Mixed Reef Jar—big changes

[NatureGuy]

Perfect fit

[NatureGuy]

Filament pic

[NatureGuy]

I'm back! After two month of reef negelct. 😅 The hair algae had reached critical compasity now. Here's the gameplan:

 

1. Switch to homemade saltwater.

2. Get a money cowrie and an emeral crab. The crab is mainly for fun, hopefully it doesn't eat the coral.

3. If that isn't sufficient, try hydrogen peroxide.  

4. Control future patches of algae with fire. 

5. Trap the flatworms. 

 

Maybe section:

1. move all the contents of the jar to a similarly sized square or rectangular aquarium. The jar, though cute, is hard to get my hands in becuase of the rim's inward curve. Moreover, the rockscape is barely wedged in and has a tendancy to slide around. I can't reajust it without crushing stuff. I would like to switch to something that allows me to take the rocks in and out with ease. Furthermore, the airline tubeing is held inplace by the jar's lid, and pops out everytime it's open, repositioning it is somewhat inconvenient. Though small, it adds up if I'm maintaining the jar often. I am considering a 2.5 gallon aqueon breeder tank. Alternatively, I could get smaller rocks and keep the jar. 

 

P.S. sorry for taking so long to act on the advice people have given me, I know that's gotta be annoying. 

 

 

 

[NatureGuy]

If I did change out the rocks, I could dip all the coral in the process and wipe out the red flatworms. It would allow for a fresh start with the algae too, though I imagine there will be algae regardless. 

 

Edit: One of the rhodcatis shrooms has attatched itself to the bottom of the jar, but I could put the coral dip in the jar instead of the coral in the dip

 

@teenyreef used the same jar as me, and he experianced difficulty remmoving the rocks without damaging coral, so I recon I'd need exceptionally small rocks for this to work. 

[NatureGuy]

I could've sworn there was a special refereactometer that's used to make sure there are no undisolved salt particules in the mixing bucket, but, from the looks of it, I completely dreamed that up.

[NatureGuy]

I'm going ot switch to instant ocean reef crystal salt when I start mixing my own water since it's cheaper then the RPM that my LFS premixed water is made from. The parameteres look to be pretty similar, so it probobly won't be a problem?

 

[NatureGuy]

I’ve just tested the most resent batch of saltwater from my LFS, and salinity clocks in at 1.024. As a result, I’m going to forgo mixing my own water. I assume the other batch was a fluke. There are still 2.5 ppm of NO3 present, but since the jar is all softies I’m going for ignore it for the time being 

[NatureGuy]

None of my LFSs have money cowries in stock. I may go either just the emerald crab for the time being 

[NatureGuy]

I’ve just added an emerald crab. He started on the algae the exact moment his feet hit the ground. This video was taken immediately after adding him. I’m naming him Henry, he is my son.

 

[NatureGuy]

This is the present stage situation 

[Snow_Phoenix]

16 hours ago, NatureGuy said:

This is the present stage situation 

Is that GHA or bryopsis? I have something similar in my nano, on certain rocks (small patches, though). But my zebra turbo snail often grazes on it, although it comes back within a day. 🤷‍♀️

[NatureGuy]

4 hours ago, Snow_Phoenix said:

Is that GHA or bryopsis? I have something similar in my nano, on certain rocks (small patches, though). But my zebra turbo snail often grazes on it, although it comes back within a day. 🤷‍♀️

Admittedly, I don' really know. I think byropsis because the strands are thick, unlike hair algae which seems to be very fine and soft-looking. The first pic is byropsis and the second is hair (according to google). Last pic is a close up of what I have. The emerald crab is definitly eating it, but its too soon to tell if he's eating a signifigant amount. 

[NatureGuy]

Henry is in a state of perpetaul hiding. Hopefully this is noraml nocturnal behaviour? He may may just be adjusting 

[NatureGuy]

It just hit me that the jar is about nine months old now. It was started on January tenth of last year I believe. In my brain I got the second batch of coral two or three weeks ago lol 

[NatureGuy]

I ordered a mag float online. Not sure if I know how big an inch is lol. Idk if it will work with the curved glass 

[NatureGuy]

I'm going to try spot treating peroxide when I change the water tommarrow. I'd like to apply it to the cloves directly since the algae has left them losed for months now. Unfortunately, they seem to be one of the few corals that can be damaged by peroxide. 

 

[Elizabeth94]

That crab is so cute! I have has success with peroxide in the past with normal hair algae, just have to be mindful of how much you use in such a small system. 

[NatureGuy]

13 hours ago, Elizabeth94 said:

That crab is so cute! I have has success with peroxide in the past with normal hair algae, just have to be mindful of how much you use in such a small system. 

Do you use food grade peroxide? I just checked mine and it isn’t food grade, it doesn’t mention containing any preservatives though. 

[Elizabeth94]

56 minutes ago, NatureGuy said:

Do you use food grade peroxide? I just checked mine and it isn’t food grade, it doesn’t mention containing any preservatives though. 

Just regular 3% peroxide, I think mine was the cheap CVS brand.  That peroxide looks just fine. Inactive ingredients says purified water only. I honestly haven’t read anything about food grade peroxide being needed in the hundreds of threads I have read over the years. 🙂 

[InAtTheDeepEnd]

considering 'normal' peroxide is designed for use as a disinfectant on wounds, it's fine lol

[NatureGuy]

I’ve just finished doing a water change and using hydrogen peroxide. The steps I followed where as follows:

 

1. drain the water 

2. Use forceps to press a 3% hydrogen peroxide soaked paper towel against the LR

3. Wait 5 minutes

4. Refill the tank with the dirty water

5. Drain the water again, and fill with new saltwater

 

I’ve only applied the H2O2 to a small area to start. Here are before and after pics of that section. First pic is before second is after. As can be seen there is no effect yet. As far as I can tell, it often takes 24 hours to show any real effect. I’ll post an update tomorrow. If there is no effect, I’ll try again with more aggression. 

 

[NatureGuy]

I haven’t taken action with reference to the red planaria yet. I’m waiting to do research regarding their potentially toxic effects first. A quick google seems to indicate that the chief threat is the population becoming so dense that it smothers the coral. The flatworms have been in the tank from the beginning and, if anything, the population has decreased, so I’m unsure if I’m ultimately going to do anything about them or not. I’ll have to some research first.

 

On another note the jar is on a shelf very near to the floor. I’m tempted to move it as I have to bend down to get a proper look. However, I do enjoy its location in reference to the rest of the room and also the fact that I can sit down while maintaining it. 

[NatureGuy]

I just realized that letting the jar sit for 5 minutes without water in it may not have been the best for Henry the emerald crab… I do believe I may be incompetent… 

 

Edit: I may attempt to coax him out with pellet food when I feed the coral tomorrow 

Edit: for clarity, I've no idea if it's effected him at all, I basically never see him as is 

[NatureGuy]

He lives! Long live the king! (I swear he’s more alive then he looks)

[NatureGuy]

Close up of the phytoplankton