Sleeping with the Fishes [a pe(s)t project]

[Weetabix7]

 

Those white circles are really unusual, I've never seen anything like it. 

I wonder if using a Poly-filter on this tank would be helpful to you. They remove a very wide range of contaminants and change color depending on the contaminant they remove. For example, if they remove copper, they turn blue. 

It's these: https://premiumaquatics.com/products/poly-filter-pad-single-4-8.html?gclid=CjwKEAiA0fnFBRC6g8rgmICvrw0SJADx1_zAlAHKghsMzZfJSZAsPXz3S769ucNGKpK-WGyPiQwxdhoCmZ7w_wcB

 

I've been using them for many years, with good success. 

[holy carp]

I do use Poly-Filter in the sump - the 4x8 pads.  I replace it every 2 months, and the one in there now was put in on Feb 6.  I should have written down the exact date I filled the vials for the Triton test (idiot!).  I think it was around Feb 15, in which case it sounds like Poly-Filter doesn't completely remove selenium, zinc, iron, or silicon...  Or else the source of introduction is extreme.

 

I'm going to do another Triton test after doing a few more water changes, and I also plan to do one on a fresh batch of saltwater (I'm currently using Tropic Marin Pro Reef) to make sure there's nothing coming in through my RODI or a contaminated bucket.  These tests are expensive, and while it's great for figuring out what you need to add to the tank, I don't really know how to remove things unless the source can be determined.

 

Right now, my tank has the following 'inputs' which could be introducing contaminants:

• Water
  • Weekly water change of ~25% with Tropic Marin and 0TDS RODI from my Spectrapure MaxCap
  • Topoff using same 0TDS RODI
• Fish Feeding
  • Frozen mysis, calanus, cyclops, LRS, SanFran carnivore cubes
  • Occasionally S.A. hatchery diet pellets (primarily via autofeeder when I'm away)
• Coral Feeding powders
  • Reef Roids
  • New Life Spectrum Nutri/Cell
  • BA Reef Blizzard
• Coral Feeding liquids
  • Continuum Coral Exponential
  • Continuum Micro Blast
• Elemental Supplements
  • ESV 2-part for Alkalinity and Calcium via doser
  • BA Reef Basis Mg or ESV Mg manually
• Bacterial Supplements (I have used each of these, though I don't use more than one in a given week)
  • MB7
  • MB Clean
  • Dr. Tim's Waste Away
  • Vibrant
• Filtration Media
  • Rox 0.8 Carbon (replaced monthly)
  • Phosguard (replaced bi-monthly)
  • Poly-Filter (replaced bi-monthly)
  • MarinePure block
• Equipment
  • Reef Octopus return pump
  • Tunze skimmer
• air / dust

 

[StinkyBunny]

The construction dust could very well cause these issues. Drywall dust has a plethora of crap in it as well as the joint compound. The Li contamination could also be from the Marinepure block too. I don't see them leaching very much at all. You could always add some carbon just to be sure for a few weeks.

[holy carp]

Good point.  I'll swap out my carbon tonight, and maybe as long as this construction is going on, I'll replace it biweekly instead of monthly.  I don't know when the construction started, but it's a likely culprit.  We'll have to see if I can get the building to address the seals of my walls.  This is where it's coming in on the opposite side of the room - about a week to 2 weeks worth of dust:

 

 

Yuck!

 

If I cover my display tank with cellophane until construction finishes, but leave the sump open, will I get enough oxygen exchange through the skimmer, or would I risk suffocating the reef?

[StinkyBunny]

I wouldn't cover the tank. I'd put some plastic drop cloths around it until the construction is done.

[holy carp]

Well, the tank seems to be going in a few directions right now.  

 

Some corals have been recovering from increased feeding - Sunset Monti and the pink monti have PE again, both the Jack-O-Lantern and Tangerine Juice leptoseris have improved tissue and color. 

 

Other corals seem to be holding steady, but not improving, like the platygyra that lost its color and had some tissue recession.  

 

And others continue to deteriorate slowly, like the base of the bonsai and the base of the green slimer, which has been receding in the shady spots for the last 2 months.  But the upper part remains healthy, so it may be partly that it's shading itself.

 

In other news, I had added 2 pom pom crabs a few weeks ago (3/11).  When I got them, the smaller (presumably) male had 2 pom poms, and the larger (carrying eggs) female had none.  During acclimation, they both immediately started wrestling or making out or doing what pom pom crabs do to one another.  By the time acclimation was done, it looked like they had torn up the pom poms into smaller pieces and each of them had what looked like 2.  Sharing is caring...

 

On 3/23 I hadn't seen the male in a while, but I saw that the female still had what looked like 2 pom poms. A larger in her right claw, and you can just make out a smaller one in her left:

 

Fast forward to 2 days ago I noticed that the female had one large pom (you can't see her left claw in the photo, but it was empty):

 

and the male sadly had none:

 

I was pretty disappointed by this, but then I was very surprised to see that last night, the female had already split her pom pom and had 2 smaller ones again.  (I tried to get a photo, but she hid when I shone a light in the tank)

 

Does anyone know how frequently they split their anemones?  Do they regularly lose their anemones? And is it likely that the smaller one will get a pom pom back from the female without intervention?  I feel bad because 'he' was the one who had them to begin with, and now he's just waving his tiny claws around.  The two seem to be residing in opposite sides of the tank.

 

[Mariaface]

I'd wait until the female has two large anemones (increased feeding should help, they'll mop up leftovers ), then encourage them to meet and duke it out again  

[teenyreef]

Wow, I see I really fell behind in your thread! Pom poms are so much fun to watch. They share and split their poms when they need to, although mine eventually seemed to lose them after a year or so. Probably the tank just wasn't a nem-friendly place for whatever reason. They also disappear for weeks at a time, and then come out and walk all over the tank like they were never gone.

[holy carp]

zoas

 

[holy carp]

Good news.  The female now has 2 pom poms, and the male has 1.  They seem to have switched rocks and now the female lives on the right and the male on the left.  So I don't know how it happened, but maybe it was like strangers in the night when they trading places.

 

I also was able to confirm the smaller one is a male when I examined the molt this weekend.  Do these pom pom crabs normally live alone or do they pair up?  Maybe he's still holding a grudge because she stole his pom poms.

[holy carp]

April FTS:

[Weetabix7]

Beautiful. 

[Mariaface]

That elegance is not messing around!

 

I love how hard the slimer's trying to escape  

[holy carp]

59 minutes ago, Mariaface said:

That elegance is not messing around!

 

I love how hard the slimer's trying to escape  

Yeah, the slimer is definitely overdue for a haircut.  And the Elegance's new home is starting to take shape - drilling and plumbing and then it will be wet.

[natalia_la_loca]

[Mariaface]

Can't wait to see the new home!!

[tanacharison]

FTS is looking really good and well planned!  How are you liking the Vario S Pump?  I'm thinking about the S4 for my new tank.

[holy carp]

Well, I'm coming up on a year with the VarioS 2 in another couple weeks, and I really can't say anything negative about it.  I don't normally get hung up on brands, but I do recognize quality, and this thing is solid.

 

The pump seems to show negligible loss of pressure/flow due to calcium/bacteria/slime buildup on the impeller and shaft.  I suspect this is aided by the secondary seal they've put over the ceramic shaft and magnet.  On my prior pump, I had to clean it out every other month to keep it running efficiently.  The calcium always deposited where the shaft inserts into the housing, presumably where the heat is generated.  I've cleaned this VarioS pump only once in the last year, and really more out of curiosity than need - there was almost nothing to clean after about 6 months of use.  Of course, this may also be due to the fact that the pump is considerably more powerful than my prior one.

 

That said, it's an extremely quiet pump.  At anything under 75%, I have to put my ear near the sump to hear it, and even at 100% is quiet enough that it's little more than a hum.  Vibration transmitted to the sump is not noticeable in my configuration, but I did use a section of soft silicone tubing to ensure isolation.  

 

The Apex controllability is a great feature for me, since the pump acts as both my return pump and powerhead for flow.  Setting different types of intensities and cycles throughout the day has been a great improvement.  I think you can accomplish this for cheaper with Jecod and Waveline pumps, but I don't have any experience with those to compare.

 

I have not yet implemented the float switch that comes with it, but might do so in the future to make it automatically switch off when I do water changes.

 

Hope that helps.

[metrokat]

Get your source water tested. Arce didn't believe me when I said it was his source water - he moved to a new home and new municipality and like magic his tank has improved. 

 

I was going to ask you what salt you are using and I see that it is Tropic Marine. Arce was using Neomarine and had high selenium and he was convinced it was the salt. 

 

Also, FWIW, Triton is not 100% gospel. You can see many experts reviews and post talk about cross contamination because the machines are cleaned only after about 32 tests.

So take that with a grain of salt. Oh look a pun. None intended.

[tanacharison]

That's some amazing feed back!  Thank you so much, all the reviews online are good but I wanted to hear from someone with a little hands on experience that also uses an apex.

[Geek]

Was this tank discontinued? I couldn't find one for sale. 

[holy carp]

@GeekI don't know that it's been discontinued, but I do know Marine Depot switched to AquaMaxx, which sells the same dimensions, but has some annoying branding laser-etched into the glass.  (Seriously, it's like it has a logo sticker that you can never remove)

 

I picked mine up at my LFS, but I haven't checked if they still stock or special order them.  Check with @LivingWaters who just picked on up (Mr. Aqua, not AquaMaxx)

[JcSH2o]

Hey there! Yes you can still can still aquire this tank from either Mr Aqua based in NorCal, or from Bulk Reef Supply (which is where I did). Tank at BRS was 113.99 for the low iron model

[JcSH2o]

48 minutes ago, holy carp said:

@GeekI don't know that it's been discontinued, but I do know Marine Depot switched to AquaMaxx, which sells the same dimensions, but has some annoying branding laser-etched into the glass.  (Seriously, it's like it has a logo sticker that you can never remove)

 

I picked mine up at my LFS, but I haven't checked if they still stock or special order them.  Check with @LivingWaters who just picked on up (Mr. Aqua, not AquaMaxx)

Hahaha yes the laser etch ugh.... What an ego move with that. And it was a prime reason why I didn't purchase it. I even messaged Marine Depot to make sure it was etched and not a sticker.

All 5 panels are low iron though, so I suppose if it wasn't to be viewed from all sides or if you were to black out the back you could always turn the tank around.

Personally I think I'll be happier with Mr Aqua. I think the edges are better done on those as well.

@holy carp your tank is certainly inspirational to say the least. Yowza what a beauty! ?

 

[holy carp]

Going to attempt a YouTube livestream for a while

 

OK, here it is trying the Live On YouTube! app. 

 

[EDIT: Here's the archived stream]