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Fishfreak's foxy BC29: Brine Shrimp!


fishfreak0114

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fishfreak0114
7 minutes ago, teenyreef said:

Wow, things are looking great now!

 

I have a Spectrapure RODI. I got the RODI90 at a discounted price as a "refurb". It looked brand new when I got it. $112 USD: http://spectrapure.com/Refurbished-90-GPD-RODI-System

I upgraded mine with TDS meters I got cheap on Amazon, and later bought a second membrane from BRS (their "BRS 150 GPD Water Saver Upgrade Kit", which roughly doubles the output rate and halves the waste water.

I also got the BoosterBuddie from Amazon to boost the water pressure. This makes it run a lot faster, stops pumping automatically when the output is closed off (like when using a float valve in the fill bucket), and adds a membrane flush capability.

 

But all that's just stuff I added bit by bit. The only thing you really should add is a TDS meter so you know when to change the filters.

Thanks!  I think that spectrapure unit is what I'm going to go with.  Can't beat the price!  I'm not sure if there's extra fees for shipping to Canada, I guess I'll find out.  Do you think I can get away for a few months without a TDS meter?  I'm trying to buy as few items as possible for a couple months while I pay my mom back for all of the unexpected expenses this summer.  I'll check out all the other add-ons you mentioned as well :)

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1 minute ago, fishfreak0114 said:

Thanks!  I think that spectrapure unit is what I'm going to go with.  Can't beat the price!  I'm not sure if there's extra fees for shipping to Canada, I guess I'll find out.  Do you think I can get away for a few months without a TDS meter?  I'm trying to buy as few items as possible for a couple months while I pay my mom back for all of the unexpected expenses this summer.  I'll check out all the other add-ons you mentioned as well :)

 

Get the unit with the TDS meter. If you don't want to I am sure you will be fine. You can always just get a hand held unit for 10 bucks and go that rout. I did that for years with no issues. I know run a spectrapure hell look at my name I had to :lol: and love it.......I also have a booster pump as water pressure sucks around here.

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fishfreak0114

I realized I missed a bunch of photos!

36804289736_1e2999cc11_k.jpgP9020938 by orb1915, on Flickr

36804288966_2a66bcef43_k.jpgP9020943 by orb1915, on Flickr

36804288726_442825bcd5_k.jpgP9020947 by orb1915, on Flickr

36804288366_f93690801d_k.jpgP9020949 by orb1915, on Flickr

36804287076_762ed8ecb8_k.jpgP9020956 by orb1915, on Flickr

36820549612_156fa128df_k.jpgP9020957 by orb1915, on Flickr

36183081993_8c667c7bda_k.jpgP9020959 by orb1915, on Flickr

36820549012_87262107c7_k.jpgP9020960 by orb1915, on Flickr

36183081503_b8a8a75389_k.jpgP9020963 by orb1915, on Flickr

 

The ultima blasto has a baby head!  So does the frosty berry :)

36820548542_4413cb309d_k.jpgP9020967 by orb1915, on Flickr

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fishfreak0114
2 minutes ago, spectra said:

 

Get the unit with the TDS meter. If you don't want to I am sure you will be fine. You can always just get a hand held unit for 10 bucks and go that rout. I did that for years with no issues. I know run a spectrapure hell look at my name I had to :lol: and love it.......I also have a booster pump as water pressure sucks around here.

Is the TDS meter attached to the unit somehow?  If it's not that explains why I can't find what I'm picturing on their website.  I'll probably go with a hand held one....

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5 minutes ago, fishfreak0114 said:

Is the TDS meter attached to the unit somehow?  If it's not that explains why I can't find what I'm picturing on their website.  I'll probably go with a hand held one....

 

Yes it is.

 

I will look and post what I have. Its not a cheap unit was 200 plus I think. I looked at there re furbs but wanted something better. I have one that is like a 50% unit doesn't waste as much water.

 

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fishfreak0114
12 hours ago, spectra said:

I think this is what I have. http://spectrapure.com/RO-RODI/RODI-SYSTEMS/CSPDI-Manual-Flush-90-GPD-RO-DI-System along with there booster pump.

Thanks, I'll check that out :)

8 hours ago, gogeta said:

Things looking improved and getting better already! Sorry I couldn't find did you remove the decaying toadstool? 

Since only one of the tops was decaying, I cut that off.  I made a frag of the non-decaying part of that piece.  So most of it is still in the tank, just in two pieces.

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fishfreak0114

I was just scrutinizing the zoa rock, as I so often do, and I noticed that the yoda paly has grown two new heads!  Very exciting.  There's one little cluster of zoas that I think I ought to peroxide and toothbrush a little.  They've been closed most of the time for quite a while, and I believe it's because they have some stringy, kind of clear stuff, growing in between them. 

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fishfreak0114

I made a short video featuring all the little critters that roam around.  The pods, brittle stars, and bristle worms.  I was amazed by the diversity I found once I really started to look!

 

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Thrassian Atoll

Nice video!!  I have yet to see any of the baby brittle stars I bought for my tank.  ?

The pods on the glass at like 2:20 looked like an alien.  I was like, "what the hell is that?" until they moved.  ?

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fishfreak0114
1 hour ago, TILTON said:

Nice video!!  I have yet to see any of the baby brittle stars I bought for my tank.  ?

The pods on the glass at like 2:20 looked like an alien.  I was like, "what the hell is that?" until they moved.  ?

Thanks!  That's a shame about your brittles.  Hopefully they're just good at hiding.  Mine usually just come out when I feed (especially frozen).  I had fed just before I started to film them.  Those pods are pretty freaky!  I'd never really noticed colored ones before. They're the largest ones on the glass.

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On 9/5/2017 at 10:35 PM, fishfreak0114 said:

I made a short video featuring all the little critters that roam around.  The pods, brittle stars, and bristle worms.  I was amazed by the diversity I found once I really started to look!

 

 

This is my kinda movie, I love it!!!!!!!

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fishfreak0114

I also have a few pics from the 5th and the 7th.

 

36317670853_a5b92a6abf_k.jpgP9051000 by orb1915, on Flickr

37131027925_fac3adf1e0_k.jpgP9051005 by orb1915, on Flickr

37131027725_f51a4c14c5_k.jpgP9051007 by orb1915, on Flickr

36317670443_bb5105cc5b_k.jpgP9051009 by orb1915, on Flickr

36317670123_b12743be8f_k.jpgP9051018 by orb1915, on Flickr

 

I have no idea what this weird growth on my glass is.  Not sure if it's still there or not

36317669933_71da1a9aeb_k.jpgP9051029 by orb1915, on Flickr

37131027445_cc3ea57dee_k.jpgP9051030 by orb1915, on Flickr

 

It had these at intervals along the "branches"

37131026825_ccc4dae642_k.jpgP9051032 by orb1915, on Flickr

 

Still have the plates that I didn't detach from the original skeleton

36295055944_d7a97e72ed_k.jpgP9051041 by orb1915, on Flickr

 

Here's the zoa cluster I still need to peroxide.  Will 3% hurt my ball anemone?  It's really close to them

37131026495_a70845336b_k.jpgP9051055 by orb1915, on Flickr

36959880082_28883cf0cf_k.jpgP9071059 by orb1915, on Flickr

36733583740_b0073addd2_k.jpgP9071056 by orb1915, on Flickr

 

And yet again the dendro made a fabulous recovery!

36317672563_38205e77c2_k.jpgP9071063 by orb1915, on Flickr

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1 hour ago, fishfreak0114 said:

Here's a couple quick clips I took just before lights out the other night.

 

 

Chock full of happy, Reefy Goodness, I'm so happy to see this for you!!!!

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1 minute ago, fishfreak0114 said:

I also have a few pics from the 5th and the 7th.

 

36317670853_a5b92a6abf_k.jpgP9051000 by orb1915, on Flickr

37131027925_fac3adf1e0_k.jpgP9051005 by orb1915, on Flickr

37131027725_f51a4c14c5_k.jpgP9051007 by orb1915, on Flickr

36317670443_bb5105cc5b_k.jpgP9051009 by orb1915, on Flickr

36317670123_b12743be8f_k.jpgP9051018 by orb1915, on Flickr

 

I have no idea what this weird growth on my glass is.  Not sure if it's still there or not

36317669933_71da1a9aeb_k.jpgP9051029 by orb1915, on Flickr

37131027445_cc3ea57dee_k.jpgP9051030 by orb1915, on Flickr

 

It had these at intervals along the "branches"

37131026825_ccc4dae642_k.jpgP9051032 by orb1915, on Flickr

 

Still have the plates that I didn't detach from the original skeleton

36295055944_d7a97e72ed_k.jpgP9051041 by orb1915, on Flickr

 

Here's the zoa cluster I still need to peroxide.  Will 3% hurt my ball anemone?  It's really close to them

37131026495_a70845336b_k.jpgP9051055 by orb1915, on Flickr

36959880082_28883cf0cf_k.jpgP9071059 by orb1915, on Flickr

36733583740_b0073addd2_k.jpgP9071056 by orb1915, on Flickr

 

And yet again the dendro made a fabulous recovery!

36317672563_38205e77c2_k.jpgP9071063 by orb1915, on Flickr

You need to name that Dendro Lazarus. 

I think the freaky thing on your glass that you were unsure of might be colonial hydroids.

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fishfreak0114
1 minute ago, Weetabix7 said:

You need to name that Dendro Lazarus. 

I think the freaky thing on your glass that you were unsure of might be colonial hydroids.

It's definitely a fitting name!  I swear that thing has magical healing powers or something. 

 

I had wondered about the possibility of hydroids, I didn't realize that they could grow a "web" across the glass.  They'll probably end up getting wiped off at some point when I inevitably have to clean the glass (if they're still there at that point).  I'm going to do a little reading about them, it's amazing that after two and a half years I still come across new life.  That's the amazing thing about this hobby!

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fishfreak0114

I'm not sure if I mentioned, but the peanut worm made it through the electrocution alright.  The dendro still shuffles around in its pen from time to time.

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15 minutes ago, StinkyBunny said:

Those are indeed some sort of Colonial Hydroid. There's probably a nudibranch that eats them. You've done a very nice job with that tank, lots of micro fauna in there.

Are they going to attempt world domination?  Or can I leave them?  Thinking back, I'm pretty sure they've been on the glass before, but in a much smaller patch near the codium.  I had just assumed it was some gunk sticking to the glass.  And thanks :) I hope to get even more micro fauna soon.  I'm planning to ask on the local Facebook group if anyone has any stomatellas, limpets, chitons, worms, or other beneficial critters I can buy.  I think diversity is key to a healthy reef!

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Just watch them, if they start to get out of hand, it's time to bring the hammer down on them. There's a nudibranch forum that you might be able to ask if there's one that eats them. The down side to that is once their food source is gone they'll die. Some eat other things as well, but most are very specialized feeders.

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25 minutes ago, StinkyBunny said:

Just watch them, if they start to get out of hand, it's time to bring the hammer down on them. There's a nudibranch forum that you might be able to ask if there's one that eats them. The down side to that is once their food source is gone they'll die. Some eat other things as well, but most are very specialized feeders.

I'll keep a close eye.   I doubt I could find a nudibranch that eats them up here, I only ever see bergias and similar.  And even that can be hard to find sometimes.  I guess if it comes to all out war I'll have to be the one to do all the work.  Here's hoping they know what's best for them and keep their population small, because I hate killing things.

 

Edit: I just read a couple little bits about hydroids, and I think I'm going to leave it at that for now.  So many stories of them over running tanks........ :unsure:

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I saw your hydroid pics and I was like, wow, at least I don't have that creepiness in my tank. And I just got home and peeked in the tank AND I HAVE THEM TOO. I blame you.

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