Aqua Mans journey

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Aqua Man

Aqua Man

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Regarding the air space. Directions say it doesn’t matter. YouTube video by billy pipes says it needs to be at .85 YouTube does have its place and I only went there to verify that I was testing correctly. Which I don’t think I was since my original test showed 7.7 and I haven’t added any supplements.

So pulling syringe to 1.0 I always end up at .8 consistently. Air gap being the difference.

Today ran 2 test in a row and both times came up with 9.6 for Alk. Leaving the pink tip on the end of syringe the entire time.

will be testing daily to see what my alk usage is. At this point I just want consistency. I’m going to try and keep alk stable at sea water levels. 7.8 ish
 

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Been using API test kits for awhile. At the beginning of the year I started getting better kits. Nyos for nitrate. Hanna for phosphate. I just replaced my API alk with a Salifert kit. Sooo many steps! Still not sure if I’m using it right. I “think “ I’m at 7.7 I should of ordered 2,

is the pink tip thing supposed to stay on the whole time? How does the air space at the end NOT matter?

The air space that you end up with in the syringe itself is equivalent to the pink tip's air volume plus a small amount of air that is at the tip of the syringe when the plunger is completed pushed down.

To see how this works, try removing the pink tip and draw up liquid to where the black 'plunger' bottom reaches the top 1.0 ml mark (keep it submersed in the liquid to prevent air bubbles). You should see that the liquid has filled up in the syringe nearly 100% with just a small space of air on top. Now put the pink tip back on and repeat the procedure. You should see a much bigger space of air at the top underneath the black plunger.
 
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Thank you Nano
So is the pink tip essential? My guess is that to get the last drops out of the reagent it would be useful. When the bottle is full, seems like it’s not needed.

Ever do a test and fill syringe without it upto 1.0 ? Same results?
 

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Regarding the air space. Directions say it doesn’t matter. YouTube video by billy pipes says it needs to be at .85 YouTube does have its place and I only went there to verify that I was testing correctly. Which I don’t think I was since my original test showed 7.7 and I haven’t added any supplements.

So pulling syringe to 1.0 I always end up at .8 consistently. Air gap being the difference.

Today ran 2 test in a row and both times came up with 9.6 for Alk. Leaving the pink tip on the end of syringe the entire time.

will be testing daily to see what my alk usage is. At this point I just want consistency. I’m going to try and keep alk stable at sea water levels. 7.8 ish

Since our hobby grade test kits are not super accurate (and don't need to be), you are correct that consistency is paramount. Learning to do the process properly (per the manufacturer's instructions) and then using that same exact process time-after-time is key.
 

Nano sapiens

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Thank you Nano
So is the pink tip essential? My guess is that to get the last drops out of the reagent it would be useful. When the bottle is full, seems like it’s not needed.

Ever do a test and fill syringe without it upto 1.0 ? Same results?

The pink tip is there to allow the user to add smaller and much more consistent drops than without. If you try the test without the tip, it's much more difficult to control the size of the drops which means you can easily add more solution than is necessary to see the color change.
 
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Current FTS!
C4BBCF4D-B805-43ED-A193-027FC36CFD6C.jpeg
 

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Current FTS!
C4BBCF4D-B805-43ED-A193-027FC36CFD6C.jpeg
Wow!!! That big momma Yuma looks awesome!! And all that coralline on the back wall... I’m jealous! And is that an acan and favia?? They’re lookin awesome! I tried a couple yumas myself recently and they’re doing okay but nowhere near as good as yours
F04F2993-51A9-4953-BFF9-224899446A30.jpeg
A45C6B17-9B07-4F95-B4A0-4434363CE808.jpeg
 
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And is that an acan and favia?? They’re lookin awesome!
Yes! Thanks, Acan was added a couple weeks ago and is doing well. 3 favia, 2 of them are puffed up nice and are healthy. The other favia receded some but I hoping will pull through. Still has a couple heads that are ok.
77476070-F9AD-4A42-9790-9F21BB8F900F.jpeg

D2EFEC1C-EC3C-4556-8448-17487B96175B.jpeg

unkown favia closeup above.
123155BC-0829-43D3-876A-07E1CCFC9527.jpeg
 
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August 2020

EAA52CD2-1FF3-4E32-BF4E-425F122CFECC.jpeg

February 2021
9EFDE982-9A6B-469F-8A7F-008F340A04F7.jpeg

cause and effect? Not really sure! Exciting and frustrating at the same time! Was starting to think my ballast for my t5s is going out. All 4 light up and the ends of the bulbs look good. No flickering. Fixture is around 8 years old though. New bulbs last month. All ATI. Almost looks like the mushrooms are reaching for more light.

Other causes, different bulbs. I’m running 3 blue+ and 1 coral+ now. Was 2 blue+ 1 coral+ and 1 actinic

Unplugged a power head. With the HOB filter and 2 power heads I was pushing 975 Gph in my little 20 Tall!! Each power head pushes 425 Gph.

Any other thoughts on why the shrooms are walking around?

These Ricordia have been with me for 6 years now. Tank just turned 7!!!
 

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My best guess would be too much flow since they much prefer lower flow. The higher flow technique is often used by aquaculturists to get the Yuma to start moving across the rock and hopefully leave tissue behind that will become more Yumas. Mushrooms don't have basal muscle like anemones, so movement tends to be relatively slow for them.

Change of lighting typically doesn't cause my Rics to move much, unless it's drastic. Usually they just expand or retract in place to compensate.
 

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August 2020

EAA52CD2-1FF3-4E32-BF4E-425F122CFECC.jpeg

February 2021
9EFDE982-9A6B-469F-8A7F-008F340A04F7.jpeg

cause and effect? Not really sure! Exciting and frustrating at the same time! Was starting to think my ballast for my t5s is going out. All 4 light up and the ends of the bulbs look good. No flickering. Fixture is around 8 years old though. New bulbs last month. All ATI. Almost looks like the mushrooms are reaching for more light.

Other causes, different bulbs. I’m running 3 blue+ and 1 coral+ now. Was 2 blue+ 1 coral+ and 1 actinic

Unplugged a power head. With the HOB filter and 2 power heads I was pushing 975 Gph in my little 20 Tall!! Each power head pushes 425 Gph.

Any other thoughts on why the shrooms are walking around?

These Ricordia have been with me for 6 years now. Tank just turned 7!!!
I agree with nano sapiens, my Shrooms just get really huge when there’s too little light. It looks like they’re trying to walk to a lower flow area and stretching towards the light to compensate for poor foot placement. Hopefully you’ll have lots more baby Yuma’s soon from the walking!
 
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The first picture is with more flow than now. Lol Interesting! So maybe, I have less flow in the tank but it’s coming from a different direction now?
image.jpg
Too much flow still? That little white piece is where shroom started. The shroom was attached when I glued it there awhile back.

How huge? The mother is at least 4 1/2” across. When fully inflated.
 
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movement tends to be relatively slow for them.
January 7 2021
0B9B5082-CF7B-4B27-9717-3E06EB0C2DC9.jpeg

different angle, can still see the white and still attached. Not sure how to quantify slow, I’ve never had an anemone.
 

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Anemones can move across the entire tank in like an hour. I’ve got a 20 gallon and the things zip around like flies. I’ll watch the tank, have lunch, then the anemone is on the other side
January 7 2021
0B9B5082-CF7B-4B27-9717-3E06EB0C2DC9.jpeg

different angle, can still see the white and still attached. Not sure how to quantify slow, I’ve never had an anemone.
 
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May FTS
C4F4D978-F0EA-4531-A2FA-14D3886BC44B.jpeg

Tank still going. Ringo the star Blenny is doing well. Him and the clown get along mostly.
Have only changed a couple major
things in the last couple months. I have switched to a different Alk supplement, Soda ash. Also lowered my T5 fixture down 2 “

Since switching from API alk test I’ve been watching my alk closer and have let it slowly drop to 8.0 and attempting to maintain it there.
PO4 still gets used up quickly so I’ve started to add reef roids in with the fish food and broadcast feed.

2A84A676-FD6F-4CE5-9648-1B04F3F69B49.jpeg
Had 2 of these. A lot less algae these days so I moved one to a different tank.
315604E9-6D95-4A23-8B33-66258B244C6A.jpeg

thought it was time to change out my RO membrane. It definitely was!! Eeew!

Happy reefing and thanks for looking!
 

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May FTS
C4F4D978-F0EA-4531-A2FA-14D3886BC44B.jpeg

Tank still going. Ringo the star Blenny is doing well. Him and the clown get along mostly.
Have only changed a couple major
things in the last couple months. I have switched to a different Alk supplement, Soda ash. Also lowered my T5 fixture down 2 “

Since switching from API alk test I’ve been watching my alk closer and have let it slowly drop to 8.0 and attempting to maintain it there.
PO4 still gets used up quickly so I’ve started to add reef roids in with the fish food and broadcast feed.

2A84A676-FD6F-4CE5-9648-1B04F3F69B49.jpeg
Had 2 of these. A lot less algae these days so I moved one to a different tank.
315604E9-6D95-4A23-8B33-66258B244C6A.jpeg

thought it was time to change out my RO membrane. It definitely was!! Eeew!

Happy reefing and thanks for looking!
It’s been a while! The tank looks great!
 
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The tank looks great!
Thank you! Most coral are doing ok. Almost all of my Zoas started to recede/melt though.
70931395-3A8F-44DC-94D2-09546B64F85C.jpeg

radioactive dragon eyes above and king Midas below, when they looked the best.
86EF4898-ECA6-4D6B-8EB1-4CBB3B7C01D2.jpeg

I have been hunting asterina starfish for awhile. Been a few days since I’ve seen any. Both of these Zoa are down to couple polyps now. Hope I can get them to grow again.
 

Mastering the art of locking and unlocking water pathways: What type of valves do you have on your aquarium plumbing?

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