Back in Hobby after 15 years

[DarkReefer]

Can definitely use them. I've got a couple of olive barrels (the ones used to transport olives from Italy) I use to store saltwater in for emergencies.
I think I used white vinegar and hose water to clean them out, left them to dry and then filled them up.

 

[travdixon]

Thanks, I figured since they were filled with brine they’d be fine for saltwater. Going to be awhile though, but couldn’t pass up free 50 gallon food grade drums! My main focus is getting fish back in the tank first

 

[ZombieEngineer]

So since the velvet I’ve had a lot of time looking at a pretty empty tank. Did a water change on Saturday, and went through a long stroll of my anemone last night. Woke up to him underneath my powerhead. Luckily they are covered with the sponge covers, so I was able to pry him off and put him back in the rockwork. Seems to be doing ok.
Also, I saw at work today a bunch of 50 gallon plastic drums. The warehouse was going to throw them away, but I took a couple home. They were used to store capers in brine from Italy. Curious if they would be able to be used for a future water station? They are obviously food grade. Thoughts? I’d definitely need to clean and sanitize them. We had them because they use the drums in between pallets of olives when shipping so they don’t tip over

You can use those with mild cleaning. I have used ones that were originally filled with mustard for over a decade with no I'll effects. Just as safe as a brute.

 

[travdixon]

Well I’m back…. After a 3 month fallow period I added a pair of clownfish. Then a foxface……all good. Then I added a bluejaw again, all spaced out. My female clown harassed it to death! Ok, gotta get a tang. Well, in the span of a month, I’ve tried 3 tangs and lost them all! All were great, no signs of disease (I did not add 3 together, I tried 3 times!). They would be fine in the morning, and when I got home either stuck to a powerhead or dead. Clownfish and foxface are just fine, it’s been about a month and a half with the clowns and a month with the foxface. I guess I just can’t keep tangs, or I’m just cursed. Not gonna give up though. Each tang lasted about a week, no signs of illness

 

[TheyGaveItToMe]

"Each tang lasted about a week, no signs of illness"

Was that a week after being in Q.T.?

 

[travdixon]

Was that a week after being in Q.T.?

All of them were QT’d by my LFS. They know my struggle and have helped me in that regard

 

[travdixon]

I’m thinking I may just have a mean a** clownfish. My LFS had never heard of a clown killing a triggerfish!

 

[travdixon]

Well, I’m holding off on larger fish for awhile. Turns out my female clown is pregnant, so the LFS and I believe she was stressing any larger fish out to death when they swam in her area. Got my trio of benghai’s again post velvet last week and they are fine, no issues. Gonna focus on corals for a little while. Just picked up a green stylo, acans and an orange lepto frag, so that’ll be my focus for awhile. Hoping they settle in since I’m at the 6 month mark now

 

[travdixon]

Also started all for Reef today to keep things stable. A little low on calcium but everything else is stable
Calcium-360
Kh-8.5
Phosphate-.05
Nitrate-10
Temp-79
Salinity-35
Ph-8.2

 

[travdixon]

Well, I’m holding off on larger fish for awhile. Turns out my female clown is pregnant, so the LFS and I believe she was stressing any larger fish out to death when they swam in her area. Got my trio of benghai’s again post velvet last week and they are fine, no issues. Gonna focus on corals for a little while. Just picked up a green stylo, acans and an orange lepto frag, so that’ll be my focus for awhile. Hoping they settle in since I’m at the 6 month mark now

My apologies, I meant egg bound not pregnant

 

[travdixon]

https://forums.reefcentral.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Freefcentral.com%2Fgallery%2Fdata%2F500%2F97265Anemone2.jpg&hash=06581ad3c4aac0db690b65ee52175338

 

[travdixon]

https://forums.reefcentral.com/proxy.php?image=http%3A%2F%2Freefcentral.com%2Fgallery%2Fdata%2F500%2F97265Anemone2.jpg&hash=06581ad3c4aac0db690b65ee52175338

Man I miss some of the stuff I had back on 2007!

 

[travdixon]

So I am looking for a coral recommendation for the open flat spot on the rock in the middle of my tank. I was thinking platygyra, but I see they are medium light and see most towards the bottom of tanks. Any suggestions?

 

[travdixon]

I guess I’m preaching to a choir. Thanks for the opportunity to participate. As they say “bye Felicia”! Haha.

 

[travdixon]

Ok, ok, “Felicia’s” back! I have figured out that convict tangs just are not a fish I can keep. No amount of quarantine helps. I currently have a scopas and yellow eye kole that were quarantined. All is copacetic. Looking back 4 months, I have finally been able to get a fish population back in my tank. No more velvet. My clowns are doing good. My foxface is getting a belly, my cardinals are chillin, and now my two tangs are helping keep the tank algae free. I lost my first tester corals over the summer, most likely due to the heat and not having a fan on the tank. I’ve replaced them with a few more, and I’m crossing my fingers they start growing. I’m finally able to start where I left off after velvet. I didn’t give up, as much as I thought about it. Anemone is also cool, found it’s spot a few months ago and hasn’t moved. Clowns are oblivious to it however. Now it’s time to get this thing really going. I guess my advice is to stick it out and not give up. As bad as a velvet wipeout can be, you can make it out the other side

 

[vlangel]

Ok, ok, “Felicia’s” back! I have figured out that convict tangs just are not a fish I can keep. No amount of quarantine helps. I currently have a scopas and yellow eye kole that were quarantined. All is copacetic. Looking back 4 months, I have finally been able to get a fish population back in my tank. No more velvet. My clowns are doing good. My foxface is getting a belly, my cardinals are chillin, and now my two tangs are helping keep the tank algae free. I lost my first tester corals over the summer, most likely due to the heat and not having a fan on the tank. I’ve replaced them with a few more, and I’m crossing my fingers they start growing. I’m finally able to start where I left off after velvet. I didn’t give up, as much as I thought about it. Anemone is also cool, found it’s spot a few months ago and hasn’t moved. Clowns are oblivious to it however. Now it’s time to get this thing really going. I guess my advice is to stick it out and not give up. As bad as a velvet wipeout can be, you can make it out the other side

I am sorry about the velvet episode. That is discouraging but hopefully behind you.

My clown also ignores all my BTAs too. That is just the way it goes some times.

Good luck as you move forward!

 

[Lost in the Sauce]

Great Advice. Velvet can break your spirit to continue doing this if you allow it to. I'm glad things are normalizing again