Grumpy Clam

PocketClam · Jun 10, 2019

I agree that there's actually been a misunderstanding, this is a small system and the export products are present in quantities far below their recommended use-level, because they're not there for export. Small systems like mine are prone to swings in parameters, that includes nutrient-levels, the phosguard, purigen, and carbon (alongside media designed for dealing with nitrate and in the future perhaps sulfur-pellets) are there as buffers to keep levels stable and consistent. At least that's what I'm trying to achieve and what I've seen in my testing while slowly bringing nutrient levels up during the fight against chrysophytes.

freshy&salty · Jun 10, 2019

Ok. You definitely have done your research but personally I still think your doing to much. I understand the worries of small tank swings but I think youre essentially holding your cycle halfway through with all the dosing and removers youre using. Not that those arent things youll need eventually but this early in, you shouldnt need to much more then water changes to keep your params in order. In theory you should see random spikes and drops in the individual tests as the different bacteria and algae become established.
My theory is you should really only need dosing as an occasional buffer. The natural growth and regular water changes should maintain a fairly stable set of params. I think youre basically doing the natural cycling manually, so to speak. Meaning instead of letting the natural growth build up and maintain your waters for you, youre constantly chasing params with different treatments. Hence the super clean rocks. Just my theory.
I started with live rock which does make cycling go significantly faster but I dont believe its a requirement. With dry rock, as far as Im aware, patience is even more important. I have read other posts about starting with dry rock and that Dr Tims (Dr Tims a member and did an awesome Q&A) sounds like a great "starter" but it sounds to me like you kinda stripped the bene bacs before they could establish in your tank.
1 other thing I personally think is pretty important is water source. Distilled, though "clean" doesnt neccesarily have a standard. It can vary from batch to batch. If you can, try to get a RODI setup or depending on your location, alot of LFS sell it. My LFS makes 2 types or grades of SW so Im pretty lucky that way and with a small tank, I just have them fill a 6gal water jug.
Ive researched enough about it, I really believe starting with RODI helps maintain stable parameters.
This is all just from my experiences with a smaller tank and is nowhere the guaranteed method.
Glad you clams doing good.
Tanks going to bed but just for some color in my long rambly post...

PocketClam · Jun 10, 2019

Nice tank, I need to find a blasto wellsi, my merletti is cool but I love the size factor ^_^ And I was concerned about the low nutrients, was hoping to dodge dino's and got chyrsophytes instead lol... Never planned an ultra-low nutrient system, just a low nutrient system lol. I'm happy to have had detectable nitrates for about a month now (first time since the initial cycle), going to try slowing down on water changes and see if that helps things out a bit, but honestly apart from the clam grump-sessions I can't complain. My other animals seem to love it, the indo hammer has split twice and started two new branches, the frogspawn has grown enormous and split as well, the bali coral has a new mouth, the chalice has split one head - grown two more, and the blasto has at least doubled its' head count.
Granted all easy corals to keep happy though and I feed them once or twice a week too haha, turns out all my corals love sera marin granules and pretty much won't touch most other lps pellets...

Zuma · Jun 11, 2019

If there was an award for "best titled thread" this would get my vote, grumpy clam, classic!

p.s. hope your tridacna gets better soon.

MPS · Jun 13, 2019

Sorry for all the totally unhelpful posts from others. Do you feed your corals anything currently, I’ve got three great looking clams and if your tank is “too clean” yours may be struggling for nutrients. You’re not supposed to target feed them but have you considered dosing any aminos or liquid coral food?

PocketClam · Jun 13, 2019

I do actually dose Red sea AB nutrition daily at about half the recommended dose, plan on tapering up as things grow out, I also feed the LPS sera marin granules because they apparently love them. I do that about once or twice a week, takes about 15 pellets to feed every head, kept the tank cycled while I was fishless to say the least.
Now I have a 1.5" damselfish which is pretty confident it needs at least 15 pellets a day plus every single pod it can find in the tank and all the LPS waste. Little pigfish...