Sniperhank
Giant Clam Addict
Hows the salinity? If the fuge was having troubles and the ATO kicked in a drop in salinity could be a culprit as well in terms of out of the box thinking.
My custom integrated fuge/nano display
- Thread starter PB_Smith
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PB_Smith
Aquarium Advice Addict
salinity went up to about 1.26 from 1.25 due to evap, but that shouldn't be enough of a variance to cause problems. I have been keeping it at 1.24-.25.
what is really baffling is these are very healthy and robust animals when the lights go out, and corpses when they come on again???
The darn shrimp was as long as my finger and the pair were producing eggs on a regular basis and then dead overnight ?
The flame angel ate like a champ and ruled the tank.
If it were fluctuating ph or something wouldn't my corals be reacting before my other animals because all the coral seem to be doing pretty good.
I feel like staking out the tank at night with night vision goggles or something.
what is really baffling is these are very healthy and robust animals when the lights go out, and corpses when they come on again???
The darn shrimp was as long as my finger and the pair were producing eggs on a regular basis and then dead overnight ?
The flame angel ate like a champ and ruled the tank.
If it were fluctuating ph or something wouldn't my corals be reacting before my other animals because all the coral seem to be doing pretty good.
I feel like staking out the tank at night with night vision goggles or something.
PB_Smith
Aquarium Advice Addict
Well it seems everything has settled or whatever, at least no more mystery deaths.
I am pretty happy with the results of this little fuge. My nitrates and phosphates have dropped considerably and any traces of hair algae or cyano are now absent from the main display.
The fuge is a multi-colored array with cyano and various colors of algae growing and the caulerpa has gone wild.
The pod population has greatly increased over the last week and everything seems to be moving along nicely.
interesting side note. My ulva (sea lettuce) macro was growing great and looking vibrant. Now it is withering and has stopped growing. Found out the cause, this type of algae needs a good level of phosphate to grow good so as my phosphate level dropped off, so did the algae.
Oh well, I can accept that.
I am pretty happy with the results of this little fuge. My nitrates and phosphates have dropped considerably and any traces of hair algae or cyano are now absent from the main display.
The fuge is a multi-colored array with cyano and various colors of algae growing and the caulerpa has gone wild.
The pod population has greatly increased over the last week and everything seems to be moving along nicely.
interesting side note. My ulva (sea lettuce) macro was growing great and looking vibrant. Now it is withering and has stopped growing. Found out the cause, this type of algae needs a good level of phosphate to grow good so as my phosphate level dropped off, so did the algae.
Oh well, I can accept that.
Sniperhank
Giant Clam Addict
Sounds like ulva would be a good candidate in my system! Lol. Just glad things have worked themselves out.
PB_Smith
Aquarium Advice Addict
Well I harvested about 2/3 of the caulerpa last night. Now the test begins to see if my nitrate and phosphate levels move much from it not being there and as it grows back.
My gut tells me that I will see a small rise and then a big drop-off as it begins growing fast again.
Despite the heat issues, tank crept up to 85.5 last night, most of my corals seem to be doing fine, showing nice color and full polyp extension. The only ones in question are the paly colony that had a rock fall on them. The one I posted in another thread has died and is gone, but now all the other polyps have completely closed and have been that way for a week now. A couple are even getting algae on them, but I can tell they are not dead.
I did recently add a couple of small pumps to increase flow, but other than that I can't pinpoint any reason for them all to stay closed. Another colony of the same type is about 4" away and is growing like mad.
I also notice that the pipe organ corals don't like it when the temps get around 83 degrees. They either close up or just look generally "wilted".
Picked up another zoa colony and a firefish yesterday.
Darned if I can't go to get water and not get something else....LOL
The zoa colony caught my eye, don't know the "brand name", they have orange fringe with a very light "sea foam" green central disc and the mouth is slightly lighter. Very bright looking and there is about 35-40 polyps on the hunk o' rock, not bad for $10.
Will post pics later.
I have a very nice bright orange mushroom that simply refuses to attach to something or if it does, the lawnmower blenny decides he just has to clean that bit of rubble and knocks it off.
any suggestions?
can I temporarily tie it loosely to a rock with fishing line safely?
My gut tells me that I will see a small rise and then a big drop-off as it begins growing fast again.
Despite the heat issues, tank crept up to 85.5 last night, most of my corals seem to be doing fine, showing nice color and full polyp extension. The only ones in question are the paly colony that had a rock fall on them. The one I posted in another thread has died and is gone, but now all the other polyps have completely closed and have been that way for a week now. A couple are even getting algae on them, but I can tell they are not dead.
I did recently add a couple of small pumps to increase flow, but other than that I can't pinpoint any reason for them all to stay closed. Another colony of the same type is about 4" away and is growing like mad.
I also notice that the pipe organ corals don't like it when the temps get around 83 degrees. They either close up or just look generally "wilted".
Picked up another zoa colony and a firefish yesterday.
Darned if I can't go to get water and not get something else....LOL
The zoa colony caught my eye, don't know the "brand name", they have orange fringe with a very light "sea foam" green central disc and the mouth is slightly lighter. Very bright looking and there is about 35-40 polyps on the hunk o' rock, not bad for $10.
Will post pics later.
I have a very nice bright orange mushroom that simply refuses to attach to something or if it does, the lawnmower blenny decides he just has to clean that bit of rubble and knocks it off.
any suggestions?
can I temporarily tie it loosely to a rock with fishing line safely?
mr_X
Aquarium Advice Addict
Put it on some rubble inside a small basket...LIke one of those baskets that hold blueberries at the supermarket. Something like this or similar-
PB_Smith
Aquarium Advice Addict
Put it on some rubble inside a small basket...LIke one of those baskets that hold blueberries at the supermarket. Something like this or similar-
DOH!!!!
so simple, why the heck didn't I think of it
it is in a container with rubble, but using the basket I can turn it upside down so the blenny can't get at it.
thanks!
guess I'm gonna be eating berries tonight
PB_Smith
Aquarium Advice Addict
Ok, here are a couple of my new additions;
The zoa colony I mentioned;
and scored another one on my "if I see it in the store..." list,
a great looking little Chalk Bass;
he is currently in my ten gallon alone because he needs to gain some size before he can go into the main tank, plus he had questionable poop when I got him, so quarantine seemed appropriate. glad to say he is fine.
notice the pods on the caulerpa, he is gonna be fat and happy.
and here is a FTS of the new rockscape;
the container is serving as solitary confinement for my killer green brittle star until I can find him a new home. Wasn't gonna risk him with the chalk bass for even one night...LOL
The zoa colony I mentioned;
and scored another one on my "if I see it in the store..." list,
a great looking little Chalk Bass;
he is currently in my ten gallon alone because he needs to gain some size before he can go into the main tank, plus he had questionable poop when I got him, so quarantine seemed appropriate. glad to say he is fine.
notice the pods on the caulerpa, he is gonna be fat and happy.
and here is a FTS of the new rockscape;
the container is serving as solitary confinement for my killer green brittle star until I can find him a new home. Wasn't gonna risk him with the chalk bass for even one night...LOL
coralbandit
Aquarium Advice Addict
the container is serving as solitary confinement for my killer green brittle star until I can find him a new home. Wasn't gonna risk him with the chalk bass for even one night...LOL
I thought that arm going across the back looked suspicious?
You did put a lid on the floaty ???
I thought that arm going across the back looked suspicious?
You did put a lid on the floaty ???
PB_Smith
Aquarium Advice Addict
the container is serving as solitary confinement for my killer green brittle star until I can find him a new home. Wasn't gonna risk him with the chalk bass for even one night...LOL
I thought that arm going across the back looked suspicious?
You did put a lid on the floaty ???
Yup, that is him before I put him in solitary.
Oh yeah, definitely, covered all possible escape routes...LOL.
there are two holes at opposite sides/ends of the container and one of them is in direct line of a return so water is constantly flowing through it. When I first put him in there, I set it on top of the tank and I turned my back for a second and he had half his body squeezing through a hole and about to fall on the ground.
Let me tell ya', those little buggers are strong and he put up a fight before I could wrangle him back into the container.
those pokey things on the arms HURT if you try to get a hold of him, and his body feels like it's going to squish like a marshmallow if you hold him to firmly.
PB_Smith
Aquarium Advice Addict
got a JBJ 1/10 hp chiller yesterday and I'm very happy with it.
the temp has stayed with ~ .5 of the 79 degrees I set it for.
I notice it kicks in if the temp hits 80, then chills until the temp hits 78.5 and within a few minutes the whole system is 79.
Lost the little yellow "gumdrop" goby because of the heat night before last, now that shouldn't happen again.
It was a bit expensive, actually probably accounts for 75% of the hardware investment I have into the system, but when I think that I recently lost ~$200 worth of livestock, possibly in part due to the heat, not to mention the losses last summer, it was worth the investment.
Also ordered a Jebao DC-6000 pump. I'm hoping that the DC pump will contribute much less heat than the mag-drives, and I will be able to get rid of at least one of the three I am running. It will at least be easier on the utility bill.
I'm also adding an 18 gallon tote to the system as a secondary sump, so that pump will be more than enough to feed it and still give a good return flow.
So hopefully in the next week or so I will have it set-up in a way I'm happy with......for a few months at least....LOL
at least the equipment I have been getting will work when/if I can get my 80 gallon rockin'
and I got rid of the killer brittle star. "donated" it to the lfs and it now resides in the shark and ray tank along with all the other criminally insane critters they have adopted.....LOL
the temp has stayed with ~ .5 of the 79 degrees I set it for.
I notice it kicks in if the temp hits 80, then chills until the temp hits 78.5 and within a few minutes the whole system is 79.
Lost the little yellow "gumdrop" goby because of the heat night before last, now that shouldn't happen again.
It was a bit expensive, actually probably accounts for 75% of the hardware investment I have into the system, but when I think that I recently lost ~$200 worth of livestock, possibly in part due to the heat, not to mention the losses last summer, it was worth the investment.
Also ordered a Jebao DC-6000 pump. I'm hoping that the DC pump will contribute much less heat than the mag-drives, and I will be able to get rid of at least one of the three I am running. It will at least be easier on the utility bill.
I'm also adding an 18 gallon tote to the system as a secondary sump, so that pump will be more than enough to feed it and still give a good return flow.
So hopefully in the next week or so I will have it set-up in a way I'm happy with......for a few months at least....LOL
at least the equipment I have been getting will work when/if I can get my 80 gallon rockin'
and I got rid of the killer brittle star. "donated" it to the lfs and it now resides in the shark and ray tank along with all the other criminally insane critters they have adopted.....LOL
coralbandit
Aquarium Advice Addict
I think you are going to like the jeboa dc!
I have 4@ 12,000!
They definitely run cooler then mags(also my previous choice).
I have 4@ 12,000!
They definitely run cooler then mags(also my previous choice).
PB_Smith
Aquarium Advice Addict
Cool.
I'm hoping to get the pump by Friday.
Well at this time of the day my tank would usually be around 84-85 degrees and climbing, so let me check.....79.2
Man, I'm glad I got the cooler, my pipe organ corals are fully open for the first time in about 10 days.
everything looks a bit better.
I'm hoping to get the pump by Friday.
Well at this time of the day my tank would usually be around 84-85 degrees and climbing, so let me check.....79.2
Man, I'm glad I got the cooler, my pipe organ corals are fully open for the first time in about 10 days.
everything looks a bit better.
Interesting read and fun tank. I love the little macro tank you had made. And lotsa pods!
Very nice. Glad your tank can thrive now you have the chiller.
Very nice. Glad your tank can thrive now you have the chiller.
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