My First Softy Tank... which has turned into a mixed reef

[New&no clue]

Just watched a video from BRS Coral dips Hydrogen peroxide dip the algae....IF you only have it on your frag plugs, it should be an easy dip...IDK worth a try....Oh yeah, update on my emerald crab. The big one (about 3/4") started to chase down my fish and snails, so it has been removed from the DT. The small one disappeared, I think my CUC is too efficient. I never find anything that dies in the tank except snail shells LOL,

unfortunately it’s on both frags and rocks. And now those frags have grown over their plugs and onto the rocks so I can’t remove them anymore.

Im hoping I don’t regret the emeralds but so far so good. I actually rarely see them so I don’t know if they are doing anything. I did spot one this morning when the BTA caught some food.

In other news the demon goby has spent the last week moving all the sand from one side of the tank to the other.

 

[southerntnreefer]

i love the Name Demon goby, as thats what they are... im torn whether my latest tank will have one or not... may just do a conch or 3 for the sandbed, and call it a day. i rather have coral on my sandbed, then buried coral

 

[Nanorock1970]

unfortunately it’s on both frags and rocks. And now those frags have grown over their plugs and onto the rocks so I can’t remove them anymore.

Im hoping I don’t regret the emeralds but so far so good. I actually rarely see them so I don’t know if they are doing anything. I did spot one this morning when the BTA caught some food.

In other news the demon goby has spent the last week moving all the sand from one side of the tank to the other.

Looks like that one is small, They take awhile to grow so you will be ok, just be on the lookout if they get frisky. They throw their claws up in the air trying to catch unsuspecting fish...I was told they also do this if they do not have enough to eat....BS, I was dropping in extra food hoping it was true, but mr crab was still chasing everything.

 

[New&no clue]

i love the Name Demon goby, as thats what they are... im torn whether my latest tank will have one or not... may just do a conch or 3 for the sandbed, and call it a day. i rather have coral on my sandbed, then buried coral

I love the clean white sand everyday all day without any maintenance from me. But I’ve had a struggle with corals getting buried. Definitely have to choose one or the other... can’t have your cake and eat it too.

 

[sp1187]

I love the clean white sand everyday all day without any maintenance from me. But I’ve had a struggle with corals getting buried. Definitely have to choose one or the other... can’t have your cake and eat it too.

if you want to get rid of the demon, add strawberry/fighting conchs. they do a phenomenal job on cleaning the sand bed.

 

[New&no clue]

if you want to get rid of the demon, add strawberry/fighting conchs. they do a phenomenal job on cleaning the sand bed.

Thanks for the suggestion. He is a pain in the bum, but part of the family now. He's like that weird uncle that drives everyone crazy, but you invite him to all the family parties because without him there it's kinda boring.

 

[New&no clue]

So it finally happened. The demon must have heard me speaking bad about him, after I've defending him time and time again... he has gone on strike and will no longer sift sand. I now have a diatom outbreak with is not cute.

 

[New&no clue]

Month End Tank Update

The tank is at 9 months and it has hit a wall...hard. There have been a series of events that have unfolded in the tank which have almost had a domino effect on each other. I posted this in a separate thread, but I'll post a recap here.

Issue 1- THE GOBY WENT ON STRIKE
3 weeks ago for no apparent reason he moved almost all the sand from one side of the tank to the other. The next week I notice Diatoms (I think... or maybe Cyano) on the side with very little sand. I assumed when the goby moved everything he released some trapped nitrates in the sand. I've been siphoning my sand at water changes and I added two new power heads to the back of my tank to add some extra flow.

Here are some more current picture. I definetly think there is Cyano in there now.

Issue 2- THE HAMMERS HAVE FALLEN
The hammers have always been very open and full, however, now they don't extend as they use to. My initial thought is they don't like the increase flow at the back of the tank. The power head is not pointed at them, it's actually on the overflow next to them pointed in the opposite direction so I wouldn't think they were getting that much additional flow. It makes me wonder if something else is going one. The first picture is how they looked a couple weeks ago, the second picture is how they look today.

And they have continued to decline since that picture.

Issue 3- I GOT ZOA'S NO MORE
On my Zoa garden I had a colony of Zoas that have always been doing very well and have spread the most out of the rest. I noticed last week that there seemed to be a group that were closed. I didn't think much of it when I saw it. There are always snails or hermits up there picking around. However, a week later they still haven't opened back up. It almost looks like a path from the back to the front.

If you look in the updated picture up above about the Cyano that patch is still relatively closed.


Issue 4-ENCRUSTERS ARE UNDER ATTACK
I have an encrusting coral (I've forgotten the name of it) that was spreading nicely, but when I was looking the other day it appears that parts of the rock that had been encrusted is now cleared, is the coral dying, did something eat it? Here is a picture for last month and today.

Issue 5-SPS FAIL
Just to add some chaos with everything else. I added a new floating rock in. I have a Hydnophora that wasn't doing great. I thought it might need some more light so I put it on the floating rock higher up to get better PAR. The rock (which was dry macro rock) is now covered in brown algae, to be expected, but it would appear the tips of the Hydnophora are as well. I'm not sure if this is okay or if it is an issue.

Issue 6- THE SNAILS FORGOT HOW TO SNAIL
Last, but certainly not least, the weirdest of all. My snails have been falling off the glass all at the same time. Last week when I was checking on my tank before bed I had maybe 5-8 Nerite Snail all on their back struggling to flip over. I flipped them all over and they all started to climb up the glass again, expect for one or two who the crabs got to before I could. This morning when I woke up my very large Turbo Snail is on his back next to my elegance who loves to eat snails. The way he looked I thought he was a goner, but I flipped him over and he started back up the glass again. No idea what would make the snails all fall over.

Sadly these issues continue and some seem to be getting worse. I've lost almost all my Nerite snails. I don't know why but they kept falling off the glass or rocks. I'd see them on their backs and flip them over, but eventually the hermits got to them quicker than I could.

Here are a couple updated picture. The one good thing that happened this month is I think I have finally found a place my toadstool is happy.

Plus a video of the Xenia Refugium... that is also growing Cyano

 

[Pdash]

Month End Tank Update

The tank is at 9 months and it has hit a wall...hard. There have been a series of events that have unfolded in the tank which have almost had a domino effect on each other. I posted this in a separate thread, but I'll post a recap here.

Issue 1- THE GOBY WENT ON STRIKE
3 weeks ago for no apparent reason he moved almost all the sand from one side of the tank to the other. The next week I notice Diatoms (I think... or maybe Cyano) on the side with very little sand. I assumed when the goby moved everything he released some trapped nitrates in the sand. I've been siphoning my sand at water changes and I added two new power heads to the back of my tank to add some extra flow.

Here are some more current picture. I definetly think there is Cyano in there now.

Issue 2- THE HAMMERS HAVE FALLEN
The hammers have always been very open and full, however, now they don't extend as they use to. My initial thought is they don't like the increase flow at the back of the tank. The power head is not pointed at them, it's actually on the overflow next to them pointed in the opposite direction so I wouldn't think they were getting that much additional flow. It makes me wonder if something else is going one. The first picture is how they looked a couple weeks ago, the second picture is how they look today.

And they have continued to decline since that picture.

Issue 3- I GOT ZOA'S NO MORE
On my Zoa garden I had a colony of Zoas that have always been doing very well and have spread the most out of the rest. I noticed last week that there seemed to be a group that were closed. I didn't think much of it when I saw it. There are always snails or hermits up there picking around. However, a week later they still haven't opened back up. It almost looks like a path from the back to the front.

If you look in the updated picture up above about the Cyano that patch is still relatively closed.


Issue 4-ENCRUSTERS ARE UNDER ATTACK
I have an encrusting coral (I've forgotten the name of it) that was spreading nicely, but when I was looking the other day it appears that parts of the rock that had been encrusted is now cleared, is the coral dying, did something eat it? Here is a picture for last month and today.

Issue 5-SPS FAIL
Just to add some chaos with everything else. I added a new floating rock in. I have a Hydnophora that wasn't doing great. I thought it might need some more light so I put it on the floating rock higher up to get better PAR. The rock (which was dry macro rock) is now covered in brown algae, to be expected, but it would appear the tips of the Hydnophora are as well. I'm not sure if this is okay or if it is an issue.

Issue 6- THE SNAILS FORGOT HOW TO SNAIL
Last, but certainly not least, the weirdest of all. My snails have been falling off the glass all at the same time. Last week when I was checking on my tank before bed I had maybe 5-8 Nerite Snail all on their back struggling to flip over. I flipped them all over and they all started to climb up the glass again, expect for one or two who the crabs got to before I could. This morning when I woke up my very large Turbo Snail is on his back next to my elegance who loves to eat snails. The way he looked I thought he was a goner, but I flipped him over and he started back up the glass again. No idea what would make the snails all fall over.

Sadly these issues continue and some seem to be getting worse. I've lost almost all my Nerite snails. I don't know why but they kept falling off the glass or rocks. I'd see them on their backs and flip them over, but eventually the hermits got to them quicker than I could.

Here are a couple updated picture. The one good thing that happened this month is I think I have finally found a place my toadstool is happy.

Plus a video of the Xenia Refugium... that is also growing Cyano

Have you checked alkalinity and calcium lately?

 

[adrianr514]

Check all your parameters again.

check your sump for anything unusual, rusting screw or what not. Also check your heater and get a hold of a voltage meter to check for stray voltage.

lastly I would also do an ICP test just to be sure. I Like ATI but there are many others.

plans on upgrading your lights anytime soon?

 

[muzikalmatt]

Any chance something got into the tank? Soap residue? Air freshener? I would suspect a contaminant with that much going wrong at once.

 

[New&no clue]

Check all your parameters again.

check your sump for anything unusual, rusting screw or what not. Also check your heater and get a hold of a voltage meter to check for stray voltage.

lastly I would also do an ICP test just to be sure. I Like ATI but there are many others.

plans on upgrading your lights anytime soon?

Here are my Parameters from last night.

Calcium:420
Magnesium:1330
Alkalinity:8.3
Phosphates:0.16
Nitrates:10

I use RODI water with TSD of 0. That would be a good idea to get an outside water test just to make sure. In the meantime would you suggest doing several large water changes, just in case?

 

[New&no clue]

Any chance something got into the tank? Soap residue? Air freshener? I would suspect a contaminant with that much going wrong at once.

I don’t know of anything, but I can’t rule it out either.

 

[New&no clue]

To add onto what is already been a definite down turn in the tank, last night while I was still at work the Demon Goby jumped. I do have a lid on the tank,but he must have found the small hole at the back. My husband found him on the ground and went to flush him, only to realize he was still moving his gills. He quickly threw him back in the tank where he sank to the bottom on his side, but continued to open and close his mouth and move his gills. He came back a little while later and noticed he was still breathing, but the crabs had started to pick at his fins, so be spent the next 20 mins until I got home beating the crabs away with the tongs. Once I got home I put him in a plastic container to give him some protection. He continued to open and close his mouth and move his gills all night until bed. This morning when I got up he was still. I really didn't think I would get this attached to the fish, but I already miss him.

 

[rapid]

To add onto what is already been a definite down turn in the tank, last night while I was still at work the Demon Goby jumped. I do have a lid on the tank,but he must have found the small hole at the back. My husband found him on the ground and went to flush him, only to realize he was still moving his gills. He quickly threw him back in the tank where he sank to the bottom on his side, but continued to open and close his mouth and move his gills. He came back a little while later and noticed he was still breathing, but the crabs had started to pick at his fins, so be spent the next 20 mins until I got home beating the crabs away with the tongs. Once I got home I put him in a plastic container to give him some protection. He continued to open and close his mouth and move his gills all night until bed. This morning when I got up he was still. I really didn't think I would get this attached to the fish, but I already miss him.

RIP

 

[muzikalmatt]

So sorry for your loss. He was a beautiful fish. I know it may not help, but you obviously tried everything you could and it's not your fault in the slightest.

 

[revhtree]

Oh now sorry for the loss. The worst part about owning an aquarium is losing fish IMO.

 

[Schnizzle]

Dumb questions but asking just in case. Have you checked your salinity and how are you doing so? I was using a refractometer on mine and calibrating it using the proper solution but forgot to shake it every time so I ended up getting it way out of sync.

 

[New&no clue]

Dumb questions but asking just in case. Have you checked your salinity and how are you doing so? I was using a refractometer on mine and calibrating it using the proper solution but forgot to shake it every time so I ended up getting it way out of sync.

I was using an ATC refractometer, but had a lot of problems with it so as a late Christmas present I bought the Milwaukee Digital Refractomer. I don't calibrate it each time, but I do check it every time with the check solution, and calibrate when needed. However, I have a hydrometer that I could use just as a double check and see if it is way off.

 

[nex64]

How often do you do water changes? And what %?