Monique's Wave (reefer 525XL)

[spiraling]

Its been a while since I updated. Mostly because I only had bad news.
The goby is gone, at least we haven't seen him in 6 weeks. I had ordered in some corals and two days later disaster struck.

I noticed my apex was not on the internet just before I left for a long weekend. I know the skimmer and ATO were working since I can hear them running, so I didn't mess with it. But for some reason both heaters turned off. When I got back the tank was 67 degrees

Both heaters work fine once I turned them back on. There was no log for the 4 days it was offline. So I have no idea what happened.

I lost all of my SPS - including the new corals. Most of the LPS and zoas are OK. One of the favias is just hanging on, but still alive. The nem turned a darker color and after a couple of days it moved to a different part of the tank. It foot seemed to be shedding skin. It's a month later and the nem is OK, and in an acceptable place. The clown fish looked like they needed little down jackets, but are fine.

 

[Pongo]

Oh no, sorry for you loss.

Hang in there, success will come with patience.

 

[spiraling]

Finally some good news on the tank!

first off I ordered my first BattleBox. It should be here next week or so.

Then shortly after that I found a local reefer who was fragging and had a bunch of SPS. In my 4 years of reefing I have only met a person here or there. Its not a big community. So when I found the frags I was extatic. But then it got even better. He was almost giving the corals away. So I got about 10 types of SPS from him. Thanks Josh! I promise to pay it forward to the next reefer.

I got them glued up today with the LPS and zoas I still have. And it gets better.... I didn't even glue my fingers together or get glue on the clown fish. (I really suck with superglue)

 

[Pongo]

I can't wait to see this tank grow out.

 

[najer]

Nice build, hopefully it will be more ups than downs moving forward.

 

[spiraling]

So when the nem moved he ended up under one of the branches. Part of the time he peeks out on the front side, and part on the back side where I can't see him or the clowns. I want to be able to see him, so I'm trying to "coax" him to move a bit. I'm shading the side I don't want him on with a cutting board and a rock.

 

[spiraling]

I suddenly have cyano on my rocks. Its not like this unwelcome guest is unexpected though.
My parameters are spot on perfect, and other than too low of nitrates, the phosphate has been low but there all along. (nitrate 1.5, phosphate 0.02)

... in other news, the nem is being stubborn. he popped over to the good side for a few minutes, but otherwise is trying to work around the cutting board. Interesting since one way seems so much more appealing - but then again, I'm not a nem.

 

[spiraling]

the nem relocation project is working! I fed him when he went to the right side.

 

[spiraling]

...and in the picts you can see that I'm getting a bunch of cyano. Lots of bubbles. more brown that red in most spots. Just waiting it out....

 

[spiraling]

Today was a big shipment day! hurray!

I got a tailspot blenny and a pair of high fin gobys off divers den. They are in the QT tank getting aquainted. they are all a bit skiddish, so no pictures yet.

I also got my first battlebox!

 

[spiraling]

Well three of the battle corals RTN'd on the fourth day. I have no idea why. Alk was between 7.5 an 8 the entire week.

 

[ksfulk]

Well three of the battle corals RTN'd on the fourth day. I have no idea why. Alk was between 7.5 an 8 the entire week.

Thats a bummer! I havent had any issues with my frags from Adam. Which pieces did you lose? Maybe it has something to do with the type of corals? Who knows? My highlighter and monti stellata still really havent done much at all, and they've been in the tank for weeks now.

 

[spiraling]

My nem training isn't going so well. It stayed in front for about a week, then went to the back side with

the cutting board. After another week it gave up and relocated. Several days of wandering has it on the sand near the overflow. the clowns are confused. They obviously like the front of the tank better, and keep leaving the nem to look out.

today I built a cup shaped rocked by chiseling out one. I mounted it in a hopefully good spot and am waiting for the epoxy to dry.

 

[spiraling]

Thats a bummer! I havent had any issues with my frags from Adam. Which pieces did you lose? Maybe it has something to do with the type of corals? Who knows? My highlighter and monti stellata still really havent done much at all, and they've been in the tank for weeks now.

If you look at the picture I lost the 3 green/yellow ones. I'm also wondering if the color or type is part of it. I'm not sure what is wrong though. The tree were highlighter, yellow tort, reverse sky parade

They did great for 4 days and then suddenly melted. The other 7 are fine. I'm super bummed about the reverse sky parade

 

[spiraling]

Well I guess I'm not a nem whisperer. I moved the nem to the new hole. When I cam home from work he had moved under the hole. Hes still in a good spot though. I'll have to see if he wanders more.

When I first got him several years ago I put him in the tank (different tank) and he moved about 2 inches and stayed there the whole time. I'm not sure why he is so fidgety in this tank.

 

[spiraling]

So I must admit, one of my favorite features of the Apex is the software. I am pretty good about logging everything (except the almost daily stuff - clean glass, socks, skimmer). My diatoms are still super bad and now I'm getting cyano in a lot of places. I checked my last water change and it was over a month ago. oops. I really don't think too much of them since my nitrates and phosphate are 0 and I am dosing for them.

Anyway, making salt water now.

 

[spiraling]

I notice I update a lot more when things are going well. and I haven't updated in a while... sigh
I've lost most of my corals. I'm really not sure what is going on. duncan & trumpet that I've had for quite some time too, not just SPS. I did notice some of the montipora is hanging on by a thread. I hope they make it. I measure alk almost every day. All params looking normal. I did a few water changes this week. No noticeable difference.

I have been battling cyano. Battle is a strong word. I blow it off the surfaces daily and clean out the skimmer, socks, and PH sponge covers. Its going away and I'm getting other filimentous algae now. Unfortunately one looks like Bryopsis. ... sigh

I did add from quarentine a tail spot blenny, and two high fin gobies this week. They are all doing well and eating well.

Also, my nem finally settled into a great spot!

 

[spiraling]

I needed to get some more CUC. I got some astrea from a local supplier. After 30 minutes I got this:

go snails go!

 

[spiraling]

I haven't really been writing about it but I have lost a LOT of corals in this tank. My parameters seem fine (I monitor ph on apex and test alk almost daily) except for low to non-existent nitrates and phosphates. I am also raising my alk for 8 to 9 this week.

The trumpet has been fully receded for a month. I lost all the hammer when it expelled its polys over the course of a week. The duncan might be a gonner as it is really receded and one polyp might be completely gone. Lost almost all SPS except for some montipora, which looks bleached and is struggling The zoas are doing OK. Some are open and some aren't. fish, snails, and nem seem fine.

I've done several 10% water changes over the course of the week, and have been adding seachem nitrate and phosphorous for about a month to visible readings. I also reduced the amount of biopellets to 1/3. Yesterday I finally had readings on the phosphate a day after adding them. Nitrate is now climbing, reading 8 (the highest ever) and staying there with just the fish feedings. I'm aiming for phosphate around 0.2 and nitrates around 4.

Yesterday I saw the trumpet just slightly inflating on one polyp! Little victories are better than big losses. I'll do another WC tonight and keep monitoring.....

 

[najer]

Fingers crossed for you.