Sniperhank's UPGRADED 55 gal Build

[PB_Smith]

Originally Posted by Reefer James

Hope you plan on dosing calcium if you want a clam... ROFL

May increase your success rate chief.

Why do you always adopt such a condescending and disrespectful attitude with everyone?

Trust me, the only thing you are persuading anyone about is your lack of maturity.

[Brookster123]

Originally Posted by Reefer James

Hope you plan on dosing calcium if you want a clam... ROFL

May increase your success rate chief.

I make a motion to have this post stricken from the thread. All in favor...

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[Sniperhank]

It is a partially correct statement. Either way, it isn't going to change what is going on. I haven't seen it have the mantle fully extended. I haven't had a chance to reach in and check, but I'm trying to recall if I ever saw the foot...if the foot came in damaged or non-existent, there isn't any hope.
It is an interesting statement to make, but two of the three mexican turbos I ordered came in dead and were expensive fish food. I'll be taking pictures for credit and such, just been so very busy since I'm taking care of my home and my parents since both had surgery in the last 45 days and now I'm going into a week of work where I'm doing my job and covering for my supervisor while he's off on vacation for the week.
So, I thank life in general for helping me take this hobby patiently one step at a time LOL.
But, on the original statement, that I do have calcium that can be dosed into the system as I do mag and alk. The only reason calcium isn't dosed is that it simply isn't being depleted like the alk is and water changes are keeping up with such. Though that's said, when I am able to free up the funds I'd like to put together a dosing system rather than doing it myself through my ATO.

[Sniperhank]

It has been some time, but things are going at a steady pace. The ATS is doing what I've asked of it. At some point I want to rough the screen up more so I can get a thicker growth.
I'm also quite pleased with the Red Sea nitrate/phosphate remover. Following the instructions the cotton candy has slowed greatly. I removed much of it during last week's water change and it hasn't grown back in those areas, where it easily would have before. It has assisted with skimmer performance too with the die off...but I'm sure in hindsight simple vodka dosing could have accomplished what was wanted. Will just need some cheap vodka once I run out of the NOPOX or continue with NOPOX if the price is right. We'll see.

[HgrReefs]

Glad things seem to be turning around!


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[Sniperhank]

Things are continuing for the better. That said, I couldn't help myself. One derasa and two maximas...one ultra blue one gold being acclimated right now.

[Sniperhank]

Well, still all along the same path. All three clams were drip acclimated to the tank and are in there...though they have yet to fully open. Though the blue opened up the most in acclimation, now that they are in the tank itself the derasa and gold maxima open the most...the gold hasn't found a happy place yet as I've set it back up right twice already.

There any thoughts on this? Poor opening since going in the tank. Paranoia or something else? Plans on running tests tonight since I'm due to run them to see where things are at.

[mr_X]

Pics? Watch out for "pinched mantle", and have you checked the bottom of the shells for pyramid snails?

[Sniperhank]

No pyramid snails. Always check after the loss of my big derasa oh so long ago.
I'll see if I can get some pics tomorrow. They are straight from ORA's facility so it is hard to believe there would be something wrong with them... It doesn't look like any pinched mantle, yet at least.
The last gold maxima that came earlier's foot was damaged and it didn't last long and it is still on its way out. If I had a CUC surviving in the tank it would have been gone some time ago.

[Sniperhank]

Continued thought, but I am always questioning light cycle. I know I have the power to keep them, just always thinking I have it tweaked wrong. According to my continued reading, I stumbled upon this from 2012:

Sorry pics but under a single radion 14 in from top of tank and 10 more to the clams on the bottom! They hit 51% max power output for about an hour. From ramp up to down!

If that has worked, then my 60% peak easily matches this and furthers my thoughts of being able to turn down if I wanted to ever have LPS further up in the tank. My hammers hated being anywhere but the sandbed. That and continued reading about Radions and clams being under similar schedules and intensity.

Next idea. Food from the water column. Always thoughts as a null issue, especially in my system as the flame scallop is still doing well and I've passed the 6 month "starve" point. But that said, all that food means nutrients. Been dosing to lower the nitrates that I can't detect...phosphates are always around .03, but could this be a nutrient issue in the water column causing my straight no luck with clams?

[PassengerTN]

Without digging through 2200 posts, I'll just ask. Does this tank still have play sand as substrate?

Jesse

[Sniperhank]

No, this tank is aggregate.

[PassengerTN]

:dunce cap:
What the blue blazes is aggregate? Even a Google search couldn't tell me

:edit:
Aragonite?
Jesse

[Sniperhank]

It's this stuff:
CaribSea Arag-Alive
And here you can learn some about aggregates, though what we put in our tanks is different from this stuff:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Construction_aggregate

[gboduszek]

Sorry if I am bringing up an already answered Question but was the derasa clam you had before kept in the same system?

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[Sniperhank]

Indeed it was.

[Sniperhank]

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[Sniperhank]

Thought I'd share this neat link with you guys, free guide to staghorns:
Revision of Acropora & Isopora, a free guide to Staghorn Corals

[Sniperhank]

Work and such has kept me too far from my tank and I'm not pleased with how things are going. My clams should be doing well and there isn't any mantle extension. Going to try to move the maximas as they are the least happy and I think that the derasa is simply adjusting to the lighting as it is opening. Though none of them have laid down a foot, I believe that due to the maxima being totally unhappy with their location.
Part of the issue I believe is that my one powerhead kicked the bucket. Cut down on my chaotic flow and dead spots in the tank. Going to see if I can get it up and running again tonight after work, but if not I'll stay up and do a water change...then use the powerhead that circulates the water there in the tank. This will open up the ability to siphon out the dead spots and lower issue parameters...though never showing up on any tests still believe the nitrate being a false 0 and the food source for the cotton candy algae and possible clam issue.

[Sniperhank]

Been a hard month. I have been continued to dose the Red Sea nopox to lower nitrates.
I have switched over to a different salt. It is interesting as it is a synthetic salt. Mixes very well and makes salinity great.
That said, both maxima are dead and gone. My golden hammer also followed suit. The derasa is most likely going to do the same. Nothing else stressed but flourishing. Mind boggled...
Tomorrow is water change day and off we go.


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