00W's AIO Smorgasbord

[kevgib67]

Got some late bloomers. Oh the new rhododendrons are getting a lot of flower buds. My one in the front landscape has different leaves and blooms pink flowers. I hope these new ones have contrasting ones like blue, yellow or white.

 

[tharbin]

It was what I assumed as well. I deal with ppm frequently in my line of work and my technicians frequently tell me .055 and I have to ask "You do mean 0.55, right?"

Since Hanna only reads from 0.00 to 0.90 I figured it was a "misspelling" but I always like to verify.

I didn't even stop to think that the reading used 3 decimals. Duh.

 

[cdemoss01]

So the plan is.. THIS WEEKEND scrub rocks for the 6th time now. All of them, do an internal scrub of the bases that are hard to reach. After or before this go to LFS and get tests done. Buy carbon and problably some phosguard, in the following two weeks when baby GHA pops up dose fluanzacole to get it while it's weak. After that internal scrub so I don't have to keep dosing.

 

[kevgib67]

Interesting. Pretty sure y'all said 3% peroxide?

I didn't even stop to think that the reading used 3 decimals. Duh.

Good morning Tom!

 

[tharbin]

Interesting. Only half of my rock is actually live and I think that's my issue. There is no way to solve this unless I restart.

Camden,

Please don't dose the Fluconazole just yet. It will set up bad habits for down the road. Chemical fixes should almost always be last resort.

Your tank is going through a phase, a difficult phase. When we talk about needing to have patience in the hobby, this is one of the areas we mean. Chemicals will clean it, but it will not fix it.

Here is my suggestion: Your tank is 65 gallons so it probably has about 52 gallons of water in it. Do a five gallon water change (a little under 10%). while the old water is out and before you add the new water pick a rock and clean it. If you can remove it even better--put it in a tupperware and just keep plucking until it is clean. Tweezers help with this. Put the rock back then add the new water.

Do this again weekly picking a different rock each week.

In the meantime, save up to buy a Nitrate kit, it doesn't have to be fancy, Salifert is what I use. If you can swing it get a few Trochus snails. Report back to us your Nitrate.

The idea is two fold: the water changes will start to reduce your Nitrate and Phosphate levels and the plucking will both remove nutrients and give your CuC a chance to work on the rock.

There are times when manual labor is the only lasting fix in a reef tank. Algae blooms are one of those times.

 

[tharbin]

I’ve done both, dipped frags in a 3% hydrogen peroxide/water mix and dosed the tank. If you want the ratios let me know. Of done both multiple times without any detrimental effects.

When I pull a rock I usually just pick and scrub and then when I think it is pretty good I put a little peroxide in a tub, dip the toothbrush and scrub a section, repeat. The small amount that is on the rock when it i returned is beneficail.

 

[tharbin]

Does hydrogen peroxide actually kill GHA do it dosent come back?

It 'hurts' it. It will weaken it and kill most of it but it will only prevent its return for a week or so.

 

[cdemoss01]

Camden,

Please don't dose the Fluconazole just yet. It will set up bad habits for down the road. Chemical fixes should almost always be last resort.

Your tank is going through a phase, a difficult phase. When we talk about needing to have patience in the hobby, this is one of the areas we mean. Chemicals will clean it, but it will not fix it.

Here is my suggestion: Your tank is 65 gallons so it probably has about 52 gallons of water in it. Do a five gallon water change (a little under 10%). while the old water is out and before you add the new water pick a rock and clean it. If you can remove it even better--put it in a tupperware and just keep plucking until it is clean. Tweezers help with this. Put the rock back then add the new water.

Do this again weekly picking a different rock each week.

In the meantime, save up to buy a Nitrate kit, it doesn't have to be fancy, Salifert is what I use. If you can swing it get a few Trochus snails. Report back to us your Nitrate.

The idea is two fold: the water changes will start to reduce your Nitrate and Phosphate levels and the plucking will both remove nutrients and give your CuC a chance to work on the rock.

There are times when manual labor is the only lasting fix in a reef tank. Algae blooms are one of those times.

Will do. I have no hope in cuc by the way. They are lazy and don't want to work. As for my lights. The one on the right is so uneven it dosent shine into the tank. My dad doesn't wanna help me so I'm probably gonna be on my own again with this unless I can convince him to help me install a drywall anchor.

 

[tharbin]

Good Morning Kevin.

 

[tharbin]

Good Morning Smorgville. On enforced rest today so I'm watching episodes of '26 Men'.

 

[tharbin]

Will do. I have no hope in cuc by the way. They are lazy and don't want to work. As for my lights. The one on the right is so uneven it dosent shine into the tank. My dad doesn't wanna help me so I'm probably gonna be on my own again with this unless I can convince him to help me install a drywall anchor.

I know it doesn't seem like but they are working. Get more! I specifically mentioned Trochus because they have better defenses against tank-size wrasses than most. They can rotate and slam with alarming speed. If they get irritated and are on the glass they can pop the glass loud enough to be heard for some distance, almost like from a pistol shrimp.

 

[cdemoss01]

Will do. I have no hope in cuc by the way. They are lazy and don't want to work. As for my lights. The one on the right is so uneven it dosent shine into the tank. My dad doesn't wanna help me so I'm probably gonna be on my own again with this unless I can convince him to help me install a drywall anchor.

I know it doesn't seem like but they are working. Get more! I specifically mentioned Trochus because they have better defenses against tank-size wrasses than most. They can rotate and slam with alarming speed. If they get irritated and are on the glass they can pop the glass loud enough to be heard for some distance, almost like from a pistol shrimp.

I've had a few before. They are really fast but my wrasse made quick work of them.

 

[tharbin]

Will do. I have no hope in cuc by the way. They are lazy and don't want to work. As for my lights. The one on the right is so uneven it dosent shine into the tank. My dad doesn't wanna help me so I'm probably gonna be on my own again with this unless I can convince him to help me install a drywall anchor.

Camden,

Get to work cleaning up the tank. If you show a lot of effort to make it right, just maybe your dad will see the effort and lend a hand with the light. Not saying he will, but he might. I know I would.

 

[cdemoss01]

What do we think?

 

[kevgib67]

What do we think?

I would increase both trochus and Mexican Turbos. I have a 32g with 8 trochus and 3 Mexican Turbos. I would go with Florida ceriths over the dwarfs. I recall you already have an urchin?

 

[cdemoss01]

I would increase both trochus and Mexican Turbos. I have a 32g with 8 trochus and 3 Mexican Turbos. I would go with Florida ceriths over the dwarfs. I recall you already have an urchin?

One tuxedo but hes lazy lol. I'll have a pincushion urchin soon.

 

[kevgib67]

I think this is a regional thing, I think Youngstown. Fried or grilled bolognese is a popular sandwich here. A staple at Youngstown State University tailgating. Found on the menu’s of local diners. Typically the slices for grilling or frying are about a half inch thick covered with provolone. My wife uses mayonnaise and I use mustard.

 

[tharbin]

I would increase both trochus and Mexican Turbos. I have a 32g with 8 trochus and 3 Mexican Turbos. I would go with Florida ceriths over the dwarfs. I recall you already have an urchin?

I agree 100%. The dwarf ceriths are great at getting into little spaces but you need grazers. Get the Floridas instead of the dwarfs.

I probably have 20 or more Trochus at least a dozen Florida cerith, a few Nerites and Astrea and a dozen or so Nassarius along with two sand conches.

 

[tharbin]

I think this is a regional thing, I think Youngstown. Fried or grilled bolognese is a popular sandwich here. A staple at Youngstown State University tailgating. Found on the menu’s of local diners. Typically the slices for grilling or frying are about a half inch thick covered with provolone. My wife uses mayonnaise and I use mustard.

I have pan-fried Bologna sometimes as my breakfast side meat. Today I had to deal with only having bacon.

 

[cdemoss01]

I agree 100%. The dwarf ceriths are great at getting into little spaces but you need grazers. Get the Floridas instead of the dwarfs.

I probably have 20 or more Trochus at least a dozen Florida cerith, a few Nerites and Astrea and a dozen or so Nassarius along with two sand conches.

Added 10 Florida ceriths instead of dwarfs. I just wish this guy sold more rock dwelling snails. What do y'all reccomend for that type of snail?