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MainelyReefer

Doing a 100% WC today as the vibrant may have upset the blasto wellsi's and blue trumpet; everything else is normal, but that's anecdotal.  So to maximize on the WC I tried feeding mysis in large quantities to the corals, man it takes them a while to consume the larger size foods, and some couldn't even.  I left the pump off for an hour and it took many of them even longer.

Overly Ambitious Trumpet?

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Successful Trumpet!

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The true standout was my dark purple acan who housed like 5 of the shrimps and its mouth opened up almost as wide as its body to cram them in.  I'm still waiting on the WC to heat up and the corals are actually looking more normal so I'm still under the impression only feeding immediately before the WC isn't necessarily the best/only method, even though it's drilled into readers in the new coral magazine that that's the proper way to run a pico.  Lots of hearsay in coral keeping, but with the proven longevity of the tanks they showcase its obvious their methods work, just curious if another route can have similar results, especially if pest algaes are kept at bay successfully.  Perhaps my tank will be a guinea pig

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fishfreak0114

I hav fed once or twice without doing a water change after with no ill efffects. I’m not even using clean water to begin with (it comes from my other tank) so I would think I’d see more negative effects. The corals seem to like it!  That over ambitious trumpet is hilarious! :lol: 

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MainelyReefer

That trumpet puffed up round like a bowling ball, I called my wife over to look and it projectile pooped!  Turkey basted up what I could but perhaps I will do another WC tomorrow as it's easy and there sure to be more poo from the acans and the waters still a bit murky, a whole cube of mysis might have been overkill!

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MainelyReefer

Tank is doing great with the exception of one head on my red/green blasto, I have only just got into blastos since the beginning of the Competition so don't have much experience assessing their needs, but other corals have trained me enough to know when something's up.  The head in question was the larger of the two when I added it, and baby blastos are popping up around its sides, but I have always felt it's a bit too angled to catch the light enough, and this angle makes it hard to feed as food sloughs off before it can consume it. Without my reflector it is almost fully shaded, and removing the reflector makes it even worse. So my initial reaction is lighting and feeding are the issue but I'm not a big fan of moving corals just because it has seemed stressed for a week or two, that's a dangerous rabbit hole.  So I'm looking for opinions on it.IMG_2893.thumb.JPG.76e321a81bfa5e647ea8342054cff5de.JPG

even the red rim is a lighter pink than the deep red of the upper head.  I don't suspect any foul play by other residents of the bowl as the closest thing is the other blasto(shouldn't be aggressive towards other blastos right?) and the neon green trumpet which have always been inert IME.

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Open to any and all suggestions, and just wanted Atleast a second opinion before I move it to higher light/ Reglue it to face more upwards.  Thanks!

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It certainly looks peeved. Blastos can be funny sometimes. Any way you can take it out for a Lugol's dip? I have one blasto that is particularly finicky and has shriveled up for a few days from time to time and doing a Lugol's dip has helped reverse the issues. 

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MainelyReefer

I could remove it to dip but have never personally dipped a coral before so the only product I have is the free sample of Koral MD we received from brightwell aquatics.  Is this an equivalent or should I go hunt down some lugols?  It would give me a chance to reglue its position too, two birds with one stone.  The isolation to the more shaded head really makes me feel like it's a lighting issue, if it was bacterial or similar wouldn't the entire coral be equally affected?  If it wasn't in the competition tank I would be scrambling to get it more light, I do have a replacement CFL that I plan to exchange so as to have max intensity as they have a 6 month life and figure there must be some intensity loss in the 3 months it has been run.  I just don't want to try too many corrective measures all at once and lose sight of what helped.  Assuming one of the actions does help.

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4 hours ago, GraniteReefer said:

I could remove it to dip but have never personally dipped a coral before so the only product I have is the free sample of Koral MD we received from brightwell aquatics.  Is this an equivalent or should I go hunt down some lugols?  It would give me a chance to reglue its position too, two birds with one stone.  The isolation to the more shaded head really makes me feel like it's a lighting issue, if it was bacterial or similar wouldn't the entire coral be equally affected?  If it wasn't in the competition tank I would be scrambling to get it more light, I do have a replacement CFL that I plan to exchange so as to have max intensity as they have a 6 month life and figure there must be some intensity loss in the 3 months it has been run.  I just don't want to try too many corrective measures all at once and lose sight of what helped.  Assuming one of the actions does help.

I think the Brightwell dip is more for pests, though I haven't examined the ingredient list. If it has Lugol's in it, you could try it. I use Kent brand Lugol's but I believe some have used regular drug store iodine even. I believe Brightwell makes Lugol's too. I find Lugol's can sometimes help ailing corals even when it's not an infection issue, like last spring when my acan hated my 800 mile move so much I thought I'd lose it. A couple daily Lugol's dips and a couple days lights out (as recommended by someone here) helped it slowly recover. In your case it may well just be the position/lighting, though a dip wouldn't hurt. I do a couple drops in a cup or so of tank water for 3-5 minutes. Sometimes if a coral is really mad, I'll do a more tea-colored solution with extra Lugol's in it. Lugol's is one of the tools I like to keep on hand since it's so versatile and useful.

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Oh, and I have had those CFL bulbs burn out on me at three months several times, so I'd definitely make sure the replacement works! Always good to have extras on hand with those lol.

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MainelyReefer

I ended up putting that blasto in my 40 and not doing anything else to it, it seems more inline with how I have always reefed.  Thanks for the suggestions and if it doesn't improve in the next few weeks perhaps I will try the dip.  If I had the option of more light in the pico I would have left it and increased light but the only way I could successfully try what I thought it needed was relocation to the 40.  I will update with its health in the future.  Also the Koral MD says to wear goggles and gloves.... no thanks who knows what's in that junk. There is definitely a bare spot front and center now but I will fill it in with something soon(lower light Coral for sure).  I also hit the green trumpet a bit as I was removing the blasto and tore some flesh but it will surely be ok.  I had second thoughts on GSP on the back glass and removed that too just so in the long run I don't regret it's addition.IMG_2921.thumb.JPG.712fcf39889c97973aa14b6b8b6f05f8.JPG

once lights go out tonight I will be exchanging the current bulb for a new one(same brand and wattage just new) just because I own it and likely won't use them after the contest so might as well maximize their use.

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MainelyReefer

Tank fed yesterday with 1tsp chalicepower/1 tsp Goniopower mixed together.  Strong feeding response.

WC performed 24 hours later today, tank was basted, drained, filled, drained , then filled again.  Always feels like a waste of water, I know this husbandry method works but water filtration is my business!  It pains me! Funniest part is I will probably end up continueing in this fashion indefinitely because it's working and I haven't come up with a plan on how to add filtration post contest. Also there is this neon orange speck in my sand that has me perplexed! It's the brightest color in the tank and matches none of the corals.  Almost looks fake. Picture does it no justice, it's far brighter in person than the orange Rics IMG_2932.thumb.JPG.005f21b6a6c77a0d76b9160667c9def4.JPG

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MainelyReefer

Tank super stoked post WC

Acan side

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that yellow sponge under the acan to the left shows up so bright.  The lavender acans in the back are finally starting to regain ground over the skeleton that became exposed from algae/alk issues when they were in my 40.  And the acan that the sexys ate is still chilling maybe regrowing a little.

Trumpet side

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That acan thinks it can eat a pineapple sponge! No bubble algae has resurfaced so inspite of my worrying because one popped I think I made it away unscathed 

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21 hours ago, GraniteReefer said:

Tank fed yesterday with 1tsp chalicepower/1 tsp Goniopower mixed together.  Strong feeding response.

WC performed 24 hours later today, tank was basted, drained, filled, drained , then filled again.  Always feels like a waste of water, I know this husbandry method works but water filtration is my business!  It pains me! Funniest part is I will probably end up continueing in this fashion indefinitely because it's working and I haven't come up with a plan on how to add filtration post contest. Also there is this neon orange speck in my sand that has me perplexed! It's the brightest color in the tank and matches none of the corals.  Almost looks fake. Picture does it no justice, it's far brighter in person than the orange Rics IMG_2932.thumb.JPG.005f21b6a6c77a0d76b9160667c9def4.JPG

To add filtration-I wonder if something like a small canister filter might be a possibility? I also read something about an attachment to, I think an air pump, that allows the addition of carbon, I don't remember what it was called though. Someone on here used lily pipes added to a regular size canister filter on his gorgeous little ADA tank. I can't remember the username but it was a TOTM a while back with gorgs and rics.

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MainelyReefer

Pongpits canister filter driven pico comes to mind.  One LFS around here swears by the small airpump driven filters and has them in all the tanks.  I likely will leave it as is because it's been working and I can't imagine were extra interior equipment would be placed or exterior for that matter as it will stay a kitchen pico.  Plus if the corals grow in response to the available flow now, altering it in 3 more months could change it all up on them.  The corals have stopped appearing stressed post WC and while I may have been difficult/reluctant to the husbandry techniques to begin with I have grown to understand they work and have actually come up with a cool little routine to perform the maintanence.  It involves a bucket with a 3/8" john guest(JG) bulkhead installed on the bottom and that gets placed ontop of my fridge and it has a small inline JG ball valve to turn flow on and off so it's easy to put water back in without spilling it and making the tank a mess.  Perhaps I will grab a video of the process one day when my kitchen is clean! And because every lengthy post should Atleast contain a photo here's one of the hammer and rastas. One of my favorite spots in the tank with the red coralline starting on the rocks and purple on the lift pipe.

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MainelyReefer

Video I made during my snow day today.  Don't mind the dirty floor and house, or the screaming baby who is in his pack and play knocking stuff over(dad life)!  I clean the glass half way through and it improves haha it was a last minute decision to record it!  I also don't know how to be fancy and embed music so I just played an album, here's to hoping I don't get sued over it.  Enjoy! my wife says the last 2 minutes are the ones worth watching haha!

 

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On 1/16/2018 at 6:08 PM, GraniteReefer said:

Pongpits canister filter driven pico comes to mind.  One LFS around here swears by the small airpump driven filters and has them in all the tanks.  I likely will leave it as is because it's been working and I can't imagine were extra interior equipment would be placed or exterior for that matter as it will stay a kitchen pico.  Plus if the corals grow in response to the available flow now, altering it in 3 more months could change it all up on them.  The corals have stopped appearing stressed post WC and while I may have been difficult/reluctant to the husbandry techniques to begin with I have grown to understand they work and have actually come up with a cool little routine to perform the maintanence.  It involves a bucket with a 3/8" john guest(JG) bulkhead installed on the bottom and that gets placed ontop of my fridge and it has a small inline JG ball valve to turn flow on and off so it's easy to put water back in without spilling it and making the tank a mess.  Perhaps I will grab a video of the process one day when my kitchen is clean! And because every lengthy post should Atleast contain a photo here's one of the hammer and rastas. One of my favorite spots in the tank with the red coralline starting on the rocks and purple on the lift pipe.

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I had forgotten Pongpit used a canister. I was thinking of another though. The water change deal sounds pretty neat!

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MainelyReefer

New theory on what was stressing my Blasto! Now the red blasto is stressed on one side and those isopods(i think thats what they are) appear to be consuming it's flesh.  The red blasto was healthy and happy yesterday and today it's left side is teeming with the isopods and I can visually see them consuming it's flesh exposing the skeleton below.  It's super hard to photo graph them as they are a dull grey but you can clearly see the exposed skeleton.  Included is my most recent clear photo of it from Sunday or you could see it in yesterday's video when it was 100% ok. And also a photo of it right nowIMG_2921.thumb.JPG.54a55a7f21ed7f15eaf0df52e7a733b7.JPGIMG_2985.thumb.JPG.1d3a55e44ef3c59d6ee036b7875182f3.JPG

my first thought is to get a predator to eat the isopods but that's quite limited in the pico, perhaps a trap to lower their numbers?  I threw in some pellets and most of them went after those thinking there may just not be enough food for their now booming population, however that may only encourage the growth of more leading to further destruction.  I also basted the persistent ones off the side. Thoughts?

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MainelyReefer

Potentially looking to get a single YCG this weekend to curb their numbers and hopefully put a stop to their tomfoolery, do you think it will work to manage their population? Will a YCG eat a pod this big?  I had already decided against a fish in here due to increased work to maintain but if it plays a vital role it would be worth it. Plus it could be moved later on

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MainelyReefer

All out warfare is being declared against these devil pods!  Now that I am paying close attention to their actions I noticed they are harassing my stomatella, no one messes with my stomatellas!  It's so sad to watch the stomatella helplessly move away, the larger ones even try shifting their small shells towards the offenders.  Hopefully whatever clown goby my LFS has will bring the wrath down on these bastards!

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MainelyReefer

Good news and bad news, the blasto is healing itself quite rapidly from all the shenanigans, bad news is I caught the killer pods decimating a Rasta Zoa polyp this morning, I got a video I will post up later showing it but it's on my wife's phone.  I will be checking a LFS later to see if they have a suitable predator for these things. Stay tuned

Healing Blasto

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O dear, I intentionally seeded my reef jar with copepods and isopods.  I figured they would make great detritivores.  I have never even seen any of them since they were seeded.  Maybe they are getting enough to eat with my twice a week heavy feeding, ( she says with fingers crossed).

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MainelyReefer

The worst part is I also purposely added these pods from my main tank where they live in the refugium and I have never had issues in there, perhaps because I feed daily in there? And only weekly in the pico.  Regretting their addition for sure as when I change the filter floss in my 40 I always throw a few away with it every time and I saved a few of them and placed them into the pico at start up, also my fish in there eat them like candy so that may keep them from the display, thus saving my corals.

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