esther
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That's awesome for you! Definitely not an option for me. lol Looking forward to hearing how this goes.
220 to Waterbox 130 upgrade?
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That's awesome for you! Definitely not an option for me. lol Looking forward to hearing how this goes.
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Radman73
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Yeah, seeing pieces of my zoa's floating throughout the tank is not exactly inspiring lol! As long as he keeps munching on the vermetid's though, it'll be worth it.
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Radman73
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Well, he finished off my zoa's yesterday lol! Things weren't growing anyways.
Still, very satisfying to watch him peck away at the vermetid's. I'd love to know its reasoning for which ones to eat as it seemingly bypasses easily available ones for others that are harder to get at times. Regardless, I love watching those pesky things disappear! He's got to be eating at least 100 per day, perhaps far more.
Still, very satisfying to watch him peck away at the vermetid's. I'd love to know its reasoning for which ones to eat as it seemingly bypasses easily available ones for others that are harder to get at times. Regardless, I love watching those pesky things disappear! He's got to be eating at least 100 per day, perhaps far more.
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Radman73
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Black Friday plans for me are simply going to Living Reef Orlando. Awesome store, awesome staff. They're having a few of the fish on my stocking list as door busters, so I'll get there early. Have had the QT tank for a week in preparation!
Good luck to all the others out there on your BF shopping!
Good luck to all the others out there on your BF shopping!
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Radman73
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An early Christmas for me. Picked up a pin tail fairy wrasse and the smallest yellow "coris" wrasse I've seen.
Almost picked up a mandarin but just seems too risky in a 100gal with 2 halichoeres wrasses. I do have a 75gal fuge, and at night I see a ton of pods moving about, but I worry the wrasses would have outcompeted it for food during the day.
Was also tempted on a yellow tang. But again, that would be 2 tangs in a 100gal tank. From most of what I've read, the yellow eye kole and yellow tang get along fine, most of the time. It's the most of the time I worry about and don't really need another algae consumer.
So, 2 fish it is. Both are in a 20gal QT for now. I have a tupperware of sand in there for the yellow wrasse, wish I knew of a good way to help him find it. It took my melanarus a day or so to find his and it stresses both the wrasse and me out.
Pintail is happily swimming about while the yellow wrasse is much more cautious, only swimming out about his body length or two out from his hiding space before returning.
Pintail is eating. As I have in the past, I update both success and failures in QT efforts in an effort to learn and help others as we try to keep these wonderful critters alive for, ideally, longer than they would in the wild and for as long as we can.
Almost picked up a mandarin but just seems too risky in a 100gal with 2 halichoeres wrasses. I do have a 75gal fuge, and at night I see a ton of pods moving about, but I worry the wrasses would have outcompeted it for food during the day.
Was also tempted on a yellow tang. But again, that would be 2 tangs in a 100gal tank. From most of what I've read, the yellow eye kole and yellow tang get along fine, most of the time. It's the most of the time I worry about and don't really need another algae consumer.
So, 2 fish it is. Both are in a 20gal QT for now. I have a tupperware of sand in there for the yellow wrasse, wish I knew of a good way to help him find it. It took my melanarus a day or so to find his and it stresses both the wrasse and me out.
Pintail is happily swimming about while the yellow wrasse is much more cautious, only swimming out about his body length or two out from his hiding space before returning.
Pintail is eating. As I have in the past, I update both success and failures in QT efforts in an effort to learn and help others as we try to keep these wonderful critters alive for, ideally, longer than they would in the wild and for as long as we can.
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Radman73
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Copper Power is up to 1.22 via the Hanna Checker. That thing is a life saver. Both still eating well.
Puffer is still doing well in the DT too. Haven't seen him eating any more corals. Thankfully he still eats some vermetids too lol! Thinking I may need to order about 100 bumble bee snails and set them loose.
Puffer is still doing well in the DT too. Haven't seen him eating any more corals. Thankfully he still eats some vermetids too lol! Thinking I may need to order about 100 bumble bee snails and set them loose.
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Radman73
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Been a long time since I gave an update.
Chronic pain is a b****. It sucks the enjoyment of hobbies and life right out of you. If you've suffered, you know what I mean. Pretty much been my life for the last 18 months in particular(and 24 years in general) and the tank has suffered as a result. Though, all things considered, it's still in decent shape considering the complete lack of work I've done on it.
The corals have suffered the most. Between my dog-faced puffer eating what he liked(I knew the risk) and no water change for 8-9 months I'm honestly surprised they're even still alive. Finally managed a water change last week and a couple of them even show signs of life.
I lost my Melanarus and then Lubbock's wrasses over the summer. Pretty sure both were due to old age as they were 5-6 years old.
Thankfully no algae blooms, diatoms, or dino's have emerged. I haven't run my skimmer for 6-9 months with no noticeable side affects to date.
My pintail and yellow wrasses pictured above are doing great. And, with the Melanarus gone, the tank is extremely peaceful. I've started taking more time to just sit, watch, enjoy, and count my blessings that I am able to have a reef tank.
I finally got my 2nd MP40 connected to the Apex(which has been rock solid btw). Had to upgrade on the Mobius app and then downgrade. A small thing but progress nonetheless.
If there are any other reefers suffering from chronic pain, feel free to reach out to me via PM. A support group does matter.
Chronic pain is a b****. It sucks the enjoyment of hobbies and life right out of you. If you've suffered, you know what I mean. Pretty much been my life for the last 18 months in particular(and 24 years in general) and the tank has suffered as a result. Though, all things considered, it's still in decent shape considering the complete lack of work I've done on it.
The corals have suffered the most. Between my dog-faced puffer eating what he liked(I knew the risk) and no water change for 8-9 months I'm honestly surprised they're even still alive. Finally managed a water change last week and a couple of them even show signs of life.
I lost my Melanarus and then Lubbock's wrasses over the summer. Pretty sure both were due to old age as they were 5-6 years old.
Thankfully no algae blooms, diatoms, or dino's have emerged. I haven't run my skimmer for 6-9 months with no noticeable side affects to date.
My pintail and yellow wrasses pictured above are doing great. And, with the Melanarus gone, the tank is extremely peaceful. I've started taking more time to just sit, watch, enjoy, and count my blessings that I am able to have a reef tank.
I finally got my 2nd MP40 connected to the Apex(which has been rock solid btw). Had to upgrade on the Mobius app and then downgrade. A small thing but progress nonetheless.
If there are any other reefers suffering from chronic pain, feel free to reach out to me via PM. A support group does matter.
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Radman73
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I jinxed myself with my Apex comment apparently lol! At 6pm one night last week we had a power blip and the EB832 was toast. It would power on, but not control anything or provide power. Thankfully a local store stayed open 30 minutes to give me time to get over and pick up a new one. I have the likely replacement part for the EB832 on the way and it will become a spare.
I also had a MP40 controller go. To top it off, my Kessill H380 decided to quit as well. New controller for the MP40 seems to be working fine. Thankfully for the light it was just a power supply.
All fish still doing great. Vermetid's still doing great too lol!
I snagged a 48" Aquatic life hybrid on Black Friday along with the T5 bulbs. That's about it thanks to the other expenditures for now. Maybe some additional fish in the new year!
I also had a MP40 controller go. To top it off, my Kessill H380 decided to quit as well. New controller for the MP40 seems to be working fine. Thankfully for the light it was just a power supply.
All fish still doing great. Vermetid's still doing great too lol!
I snagged a 48" Aquatic life hybrid on Black Friday along with the T5 bulbs. That's about it thanks to the other expenditures for now. Maybe some additional fish in the new year!
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Radman73
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Lost my blackfin McCosker's over the weekend. Always sad to see wrasses go so quickly. Really wish they'd last longer, especially in captivity. So, that's 3 wrasses in the last 4 months. All were added at roughly the same time when we moved to Florida so all were 4-6 years old.
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Radman73
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Vacuumed my sand bed into a huge filter sock in the sump. First time I've done more than stir the stand since I moved everything over to the WB. Also scraped almost all of the coralline off the side wall closest to me so I can see the fish better from my desk.
Seems like little things to be happy about but it's progress. Baby steps on the recovery from LRS along with improved chronic pain management.
I've decided to start the Reef Moonshiners method. I have the first ICP kit in hand and will send it off after Christmas. I don't do water changes that often anyway and this will at least let me know where I am with monthly to bi monthly ICP test. Apparently I have more money than motivation right now. Though, in all seriousness, I love the program. Track nearly everything and replenish what gets used.
Puffer will be making his way to the fuge in the next couple of months. I don't want him limiting the coral selection and 75gal is plenty big for him and Lefty, the other male anthias.
I'm excited about the tank again. Losing the 220 hurt, bad. And as happy as I was to get a tank as nice as the WB130 in replacement it was a tough mental blow. Thank God my wife supports me in this hobby.
Seems like little things to be happy about but it's progress. Baby steps on the recovery from LRS along with improved chronic pain management.
I've decided to start the Reef Moonshiners method. I have the first ICP kit in hand and will send it off after Christmas. I don't do water changes that often anyway and this will at least let me know where I am with monthly to bi monthly ICP test. Apparently I have more money than motivation right now. Though, in all seriousness, I love the program. Track nearly everything and replenish what gets used.
Puffer will be making his way to the fuge in the next couple of months. I don't want him limiting the coral selection and 75gal is plenty big for him and Lefty, the other male anthias.
I'm excited about the tank again. Losing the 220 hurt, bad. And as happy as I was to get a tank as nice as the WB130 in replacement it was a tough mental blow. Thank God my wife supports me in this hobby.
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Radman73
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Radman73
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I'm really liking the T5's. Really brightens the tank and the fish look more colorful. And, I still get some of the Kessil shimmer that I love so much. Was worried about the T5's overpowering that.
Sad note, the black fin did finally pass. He looked rough ever since I saw him come out. Thin, colors muted, old. He was one of the first fish I added once we moved down to Orlando, so he made it 5+ years which isn't bad for a terminal phase male wrasse. At least I got to see him for an extra couple of weeks.
As stated earlier, I've struggled with interest in the tank. Finally got around to testing phosphate today and my meter flashed at its maxed out 200ppb
. Diluted the sample by 50% and got 105ppb. That puts me at roughly .65ppm phosphate. Yay me. Loaded up the GFO canister and added some carbon for good measure as it had been a while since I ran it as well. All part of getting the tank back in shape. I post it because I'm committed to documenting the good and the bad.
First ATI ICP test is off to traverse the world. Then I get started on shining.
Sad note, the black fin did finally pass. He looked rough ever since I saw him come out. Thin, colors muted, old. He was one of the first fish I added once we moved down to Orlando, so he made it 5+ years which isn't bad for a terminal phase male wrasse. At least I got to see him for an extra couple of weeks.
As stated earlier, I've struggled with interest in the tank. Finally got around to testing phosphate today and my meter flashed at its maxed out 200ppb
. Diluted the sample by 50% and got 105ppb. That puts me at roughly .65ppm phosphate. Yay me. Loaded up the GFO canister and added some carbon for good measure as it had been a while since I ran it as well. All part of getting the tank back in shape. I post it because I'm committed to documenting the good and the bad.First ATI ICP test is off to traverse the world. Then I get started on shining.
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Radman73
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PO4 currently down to .12. Have been able to bring it down slowly with GFO; which may be nearly expired. I have some phosguard on hand to bring it down the rest of the way. Much smaller amounts from hear on out.
The question has been how did they get so high? Tested my ATO and that wasn't it. Right now I'm wondering if it was spoiled food. Apparently I left frozen food out overnight and my wife saw it in the am and put it back in the freezer. Freezer is in the garage, and she thought it was cold enough to have kept the food from spoiling. And forgot to tell me lol! Fish were fine eating it, but I'd been using it for around a month since that happened, neither of us remember the exact timeframe. In any case, that food has been disposed of and using fresh frozen again. Hopefully that's the cause.
The question has been how did they get so high? Tested my ATO and that wasn't it. Right now I'm wondering if it was spoiled food. Apparently I left frozen food out overnight and my wife saw it in the am and put it back in the freezer. Freezer is in the garage, and she thought it was cold enough to have kept the food from spoiling. And forgot to tell me lol! Fish were fine eating it, but I'd been using it for around a month since that happened, neither of us remember the exact timeframe. In any case, that food has been disposed of and using fresh frozen again. Hopefully that's the cause.
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