1st Reef tank 45 gal build

Dj City · Sep 20, 2018

I don't think you can really prevent it but...
Better in the fuge than in the display!

The hair algae will mostly grow on the top layer.
Just throw as much gha away as you can while leaving as much chaeto as you can alone.
Both will grow but over time, the chaeto should outgrow and outcompete the gha. It won't stop it altogether but it will be manageable.

Dj City · Sep 20, 2018

Right now, you want to try to leave it alone and let it do i'ts thing for the most part without letting the gha get out of control.

By the way, gha is also excellent at nutrient uptake.
Just don't let it get out of hand.

cmoore1167 · Sep 21, 2018

Dj City said:
Right now, you want to try to leave it alone and let it do i'ts thing for the most part without letting the gha get out of control.

By the way, gha is also excellent at nutrient uptake.
Just don't let it get out of hand.

Thanks for all the tips. Can always count on you ha

cmoore1167 · Sep 23, 2018

Coral death

Back track to before the questions about the fuge.

So as the lfs failed to tell me, elegance corals have a pretty high mortality rate... tentacles started retracting and eventually the whole thing retreated inside the skeleton. Eventually it withered away to just a skeleton... felt helpless when all parameters are great and it's in recommend placement!

Still waiting for fishless cycle at this point.

Dj City · Sep 23, 2018

Yeah.
I did not want to discourage you but elegance corals simply do not make it in aquariums. Extremely high mortality rate. For whatever reason, they just simply die. Perfect water parameters don't seem to make a difference.

Years ago it was not like this. Now, just about any elegance coral you can purchase will most likely not make it.

I've tried twice over the past 4 years to keep an elegance coral as they are truly beautiful but both times they died while everything else around them thrived.

cmoore1167 · Oct 2, 2018

Brown jelly disease

I was just kicked back enjoying the tank when I happen to see am emerald crab ripping out tentacles from the torch coral! I immediately removed the crab from the tank but the damage was done...

A couple days later, the torch has not fully opened since and now there were a couple long strands of brown goo stringing up. I removed the coral and began giving it a good dip in Aquaristik coral defense. I swished the torch around a lot causing the jelly to fall off until no more gunk was visible.

Placed the torch in a lower flow area and it healed! Torch is back to it's good ol self!

Guys this is a fast acting disease and can spread through out the tank. I did this at the very first sign I observed. If you wait, it will be to late!

cmoore1167 · Oct 11, 2018

Up to date: fishless cycle over and more corals.

Finally I can get some fish! Started off with a 6 line wrasse. He got to have the tank to him self for around a month. Decimated my amphipod population over night lol. Now they're smart enough to hide at daytime.

Next was a Midus Blenny and a lightning maroon clown. They were added at the same time. I was worried the 6 line would be aggressive due to being first in the tank. He was territorial and chased them off the Rick's for a few days but now everyone is happy. Everyone had a 4 week qt without medication.