Tim's 54 Gallon Corner -> Going Reef

[TLTGF]

That would be cool. I could put one in the biocube too!

It just seemed odd to have that coral close down AND have some crazy algae start forming around the sand bed in that same area.

I'll keep an eye out and give updates tomorrow morning.

Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Gregcoyote]

I would either check my phosphates with a sensitive test kit (like a Hanna), or go ahead and run some phosphate remover. My frogspawns are very sensitive to phosphates. Lower than .03 to .05 is optimal, .05 to .1 is acceptable, over that you will see some corals react. The haze is probably a small diatom bloom, something else that points to a small phosphate increase. Run some GFO and forget about it...

 

[TLTGF]

Thanks for the reassurance. I'm kicking myself for choosing to fix the windshield on my Avalanche now... Should've bought a BRS dual reactor and some carbon and GFO instead during the group buy!

Here is some pics of what I'm looking at and a before and now of the octo:

 

[Gregcoyote]

That's not much of a reduction in size. Mine vary a bit naturally.

 

[rob_mango]

How is the frogspawn doing now days is it all opened back up

 

[TLTGF]

Still shrunken. I've got a pwc due tomorrow morning, but I have't done anything to eliminate or change anything. I'm hoping to get in on Clever's BRS group buy, and I'm planning to pickup the dual carbon, GFO reactor and the phosphate test.

For now I'm just fingers crossed. I was thinking about moving it to frag tank temporarily to see if anything changes. Also thinking about doing a coralRx dip just to ensure nothing is bothering it.

 

[rob_mango]

Moving and dipping it don't seem like a bad idea

 

[TLTGF]

I obviously want to combat and resolve any issues in my tank and that is my #1 priority, but since it appears to be the only coral affected, I figure doing my due diligence is key to keeping this beautiful coral healthy as well.

 

[Gregcoyote]

I don't think I would dip it at this point...too much stress. You could use a gentle current to clean between the polyps and inspect it for predators like worms. Mine has little bouts when it is about 20% smaller for a few days...usually if I have let salinity change accidentally. Do you have any fish that would disturb it?

 

[TLTGF]

See... That's why I post first, for great feedback like that! I'll hold off on the dip. There are two black / white clowns in the tank. They are consistently in their Duncan. I have never seen them near it, and I'm always trying to watch at night and on the weekends. That's kinda why I wanna move to frag tank, just to see if anything changes.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Yes, this makes sense. Will bet you a chicken dinner it deploys fully in the frag tank. I have a number of soft octocorals the clowns host that seem to ignore them completely, the LPS corals are not among them, they close up if irritated. But the clowns seem to sense this and choose the octocorals.

 

[TLTGF]

Hmmm... Maybe I'll try to set-up a web-cam and record a day of action in the tank, and see what I capture - I'm sure reagardless it would be interesting.

I still want to invest in the Reactor and test anyway. It is absurd to invest so much and then not do all I can to keep it pristine.

 

[Gregcoyote]

The frogspawn wouldn't require much pecking before it reacts. Or even a quick clown hug. Over time they get kind of depressed (if a coral can get depressed...) and don't fully deploy. This is just one theory. I would always make checking water parameters the first course of action. Flow is also something they can be picky about. A little too much and they might try to stay compact, while it seems at low flow times they get big and send out sweepers.

 

[TLTGF]

Friday I will be purchasing this:

Dual BRS GFO and Carbon Reactor - English

Does anyone have any feedback or comments or concerns about this unit?

Also, more importantly, which type of Carbon and GFO should I be using? There are three types of Carbon that BRS sells, and two types of GFO!

Please help.

 

[Gregcoyote]

I ordered one too. We will both see.

 

[jjamontan]

I ordered one of them a few days ago scheduled to arrive on Thursday. I ordered the ROX carbon and the regular GFO. I should've waited could have gotten on the group buy. I hope you got a break in price. I got the MJ1200 pump with it.

 

[Gregcoyote]

I accumulate a lot of reward points, so I didn't pay much.

 

[TLTGF]

I got in on Clever's group buy so its like $80 for the one with the pump. and a couple bucks off the carbon and GFO too.

 

[TLTGF]

For 1.5lbs of ROX, 1lb of GFO, Hanna Phosphate, and Reactor its $169.97. Now I just need to find something useful for $5, to get free shipping...

 

[TLTGF]

Reagents for Hanna done - $178 with free shipping!