Wormie's Flex 32.5G NOOB ADVENTURE

[Ratvan]

3 hours ago, WormLicker said:

Okay @Ratvan and @M. Tournesol

 And any others willing to give a shot at today's game of "cute snail or cold blooded murderer?"

I may keep it if it's a whelk, that would be interesting unless they are asexual or otherwise problematic.

 

You can see a small almost trunk poking at the front of the shell, it's short . And two feelers, a little bit of pink color on the inside of the shell. It also has a brown "foot", white body with some tan speckles.

Take a photo of the foot if you can but thats the shell shape i was thinking about

[WormLicker]

Plate coral died.

 

I knew the green Fungia Plate was a moderate level coral. I couldn't get it back to full health. (For $25 I figured why not try?) It was looking like it was doing better for a while but..

I came home to find my damselfish having it as a snack. This coral wasn't stripped this morning and I'm watching the fish eat it now, I thought damsels wouldn't do that??? My only assumption is that it had actually died and the fish are just finishing it off.

Oh well. Maybe one day I'll treat myself and get a healthy one from the start.

 

 

[Xj reefing]

7 hours ago, WormLicker said:

Plate coral died.

 

I knew the green Fungia Plate was a moderate level coral. I couldn't get it back to full health. (For $25 I figured why not try?) It was looking like it was doing better for a while but..

I came home to find my damselfish having it as a snack. This coral wasn't stripped this morning and I'm watching the fish eat it now, I thought damsels wouldn't do that??? My only assumption is that it had actually died and the fish are just finishing it off.

Oh well. Maybe one day I'll treat myself and get a healthy one from the start.

 

 

Sorry the fungia did not make it. I also had no idea damsels did that

[WormLicker]

GEtting HAIRY

 

Added one leafy sea hare.

 

One can only read about ways to be rid of trouble algae so long before taking further action. The bubble algae and cyano have completely duped me at every turn, when I think I've got it NOPE it's back. 

The sea hare is very pretty and has a reputation for being a voracious algae eater, let's go!! 

I think my problem is that the aquarium catches a few hours of natural evening sunlight. I really really do not want to dose chemicals for the algae. Since I run carbon, I figure the chance of the hare fowling the water is as close to me ruining dosing a product like vibrant. I want to take a more natural approach to solving the problem, which is just that I allowed this problem to overtake the aquarium.

 

Added eight blue leg hermit

 

I've added a few new hermits to make up for the eaten ones. The supposed welch is nowhere to be found, I'll be keeping my eyes peeled to take further photos. 

 

 

[M. Tournesol]

37 minutes ago, WormLicker said:

I want to take a more natural approach to solving the problem, which is just that I allowed this problem to overtake the aquarium.

I call a leafy sea hare a hammer. A/Some tuxedo urchin(s) would have been a less risky solution.

[WormLicker]

Just now, M. Tournesol said:

I call a leafy sea hare a hammer. A/Some tuxedo urchin(s) would have been a less risky solution.

I did consider urchins, unfortunately my LFS only seems to have the larger species available. I didn't want to bring something in that may focus on the coraline over the micro, the problem algae takes every surface within a matter of hours.

Plus the hare was fairly inexpensive, I have lots of macro I can supplement it with if it manages to clear everything. (Sorta doubtful, here's to hoping!)

I know it's a riskier addition, but it was available and on the list of algae eating machines. I've always been fond of them ! Cute little.. things.. 

It's been going in a circle on the gravel where I put it efficiently stripping every little bit of algae in the way. I'm impressed!

[WormLicker]

Sea hare is a wonderful addition!

 

Newly named "Eddy" is doing a fantastic job of clearing my problem algae. He seemed to prefer the blue/green over the bubble and hair, but very diligently sweeps around the corals and the gravel bed around the same time every day and then goes on the glass at night for a bit 

uh also he turned purple? I am guessing that he's purple now because he has eaten algae that allowed him to make toxin? 🤷 Kinda cool. I'll be moving him to the algae only setup tomorrow to do some cleanup there.

[WormLicker]

Eddy did a great job of demolishing my nuisance algae problem and has been removed.

 

My feather caulerpa is doing great! 

 

Kenya is looking especially happy today 

 

And there's some serious growth on these zoas!

 

I also got myself a proper mushroom, it sure is growing fast 

 

I also got some clove polyps that seem quite happy

 

[WormLicker]

winter is coming

I moved the aquarium to a new stand and to a warmer place in the house. It's been just a little cooler outside and already I was seeing issues with maintaining temperature. I took the time to do some cleaning, rinsed the gravel (with spent water) did a 30% water change and rearranged a little. There are now two more caves and a more open space for swimming where I feed. Everyone seems to be doing okay, my Damsels are grumpy but otherwise fine.

[WormLicker]

Saw something freaky and cool today.

 

My sand shifter was waving one arm over this bunching of hair algae, back and forth, slowly. I sat down to take a closer look and it was catching copepods ! That was extremely cool.

[WormLicker]

Added equipment 

 

Yesterday I noticed cyano creeping back in low flow areas. I've installed one Aquatop maxflo powerhead (25watt) with a sponge cover over the intake.

My fish LOVE it. They are now swimming around in the high flow area, always sticking around the powerhead. 

I moved my monti into the general flow area since cyano was starting to creep on it, it seems a lot happier. GSP also seems to be really benefiting. 

 

However my unknown ruffle coral looks... A bit sad. It has only been inflating to a third the size, but polyps still extend so I think it'll be ok. It has become fluorescent green, that's good??

 

[LazyFish]

The ruffle coral looks like a green cabbage leather coral to me. They can be pink or or tan very flourecent green.

[WormLicker]

11 hours ago, LazyFish said:

The ruffle coral looks like a green cabbage leather coral to me. They can be pink or or tan very flourecent green.

Hey, thanks! Yes, appears to check out! 

[WormLicker]

Feather caulerpa went sexual, removed. 

THis really bums me out, it was growing really well.. maybe TOO well. I noticed it turning white and immediately removed it, just in time too!! It turned to.. soup.. 

 

Added new pink/purple palys and some blue zoas

They are small frags, but so pretty!!

 

All existing corals are doing great, my close polyps have really taken off.

 

Added one pompom decorator crab.

ugh. An impulse buy since I've never seen one at the lfs. This little shit immediately snipped more than half of my clove polyps and may favorite palys. He left MOST of the pieces just.. literally whenever around the tank. It looks like the few pieces he fragged that's he's presently wearing are starting to grow on him, literally. Good luck Tomatoa. He's a cool little guy, coral snipping aside... (Dirty glass, I don't clean the side where he has decided to live.)

[Xj reefing]

That pretty cool that some coral has started growing on him

[WormLicker]

Decorator crab donated to another reefer. He was cool but, lol, admittedly a poor choice. I won't do that again.

 

Added a very small green hammer frag and a grandis paly.