debbeach13 Posted June 23, 2020 Share Posted June 23, 2020 Sounds like evry thing is growing and coloring up. Good for you. 1 Quote Link to comment
Snow_Phoenix Posted June 23, 2020 Author Share Posted June 23, 2020 6 minutes ago, debbeach13 said: Sounds like evry thing is growing and coloring up. Good for you. Thanks, Debbeach. Just need to keep on eye on some pieces because they might sting the others since everything is in close proximity with each other. 1 Quote Link to comment
Wingy Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 Snow your tank is so colorful. I wish I could have some of your fairy dust to sprinkle on mine. 1 Quote Link to comment
Snow_Phoenix Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 54 minutes ago, Wingy said: Snow your tank is so colorful. I wish I could have some of your fairy dust to sprinkle on mine. Thanks, Wingy. 😊 No fairy dust here though. Just some WCs and basic maintenance. 👍 2 Quote Link to comment
Snow_Phoenix Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 Well, you can't have too much of a good thing, I guess. Woke up this morning to this: A half-eaten, possibly dead duster worm being wrenched out of its tube by Kraken (previously known as Captain Fuzzypants), my brittlestarfish, and being nibbled on by amphipods. I'm unsure why it died - but it could be possible that the tank was simply too clean, and it wasn't filtering enough food from the water column. Will have to yank it out of the pico and dispose it quickly before it fouls the water. And maybe do a quick parameter check, just in case. 🤔 1 1 Quote Link to comment
ECLS Reefer Posted June 24, 2020 Share Posted June 24, 2020 1 minute ago, Snow_Phoenix said: Well, you can't have too much of a good thing, I guess. Woke up this morning to this: A half-eaten, possibly dead duster worm being wrenched out of its tube by Kraken (previously known as Captain Fuzzypants), my brittlestarfish, and being nibbled on by amphipods. I'm unsure why it died - but it could be possible that the tank was simply too clean, and it wasn't filtering enough food from the water column. Will have to yank it out of the pico and dispose it quickly before it fouls the water. And maybe do a quick parameter check, just in case. 🤔 See those brittle stars are creepy 1 Quote Link to comment
Snow_Phoenix Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 Removed it after Kraken finally got a hold of it: Testing parameters now. 😭 1 1 Quote Link to comment
Snow_Phoenix Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 Finished the parameter check around ~30 mins ago - took a while because I was testing both the 2.9G pico and 60G large reef simultaneously. Parameters are tentatively okay, but the kH is a little low - possibly due to being consumed by the montihat & other SPS, and of course, the addition of so many other corals might have a factor in it: Nitrates = 1 ppm Phosphates = 0.1ppm Calcium = 400ppm Magnesium = ~1300ppm dKH = 7.3 Last WC performed on 21/6/2020. I *think the tank is running a little bit too clean. My previous parameter check last month had nitrates at 2ppm and kH at 8.7. The kH drop is definitely worrisome - I need to mix up a fresh batch of SW and test the kH of the fresh SW to find out how much the kH level actually is. In the meantime, it looks like I'll actually have to dose the Pico with 2 drops of kH buffer everyday. It might seem a little bit silly, but with many pieces growing out and recovering, the Alk is being depleted far more quickly than I expected. Unless I want to perform 2x WCs a week (which can be strenuous to me), I think some minor-dosing is the best way to go. As for the worm dying, I haven't figured out why - but now that I look back on some older pics, I noticed the crown has been *shrinking over the last 2 to 3 weeks, and the latest feeding response wasn't as strong as the previous one. Also, I do recall the worm being in its tube most of the day yesterday. I think I accidently starved it. 😞 My bad - because the water is definitely too clean. This could be why my grape and cup caulerpa vanished - macros need nitrates to thrive too. I'll be upping my feeding of frozen food to 2x a week to increase nitrates a little bit - to at least boost it up to 2ppm. Honestly, fish poop is the best way to increase nitrates. I'm still waiting on a nanofish at the LFS. My secondary LFS did have some purple-striped dottys which were 1" each when they came in, but as beautiful as they are, these guys are terrors in reeftanks, and might rip Harvey (my Saron shrimp) apart. I'm not risking it. Another option is temporarily picking up a YWG - but they max. out at 3" (some sites say 4") and need more room on the sandbed - room that I don't really have to accommodate a medium-sized goby. So I'll have to wait. Again. I really wish people were more interested in gobies and blennies here, rather than tangs all the time. 😕 1 1 Quote Link to comment
Snow_Phoenix Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 Some good news and bad news today. We'll start with the bad news: my xenia melted. A small part of it was sucked up into the intake of my HOB, but it's jammed so well between the tiny grates of the intake, that it's impossible to remove intact. ☹ I've tried keeping xenia 3x in 3 different tanks and I'm not sure why I can't keep it alive. It either detaches on me or just straight up vanishes. In this case, I think the lack of nutrients did it. I noticed my other two toadstool leathers aren't too happy (no full PE) either, so I'm looking into alternatives to raising nitrates in this reef until I can get a fish. Okay, now the good news! I found a second (!) stomatella in my nano today, so I transferred it over to my pico: 😊 It got to work immediately when I plopped it into the tank: Also, Harvey says hello! 🤗 I'll try to take a topview shot in the upcoming days. To compare growth, and...coral wars. 🔥 3 Quote Link to comment
Snow_Phoenix Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 Update: some good news again! I found my xenia. Turns out it hasn't melted, but the frag rock was turned on its side - probably after being bulldozed by my snail. The frag has two clumps of xenia - 1 clump is okay, 1 clump is partially ripped from being sucked into the HOB filter's intake. Don't ask how, but I managed to remove the bit that was stuck on the intake's grates, and move the frag rock next to the red bubble algae for recovery. 👍 Also, I rescued two very shriveled up shrooms from the 60G and managed to transfer them to the pico. It's a baby red devil shroom and another super-tiny green/red rhodactis. Placements are on the sandbed, in the corners of the tank. I'll try to take a pic of them tomorrow - have turned off the lights for the day. 😊 1 Quote Link to comment
debbeach13 Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 That much better. Good and good news! 2 Quote Link to comment
Snow_Phoenix Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 7 minutes ago, debbeach13 said: That much better. Good and good news! Indeed it is. I'll check up on the little reef tomorrow - just resting and unwinding after a long and tiring day. 2 Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 Harvey is awesome, I love the change of colours that he goes through. Are they quite an active shrimp? Quote Link to comment
Snow_Phoenix Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 10 minutes ago, Ratvan said: Harvey is awesome, I love the change of colours that he goes through. Are they quite an active shrimp? He is very active. Constantly up and about in the pico - and since the tank is very small, it's very easy to spot him. I have another older male Saron (~2-years-old) in my 60G and he's elusive. He comes out mostly at night though. I think he hides in the morning because my yellow coris can be a bit of a bully to shrimp. 2 Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 2 minutes ago, Snow_Phoenix said: He is very active. Constantly up and about in the pico - and since the tank is very small, it's very easy to spot him. I have another older male Saron (~2-years-old) in my 60G and he's elusive. He comes out mostly at night though. I think he hides in the morning because my yellow coris can be a bit of a bully to shrimp. Might keep an eye out for one for the Cube in that case, or say screw it and get a baby clown again Quote Link to comment
Snow_Phoenix Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 9 minutes ago, Ratvan said: Might keep an eye out for one for the Cube in that case, or say screw it and get a baby clown again I vote baby clown. But that's just me - because I love fish and seeing any motion in water (like fish swimming or corals 'swaying') calms me down a lot. 1 Quote Link to comment
debbeach13 Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 8 minutes ago, Ratvan said: Might keep an eye out for one for the Cube in that case, or say screw it and get a baby clown again Are you talking about the 5 gallon? If yes when the baby clown grows up will it go in to a bigger tank? Did you set up a 15 gallon or no? 1 Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 1 minute ago, debbeach13 said: Are you talking about the 5 gallon? If yes when the baby clown grows up will it go in to a bigger tank? Did you set up a 15 gallon or no? I'm hoping to move in the next 3 months, I'll be setting up the RSM as home tank. 29G display. Yes I'll do the same as last time. Probably 6-9 months in small nano before moving to RSM and getting a second. Spare pump arrived for RSM today, still no corals 1 Quote Link to comment
Snow_Phoenix Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 Hey guys - another quick update. Just got off Whatsapp with my secondary LFS's manager, and he's going to try an order in a pair of Black Clown gobies for me! 😄 I requested for a pair, because I was worried if I order in 1 and it is DOA, then I won't be able to get anything. I'll observe the pair when they arrive, and pick the healthiest/most active among the two. Kinda excited because I've never seen a BCG in real life (only in pics and vids online), and it's quite affordable too. Might just get my nanofish soon! 🙂 1 Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 1 minute ago, Snow_Phoenix said: Hey guys - another quick update. Just got off Whatsapp with my secondary LFS's manager, and he's going to try an order in a pair of Black Clown gobies for me! 😄 I requested for a pair, because I was worried if I order in 1 and it is DOA, then I won't be able to get anything. I'll observe the pair when they arrive, and pick the healthiest/most active among the two. Kinda excited because I've never seen a BCG in real life (only in pics and vids online), and it's quite affordable too. Might just get my nanofish soon! 🙂 They're gorgeous fish! My LFS has a mated pair (really expensive) 1 Quote Link to comment
Snow_Phoenix Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 6 minutes ago, Ratvan said: They're gorgeous fish! My LFS has a mated pair (really expensive) How much, if you don't mind me asking? Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 1 minute ago, Snow_Phoenix said: How much, if you don't mind me asking? £150 for the pair. 1 Quote Link to comment
Snow_Phoenix Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 6 minutes ago, Ratvan said: £150 for the pair. Ouch! 1 Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted June 25, 2020 Share Posted June 25, 2020 Just now, Snow_Phoenix said: Ouch! Same price as Flaming Prawn and Vampire Goby Tangs, Fox Faces, Puffers are all cheap for me lol 1 Quote Link to comment
Snow_Phoenix Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 6 minutes ago, Ratvan said: Same price as Flaming Prawn and Vampire Goby Tangs, Fox Faces, Puffers are all cheap for me lol Our fish are priced according to location of shipment and season. Like flaming prawns - I've seen them arrive only once at the store, and they were uber-tiny at RM 100 each. No one expressed interest in them, because very few people are into nanofish here, and even fewer pick out picofish. Tangs, foxfaces & puffers are very cheap here too. Although some tangs - like the Achilles tang is very expensive. Depends on the type of fish, I suppose. 🤔 Anything from Indo is super-cheap though, since we literally share a border with Indo. 1 Quote Link to comment
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