First saltwater tank, 40 breeder

[KleineVampir]

Actually having second thoughts about the h2o2. I cancelled the order but there's a chance it comes anyways. Looks like it harms corals to some extent. Also "Vibrant" is something people are going on about, but guess what: It completely destroys your chaeto. So yeah, that's my luck for you. The one miracle will make my entire sump meaningless. I'm hoping to find a chemical solution that doesn't hurt anything.

 

[KleineVampir]

I'm trying to justify the 50 dollar expenditure for a marine pure block. Seems cool but people say it can be powdery and crumbly. For 50 dollars it had better be definitely good, not just probably mostly good.

 

[KleineVampir]

My way of thinking about this changed yet again. Instead of the blocks I figure the filter pad things that I got may be the ultimate in filtration and these things have to have a lot of surface area for bacteria. They last for an eternity and definitely have no drawbacks whatsoever. At first I got the blue one thinking the gray one might be too fine and get clogged, but they're a good notch coarser than I thought they would be. So this time I ordered one of these gray ones.

Aquamesh Grey 4 - Fine - Lifegard

Progressive density mesh mechanical filtration system can be used as a system or separately. Aquamesh #4 is great for fine particle filtration and micro-bubble removal after protein skimmers and before return pumps. We highly suggest running either Aquamesh #2 or #3 to keep the Fine pad from...

www.bulkreefsupply.com

 

[KleineVampir]

And yet again I change my thinking. I still want that filter pad but it's not gonna have denitrifying bacteria in it. Nitrifying yes, but not denitrifying. My question is, what's the best way to create an anaerobic zone for the denitrifying bacteria? Deep sand bed? The marine pure block is still on the table I suppose. It's pretty cool. Also thinking maybe fiji rock or pumice.

 

[KleineVampir]

I eventually settled on these for something to house denitrifying bacteria:

 

[KleineVampir]

One of the cardinals died. They are extremely shy, and picky eaters. Kinda hard to care for. I can see why I couldn't find a single one in my area. Hopefully over time they'll get less shy. Anyways I blame high nitrates. I'm reducing my feeding schedule to just a block of bloodworms every other day. The block will do wonders I think, though it might take a while. I wish it would show up already so I could put it in my tank at least!

 

[KleineVampir]

The original emerald crab has re-emerged! Dunno what happened to the smaller one though.

 

[KleineVampir]

Reducing feeding was probably a good call. The tank already looks better. Plus I got some gloves in the mail and dug around in my tank for half an hour. I pulled out a lot of hair algae, brushed off the GSP, and moved a rock that was extremely unstable. Also I saw the conch today barreling through the middle of my tank. Nothing for 2 weeks and then that. Lol.

 

[KleineVampir]

Well I finally got the blocks in! After all this time. It wasn't even that big of a box. Or that heavy. Also the feather dusters are not looking great. No idea why. If anything nitrates should be dropping. Might be rough in there until the blocks can develop denitrifying bacteria.

 

[KleineVampir]

Maybe they are just shedding their crowns because they're in a new tank or something.

 

[HawaiianReef]

Did you try the h2o2 on the hair algae?
I came close many times on trying it, but got lucky.

 

[KleineVampir]

Did you try the h2o2 on the hair algae?
I came close many times on trying it, but got lucky.

I didn't do it. I took out my red grape macro-algae and put it into a container and tried the hydrogen peroxide on that but I didn't put it into the entire tank. I think it irritates corals. The guy who was big into using the h2o2 against GHA also had all of his corals die, so.....

 

[KleineVampir]

Man, I hate to say it but it looks like my remaining clown has died. I don't know what the problem is. I tested nitrates and phosphates, both very low. Not detectable by my test kits. All the nitrates must be locked up in the algae's biomass. I honestly just have no idea what is up with this tank. Nothing should be wrong.

 

[KleineVampir]

This is bad! Today there was a dead feather duster curled up on the substrate. Things in the tank are definitely not looking good. It's like the alkalinity disaster again only this time it's not my fault! At least I don't think it is. Bloodworms every other day, 2 or 3 tablespoons of calcium every other day, 1 teaspoon of soda ash every other day. That's basically all I've been doing. All of it seems pretty moderate to me.

 

[KleineVampir]

Earlier today I did an ammonia test and it came back positive. Only .25 but still it detected some ammonia. I was on the tank emergency thread and I decided that ammonia was most likely the problem, probably because of the 4 cardinals I added. 1 of which died, but apparently adding the fish created a huge ammonia problem since apparently there aren't enough nitrifying bacteria in the tank to handle that much ammonia. I had no idea fish were that huge of ammonia factories. Perhaps my fishkeeping skills do have a ways to go yet. I'll admit that since this is actually the first time I'm seriously trying to keep fish for any period of time. I still thought with all the good things in the tank...the macroalgae, the upgraded light, and now the detox blox....I thought the tank could handle the increased bioload but apparently not by the look of things.

 

[KleineVampir]

I got some microbacter 7 into the tank. Trying to take as natural of an approach as I can. Also I'm hoping these bacteria will colonize and stay there on their own so I won't keep having this problem.

 

[KleineVampir]

Little buddy's back!! That little clownfish! I just found him in the sump swimming around. I thought I'd looked there, but..whatever.

 

[KleineVampir]

Welp I just ordered 48 hermit crabs. They're cheap, 55 or 60 cents each. 24 assorted 24 blue leg. They seem pretty dang good to me, especially considering the price. And it might make the tank a little more amusing. Right now it's kinda dead in there without the feathers. Only 1 feather duster is apparently left, hopefully more come back but I dunno. I guess I'm not that optimistic.

Hermits seem like the perfect clean up crew. Except that they can't clean your glass! But honestly if I really wanted to I could scrape that myself. They eat both hair algae AND dead critters. Plus it looks like I'm having better luck keeping them. I think astreas are too picky about things and honestly don't seem to do a whole heck of a lot.

I call these 48 hermits "THE SWARM!!" They will have absolutely nothing to do in there but eat algae. I guess I will see once and for all what hermit crabs are indeed capable of.

 

[KleineVampir]

I got a nice clownfish 2 days ago. I had to wake up early to get it, too! He's way bigger than my little guy but at least they have some company I guess.

Also the swarm is almost upon us!

 

[KleineVampir]

The swarm was having quite a brawl in there! Not sure what over. I gotta say it doesn't seem like 50. Maybe because so many of them were so small. I have an inkling that they're the most beneficial thing you can put in your tank but I guess that remains to be seen. Seems like I noticed a difference with the 7 I put in, especially when they just got here and they were hungry.