OP
OP
Hiw could I forget. This little guy slipped in unnoticed till day 3:
Office Tank, IM Nuvo Fusion 10g
- Nano Build
- Thread starter JoJosReef
- Start date
- Tagged users None
I’d suggest getting a better glass scraper. The IM one doesn’t float and when it fall to the bottom gets sandy. that’s how I got a scratch on my Nuvo
OP
OP
Way past due update:
The tank has been through a lot of development, but overall just extremely happy with it so far. A lot of lessons along the way. Pics!
Things that I've added and lost/removed (more or less chronologically):
- Baby trachy from UniqueCorals (added day 1, not doing so well due to being ravaged by an RFA and then sexy shrimp)
- Golden octospawn from UniqueCorals (added day 1, doing great even after several small accidents)
- Assorted Zoas/Palys, only ones I can recall names for are: king midas, dragon eyes and hot toddy.
- Mint potato chip pavona (added day 1, not doing great, think sexies were after it)
- 2x Peppermint shimp donated to local reefer who return donated some cool zoas/palys
- 3x RFAs from AquaSD (RIP purple one that never got happy and moved into the cave and melted).
- Rainbow favia from AquaSD
- Purple stylophora from AquaSD (RIP, picked apart by sexy shrimp)
- Mermaid fan from ReefCleaners (RIP, wilted within a week)
- Pencil cap from ReefCleaners
- Brotycladia from ReefCleaners (ravaged by snails crawling over it, but miraculously regrew full and beautiful from the nub that remained--I love it)
- Many snails from ReefCleaners (1x Nassarius vibex, 4x nerites, 2x ox tongue nerites, >20 dwarf ceriths, 10x periwinkles, 5x Astraeas, 2x limpets [RIP, just hung out over the water line], 1x money cowrie [RIP], 1x bumble bee [RIP], 1x African Cerith, 2x Cortez cerith, 2x FL ceriths)
- Spotted anemone crab from ReefCleaners (just a total ham)
- Green porcelain crab from ReefCleaners (very active, although a bit more skittish than the spotted nem crab)
- Red porcelain crab from ReefCleaners (RIP, disappeared and then found belly up a few days after arrival)
- Pom Pom crab from ReefCleaners (unfortunately, lost its pom poms en transit)
- 3x sexy shrimp from ReefCleaners (RIP 2x, were eating Stylo, trachy, zoas and pavona, caught and left in tupper for donation, but died overnight...Pom Pom and Nassarius had a good meal though, remaining one has been on best behavior)
- Purple/green hammer from local reefer
- Codium from local reefer
- Pompom gracilaria from local reefer (down to just a bit left as snails keep climbing in it and breaking off branches)
- Mandarin orange cloves from Cultivated Reef
- Green rim RFA from Cultivated Reef (removed and transferred to my Evo, just too big and aggressive, sitting on zoas and stinging trachy)
- Galaxauria from Live-Plants (recent addition to replace stylo, amazing, hoping that it survives and does well!)
- Blue hypnea from Live-Plants (also amazing, but hope the snails don't destroy it)
- Golden plume gorgonian
- Gorilla crab #2 from TBS removed (caught with trap and donated to local reefer's sump; as opposed to gorilla crab #1 which lives in the return pump chamber and I have no idea how it ever got there)
Upcoming additions next week:
- Tailspot blenny from Dr. Reef!!! (now that gorilla #2 is gone, can finally get it shipped!)
- Exquisite firefish from Dr. Reef
- Flashlight torch from AquaSD
- Mixed warrior shields, firecracker and dragon eyes zoas from AquaSD
- Crocea clam from AquaSD!!!
- 2x RFAs from AquaSD (although really eyeing a third...)
Notes about routine:
- Went from MTWThF water changes (1g, 0.5g, 0.5g, 0.5g, 1g) to MWF water changes (1-1-1g)
- Food: live plankton, RUSalty oyster feast, RUSalty Naturose plankton, RUSalty coral ecstasy, RUSalty Zu Feast, RUSalty Ova Feast, RUSalty Mysis Feast, frozen krill
- Currently reducing broadcast feeding as NO3 and PO4 staying high (~10-20ppm and 0.75-1ppm respectively), but spot feeding frozen chopped krill to crabs/shrimp/nems
- Currently wondering of all of the Seachem Matrix and gulf rock rubble in addition to the display gulf rocks is too much bio filtration and causing too much NO3/PO4...
- I bought a RODI buddy and HW-Mariner reef salt. After last batch of LFS salt was lower than expected and unexpected parameters, I said enough is enough; will start making next week
- I bought an Eheim autofeeder and TDO pellets for the weekend when I'm not in the office, arriving next week
- Testing 1-2x per week with Red Sea kits and Salifert PO4
Other notes:
- Lots of coraline growing on the locline and RFGs
- Hitchhiking corals not doing so good and being outcompeted by added corals
- Supergluing all suspected aiptasia, but see about 2 that I haven't gotten to yet due to bad angles
- Some bubble algae seems to grow on the pavona and favia frag plugs and inside of the barnacle shells--I would get an emerald, but I have so much macro
- Dropping all aspirations of SPS (beyong the potato chip, which I hope comes back). Flow doesn't seem to be high enough up top of rocks without blowing out sandbed; starting to prefer DT macro in any case since less upkeep and just as beautiful
- At least one eunicid worm living in tank, but so far don't know if dangerous--seen only picking at the live rock
- Most of the worms originally suspected to be eunicid are actually either peanut worms or dorvillidae (removed a few dorvis already)
- Removed one polyclad flatworm, but haven't seen another one since
- Lots of fan/tube worms still and spaghetti worms going strong
- Lots of copepods/amphipods on glass these days (perhaps addition of live phyto)
- Pom pom LOVES eating molts from the procelain and anemone crabs
- I don't know if krill is a normal part of the diet of nem and porcelain crabs, but they run to my tongs to get a small piece when I chop one up and put it in
- Very sad about the sexies. Just have the one now, and worried about getting replacements, although I've learned since that they were eating chopped krill at ReefCleaners, so now I'm dropping some krill bits near the sexy and it seems to like it
And for giggles, some photos of critters I've pulled:
The tank has been through a lot of development, but overall just extremely happy with it so far. A lot of lessons along the way. Pics!
Things that I've added and lost/removed (more or less chronologically):
- Baby trachy from UniqueCorals (added day 1, not doing so well due to being ravaged by an RFA and then sexy shrimp)
- Golden octospawn from UniqueCorals (added day 1, doing great even after several small accidents)
- Assorted Zoas/Palys, only ones I can recall names for are: king midas, dragon eyes and hot toddy.
- Mint potato chip pavona (added day 1, not doing great, think sexies were after it)
- 2x Peppermint shimp donated to local reefer who return donated some cool zoas/palys
- 3x RFAs from AquaSD (RIP purple one that never got happy and moved into the cave and melted).
- Rainbow favia from AquaSD
- Purple stylophora from AquaSD (RIP, picked apart by sexy shrimp)
- Mermaid fan from ReefCleaners (RIP, wilted within a week)
- Pencil cap from ReefCleaners
- Brotycladia from ReefCleaners (ravaged by snails crawling over it, but miraculously regrew full and beautiful from the nub that remained--I love it)
- Many snails from ReefCleaners (1x Nassarius vibex, 4x nerites, 2x ox tongue nerites, >20 dwarf ceriths, 10x periwinkles, 5x Astraeas, 2x limpets [RIP, just hung out over the water line], 1x money cowrie [RIP], 1x bumble bee [RIP], 1x African Cerith, 2x Cortez cerith, 2x FL ceriths)
- Spotted anemone crab from ReefCleaners (just a total ham)
- Green porcelain crab from ReefCleaners (very active, although a bit more skittish than the spotted nem crab)
- Red porcelain crab from ReefCleaners (RIP, disappeared and then found belly up a few days after arrival)
- Pom Pom crab from ReefCleaners (unfortunately, lost its pom poms en transit)
- 3x sexy shrimp from ReefCleaners (RIP 2x, were eating Stylo, trachy, zoas and pavona, caught and left in tupper for donation, but died overnight...Pom Pom and Nassarius had a good meal though, remaining one has been on best behavior)
- Purple/green hammer from local reefer
- Codium from local reefer
- Pompom gracilaria from local reefer (down to just a bit left as snails keep climbing in it and breaking off branches)
- Mandarin orange cloves from Cultivated Reef
- Green rim RFA from Cultivated Reef (removed and transferred to my Evo, just too big and aggressive, sitting on zoas and stinging trachy)
- Galaxauria from Live-Plants (recent addition to replace stylo, amazing, hoping that it survives and does well!)
- Blue hypnea from Live-Plants (also amazing, but hope the snails don't destroy it)
- Golden plume gorgonian
- Gorilla crab #2 from TBS removed (caught with trap and donated to local reefer's sump; as opposed to gorilla crab #1 which lives in the return pump chamber and I have no idea how it ever got there)
Upcoming additions next week:
- Tailspot blenny from Dr. Reef!!! (now that gorilla #2 is gone, can finally get it shipped!)
- Exquisite firefish from Dr. Reef
- Flashlight torch from AquaSD
- Mixed warrior shields, firecracker and dragon eyes zoas from AquaSD
- Crocea clam from AquaSD!!!
- 2x RFAs from AquaSD (although really eyeing a third...)
Notes about routine:
- Went from MTWThF water changes (1g, 0.5g, 0.5g, 0.5g, 1g) to MWF water changes (1-1-1g)
- Food: live plankton, RUSalty oyster feast, RUSalty Naturose plankton, RUSalty coral ecstasy, RUSalty Zu Feast, RUSalty Ova Feast, RUSalty Mysis Feast, frozen krill
- Currently reducing broadcast feeding as NO3 and PO4 staying high (~10-20ppm and 0.75-1ppm respectively), but spot feeding frozen chopped krill to crabs/shrimp/nems
- Currently wondering of all of the Seachem Matrix and gulf rock rubble in addition to the display gulf rocks is too much bio filtration and causing too much NO3/PO4...
- I bought a RODI buddy and HW-Mariner reef salt. After last batch of LFS salt was lower than expected and unexpected parameters, I said enough is enough; will start making next week
- I bought an Eheim autofeeder and TDO pellets for the weekend when I'm not in the office, arriving next week
- Testing 1-2x per week with Red Sea kits and Salifert PO4
Other notes:
- Lots of coraline growing on the locline and RFGs
- Hitchhiking corals not doing so good and being outcompeted by added corals
- Supergluing all suspected aiptasia, but see about 2 that I haven't gotten to yet due to bad angles
- Some bubble algae seems to grow on the pavona and favia frag plugs and inside of the barnacle shells--I would get an emerald, but I have so much macro
- Dropping all aspirations of SPS (beyong the potato chip, which I hope comes back). Flow doesn't seem to be high enough up top of rocks without blowing out sandbed; starting to prefer DT macro in any case since less upkeep and just as beautiful
- At least one eunicid worm living in tank, but so far don't know if dangerous--seen only picking at the live rock
- Most of the worms originally suspected to be eunicid are actually either peanut worms or dorvillidae (removed a few dorvis already)
- Removed one polyclad flatworm, but haven't seen another one since
- Lots of fan/tube worms still and spaghetti worms going strong
- Lots of copepods/amphipods on glass these days (perhaps addition of live phyto)
- Pom pom LOVES eating molts from the procelain and anemone crabs
- I don't know if krill is a normal part of the diet of nem and porcelain crabs, but they run to my tongs to get a small piece when I chop one up and put it in
- Very sad about the sexies. Just have the one now, and worried about getting replacements, although I've learned since that they were eating chopped krill at ReefCleaners, so now I'm dropping some krill bits near the sexy and it seems to like it
And for giggles, some photos of critters I've pulled:
OP
OP
Another big update!
New RFAs, new torch, crocea crab and fish arrived yesterday!
Unfortunately, tailspot blenny was DOA, but the exquisite firefish was in great shape.
After quite a bit of fiddling and molding reef putty/rocks, I got the crocea in a position that I think it likes and can get great light from the AI Prime 16HD.
Pics and videos:
What a handsome guy (gal?). I named him/her Fuego.
Here is the tank this AM--Torch is coming out quite a bit, which makes me happy because my last torch in the Evo never extended polyps this far and just bailed them.
Fuego isn't in the video, because he/she likes to hang out in the back under the codium and comes out for a few minutes at a time to look around and dart back to the codium.
Will have another attempt at getting the Tailspot blenny next week!
New RFAs, new torch, crocea crab and fish arrived yesterday!
Unfortunately, tailspot blenny was DOA, but the exquisite firefish was in great shape.
After quite a bit of fiddling and molding reef putty/rocks, I got the crocea in a position that I think it likes and can get great light from the AI Prime 16HD.
Pics and videos:
What a handsome guy (gal?). I named him/her Fuego.
Here is the tank this AM--Torch is coming out quite a bit, which makes me happy because my last torch in the Evo never extended polyps this far and just bailed them.
Fuego isn't in the video, because he/she likes to hang out in the back under the codium and comes out for a few minutes at a time to look around and dart back to the codium.
Will have another attempt at getting the Tailspot blenny next week!
OP
OP
Update:
Clam fell down. Whole emergency thread about that. Placed it in a new spot, and it's really opened up this time. Mantle fully extended all of the time. I hope it pulls through its accident.
But the big news is:
Meet Binbin the blenny!
Seems to be acclimating nicely. Had a few stress spots when it arrived from Dr. Reef, so I did a nice slow acclimation.
And it seems to be happy hiding in the crevice of the zoa rock, occasionally picking at the live rock.
More to come!
Clam fell down. Whole emergency thread about that. Placed it in a new spot, and it's really opened up this time. Mantle fully extended all of the time. I hope it pulls through its accident.
But the big news is:
Meet Binbin the blenny!
Seems to be acclimating nicely. Had a few stress spots when it arrived from Dr. Reef, so I did a nice slow acclimation.
And it seems to be happy hiding in the crevice of the zoa rock, occasionally picking at the live rock.
More to come!
OP
OP
About time for another update! This tank has been coming along very nicely, and everything is starting to look very happy. Pics first:
- The 4 remaining RFAs are looking great. I feed them Monday through Friday, and they happily eat a TDO pellet and some of the "soup" it's soaked in (Reef Nutrition Oyster Feast, ROE eggs, Mysis feast and dead Phyto Feast); they are growing and hopefully will spawn sometime!
- Benny the blenny is an awesome and very active fish. Very inquisitive and loves poking its head out of the barnacles to watch me. Comes right to the surface and greets me during feeding time.
- Fuego the firefish has settled in the back under the huge codium and comes out as soon as the return pump is turned off for feeding.
- The crocea clam has moved around a bit. Kept inching across the top rock and coming off the cliff (literally hanging by a thread!). So now it is sitting above the barnacles and seems content there, although being next to the rock face, it doesn't open up as wide as when it was on the top rock. Mantle is still extended, though, so I'm guess it is happy.
- The potato chip coral, which I thought was a goner, has greened up again on the side facing the light. Amazing.
- The zoa island is out of control. 1) the brown speckled palythoas are growing way too fast and taking over the other, more colorful zoas/palys. I don't know yet how to keep them in check, but I need to learn quickly. The big red RFA tends to sit on some of the zoas, which doesn't please them much.
- Note the acrylic tubing around the base of the Brotycladia and Pom Pom macro. That, I made, since I added 2 emerald crabs, which have been cool additions and seemed to take care of the bubble algae magically over a weekend. The bubbles are still popping up here and there, especially on shells in the substrate, but these guys seem to have done a good job--just wish they'd take care of the ulva-like nuissance algae. In any case, these "emerald guards" seem to have prevented the emerald crabs from attacking the Broty and Pom Pom, which John from Reefcleaners thought they would prefer. Patting my shoulder.
- The Galaxaura has seen better days. That green ulva-like algae keeps sticking to the ends of the Galaxaura branches and smothering it--I trimmed it back a ton to get rid of them, but they are settling again on the branches. Might have to give up the Galaxaura or transplant it.
- The torch, hammer and octospawn have all gone through a rough patch, where they didn't like a few incidents (ATO bottle emptying out due to a clog in the filter, ALK swings), but they are back and happy it seems!
- Biggest change in the tank has been a shift from frequent water changes to dosing All-4-Reef. The ALK kept dropping daily to about 6.5dKh, and I wanted to keep it around 8.5-9. Unfortunately, even 2 gallon daily WCs wasn't cutting it and getting annoying. So AFR it is. Dialed in right now to 3mL per day and 6mL added to ATO bottle for the weekend. Everything seems pretty happy with it. I also have a problem with NO3 dropping, currently at 1ppm, and I will likely start dosing NeoNitro today. PO4 is stubbornly staying at around 0.5ppm, even with frequent changing of PhosGuard. The macros and clam must be sucking up the NO3, but there must be just too much PO4 in the rocks and from broadcast feeding for the filter feeders.
Overall, I'm very happy with this tank. Only changes I'm thinking of right now are 1) one more Euphyllia for my euphyllia island, perhaps a blue or pink one, 2) getting the ulva-like algae under control, and 3) getting the brown palys under control and perhaps replacing with some more exciting zoas. Maybe, just maybe one more RFA, perhaps a splatter :~)
- The 4 remaining RFAs are looking great. I feed them Monday through Friday, and they happily eat a TDO pellet and some of the "soup" it's soaked in (Reef Nutrition Oyster Feast, ROE eggs, Mysis feast and dead Phyto Feast); they are growing and hopefully will spawn sometime!
- Benny the blenny is an awesome and very active fish. Very inquisitive and loves poking its head out of the barnacles to watch me. Comes right to the surface and greets me during feeding time.
- Fuego the firefish has settled in the back under the huge codium and comes out as soon as the return pump is turned off for feeding.
- The crocea clam has moved around a bit. Kept inching across the top rock and coming off the cliff (literally hanging by a thread!). So now it is sitting above the barnacles and seems content there, although being next to the rock face, it doesn't open up as wide as when it was on the top rock. Mantle is still extended, though, so I'm guess it is happy.
- The potato chip coral, which I thought was a goner, has greened up again on the side facing the light. Amazing.
- The zoa island is out of control. 1) the brown speckled palythoas are growing way too fast and taking over the other, more colorful zoas/palys. I don't know yet how to keep them in check, but I need to learn quickly. The big red RFA tends to sit on some of the zoas, which doesn't please them much.
- Note the acrylic tubing around the base of the Brotycladia and Pom Pom macro. That, I made, since I added 2 emerald crabs, which have been cool additions and seemed to take care of the bubble algae magically over a weekend. The bubbles are still popping up here and there, especially on shells in the substrate, but these guys seem to have done a good job--just wish they'd take care of the ulva-like nuissance algae. In any case, these "emerald guards" seem to have prevented the emerald crabs from attacking the Broty and Pom Pom, which John from Reefcleaners thought they would prefer. Patting my shoulder.
- The Galaxaura has seen better days. That green ulva-like algae keeps sticking to the ends of the Galaxaura branches and smothering it--I trimmed it back a ton to get rid of them, but they are settling again on the branches. Might have to give up the Galaxaura or transplant it.
- The torch, hammer and octospawn have all gone through a rough patch, where they didn't like a few incidents (ATO bottle emptying out due to a clog in the filter, ALK swings), but they are back and happy it seems!
- Biggest change in the tank has been a shift from frequent water changes to dosing All-4-Reef. The ALK kept dropping daily to about 6.5dKh, and I wanted to keep it around 8.5-9. Unfortunately, even 2 gallon daily WCs wasn't cutting it and getting annoying. So AFR it is. Dialed in right now to 3mL per day and 6mL added to ATO bottle for the weekend. Everything seems pretty happy with it. I also have a problem with NO3 dropping, currently at 1ppm, and I will likely start dosing NeoNitro today. PO4 is stubbornly staying at around 0.5ppm, even with frequent changing of PhosGuard. The macros and clam must be sucking up the NO3, but there must be just too much PO4 in the rocks and from broadcast feeding for the filter feeders.
Overall, I'm very happy with this tank. Only changes I'm thinking of right now are 1) one more Euphyllia for my euphyllia island, perhaps a blue or pink one, 2) getting the ulva-like algae under control, and 3) getting the brown palys under control and perhaps replacing with some more exciting zoas. Maybe, just maybe one more RFA, perhaps a splatter :~)
OP
OP
Short update:
Yesterday got a new shipment from ReefCleaners. I'm having an ulva problem in the tank, and the bubble algae is coming back (the two emeralds mysteriously died). So, I got two new emeralds and a lettuce nudibranch (so cool!).
Also a few more snails since I list a nerite or two and two east african ceriths.
Why the lost snails and crabs?
Well, I was feeding just last week when I saw a hairy set of legs coming out of a crevice... A gorilla crab that's been hiding since January made it's debut. I'm working on catching it now, but that might be hard since A) I have more CUC that goes after the krill in my traps (Nassarius, marginella snails, even the porcelain crab is trying to get in!); and B) it seems to have enough prey to keep it otherwise occupied. Fingers crossed I can get this guy before I lose more of my good inhabitants.
Note, I also observed some territorial bickering when ine of the new emeralds got too close to my green porcelain, which went after the emerald in a surprising display of aggression.
Unfortunately, the only DOA was the Pedersen shrimp, which is a shame because it was the most exciting part of the order, and one I've een trying to aquire for a while. One day...
Yesterday got a new shipment from ReefCleaners. I'm having an ulva problem in the tank, and the bubble algae is coming back (the two emeralds mysteriously died). So, I got two new emeralds and a lettuce nudibranch (so cool!).
Also a few more snails since I list a nerite or two and two east african ceriths.
Why the lost snails and crabs?
Well, I was feeding just last week when I saw a hairy set of legs coming out of a crevice... A gorilla crab that's been hiding since January made it's debut. I'm working on catching it now, but that might be hard since A) I have more CUC that goes after the krill in my traps (Nassarius, marginella snails, even the porcelain crab is trying to get in!); and B) it seems to have enough prey to keep it otherwise occupied. Fingers crossed I can get this guy before I lose more of my good inhabitants.
Note, I also observed some territorial bickering when ine of the new emeralds got too close to my green porcelain, which went after the emerald in a surprising display of aggression.
Unfortunately, the only DOA was the Pedersen shrimp, which is a shame because it was the most exciting part of the order, and one I've een trying to aquire for a while. One day...
OP
OP
Nothing new. Was just admiring my tank today and took a video of the Euphyllia side of the tank. Still amazes me to see these corals growing (and splitting!). The codium has slowed the flow down a bit since it grows so thick, but so far the torch remains extended, and everything is touching now with no notable warfare (knock on wood). Was thinking of getting a another hammer, but now thinking it will be too crowded as it is with just the octo and the one hammer.
And, of course Binbin is video-bombing all over the place, little ham!
This week, I noted that my Brotycladia had grown so much it was blocking light from my crocea, so finally time to frag my macro. I posted it on Socalireefs and gave away a few beautiful cuts of broty and handful of codium.
Amd my new emeralds from ReefCleaners are working away at the ulva and the bubble algae. Wish I had room for 10 more! Actually, wish I had the space and the sand bed real estate for a pitho crab! They are awesome! Habe one in my Evo at home, though, and I can't resist feeding it nori, even though that's counterproductive since I got it to eat GHA!
And, of course Binbin is video-bombing all over the place, little ham!
This week, I noted that my Brotycladia had grown so much it was blocking light from my crocea, so finally time to frag my macro. I posted it on Socalireefs and gave away a few beautiful cuts of broty and handful of codium.
Amd my new emeralds from ReefCleaners are working away at the ulva and the bubble algae. Wish I had room for 10 more! Actually, wish I had the space and the sand bed real estate for a pitho crab! They are awesome! Habe one in my Evo at home, though, and I can't resist feeding it nori, even though that's counterproductive since I got it to eat GHA!
OP
OP
Updated first post. Got a new ReefCleaners group buy in this week. Only 1 additional emerald crab and a bunch of nerites this time for this tank--much more for the home Evo, which isn't doing too hot.
The tank is doing awesome. Just a bit of warfare from the Octo and the RFAs, with the Octo the clear winning in all cases. poor RFAs have lost a few of their skirt tentacles. I've been feeding them frequently hoping they'd spawn, but perhaps I've got a stag or a hen party going on in the tank.
Only other update is that after 8 months, I finally caught the gorilla crab living in the AIO return pump chamber. It's been crawling up the cords to the water line recently, so I nabbed him. See pics.
I posted on the local forum to see if anyone wanted to sump him, like the last gorilla I caught. No answers, so back in the AIO return chamber it went!! I didn't have the heart to kill it after it took a trip all the way from the gulf hiding in a piece of rubble that went into the AIO filtration chamber (which is how I assume it ended up back there), and then went on to survive in its dark kingdom for 8 months.
Bubble algae is still a bit of a problem, but nothing out of control. Honestly, the palys and the cloves are looking more problematic at the moment. I want to frag or trim them back but without taking the rock out of the tank--not sure how best to do this.
Cheers!
The tank is doing awesome. Just a bit of warfare from the Octo and the RFAs, with the Octo the clear winning in all cases. poor RFAs have lost a few of their skirt tentacles. I've been feeding them frequently hoping they'd spawn, but perhaps I've got a stag or a hen party going on in the tank.
Only other update is that after 8 months, I finally caught the gorilla crab living in the AIO return pump chamber. It's been crawling up the cords to the water line recently, so I nabbed him. See pics.
I posted on the local forum to see if anyone wanted to sump him, like the last gorilla I caught. No answers, so back in the AIO return chamber it went!! I didn't have the heart to kill it after it took a trip all the way from the gulf hiding in a piece of rubble that went into the AIO filtration chamber (which is how I assume it ended up back there), and then went on to survive in its dark kingdom for 8 months.
Bubble algae is still a bit of a problem, but nothing out of control. Honestly, the palys and the cloves are looking more problematic at the moment. I want to frag or trim them back but without taking the rock out of the tank--not sure how best to do this.
Cheers!
OP
OP
Have some work to do on this tank. It's progressed quite a long way. Now, I'm starting to frag the soft corals (palys, gorgonian) and wondering how I'll manage doing the same to the rapidly growing/splitting hammer.
Piece of bad news, if you've been following my other threads: crocea clam died. Determined that two things may have happened: 1) a bad emerald nipped off a ~5mm chunk of mantle, and the PAR it was receiving was inadequate (it was getting around 180-220 from side-to-side at the peak of a Saxby schedule, so not nearly enough).
The blenny is absolutely fine.
The red montipora digitata that I put on the top rock (~230 PAR at peak) is not doing great--polyps mostly retracted. Doesnt' look molested by inhabitants, although I could be wrong since I don't see what goes on in the shadows. But there was an alk drop to below 7 while I was away on a trip. The favia that was doing pretty well before the trip is now mostly skeleton.
Everything else is doing well. The hammer is blowing up. I can now clearly see about 4 heads coming apart. Torch has two mouths, but doesn't look like it's splitting into two heads. Octo is getting big with long puffy tentacles, but I can't see any evidence of splitting.
The firefish is becoming more outgoing, which the blenny doesn't like. It's occasionally bossy, but so far the blenny can out-swim the firefish.
Most excitingly, I've got some new zoa and paly frags to play with...
except there's not space:
I'm taking that rock out tomorrow or Friday and shaving off most of those palys and will start snipping them every time they spread.
On the plus side, the branching GSP is doing very well, and I will be fragging the golden plume gorgonian for the first time tomorrow:
So, while I'm not at the happy place I was earlier when the clam was alive and there was a bit more space in the tank, there are still exciting steps ahead.
And I've been dreaming of an upgrade one day... this nano is wonderful, but imagine if it had space to GROW :~)
Piece of bad news, if you've been following my other threads: crocea clam died. Determined that two things may have happened: 1) a bad emerald nipped off a ~5mm chunk of mantle, and the PAR it was receiving was inadequate (it was getting around 180-220 from side-to-side at the peak of a Saxby schedule, so not nearly enough).
The blenny is absolutely fine.
The red montipora digitata that I put on the top rock (~230 PAR at peak) is not doing great--polyps mostly retracted. Doesnt' look molested by inhabitants, although I could be wrong since I don't see what goes on in the shadows. But there was an alk drop to below 7 while I was away on a trip. The favia that was doing pretty well before the trip is now mostly skeleton.
Everything else is doing well. The hammer is blowing up. I can now clearly see about 4 heads coming apart. Torch has two mouths, but doesn't look like it's splitting into two heads. Octo is getting big with long puffy tentacles, but I can't see any evidence of splitting.
The firefish is becoming more outgoing, which the blenny doesn't like. It's occasionally bossy, but so far the blenny can out-swim the firefish.
Most excitingly, I've got some new zoa and paly frags to play with...
except there's not space:
I'm taking that rock out tomorrow or Friday and shaving off most of those palys and will start snipping them every time they spread.
On the plus side, the branching GSP is doing very well, and I will be fragging the golden plume gorgonian for the first time tomorrow:
So, while I'm not at the happy place I was earlier when the clam was alive and there was a bit more space in the tank, there are still exciting steps ahead.
And I've been dreaming of an upgrade one day... this nano is wonderful, but imagine if it had space to GROW :~)
OP
OP
No, I'm only running it at medium power. I can't remember the numbering for the power levels, but it is like 16 or something like that (I think 20 being max). Might be off on that, but it's like 6/10 power.
What do you have in your filtration chamber? CustomCaddy + floss + media? I can run mine at full blast, but it moves the corals around too much. I keep my chamber pretty bare, though with just floss and a few pieces of ocean rock rubble. That said, if I have it on full blast and a snail crawls across the grates...
reeefish
New Member
First chamber is a IM caddy with filter floss in the top, which I kinda trim to half thickness (the one that’s white and blue), and below that is marine pure bio gems. Second chamber is an Intank fuge with no more than a baseball sized chaeto.
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