Reclamation project

[snostorm]

Still plenty active!! 

[snostorm]

There was no less aggression. Momma clown fought through the whole process. Lol. But they are adjusting. 

[seabass]

Looks good.

[Leoito]

Definitely looking much cleaner; any specific LPS or softies you plan on adding?

[snostorm]

I would like Hammer, Frogspawn, torch, and a monti.  I also would like to try a clam I have always wanted one. Some Zoo's. Still finding rogue mushrooms little bastards.  Every time I go after anything in my tank the clown bombs my hand.  Lots of fight left in her. 

 

[snostorm]

These damn things are insidious!!!  I see you little bastard...,

[andrewjardin]

Dd you end up getting some credit at the LFS for all the mushrooms?

[snostorm]

18 minutes ago, andrewjardin said:

Dd you end up getting some credit at the LFS for all the mushrooms?

I have a handshake on a discount on some frags down the road.  So far my clowns and my cleaner shrimp are doing ok eating no signs of stress.  But not ready for frags at this point.   Gonna test and see where Im at this weekend.  Not sure how long it will take the Caribsea life rock to establish an effective biological filter. Im thinking of the inTank refugium rack as an addition. So far so good.  Was an aggressive switch it might have been safer to gradually swap the rock but didn't want to risk any mushrooms taking up residence on my new rock. 

[andrewjardin]

😲 A handshake during coronavirus?? Haha

 

I'm really curious about the rock you used, I actually never heard of it until recently so please let us know how it goes!  I like the aquascape as well btw

[Keewie]

lol i loved the picture of the little mushroom hiding in the corner. The new rock looks very nice.

[snostorm]

1 hour ago, andrewjardin said:

😲 A handshake during coronavirus?? Haha

 

I'm really curious about the rock you used, I actually never heard of it until recently so please let us know how it goes!  I like the aquascape as well btw

I bought the 20lb box of "shapes"  They are big I didn't use it all.  I kept rearranging the peaces and couldn't  settle.  All the while my female clown was dive bombing me. It filled up my whole tank It came with 4 peaces two arching branch types, large rock with a hole in it and a huge helmit type peace( which i left out).  Finally I took the big peace out and said well this is as good as it gonna get.  Aquascaping cubes can be difficult and you are limited with these peaces.  It seems kinda contrived but I feel this arrangement gives space for getting more creative with corals.  I like the minimal rock look in reef tanks.   

[andrewjardin]

Yes it can definitely be a challenge to aquascape cubes!  It's a fun part of the design process but also very frustrating! 

[snostorm]

I have a diatom issue. Even before  I swapped my rock they would show on the sand.  I tested my water and no nitrate issue.  But do not have a phosphate test.  I use Distilled water to top off and Nutri-seawater for WC.  Could there be silicates in  my top off water? 

[Tired]

What are your exact parameters? 

[snostorm]

22 minutes ago, Tired said:

What are your exact parameters? 

...nitrate were zero,,,no ammonia nitrite.....dont have a phosphate test yet. I have always been a heavy feeder. Clowns wanna eat😁

 

I dont run a skimmer.  There are no effective options for a Biocube IMO. Ill do a thorough test and see where I am at. I have old test kits and need to invest in some tests.  Can someone recommend some good testing kits? Phos, Mag, Alkalinity etc... 

[seabass]

3 hours ago, snostorm said:

I use Distilled water to top off and Nutri-seawater for WC.  Could there be silicates in  my top off water?

I wouldn't think so.  Did you replace or add any sand?  That's a common source.

 

1 hour ago, snostorm said:

Can someone recommend some good testing kits? Phos, Mag, Alkalinity etc...

For phosphorus/phosphate, I like the Hanna ULR Checker.  I use Salifert for Alkalinity, Calcium, and Magnesium.

[snostorm]

9 hours ago, seabass said:

I wouldn't think so.  Did you replace or add any sand?  That's a common source.

 

For phosphorus/phosphate, I like the Hanna ULR Checker.  I use Salifert for Alkalinity, Calcium, and Magnesium.

I did not add any sand.  But there are areas of sand that were covered in rock that arent now, not sure if that would contribute.

[seabass]

There's a possibility that the new rock is the source.  Unless this has been a recurring problem prior to replacing the rock, there should be a finite amount of silica, which the diatoms will eventually use up.

[snostorm]

This has been an ongoing problem since before replacing my rock.  But it seems to be more prominent since I replaced the rock. Ill snap a pic when I get home from work..

[snostorm]

Hard to see in this pic

 

[seabass]

Doesn't look too bad.  Is it at all slimy, or mostly crusty?  I'm wondering if it's really diatoms. 🤔

[snostorm]

7 minutes ago, seabass said:

Doesn't look too bad.  Is it at all slimy, or mostly crusty?  I'm wondering if it's really diatoms. 🤔

not slimy.....but it can clump at times.  And I remove it. 

[seabass]

I'm at a loss about the silica source.  You'd think it would eventually run out.  Randy Holmes-Farley actually doses silica.

[mcarroll]

On 5/19/2020 at 6:08 PM, snostorm said:

Has anyone won the mushroom war?  Id love to keep my rock and not have to start over.

You will lose.  Mushrooms are invincible.

 

I've tried battling mine once or twice and they utterly just could not care about what people on the internet "think" should kill them.

 

My current hope is my Blue-finned Damselfish (aka Black Damselfeish).   Allegedly they become soft-coral eaters as adults.  Mine is still only 3-4" long tho...long way to go I think before he changes to black/becomes adult.

 

IMO sell the mushroom rock.  Make a killing doing it.  Folks LOVE mushrooms and seem willing to pay good money for already-loaded rocks.  And you have some well-loaded rocks judging by the pic.

 

Then order some new live rock from Tampa bay, KPA or one of the others and start over.  Try to enjoy the chance to begin again vs hating on it.    You'll thank yourself later, all the way around.

On 5/19/2020 at 10:42 PM, Tired said:

You could swap the rock out a piece at a time

My mushrooms would populate that new rock before the whole swap was completed.  😞 

 

On 6/4/2020 at 10:17 AM, snostorm said:

The shrooms are not liking my new Steve’s LED retrofit.

Not if you didn't use a light meter (or at least power meter) to make the new light as similar as possible to the old light.  Not at all.

 

On 5/20/2020 at 9:07 AM, seabass said:

Then there are corals with nasty stings which might be able to clear a path for itself.

Mushrooms rank up there with Anemones for stinging potency.  (At least ones I've seen do battle.)

 

On 6/3/2020 at 6:09 PM, snostorm said:

I received my 20lbs of caribsea liferock

Not the best way, but at least it's rock.

 

On 6/3/2020 at 6:09 PM, snostorm said:

Gonna trade my rock with the shrooms at LFS will see what I can get for it. 

Trading your mushroom rock for blank live rock would be the most ideal.   See if the store has some they'd trade.

 

On 6/9/2020 at 9:37 PM, snostorm said:

I have a handshake on a discount on some frags down the road.

That was potentially a few hundred dollars worth of mushroom rock....that had to be one helluva handshake.

 

On 6/9/2020 at 9:37 PM, snostorm said:

Not sure how long it will take the Caribsea life rock to establish an effective biological filter.

Should have been all-set from the factory as was mentioned earlier in the thread....it's pre-loaded with bacteria.

 

Are you seeing signs (ie ammonia) that it's not running right?

 

On 6/9/2020 at 9:37 PM, snostorm said:

Im thinking of the inTank refugium rack as an addition.

Tank never had one before did it?  I wouldn't add one.  They are not helpful in most cases (assuming that growing macro algae is your intention)....mostly just novelty.

 

On 6/10/2020 at 7:55 PM, snostorm said:

I have a diatom issue.

Sure it's diatoms?   They don't show up in old tanks without something going wrong as they are absolutely dependent on available dissolved silicates to reproduce...and there is usually not a source of silicates for them under normal circumstances.

 

Could be dino's if you see them disappear and night and re-appear during the day.  Try a "shake test".   Take a sample of the algae and some tank water in a vial....shake it up to completely homogenize...then leave the sample in light for a while (eg tank lights or sunny windows sill).  If anything regroups into a mass, it's dinoflagellates.  Diatoms and other "lookalikes" can't do that since they don'y really swim.

 

On 6/10/2020 at 7:55 PM, snostorm said:

I tested my water and no nitrate issue.

A "nitrate issue" is where your tank lacks available nitrates.   Do you mean that?  I.e. your tank has plenty of nitrates?

 

If you mean that you have no nitrates, then that's a problem.

 

On 6/10/2020 at 9:50 PM, snostorm said:

.dont have a phosphate test yet.

If po4 is zero, that can be a BIG problem.  Find out asap.

 

 

FYI, aragonite (what coral skeleton is made from) works EXACTLY like GFO in binding phosphates.  Your new rock could have lowered already-low phosphates levels to a dangerously low level.  That could certainly cause a "bigger looking" dino bloom.

 

Ideally, get a microscope to look at your algae, take some pics (and a movie if there is any action) and post them here.  

 

But at minimum do that shake test I mentioned. 

[snostorm]

I tested my water before I did the rock swap and nitrates were zero......i need to get some good test kits and do a thorough evaluation,  Its rock only for now.  My clowns and cleaner are all doing fine.  Will update when I get params........