4’x2’x2’ build… The Dragons’ Forest

Mschmidt

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Thanks for this! I knew it was from the silicate!

Ps, I dose silica every week just for this reason (As well as a few others)

I’m a huge fan of silica. I wish I can bathe in it; that’s how much I love it.
first reading I thought you said breath not bathe. was thinking "well you can, but there are consequences to that."
 

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anyone know if Pink reef lobster - enoplometopus daumi is safe towards fish i seen on a vid that it can be aggressive towards fish any 2nd opinions

i do have a few small fish

 

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first reading I thought you said breath not bathe. was thinking "well you can, but there are consequences to that."
Bathing in silica isn’t that much safer. It’s caustic (high pH) lol.
 
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anyone know if Pink reef lobster - enoplometopus daumi is safe towards fish i seen on a vid that it can be aggressive towards fish any 2nd opinions

i do have a few small fish

Honestly, it’s risky but it could work.
I wouldn’t risk it with fish that are its body size and maybe an inch bigger than it. However fish that are say 2-3 inches larger should be alright IMO.
 

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Bathing in silica isn’t that much safer. It’s caustic (high pH) lol.
Animated GIF
 

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I know @Miami Reef has wondered my situation with the sponge sump and I’ve now found out why they’ve thrived!! First off, here’s the two main sponges along with another sponge that’s recently appeared (The dull yellow between the bright yellow and the white sponge).
BA6B874A-4C27-414B-9A6B-42A571233313.jpeg

And here’s the answer;
34647033-BA4C-434F-A4E5-199D275E3921.jpeg
Any diatom issues?
 
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Any diatom issues?
In this tank, nope!
I have a feeling with it being stable and the microfauna being in the tank it’s unlikely diatoms are going to surface.
 
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Now that I think about it, I faced Diatoms early on (2-3 months into the tank) however they’ve never come back.
Many of my old photos show the Diatoms that attacked back then. And if you haven’t already seen my hectic journey at the start of this 4’ tank here’s the comment from the first page where it shows everything.
I found a few photos of some of the fish, coral, my 3’ tank and some downsides to this hobby…
Here’s the 3’ tank’s old inhabitants (Scopas tang, CBB - Beaten to death by the scopas, as seen in the centre of the 3rd photo, Chilli coral is still with me).
23/08/2019 2:12pm
6BDDD818-CD20-4282-B06D-B7EA1193779C.jpeg

4/10/2019 5:4
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1/11/2019 3:53pm
8E3C3F58-E838-459C-B359-5BD0E51FA2DC.jpeg
Unfortunately in the photo above this comment, that is a dead CBB from my 3’ tank, that scopas was about 2”, I think most of the coral actually died from a “small” incident that ended in Atleast £300 in coral death and £200 in fish death. Those photos above were from 21st November 2019. When I moved house that’s when I took the chance for a 4’ tank (This was December 21st 2019). Then it had fish in on January 27th - I think 3-4 weeks after it cycled. Here’s the photo of the first fish that went in.. rookie mistake, using the old sand in the new tank.
Results were this:
21/12/2019 9:41am
A0361A25-62DE-4BD9-A32A-A0D5B94D0D76.jpeg

21/12/2019 9:10am
A0E0A352-8AEC-441A-B91D-794A683E6823.jpeg

You guessed it, ammonia spiked quickly and did damage instantly (It was either this or die of hypothermia) this was the decision nobody wants, knowing their fish will die..
Now you will see the bacteria/algae that takes over tanks, and the first 5 fish that went in!!
This photo below shows the black photon clownfish pair that went in, and the bubble algae that spread. Aswell as that beautiful Indonesian colony of torch - Still have this except the colony is now one head.
29/01/2020 3:16pm
CF2A5D9B-9E63-425C-845E-C928C4A36DDE.jpeg
and now the other part of the bubble algae (Uglies!) phase, the rockwork is slightly different because we changed the sand for the radiant - The wrasse I have always wanted since having a 3’ tank and seeing a 1” juvenile.
29/01/2020 3:17pm
0F1DD1AC-BC18-4117-A3D7-0B2ADF888C46.jpeg

Phase 2 of the uglies - Bubble algae is dying off, something else (I think it was the diatoms next) came in.
29/01/2020 3:17pm
ED746DE0-1143-4F66-B543-F38C09A7C074.jpeg

And now the fourth and 5th/6th inhabitant got added! The CBB I have today (Such a joy to watch!!) and the two skunk cleaners I also have today. Both are Atleast 2” now!!
29/01/2020 3:17pm
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This next photo shows the pretty colouration my 3rd inhabitant haha, I have always and will always have a Foxface in my larger tanks!!
AND the acacia I still have - it has grown a lot more too, the fragplug is almost invisible now!
I still have the Duncan too - That was the 2nd coral to go in, the 1st was the torch.
29/01/2020 3:17pm
DABE65E3-414F-4C48-898B-7F5E04C95005.jpeg
And then in went the tang (Twin spot). This guy and the Foxface beat the ugly stage to the curb!! And it shows the female Black Photon - I lost the male unfortunately.. so I replaced him with the juvenile misbar that is now the female, this female also vanished and I give up on keeping pairs, I may try one more male black photon though.
Stage 3 of the uglies is also shown and this is where the Foxface had the dinner of a life time - Green Hair Algae!!
5/02/2020 3:22pm
AD74543F-584C-49C1-9A23-BF0D60149454.jpeg

ugly phase #4, diatoms have grown and so has GHA (Finally, a use for the Foxface haha)
5/02/2020 3:26pm
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GHA is more clear now
5/02/2020 3:26pm
2605AA17-7BF2-45C4-B60F-6CE7ED23CEDA.jpeg

The tang again - Still highly brown and still beautiful!! Asterinas starting to take over aswell (Bloody things)
5/02/2020 4:25pm
F02EF008-9BFE-4E4C-9155-B4C7C6A806D6.jpeg

And here’s where the male black photon clown died.. Still no idea why (Everything was in place, no spikes). Diatoms and GHA still taking over - The Foxface still having a buffet
10/02/2020 3:32pm
1EF3F3A4-B420-4515-8E16-1FDE0A9206FA.jpeg

And finally, Cyano out competed the other two algae’s, I didn’t mind it so much - Nothing got harmed either.
26/02/2020 3:35pm
3D97199A-E274-4D66-AC5B-9D5C4CBCE7BC.jpeg

Here’s my first of two wrasse - Both died (And some backstory as to why I love C. Naokoae so much!!) this guy died from spinal injury from jumping… a month or so later. Also a small bit of one of the pink pincushion urchins (There was two, they’re now replaced with two white pincushion urchins).
4/03/2020 11:16pm - 14 days before my birthday, this was an early birthday gift to myself
B7F44940-12EC-4AA3-8403-A2EAE269663D.jpeg

And my second wrasse, H. leucoxanthus (Silver belly wrasse) she died at some point in June or July 2020. Also - My chilli coral in that tank!!
16/03/2020 7:37am - Also an early birthday gift.
693B50E5-D899-47A7-A759-2CA1A0234E8F.jpeg

And then part of the rockwork fell (Nothing died or got injured) I got lucky with that one, it’s now stable though.
24/07/2020 9:49am
FCBAFB96-01E4-48C3-BFC9-2886AA2B84E2.jpeg

But as I said to another fellow reefer who went through hell a few months back, a disaster will lead to a flourishing tank eventually :)
And without the Ammonia spike or Mysterious deaths I’d never have the tank I have today. Would the tank look nicer had I avoided the disasters? Maybe… but I wouldn’t be willing to change the course just to get a nicer tank as the likelihood is I wouldn’t have the Majestic or Regal or even any of the wrasses.
7A7105D7-13F1-4AA9-8010-8C71FCCAB7EC.jpeg
 

A Young Reefer

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Now that I think about it, I faced Diatoms early on (2-3 months into the tank) however they’ve never come back.
Many of my old photos show the Diatoms that attacked back then. And if you haven’t already seen my hectic journey at the start of this 4’ tank here’s the comment from the first page where it shows everything.


But as I said to another fellow reefer who went through hell a few months back, a disaster will lead to a flourishing tank eventually :)
And without the Ammonia spike or Mysterious deaths I’d never have the tank I have today. Would the tank look nicer had I avoided the disasters? Maybe… but I wouldn’t be willing to change the course just to get a nicer tank as the likelihood is I wouldn’t have the Majestic or Regal or even any of the wrasses.
7A7105D7-13F1-4AA9-8010-8C71FCCAB7EC.jpeg
I just want to get rid of the darn aiptasia :(. nothing has worked for me, my copper banned didn't touch it and got harassed to death by my purple tang, aiptasia eating file fish didn't touch it and I found it in my wavemaker one day, aiptasia eating nudibranchs I added two of them and they are no where to be found nor I see any reduction in aiptasia numbers. cant source any peppermint shrimp around where I live. Aiptasia X is the absolute worst thing, you kill 1 aiptasia with it, 3 others pop up in the same spot.
 
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How do you like your foxface? I may replace my tomini that I lost this winter. Thinking about a mag foxface for better algae control? Are they boring? The tomini was graceful and was always cruising around.
Boring? Pft, Siganus magnificus is the most calming fish ever. He cruises the tank but every so often just perches and watches you :)
The only reason I don’t get photos of him often is because he’s 7” so it’s hard to not get just a face shot. Plus he’s often shy and swims away.
 
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LFS had any luck getting you a choati wrasse?
Not yet… as soon as TMC get them in they go fast unfortunately. I’m still waiting on one and hopefully I get a young female or a juvenile. If i do she’ll go into my nano with my blue star as a way to adapt and become a voracious eater for when she needs to go into the 4’ with her larger cousins.
 

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Boring? Pft, Siganus magnificus is the most calming fish ever. He cruises the tank but every so often just perches and watches you :)
The only reason I don’t get photos of him often is because he’s 7” so it’s hard to not get just a face shot. Plus he’s often shy and swims away.
Wow. How long did that take to get 7”? Probably too large a fish for my tank. LFS has had a couple 2 inchers come in.
 

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Not yet… as soon as TMC get them in they go fast unfortunately. I’m still waiting on one and hopefully I get a young female or a juvenile. If i do she’ll go into my nano with my blue star as a way to adapt and become a voracious eater for when she needs to go into the 4’ with her larger cousins.
why is the black tail wrasse that i have considered expert? is it cause they don't eat she is always the 1st 1 to the food lol beats my purple tang and goldflake too food
 
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why is the black tail wrasse that i have considered expert? is it cause they don't eat she is always the 1st 1 to the food lol beats my purple tang and goldflake too food
They really don’t get a good start when brought into the hobby. Generally they will just suffer and become incredibly skinny from internal parasites, a lot of the time they have mouth damage and also don’t really eat very well.
 
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Wow. How long did that take to get 7”? Probably too large a fish for my tank. LFS has had a couple 2 inchers come in.
He was brought as a 4” specimen and is currently about 4 years old. I’d honestly say, he must be a minimum of 8 years old by now, my previous foxface was fed and cared for the same way but we got him as a 2” specimen and when he sized up (3-4 years on) he got to around 4”.
Also, they don’t swim a ton unlike tangs. These guys can be happy in 4’x2’ floor space with 18” height and not stress too much due to their passive swimming behaviours :)
 
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Do you have your clams in the 4ft tank or the smaller tank
They’re both in my nano however I may try the Deresa in my 4’ tank when it outgrows my nano.
 
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