Sniperhank's UPGRADED 55 gal Build

[Sniperhank]

Originally Posted by nanoreefz

Tank looks amazing hank!


Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice

Thanks. Glad you can't see the cotton candy algae in the picture.

[Jamesonfamily]

Looks great!


Jameson

[Dary421]

Looking good hankster !


Sent from my iPad using Aquarium Advice

[mr_X]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

Thanks. Glad you can't see the cotton candy algae in the picture.

That doesn't matter. We see plenty of algae here and there in the ocean, so why not in your tank too? The important thing is that it looks good. A piece of the reef in your home has been accomplished

[Sniperhank]

Originally Posted by mr_X

That doesn't matter. We see plenty of algae here and there in the ocean, so why not in your tank too? The important thing is that it looks good. A piece of the reef in your home has been accomplished

Well this is true. It is why I'm not too too worried about it most of the time. I just wish that I had more time for it as things stand.

[Mattyfelts]

one of my favorite tanks personally

[Sniperhank]

Every time I'm in Erie, I always do a loop of as many sw stores I can. As it was Sunday, pretty limited. But I did make an unusual decision. As I stated into a tank of heavily bleached carpet anemone, I look into the tank beside and see a brown long tentacle, happily playing host to two maroon clowns. Well, after some discussion about its week since arrival and seeing even star polyps starving for light in the coral tank that he came home with me. I looked at my wife and said 'he'll really like the radions'. She agreed. Currently in drip acclimation after being diverted to work to help manage an issue, so was in the bag longer than I wanted...but I already have an idea where he'd like to plant himself. We'll see if we both agree as the night rolls on. And here is to him hopefully picking not to be brown as well...I'm wanting him to be brown from the poor lighting and that I scooped a gem.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

[paul87]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

Every time I'm in Erie, I always do a loop of as many sw stores I can. As it was Sunday, pretty limited. But I did make an unusual decision. As I stated into a tank of heavily bleached carpet anemone, I look into the tank beside and see a brown long tentacle, happily playing host to two maroon clowns. Well, after some discussion about its week since arrival and seeing even star polyps starving for light in the coral tank that he came home with me. I looked at my wife and said 'he'll really like the radions'. She agreed. Currently in drip acclimation after being diverted to work to help manage an issue, so was in the bag longer than I wanted...but I already have an idea where he'd like to plant himself. We'll see if we both agree as the night rolls on. And here is to him hopefully picking not to be brown as well...I'm wanting him to be brown from the poor lighting and that I scooped a gem.


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

I'm currently 'saving' a big lobo coral that had absolutely no color hoping that it will color up as well. It is showing improvements. My only LFS does a very poor job caring for anything saltwater. If that nem makes it through the transfer I'm sure you probably saved its life. Can't wait to see it. Keep an eye out though cause when them things die they can really mess with a tank so get it out quick. Had it happen to me on a bta. It got ugly. Goodluck!

[Mattyfelts]

Good for you man, save one life at a time. Let's see a pic? Soon it will colour up. I'm sure!


Sent from my iPhone using Aquarium Advice

[Sniperhank]

Originally Posted by paul87

I'm currently 'saving' a big lobo coral that had absolutely no color hoping that it will color up as well. It is showing improvements. My only LFS does a very poor job caring for anything saltwater. If that nem makes it through the transfer I'm sure you probably saved its life. Can't wait to see it. Keep an eye out though cause when them things die they can really mess with a tank so get it out quick. Had it happen to me on a bta. It got ugly. Goodluck!

Well I'm not concerned about it nuking the tank and dying. The other anemone in the tank are solid. I put this guy in the tank, basically where I wanted him. He is really sticky, which is a great sign. Took forever to get him to let go of my hand.

[Sniperhank]

And who planted his foot exactly where I put him? What a good little anemone. And he looks much better too. Had to do some minor re-arranging, as I expected that was going to need to happen anyway. Here he is before I moved things away from him.

There is a ton going on in this picture though.
See the discoloring on the one trumpet head? That is where it and my zoas grew into each other and they were going punch for punch.
You can also see the algae I'm battling growing up the tube of my coco worm. His crown isn't even half the size that it was...while I was working so much something happened in the tank when I wasn't looking at it daily. Probably nitrates from a different distilled water than I usually use, but just an assumption. Double water changes got things closer to where they were.
Also, back to the trumpet, you can see the effects of vermetid snails on corals. Literally smothering a head to death and there isn't anything I can do to stop them. They are all over the tank.

[Sniperhank]

Things have been keeping me busy, but I did get some free time today where I started trying to read up some on the red algae in my tank...which I still believe to be cotton candy. I discovered some of the other red junk in my tank...here it is, as I didn't think it was a bad guy...
Caulacanthus ustulatus | Melev's Reef

Anyway, as I'm not winning the battle with the stuff I'm considering loading the tank with mexican turbos. I've never had great luck with them in the past, but I never had these two things together at the same time and was just throwing snails at algae.
I don't want to believe in any critter to be a solution to a problem, but in reality until I get the ro/di back up and running...which really means buying a house and upgrading the tank...that isn't a current option due to all the fecal matter in my water supply.

[paul87]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

Things have been keeping me busy, but I did get some free time today where I started trying to read up some on the red algae in my tank...which I still believe to be cotton candy. I discovered some of the other red junk in my tank...here it is, as I didn't think it was a bad guy...
Caulacanthus ustulatus | Melev's Reef

Anyway, as I'm not winning the battle with the stuff I'm considering loading the tank with mexican turbos. I've never had great luck with them in the past, but I never had these two things together at the same time and was just throwing snails at algae.
I don't want to believe in any critter to be a solution to a problem, but in reality until I get the ro/di back up and running...which really means buying a house and upgrading the tank...that isn't a current option due to all the fecal matter in my water supply.

What kind of water are you using? Just curious. I always bought my ro/di water from the fish store. $0.36 a gallon. I do need to eventually get me my own ro/di filter unit though. Lugging around big water jugs all the time can be a workout! Good luck with that algae your battling! Some turbos may help chomp it down some. Luckily my hair algae battle ended a while back, man that stuff can be a headache. I have asterinas everywhere, not as bad as it has been, but they don't even leave me coralline algae. Not sure if that's a blessing or not.

[Sniperhank]

The water is half of the problem. It is distilled water, my ro/di is down and it doesn't get sold around here.

[paul87]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

The water is half of the problem. It is distilled water, my ro/di is down and it doesn't get sold around here.

That sucks. Have you tried finding one of those culligan machines? They use reverse osmosis but probably aren't changed as frequently as they should be. I do think they have a sign off sheet on them when it was last changed though. Still might be better than distilled, not sure. I wish you luck!

[Sniperhank]

We don't really have things like that either...we're talking middle of nowhere. It's a work in progress.

[paul87]

Originally Posted by Sniperhank

We don't really have things like that either...we're talking middle of nowhere. It's a work in progress.

LOL. I hear ya. Well hope you get it worked out. I know that stuff can be frustrating. I'm currently battling green bubble algae popping up here and there. Not the toughest battle I've faced for sure, but still annoying.

[redsea]

Nice anemone, I'm glad he behaved himself and took a seat where he was supposed to!

[Sniperhank]

Originally Posted by redsea

Nice anemone, I'm glad he behaved himself and took a seat where he was supposed to!

That place was picked for a reason. After failing with a gbta and the rbta going mobile for a short time, figured out some things about flow and light. Of course, this is all in my system. Does make me want to fiddle some by turning the Radions down some more...

[redsea]

That's great that he didn't move too much. Anemones are great, but mobility can be concerning especially with pumps and what not in the tank. You must have breathed a sigh of relief as he settled down.