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Seafurn's Old School Pico Gets An Upgrade - 365 Day Challenge


SeaFurn

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If I got zoas not doing well...I found a few drops of lugals in some tank water and a 10 min dip was the most help.

 

If they are recovering on their own though I would just leave them.

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Day 9

 

Struggle bus coral photo update: 

the psammocora (can’t decide if it looks better or worse at this point)

49637363106_1b4aebbf66_b.jpg

 

the hammer and the acan

49637371286_7a2572e423_b.jpg

 

 

I know I know - patience...stability...

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Day 10

 

I think I saw a little green on a frag plug today. That’s a nice change from all the red algae I keep blowing off the rocks daily. 

 

Haven’t seen the bubblegum look this good in a long time. I think the nitrates are really starting to bring out the color - and check out those polyps! 

Wish that branch wasn’t growing downward. I suppose I’ll have to frag it at some point.

 

49642051731_6bcd4d8f5d_b.jpg

 

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Day 11

 

I just posted my first photo contest entry! After you read this post go check it out and vote for me! 

It’s pretty tough to spot this one particular baby RFA on a rock. I almost forget him whenever I go to feed them.

(Hint for those reading this: he’s directly in the center of the photo - and it’s not the round circular structure on the rock - that’s gonna fool you at first). 

 

OK, onto business. Water test results tonight:

1.026  78 degrees 

nitrates - call it 0.5 (I put enough nitrogen in the tank yesterday AND fed heavy that it should have at least been over 1. Not sure why it’s so low.)

phos - 0.03 (there’s still a little tint in the test water; still dosing 1 drop phosphorus a day. Will dose 2 drops if I don’t see any tint to the water.)

alk - 7.7 (6 days in a row now!)

ca - 435

mg - 1440

 

I’m getting a little tired blowing all the red algae off the rocks every night. It comes off in big patches and then I have so stir the water for several minutes while the filter sucks it up. Does the green algae take its place at some point? Geez. 

 

I think I’m gonna add more zoas at some point - I’m liking them more and more. In fact, if/when I change my scape I might make this a zoa-centric tank. They are so frustrating but so cool - it might help me master taking care of them. 

I don’t know though. Kicking it around in my head. 

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This guy is extra salty
On 3/3/2020 at 7:41 PM, SeaFurn said:

Feel like I’ve been spending a lot of time thinking about these tanks. Glad the 45 is in a good spot right now. 

Anyone else feel like their tanks consume a lot of mental energy trying to figure out what’s wrong and what to do about it? 

 

I felt that way when I was moving my sons tank to the other side of the room

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On 3/9/2020 at 9:34 PM, SeaFurn said:

Day 10

 

I think I saw a little green on a frag plug today. That’s a nice change from all the red algae I keep blowing off the rocks daily. 

 

Haven’t seen the bubblegum look this good in a long time. I think the nitrates are really starting to bring out the color - and check out those polyps! 

Wish that branch wasn’t growing downward. I suppose I’ll have to frag it at some point.

 

49642051731_6bcd4d8f5d_b.jpg

 

Bubblegum Digi's have the most amazing range of coloration.

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Day 12

 

I’m going to need to do some reading on how corals and other organism in the tank use nitrates and phosphates, and I suppose  light and other food for metabolism. 

I don’t think I have have a good grasp on it and how it affects parameters in the tank.

 

Tonight, nitrates tested at 0.5 again. However, I dosed enough nitrogen last night that it should have been above 1ppm. So tonight, I doubled the dosage - and yes there is still phosphate in the water so that shouldn’t be a problem. 

If anyone has some good, simple info on this - something like “Coral Nutrient Usage for Dummies” let me know. 

 

And for all of you Rock Flower Anemone lovers, I just got an e-mail that GOT CORALS loaded up their website with a new batch of rock flowers! They haven’t had them available for awhile. The reason for that is they get them in batches and then they take a great deal of time getting the nems acclimated and settled before they will put them on the website to sell them to us. As such, I have never lost a single one after a shipment and I think that’s a big part of it. That, and they take great care packing them for shipment.  

So for all of us here on Nano-Reef, Got Corals is offering a 15% discount on all rock flower anemones with code: SEAFURN

Go check them out and pass it along! 

https://www.gotcorals.com/

 

@devaji108

@GtownSalty

@RedTheReefer

@lizzyann

@kimberbee

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RedTheReefer
2 hours ago, SeaFurn said:

Day 12

 

I’m going to need to do some reading on how corals and other organism in the tank use nitrates and phosphates, and I suppose  light and other food for metabolism. 

I don’t think I have have a good grasp on it and how it affects parameters in the tank.

 

Tonight, nitrates tested at 0.5 again. However, I dosed enough nitrogen last night that it should have been above 1ppm. So tonight, I doubled the dosage - and yes there is still phosphate in the water so that shouldn’t be a problem. 

If anyone has some good, simple info on this - something like “Coral Nutrient Usage for Dummies” let me know. 

 

And for all of you Rock Flower Anemone lovers, I just got an e-mail that GOT CORALS loaded up their website with a new batch of rock flowers! They haven’t had them available for awhile. The reason for that is they get them in batches and then they take a great deal of time getting the nems acclimated and settled before they will put them on the website to sell them to us. As such, I have never lost a single one after a shipment and I think that’s a big part of it. That, and they take great care packing them for shipment.  

So for all of us here on Nano-Reef, Got Corals is offering a 15% discount on all rock flower anemones with code: SEAFURN

Go check them out and pass it along! 

https://www.gotcorals.com/

 

@devaji108

@GtownSalty

@RedTheReefer

@lizzyann

@kimberbee

Ahhh! My tank is even wet yet! My live rock is coming in on Saturday. I hope the stock lasts and thank you for the heads up! Do you have any idea how long they will hold an order?

 

Also, how large are their RFAs? Do they do Saturday deliveries?

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3 hours ago, SeaFurn said:

Day 12

 

I’m going to need to do some reading on how corals and other organism in the tank use nitrates and phosphates, and I suppose  light and other food for metabolism. 

I don’t think I have have a good grasp on it and how it affects parameters in the tank.

 

Tonight, nitrates tested at 0.5 again. However, I dosed enough nitrogen last night that it should have been above 1ppm. So tonight, I doubled the dosage - and yes there is still phosphate in the water so that shouldn’t be a problem. 

If anyone has some good, simple info on this - something like “Coral Nutrient Usage for Dummies” let me know. 

 

And for all of you Rock Flower Anemone lovers, I just got an e-mail that GOT CORALS loaded up their website with a new batch of rock flowers! They haven’t had them available for awhile. The reason for that is they get them in batches and then they take a great deal of time getting the nems acclimated and settled before they will put them on the website to sell them to us. As such, I have never lost a single one after a shipment and I think that’s a big part of it. That, and they take great care packing them for shipment.  

So for all of us here on Nano-Reef, Got Corals is offering a 15% discount on all rock flower anemones with code: SEAFURN

Go check them out and pass it along! 

https://www.gotcorals.com/

 

@devaji108

@GtownSalty

@RedTheReefer

@lizzyann

@kimberbee

Funny I was just on there website as I say a post on FB then came here. small world. thanks for the code!  

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21 hours ago, RedTheReefer said:

Do you have any idea how long they will hold an order?

 

Also, how large are their RFAs? Do they do Saturday deliveries?

They will hold an order for you - but not for more than a month. Just let Sandy know what you need.

 

The RFAs just posted on the site are 1” in diameter.

 

Unfortunately they don’t do Saturday deliveries but they have been very accommodating arranging deliveries. 

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Day 13 - Friday the 13th!

 

Nitrates tonight = 1  (finally)

alk = 8.0. (Not sure why it jumped up a little after being so consistent)

 

I think I saw the tentacles of the second polyp of BK zoas! Not fully open but maybe tomorrow? Still no color in the first polyp that opened several days ago.  

The psammocora started showing some more green. 

 

Definitely ordering more zoas tomorrow! Stay tuned. 

 

The tank transfer is set for Sat! 

 

And a reminder - 

Got Corals is offering a 15% discount on all rock flower anemones with code: SEAFURN

Go check them out and pass it along! 

https://www.gotcorals.com/

 

@KnH - saw you posted a question about RFAs this week. See above in case you’re interested. 

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RedTheReefer
2 hours ago, SeaFurn said:

And a reminder - 

Got Corals is offering a 15% discount on all rock flower anemones with code: SEAFURN

Go check them out and pass it along! 

https://www.gotcorals.com/

 

The code only seems to work for the lowest price item in the cart. So, if I want to add some red RFAs on to my 4 pack, the code only take 15% off of $10. 😕

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7 hours ago, RedTheReefer said:

The code only seems to work for the lowest price item in the cart. So, if I want to add some red RFAs on to my 4 pack, the code only take 15% off of $10. 😕

Hold tight - Sandy @Got Corals will get you squared away. 

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12 hours ago, RedTheReefer said:

The code only seems to work for the lowest price item in the cart. So, if I want to add some red RFAs on to my 4 pack, the code only take 15% off of $10. 😕

Give it a try now. I think she got it fixed. 

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Day 14

 

The tank transfer is happening tomorrow. I’m glad I’ve waited to do it but still anxious and apprehensive. It all seems pretty straight forward though. Will use as much of the current water as I can in the new tank so it should be just like doing a large water change. I don’t think I’m even going to scrub the rocks of algae at all. Basically just gonna do a lift and shift into the new tank. 

I’m also going to use the current ABi light for a couple days after the transfer. 

Hoping that the corals all just open right back up. 

 

@debbeach13 reminded me to take a FTS before I move it so I’ll do that and then that will finish off the old school pico contest thread. 

 

And, I ordered some zoas today! 

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2 hours ago, debbeach13 said:

Are the zoa's you already have still showing improvement? I hope the transfer goes well. Exciting time to set up a new tank.

Yes...the Butt Kissers still only have one polyp opening up but the second is getting there. No action from the third. All other zoas have been doing so much better - opening up fully and I’ve seen some new growth. I’m sure that’s because I’ve been feeding the tank so much trying to get the nitrates up. But even with that, it still requires dosing nitrogen daily to achieve a reading. 

 

Coffee time while I mix some water! 

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Day 15

 

Tank transfer SUCCESS! 

It went pretty smoothly. I did change up the scape creating two distinct islands with some space in between them. I had a little more room to work with front to back so that was a bonus. On the right side,  I glued another rock on to make it more balanced. I spy a nice spot for another forest fire at some point! 

All the coral that was previously open opened right back up - even the one polyp of BK! 

It’s still a little disorganized and not everything is glued down but I’m pretty happy with it! I really like the height of this tank compared to the janky tank. It makes it seem less crowded. 

 

49660088982_74fa587a67_b.jpg

 

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Day 16

 

The new tank bubbles have dissipated and the tank is looking pretty good! Alk did creep up a little high (8.6) for the lack of other nutrients in the tank, so all the LPS seemed a little off today. I assume higher alk is from the influx of new water - going from 2.5 gallons to 4. I didn’t think my salt mixed that high, though, and I didn’t dose alk at all yesterday. 

 

While I’m on the subject - nitrates are hanging at 0.5 or less. Phosphates are not 0 but low - I’ve been calling it 0.03. 

And that’s after dosing nitrogen and phosphorus daily and heavy feeding. 

Question for everyone - is it possible that I’ll have to dose both nitrogen and phosphorus every single day just to keep the bad algae at bay - and the corals happy? 

The whole notion of nutrient export with this tank (at least while it was in 2.5g) is completely foreign. 

 

One thing that’s pretty cool, though, is the shark nose goby is hanging out on the rocks now. He can’t hide behind or under the HOB filter anymore. He could hang out under the rocks but he’s not doing that. In fact, every time I came to look at the tank today, he swam over and perched right on the rock in front of me. 

 

Now I need to decide when to transition to the new light. 

I’ll post some more pics later this week. 

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Day 17

 

I’m going to pull the hammer out tomorrow and put it in the 45 to see if that makes any difference.  Its big brother has been in the 45 for quite a while and has about 6 heads now. So, if it doesn’t come around in there, I don’t know what else to do. 

 

Got some goodies coming tomorrow! 

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Day 18

 

Just a quick photo of the new zoas laying loose on the bottom of the tank. Utter chaos, solar flares, rastas, scrambled eggs, and Green Bay Packers (Go Pack!)

Got a couple of new ricordea too - but not in the pic. 

49671628447_488d3d5fea_b.jpg

 

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  • SeaFurn changed the title to Seafurn's Old School Pico Gets An Upgrade - 365 Day Challenge

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