Luck be a Lady

[Stang67]

Combine. Move a few pieces over at a time then you can see how they fair and give the system time to adjust to the new bioload.

 

[LadyMac]

Combine. Move a few pieces over at a time then you can see how they fair and give the system time to adjust to the new bioload.

I’ll have to move the rocks though in order to scape. It’ll be ok to do that right away, right? Bioload as far as fish are a pair of clowns watchmen goby and dottyback.

 

[Stang67]

Yes the rocks hold alot of bacteria so I would move the fish over soon after the rock.

 

[MrsBugmaster]

Yep I would combine. Make things simpler

 

[LadyMac]

Last week I made a whole big post and it never posted lol. Probably my fault. Anyways, I’ll try to do it again now.


So the move went rather smoothly. Ended up with a day, and figured that my hands wouldn’t get any better and should take advantage of an empty house and go for it. So I rearranged the rock that was in there and pulled a couple pieces that I just was not a fan of. Pulled the rock from the 35 and scrubbed the algae and vermintids off. Added those. The water params were a little different between the tanks. Salinity is essentially the same but the 35 was high in nitrates again and the 70 was zero all across the board. The anemone that I stuck in there was thriving and I felt that if it was then other things would as well.

Had to pry the dang rock flowers off the edge of the glass and I upset them pretty bad. Glad to say now they’re happy once more and actually beside each other.

Was having a bit of an anger spat from HotLips when the clowns went in. She darted and balked at Selma who was unphased by the fish who wanted to stake claim. She was however glass surfing the first night. I had to show Sideshow Bob where the barnacle was, as the last time he was in this tank it was on the opposite side. Once he found it he showed her and it’s been smooth since.

I have very slight ammonia, zero on trates, frites, and phates. Sigh.

Two days after the move I was questioning if it was a good idea, and my daughter came home the following day, basically letting me know it was. She’s pregnant, but high risk. She quit her job to stay home so I’m essentially wi though my own income. Plans have changed and tanks are being reduced.

Tore the 10 gallon Waterbox down that held Bloo and his son and the juvies. They moved to the 35. My dumb self forgot the first night to put the cup in the feed hole, and at the time it was just Bloo’s son in the tank. He bumped the feed lid and proceeded to travel to the living room almost to the front door. He… didn’t make it. Now that the pair are in there I have the feed cup permanently in place. They can’t knock that up. Bloo isn’t spawning like he was, so I’m pretty sure once he passes I’ll be done with the pallifinas.

In the mean time I’m getting the other pieces of rock, the 10 gallon system, the 45 I just aquired and the 20 long cleaned and listed. I’m out of salt and sugar think selling these things should give me enough for a bucket. I’ll also be trying to work on some art to sell to help bridge the gap in funds.

Anyway, on to the pics :)

 

[LadyMac]

Another large right up vanished and I’m not writing it again lol. Sigh.

To sum it up:
Dinos still here
Melody thinks it’s always playtime
I’m trying to do art for salt
Reef pics
And Flotsam thinks he’s hidden

 

[LadyMac]

This dog. She’s really enjoying me being home lol. I’ve become an official toy-under-the-couch fetcher.

 

[LadyMac]

Oh! Another thing I forgot to mention was, the other night I took a flashlight to the tank after lights out and I saw my tank is absolutely infested with pods and there’s several bristleworms lol. Super cool, though I wonder if pods are supposed to help with dinos, how bad would they be if I didn’t have those three snackle rocks in there.

 

[MrsBugmaster]

Love looking at my tank at night. Sometimes I would look at the water under my microscope. I quite doing that cause too many things in there that was creepy. I don’t think I want to know what is in there

 

[LadyMac]

today if mom pops in, may be the day Hot Lips returns to the shop :(

I’ll really miss her as she’s so active. However she is getting a lot more bold and if she’s not begging for food she’s swimming about and I feel so bad that it’s just 24” of square space. I know she needs more.

With that said, I’m not sure what to get in her stead that can handle a dottyback and two maniacal clownfish.

Any ideas? Maybe just add to the CUC some more?

All gathered ‘round the feeder lol

 

[LadyMac]

During maintenance this morning someone thought they’d like to bite. And I don’t mean Bob. Hot Lips is now going after my hands lol.

Also water params are zero on the phosphate but about 2 on the nitrates. The tests are out of date so could be way off. Still dinos.

Skimmer is turned off for a bit. Let’s see if it helps.

 

[LadyMac]

Today we wave goodbye to Hot Lips.

The other day I watched as she chased Sideshow Bob and Selma into the corner of the tank. Yesterday I took on the task of catching her for the SHU box. Removed most of the tock to do so. She’s secure, mad and probably hungry as I fed them breakfast yesterday but no dinner and no breakfast today as she can’t really be fed in there. The food will blow out due to flow. I only got bit about 20 times by Bob in the process of redoing the scape and found my little euphilia I lost hidden in the rock. Sadly only one head is semi alive. I have it in the back now, behind the return flow. Figured it’s not quite so bright and the flow won’t bug it too bad. Hopefully dinos won’t encase it.

Now the problem will be getting HotLips into a bag and not releasing her back into the tank. I’m out of salt so my process of just mixing a small amount, moving her in the closed box to the bucket and then netting isn’t an option. This will be…. Interesting.

ALSO, it’s Melody’s ninth birthday :D .

 

[LadyMac]

She wasn’t thrilled to be in the container. The lfs was impressed with how well she looked. She eats well for sure.

I traded her for a little yellow clown goby. It fascinates me how they perch and I don’t ave much in corals so she will have plenty of spots to choose. For now she likes the piece of caribsea rock that’s rather tall. Not shocking since they like to lounge on acros. Her head looks a little dippy but that’s ok. As long as she’s healthy and all. She will need a name.

 

[LadyMac]

When I tore the little reef down, I listed the sand and rocks to sell via the local club. Decided at the time that if I ever want another small reef, I’d hang onto the k7 mini light and the nano skimmer. I’m so glad I decided to do that.

Checking things out this morning I noticed the skimmer was no longer running. I checked to see if it was plugged in. It was. Power brick was very hot. I pulled the skimmer, pulled the pump to see if the needle wheel was blocked. It wasn’t. I checked another 24v plug. Nothing. I checked the original plug on a light, it lit up. This is the second pump within a span of a few months to have gone out. So for now until I can get some commissions, the nano skimmer will have to do.

If I were to review the skimmer(it’s one of the IOAOI) I’d have to give negative feedback. These pumps just don’t last even under normal wear. Sucks cause o really liked it and it was doing such a good job.

Maybe it’s a blessing in disguise since my nitrates and phosphates are low enough for Dino’s. Who knows. All I know is I’ll be saving (it’ll take a few years at the rate I’m going) to get something that’s dependable.


In any case, tank pic, and a hilariously tiny skimmer in sump pic.

 

[LadyMac]

So guess who’s a class A dumdum? That would be me.

I figured that I’d clean the skimmer ( I’m not one to toss things;) and put it up, harvesting the needle wheel as a spare for a just in case it’s useful somewhere else. And I noticed that the part holding it in was very tight. I inspected the wheel a little better and it did look strange. But it sat in the housing just fine. I put the pump in the sink, kept the whee cover off and plugged it in. It worked? Put cover on, plugged in and… it didn’t. So I looked and lo and behold there was something wrapped between the rubber gasket and the wheel, causing it to become taut when the cover was on. Such a dummy.

Anyhow it’s put back together and I’m fixing to stick it back in the tank. It’s probably floss since I’ve been using it to grab dead Dino’s at night.

So I retract my earlier statement on the negative review. I really do love this skimmer and was very bummed. Maybe I should inspect things after coffee instead of before….

 

[Stang67]

So guess who’s a class A dumdum? That would be me.

I figured that I’d clean the skimmer ( I’m not one to toss things;) and put it up, harvesting the needle wheel as a spare for a just in case it’s useful somewhere else. And I noticed that the part holding it in was very tight. I inspected the wheel a little better and it did look strange. But it sat in the housing just fine. I put the pump in the sink, kept the whee cover off and plugged it in. It worked? Put cover on, plugged in and… it didn’t. So I looked and lo and behold there was something wrapped between the rubber gasket and the wheel, causing it to become taut when the cover was on. Such a dummy.

Anyhow it’s put back together and I’m fixing to stick it back in the tank. It’s probably floss since I’ve been using it to grab dead Dino’s at night.

So I retract my earlier statement on the negative review. I really do love this skimmer and was very bummed. Maybe I should inspect things after coffee instead of before….

Maybe don't run a skimmer at all? Dinos love low nutrients and maybe not running the skimmer would help knock them back? Or pour the skimmate back in at least.

 

[LadyMac]

Maybe don't run a skimmer at all? Dinos love low nutrients and maybe not running the skimmer would help knock them back? Or pour the skimmate back in at least.

I had asked about that before and I know some do, and some don’t. I could open the valve to let it empty in there for now. Shouldn’t raise the nitrates too much I’d hope?

 

[Reefering1]

I wouldn't hesitate to dump it back in, nor would I expect it to be too much...

 

[LadyMac]

Pumps off for a bit today, to allow some of the Dino’s to float up so I can grab them. Also going to go more blue on the lights since these are photosynthetic. When I was running the kessil at mostly blue, it seemed they died down a bit faster.

 

[LadyMac]

Scared the clown goby blowing Dino’s off rocks :( She bumped her face injuring her eye. I can’t catch her, and I don’t have the salt for a WT tank anyhow. Hopefully her in hiding she will recover. I feel awful about it. I have checked on her last night and this am. She’s still with us. Still not clamped. But still hiding.

Blah.