40 Gallons with a few Soft Corals

[EricR]

Replaced my barnacle cluster that had been dissolving/collapsing.
*hoping it somehow helps my rising alkalinity issue but not likely (((different story going on there)))

Before/after pictures -- tailspot blenny took to new barnacles pretty quickly:

It was a bit of a chore to find a cluster with barnacles as "deep" as my original and, when I finally did, had to tear new one apart for fear of unsafe adhesive but I had a different thread on that adventure here:

Removing Adhesive from Barnacle Cluster

 

[EricR]

My newest discovery is a hydroid in test tank that I've been using to test different items from main tank to search for cause of rising alkalinity.

Hadn't seen any in my DT but went searching before lights came on and did find one on one ricordea that I blew off.

Time to start researching what people do about these (if anything) and also wondering if they've maybe been causing some issues even though I hadn't seen any before,,, just since most of my corals haven't seemed overly happy lately.

 

[EricR]

My first LPS -- single head Duncan,,, bought about 2 months ago:

*it's gotten much fatter and a bit taller,,, but the tentacles are kind of stubbier than when I got it -- won't worry since it's growing and seems happy enough

 

[vlangel]

My newest discovery is a hydroid in test tank that I've been using to test different items from main tank to search for cause of rising alkalinity.

Hadn't seen any in my DT but went searching before lights came on and did find one on one ricordea that I blew off.

Time to start researching what people do about these (if anything) and also wondering if they've maybe been causing some issues even though I hadn't seen any before,,, just since most of my corals haven't seemed overly happy lately.

My tank has very very old rock (as in decades) and so I have had hydroids and probably still have hydroids. I do not do anything with them and like other populations of life in the tank, they seem to go through times of thriving and waning. They have never really hurt anything in my tank even though they can sting. The only tanks that I know that they are a danger to is dwarf seahorses.

PS. I like your tank by the way!

 

[EricR]

Nassarius snail eggs (general consensus) -- I see these periodically and never any baby snails since, I assume, Nassarius aren't likely to reproduce well in our tanks:
*posted this elsewhere about 5 days ago but figured I'd capture here in my personal tank thread

...there were a bunch in 3 different spots in the tank that morning that I noticed

 

[EricR]

Just noticed that my single head duncan that I've had for a couple of months has about 4 or 5 new heads starting to form around it's perimeter.
*at least I hope/assume that's what's going on

Here's a couple on one side:

 

[EricR]

Long story but here's recap:
1. 1/2024 urchin chewed through AI Nero 5 cord so it died -- had smaller Aqamai KPs ready (planned as 2nd wavemaker but not in tank yet).
2. Ran single KPs only for a couple of months and not even on full power.
3. Sinularia was getting tall but folded over and started smothering tiny toadstool (assumably from the lower flow).
*I know I need to move the toadstool but,,, uhh,,, haven't gotten to it yet

*added 2nd KPs (wavemaker) recently so maybe that'll help

 

[EricR]

I did also pick up a 2nd cheapish (single head) duncan recently since my first one seems to be doing well and growing:

 

[EricR]

Saw "Friday FTS" thread so snapped a couple of pictures (below).

Current status:
-- Most of my zoas (long story) that did great for first year are officially horrid after about a year long regression
-- Sinularia folded after a couple of months of poor flow (since AI Nero cord got devoured by urchin) ... seems awkward but OK-ish
-- Tiny toadstool smothered (for a couple of months) by Sinularia finally moved (to rack) so we'll see

 

[EricR]

Not the best picture but the 5 new heads budding around the perimeter of my first duncan (from posts# 63, 66) are getting bigger -- cool:

 

[EricR]

Shot from today,,, clown was getting territorial with my blenny in back corner so moved part of the blenny's barnacle cluster to the front:

 

[EricR]

My skunk cleaner shrimp that I had for 2 years is officially gone (I think).
Failed molt recently seemed to be a problem.
I posted some babble in this existing thread:

Skunk Cleaner Shrimp Molt Fail