Randy's Tank and Learn Thread

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Randy Holmes-Farley

Randy Holmes-Farley

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IDK if its just my tank but when I dose phyto I turn the skimmer off for a couple hours just to let the phyto circulate. If I dose and leave the skimmer on the water clears twice as fast usually within an hour if skimmer is on, if off 2-3 hours before the water is mostly clear again. I was dosing quite a lot of phyto little over 10oz doubling the recommended 1 ml/gallon.

I turn mine off as well. Both are on timers.
 

rishma

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I don't think they would work that quickly. Not question you, but I would question the test kit.
I think you might have been right. My nitrate is back about at the previous level. Might have been test error. 🤷‍♂️
 

rishma

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What time of day do you dose phyto and does it matter?
 
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Randy Holmes-Farley

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What time of day do you dose phyto and does it matter?

That’s a question I’ve been trying to understand as well. It may depend on what you are trying to feed. I am currently dosing at 10 AM, but folks focussed on corals think night may be better.

If I am feeding copepods, day seems better than night, but that’s just a guess based on them seeing the phyto. I’m not even sure if they do catch by seeing, however.

Sponges and tunicates, I doubt time matters.
 

rishma

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What time of day do you dose phyto and does it matter?

That’s a question I’ve been trying to understand as well. It may depend on what you are trying to feed. I am currently dosing at 10 AM, but folks focussed on corals think night may be better.

If I am feeding copepods, day seems better than night, but that’s just a guess based on them seeing the phyto. I’m not even sure if they do catch by seeing, however.

Sponges and tunicates, I doubt time matters.
I don’t know what I’m feeding! 🤣
 

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I read feeding in the morning is better to maximize effectiveness with daylight. But I don't think it matters, as Phyto survives in the dark for a long time.
 

LiverockRocks

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Pentacta cucumber

When I first put the TBS rock into the tank, I saw a hitchhiking cucumber that Bean identified as a pentacta:


I've not seen it since, until today when I was zip tying my temperature sensors in place in the far back right. Up against the overflow, I see it just hanging out. Probably been there all along since it’s a filter feeder and probably like the safety and flow of being up and away from the bottom. Upper left in photo.

IMG_3673.jpeg

Red Foot Cucumbers behave differently from common cucumbers. They love to hang out pressed against live rock. These reef safe filter feeders and detritus eaters are easy keepers. Once the lights go out, they cruise the upper sections of aquariums. You will never see them in the sand.
 
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Randy Holmes-Farley

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Red Foot Cucumbers behave differently from common cucumbers. They love to hang out pressed against live rock. These reef safe filter feeders and detritus eaters are easy keepers. Once the lights go out, they cruise the upper sections of aquariums. You will never see them in the sand.
Thanks. :)
 
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Randy Holmes-Farley

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Randy Holmes-Farley

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Randy Holmes-Farley

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I ordered it. Anemone experts agreed it will likely darken but the extent is unknown until it happens. We will see!
 

BeanAnimal

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I like the color as it is. I know very little about them.
 
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Randy Holmes-Farley

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I like the color as it is. I know very little about them.

My wife does too, but it likely won’t stay that way. OrionN thinks it may end up like his that he posted to the linked thread.
 

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Congrats on the anemone. I like the coloration. It’s been a long time coming.
 
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Randy Holmes-Farley

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Parameters

Temp 80-81 deg F
Nitrate 0.8 ppm
Phosphate 0.32 ppm
Alk 9.0 dKH
pH 8.07

Added iron and manganese
Added ~10 ppm nitrate as sodium nitrate
Added 0.06 ppm iodide

Looks like the AFR is dialed in well.

Ulva is growing like crazy in both refugia. I harvested more than a gallon (700 wet grams) and the refugia still look pretty full.

Before harvest





IMG_3714.jpeg
IMG_3715.jpeg


After harvest (pitcher says it is 2 1/4 quarts). I filled it more than twice.

IMG_3716.jpeg

IMG_3717.jpeg
IMG_3718.jpeg
 

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