Nora's Reef Tank Revamp (Tampa Bay Live Rock!)

[H3rm1tCr@b]

So... I don't have a build thread. I guess I will have to make one! I already have the tank set up and running, but who cares at this point. Let's get this party started!

A little background first on the tank. It is a twenty gallon standard tank (one of the tall ones) that has a HOB filter and Hygger nano pump. And an LED light called "Wills Aquarium Light" from Amazon. I have a few small fish and some soft corals. Recently I dosed too much PhosGuard (again) and rekindled the dreaded dinoflagellates. Nothing is really working and they killed most of my inverts. I'm currently feeding two cubes of Marine Cuisine per day to get the other algae back and competing, but it isn't enough. I eventually spotted someone's comment on another forum about how they got rid of their dinos by introducing some TBS stuff. That sparked the decision of buying twenty pounds of live rock and two pounds of sand to get the substrate biologically active again. I also may have bought a decorator crab... let's see how that goes!

This is a pic of the tank after I cleaned it this morning. It looks worse during the day as the dinos are most definitely photosynthetic. I also identified the little jerks as Ostreopsis. Anyway, the tank. It looks okay, but the biodiversity was destroyed. It needs a reboost from the ocean!

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

I'm planning on updating when the rock arrives, but that may take a little while as the virus is apparently effecting how the pace at their company at the moment.

 

[DeniseAndy]

I have some rock in qt right now. I wanted from TBS but they were not open during the time I wanted it started. Good luck! My rock is amazing so far. Aiptasia and a mantis shrimp only invaders unwanted so far. I put some peppermint shrimp in and they are slowly taking care of the aiptasia.

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

I have some rock in qt right now. I wanted from TBS but they were not open during the time I wanted it started. Good luck! My rock is amazing so far. Aiptasia and a mantis shrimp only invaders unwanted so far. I put some peppermint shrimp in and they are slowly taking care of the aiptasia.

Thanks!

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

Rock still hasn’t come. Has anyone bought rock from them recently? It’s taking a while I’m guessing because of Covid problems in Florida.

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

Got a few new corals from a local for $25! Cabbage leather, star polyps, Kenya tree and a cactus Pavona. Sorry about the bad pics, phone struggles with the blue light.

 

[Daniel@R2R]

Following along!

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

Following along!

Thanks! Do you have any tips for getting rid of dinoflagellates? Overfeeding and no water changes doesn't seem to be working. TBS rock for biodiversity is taking a bit longer than expected.

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

Just ordered some Flourish Nitrogen and Phosphorus to boost the nutrients. I got an email from Richard saying that they are catching up on orders and getting closer. So I should be getting the order soon! (BTW the new corals are doing pretty good, their gonna be happy when I dose some 'trates for them!)

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

Nitrogen and Phosphorus are finally here! I dosed 1ml of phosphorus and 2ml of nitrogen. That got the NO3 to about 2ppm and the PO4 to maybe 0.1ppm. Should see a change in the dinoflagellates soon. Will retest tomorrow and dose as needed to keep both just a little above zero.

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

Tested again today and the nitrates were zero, again! My best guess is that the corals are sucking up any nutrients they can. I spotted some sweeper tentacles on the new cactus Pavona too. I'm guessing that is a sign that it's feeling better. The dinoflagellates seem significantly better compared to yesterday. I dosed around 4ml NO3 and didn't mess with the PO4 as it was exactly the same yesterday. Quite honestly, I'm shocked that the nitrate dosing seems to be working.

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

So the rock is coming tomorrow! I’m so excited and I’ll take lots of pictures and document the process.

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

My shipment should arrive around 5:00 PM! I can't wait to open it up and see what's inside. For the inevitable bad crabs and stuff that will come on it I have a large plastic cereal dispenser that I'll put them in to observe. It will also serve as a possible temporary home for a possible mantis shrimp.

 

[BeltedCoyote]

Following along. I’m planning on using some Tampa. At rocks to kickstart the biodiversity in my upcoming build.

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

Well the pics suck but the rock is amazing! Got a teddy bear crab, baby mantis, biggest Mithrax I’ve ever seen, a couple welks and other crabs, sponges, corals, etc.

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

I’m contemplating setting up a pico for the baby mantis, he’s just too cute! These are the big crab “Godzilla” and the smaller mithrax

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

Wow! The tank is looking stunning today! I love the look of daylight filtering through my window on the corals. The decorator crab has been eating the large sponge at the top, but also eats frozen. He seems very harmless other than that. I put in both Mithrax crabs to see what would happen, and I see no ill effects. The smaller one is very actively eating cyanobacteria and detritus, while the big one is scared of being fed nori. I noticed some strange behavior from one of the tiger gobies, it turned purple and twitched at the smaller one. My best guess is that it was some sort of territorial dispute. Or, spawning behavior!

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

Unfortunately the large white sponge and an orange one on the right started to decay rapidly so I had to remove them. I did however notice these little tentacle - like bits of sponge growing off of multiple orange sponges in a shadier area. I believe it is attempting to adapt to its new environment. I guess that's a good sign. Both mithrax are doing very well, I just took a look at the tank and saw the massive one passively sitting next to my porcelain crab. He seemed a little lazy if you ask me. Oh also I set up a one gallon tank with a nice chunk of live rock and sand for my baby mantis. He had already chosen out a rock to live in so in it went. After copious amounts of research, I am about 75% sure that the mantis shrimp is a Wennerae. But, I am not completely sure. It would make sense as the geographical area matches that of where the little guy was collected (Tampa Bay, Florida).

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

There is an algae bloom that killed the last of the dinos now! I’m guessing phosphate is high again. I will be buying some snails and maybe Mexican red leg hermit crabs for the Cyanobacteria and hair algae.

 

[H3rm1tCr@b]

I successfully identified my little mantis as a Wennerae! He’s really shy but quite intelligent. I think the astrea snails laid eggs, and my sponge decorator crab is stealing zoanthids to use as decorations. Other than that, he’s fine!