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Cultivated Reef

10 gallon nano reef, no water changes


caleb.barger1

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On 10/2/2019 at 11:18 PM, Tired said:

My question would be, why? Are water changes really enough of a hassle that you want to avoid them entirely, or is it out of curiosity and a desire to see if you can do it? 

 

I always wonder that too because I enjoy waterchanges. I feel connected to the system, I find it relaxing too.

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36 minutes ago, Clown79 said:

I find it relaxing too.

I have to carry my buckets of water up two flights of stairs...without spilling any on the carpet.  #notrelaxing  😛

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9 minutes ago, j.falk said:

I have to carry my buckets of water up two flights of stairs...without spilling any on the carpet.  #notrelaxing  😛

Ya, definitely not.

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9 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

Outside hoist and through the window?

My ideal plan would be to run a water pump/hose to my saltwater mixing can (in the basement), up the laundry shoot, and directly into my tank.  But doing that would require 2 people who know what they are doing...neither of which are my wife and stepson.  😛

 

If I could just get the dog properly trained... 😉

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1 hour ago, Tired said:

Just gotta get one of those dogs that carries the little barrels of alcohol to people who are lost in the snow, and train it to haul buckets.

Most likely...this guy sure isn't hauling anything...

 

 

dog.jpg

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You do need a pump and hose, but don't complicate the plan with the laundry chute.

 

Just get the hose out when you need it and put it away when you're done.  Simple.

 

If you were going to any degree of complication, it would make more sense to install an automated water change system with permanent plumbing.

 

If you let your water changes remain difficult, you will eventually stop doing them (as regularly as you want to.)  That is simple human nature, so you are best off accounting for it.  😉

 

For my part, I bought a 50 foot box of three-quarter inch vinyl tubing and one 300 gallon per hour pump for each end.  One for draining, one for filling.  (Use a Christmas tree light remote control for the pumps to save yourself some running around.)

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1 hour ago, Tired said:

Just gotta get one of those dogs that carries the little barrels of alcohol to people who are lost in the snow, and train it to haul buckets.

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I feel like this is the most logical solution.    

Honestly though, following this thread -Ill be really curious to see how this goes for you! 

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1 hour ago, j.falk said:

Most likely...this guy sure isn't hauling anything...

 

 

dog.jpg

Reminds me of my cats while I'm doing waterchanges...nothing is gonna move them.

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1 hour ago, mcarroll said:

You do need a pump and hose, but don't complicate the plan with the laundry chute.

The laundry chute is right next to the mixing barrel in the basement and right next to the aquarium on the second floor.  It's the most logical solution.

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1 hour ago, mcarroll said:

For my part, I bought a 50 foot box of three-quarter inch vinyl tubing and one 300 gallon per hour pump for each end.  One for draining, one for filling.  (Use a Christmas tree light remote control for the pumps to save yourself some running around.)

I think you're onto something.  That's an awesome idea.

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caleb.barger1

 

3 hours ago, j.falk said:

You guys have completely derailed this thread. 😉 😛 

 

derailment+drone+800.jpg

Literally lol. I just wanted to know if my hammer coral was looking normal not what dog can bring me alchohol if I'm stranded in snow 🤣

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caleb.barger1
9 hours ago, caleb.barger1 said:

Soooo, we might be finally seeing signs telling me to drop my nitrates back down but I want to see if you guys think this hammer coral looks normal. It was previously one head, obviously now its 2 BUT its not fully extended like it used to be after it split. I tested my water yesterday and had nitrates at 40ppm. My calc and alk both are in the green, so my guess is this is either normal after a fresh split, or I just need to stop seeing how much slacking I can get away with and just change the water Haha. (The aptasia just showed up a day or 2 ago, so I dont think its bothering the hammer. I just haven't gotten to removing it.)

*note: I just moved it up higher with more lighting and slightly more flow about a week and a half ago. It seemed to like the flow and light because its seemed to "inflate" more.

20191014_174948.jpg

 

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Looks like it might be recession from the base, but euphyllia can get cranky when/after splitting, the algae could be bothering it or something in the tank as well, sometimes they also just fail to thrive, I'm postured to lose a couple myself after dealing with dinos sadly.
Could also be too much flow or light, but those are so nebulous with euphyllia, some folks can blast em' with flow and light, others can't find a corner of their tank dark or calm enough for them. Might have something to do with how healthy of resilient the animal is...

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caleb.barger1
1 hour ago, Amphrites said:

Looks like it might be recession from the base, but euphyllia can get cranky when/after splitting, the algae could be bothering it or something in the tank as well, sometimes they also just fail to thrive, I'm postured to lose a couple myself after dealing with dinos sadly.
Could also be too much flow or light, but those are so nebulous with euphyllia, some folks can blast em' with flow and light, others can't find a corner of their tank dark or calm enough for them. Might have something to do with how healthy of resilient the animal is...

The algae is really only in that one spot it's weird. I'll be picking it off and doing a water change here in a few. But it's looking better today... still not GREAT but it looks to me as if I'm seeing thicker tenticals starting to form.(also my lights are starting to dim a good bit so it could be recessed a little)20191015_190442.thumb.jpg.2b5b1b2c14ac79fcb84ad86cbc521312.jpg20191015_190437.thumb.jpg.e5adb9a82c3f0dac3e62401f9283aca6.jpg

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12 hours ago, caleb.barger1 said:

might be finally seeing signs telling me to drop my nitrates back down but I want to see if you guys think this hammer coral looks normal. [....]

 

I tested my water yesterday and had nitrates at 40ppm.

Nitrates that high would only be problematic IF phosphates were low enough to be limiting for the corals' zooxanthellae....close to 0.00 ppm PO4.  As long as you have phosphates similarly high (I'd expect something around 0.10 ppm or higher) then I wouldn't worry about your nitrates. 

 

40ppm is pretty high though, so make sure phosphates are "matching" and not zero.

 

12 hours ago, caleb.barger1 said:

*note: I just moved it up higher with more lighting and slightly more flow about a week and a half ago.

You hit the nail on the head at the end with your *note....which I think in your gut you knew was the real issue.  👍

 

He's going through whatever changes are entailed in splitting AND you're tweaking his water flow AND light quotient at the same time.   (Coral: "No-o-o-o-o!" 😱)   

 

I'd consider putting him back where he was (he was so happy that he split) if there was no other reason for moving him.  Make that his last move.  🙂 

 

🖖

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6 hours ago, j.falk said:

It's the most logical solution.

The most logical solution can be a terrible option if it's really complicated. 

 

It's possible that running the hose down the stairs may be more sensible even though they are 15 feet away just because it's simpler to roll the hose out there and to take it down when you're done.

 

I don't know why the laundry chute is complicated...maybe you can describe the problem with the chute in detail? 

 

IMO, from chutes I've seen, why not lower the pump down the chute on the end of the hose when you need it, and just pull it back up when done?  (Pump on each end, remember?)

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7 minutes ago, mcarroll said:

Nitrates that high would only be problematic IF phosphates were low enough to be limiting for the corals' zooxanthellae....close to 0.00 ppm PO4.  As long as you have phosphates similarly high (I'd expect something around 0.10 ppm or higher) then I wouldn't worry about your nitrates. 

 

40ppm is pretty high though, so make sure phosphates are "matching" and not zero.

 

You hit the nail on the head at the end with your *note....which I think in your gut you knew was the real issue.  👍

 

He's going through whatever changes are entailed in splitting AND you're tweaking his water flow AND light quotient at the same time.   (Coral: "No-o-o-o-o!" 😱)   

 

I'd consider putting him back where he was (he was so happy that he split) if there was no other reason for moving him.  Make that his last move.  🙂 

 

🖖

True that! I moved him because I ended up getting a free galaxea and didn't realize just how long its sweepers could be! So I rearranged the tank to have PLENTY of room away from the galaxea. On a side note the galaxea is already showing new growth! Small but noticeable 

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6 minutes ago, mcarroll said:

IMO, from chutes I've seen, why not lower the pump down the chute on the end of the hose when you need it, and just pull it back up when done?  (Pump on each end, remember?)

That's what I was referring to as being the logical solution.  Dropping a pump down the laundry chute and pumping water up through it.  Trying to run a hose down two flights of stairs would add at least an extra 100+ foot of hose whereas down the laundry chute would be 30 foot straight down from where the tank sits to the mixing barrel.

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Moving corals ticks them off, some more so than others.

They also have to acclimate to lighting and flow changes. Even neighboring corals can be the issue.

 

So usually for a few days, sometimes weeks, they can look not so great.

 

If it just split, it could be that too.

 

It almost looks like its stretching for light or the flow is hitting it in a certain way.

 

 

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caleb.barger1
8 hours ago, Clown79 said:

Moving corals ticks them off, some more so than others.

They also have to acclimate to lighting and flow changes. Even neighboring corals can be the issue.

 

So usually for a few days, sometimes weeks, they can look not so great.

 

If it just split, it could be that too.

 

It almost looks like its stretching for light or the flow is hitting it in a certain way.

 

 

I have it about halfway in the tank, with medium flow. It looked a little worse a few days ago, but as soon as it started getting more flow it seemed to open up more. Like you said, I'm betting I stressed it out by moving it while it was in the middle of splitting, along with new lighting and flow. I'll give him some time to settle into the new home before I start messing with him again haha.

 

Also betting my light isn't enough ,I've been thinking about buying a second one.

 https://www.amazon.com/Fluval-Marine-Nano-Bluetooth-Watt/dp/B07DWXBWB7 

 

Thanks again for everyone's info and guidance! 

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