Eienna's 50g Reef

Kimberlee · Oct 18, 2013

Yes it does remove some, but there is a misconception out there, as it doesn't remove that much. If it did it would be much harder to keep sps and lps corals. Might want to check into culturing rotifers

Eienna · Oct 18, 2013

Kimberlee said:
Yes it does remove some, but there is a misconception out there, as it doesn't remove that much. If it did it would be much harder to keep sps and lps corals. Might want to check into culturing rotifers

I'll be growing a real nice population of copepods if my plan pans out :)
As for the goniopora feeding, Two Little Fishes has come out with a powder food called Goniopower that they seem to like. :D

I hear what you're saying, but I think I'll stick with my no-skimmer preference for the time being. I can always change my mind later if it's not working out. :)

Eienna · Oct 18, 2013

OMGOMGOMG!!!! I THINK MY ACAN MIGHT BE STARTING TO RECOVER!!!!

I was beginning to think it was a sure goner, and I guess it still could be, but being stubborn I attempted to feed it - as I have been, hoping it would eat - and this time it actually took some and is slightly puffed up instead of totally deflated now!!!!

Here's how it looks now!

For anyone wondering what exactly it ate, I used minced Rod's fish-only (still using the sample pack from MAX, lol). I minced it because the chunks are almost always too big for my stock otherwise. :)

Eienna · Oct 19, 2013

Well, it's flatter than a 4th of July balloon on New Years' again today, but the fact that it actually took food makes me hopeful.

Might have been a bad idea to use the Ova for the clowns, though XD now they want nothing else!

Eienna · Oct 19, 2013

Eienna · Oct 20, 2013

Another successful feed-and-partial-puff ♡ I'm extremely hopeful now.

glb · Oct 20, 2013

The acans are looking better! If their feeders are out that's a good sign.

Eienna · Oct 22, 2013

RIP Acan :'(

It's dead...and I threw it away...I would have left it in to see if it came back, but it appeared to have brown jelly disease so I removed it for the safety of the other corals.

At least I can say I did everything I could. Unfortunately, I think the goni is also a lost cause, but I'll keep trying...where there's life there's hope.

I really can't understand it, though. The shrooms as might be expected are doing terrific, but the leptastrea is also growing well with good color and perfect PE and appetite. The diploastrea hasn't visibly changed one way or another. It's just the acan and the goni....I'm beginning to think maybe they got into a fight during the trip to the new house and tank. I should have bagged them individually and will in the future, but this time I thought putting them back in their deli cups would be sufficient.

Either way, acan's gone and I think the goni is on its way out. :( At least the leptastrea is doing well, which gives me hope that the tank will eventually support new corals. I will try again when the time is right.

On a side note, I think I need one more powerhead. It would also be nice to get my powerheads on timers so I can get some variable flow going. One thing at a time, though - first I have to get some particle-removal filtration in.

I will report, however, that "the boys" are fine and dandy. Definitely looks like the mocha's going to be the female...he's pushy. XD At least he doesn't bite me like my black clown used to from time to time.

Zero Nitrates · Oct 22, 2013

Good idea on the flow.

Eienna · Oct 22, 2013

Zero Nitrates said:
Good idea on the flow.

Thanks for the input :)

Eienna · Oct 22, 2013

Mommy, I don't like this month. Can I send it back? T.T

First the tank crash (including the loss of all my reef fish), then the dead and the dying corals, and now (after causing a few hundred $$ of damage that we now have to pay for) the homeowners have declared that our cat has to go. I suppose I'm just grateful that my mom is willing to take him. I love that cat and can't bear the thought of him possibly getting put down in a shelter.

I'm also grateful that my dog has been a good boy and isn't causing problems like the cat has been. Losing my doggy would break my heart...the cat wasn't actually mine - he was my husband's - and it hurts bad enough to lose him.

Eienna · Oct 23, 2013

Got a little scooter dragonet tonight...he's awful skinny but I got him for free so I'm gonna give him a shot at coming back. Better chance with me than where he was.

I realize he might die, but he might not. At least he's got a chance now.

Mike J. · Oct 24, 2013

Why do you insist on keeping animals that even very experienced aquarists shy away from? Goniopora and dragonet? You're setting yourself up for failure. There are some expert aquarists who keep their tanks for a year without fish so that they can get a self-sustaining pod population going in order to keep a fish like that. Were you aware of that. To keep one very healthy they can eat a pod every 15 seconds 16 hours a day.

djoutkast22 · Oct 24, 2013

Eienna said:
That is not to say my babies will ever be replaced. They were deeply loved and will be missed.
RIP Spike

RIP Nemo

RIP Lilac

I just lost a 200 designer clown I feel ya

Gillman · Oct 24, 2013

Mike J. said:
Why do you insist on keeping animals that even very experienced aquarists shy away from? Goniopora and dragonet? You're setting yourself up for failure. There are some expert aquarists who keep their tanks for a year without fish so that they can get a self-sustaining pod population going in order to keep a fish like that. Were you aware of that. To keep one very healthy they can eat a pod every 15 seconds 16 hours a day.

Gonna have to side with Mike. Awful lot of dead stuff here making me cringe just reading.

Eienna · Oct 24, 2013

Mike J. said:
Why do you insist on keeping animals that even very experienced aquarists shy away from? Goniopora and dragonet? You're setting yourself up for failure. There are some expert aquarists who keep their tanks for a year without fish so that they can get a self-sustaining pod population going in order to keep a fish like that. Were you aware of that. To keep one very healthy they can eat a pod every 15 seconds 16 hours a day.

Gillman said:
Gonna have to side with Mike. Awful lot of dead stuff here making me cringe just reading.

My dragonet was doing incredibly well up until the crash that killed him. Fat and sassy. I buy live pods and even had Spike trained to frozens and pellets. Don't worry, guys!! I know how to deal with a dragonet. ♡ This one's gonna be tricky because he's so skinny already, but he was going to die where he was, so I decided to take a stab at bringing him back to health.

As far as the goni, I knew it was a stretch, but I snagged it at the live sale and had learned a lot about them beforehand. It's had off-and-on issues since I bought it, so it really doesn't surprise me that the move (and possibly coral battle) has been bad for it. The phosphate spike didn't help, either.

Mike J. · Oct 24, 2013

I really do care is why I posted. I do not want you to become depressed because you're killing things. I will paraphrase what an expert aquarist said about feeding Copperband Butterflyfish and Mandarins, something like this, you don't train a fish to eat what you want to feed it, you feed it what it eats.

Eienna · Oct 24, 2013

Mike J. said:
I really do care is why I posted. I do not want you to become depressed because you're killing things. I will paraphrase what an expert aquarist said about feeding Copperband Butterflyfish and Mandarins, something like this, you don't train a fish to eat what you want to feed it, you feed it what it eats.

True, and I understand. :) Don't worry about the new little guy, though. Assuming he isn't too far gone already, I know how to keep him. I'm also sure of the fish-safety of the tank now; nitrate and phosphate are almost 0 despite feeding the young clowns a good 4x daily, and said young clowns are healthy, active, and growing like weeds. Things are good other than the corals that haven't recovered.

Eienna · Oct 24, 2013

Good news on the dragonet ♡ I gave (her?) some nutramar ova and she went OMGFOOD. XD She'll get that and frozen rotifers until next month when she gets out of QT (I may be using meds and don't want to kill them off and cause an ammonia spike....that would not be cool.) In any case, she's getting food in her tummy.

Eienna · Oct 25, 2013

It's 2:30am and I can't sleep because they're going to bug-bomb the house and I'm scared out of my mind for my fishies. If any of that gets in the water....I've got a rock in my stomach thinking about it.

Maybe you guys have tips for keeping my babies safe while they do that...? I can't keep them from doing it, so....help?! T.T