All Live Everything, Tank Reboot

Rmckoy

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I don't have sponges growing in my cryptic zone that I know about. Speaking of sponges, we have a discussion going in another thread about them. I used to think sponges were a sign of a healthy aquarium and great for helping clear the water. However, vetteguy53081 and I were helping another guy a couple weeks ago with sponges and he said sponges could be toxic. He posted this link:
Anyway, I had one yellow sponge growing in a dark, high flow area of my DT that I scraped off and netted out after reading this. I'm not worried about tiny ones that I can't see inside my rocks, etc. but I'm not going to let big ones grow anymore.
Regarding chaeto, I'm curious what you saw that was controversial about it. IME, it works great if it's part of a properly "tuned" nutrient export program. If you're nutrients are usually at a good level and you add chaeto but don't change anything about your export program, you're going to strip nutrients too low---that's a common problem people have. It's also great habitat for pods, but so's a cryptic zone.
There used to be a glass bottle of stuff for sponges and if I can find it I’ll post a picture .

When I first started reefing and didn’t agree with the do not dose anything unless testing the need for rule …
I used to dose this stuff regularly . Probably the cause or reason why I have tons of yellow sponge under almost every rock

apparently having sponges used to be a good positive sign .
 

Rmckoy

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Received my rock and sand today!

Beautiful rock, very stinky sand, haha. All is in the tank and I’m waiting for the water to clear so I can post some photos. I have some filter floss rubber banded to the return hose, so hopefully that clears things up a little bit more quickly! Keeping my skimmer off until the water clears, then it’s onward from there!!

I found a bunch of these critters in the box and hanging off one of the rocks. I am pretty sure the blackish one is a bristle worm, but somebody please tell me that the red one is not a fire worm? There are a bunch of the red ones, so if it is, I’m going to have my hands full…… haha
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Never seen a black bristle worm

but the pink ones are good .
Control their population buy not over feeding .
they are amazing scavengers
 

MaxTremors

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I don't have sponges growing in my cryptic zone that I know about. Speaking of sponges, we have a discussion going in another thread about them. I used to think sponges were a sign of a healthy aquarium and great for helping clear the water. However, vetteguy53081 and I were helping another guy a couple weeks ago with sponges and he said sponges could be toxic. He posted this link:
Anyway, I had one yellow sponge growing in a dark, high flow area of my DT that I scraped off and netted out after reading this. I'm not worried about tiny ones that I can't see inside my rocks, etc. but I'm not going to let big ones grow anymore.
Regarding chaeto, I'm curious what you saw that was controversial about it. IME, it works great if it's part of a properly "tuned" nutrient export program. If you're nutrients are usually at a good level and you add chaeto but don't change anything about your export program, you're going to strip nutrients too low---that's a common problem people have. It's also great habitat for pods, but so's a cryptic zone.
I kind of take issue with this article. First of all, in one of Jake Adams recent podcasts (which I listen to and like, so this isn’t to say I distrust his opinion) they were discussing the benefit of cryptic zones and sponges and he came right out and said that he isn’t so much interested in having ‘reef tanks’ he is into having ‘coral showcases’, and I feel like this article is coming purely from that point of view. Personally, I am interested in keeping a reef tank, and corals are a part of that. I want biodiversity, and I don’t want corals to grow as fast as possible, so I think the debate on sponges and cryptic zones really comes down to what your goals are for your tank. As far as sponges being toxic, if you run a little bit of carbon, I don’t think it’s an issue. I also don’t think that the sponges that most of us are talking about are relegated to cryptic, dark areas and sump/refugiums, they’re not competing with corals for space. I don’t know, I feel like this article and the whole ‘sponges are toxic’ argument are really short sighted.
 
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Apollo7235

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I kind of take issue with this article. First of all, in one of Jake Adams recent podcasts (which I listen to and like, so this isn’t to say I distrust his opinion) they were discussing the benefit of cryptic zones and sponges and he came right out and said that he isn’t so much interested in having ‘reef tanks’ he is into having ‘coral showcases’, and I feel like this article is coming purely from that point of view. Personally, I am interested in keeping a reef tank, and corals are a part of that. I want biodiversity, and I don’t want corals to grow as fast as possible, so I think the debate on sponges and cryptic zones really comes down to what your goals are for your tank. As far as sponges being toxic, if you run a little bit of carbon, I don’t think it’s an issue. I also don’t think that the sponges that most of us are talking about are relegated to cryptic, dark areas and sump/refugiums, they’re not competing with corals for space. I don’t know, I feel like this article and the whole ‘sponges are toxic’ argument are really short sighted.
Basically everything I wanted to say about the article, but my exhausted mom-brain just does not have the energy to put out this evening! Well said ;)
 

LRT

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Oh no, you misunderstand me. I meant I’ll be gone for 5 days, but the rock and sand are already in my tank and all is well. I just won’t be able to monitor the parameters while I’m gone.
My bad I did see that you posted it arrived after I posted. Your all good and shouldn't have to worry about it first cpl weeks really. Gonna have to cycle the dead stuff out and let's everything settle before it really gets going. Was more of a lookahead than anything:D
 
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Apollo7235

Apollo7235

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My bad I did see that you posted it arrived after I posted. Your all good and shouldn't have to worry about it first cpl weeks really. Gonna have to cycle the dead stuff out and let's everything settle before it really gets going. Was more of a lookahead than anything:D
Right now, my goal is to just be able to see through the water, so 100% agree! Hahaha
 

Weasel1960

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Don’t mind the low water line, but here’s where we stand presently. Slooooowly clearing up.

And no. Taking a photo under white light instead of under blues is not going to help this situation ;Woot

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Sorry for your loss. Glad you got your sand and rock and hope you dont get too many “bad guys”. Looking forward to following your progress.
 
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Apollo7235

Apollo7235

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Here we are as of this evening. Soooo much better than last night.

I angled the power heads up a little bit to try and keep from stirring up the silty stuff in the sand and I think that may have helped some. I keep trying to blow off the rocks, but the silt stubbornly returns each time.

I have some poly filters coming in tomorrow, so I’m going to run those to try and help with the organics from the die off. Overall, I’m very happy with my purchase. The sand smelled sooooo bad, but I like the overall look.

I need to move the sand around a bit and I would like to move the Little Rock on the right forward some, but not too bad for an on-the-spot get-the-rock-in-there aquascape. I noticed one of the clams open a bit when I got home today, but it shut again right when I changed the lighting for the photos, but I’m happy to see it’s alive enough to at least do that!
Hard to believe this is 40 pounds of rock, but I like the space it leaves for coral growth and swimming room for fish ;)

What do you guys think? How did I do?

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Apollo7235

Apollo7235

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Good news!!!

I have 2 clams, an orange sponge-looking deal, and a feather duster hitchhiker thus far!

Both clams and the feather duster seem to be alive and kicking, and actually doing well! The clams have started to open (and snap shut when disturbed), and my little baby feather duster has been fully extended and seemingly happy!

Apologies for the blue light:



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Goaway

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looking wonderful. Honestly, I love sponges. I don't get this whole ordeal of toxicity.
Many leathers are beyond toxic and stunt growth of other corals. We run carbon to help combat that.

Oh, in the article he talks about them eating up all the trace elements as well. So I wonder about dosing amino trace elements with them.
 
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