Seadragon Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 5 minutes ago, IHaveADegreeInMarineBioBut said: I know I've been asking a lot of questions, but my tank just isn't sitting right. The GSP seem to really be struggling and I still have GHA. I haven't gotten the test kits, but I think I may give in and buy a phosphate one, at least. Right now my API kit is testing: Ammonia: 0 Nitrite: 0 Nitrate: not exactly 0, but definitely no where close to 5 Calcium: 400 Phosphate: 0.25 Alk: 11 Salinity: 35 I only have the goby, so I feel pellets once a day, or every other day. Does anyone know what could be going on? Could my built up sand bed really be releasing that many phosphates? I was looking over your numbers, as for the GSP, if it seems to be struggling, here's what worked for me: I've been keeping my salinity at 1.0245 Specific Gravity and I'm noticing that all of my corals are much happier (compared to when it was too high) particularly the Xenia. Make sure the GSP is getting good flow and good lighting. I noticed that when I feed the School NR, the moment I remove the lighting and turn off the circulation pumps, the Green Star Polyps start going into hiding and then slowly return once I turn back on the pumps and put back on the lighting. Quote Link to comment
IHaveADegreeInMarineBioBut Posted January 21, 2020 Author Share Posted January 21, 2020 Just now, Seadragon said: I was looking over your numbers, as for the GSP, if it seems to be struggling, here's what worked for me: I've been keeping my salinity at 1.0245 Specific Gravity and I'm noticing that all of my corals are much happier (compared to when it was too high) particularly the Xenia. Make sure the GSP is getting good flow and good lighting. I noticed that when I feed the School NR, the moment I remove the lighting and turn off the circulation pumps, the Green Star Polyps start going into hiding and then slowly return once I turn back on the pumps and put back on the lighting. I will start to move it down, then! The xenia are pretty happy, considering I've taken them out of the tank twice for the aiptasia. Mushroom is mushroom as ever. And the GSP, well I moved it a few days ago. I just moved the powerhead a little more to direct flow because it is noticeably starting to die. I also saw an asterina on it twice (the second time he got flushed). So a big section of it hasn't opened the last 24 hours. The other half looks.. okay, though? Quote Link to comment
Clown79 Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 On 12/9/2019 at 5:12 PM, IHaveADegreeInMarineBioBut said: Almost a year running! No casualties besides my GSP and feather duster 😞 (knock on wood) A little murky because I just cleaned it a few hours ago. I'm thinking to move the rock around and create more of a center piece. But how feasible is this? Especially in such a small tank? Also, thinking about updating lighting... but we'll see. Feather dusters are filter feeders so they need food. Gsp likes nutrients and flow. Without either they have issues. Depending on the lighting you have will depend on coral growth and longevity as well as algae growth. Plants grow best under certain spectrums as do corals. Quote Link to comment
IHaveADegreeInMarineBioBut Posted January 21, 2020 Author Share Posted January 21, 2020 3 minutes ago, Clown79 said: Feather dusters are filter feeders so they need food. Gsp likes nutrients and flow. Without either they have issues. Depending on the lighting you have will depend on coral growth and longevity as well as algae growth. Plants grow best under certain spectrums as do corals. I was trying to supplement with phytoplankton, but yeah one day it just took a turn for the worse. I have a Current USA Orbit Marine at 100% blue, 65% white, 10% red, and 10% green for about 7 hours right now. I lowered the period just while I combat the GHA. Quote Link to comment
Seadragon Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 13 minutes ago, IHaveADegreeInMarineBioBut said: I lowered the period just while I combat the GHA. Could you take some macroshots of the GHA and the now-struggling GSP? Just to give us an idea of how bad it may be? Thanks! 🙂 The longer I'm in the hobby, the more fond I become of all the "pests" within my tanks. It makes the tank more interesting to look at as long as no one thing becomes too dominant. In the case of GHA, besides having good biodiversity and coralline algae everywhere that helps keep GHA in check, I also have Mexican Turbo Snails that like to munch on nuisance algae such as GHA. And the little bit of GHA that does survive, I either look at it as part of the family or I rip it out with my little tweezers when it becomes too long. It likes to grow in the crevices where my Mexican Turbo Snails cannot reach, like between my Candy Cane corals... but, it still has me to contend with. 😈 Quote Link to comment
Clown79 Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 22 minutes ago, IHaveADegreeInMarineBioBut said: I was trying to supplement with phytoplankton, but yeah one day it just took a turn for the worse. I have a Current USA Orbit Marine at 100% blue, 65% white, 10% red, and 10% green for about 7 hours right now. I lowered the period just while I combat the GHA. Red and white light is great for algae growth. Cutting photo period just controls algae but doesn't fix the cause. If you have no nutrients or very little that can encourage pest algaes and even worse, dino's. If you use api phosphate tester, it's pretty useless for reef tanks because it's high range. Quote Link to comment
IHaveADegreeInMarineBioBut Posted January 21, 2020 Author Share Posted January 21, 2020 21 minutes ago, Seadragon said: Could you take some macroshots of the GHA and the now-struggling GSP? Just to give us an idea of how bad it may be? Thanks! 🙂 The longer I'm in the hobby, the more fond I become of all the "pests" within my tanks. It makes the tank more interesting to look at as long as no one thing becomes too dominant. In the case of GHA, besides having good biodiversity and coralline algae everywhere that helps keep GHA in check, I also have Mexican Turbo Snails that like to munch on nuisance algae such as GHA. And the little bit of GHA that does survive, I either look at it as part of the family or I rip it out with my little tweezers when it becomes too long. It likes to grow in the crevices where my Mexican Turbo Snails cannot reach, like between my Candy Cane corals... but, it still has me to contend with. 😈 You can kind of see little tufts on the rock here: The filter especially grows GHA, but I cleaned it less than a week ago. The little green area towards the lower left side is where it's down to the skeleton. The other side of the tank stays GHA free, mostly. 1 Quote Link to comment
IHaveADegreeInMarineBioBut Posted January 21, 2020 Author Share Posted January 21, 2020 13 minutes ago, Clown79 said: Red and white light is great for algae growth. Cutting photo period just controls algae but doesn't fix the cause. If you have no nutrients or very little that can encourage pest algaes and even worse, dino's. If you use api phosphate tester, it's pretty useless for reef tanks because it's high range. I will turn down reds and whites! Is reducing them from 10% to 2% and 65% to 45%, respectively, too drastic at first? Quote Link to comment
Clown79 Posted January 21, 2020 Share Posted January 21, 2020 15 minutes ago, IHaveADegreeInMarineBioBut said: I will turn down reds and whites! Is reducing them from 10% to 2% and 65% to 45%, respectively, too drastic at first? Red is already in the white so it's not even really necessary to run. What do you keep in your filter and how is the media maintained? What do you feed and how often? Are you dosing anything? Do you Turkey baste rocks, vacuum sand? How much flow is in the tank? What are your nitrates and phos levels today? 1 Quote Link to comment
IHaveADegreeInMarineBioBut Posted January 21, 2020 Author Share Posted January 21, 2020 15 minutes ago, Clown79 said: Red is already in the white so it's not even really necessary to run. Just turned down the red to 0% and white to 45%! What do you keep in your filter and how is the media maintained? I have a mesh bag that I keep imagitrium activated carbon pellets in. I change the carbon and rinse the bag every ~3 weeks. What do you feed and how often? I feed once a day/every other day. Either ~5 Seaweed Extreme small pellets, or a very, very small pinch of Pure Aquatic Color Flakes. Are you dosing anything? No. Do you Turkey baste rocks, vacuum sand? I vacuum the sand about twice a month and waft the rocks/suck up debris off the rocks. How much flow is in the tank? I have one Sun JVP-110 530 GPH Wave Maker. What are your nitrates and phos levels today? As of an hour ago, Ammonia: 0 Nitrite: 0 Nitrate: not exactly 0, but definitely no where close to 5 Calcium: 400 Phosphate: 0.25 Alk: 11 Salinity: 35 1 Quote Link to comment
Seadragon Posted January 25, 2020 Share Posted January 25, 2020 Keep us updated on the GSP situation. If you ever figure out what's causing the problems with the GSP and if the GSP you have dies and you need more, let me know, I'll give you a nice size chunk of mine for free (you pay for shipping of course 😉). I got plenty extra in the School NR and I don't mind at all ripping off a chunk to help out a fellow hobbyist and save you some $$$ in the process. I believe some LFS charge way too much for something that I'd be happy to give away for free. 1 Quote Link to comment
IHaveADegreeInMarineBioBut Posted January 25, 2020 Author Share Posted January 25, 2020 14 minutes ago, Seadragon said: Keep us updated on the GSP situation. If you ever figure out what's causing the problems with the GSP and if the GSP you have dies and you need more, let me know, I'll give you a nice size chunk of mine for free (you pay for shipping of course 😉). I got plenty extra in the School NR and I don't mind at all ripping off a chunk to help out a fellow hobbyist to save you some $$$. I believe some LFS charge way too much for something I'd be happy to give away for free. I tried blasting my 'colony' off a bit, so we'll see. But the other half still hasn't opened. That is very generous, and I may take you up on that. Where in PA are you?? Quote Link to comment
Seadragon Posted January 25, 2020 Share Posted January 25, 2020 48 minutes ago, IHaveADegreeInMarineBioBut said: I tried blasting my 'colony' off a bit, so we'll see. But the other half still hasn't opened. That is very generous, and I may take you up on that. Where in PA are you?? I'm not that far away from the VF Outlet Center in Reading if you know where that is. 1 Quote Link to comment
IHaveADegreeInMarineBioBut Posted January 26, 2020 Author Share Posted January 26, 2020 5 hours ago, Seadragon said: I'm not that far away from the VF Outlet Center in Reading if you know where that is. Ah you're a little over 2 hours away. Hmm... I'll definitely consider it, and if I'm ever going out to Lancaster haha. But I've just ordered a Mg test cause my Ca is running low while my alk is high, so I'm seeing what my Mg is. And then hopefully!!!! It will turn into the pest it's supposed to be!! Also.. I saw a colony probably 1/4 of yours for $50 at Petco... but I did get my toadstool for $30 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment
Wingy Posted January 26, 2020 Share Posted January 26, 2020 When your GSP is closed is the mat purple or a brownish or rusty color in between the bumps? If it is anything but purple give it a gentle scrub with a soft toothbrush to remove the gunk that gets stuck and builds up. Also try to keep your snails away from it for a few days. They could be disturbing the mat if it was recently fragged. Quote Link to comment
IHaveADegreeInMarineBioBut Posted January 26, 2020 Author Share Posted January 26, 2020 4 hours ago, Wingy said: When your GSP is closed is the mat purple or a brownish or rusty color in between the bumps? If it is anything but purple give it a gentle scrub with a soft toothbrush to remove the gunk that gets stuck and builds up. Also try to keep your snails away from it for a few days. They could be disturbing the mat if it was recently fragged. Yes, browinish/rusty. I did blow some of it off yesterday, and there mayyyyy be more polyps open. But I think I will blow it off again tomorrow. Could this really make them that grumpy?? Quote Link to comment
Wingy Posted January 28, 2020 Share Posted January 28, 2020 Absolutely. I don't know if they are tickled/irritated by it or if it seals the tube so the polyp can't come out. I give mine a light scrub once a week. 2 Quote Link to comment
IHaveADegreeInMarineBioBut Posted January 30, 2020 Author Share Posted January 30, 2020 The magnesium test came! And I'm either extremely disappointed or overjoyed that I've found the problem in my tank. I've tested it twice, and I keep getting this result: With no reagent left! It also says that I'm supposed to take the reading from the upper plug.. so since it's turned upside down, is the upper one 0.15 or 0.23? Or is my reading 0.0 because there's no reagent.. ? Quote Link to comment
IHaveADegreeInMarineBioBut Posted February 2, 2020 Author Share Posted February 2, 2020 GSP: Dead But very happy with everything else (the toadstool frag didn’t come with a stem but hoping it grows one fast) 🙂 Quote Link to comment
Seadragon Posted February 3, 2020 Share Posted February 3, 2020 Your Xenia looks to be doing well! I noticed in my Office NR, my Pom Pom Xenia also seems to be growing quite well. Least we got that going for us. 🙂 Quote Link to comment
IHaveADegreeInMarineBioBut Posted February 3, 2020 Author Share Posted February 3, 2020 3 hours ago, Seadragon said: Your Xenia looks to be doing well! I noticed in my Office NR, my Pom Pom Xenia also seems to be growing quite well. Least we got that going for us. 🙂 xenia IS un-killable unlike GSP haha. Hoping it starts to spread soon! I think it's very happy where it is 🙂 thinking of getting some zoas next. and a frogspawn later down the road.... also still debating whether to get another light or not.. and another powerhead. oh and ALSO ALSO.. properly starting a journal. i need to take some DSLR photos. But I want things to grow out more 2 Quote Link to comment
Wingy Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 22 hours ago, IHaveADegreeInMarineBioBut said: xenia IS un-killable unlike GSP haha. Hoping it starts to spread soon! I think it's very happy where it is 🙂 thinking of getting some zoas next. and a frogspawn later down the road.... also still debating whether to get another light or not.. and another powerhead. oh and ALSO ALSO.. properly starting a journal. i need to take some DSLR photos. But I want things to grow out more I cannot keep xenia alive. I am on my second try and it is not going well. I got the pieces from different vendors in different states. The other day I scooted it to the back where I don't have to see it mocking me. I can keep GSP and knopia. Go figure. 1 Quote Link to comment
IHaveADegreeInMarineBioBut Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 22 minutes ago, Wingy said: I cannot keep xenia alive. I am on my second try and it is not going well. I got the pieces from different vendors in different states. The other day I scooted it to the back where I don't have to see it mocking me. I can keep GSP and knopia. Go figure. I have the little stump of GSP still in the front haha. I am hopeful one day I'll look in and it will have taken over the tank. So funny how particular they actually are.. Quote Link to comment
Wingy Posted February 4, 2020 Share Posted February 4, 2020 I noticed a tiny starfish on the glass. Watch that it doesn't try to clean up the gsp rock. Quote Link to comment
IHaveADegreeInMarineBioBut Posted February 4, 2020 Author Share Posted February 4, 2020 Just now, Wingy said: I noticed a tiny starfish on the glass. Watch that it doesn't try to clean up the gsp rock. I do have asterina, for years now; think they came over during the transfer. I have never had a problem with them, never see them on any other corals. But I DID see them on the GSP a few times. And I do think that had something to do with it dying in some way :-(. My next itch to scratch is trying my hand at zoas. So we'll see if it's really the asterina or not.. or the fish store! Cause I really don't trust them tbh. Quote Link to comment
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