Randy's Tank and Learn Thread

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Glad to see the updates! How's the cyano?

Looks good this morning, but that’s always the case. I need to see it this evening when it becomes more visible and has bubbles on it.

 

[The Dude Abides]

You might be interested in this. Sorry, I don’t have any experience with this product. Hopefully someone else can chime in.

 

[X-37B]

Magnifica Update

The dang anemone somehow made the jump to the back wall last night, and is very close to the powerhead.

Since I’ve been unable to find a nem guard for the Tunze, I’m going to make a guard that I can at least use when I plan to be away. I am first going to try with a collapsible steamer from Whole Foods. I’m hoping with a mix of cutting and folding, I can get something that fits in the corner where the pump is, and which can keep the anemone from committing suicide.

This is the pre-work steamer. Plan is to cut a hole in the middle of the yellow part to fit over the outlet of the powerhead, probably with the folding parts facing in toward the inlet section of the powerhead, and then expanded as needed to block the anemone path to the inlet sections. I may need to remove some of the folding sections to get it to fit between the overflow and the glass side of the tank (which is where the powerhead lives).

That's a cool idea!
A black eggcrate box in the corner worked years ago in another system.
I use a 6105 housing as a nem cover in my 35. It sits over a dmp20.
Nem sits right next to it with no issues.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You might be interested in this. Sorry, I don’t have any experience with this product. Hopefully someone else can chime in.

Thanks. :)

 

[Reefering1]

Magnifica Update

The dang anemone somehow made the jump to the back wall last night, and is very close to the powerhead.

Since I’ve been unable to find a nem guard for the Tunze, I’m going to make a guard that I can at least use when I plan to be away. I am first going to try with a collapsible steamer from Whole Foods. I’m hoping with a mix of cutting and folding, I can get something that fits in the corner where the pump is, and which can keep the anemone from committing suicide.

This is the pre-work steamer. Plan is to cut a hole in the middle of the yellow part to fit over the outlet of the powerhead, probably with the folding parts facing in toward the inlet section of the powerhead, and then expanded as needed to block the anemone path to the inlet sections. I may need to remove some of the folding sections to get it to fit between the overflow and the glass side of the tank (which is where the powerhead lives).

You can put the powerhead in a mesh bag(like what's used for carbon) . ugly, but will keep the nem out...

 

[MBruun]

Since I’ve been unable to find a nem guard for the Tunze, I’m going to make a guard that I can at least use when I plan to be away.

I used a short fishnet stocking and a cable tie (and a scissor) to create a simple nem guard. It is flexible so that it is tight around the powerhead.

 

[areefer01]

Magnifica Update

The dang anemone somehow made the jump to the back wall last night, and is very close to the powerhead.

Since I’ve been unable to find a nem guard for the Tunze, I’m going to make a guard that I can at least use when I plan to be away. I am first going to try with a collapsible steamer from Whole Foods. I’m hoping with a mix of cutting and folding, I can get something that fits in the corner where the pump is, and which can keep the anemone from committing suicide.

This is the pre-work steamer. Plan is to cut a hole in the middle of the yellow part to fit over the outlet of the powerhead, probably with the folding parts facing in toward the inlet section of the powerhead, and then expanded as needed to block the anemone path to the inlet sections. I may need to remove some of the folding sections to get it to fit between the overflow and the glass side of the tank (which is where the powerhead lives).

Those are good steamers btw :) Nice quality.

 

[VelocityTech]

Looks good this morning, but that’s always the case. I need to see it this evening when it becomes more visible and has bubbles on it.

It may be anecdotal, but adding copepods, amphipods, and plankton seemed to curb my cyano quickly.. especially mixed with a few sand sifters.

Those amphipods are extremely active all over the sand at night too.

 

[Sam7]

Magnifica Update

The dang anemone somehow made the jump to the back wall last night, and is very close to the powerhead.

Since I’ve been unable to find a nem guard for the Tunze, I’m going to make a guard that I can at least use when I plan to be away. I am first going to try with a collapsible steamer from Whole Foods. I’m hoping with a mix of cutting and folding, I can get something that fits in the corner where the pump is, and which can keep the anemone from committing suicide.

This is the pre-work steamer. Plan is to cut a hole in the middle of the yellow part to fit over the outlet of the powerhead, probably with the folding parts facing in toward the inlet section of the powerhead, and then expanded as needed to block the anemone path to the inlet sections. I may need to remove some of the folding sections to get it to fit between the overflow and the glass side of the tank (which is where the powerhead lives).

you could also try some egg crate zip tide into a small square shape or even one of these i have used before baskets for a snail guard on a tank. They have all different sizes
Amazon product ASIN B0946Q87XK

 

[dieselkeeper]

Magnifica Update

The dang anemone somehow made the jump to the back wall last night, and is very close to the powerhead.

Since I’ve been unable to find a nem guard for the Tunze, I’m going to make a guard that I can at least use when I plan to be away. I am first going to try with a collapsible steamer from Whole Foods. I’m hoping with a mix of cutting and folding, I can get something that fits in the corner where the pump is, and which can keep the anemone from committing suicide.

This is the pre-work steamer. Plan is to cut a hole in the middle of the yellow part to fit over the outlet of the powerhead, probably with the folding parts facing in toward the inlet section of the powerhead, and then expanded as needed to block the anemone path to the inlet sections. I may need to remove some of the folding sections to get it to fit between the overflow and the glass side of the tank (which is where the powerhead lives).

How are you gonna attached it to the glass or tunze?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

How are you gonna attached it to the glass or tunze?

I will be experiment with it tomorrow, but the plan now is to cut a hole in the middle of the yellow part for the extended output part of the powerhead, slide it over, maybe place a zip tie around the powerhead nozzle just to keep it from slipping off, and then cut and fold the leaves into a fit between the tank side, back, and overflow, and around the powerhead inflow parts.

This Tunze picture of the powerhead might help envision that:

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I may also try hitting it with some purple primer so it blends in better, though I don’t know if that works on this material.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Magnifica Starts Its Vision Quest

Well, I protected the pumps and am letting the magnifica go wherever it wants for a while. It has moved right to the top, suggesting it wants more light, but I’m going to allow it plenty of time to hopefully settle down before doing anything with it.

The steamer device from Whole Foods was a bust. Too big. I took the egg crate suggestion and crafted a hideous anemone guard for each pump that will hopefully come down before too long.

Here are some pictures:

 

[rishma]

It was as a good idea to just see where the anemone wanted to be. You’ll be able to infer what the issue is and try to recreate the conditions where you want it to be.

If it’s just more light, I’d consider a kessil or other spot type light to aim at the rock. Not sure if that would fit in your setup but I’d much rather do that than adjust the entire tank trying to make one spot happy.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

It was as a good idea to just see where the anemone wanted to be. You’ll be able to infer what the issue is and try to recreate the conditions where you want it to be.

If it’s just more light, I’d consider a kessil or other spot type light to aim at the rock. Not sure if that would fit in your setup but I’d much rather do that than adjust the entire tank trying to make one spot happy.

Yes, a spot is a good idea. Fitting and no fan is the issue, but I also have a lot of power left unused in the lights I have. Pushing the cyano harder everywhere would be a drawback of powering up my lights more.

 

[Dan_P]

Magnifica Starts Its Vision Quest

Well, I protected the pumps and am letting the magnifica go wherever it wants for a while. It has moved right to the top, suggesting it wants more light, but I’m going to allow it plenty of time to hopefully settle down before doing anything with it.

The steamer device from Whole Foods was a bust. Too big. I took the egg crate suggestion and crafted a hideous anemone guard for each pump that will hopefully come down before too long.

Here are some pictures:

In my book, the pump guards art beautifully constructed, but please, trim the tail on the zip tie :-)

I guess if the anemone is sitting just under the water surface, light intensity is not the issue.

Opinion on your rock surfaces. I am back to classifying them (criteria are locked inside my head) as “young aquarium” looking. I recently backed off from that notion when you showed a clean turkey bastered surface. I recall photos of such surfaces are often posted asking about the growth and identifying the aquarium as being about one year old and asking how to get rid of it.

 

[Lasse]

I'm certainly curious to see what happens! :)

Update here

Sincerely Lasse

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Brrrrrr

Quite cold outside today (about 10 deg F). Not as cold as the lowest days which can be around or a bit below zero. The living room with the tank in it is 65, but the basement with the sump system is much colder. Hence I woke up this morning to a low temp alarm from my INKBIRD temp sensor in the display. It is 75 deg F at the moment, so not time for panic, but it looks like a few things might be in order for future cold spells.

1. Higher wattage heaters for winter. I’m using one 800 and one 500. Might add another one, but I’ll need to figure out the best plan for implementing it since I’ll want it on its own control (the inkbirds have a wattage limit) and maybe on a different outlet/circuit.

2. In my old tank I had put some insulation on at least one of the Brute cans. I used a premade water heater insulation jacket, and may do that again, depending on what I see for costs and sizes.

Hope you all are keeping warm!

 

[Dan_P]

Brrrrrr

Quite cold outside today (about 10 deg F). Not as cold as the lowest days which can be around or a bit below zero. The living room with the tank in it is 65, but the basement with the sump system is much colder. Hence I woke up this morning to a low temp alarm from my INKBIRD temp sensor in the display. It is 75 deg F at the moment, so not time for panic, but it looks like a few things might be in order for future cold spells.

1. Higher wattage heaters for winter. I’m using one 800 and one 500. Might add another one, but I’ll need to figure out the best plan for implementing it since I’ll want it on its own control (the inkbirds have a wattage limit) and maybe on a different outlet/circuit.

2. In my old tank I had put some insulation on at least one of the Brute cans. I used a premade water heater insulation jacket, and may do that again, depending on what I see for costs and sizes.

Hope you all are keeping warm!

Knowing approximately where you live and asking just for fun, is your foundation made of stone with a dirt basement floor or something less colonial?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Knowing approximately where you live and asking just for fun, is your foundation made of stone with a dirt basement floor or something less colonial?

The foundation is thick stone, floor is cement. :)