank or larger. Normal aragonite substrate and I recommend making an incognito PVC burrow for them like I did in the 30 gallon tank. You can also drill out a den in a good sized piece of live rock.

[Mariaface]

Check out the link to my 30 gallon nuvo and 25 gallon micro reefs tanks for a general guide to mantis shrimp habitat. It's nothing complicated. Obviously you can keep the smaller species like N. wennerae and G. smithii in a 5 gallon tank or larger. Normal aragonite substrate and I recommend making an incognito PVC burrow for them like I did in the 30 gallon tank. You can also drill out a den in a good sized piece of live rock.

 

I know I read through Betty's tank thread, not sure about the rest yet. Thanks! I'll start plans!

[Mariaface]

I should probably update the FTS, since I played with the rocks a bit. I feel like their shapes aren't actually all that great for this tank, so I'm not sure how to make them work. Oh, well. I got the acan off the frag rack and have the three LPS spaced apart from each other now, so that's good.

 

BRS stuff came in!

 

While replacing the return pump, I found this little guy:

 

Actually, the Sycce Syncra's rattling a little bit. I should figure out if there's an adjustment period or if I installed it incorrectly.

 

And chaeto from Arkayology, which included a mini brittle star that I promptly lost track of.

 

Along with the fuge basket and a submersible light from inTank!

[charnelhouse]

Nice, like Christmas!

[Mariaface]

Nice, like Christmas!

 

Very much like Christmas!