el_ote Posted June 14, 2018 Author Share Posted June 14, 2018 FTS 6-13-18 Added some of ReefCleaners macros. Good sized frags!! Gotta keep my calcium up for these guys. Picked up a pencil cap, money plant halimeda, and carpet halimeda for behind my rockwork. Any macro algae advise is welcome! 1 Quote Link to comment
el_ote Posted October 3, 2018 Author Share Posted October 3, 2018 tank is still chugging along. nothing seems to grow and everything just slowly dies off. my zoas/palys are the only thing really sticking around, but they dont grow really, they do, but not what i would expect them to. The GSP doesnt really take off either. i increased my light intensity since i brought it as far down as it would go and still look good because i was afraid the SB Reefs light was too powerful at 84W, but maybe i was starving everyone. The palys didnt seem to be stretching. i cant seem to get the phosphates down. just tested at >.64ppm after a 3 gallon water change yesterday (didnt have RO for the high range test ATM). I have cut back on my feedings and am only using pe pellets so i can make sure it mostly gets eaten. going to siphon out my sand bed tomorrow and fresh water rinse it. I hope that does it because i have no idea what's causing the high phosphates, i run chemipure blue in the HOB and rarely miss a weekly 2-3 gallon water change. only thing i can think of is that one of my rocks is leaching phosphates. one is from reefcleaners dry rocks, and the other is a jester6 rock so i trust them, but i just don't know whats going on... Most of the GHA is gone from the tank. a bit remains, but i just pluck it out when it gets long enough. Sorry for the bad pic, whites just went out and didnt want to fumble with getting them on and the blues off. Quote Link to comment
el_ote Posted October 5, 2018 Author Share Posted October 5, 2018 Last night, I scooped out all my sand and rinsed it till the water came out mostly clear and put it back in the tank. I then did a 5 gallon water change. I tested the phosphates today and they are down to .12ppm and nitrate at 14ppm. i will have to check the expiration date on my phosphate tester at home because that seems like a big drop. digging thru my sand bed i realized i need more snails. I'm hoping this keeps me in a healthier tank for a bit. I'll re-rinse the sand every few months. The increased light intensity has had the palys color up a lot more. 1 Quote Link to comment
Christopher Marks Posted October 5, 2018 Share Posted October 5, 2018 Sounds like a good deep cleaning for your tank! Hopefully your phosphates stay low, your test is a good sign after all that. Quote Link to comment
el_ote Posted October 6, 2018 Author Share Posted October 6, 2018 My Blood Shrimp and Squat Lobster! Blenny 2 Quote Link to comment
el_ote Posted October 7, 2018 Author Share Posted October 7, 2018 Hermit Crab Squat Lobster with Bristle Worm snack Halloween Hermit Crab Only my Randall's Pistol Shrimp hasn't come out for a pic. 2 Quote Link to comment
Lula_Mae Posted October 7, 2018 Share Posted October 7, 2018 A squat lobster! I tried a couple in my jar but no luck. Can you tell me more about it? How you acclimated, was it shipped, how long have you had it, whether it's shy or not? Anything else you can tell me? I just think they are so cool looking! 2 Quote Link to comment
el_ote Posted October 7, 2018 Author Share Posted October 7, 2018 4 hours ago, Lula_Mae said: A squat lobster! I tried a couple in my jar but no luck. Can you tell me more about it? How you acclimated, was it shipped, how long have you had it, whether it's shy or not? Anything else you can tell me? I just think they are so cool looking! Hey there. I have loved these squat lobsters for a while now also. They are super cool looking and funny too because they try to reach for anything that moves, but don't really make an effort against the big boys (fish). More like just posturing. For acclimation, I just temp acclimated and then added a bit of tank water into his bag a couple times, nothing really too serious. It was not shipped, I finally found a couple at my LFS Neptune's Aquatics and had to snag one. I've been waiting for another for a long time. I had one a while back and really loved it's antics. They have been less shy than my old porcelain crabs, but not as out going as my cleaner shrimps. He let me get up close with my phone to snap a pic, but scuttled away when I accidentally clinked the glass. He'll hang under a ledge most of the time with his arms reaching out and over the ledge. I think they're great but can get lost in a big tank. My rock has ledges all around so I think he's happy wandering around it throughout the day. I have only had this one about a week, but the last one was I had lasted a good long while. 2 Quote Link to comment
el_ote Posted October 12, 2018 Author Share Posted October 12, 2018 Added some MarinePure cubes as a kind of stand for my rocks. My hope is extra biological filtration,pod nursery, and an easier pathway dig for my pistol shrimp and future goby. I am still waiting to come across a nice Randall's goby. No pics of the cubes since I stirred things up and did a water change right after. I'll take some mañana. Quote Link to comment
Lula_Mae Posted October 12, 2018 Share Posted October 12, 2018 On 10/7/2018 at 10:08 AM, el_ote said: Hey there. I have loved these squat lobsters for a while now also. They are super cool looking and funny too because they try to reach for anything that moves, but don't really make an effort against the big boys (fish). More like just posturing. For acclimation, I just temp acclimated and then added a bit of tank water into his bag a couple times, nothing really too serious. It was not shipped, I finally found a couple at my LFS Neptune's Aquatics and had to snag one. I've been waiting for another for a long time. I had one a while back and really loved it's antics. They have been less shy than my old porcelain crabs, but not as out going as my cleaner shrimps. He let me get up close with my phone to snap a pic, but scuttled away when I accidentally clinked the glass. He'll hang under a ledge most of the time with his arms reaching out and over the ledge. I think they're great but can get lost in a big tank. My rock has ledges all around so I think he's happy wandering around it throughout the day. I have only had this one about a week, but the last one was I had lasted a good long while. Thanks for the info! Makes me want to try again haha. 1 Quote Link to comment
el_ote Posted October 12, 2018 Author Share Posted October 12, 2018 Here's the MarinePure Cubes in action at my office tank. The Jawfish dove right in after I took my hands outta the tank. Showing off his ninja skills 3 Quote Link to comment
el_ote Posted October 13, 2018 Author Share Posted October 13, 2018 Here's some shots of the tank with the cubes below my rockwork. Really want my goby now. I think it'll make a great tunnel system for the burrowers. Here's the Squat Lobster enjoying them too. And here's one of my newest frag 3 1 Quote Link to comment
Lula_Mae Posted October 13, 2018 Share Posted October 13, 2018 5 hours ago, el_ote said: Here's some shots of the tank with the cubes below my rockwork. Really want my goby now. I think it'll make a great tunnel system for the burrowers. Here's the Squat Lobster enjoying them too. And here's one of my newest frag Adorable astronaut frag is adorable! I bet those go for $$$ 2 Quote Link to comment
vlangel Posted October 15, 2018 Share Posted October 15, 2018 Ahh, just too cute! 1 Quote Link to comment
el_ote Posted October 17, 2018 Author Share Posted October 17, 2018 Thanks @Lula_Mae & @vlangel ! Definitely a cute overload and while getting him wasn't too much $, the upkeep is $$$... Lol 2 Quote Link to comment
vlangel Posted October 17, 2018 Share Posted October 17, 2018 6 hours ago, el_ote said: Thanks @Lula_Mae & @vlangel ! Definitely a cute overload and while getting him wasn't too much $, the upkeep is $$$... Lol Yep, you better start saving for his college fund, LOL. Seriously, enjoy every second with him. Everyone says this but its so true...time with your children goes fast and you only get to do it once. Those years are precious. Mine are grown up, married and having little ones of their own and I am loving being a grandparent. I like to look back at all the happy memories we made as a family though. 2 Quote Link to comment
el_ote Posted October 19, 2018 Author Share Posted October 19, 2018 Replaced the RO Membranes off our BRS RODI unit today. They sure tighten the heck outta it. I hadn't changed them out since we got it and that may or may not have been 6 years ago... Here's hoping for better water! Quote Link to comment
el_ote Posted November 4, 2018 Author Share Posted November 4, 2018 11-3-18 FTS Just after a water change. Consistent water changes has made a world of difference with my tank. I can probably do less that 3 gallons a week, but it's been working so I'll keep it up. Also moved all the MarinePure Cubes to below the rock on the left. Going to move most of the sand on that side to encourage my pistol shrimp to come out and dig. He just hides in the rockwork and I never get to see more than his claws. Maybe soon I'll try my luck with some acans again. Before all I did was kill them. Now maybe they stand a chance. 3 Quote Link to comment
el_ote Posted November 24, 2018 Author Share Posted November 24, 2018 Few pics from today: Picked up an RO Buddie with DI from here. I had a spare BRS Reactor that I was able to convert with their parts into an additional filtration stage to take care of the chloramines here in our water. Im keeping it in my waste water bucket for now while it makes my agua. Kids bought me the Nemo coffee cup a while ago at my height of this addiction of ours! Quote Link to comment
el_ote Posted January 15, 2019 Author Share Posted January 15, 2019 Everything is still alive and kicking. Swapped out my aquaclear 110 for the 20 or 30, forgot which I have. Also setup my jbj ato again. Trying it out without a timer on just the float switch cut into my lid instead of the bracket it comes with. I'm hoping this will keep the pesky snails away from it and make it less likely to fail. I want to grab a controller or one of those Alexa power strips and only keep the ato on for a minute 2-3 times a day as a more reliable safety measure. I got an Alexa for Christmas and am thinking of using it for my lights, aquaclear, and ato. 3 Quote Link to comment
el_ote Posted January 27, 2019 Author Share Posted January 27, 2019 Anemone nice and fluffy, GSP spreading over my pvc t fitting, zoas and palys spreading and the new acans and candy cane eating and fluffy. Aside from the aptasia, I'm pretty stoked with the tank right now! ...knock on wood Really want to get one of them orange filters for the phone. 2 Quote Link to comment
el_ote Posted March 4, 2019 Author Share Posted March 4, 2019 FTS. blasted the aiptasia I had that was getting way outta control with aptasiaX. That stuff worked pretty well. Picking off the little ones and the medium ones that are taking advantage of the big boys being gone now. Picked up some palys at the coral farmers market a couple of weeks ago. Got me a frag of purple deaths, captain America's, and what it think is a pink Zippers, forgot the name. Waiting on some gel filters I got off eBay to come in to have some better shots. Excited to see the new Bosch season coming up, rewatching first season now. Quote Link to comment
el_ote Posted March 5, 2019 Author Share Posted March 5, 2019 The filters came in. Lots of shades of orange. Took some quick shots. With my lights on full, the darker oranges came out better. I'll try with just my blues next time to see if I can't get some nicer coloration. 1 Quote Link to comment
Dantrasy Posted March 5, 2019 Share Posted March 5, 2019 Is your blenny still there? Quote Link to comment
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