Tired Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 Those are probably also people who were saying to use dry rock and remove all the critters, right? Some people went for a really sterile approach. It doesn't tend to work very well. Dry rock alone can work, but dry rock and no nutrients will mean no life, except the ultra-hardy pest algaes that can tolerate that sort of thing. All life needs nutrients to exist, and true zeros will starve your corals. Readings of 0 may mean the life in your tank is using up the nutrients immediately, so some tanks can run with what looks like 0 nutrients, but it's not generally a good way to keep things. Quote Link to comment
Ash1176 Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 Yah There’s always so many opinions haha! i have really low nutrients right now and I’m noticing my zoas and mushrooms aren’t doing as well as they used time to feed a ton and dose some nitrogen and phosphorus Quote Link to comment
mipster Posted October 23, 2020 Author Share Posted October 23, 2020 Everything is settling in really well, especially Audrey, just look at her! https://www.instagram.com/p/CGsvc6lAbAM/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link 2 Quote Link to comment
mipster Posted October 26, 2020 Author Share Posted October 26, 2020 Soooo I finally took my fish out of QT! They were in there longer then strictly necessary... BUT I wanted to be sure. Here's a few photos since the tank swap! 1 Quote Link to comment
mipster Posted October 26, 2020 Author Share Posted October 26, 2020 I wish I could get a video of this but it doesn't happen when I sit too close to the tank. My royal gramma has chosen a lovely little cave on the left side of the tank that has I don't even know how many entrances but every once in a while, I see her flick sand out of her cave lol You just see this poof of sand and then her head pop out! It's so fun to watch when I manage to catch it happening. Clearly she's a neat freak lol I think now that I have more space, I want just one more lil fish. I know what my dream fish for this tank is, but it is 100% not the easiest option... I would really love a blue mandarin. My local shop has them in, they are captive bred and raised on prepared foods which would help with one of the primary issues of these guys. Another issue though is they apparently don't QT well. I have a lot of reading to do. I had such a bad experience with TTM, there is so much room for error and stress to the fish as a novice, it really makes me nervous to try that method. I was thinking, I could get it, add it and pray BUT have my QT system up and running and ready to go in case something bad popped up and I needed to treat all my inhabitants... Yes... riskier... but... potentially safer for the mandarin in the long run and that particular store only gets captive ORA fish which are kept in a dedicated fish system so lower chances of something nasty in there... hypothetically... How badly am I just trying to justify things to myself? lol Quote Link to comment
Ash1176 Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 I was going to ask what fish you were going to add now you have a bigger tank! i think the beauty of the Mandarin might be pushing your judgment! haha I get the same itch too sometimes... I think you raise all the valid points! Here’s what I think, and I know you think this too, but we always try and convince ourselves that it could work... so ill tell you this I wouldn’t QT a mandarin.... unless the QT had basically been a pod farm for at least a few month, with maybe even cheato growing somewhere the mandarin couldn’t access like an aqua clear hob... On the other hand if your not going to QT then you’ve just QT’ed your other fish for nothing and risk it all again! This is one Is a hard one too, I’ve been wanting to pull my fish out of QT early, or just Say F it I’ll just add my last fish I can’t wait anymore... But you did in the first place for a reason, maintain that rule I told myself captive fish from the same source would be give me better chances... I was was wrong both passed with brook. ORA or not the fish will ship and get transferred and do it again and will be stressed, and thats all it takes for something Bad to start the captive bread eat frozen and other foods, but it’s the way they’re stomach works that requires them to eat constantly on the go... so yeah it will help, but you will need serious population and space to house them... I think if you want best success with a mandarin, go at least 30 gallon, 2 years matured with pods and a refigium with cheato to breed them just my 2 scents, but I was also The guy that nearly bought one the other day at the Lfs, when I bought my blenny... Hahahahaha they’re so tempting Quote Link to comment
mipster Posted October 27, 2020 Author Share Posted October 27, 2020 10 hours ago, Ash1176 said: i think the beauty of the Mandarin might be pushing your judgment! The struggle is sooooo real.... I went to go see them and they are soooooo small, less then half an inch I would say. It just wouldn't be a good idea for many reasons. I also fear Audrey would literally eat it lol Back to the drawing board. I would like something that is a more open swimmer I think since my gramma likes to hide and pop in and out of the caves. One friend suggested a small wrasse which could be fun and help with possible pest control. I love yellow coris wrasses, yellow is my fave colour but also tricky to QT. You need to add send for them or else they get stressed out. Six lines or a small fairy wrasse might also be an option... so many choices out there and I want them alllll! I'm like a pokemon trainer with only 3 poke balls lol I did get Audrey a little sister while there though... Still needs a name... I seem to have either really bad timing or really amazing timing (depends on of you are talking to the "yay more corals" or the "my poor wallet" side of the brain) of always going to fragbox for routine things (yesterday I needed some snails, my hermits are murderers) just when they get in big shipments of new stuff... And one of the male clown cause he just kept trying to get in the shot (the other clown is 100% going to be the boss bitch of the tank lol) 2 Quote Link to comment
Ash1176 Posted October 27, 2020 Share Posted October 27, 2020 Congrats on the new coral!! hahaha yah always bad for the wallet, but worth it! i think maybe in a year or so, and with a focus on growing pods, you can do it! you want to maximise success with those fish... wrasses can be a pain in the wrasse! but I don’t see a problem with adding sand to your QT, as long as your diligent with test copper levels... What about a Midas blenny? Much more docile and open water... also I love bangai cardinals... you could maybe even get two? Candy coral has both this in right now or a firefish? Quote Link to comment
mipster Posted October 27, 2020 Author Share Posted October 27, 2020 3 minutes ago, Ash1176 said: What about a Midas blenny? I LOVE midas blennies but from what I've read, they are really active swimmers and like space, I think my IM 20 is on the small side for them, but maybe I'll do a bit more research, see what I find cause they are such cool fish. I did think about cardinals too. 2 would bring me to 5 fish though, that might be a bit much lol I know there are people out there who that works for but that doesn't necessarily mean I think it's the best idea for my tank, especially since I run it skimmerless with just chemical filtration and a refugium (which is performing shockingly well for such a little thing). But we'll see how the filtration does with 3 and re-evaluate later. It's funny how I've been talking about my royal gramma always hiding. I so rarely saw her while in QT except when feeding and the first couple days in the display I would just see her poking out once in a while but all morning she's just been chilling out front and centre! What a brave lil thing. I'm a proud mama! 1 Quote Link to comment
mipster Posted November 2, 2020 Author Share Posted November 2, 2020 I love having fish back in the tank. It makes such a huge difference! Especially since my Royal Gramma who I thought I would never see since she hid in a cave all QT is actually pretty much always out and about except when she goes in her cave at night to sleep. I'm super happy my Sunny Ds are starting to polyp by polyp colour back up. There was a period of time where they were half closed and dull and I had no idea why but when I transfered into the IM20 from the fluval, they started to one by on open up and start colouring up. "What you lookin at" 2 Quote Link to comment
mipster Posted November 3, 2020 Author Share Posted November 3, 2020 My friend is taking a break from the hobby, I got first dibs on his stuff.... 1 Quote Link to comment
mipster Posted November 3, 2020 Author Share Posted November 3, 2020 whoops... wear gloves people. But lets see if using vinegar to take care of this actually works, I'll keep you posted 1 Quote Link to comment
Ash1176 Posted November 3, 2020 Share Posted November 3, 2020 Hahah you keep getting all the crazy deals! What do you get your hands on, new tank or loads of coral? ugh bristleworm? Use duck tape to remove all the needles Quote Link to comment
mipster Posted November 3, 2020 Author Share Posted November 3, 2020 Just now, Ash1176 said: Hahah you keep getting all the crazy deals! What do you get your hands on, new tank or loads of coral? ugh bristleworm? Use duck tape to remove all the needles corals, I'm trying to sell my evo, I def don't see another tank! I got 2 sps, 1 acan and 1 Acanthophylia to hang out with Audrey.... I don't need duct tape, soaking my finger in vinegar for 15 mins disintegrated the pins and the swelling is down. Pretty interesting, I was sceptical but it works. Google didn't lie! 1 Quote Link to comment
Ash1176 Posted November 3, 2020 Share Posted November 3, 2020 Good to know about the vinegar then! and awesome score in the corals 🙂 Quote Link to comment
mipster Posted November 3, 2020 Author Share Posted November 3, 2020 2 minutes ago, Ash1176 said: Good to know about the vinegar then! and awesome score in the corals 🙂 The finger doesn't even hurt now, it's a little pruney from sitting in vinegar so long though lol I just really hope I can do these SPS right. My flow situation is better now that I have that used mp10 back though. Turns out it was still linked to the apex from the system it came from and I was an idiot when trying to reset it lol It's all fixed now and running! I'll get some picks of the new goodies tomorrow when hopefully they aren't all pissed at me lol Quote Link to comment
mipster Posted November 3, 2020 Author Share Posted November 3, 2020 Well here is the star of the new babies. Audrey got a big brother, a really big brother lol I need a name for him. I'll get you more pictures of the other new residents later after I'm done gushing over my new smooshie. 2 1 Quote Link to comment
mipster Posted November 11, 2020 Author Share Posted November 11, 2020 ....... I have a problem.... 🤦♀️ Quote Link to comment
mipster Posted November 17, 2020 Author Share Posted November 17, 2020 well things have been trucking along. I sold my beloved sun corals, my tank just could not handle the feeding that those babies needed so I found them a nice new home. I'm so happy with how my Zoa rock is growing in, look at them all starting to smoosh together! LOVE!! My Sunny Ds and those pink palys are really starting to bounce back. When my Alk got REALLY low (6dkh) they started loosing colour and they weren't opening up but now that things are stable and in their proper levels they are really starting to look terrific again. These two are CONSTANTLY fighting as to who gets to be on top each day and sometimes they reach this compromise where they sort of both are on top of the other lol Audrey's older sister needs a name still but nothing yet suites her magnificence. Any suggestions? I love how the baby donut is just such a crazy feeder lol Look at her! I think it's official and I need to bite the bullet and get a second AI prime. I need to get more light on the SPS and I want the better spread. Luckily I finally sold an old light so I have money! I really need your help y'all. I want a final fish and I am having so so much trouble choosing because there are so many great options and I can't narrow it down. If I could find one, I would get a pink streaked wrasse immediately but everyone I've asked has said they almost NEVER come available up here in Canada. I finally got my doser installed but I had gotten the amounts figured out when everything was in the evo and things are totally different in the IM20 so I have to go through my testing stage again to get things sorted out. I have this one single evil aptasia that I keep trying to kill with aptasia-x and I think I get it and then it steaks back like 2 weeks later. It's not spreading which is a relief but the little ass won't die! It's hiding behind the pink palys, using them like a living shield. Clearly this anemone has zero honour. Quote Link to comment
caas1496 Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 Those are some beautiful acanthophyllia! So jealous. You’re getting some great growth on that zoa garden too, it’ll be full before you know it. To be honest I haven’t ever had luck with aiptasia X either. They always seem to pop right back up after a week or two. Quote Link to comment
farkwar Posted November 17, 2020 Share Posted November 17, 2020 On 11/10/2020 at 5:48 PM, mipster said: ....... I have a problem.... 🤦♀️ Same Quote Link to comment
mipster Posted November 17, 2020 Author Share Posted November 17, 2020 9 hours ago, caas1496 said: Those are some beautiful acanthophyllia! So jealous. You’re getting some great growth on that zoa garden too, it’ll be full before you know it. To be honest I haven’t ever had luck with aiptasia X either. They always seem to pop right back up after a week or two. The acanthos are for sure my babies, they make me so happy. I'm amazed by how quickly the zoa garden is coming along, it's just this mat of colour! I wish I could find some berghia nudis but no one has had them in stock for a very long time. I'll keep trying to get rid of the aptasia one at a time though and hope I don't cause an explosion of them lol 9 hours ago, farkwar said: Same It's nice to know I'm not alone. Maybe I'll go up to my LFS tonight to get the second AI prime so I can get that rolling finally. I've only been talking about it since I moved everything into the IM20. I saw the clown who I'm fairly confident will be the one that stays male trying to host my larger duncan coral which was super cool to see but my poor duncan is less then impressed lol Hopefully the clown doesn't piss it off too much cause it's my fave Duncan. If it doesn't leave it alone, I'll have to figure out something it might like more like it's own bubble tip.... which I always said I'd never do.... Bad me.. don't go there.... resist... 1 Quote Link to comment
mipster Posted November 18, 2020 Author Share Posted November 18, 2020 I had the most terrifying nightmare last night, it was so vivid that when I woke up, I was convinced it was real! A seam burst on my tank in my dream and was slowly leaking and I was running around trying to find another tank only I couldnt find anything and the water was getting lower and lower. It was terrible! In the real world, I have always opened my window before going to sleep but then this morning around 3 am, my inkbird went off with a low temp alarm. It was too cold in the apartment for my little 50 w heater to keep up. I still want to be able to have my window open a crack when I go to bed so now I need to figure how how powerful a heater I need/can fit. Anyone have any thoughts there? 1 Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted November 18, 2020 Share Posted November 18, 2020 I wouldn't go bigger than a 75 or 100W Quote Link to comment
mipster Posted November 18, 2020 Author Share Posted November 18, 2020 1 minute ago, Ratvan said: I wouldn't go bigger than a 75 or 100W I was thinking the cobalt 100 or 150 W. I love a cold room when I sleep but my tank clearly doesn't lol Why would you not go above 100W? Quote Link to comment
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