Susan's RMS c250

Susanedw · Dec 29, 2016

Day 15 and all is still good in tank. Numbers steady. Cyano, just a bit, appears in the morning, and it gone in a couple hours or less once lights are on and wave maker back on full.

All corals doing great. Clowns happy. Moved some of the corals around today. Xenia was looking a bit pale yesterday. Moved it up and looks better already. Moved Torch down a bit. Not as happy on bottom of tank, so moved it up about 4-5 inches. Flow looks good. It was happy on high perch but didn't want it too close as it grew to the other corals. About ready to poxy the zoo fragment in place. Going to shift it a bit when I do. Snails (3 ceriths, 2 turbans) are hard at work on the diatoms. Really cleared a lot of it. The 4 Nassisarius are fun to watch when I feed the tank.

The GBTA is poking up out of the crevice. I put it on a piece of pukani, and it sunk into the deep crevice. Starting to rise up a bit. Sinks back down at night. Ate a piece of shrimp yesterday. Hope it comes out a bit more for the clowns to find. The feather duster is very happy. Noticed it has 2 heads. Not sure what it is exactly but it spirals.

Next step is to set up my refugium. I have a 10 gal tank. It will have to be out in the room as it won't fit under. Which means snaking hoses along wall. Unless I use a 5 gal tank. I'll have to see if the baffles I bought will fit.

Researching my next additions. Trying to plan what fish next and when to buy--plan for the next six months. That way, I know what I want and won't give in to impulse buying at the LFS, or at least not too much... Same with corals.

Having fun and my hubby is even getting into it by looking up info online. The GBTA is in the crevice of the pukani on far left and "over" the top to the valley below. Clove polyps on far right behind rick. Might move them out but the flow is good there so they aren't blown all around. Might try them above the torch

Susanedw · Jan 3, 2017

the GBTA has climbed out of its deep crevice and has joined the tank! it came down the pukani and is attacked to the back side a bit. I'm hoping it will continue to explore and find a more up front place but I'm just so relieved it's come out. Now for my clowns to find it. They've been looking at my torch. I suspect one of them tried it out last night as it completely receded for the night. It's never done that on its own...

Got lots of bright green algae all over the rocks and sand and some tough to remove algae on the glass. Time for a scrapper as the magnet cleaner doesn't take it all off.

nanoreefing4fun · Jan 4, 2017

Link to your chronicle in all your posts

Susanedw · Jan 4, 2017

Thanks Glenn. I think I did it correctly!

Susanedw · Jan 5, 2017

What a tank day! I had 2 friends coming over so I wanted my tank nice and pretty. First task, algae on the glass, lots of it... It was so fine, like a powder, it murked up the water! Then I decided to dip the two frags in a peroxide solution and pull, pluck etc. some of the thick hair algae covering one. The other, was too hard to get too--it was on the actual Clove coral itself and that frag of 3 heads seems rather fragile anyway. I didn't do a strong solution--a bit less than 30/70. Then put them back in. The zoes mostly opened but there are a few that have a purple like slime coating on them. Tried to brush off but still there. The Clove corals are still pisssed.... Haven't opened all day.

Then right before my friends leave later afternoon, the GBTA decides to finally move again--went from crevice to back of pukani rock. This time, it's moves around then lets go! I guided it to a spot. Nope. Let go again. I had to move the feather duster--lucky he's not attached yet--or the gbta would have crushed him, moved a couple other corals as well. I think either it or my hand brushed the green star coral as it wasn't all open. I don't think it liked all the algae in the water either as it hasn't been as happy today either....

This time, the current carried it into a deep cave. No way! If it dies in there I'll have to take apart the rock. So I reached in and carefully scooped it out. Found it another place against the rocks at the sandbed. It attaches. Good I think. then: uh-oh. It's sinking into the crevice and keeps going.

comes out the back where it's hanging upside down.... Sheesh. I'm sure it's not done moving. That can't be a great place. Going to drive me nuts... Even though I have a mesh bag over my wavemaker, I turned it off for the night.

Then I look at the glass and back and all that powder algae is back... more scraping... more yuck in tank. Ordered some algae scraping tools as some of it is sticking now and the magnet cleaner can't get it off.

Then this evening, I come back into office and find torch retracted. Again... I think one of my clowns keeps trying to go into it (it's nice when stretched out and up) and it doesn't appreciate the fishes desires.

So, a day of dealing with the tank! Have to get back to my writing schedule tomorrow! That GBTA had better behave....

NASA we have lift off

Wheeeeee

big sigh. Now you see me, now you don't (went behind and is facing back wall...) I have a video but I can't post it here

Susanedw · Jan 8, 2017

Bubble Tip still playing its games. HIde and worry me, then come out a bit, then back into hiding....

Noticed the appearance of hair algae--tuffs here and there. Went to the LFS and picked up 5 red tipped hermits (I think), 2 more trochus (4 total), 2 bumblebees, and 3 chromis. Hermits and snails went right to work! Tossed in extra shells. Watched one hermit checking out a shell way too big for it! Clowns not super happy to have other fish in their aquarium. Chromis found large cave when lights went off and clowns hugging their corner of the tank.

Received my Phosphate test kit. At 0. Will test my new batch of salt water for my Sunday water change for calcium, mag and alk as my tank is low on the mag and alk. Don't want to just start dosing this early and there is not a big bio load of corals yet. Cut lights to less than 10 hrs for the green dust algae and plan to do a slightly larger water change tomorrow

nanoreefing4fun · Jan 8, 2017

That's the thing with nems... unlike corals, they get up and move and decide where they like it best.

Here a great place to read up on them
http://www.karensroseanemones.net/starvinganemone.htm

on the algae... here a read you might get something from
brown & green algae in new tanks

Susanedw · Jan 8, 2017

Ugh. Fish tank owner #Fail. Was doing a water change, trying to siphon out some of that awful green dust algae and my torch got sucked in! The wave maker was on and waved some long tentacles into the hose. It was looking so awesome too. Turned the damaged part to the rock wall. Seems to be doing okay. Just not as many long tentacles as before. Lots of new shorter ones and it's waving just as before so hopefully it will recover quickly

Tested my water--Instant Ocean Reef
Calcium 370
Mag 1200
Alk 9

Do I need to start supplementing the water?

spiraling · Jan 9, 2017

You only need to supplement the water if your corals are consuming the CA and Alk faster than your water changes replace it. With what you have, and that you are doing water changes regularly, I doubt that is happening yet. Do you keep track of your numbers over time?

Different salts also have different amounts of trace elements. If you think you want your numbers higher you might try switching brands of salt to something that matches what you want.

Susanedw · Jan 9, 2017

I keep track. Using aquaimateMy numbers have been higher, and the alk has been lower in the tank. I'm not going to worry about it yet, not this early. Also, the testing is rather subjective. I mean, is the test complete when the liquid first turns color from the start color, or do you need to keep adding until it darkens? Example from pink to purple then to blue. I go until it's blue but sometimes the blue doesn't look quite as dark. So there is some play there, not that it makes a huge difference.

Susanedw · Jan 10, 2017

Almost 4 weeks. Wow, what an up and down few weeks it has been. Tank is stable, going through the ugly-no-one-can-love-me-but-mom stage. Will be glad to get rid of the green dust algae. Hate it. Hair algae coming in strong but the hermits and snails are plowing away at it.

the Corals are surviving, some very nicely, and the 2 that survived me (clove that didn't appreciate the peroxide bath, zoes seem to have loved it) and the torch that got some tentacles torn, are even doing well. Clove opening up and self healing.

GBTA still playing it's hide and seek games. Comes out, looks great, then hides back in a crevice. Sometimes it looks nice and full and healthy when it comes out, other times it looks awful. Jury still out on that fella.

One Chromis looks like he tusseled with another chromis or a clown. Patch of scales missing. All hermits happy, snails appear to be all accounted for, except nassarious. Haven't seen all 4 of them at one time. 2 bumblebees also questionable. They haven't really moved since bringing them home on Sat.

So for my first 4 weeks, I'm pleased with my accomplishments and the fact that I haven't killed anything yet. I've soaked up a ton of knowledge and will keep learning! I'll take a picture tomorrow of the tank as it is now and post

Susanedw · Jan 10, 2017

Almost 4 weeks. Wow, what an up and down few weeks it has been. Tank is stable, going through the ugly-no-one-can-love-me-but-mom stage. Will be glad to get rid of the green dust algae. Hate it. Hair algae coming in strong but the hermits and snails are plowing away at it.

the Corals are surviving, some very nicely, and the 2 that survived me (clove that didn't appreciate the peroxide bath, zoes seem to have loved it) and the torch that got some tentacles torn, are even doing well. Clove opening up and self healing.

GBTA still playing it's hide and seek games. Comes out, looks great, then hides back in a crevice. Sometimes it looks nice and full and healthy when it comes out, other times it looks awful. Jury still out on that fella.

One Chromis looks like he tusseled with another chromis or a clown. Patch of scales missing. All hermits happy, snails appear to be all accounted for, except nassarious. Haven't seen all 4 of them at one time. 2 bumblebees also questionable. They haven't really moved since bringing them home on Sat.

So for my first 4 weeks, I'm pleased with my accomplishments and the fact that I haven't killed anything yet. I've soaked up a ton of knowledge and will keep learning! I'll take a picture tomorrow of the tank as it is now and post

Susanedw · Feb 10, 2017

update as I close in to almost 2 months. Had an unexpected surge in ammonia and nitrites and nitrates this week. Nothing has changed. I suspect my tiger tail sea cucumber, which I've not seen since I put it in at end of Jan. has died under the sand somewhere. Yesterday, tank, which is always a bit cloudy, esp toward evening got super bad. Some cloudyness is due to my sand shifting goby... I also added a small bottle of copepods but a lot were dead so not sure if that affected things (I forgot to open the bottle with I put it in the fridge overnight-sigh)

Nitrite: .05, nitrate 5 (actually wanted this number.) Did a water change yesterday (didn't ck ammonia as my alert tag in tank was fine). Tank cleared up a lot.
Today, checked ammonia .03, nitrite.05, nitrate 5 Tank not too cloudy. Did another water change, a bit bigger and added some prime.
after an hour, am 0, nitrite .05 and tank pretty clear.

I'm trying to count my cuc. I think I'm missing several hermits. Hard to do snails with the rocks. Same iwth the emeralds. bta is still alive. Yellow WM might be gone but he is very tiny. He might also be iwth the little pistol shrimp in the big cavern. No idea.

All fish aside from him (and who knows) doing well. Corals that weren't doing so good are perking. They like the nitrates I suspect.

Will check numbers tomorrow. Making more water tonight in case I need to do another wc.

Algae is getting less. Next wc I'll brush off a few more spots on rocks. I try once a day or so to turkey blast the rocks and let the filter suck some out. But no where near as bad. Takes a couple days for the back wall to get thick. When I do water changes, I really scrape that wall. I find it easier to take the magnetic scraper in my hand and just manually clear it instead of the algae cleaning tools.

Of all my fish, the sleeper gold head goby is a kick. Love watching him even though he mucks up the water some. And the kole tang. He loves to dart in and out of all the crevices. He seldom does a side to side run like he'd like more room. Seems content to weave in and out of rocks. But the fish can move with zip when it wants! As can the goby. Those two are very entertaining and they also seem to like each other.

The scooter blenny now knows what a turkey baster is and what it means. I turn off all pumps and he waits for me to squirt him some food. Now I don't quite worry that he's not getting enough. He trained up well. I also love watching him.

So lots of ups and downs, some panicking and fears and lots of enjoyment

Susanedw · Mar 30, 2018

This poor tank thread is being woefully neglected! It is now 15.5 months old. One rotten thing: 4 of my lights in the hood went out within minutes of each other. Can't be 2 ballasts within minutes, or not likely, so electrical of some sort. Did some thinking. If, worse case, it was 2 ballasts, then I'd need to buy 3 and change them all.

3 ballasts: 400.00--round up with possible shipping and tax-65 ea
6 new bulbs--200.oo with tax and maybe shipping--due to be changed in May
6 more bulbs 8 months later

so that is 800 bucks into my lighting if I stay t5's

So I decided to do the led retrofit from Steve's LED's. 869 with the led upgrade kit. Didn't do the bluetooth. Might be a "fun" toy but if the internet goes down, so does my control. The current lights on my 125 have a plug controller and remote as well. Only the hydra 26's on the coral qt tank (rs max e170) are only controlled by bluetooth. Decided that was 60 bucks I didn't have to spend but the 60 for the violet led upgrades seemed resonable to get the lower blue spectrum . So by next Fri. should have the kit. Also figured if we had to take the hood off, to just do it so we don't have to do this again.

Corals no happy with just 2 light but all at least open.

Lost the 2 purple anthias. Thinking about the next fish. Maybe gobies or blennys. Or another pair of anthias. Even another 1 or 2 dispair. Love the catalina goby. Planning on a couple for the other tank. 1 or 2 in this tank might be nice. Only have one shrimp/goby pair. Could use a sand sifter--maybe a rainsford as they are supposed to be too bad except most of the top sand is pretty chunky. Used the bimini pink and mostly the bigger bits left. Should think about scooping or sucking out areas, at least in the front and replacing. Or just adding a layer on top. My previous sand sifter seemed to manage.

Def. need to get maybe a conch snail to try or a sand sifting star. Will consider what to get but I need something to stir sand but not eat all the pods as I have a mandarin and a scooter.

Susanedw · Mar 30, 2018

geez, a year since I last posted here.... been concentrating on the 125 I guess...

Okay will copy an update from another forum for catch up. Had no idea so long...

Month 14 updates
Fish
New fish:
2 dispar anthias doing great (2 purple didn't make it)
They all love the baby brine shrimp i hatch
Coco worm coming out again. It wasn't coming out much or fully extending so I moved it. It hated new spot and didnt come out at all. Moved it back. Now it seems better.

Fish already in
2 chromis. Happy. Love getting fed 4 x's a day due to the anthias. Survived MV
2 darwin clowns. Doing well. Defend their area of tank--from me! Attack and nip at my hands.... Haven't they heard the one about biting the hands that feeds....
1 Bangaii. Seems okay. Will buy 1 or 2 more
1 barber shop goby with pistol shrimp--doing well
Mandarin: hunts all the day long.
Scooter Blenny: MV survivor. totally spoiled. Used to come to the turkey baster to be fed and seemed eager to "interact" with me through glass. Until MV forced me to qt him and then move him into a temp tank. Now he runs but has discovered pods--while tank was fallow, got a good pod population going. He hunts with the mandarin all day
1 peppermint shrimp, 1 cleaner shrimp doing well

Fish in display refugium
gold head sleeper goby-sifts sand all day long. It will go to the 125 g in a couple weeks, as soon as cycle is complete
yellow tail damsel--to 125 as well.
(both these fish now in 125 display)
Corals
Sun corals: doing great. New heads. Feed 3-4 times a week
White Tipped leather (2): 2 growing together. Should have moved the smaller. Look like they are growing together now. Looks good
Clove-palm-spreading. Nice looking
Reverse sunset (capricornus monti)-Original piece is encrusting nicely. dau gave me a bunch more to trade. they are doing okay. Will put a couple in my coral qt/grow out tank until I add to 125 g
sedosa monti-mandarin orange I think: looking really good. Also have some small pieces of this one to trade. Will keep one for other tank
2 micromussa's. Each has a ton of new babies. One of my favs
favia or favite--finally is growing. Moved it, found a place it likes. Seeing feeding tentacles now and new growth
Big paly's. Growing and spreading. What a mistake where I put them but had no idea. Hubby's favorite. Mine not so. He named them oscar the grouch as they remind him of the puppet who lives in a garbage can.
small paly's: spreading
several zoas all growing and expanding
ricordias-2 growing and doing well
gsp-spreading but contained for now
Duncan-my favorite. Too many heads to count. Started with 7
Acro-large good polyp extension
Acro-tenius? blue. Seems okay but not good extension
birds nest-doing okay but has red stuff on it. Might have something or be receding. I blow off with turkey baster
turbinaria--growing
blue toadstool-awesome. huge
torch--3-4 heads now.
hammerhead--fairly new still. Not as much growth as I'd like
Chalice prob. won't survive
gonestrea prob. won't survive
leptastrea came back from nearly dying. Found it's spot and it is doing super well.
Rhodactus muchrooms-multiplying and spreading
blue mushroom split and doing well
orange mushroom split and doing well.

Whew, need to make this a word file that i can just update and cut and copy!