Seafurn's Old School Pico featuring Chrysophytes, Cyano, and Brown Algae

[ReeferBray]

It just keep on looking better great job there look great 

[SeaFurn]

August update - 

For the most part things have been going well.  I've added another rock structure to the rear center.  That fills up that space nicely.  It does get partial light so I'll have to be choosy about what I put there.   

 

Still using the PAR38 bulb. It seems to be doing the trick.   The hermits and snails are doing a good job.  Have to blow the rocks of all the crap every day. 

 

My biggest coral struggle has been with the zoas. For the most part, they are only ever partially open. They usually aren't closed tight but keep their tentacles curled in.  I've tried adjusting the flow but that doesn't seem to make a difference. I've tried adjusting the lighting.  That doesn't seem to make a difference. I'm thinking it must have something to do with my water parameters. I know zoas like "dirty" water so maybe that's the problem.  My nitrates are always zero and phosphates are undetectable (Salifert kits).  I've increased feedings to several times a week to try to get those numbers up but have not been successful.  I'm going to stop doing weekly water changes and shoot for every two weeks. That may cause some issues with alk, CA, and MG though.  My water at 1.026 mixes at Alk 8.15, CA 440, MG 1320.  Ph is 8.0.   Tests made right before water changes show alk drops to 6.4 and CA to 415. So there's definitely some weekly consumption going on.  Not sure if this has any impact on the zoa problem though.  I'm wondering if I will need to start dosing alk and CA if I'm going to go 2 weeks before water changes.  I'm thinking I should. 
 

So if any zoa experts have any tips for me please let me know.  I don't remembering having any trouble with them in my reef bowl and I've been basically doing the same thing with this pico.  Although, I was using RS Coral Pro with the bowl and that had higher parameters to start.

 

I've got some nice additions planned for September!  Stay tuned.

 

Now for the pics:

August FTS

 

From the side

 

 

 

 

Frogspawn looking fluffy

 

 

 

Hard corals encrusting nicely

 

 

Frustrating zoas - this is the most I've seen them open in days but you'll see how they are curled up

 

 

 

[William]

May want to try adding some aminos 

[seabass]

10 hours ago, SeaFurn said:

 Frustrating zoas - this is the most I've seen them open in days but you'll see how they are curled up

IDK, I've actually read that Chemiclean might help this situation.  You might need to add an additional source of aeration during treatment, then change out the water afterwards.

[SeaFurn]

3 hours ago, seabass said:

IDK, I've actually read that Chemiclean might help this situation.  You might need to add an additional source of aeration during treatment, then change out the water afterwards.

Really?  I wonder how that works?  Do you remember if it was a full treatment?

[seabass]

I believe you treat as directed on the packaging.  Not really sure how it works as this trick doesn't seem to have anything to do with cyanobacteria.  IDK, might be worth a try.

 

https://reef-a-holiks.blogspot.com/2014/06/could-chemiclean-be-new-key-to-healthy.html

[A.m.P]

Maybe biolfilm buildup and chemiclean gets rid of it? Wouldn't that also mean microdosing peroxide might help long-term? Though Zoas and mushrooms in particular HATE peroxide dosing... Thanks for the link, that's goin' in my favorites bar =p

Keep up posted if it works!

[caas1496]

On 8/18/2019 at 6:48 PM, SeaFurn said:

August update - 

For the most part things have been going well.  I've added another rock structure to the rear center.  That fills up that space nicely.  It does get partial light so I'll have to be choosy about what I put there.   

 

Still using the PAR38 bulb. It seems to be doing the trick.   The hermits and snails are doing a good job.  Have to blow the rocks of all the crap every day. 

 

My biggest coral struggle has been with the zoas. For the most part, they are only ever partially open. They usually aren't closed tight but keep their tentacles curled in.  I've tried adjusting the flow but that doesn't seem to make a difference. I've tried adjusting the lighting.  That doesn't seem to make a difference. I'm thinking it must have something to do with my water parameters. I know zoas like "dirty" water so maybe that's the problem.  My nitrates are always zero and phosphates are undetectable (Salifert kits).  I've increased feedings to several times a week to try to get those numbers up but have not been successful.  I'm going to stop doing weekly water changes and shoot for every two weeks. That may cause some issues with alk, CA, and MG though.  My water at 1.026 mixes at Alk 8.15, CA 440, MG 1320.  Ph is 8.0.   Tests made right before water changes show alk drops to 6.4 and CA to 415. So there's definitely some weekly consumption going on.  Not sure if this has any impact on the zoa problem though.  I'm wondering if I will need to start dosing alk and CA if I'm going to go 2 weeks before water changes.  I'm thinking I should. 
 

So if any zoa experts have any tips for me please let me know.  I don't remembering having any trouble with them in my reef bowl and I've been basically doing the same thing with this pico.  Although, I was using RS Coral Pro with the bowl and that had higher parameters to start.

 

I've got some nice additions planned for September!  Stay tuned.

 

Now for the pics:

August FTS

 

From the side

 

 

 

 

Frogspawn looking fluffy

 

 

 

Hard corals encrusting nicely

 

 

Frustrating zoas - this is the most I've seen them open in days but you'll see how they are curled up

 

 

 

How long did you try reducing your lighting for? I recently had a colony that looked very similar in my pico and reducing the lighting did the trick for me. I do hope you figure it out. Looks like you have some beautiful zoas in there.

[SeaFurn]

23 hours ago, seabass said:

I believe you treat as directed on the packaging.  Not really sure how it works as this trick doesn't seem to have anything to do with cyanobacteria.  IDK, might be worth a try.

 

https://reef-a-holiks.blogspot.com/2014/06/could-chemiclean-be-new-key-to-healthy.html

I think I'm going to give this a try.  Not a big fan of using chemicals but it will be a good experiment.

[SeaFurn]

22 hours ago, Amphrites said:

Maybe biolfilm buildup and chemiclean gets rid of it? Wouldn't that also mean microdosing peroxide might help long-term? Though Zoas and mushrooms in particular HATE peroxide dosing... Thanks for the link, that's goin' in my favorites bar =p

Keep up posted if it works!

Yep - peroxide will make zoas pucker like a you know what for a couple of days!!

I'm going to try getting my parameters (alk, ca) more stable for a week or two and if that doesn't help I'm going to try the chemi-clean.  I'll definitely keep you posted.

[SeaFurn]

10 hours ago, caas1496 said:

How long did you try reducing your lighting for? I recently had a colony that looked very similar in my pico and reducing the lighting did the trick for me. I do hope you figure it out. Looks like you have some beautiful zoas in there.

Thanks!  Yeah, they are awesome if they'd just be fully open.  I want to get some more too but I'm hesitant until I figure out what the snag is.

I raised my light for a couple of days.  I also tried using some tissue paper as a diffuser over the right side of the tank.   It's a non-adjustable PAR38 bulb so those were my only options.

[SeaFurn]

Forgot to mention in my earlier post that I also inspected the zoas for pests using a magnifying glass.  I didn't see anything suspicious so I ruled that out. 

[Ratvan]

I'd be very interested in how this works out for you. 

[SeaFurn]

Hey @Reefkid88- didn’t you used to keep high-end zoas in your picos? What’s the trick? 

[Reefkid88]

I haven't read this thread in awhile,what are you params ? Could be a bunch of things really. But also could be anything. As much as I love Zoa's they are pretty annoying. Some morphs are super picky,while on some nothing bothers them and them some everything does. 

 

 Nutrients,too much flow,not enough flow,too direct of a light source,too high of par,pods could be bothering them,do you have any magnet cleaners in the tank ? Maybe something is rusting,possibly stray voltage in the tank. Maybe try spot feeding a colony and are if that does help and if so,progressively start feeding them all. Try amino's,maybe Phol's Xtra. I used it in the past with GREAT results. I dosed 1-2 drops 1-2 times a week. 

 

 That's really all I could think of. Besides maybe testing for Iodine and see what your levels are at. Zoa's like a moderate amount of Iodine. I dosed a VERY small amount mid week every week and noticed more healthy,fuller,vivid Zoa's. 

[SeaFurn]

19 hours ago, Reefkid88 said:

I haven't read this thread in awhile,what are you params ? Could be a bunch of things really. But also could be anything. As much as I love Zoa's they are pretty annoying. Some morphs are super picky,while on some nothing bothers them and them some everything does. 

 

 Nutrients,too much flow,not enough flow,too direct of a light source,too high of par,pods could be bothering them,do you have any magnet cleaners in the tank ? Maybe something is rusting,possibly stray voltage in the tank. Maybe try spot feeding a colony and are if that does help and if so,progressively start feeding them all. Try amino's,maybe Phol's Xtra. I used it in the past with GREAT results. I dosed 1-2 drops 1-2 times a week. 

 

 That's really all I could think of. Besides maybe testing for Iodine and see what your levels are at. Zoa's like a moderate amount of Iodine. I dosed a VERY small amount mid week every week and noticed more healthy,fuller,vivid Zoa's. 

My params yesterday were: salinity 1.026, ph 8.0, nitrates and phosphates 0 (yes, not good), alk 6.1 (yes, this is lower than it should be considering water mixes at 8.15),  ca 445, mg 1320, temp 78.0.  I don't have an iodine test kit so I'll have to pick one up and see where I'm at. 

 

Going to work at getting my nutrients up and alk.  It's strange that ca and alk aren't being consumed at the same rate.  I thought they would. 

I've been feeding them all but I can try some aminos as well.  @William suggested that too.  

Will keep working at it....and then try the chemiclean idea if nothing else works.

Thanks for the response.

 

 

 

  

 

[William]

4 minutes ago, SeaFurn said:

My params yesterday were: salinity 1.026, ph 8.0, nitrates and phosphates 0 (yes, not good), alk 6.1 (yes, this is lower than it should be considering water mixes at 8.15),  ca 445, mg 1320, temp 78.0.  I don't have an iodine test kit so I'll have to pick one up and see where I'm at. 

 

Going to work at getting my nutrients up and alk.  It's strange that ca and alk aren't being consumed at the same rate.  I thought they would. 

I've been feeding them all but I can try some aminos as well.  @William suggested that too.  

Will keep working at it....and then try the chemiclean idea if nothing else works.

Thanks for the response.

 

 

 

  

 

Alk can be consumed by biological processes other than Coral skeleton formation. Especially with so little water volume.  Macro/micro algae can convert HCO3 into CO2 and H2O to use in photosynthesis as one example 

[A.m.P]

My alk and cal have never been consumed at the same rate /shrug, trying to bring it back up to 8 sounds like a great idea though for sure!

[SeaFurn]

9 hours ago, Amphrites said:

My alk and cal have never been consumed at the same rate /shrug, trying to bring it back up to 8 sounds like a great idea though for sure!

I guess I always think about it that way because of the purpose of 2 part dosing.

 

Alk is now up to 6.7. Taking it up slowly one day at a time. 

[SeaFurn]

Back from MACNA and I have some goodies!  I don't have pics of everything yet but let's start with this!

This little guy should help dirty up the tank a bit.  Got him from the Algae Barn display.  He's so tiny but so cool!

 

 

 

This one is a bit better to see how tiny he is.  And look at that - open zoas in the background. I've got the alk stable at 8.1-8.3 (using Salifert and it's hard tell when that purple really turns to pink - you'll know what mean if you use those kits)

 

 

I'll post the pics of the corals later.  

[WV Reefer]

1 hour ago, SeaFurn said:

Back from MACNA and I have some goodies!  I don't have pics of everything yet but let's start with this!

This little guy should help dirty up the tank a bit.  Got him from the Algae Barn display.  He's so tiny but so cool!

 

 

 

This one is a bit better to see how tiny he is.  And look at that - open zoas in the background. I've got the alk stable at 8.1-8.3 (using Salifert and it's hard tell when that purple really turns to pink - you'll know what mean if you use those kits)

 

 

I'll post the pics of the corals later.  

He’s cute! 😃

[Clown79]

Tank looks amazing and I love the fish, very cool.

 

I always struggled keeping my nutrients up in any of my tanks. Feeding reef roids every day didn't even do it.

 

Phyto did the job. Corals seemed to enjoy it too.

[banasophia]

Looks great, and I love your new fish!

[SeaFurn]

18 hours ago, banasophia said:

Looks great, and I love your new fish!

Thanks...I’ve got to post a Sept FTS and pics of my new corals. Been a little frustrated with the tank recently. Ive struggled with the new zoas from Macna and lost 2 of them (out of 3). And my Bob Marleys have a few polyps that have turned  white (but haven’t dissolved). I guess zoas are not my thing. 

But the SPS is cranking! 

May have to convert the tank to SPS...how ridiculous would that be? 2.5 gallons of all SPS!! 

[banasophia]

2 hours ago, SeaFurn said:

Thanks...I’ve got to post a Sept FTS and pics of my new corals. Been a little frustrated with the tank recently. Ive struggled with the new zoas from Macna and lost 2 of them (out of 3). And my Bob Marleys have a few polyps that have turned  white (but haven’t dissolved). I guess zoas are not my thing. 

But the SPS is cranking! 

May have to convert the tank to SPS...how ridiculous would that be? 2.5 gallons of all SPS!! 

Bummer about the new zoas... zoas/palys definitely aren’t my thing, so I can relate. I think that’d be cool to have an all SPS pico.