Re-Re Starting the RSM130D & Things that Sting Reef

[Ratvan]

8 minutes ago, Snow_Phoenix said:

You can try distracting Swim and Carpi by dropping food on one side of the tank. While they're preoccupied, then you can quickly try target-feeding Krilla (using a baster/pipette) on the opposite side, away from the other 2. That was how I managed my dragonets whenever I introduced a new one. The older, established ones will get first pickings and try to shoo the new guy away. But once the new fish was more settled, and the older ones adapted to the new one's presence, all of them got along (eventually).

 

Not sure if this same strategy will work for lions, but no harm trying. 🤷‍♀️

That was how I attempted to feed the tank 😂 double pipettes one on each side of the tank with pumps off, it will most likely calm down on its own eventually

[Ratvan]

A lovely greeting when i get to work on a Tuesday morning (I'm a part timer also known as a TWaT now. I work in the office Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays 😂).

 

Its really nice to see that Swim Shady and Carpi B are never too far from each other in the tank

 

They even rest on the same rock and stalk the sandbed together 

[Ratvan]

Since it is a quiet afternoon in the office I took the time to take a few pictures around the tank and of its occupants. 

 

So first things first, I removed the polystyrene floater that I had inserted my mangroves into to start the roots growing. It was literally a breeding ground for Algae. There were some interesting colours growing on it when I threw it in the bin. I found some plastic 90 degree hooks in the office, these have been glued to the rear on the AIO wall and the Mangroves have been cable tied to this so that the roots are still in the water.

 

The Green and Red Zoa rock is doing well, the variety of Green Zoas are opening and sending out small Polyps at an Incredible rate, the reds in the background are not opening as well or at all currently. I have also noticed a few random Polyps popping up over the tank since adding these

 

New Mushroom Corals, in this tank I have Red Superman and the below Green/Blue Discosoma Mushrooms. All the "mothers" are on small sections of rubble that I move around the tank and encourage the babies to grow on as many surfaces as possible. Started with 4 of these green/blue and now have somewhere north of 30.

 

I felt bad not taking many pictures of Ghost Faced Krilla so got one

 

Swim Shady is colouring up nicely and yeah thats Carpi B just below him on the rockwork 😍

 

The new girl, some colours starting to come out under my lights, can just about make out yellows as well as tans and wns 

[Ratvan]

Noticed that I am getting more and more film algae over the tank so decided to upgrade the Clean up Crew today. Picked up a pincushion urchin today that looks white and purple under my lights

 

 

@InAtTheDeepEnd I am trying to get the mushrooms for you but seems that the red ones have fixed somewhere stupid that I cannot get to at the moment. Would you be happy waiting a little bit until I have some loose leaves of the reds too? 

[Snow_Phoenix]

20 minutes ago, Ratvan said:

Noticed that I am getting more and more film algae over the tank so decided to upgrade the Clean up Crew today. Picked up a pincushion urchin today that looks white and purple under my lights

 

 

@InAtTheDeepEnd I am trying to get the mushrooms for you but seems that the red ones have fixed somewhere stupid that I cannot get to at the moment. Would you be happy waiting a little bit until I have some loose leaves of the reds too? 

That urchin looks really nice. Been trying to get a similar one for some time to clean up my 60G.

[Ratvan]

Just now, Snow_Phoenix said:

That urchin looks really nice. Been trying to get a similar one for some time to clean up my 60G.

Thanks, it is much larger than I wanted, was looking for something about 1" max and have it grow in with the tank. This one is close to 3.5-4", i do know someone with a 125G who is always looking for urchins so has a big home when he is done with the algae in my tank. Will keep looking for sensible sized urchins. 

 

Also I think that either Shady or Carpi has shed the cuticle today, seen them both darting and the water has a faint mucus in it at the moment, think its Shady due to the quantity of it in the tank 

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

2 hours ago, Ratvan said:

Noticed that I am getting more and more film algae over the tank so decided to upgrade the Clean up Crew today. Picked up a pincushion urchin today that looks white and purple under my lights

 

 

@InAtTheDeepEnd I am trying to get the mushrooms for you but seems that the red ones have fixed somewhere stupid that I cannot get to at the moment. Would you be happy waiting a little bit until I have some loose leaves of the reds too? 

Yeah that's fine 🙂 my boss keeps giving my free frags so I've suddenly got lots of corals, plus my blue mushroom has gone mental suddenly 

[Ratvan]

10 minutes ago, InAtTheDeepEnd said:

Yeah that's fine 🙂 my boss keeps giving my free frags so I've suddenly got lots of corals, plus my blue mushroom has gone mental suddenly 

I'm sure with the addition of the urchin I shall find them again shortly 

[Jakesaw]

Should set up a f

On 4/27/2022 at 5:43 AM, Ratvan said:

Thanks same here, its just the size that is making me pause (as well as finding one). Having seen him take a Molly the same body length as him does make me wonder if they will be able to identify each other. I have isolation boxes and a QT ready to go, just to find one now. 

Using mollies as a feeder fish, are you doing some to breed and some to feed, so you have a self-replenishing food source? 

 

Not sure if they breed in the S/W environment or just FW...?  But they are prolific breeders in the FW.

[Ratvan]

32 minutes ago, Jakesaw said:

Should set up a f

Using mollies as a feeder fish, are you doing some to breed and some to feed, so you have a self-replenishing food source? 

 

Not sure if they breed in the S/W environment or just FW...?  But they are prolific breeders in the FW.

I mean the mollies were more of a dither fish and algae eater  then a feeder fish. I have seen some Molly fry but not many and not for long. 

 

If I wanted a feeder fish that breeds I would want a sump set up and breed the mollies/guppies in a regugium part of the sump away from hungry mouths. 

[Jakesaw]

1 hour ago, Ratvan said:

I mean the mollies were more of a dither fish and algae eater  then a feeder fish. I have seen some Molly fry but not many and not for long. 

 

I've got my eyes on trying another Royal Gramma.  I want to start a QT tank for as my new bigger tank nears.  I made the mistake of visiting coral store last week and they had some 3 Grammas in different tanks that were all swimming out in the open.  A small, medium and large one.  

 

I've got an unused 10 gallon with light lid I could set up and cycle. 

[Jakesaw]

On 7/6/2022 at 8:45 AM, Ratvan said:

 

 

 

The new girl, some colours starting to come out under my lights, can just about make out yellows as well as tans and wns 

 

What kindof fish is Cardi.  I don't recognize the species.  That fish is a Trip!

[Ratvan]

1 hour ago, Jakesaw said:

What kindof fish is Cardi.  I don't recognize the species.  That fish is a Trip!

She is a Dwarf Fuzzy Lionfish as well, however she is female and with a brown colouring so would guess wild caught from somewhere different from Swim. 

 

As she grows I hope to be able to photograph the differences between the sexes. Noticeable difference to head shape and bands on fins are the more obvious

[Jakesaw]

2 hours ago, Ratvan said:

She is a Dwarf Fuzzy Lionfish as well, however she is female and with a brown colouring so would guess wild caught from somewhere different from Swim. 

 

You putting a pink filter on there?  I;m not seeing any brow on my end. 

[Ratvan]

2 minutes ago, Jakesaw said:

You putting a pink filter on there?  I;m not seeing any brow on my end. 

Fuzzy Dwarf Lions typically come in red like Swim Shady

 

Browns like Carpi B, or as I'm REALLY HOPING

 

She develops Yellows (not my fish)

 

But maybe? 🤞 

 

[Jakesaw]

Good luck on those colors.  Pretty cool fish.

[Ratvan]

So today I learned that Urchins will nibble on mangroves, it has been encouraged not too

 

little bugger

[Ratvan]

Well then, interesting development that is going to lead to me potentially moving this tank. 

 

While I am happy in my current job i am always on the look out for improvements as a result of that on a whim I applied for a new job a couple of weeks ago, i wasn't expecting an offer so when i received one this morning it was a little shocking. Anyways this means that I have a month in which to strip this tank and relocate it along with the livestock to my current house

 

I already have a couple of large containers which will house the liverock and the livestock while i transfer the tank to my house, hanigng the light will be an issue but one i can work on moving forwards

[Ratvan]

So the first couple of changes getting ready for the tank move has been started, I have managed to find a couple of large water tight containers (90 litres each - 24ish Gallons) as well as a dual output airpump with airstone and heaters for each tub. I will start the water making for this a couple of days before I bring home the tank. 

 

I plan on breaking down the Fluval Evo and using the rock from this tank in these containers to keep the cycle going, I can then start moving home the fish and into these storage tubs. I plan on moving the tank and rock last. I plan to reuse the sand in both tanks after a full rinse and clean. 

 

Basically its looking like i will be breaking down both tanks and then having a nice big redesign of the aquascape before i start getting rid of spares and additional rock which does look like I will have a fair amount of 

[Ratvan]

Even better I have located this for free, so with this i can move the water, rock and sand from the Evo to hopefully start and maintain the cycle while I faff about getting the tank home from work 

 

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

Nice set up! Free tanks are the best lol

[Ratvan]

Yeah it holds water which is the main thing, plus not on the floor in the way. Once I have the RSM130D up at home I will stick this back on facebook for free 

[Snow_Phoenix]

Looks great! 😊

[Ratvan]

So the tank is in place, filled with RODI and have dumped salt in and waiting for it to mix and come temperature. 

 

Wasn't expecting to find a T5 in the lid as this was not mentioned, needed a couple little tweaks to get working

[Jakesaw]

I'm living vicariously through you right now.  I had visions of taking my 18 month rock into larger tank as my hobby interest grew.  But Bubble algae killed those dreams.  I'm gonna have to start from scratch with dry rock out of the gate.  My 10 gallon is in permanent quarantine cuz I won't ever let BA get in a tame of mine again. 

 

New tank / New Rock / New environment is in my SW future. 

 

QT / Hydrogen Peroxide dips for everything that goes in new tank for me.  Maybe quarantine too ( not sure how that tank starting exactly works on my end )