20 Gallon Reef- updated 12/11/2007

[WaterPond]

yeah, i was actually going to walk uptown and get some today :'(

I guess it can wait now... uggh, im sooo upset. I was just starting to get attached to this guy.

 

[WaterPond]

I thought it was about time for an update.

My corals are growing like crazy. My toadstool is absolutely beautiful, my mushroom is big, and my anthelia is very thick and is starting to spread as a very very nice carpet. It will take time though.

Crappily, algea is running wild too. I really need to invest in an RO/DI unit and a phosephate test kit. I am just using aged tap waer right now. I am taking a wild guess that phosphates are very high. Nitrate is testing at 0. I am getting quite a bit of coraline algea growth too. It is growing very slowly though.

Heres pics:

Toadstool:

FTS

 

[austinsdad]

Next water change, take a toothbrush in one hand and the siphon hose in the other (better with 2 people though). Loosen and suck it up. Or just loosen well then siphon. After a couple or three PWCs like that, and you'll be well on your way. But the of course it's coming back if those phosphates are that high.

Scott/Roka64 was my other hand when I did mine, but I don't think he'll drive up to Ontario. Just a hunch.

 

[WaterPond]

Well, i thought it was really about time for an update.

I am really at peace with the algea now. I am controlling it, but i just dont care anymore. It makes it look kinda natural anyhow.

Corals are growing nicely.

I plan on adding a couple more fish, but i just have not had the time. I also plan on investing in a skimmer.

I will just leave you with pics:

 

[Devilishturtles]

One thought with the algae. Do you have a filter pad in that HOB? If so, ditch it, scrub all the algae, do a big water change, and see if it helps any. I had a huge problem when I had my HOB filter with algae. Got rid of it, algae almost went away. Worth a try, ya know.

 

[WaterPond]

nope, i only have LR rubble in the filter

 

[blazeyreef]

tank looks awesome jason!

 

[WaterPond]

well, thats the end of that. Time to sell of corals, and my beloved clownfish.

I am just tired of this tank, never could get into it. Im definately not a reefer. I appreciate everyones help over the months. At least i tried, and now i know saltwater is not for me.

 

[Devilishturtles]

Hard to get interested when you kept having so much trouble, but good call on your part.

 

[WaterPond]

I will try in the future, when i have more money, and a larger tank. For now, im putting my saltwater tank to bed.

 

[Scottm]

sorry to hear that. Salt water is unfortunately always expensive to do anything the right way, and you quickly find out there is only one right way for many of these things.

 

[WaterPond]

Well, i decided not to after all. I finally got the algea under controll and things are looking up i suppose.

Here is a little update:

Algae gone (for the most part)

Corals getting huge

Fish Beautiful as always

Luckily i am seeing some price reductions at my LFS and they just got a huge shipment in. Lots of salt stuff, tons of corals, TONS of plants, and a few freshie fish.

I am trying to imprve my saltwater tank so i bought a cleanup crew. I bought 4 more (total of five) snails, and one more hermit crab to make 5 hermits.

I got looking and i noticed a little sixline wrasse bee- bopping along in the coral tank. I saw the price and i was llike, wow. I wanted one of those before but the price was scaring me off (they are around 48 dollars elsewhere). This was more than half the price so i scooped him up. Then i saw the corals and pics out some nice zoas. I got some orange and green zoas on a peice of LR.

The zoas are still practically closed

Here are pics

 

[blazeyreef]

looks awesome! how did you rid of the algae? I am now having issues..ugg
I told you you would like a sixline !!!!!! adorable addition... congrats!

 

[WaterPond]

ok, this is going to sounds really bad but when i was thinking of getting rid of my SW tank as i was tring to find a home for everything i totally neglected the tank. My corals started to die off and such but so did the algea. I did a water change and everything went back to normal and i removed the rest of the algea by hand. Then i got the snails and they are keeping it away. They are just the cheap little astrea snails

 

[Devilishturtles]

I am trying the same tactic on my saltwater tank right now, actually. Seeing if maybe there was an imbalance that needed to work itself out. I'm debating downsizing my tank to something a bit more manageable for me too, but I am glad the algae issue has finally gone away for you, Jason. Mine is still around but not as bad as before at all.

Tank looks great, btw!