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J A' mhuir
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Thank you!!
New 25 Gallon lagoon set up 2024
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Northern Flicker
Valuable Member
Be careful with GFO - it’s very aggressive and having no phosphates in considerably worse than having 0.2.
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J A' mhuir
Active Member
Today 06/18 in the am
I decided last night to change the aquascape and I like it…
The “tree rock” in the center of a crescent shaped formation…. Scared my Helfrich but it’ll be fine….
Before and after photos below!!
What new critters did I find today?
1. A brittle star, this one seemed to be green ish but dark also. It must have hidden deep in a crevice, I didn’t see it after I moved the rocks around.
2. Some tube-ish thing, brown. I extracted it.
3. More of this weird algae, brown and feathery “fern” like… with a tiny foot that’s really hard to get off glass, Golly can’t imagine getting it off rock…
I decided last night to change the aquascape and I like it…
The “tree rock” in the center of a crescent shaped formation…. Scared my Helfrich but it’ll be fine….
Before and after photos below!!
What new critters did I find today?
1. A brittle star, this one seemed to be green ish but dark also. It must have hidden deep in a crevice, I didn’t see it after I moved the rocks around.
2. Some tube-ish thing, brown. I extracted it.
3. More of this weird algae, brown and feathery “fern” like… with a tiny foot that’s really hard to get off glass, Golly can’t imagine getting it off rock…
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J A' mhuir
Active Member
06/22/24
Did my first water change. About 5 gallons…. Or a 20% water change
Mixed water and tested after 2 hours of pump mixing it for me. SG was 1.028 which is way too high as DT was 1.026
I diluted with RO water to 1.027… 
The process was a lot more involved than i thought or maybe more than it needed to be…. But I got it done.
I forgot a snail up on the glass and a hermit behind the GSP…. I felt horrible…
Both of the corals did not like it whatsoever. The Zoa even more so.
I got the salinity to 1.026 or maybe a hair above… but it read perfect 35ppm (idk why)
Is 1.026 too high idk! I was so scared I’d just killed my corals as a few days post the GSP is out but seems to be more droopy, or something. Maybe I’m worrying too much…
The fish are fine and dandy!!
Did my first water change. About 5 gallons…. Or a 20% water change
Mixed water and tested after 2 hours of pump mixing it for me. SG was 1.028 which is way too high as DT was 1.026
I diluted with RO water to 1.027…
The process was a lot more involved than i thought or maybe more than it needed to be…. But I got it done.
I forgot a snail up on the glass and a hermit behind the GSP…. I felt horrible…
Both of the corals did not like it whatsoever. The Zoa even more so.
I got the salinity to 1.026 or maybe a hair above… but it read perfect 35ppm (idk why)
Is 1.026 too high idk! I was so scared I’d just killed my corals as a few days post the GSP is out but seems to be more droopy, or something. Maybe I’m worrying too much…
The fish are fine and dandy!!
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J A' mhuir
Active Member
Today 06-24-24
I tested for phosphate and alkalinity.
On June 20, the phosphate was 0.02ppm
Today it is 0.17 ppm
Alkalinity was at 155 ppm and 8.68 DKH
Temperature is a little high at 79.5
It should lower as it cools down tonight.
After the water change, the Zoa hasn’t been as large. But there’s a new head starting to open and it is open, but it’s been very sensitive.
I’ve also noticed on the dry rock tree that I made, that the GSP coral is attached to, has this green dusty algae.
There is also this reddish brown stuff on the powerhead and the back of the tank.
Not exactly sure what it is!
I tested for phosphate and alkalinity.
On June 20, the phosphate was 0.02ppm
Today it is 0.17 ppm
Alkalinity was at 155 ppm and 8.68 DKH
Temperature is a little high at 79.5
It should lower as it cools down tonight.
After the water change, the Zoa hasn’t been as large. But there’s a new head starting to open and it is open, but it’s been very sensitive.
I’ve also noticed on the dry rock tree that I made, that the GSP coral is attached to, has this green dusty algae.
There is also this reddish brown stuff on the powerhead and the back of the tank.
Not exactly sure what it is!
Gumbies R Us
Certified Noob
My clowns will go around the surface occasionally, but I have never had an issue with oxygen.
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J A' mhuir
Active Member
So I guess it’s normal??
Gumbies R Us
Certified Noob
From my personal experience, yes, do they show any signs of rapid breathing or anything? if not I wouldn't be worried
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J A' mhuir
Active Member
I don’t think so, very active and curious! Thanks for your thoughts and sharing experience.
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J A' mhuir
Active Member
Today 06/27/24
Tank notes:
Today i watch my tank coming into the ugly phase…. Not a fan!!
Diatom Algae, GHA or Bryopsis, this stringy clear things in the rocks… what is that?? Looks like spider web with bubbles
I also am really curious if fluctuations in salinity is normal??
On the 22nd of June it was 1.026 and today it’s 1.024….
My Zoa frag has a new head….yay!! One large and now three littles….
I found my brittle star or two…..
The algae is so ugly…. How can a new tank have that many kinds?? Crazy
Below I attach some pics and a vid of the largest algae spit yet, it’s growing on rocks and the back wall….. should
I intervene?? I doubt the vid will post!! Service has been crap lately!
My hermits are so cute!! Just hanging out!
Tank notes:
Today i watch my tank coming into the ugly phase…. Not a fan!!
Diatom Algae, GHA or Bryopsis, this stringy clear things in the rocks… what is that?? Looks like spider web with bubbles
I also am really curious if fluctuations in salinity is normal??
On the 22nd of June it was 1.026 and today it’s 1.024….
My Zoa frag has a new head….yay!! One large and now three littles….
I found my brittle star or two…..
The algae is so ugly…. How can a new tank have that many kinds?? Crazy
Below I attach some pics and a vid of the largest algae spit yet, it’s growing on rocks and the back wall….. should
I intervene?? I doubt the vid will post!! Service has been crap lately!
My hermits are so cute!! Just hanging out!
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J A' mhuir
Active Member
Tank Updates and notes: 07/10/2024
Tank is in ugly stage, I have:
Bryopsis, using reef flux (fluconazole) and it’s working so far. Will do a large water change at the 2 week mark which is July 21st.
GHA, all over… specially my Zoa plug. Need to get a brush to manually get that off.
Dino’s all over the sand bed and main rock structure.
Other notes:
Just yesterday 07/09, my nitrates hit 0. Not sure if I need to be freaked out or not. Phosphates at 0.04
I added two new snails not long ago. The species are escaping me and I am not at home with my notes handy.
A massive guy that likes to burrow. And a smaller one that works like a champ.
I had to place a fan directed to the tank 24/7 to keep temp down. I was having mad fluctuations on these stupid hot days. Especially for Buffalo, NY.
The ATO is going through so much RO water it’s insane. I didn’t know a tank could evaporate that fast. But it is stupid hot and the temp flux is wild.
I am recovering financially from the initial hobby investment, so no new corals for a while. The corals I do have seem to be ok. The Zoa grew two new heads and a third coming soon, so that’s exciting. But the plug is riddled with algae.
I guess that’s it for now! The tank I am kinda letting it do its thing, I am gone on the weekends taking down my tiny house project I abandoned years ago. So that’s taking a lot of my time.
I am still enjoying the process and the fish are stunning. The whole ecosystem is amazing to watch. Just wish the ugly stage would die haha…
Tank is in ugly stage, I have:
Bryopsis, using reef flux (fluconazole) and it’s working so far. Will do a large water change at the 2 week mark which is July 21st.
GHA, all over… specially my Zoa plug. Need to get a brush to manually get that off.
Dino’s all over the sand bed and main rock structure.
Other notes:
Just yesterday 07/09, my nitrates hit 0. Not sure if I need to be freaked out or not. Phosphates at 0.04
I added two new snails not long ago. The species are escaping me and I am not at home with my notes handy.
A massive guy that likes to burrow. And a smaller one that works like a champ.
I had to place a fan directed to the tank 24/7 to keep temp down. I was having mad fluctuations on these stupid hot days. Especially for Buffalo, NY.
The ATO is going through so much RO water it’s insane. I didn’t know a tank could evaporate that fast. But it is stupid hot and the temp flux is wild.
I am recovering financially from the initial hobby investment, so no new corals for a while. The corals I do have seem to be ok. The Zoa grew two new heads and a third coming soon, so that’s exciting. But the plug is riddled with algae.
I guess that’s it for now! The tank I am kinda letting it do its thing, I am gone on the weekends taking down my tiny house project I abandoned years ago. So that’s taking a lot of my time.
I am still enjoying the process and the fish are stunning. The whole ecosystem is amazing to watch. Just wish the ugly stage would die haha…
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J A' mhuir
Active Member
Tank update: 07/18/24
On Sunday 07/14 after a weekend away, my tank needed the glass cleaned and other simple maintenance. But then I noticed my Helfrich was nowhere to be seen. I had heard before getting it that they could be very elusive, and that they are well-known jumpers. I am not sure if the mesh screen top on the tank is enough to keep them from jumping out. I searched the room over and over again and can’t see a little shriveled fish body. And I did move around the Work a little bit, which probably didn’t help anything.
Today 07/18 Four days later, still no sign of the helfrich. Today also I found another Aiptasia on my Zoa plug and covered it with F-Aiptasia. Hope that takes care of it.
The Bryopsis seems to be gone but GHA is taking its place.
On the 15th, the salinity was at 35ppt. Which is very nice.
I am still trying to be patient with the Dino algae.
I also am finding this slimy clear ish- gel type stuff….. the sand sticks to it. Not sure what that is.
On the 21st, I’m still planning on doing a massive water change after the fluconazole treatment.
Again, I am so recovering financially from the initial investment.
but I would like to invest in a few more coral specimens sometime soon.
The GSP is growing pretty quickly. Going on two months since the tank was set up. So she’s still a baby.
That’s it for now
On Sunday 07/14 after a weekend away, my tank needed the glass cleaned and other simple maintenance. But then I noticed my Helfrich was nowhere to be seen. I had heard before getting it that they could be very elusive, and that they are well-known jumpers. I am not sure if the mesh screen top on the tank is enough to keep them from jumping out. I searched the room over and over again and can’t see a little shriveled fish body. And I did move around the Work a little bit, which probably didn’t help anything.
Today 07/18 Four days later, still no sign of the helfrich. Today also I found another Aiptasia on my Zoa plug and covered it with F-Aiptasia. Hope that takes care of it.
The Bryopsis seems to be gone but GHA is taking its place.
On the 15th, the salinity was at 35ppt. Which is very nice.
I am still trying to be patient with the Dino algae.
I also am finding this slimy clear ish- gel type stuff….. the sand sticks to it. Not sure what that is.
On the 21st, I’m still planning on doing a massive water change after the fluconazole treatment.
Again, I am so recovering financially from the initial investment.
but I would like to invest in a few more coral specimens sometime soon.
The GSP is growing pretty quickly. Going on two months since the tank was set up. So she’s still a baby.
That’s it for now
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J A' mhuir
Active Member
Tank Update: 07/21/24
I HAVE FOUND MY HELFRICHI FIRE-FISH!!
I went away for the weekend again to continue demolition of my tiny house, a lot of work. Came back today and decided to turn off return pump and power-head.
I wanted to check the back chambers for anything suspicious. Well lo and behold there it was, my Helfrichi. I took everything out and was blocking her into the return chamber when she jumped out, and onto the floor, I quickly got her into the tank. Fed her, she was hungry but not terribly…. I’ve noticed she eats much less than a clownfish. My clowns eat like pigs…..
So then I attached a flimsy plastic barrier to block the emergency overflow on the IM 25 gallon lagoon. That will be a temporary fix. The emergency overflow is what I think she used for her escape….
So now I am thinking of buying window screening to glue onto the mesh lid (because I think the holes are much too big and the fish can just fly through it) and somehow let it drip down into the water in front of the emergency overflow or something…
Egg crate I think is too big also, man sue flew a foot in the air, poor thing!!
She prob was safer in the return chambers lol… the pump has a nice cover on it….
I was going to do a water change today, but I think I’m gonna let her settle down first. Although she isn’t hiding.
I also have an engagement tonight, so I’ll probably do the water change on Tuesday morning. This will remove the fluconazole medicated water.
The Zoa‘s aren’t opening as full as they were before. There are still five heads.
It looks like one of my hermit crabs was killed or died…. I think the other one was eating it.
Which is sad!! But I guess that’s part of it!!
The things you never thought you’d have to do with these fish!!
The diatom seem to be dying down a little bit, green hair algae is still present, but not terrible… Knock on wood…
That’s it for now
I HAVE FOUND MY HELFRICHI FIRE-FISH!!
I went away for the weekend again to continue demolition of my tiny house, a lot of work. Came back today and decided to turn off return pump and power-head.
I wanted to check the back chambers for anything suspicious. Well lo and behold there it was, my Helfrichi. I took everything out and was blocking her into the return chamber when she jumped out, and onto the floor, I quickly got her into the tank. Fed her, she was hungry but not terribly…. I’ve noticed she eats much less than a clownfish. My clowns eat like pigs…..
So then I attached a flimsy plastic barrier to block the emergency overflow on the IM 25 gallon lagoon. That will be a temporary fix. The emergency overflow is what I think she used for her escape….
So now I am thinking of buying window screening to glue onto the mesh lid (because I think the holes are much too big and the fish can just fly through it) and somehow let it drip down into the water in front of the emergency overflow or something…
Egg crate I think is too big also, man sue flew a foot in the air, poor thing!!
She prob was safer in the return chambers lol… the pump has a nice cover on it….
I was going to do a water change today, but I think I’m gonna let her settle down first. Although she isn’t hiding.
I also have an engagement tonight, so I’ll probably do the water change on Tuesday morning. This will remove the fluconazole medicated water.
The Zoa‘s aren’t opening as full as they were before. There are still five heads.
It looks like one of my hermit crabs was killed or died…. I think the other one was eating it.
Which is sad!! But I guess that’s part of it!!
The things you never thought you’d have to do with these fish!!
The diatom seem to be dying down a little bit, green hair algae is still present, but not terrible… Knock on wood…
That’s it for now
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J A' mhuir
Active Member
07/28/24
Oh my what a weekend adventure with my aquarium.
I got back from work Friday (7/26) and my Helfrichi was gone again…..
So I removed everything from the filtration chambers and found her in a most impossible place. I posted about this in another thread.
Basically in the innovative, marine fusion 25 gallon lagoon tank, there is an extra reservoir of water with access points on either side of the return pump chamber. There is a false bottom under the various baffles in the filtration section of the tank, that is glass. So I could see my fish but couldn’t get to her.
I did not know about this extra reservoir, I thought I was going insane.
So after a trip to the local fish store, I talked with a gentleman who has the same tank I do, his wrass has done the same thing. (shout out to Carter at A Reef Creation in Buffalo, NY)
So basically, I have to siphon the water out of the filtration Chambers, and hopefully not hurt the fish.
Today 07/28
I siphoned what I could out with the tubing that I have, and ended up blowing an air bubble into one side of the chamber, pushing the hell out into a net.
Right now, I’m watching the clown Fish pick on her, the little jerks!
I have temporarily put netting over the weirs and permanent weir guards should be arriving tomorrow.
I am going to purchase netting to block the emergency overflow entrance attached with strong magnets or something. Hopefully this will prevent any other escapes.
I’m also considering ordering a Kraken lid. They are very expensive but they should stop the Helfrichi from jumping out.
Today I also purchased a weeping willow toadstool coral, and a mushroom coral.
I, acclimated them in the tank, dipped them in the red Sea coral dip, rinsed them in fresh saltwater and added them to the tank.
After all of that trauma, they of course, are still closed and hopefully will open soon.
I also have coming in the mail a frag rack. Which will help me grow out the corals so I have a little bit before attaching them permanently…. I still am not sure where I want to put them…..
The bottom of “the rock tree” I want to cover with Zoa’s. And the Sunburst mushroom. (I believe that’s what he called the specimen.)
Anyways, that’s it for now
Oh my what a weekend adventure with my aquarium.
I got back from work Friday (7/26) and my Helfrichi was gone again…..
So I removed everything from the filtration chambers and found her in a most impossible place. I posted about this in another thread.
Basically in the innovative, marine fusion 25 gallon lagoon tank, there is an extra reservoir of water with access points on either side of the return pump chamber. There is a false bottom under the various baffles in the filtration section of the tank, that is glass. So I could see my fish but couldn’t get to her.
I did not know about this extra reservoir, I thought I was going insane.
So after a trip to the local fish store, I talked with a gentleman who has the same tank I do, his wrass has done the same thing. (shout out to Carter at A Reef Creation in Buffalo, NY)
So basically, I have to siphon the water out of the filtration Chambers, and hopefully not hurt the fish.
Today 07/28
I siphoned what I could out with the tubing that I have, and ended up blowing an air bubble into one side of the chamber, pushing the hell out into a net.
Right now, I’m watching the clown Fish pick on her, the little jerks!
I have temporarily put netting over the weirs and permanent weir guards should be arriving tomorrow.
I am going to purchase netting to block the emergency overflow entrance attached with strong magnets or something. Hopefully this will prevent any other escapes.
I’m also considering ordering a Kraken lid. They are very expensive but they should stop the Helfrichi from jumping out.
Today I also purchased a weeping willow toadstool coral, and a mushroom coral.
I, acclimated them in the tank, dipped them in the red Sea coral dip, rinsed them in fresh saltwater and added them to the tank.
After all of that trauma, they of course, are still closed and hopefully will open soon.
I also have coming in the mail a frag rack. Which will help me grow out the corals so I have a little bit before attaching them permanently…. I still am not sure where I want to put them…..
The bottom of “the rock tree” I want to cover with Zoa’s. And the Sunburst mushroom. (I believe that’s what he called the specimen.)
Anyways, that’s it for now
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