D3monic's nano fail 28- New Macros Here!

[D3monic]

Whipped together a crappy little food stand to keep the CUC out of the food dish. So far it's working good just not very aesthetically pleasing. Then again none of my tank is atm.

 

Access denied

 

 

Oh hey what's this?

 

 

Oooo noms

 

 

Nom nom nom nom

 

 

PS hate PE mysis too damn big.

[D3monic]

New order from live-plants came in today. Good lord Russ threw a lot of prolifera in there.

 

 

The new purple gorg

 

 

HA looking a lot better. I think I may pick up a seahare and a few turbo snails payday and put all the loose macros into a breeder box to keep them safe while he goes to work. Not to worried about the prolifera I never really had seahares eat it. Codium would be gone first 10 minutes i'm betting though. Either that or i'll try the peroxide dip and sand bed cleaning.

 

 

Used one the wifes metaless hair ties to hold the hypnea onto the rock until it attaches though may pull it off and put in breeder box to protect from seahare if I get one

 

 

Kinda white but sure it will recover. It was pretty chilly when it arrived

 

 

Bubble tip been looking much happier, omg so much prolifera. I kind of just stuffed a big ball behind the rock because I had to get around for work tonight

 

 

I'll get back in there and get wet this weekend

 

[D3monic]

Grilled some Ribeyes for Valentines day... damn snow

 

 

 

Test kit arrived the other day and I finally got a night off from work. Been working 16 hour shifts for days straight. over 50 hours overtime this week.

 

Tested the tank. Between the phosban and macros the phosphates are 0 nitrates 0. All I tested for.

 

 

I tested my RODI water and it is around 0.25ppm phosphates so i'm thinking it's time for a new rez. I'll double check the feed water before hand just to be certain it's not the RODI unit it self.

 

I scrubbed more HA off the rocks did a big water change and did a peroxide dip on the rock front left.

 

Update pic tomorrow after water clears up.

[D3monic]

Snail train at feeding time

 

 

scrapped most that coraline off the glass while cleaning.

[D3monic]

Still all the red turf algae, even scrubbing doesn't loosen that stuff off. Will need to get a few turbo snails to try out. Hopefully they get at it.

 

 

 

Rock on the front left looking better, haven't seen my sexy shrimp all day though. I really hope It wasn't in that rock when I dipped it.

 

 

[D3monic]

peroxide dipped rock front left is doing good. Haven't lost the mushrooms on it. HA still coming back, getting ready to head to store see if I can find a turbo snail or two. Rather not go seahare route as it will eat all my other macros first most likely and probably not touch the red turf algae.

 

[ReefWeeds]

peroxide dipped rock front left is doing good. Haven't lost the mushrooms on it. HA still coming back, getting ready to head to store see if I can find a turbo snail or two. Rather not go seahare route as it will eat all my other macros first most likely and probably not touch the red turf algae.

 

 

My mexican turbos demolished all my hair algae - and my blue scroll - and my rose petal algae - and my dragon's breath - and an entire 8" tall 4" wide stalk of gibessi

Looking good BTW!

[D3monic]

 

My mexican turbos demolished all my hair algae - and my blue scroll - and my rose petal algae - and my dragon's breath - and an entire 8" tall 4" wide stalk of gibessi

Looking good BTW!

 

so what you're saying is I should probably isolate my macros from the turbo snails? I have a breeder box I can put my macros in until the turbo snails are done. Rather they not eat my hypnea and dragons breath. C. Prolifera is probably safe though.

[ReefWeeds]

 

so what you're saying is I should probably isolate my macros from the turbo snails? I have a breeder box I can put my macros in until the turbo snails are done. Rather they not eat my hypnea and dragons breath. C. Prolifera is probably safe though.

 

I would. Seriously - they go to TOWN. Lawn had a similar problem. They're awesome for GHA but not so awesome for the macros you want to keep

they even ate some halimeda! Which I didn't think anything ate that.

[brandon429]

D3 I've appreciated your detailed updates on your battles. You have peroxide sensitives in there and it's impressive the blood shrimp and anem are doing well this easier approach is better than trying to wipe the HA in one pass (which if you ever get mad, research our 35% use external spot drops only its like putting nos in a car vs 88 octane)

 

 

These algae set in with holdfasts and like dandelions it takes a few rounds to get at the regenerative points not just the visual growth areas

 

Your 3% is safe, at least arresting the biomass vs boosting it, and you aren't losing lots of rock color along the way. It's a repeating circular pattern to guide the benthic growth back out.

 

Now just for rare fun, if you want to see algaecidal tendencies try some 35% on one test area only, applied to the target and rinsed off. Compare to your 3% areas...the sustain time is massive. It's better as ace in the hole for bad areas or gelidium red algae if needed. Just wanted to state 3% represents the totality of peroxide ability like watered down 88 octane gas from a shady roadside station represents fuel options for street racers. The raw danger of 35 cannot be understated but don't think it's unwieldy. I have videos of me putting it inside my decade old pico reef hitting all animals, we just went short duration as a proof vid that's it's usable and safe in a specific order of operations. Used as external spot drops its a hedge ripper man.

 

One spot treatment of 35 droppered on the red algae, let sit for two mins, rinse off and put back = whole spot bare after the nine day death phase that rhodophyta follow

 

 

To continue on the current path is safer and will help drastically still, it's just a little more repeat and sometimes won't finish things off. Merely getting a free and easy arresting option makes peroxide an uber critical tool

 

Ps, compared to real reefs they look like your rocks currently. Your algae isn't dominant now, that's low level growth which feeds grazers a plenty on natural reefs. You have calcification markers in the pics that wouldn't be there if nutrients were inhibiting deposition while boosting plants. You simply have a condition of lack of matched grazers and the cheats used are changing the balances back in favor

[D3monic]

D3 I've appreciated your detailed updates on your battles. You have peroxide sensitives in there and it's impressive the blood shrimp and anem are doing well this easier approach is better than trying to wipe the HA in one pass (which if you ever get mad, research our 35% use external spot drops only its like putting nos in a car vs 88 octane)

 

 

These algae set in with holdfasts and like dandelions it takes a few rounds to get at the regenerative points not just the visual growth areas

 

Your 3% is safe, at least arresting the biomass vs boosting it, and you aren't losing lots of rock color along the way. It's a repeating circular pattern to guide the benthic growth back out.

 

Now just for rare fun, if you want to see algaecidal tendencies try some 35% on one test area only, applied to the target and rinsed off. Compare to your 3% areas...the sustain time is massive. It's better as ace in the hole for bad areas or gelidium red algae if needed. Just wanted to state 3% represents the totality of peroxide ability like watered down 88 octane gas from a shady roadside station represents fuel options for street racers. The raw danger of 35 cannot be understated but don't think it's unwieldy. I have videos of me putting it inside my decade old pico reef hitting all animals, we just went short duration as a proof vid that's it's usable and safe in a specific order of operations. Used as external spot drops its a hedge ripper man.

 

One spot treatment of 35 droppered on the red algae, let sit for two mins, rinse off and put back = whole spot bare after the nine day death phase that rhodophyta follow

 

 

To continue on the current path is safer and will help drastically still, it's just a little more repeat and sometimes won't finish things off. Merely getting a free and easy arresting option makes peroxide an uber critical tool

 

Ps, compared to real reefs they look like your rocks. Your algae isn't dominant, that's low level growth that feeds grazers a plenty on natural reefs it's no indication of nutrient problems whatsoever. That tank doesn't have a nutrient issue regardless of minor n and p variations. You have calcification markers in the pics that wouldn't be there if nutrients were inhibiting deposition while boosting plants. You simply have a condition of lack of matched grazers.

 

Thanks, not even sure i've seen 35% available in stores so I may have to order online. I used 3% as that was what I had available under the sink. I even further diluted it i'd say 1 bottle to about a gallon tank water. Just enough to submerge the rock and let it sit for approx 5 minutes before rinsing the rock in more tank water before adding back to tank.

[brandon429]

Oh! In that case you have much improvement left then just with the 3% didn't realize that was diluted. The 35 is insanely dangerous comparatively it can blind a person fast, permanent. We are just crazies for wielding it as we do. It's sold otc though, in health food stores as a bath additive HA

 

Sounds like a tickle party to me I'll opt out there

 

Just for kicks, and we have tested this well, consider lifting out a test rock and spot apply direct 3% as drops to all its GHA spots wait three mins out of water, rinse and put back. That will mow that GHA on the test patch such that in 36 hours I bet you won't need 35 at all. The fact that a tenth of 3% got that much coverage above is neat to see.

[D3monic]

Culled some pepper plants in the grow room

 

So many babies in the trash

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A few of my crosses

 

 

Aji Pineapple X Butch T Yellow

 

 

Bahamian goat X Butch T Yellow

 

 

also have carbonero X butch T Yellow, paper lantern X butch T yellow, Lemon drop X inca berry. i'm sure i'm forgetting something.

[D3monic]

Steves LED got back to me with a download link for installation of the LEDs. Looks simple enough http://stevesleds.com/uploads/Biocube_and_NanoCube_Parts_Kit_installation_guide_41315.pdf

 

I need a new soldering iron though as the one I have sucks and the solder is lead free and a btch to melt.

 

May either go with one their kits or just try my hand at doing it from scratch. This is a project that will have to wait until I get out from the IRS thumb though. I owe them 13k and working on a offer in compromise to settle the debt.

 

I picked up 4 turbo snails from the dreaded petco. There's not really any reef stores within 30 minutes drive and they are just snails.

 

They been getting to work on the red turf algae. One I have to keep moving away from the blue hypnea though. about ready to put it on a leash and tie it to the rock I want clean lol.

[D3monic]

Just a couple cell pics as I get home from work and the moonlights are on.

 

 

Duncans looking much happier though still not fully extended

 

 

I'm off work tonight so will probably do a water change and scrub some HA off the rocks. Each week it gets a little better.

[yoshii]

When I had bad HA issues scrubbing the rocks really helped a lot. I hope it's the same for you!
Btw, if you want smaller mysis, go for Hikari's frozen mysis

[D3monic]

When I had bad HA issues scrubbing the rocks really helped a lot. I hope it's the same for you!

Btw, if you want smaller mysis, go for Hikari's frozen mysis

 

Scrubbing has been helping and the Turbos seem to prefer the red turf algae over the HA for some reason.

 

Yea I love hikari, I haven't found any at the past few stores i've stopped at. Petco had some fairly small mysis but had a binder. I just been rinsing it real good. I have 51 hours over time on my next check and plan on hitting the nice fishstore an hour from here. They usually have hikari. Will pick up a new addition too, maybe a couple sexy shrimp if anyone has them. My poor female been all alone.

 

Thinking about adding a tailspot or bicolor blenny or some kind of goby. My yasha only comes out when it's feeding time for the most part and the mandarin don't like its picture taken.

[yoshii]

 

Scrubbing has been helping and the Turbos seem to prefer the red turf algae over the HA for some reason.

 

Yea I love hikari, I haven't found any at the past few stores i've stopped at. Petco had some fairly small mysis but had a binder. I just been rinsing it real good. I have 51 hours over time on my next check and plan on hitting the nice fishstore an hour from here. They usually have hikari. Will pick up a new addition too, maybe a couple sexy shrimp if anyone has them. My poor female been all alone.

 

Thinking about adding a tailspot or bicolor blenny or some kind of goby. My yasha only comes out when it's feeding time for the most part and the mandarin don't like its picture taken.

Usually the red turf is harder to get rid of, so that's not too bad

 

What's your current fish list?

[D3monic]

Just a Mandarin and yasha goby.

 

For inverts theres a sexy shrimp, pom pom crab, fire shrimp and a couple blue leg hermits

[yoshii]

Just a Mandarin and yasha goby.

 

For inverts theres a sexy shrimp, pom pom crab, fire shrimp and a couple blue leg hermits

Oh, well then you have a lot of options!

 

Tailspot/other small blennies have cool personalities, and also eat algae in their spare time

[D3monic]

Yea my GF misses our tailspot bob. Lost him during a chemi clean treatment along with a few others that got ich from the stress. The mandarin and yasha gobies where the sole survivors. Just lost one the yasha gobies when I added a seahare to tackle this HA initially but also had diatoms and the seahare died after a week and nuked the tank.

 

Thats what rekindled my fighting spirit to get this tank back under control.

 

Turned out my water res was leaching phosphate and just feeding the problem

[Snow_Phoenix]

Have you tried out a Lawnmower blenny? I know they don't look appealing, but they pack a punch when it comes to HA. You could trade it up for a TSB once the algae is under control/eradicated. Otherwise you could try other smaller blennies (combtooth species are good grazers but might nip corals such as SPS) or worse come to worse, get a sea hare. (If the peroxide dips still can't get it under control).

 

Just make sure you try to keep the lights open for a minimal period - cyano just took out my tank the other day. Algae battles are definitely not pleasant.

[D3monic]

Not too worried about sps, I gave up on growing it until I can get different lighting, the stock LEDs on this tank are trash at growing coral.

 

In the two weeks since I started working on this tank its improved drastically. The peroxide dip worked great on the first rock. Only thing keeping me from dipping rock on right is it had a short red macro algae that's been trying to grow. I guess I could snip some off and glue it to a frag plug.

[D3monic]

Been a few weeks figured it was time for side by side pics before and after. Still working on the issue but it's been a big improvement

 

 

snapped a few pics during feeding time. A mix of mysis, cyclopeeze and some microworms (figured I try them see if the mandarin would eat)

 

 

 

 

[Needreefunds]

Looking better. Keep up the good fight.