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Coral Vue Hydros

Wingy's "Old School Pico Reef" now a 5 gallon rimless


Wingy

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On 7/6/2020 at 7:11 AM, Wingy said:

When did GSP become more expensive than common euphyllia?  It is crazy.  A little inch square piece of plain green GSP on some rubble costs $40? 

Was it some kind of special neon GSP?? That sounds ridiculous

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Plain GSP.  I have a baseball size rock of bright long  tentacle gsp that is starting to branch.  I may see what the lfs would trade for it.  

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I will try to get some pictures tonight.  Hopefully the frogspawn will not be grumpy tonight.   I cleaned the impeller which changed the flow.

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On 7/6/2020 at 10:11 AM, Wingy said:

When did GSP become more expensive than common euphyllia?  It is crazy.  A little inch square piece of plain green GSP on some rubble costs $40? 

The prices these days are weird! I can't tell if it's due to the Covid-19 chaos, a change in reefing trends, or a change in regional collection laws? Maybe all of them?

 

I haven't been making many purchases or paying attention to prices for the last few years though, so what do I know? 🤪

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As everyone it trying to cool their tank I am trying to insulate it to try and keep it warm.  The AC blows on the left corner and from behind so I have styrofoam sheets along the back and side and boxes piled on the ledge behind.  

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I had an aaha moment and with some bits I had handy built a attachment to turn my HOB into a vacuum for the substrate.  The process needs some tweeking to use in small spaces but over all I am really happy with the job it did.  

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Adding one tick of the red/green in my light has really made a difference.  The color is starting to come back in the JF star gazers.of course now I have algae growing in the substrate again. What is available that will clean the top layer of substrate and is suitable for a 5 gallon?  

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20 hours ago, Wingy said:

Adding one tick of the red/green in my light has really made a difference.  The color is starting to come back in the JF star gazers.of course now I have algae growing in the substrate again. What is available that will clean the top layer of substrate and is suitable for a 5 gallon?  

Dwarf Ceriths, and I always find that hermits turn over the top layer of mine as well quite nicely. Nassarius to a certain point but sure as you know not to expect them to eat it just keep it moving when they bury/unbury.

 

If you find anything else let me know, that's one of my main struggles 

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I have a single blue leg hermit and with he has no interest in the bottom or he is lazy.  I can try the snails.  Turning it over may help.  

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It works but but still needs some tweeking.  I would like the tube smaller to get into the corners better so I would rather it not get so dirty during the week and I just do routine cleaning on Sunday.  

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Would micro brittle stars make a difference in keeping the top layer of the substrate clean?  I can call around and see if any of the lfs will sell me some or I can order a group of 6 but they are kind of expensive and 6 sounds like a lot to add to a 5 gallon.. 

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1 minute ago, Wingy said:

Would micro brittle stars make a difference in keeping the top layer of the substrate clean?  I can call around and see if any of the lfs will sell me some or I can order a group of 6 but they are kind of expensive and 6 sounds like a lot to add to a 5 gallon.. 

I have purposely added 6 Micro Brittle and 6 Stomatella to my 2.5G Pico, never see them and not noticed the sand particularly cleaner. 

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Cerith, dwarf cerith and planaxis do a decent job with sand turnover for me, though I definitely still have to vacuum it every week. I don't see pico-sized tank residents doing much in comparison to those you can get in larger tanks and even then, you'll still have to clean the sand a fair bit.

 

Let us in on your gravel vac design if you figure out something with making the tubing thinner. The 1 inch diameter classic gravel vacs are a bit big to get in all the nooks and crannies of my pico without moving the rocks, so I've been considering making a DIY gravel vac like this out of a submersible pump and 1/2" or 3/4" tubing myself.

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One of the crabs pushed the single headed duncan off the rock, head first into the frogspawn.  I don't  know how long it was in there.  The duncans tentacles are out now but one side looks withered and droopy.  Is there any chance the duncan will be ok?  

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I am thinking of replacing the HOB with a  Tunze Comline Nanofilter 3161. The overhead water flow is just pounding the heck out of things.    I am hoping @risk1994 can offer some insight on if it will be to much for a 5 gallon and maybe provide a video of the flow.  

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  • 4 weeks later...

The frogspawn  melted today after the sexy shrimp repeatedly tried to host it and the zoas on the rock are shrinking again possibly because the emerald crab like to clean between them so they stay closed a lot.  On a positive note I finally found a place the xenia likes and the knopia is starting to turn from a brownish purple with a cream center to having a green sheen with a neon green center.  The duncans are holding their own.  

I have been thinking of getting a small fish or maybe a rfa for the shrimp.  

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Some good some bad. Sounds like a typical reef. Sorry about the frogspawn mine did the same thing. I don't think I am going to try another one yet. Since they have to have so much room because the sweepers are so long and strong. What kind of fish are you considering? Did you decide on the Tunze Comline Nanfilter 3161?

 

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I didn't decide on the Tunze yet.  I really would like a real life review and to ask some questions about the input and output flow first and the member never responded.  If I remember I will send them a message.  I haven't  decided on the fish yet.  I don't  have a good lid so something that isn't  known for jumping.  Stock is non existant and I think it will be many months until stores start reliably having stock.

 

Last night i fed the corals and after lights out, when I made a final check before bed, I found a bristle worm in the duncans mouth i guess stealing food.  I was so mad.  It is closed up tight now so I can't  see if it was damaged.  

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That stinks about the the bristle worm. I know that many like them. But too many of them seems to be a problem. My duncan has not grown I wonder if that is happening in my tank. One of the member bought a trap and caught like 50 of them!

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