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Ratvan's Old School Pico - Rockwall Pico v2


Ratvan

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Byropsis looks more like a proper plant and really, really roots down into your rockwork, feathery and kind of fern-looking, central-defined stem to it. Yours looks like the mushy GHA you can just about brush off, spot treat or dose peroxide and it will melt away ime.

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Just now, Amphrites said:

Byropsis looks more like a proper plant and really, really roots down into your rockwork, feathery and kind of fern-looking, central-defined stem to it. Yours looks like the mushy GHA you can just about brush off, spot treat or dose peroxide and it will melt away ime.

Ok definitely does not sound like what I have then, good. I wonder if anyone has a Algae Blenny I could borrow for a few days...... (half kidding)

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DSFIRSTSLTWATER
3 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

Ok definitely does not sound like what I have then, good. I wonder if anyone has a Algae Blenny I could borrow for a few days...... (half kidding)

I tried one and he didn't do a damn thing with the hair algae... he was lazy :lol:

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2 hours ago, Ratvan said:

I've seen that term banded about, what is the difference?

Good question.  I agree with @DSFIRSTSLTWATER that it has to do with going forward, towards maturity, versus taking a step back towards a more sterile, less bio-diverse system.

 

A restart sometimes involves new rock, or treating rocks (like with peroxide).  A cleanup is more like removing detritus, performing a water change, manual removal of algae...

 

If you can get some Astrea snails, they might be able to help control that algae.  However, the algae stage isn't always a bad sign.  All tanks go through stages.  The problem, in general, with stocking a tank too quickly (and I'm not necessarily saying that you have done this), is that the livestock has to live through these stages too (especially with difficult corals).

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So more of a Clean up compared to a restart. tank looks better this morning but I did have to move some corals around into different tanks. I also reduced the time that my lighting is active (from 14 (damn Timer) to 10 hours) this seems to have reduced the amount of algae that has reappeared over the weekend. I also noted that the tank gets a few hours of direct sunlight in the late afternoon so I have programmed the lights to switch off during this time. I have lost my other SPS attempt, slightly annoyed but until I can control the tank better 24/7 (can't with this being at work) I don't think I will try any further in this one. 

20190916_092959.thumb.jpg.26e27382ddaede7594be853dd541d5e6.jpg

 

Feeding the Clown and Gobies pellets by hand at the minute to ensure I don't overfed the tank, and algae

 

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So I am putting a fair amount of thought into what is to become of this tank when the contest ends, most of the Corals and Hantu are going to be making their way over to the larger system, I am also going to be taking down my Freshwater Window Tank at the same time, 3 tanks including lights is a little too much for the office. Which leaves me with what to do with the pair of Red Headed Gobies that are currently residing within this tank. So I have been looking at their natural habitat (Mexico, Belize and that area) and I found a delightful photograph of Red Headed Gobies on a Brain coral set against Macro Algae and Gorgonians. 

 

Mini Belize Biotope? Sounds nice

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50 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

Which leaves me with what to do with the pair of Red Headed Gobies that are currently residing within this tank.

I feel that I read somewhere that they have a relatively short lifespan.  You might keep that in mind for future plans.

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3 minutes ago, seabass said:

I feel that I read somewhere that they have a relatively short lifespan.  You might keep that in mind for future plans.

I have read 1 or two years. However I have seen what I believe to be mating behaviour.  

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15 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

I have seen what I believe to be mating behaviour.

That's very cool! :smilie:

 

Unfortunately, being such a small fish, raising the fry is quite difficult.  Still, it's nice that they are comfortable enough in your tank to breed.

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I think that a simple biotope like that would be pretty neat - it definitely sounds tedious to raise the fry from some quick reading, though not impossible. You had cultured or are culturing rotifers already? How is/was that going for you? Would that be sufficient?

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12 minutes ago, seabass said:

That's very cool! :smilie:

 

Unfortunately, being such a small fish, raising the fry is quite difficult.  Still, it's nice that they are comfortable enough in your tank to breed.

Well still spit balling at the minute but this gives me the incentive to move Hantu to the 5.5G until I can get the 34G running (hoping this weekend or next), I have been considering an external breeding box. I think that'll be larger than my tank however lol. 

Just now, Wonderboy said:

I think that a simple biotope like that would be pretty neat - it definitely sounds tedious to raise the fry from some quick reading, though not impossible. You had cultured or are culturing rotifers already? How is/was that going for you?

Yeah reading through @seabass cardinal fish thread it seems like a lot of work. Rotifers are pretty easy. When ever I want to add to the tank I pour in 50% of the culture every 3-5 days, take the same amount of water out the tank and sieve through into the rotifier culture again. I need to sort out some Phyto as well as that's getting a bit silly with Money

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20 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

This all rests on Hantu being caught and transferred to the 5.5g. So far not doing so well on the clownfish trapping

might have to dangle my finger over the net

Try baiting him with food and he should swim up to eat. Should be easier to nab him then. 

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Just now, Snow_Phoenix said:

Try baiting him with food and he should swim up to eat. Should be easier to nab him then. 

Probably will work, however going about my prep work for the area the 34G will be placed today, moving furniture, files, arranging cable trays so i can get power to the tank etc, etc. Aim to have it wet Friday 27th September and transferred over after the Pico contest ends so looking at full move on the 1st November or thereabouts. 

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1 hour ago, seabass said:

It's considered a cleaner goby.  It might be trying to establish a cleaning station. :unsure:

Good point, would explain why the Goby is where the Clown is as well

 

Decided that I am going to give Gorgonians a go have have found this online

https://thecoralcentre.co.uk/collections/gorgonian/products/gorgonian-twin-pack-1

 

1x Purple Plume

1x Photosynthetic 

 

Also starting work on tearing down the 8G freshwater windowsill tank that I have been running for a few years. I intend to set this up as a Red Headed Goby Habitat (also a great place to place the corals that no longer fit my Biotope theme). Took the Corydora, Snails and Betta to the LFS for credit along with the rock, plants and massive amount of Christmas Moss (£75.00)

 

Most likely set this tank up with a variety of substrate sizes and Macro Algae as it will stay on the windowsill and I have no practical method of mounting any lights to it. 

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Well still seem to be struggling with GHA. I dont really want to order anymore CuC as my LFS is terribad at the minute and I dont want to place an online order for a couple of snails. So I am scrubbing the GHA from my rocks and leaving it on the glass. When it gets "bad" I will scrape this off and hopefully not have to do this that often.

 

Wondering if it is direct sunlight that is causing this?

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Some swear natural light will just grow algae, but usually that's just on the glass. Could just be uglies or lack of competition, if you keep on it you'll likely win, one of the advantages of smaller tanks for sure.

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2 hours ago, seabass said:

I'd consider it more of a contributor than a cause.

 

21 minutes ago, Amphrites said:

Some swear natural light will just grow algae, but usually that's just on the glass. Could just be uglies or lack of competition, if you keep on it you'll likely win, one of the advantages of smaller tanks for sure.

Well just 4 more weeks.ish. This tank will make it across the finish line. 

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Right my LFS has one final chance today before I stop visiting them, I have been promised to be able to inspect and pick my own CuC (about bloody time) I'm going to beef up the CuC as a final attempt to get this under control. Water doesn't appear as cloudy as it did yesterday (looked "milky") but tested today and yesterday and all Parameters are within acceptable levels. Nitrates 20PPM and Phosphate 0.3.

 

I moved some CuC from my 5.5G yesterday and the GHA doesn't seem to be quite as prolific as it was yesterday.

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