Blue's 40G Mixed Reef

[Blue Space]

While picking up some snails I was browsing the corals at one of the local fish stores when I noticed something particularly bright in the sand bed beneath some of their frags. I asked one of the associates what it was and he stated that it was a tiny piece of egg crate with some Jason Fox Fireworks something or rather and that I could obtain it for the low, low price of four dollars.

I've been searching their site but can't seem to positively ID this frag. Closest polyp match I can find is a plating
cyphastrea, though, any help would be appreciated.

 

[PSU4ME]

Might need to let her grow out a bit but for $4, that’s a score!

 

[Blue Space]

Yup! I'll turn off the pumps to get a better pic from straight down.

Did you see the pics of the roller mat filter plumbing I posted on the previous page for you? I hope that gives you a better idea of how to proceed when ready.

 

[Blue Space]

Still waiting for a Ecotech Versa Doser!!! Merry Christmas Charlie Brown! Sorry, every time I think about the fact I saw them and waited to pull the trigger I get a little

 

[Blue Space]

I have reached out to Ecotech Marine for an update on the VERSA VXF-1. Patiently waiting for a response on when reefers can expect availability.

 

[PSU4ME]

Every time I look they are out as well. Not sure what the issue is

 

[Blue Space]

Ecotech Marine replied to my inquiry stating that they are still facing supply issues, yada, yada, yada... So, for over a year we haven't had any available for major US retailers. However, they are working as hard as possible to get them to distributors & retailers.

I replied back, asking if they could notify me of their next shipment to a retailer...

 

[PSU4ME]

Have you looked at the kamoer pumps? More expensive but it might be a better unit depending on your use.

 

[Blue Space]

I have and was almost convinced but after learning of the Versa I decided against it. Ecotech has replied back and said they cannot share with me what retailer they have shipped units to (insert fog horn sound here).

 

[PSU4ME]

Ummm who’s your daddy? (BRS)

 

[Blue Space]

Already on the list for at least 4 different online stores and my LFS. When I asked them about it they said, "Good luck!".

 

[Blue Space]

I moved the red ridge sponge to a couple different locations in a low par area, as recommended. I also experimented with facing it different directions. From what I read it's supposed to face into the current. Unfortunately, it started sloughing off so I decided to remove it from the tank before it decayed too much. Not sure what else I could've done here but perhaps it was exposed to air when it was collected. If you look closely at the picture I took when it was added, you can see a tiny bit that had turned white on a couple of tips near the base of the sponge. I was very careful keep it fully submerged without getting any air in the bag when transferring from bucket to bucket in an attempt to dilute the water it shipped in, to avoid adding any to my tank. I figured by the third bucket it should have been all my water. It was a beautiful specimen and quite a shame that it didn't take to the environment. Maybe I'll try it again some time if I find another one at a good price.

 

[PSU4ME]

That stinks, I’ve never had luck with imported sponges

 

[Blue Space]

 

[Blue Space]

Diatoms on my sand bed have been kicking my aspirations lately. I'll cut back an hour of lights per day and see if that helps.

Also noticed my hammer coral colony not opening fully and then starting to decline in health. No other corals are showing any ill effects yet.
A couple weeks ago while cleaning my frag rack I noticed that it had somehow cracked and the magnet inside had rusted totally!! It has been leaching it's contents into my display tank for some time it appears.



Thusly, I pitched the frag rack and did a 30% water change. Things seemingly improved for a bit as the hammer started to open up a bit. Fast forward a a few weeks, I'm now noticing the hammer is in decline again. The Colony is closed and the large piece in the front has had many heads die off completely. Bits of zooxanthellae are oozing out the top of the heads and surrounding skeletal structure before they finally perish. I'm thankful that only the hammer coral is being affected at this point... Anyone had experience with CupriSorb? Anything else I can do besides water changes and running carbon?

I recently acquired the high range Nitrate (NO3) Hanna Checker that I'll be adding to my regimen to replace the Salifert test kit I was using previously. This NO3 high-range checker is as easy to use as their phosphate checker. I've grown to dislike color coded tests except for the ones that simply change from one color to another, say pink to purple, but as for those 50 shades of yellow... Forget about it!

 

[Blue Space]

I went to lfs to get some saltwater yesterday since my mixing station has been dismantled due to construction. Low and behold, there it was!! The Ecotech Versa doser... I bought three! I'm going to setup two, to dose alk and calc until I can get a mixing station setup again. Once I get a mixing station setup I'll switch to dosing Tropic Marin All-for-Reef with one and setup and auto wc using the other 2 dosing pumps. However, I want to use up as much of the brs two part as possible before switching over. I won't be able to setup a wc change station until construction of the new fish room is competed, simply no room.

I had to take down my RODI filtration unit too so I'll need to find a temporary solution there. Going to the lfs for saltwater and rodi is my only option until I figure something out.

Water params took a hit during last few weeks. I was just too busy with with work and barely had time to feed fish much less test and dose. Calcium was down to 300pm so I'm slowly raising it back up to around 420. I added half the recommended dose this afternoon and will dose the other half before bedtime. Should be somewhere in the ball park of 350 ppm then. I'll raise another 50 ppm tomorrow splitting the dose in half again.

Can't wait to get these Versa pumps setup and dialed in so that I can kiss manual dosing goodbye!

 

[Blue Space]

Setup and calibation was a breeze! The Mobius app is very intuitive. I'm just dosing Alk right now.

I will test and manual dose Calc until I'm back up to 420 or so and then I'll setup the dosing pump for it.

 

[Blue Space]

I'm finally changing out the first roll on my ClariSea roller mat filter....

Remember when brought that online with my system on March 15th 2021?!! Today is June 16th, 2022!!
I think the 30 bucks for the filter roll replacement is definitely worth it.

The ClariSea unit itself is still working like a champ with no major issues. Time to clean out whatever life is growing inside of it. Did I mention how much I dislike vermetid snails?