Lurking danger 75g Dragon Lair

[vlangel]

Looks awesome Dawn, beautiful fish selection!

Thanks Kevin. I am very happy with my fish, especially since they all get along very well. I do not have a fish for pest control which is why I want a possum wrasse.

 

[vlangel]

@kevgib67 , please don't look at the cyano. It just happens to be the worst where those torches are. I hope its long enough.

 

[kevgib67]

@kevgib67 , please don't look at the cyano. It just happens to be the worst where those torches are. I hope its long enough.

Ya, I think they should get a little more and placed higher off the sand. Here’s the difference between the flow on my frogspawn and hammers compared to the torches. Your torches appear to be getting the same amount as your hammers.

 

[vlangel]

Ya, I think they should get a little more and placed higher off the sand. Here’s the difference between the flow on my frogspawn and hammers compared to the torches. Your torches appear to be getting the same amount as your hammers.

I could try moving them up higher. I will let you know how that goes.

 

[vlangel]

Ya, I think they should get a little more and placed higher off the sand. Here’s the difference between the flow on my frogspawn and hammers compared to the torches. Your torches appear to be getting the same amount as your hammers.

The torches do seem to be doing well up higher so I puttied them there. I added 3 more sps neighbors in that general area. A young man who lives near Frick Park in Pgh had frags from 2 montipora and 1 acro that he shared with me. He also gave me 2 red macros that I put in my observation/QT which will be nice. (I know Spike will eat them if I put them in the display!).

Also I placed a big order with KP Aquatics. I wanted a possum wrasse but they are so shy that I am afraid that my tank are too rambunctious. So I bought a pair of yellow head jawfish that will go in the 20g observation tank along with 3 chalk bass and a royal gramma. (The basselets will be in an acclimation box). I also bought more feather duster worms, mermaids fans, nerite snails, a corky finger gorg, cheato, and some live rubble rock to add biolife. So as you can see I am out of control! This will be the most full that I have ever had my reef, both with coral and fish. I wont move the fish into the 75g until I know that they are all eating well and appear healthy. As the weather cools I can run the UV sterilizer when I add the fish to give another layer of protection.

 

[kevgib67]

The torches do seem to be doing well up higher so I puttied them there. I added 3 more sps neighbors in that general area. A young man who lives near Frick Park in Pgh had frags from 2 montipora and 1 acro that he shared with me. He also gave me 2 red macros that I put in my observation/QT which will be nice. (I know Spike will eat them if I put them in the display!).

Also I placed a big order with KP Aquatics. I wanted a possum wrasse but they are so shy that I am afraid that my tank are too rambunctious. So I bought a pair of yellow head jawfish that will go in the 20g observation tank along with 3 chalk bass and a royal gramma. (The basselets will be in an acclimation box). I also bought more feather duster worms, mermaids fans, nerite snails, a corky finger gorg, cheato, and some live rubble rock to add biolife. So as you can see I am out of control! This will be the most full that I have ever had my reef, both with coral and fish. I wont move the fish into the 75g until I know that they are all eating well and appear healthy. As the weather cools I can run the UV sterilizer when I add the fish to give another layer of protection.

Can’t wait to see them in the display! Nice choices.

 

[vlangel]

Can’t wait to see them in the display! Nice choices.

Thanks Kevin, I am pretty stoked about the new stuff coming and also to see if I can keep the sps that were given to me healthy and get them growing.

 

[vlangel]

Here are the sps I was gifted! I dont know what kind of acro the 1st pic is. And the 2nd pic are the montipora.

 

[vlangel]

Its been crazy busy here so haven't updated as much as I should have. I received my order from KP Aquatics and it was great. Everything well packaged, comfortable temperature and arrived in good shape. I put the 7 fish in the observation/QT and they were doing well but the jawfish pair were spooked and hiding and not eating well. The other fish were chalk bass and a Royal gramma so nothing was aggressive however for the jawfishes sake, I moved all the other fish into the display after about 4-5 days. At first one of the jawfish came out but then I didn't see them for a week. I was putting food down their burrow but today I went looking for them but nothing. I had a tight lid so I dont know if they perished and the crab ate them? I am bummed but the chalk basses and royal gramma are doing great in the display.

 

[vlangel]

For those of you that do not read my 'local' thread, I found 1 of my jawfish, (unfortunately the other one never turned up and is presumed dead). The living jawfish was in a large conch shell I have in the 20g QT tank, which is also a macroalgae tank now. I moved the 4 chalk bass and royal gramma into the 75g display and they are doing great. The jawfish seem to relax some after the removal of the other fish. He likes the conch shell because it has a hole in the top of it as well as the normal opening. Basically a burrow with a front and back door. Today I added more live sand around the conch to make it feel more like a natural burrow. I also had a small bag of well seasoned, cycled ceramic media that is small like rubble rock. I sprinkled them around his burrow and he has since relocated some of them inside the conch so he is redecorating. Although he is still very skittish he is eating well and seems to be adjusting well. His color is stunning and he is a beautiful fish.

 

[kevgib67]

For those of you that do not read my 'local' thread, I found 1 of my jawfish, (unfortunately the other one never turned up and is presumed dead). The living jawfish was in a large conch shell I have in the 20g QT tank, which is also a macroalgae tank now. I moved the 4 chalk bass and royal gramma into the 75g display and they are doing great. The jawfish seem to relax some after the removal of the other fish. He likes the conch shell because it has a hole in the top of it as well as the normal opening. Basically a burrow with a front and back door. Today I added more live sand around the conch to make it feel more like a natural burrow. I also had a small bag of well seasoned, cycled ceramic media that is small like rubble rock. I sprinkled them around his burrow and he has since relocated some of them inside the conch so he is redecorating. Although he is still very skittish he is eating well and seems to be adjusting well. His color is stunning and he is a beautiful fish.

Gorgeous fish Dawn, sorry about the other one!

 

[vlangel]

Finally this aquarium is settling down with the cyano much easier to manage now. The right side has much less cyano and the middle and left side have only a pale thin layer on the sand and rocks. What cleared it up????
I dont know for sure. I've added pods every other month, I've added probiotic bacteria and Stability. I blew off rocks and stirred sand regularly. My gut feel is that competing organism are now beginning to outcompete the cyano. I was tempted to use Chemi-clean but never did and now I am glad that I didn't. I have said this before but I really think that I am over the worst.
The coral always flourished even with the uglies so I was never forced to do anything drastic. Also whatever these uglies were they were never of the toxic variety.

Unfortunately, now my 20g QT/macroalgae tank is starting to go through it. With the jawfish living there I am feeding heavier and having the light on longer. There is an amber colored stringy ugly that is probably a dino. I have cut the light to 4 hours and suck out the worst of it. I need to check the nutrients in that tank now that it has macroalgae since we dont want NO3 and PO4 to bottom out. Again its ugly but manageable.

 

[kevgib67]

Finally this aquarium is settling down with the cyano much easier to manage now. The right side has much less cyano and the middle and left side have only a pale thin layer on the sand and rocks. What cleared it up????
I dont know for sure. I've added pods every other month, I've added probiotic bacteria and Stability. I blew off rocks and stirred sand regularly. My gut feel is that competing organism are now beginning to outcompete the cyano. I was tempted to use Chemi-clean but never did and now I am glad that I didn't. I have said this before but I really think that I am over the worst.
The coral always flourished even with the uglies so I was never forced to do anything drastic. Also whatever these uglies were they were never of the toxic variety.

Unfortunately, now my 20g QT/macroalgae tank is starting to go through it. With the jawfish living there I am feeding heavier and having the light on longer. There is an amber colored stringy ugly that is probably a dino. I have cut the light to 4 hours and suck out the worst of it. I need to check the nutrients in that tank now that it has macroalgae since we dont want NO3 and PO4 to bottom out. Again its ugly but manageable.

Good morning Dawn, glad your tank has turned the corner!

 

[vlangel]

Good morning Dawn, glad your tank has turned the corner!

Thanks Kev and good morning to you too! Its always a relief when the ugly stage begins to wane. I have believed that it lasted longer in this aquarium because of the meds I used to try and save my fish last January. I am sure the Prasipro and Cipro were hard on the biofilter, and especially in a tank that was only 3 months old.