Randy's Tank and Learn Thread

[rishma]

My experience has been when a fish gets weak enough to be caught by a power head it’s not long for the world. I don’t know much about fish health but I know from experience it’s a bad sign. Perhaps a separate tank you could nurse it back to health.

 

[X-37B]

Fish Update

Unfortunately, the female mandarin that I added several days ago is not be be seen. Like the previous time I tried, I saw her the next day after addition, but not after that. I will keep watching for her, but I'm convinced something got her, such as one of the mantis shrimp. Anyone know how long these Florida mantis shrimp live in a tank? lol

The azure damsels seem to be doing fine, with a couple of caveats. One seems to hide in the upper corner of the tank. It may be afraid of the others, and if that continues long term, I might consider rehoming it. But more significantly, I found one of them (maybe that one) sucked up against the intake of a powerhead. It just could not get loose. I tried to gently push it off with my finger, but could not. Putting the powerhead in feed mode (off), it immediately swam away. In case this might happen again, I would like to incorporate a short section of very low flow in the powerhead controls (say, 5 seconds at 0-2% and then a minute or so at 65%. But I don't see how to make that possible, and started a thread in the equipment forum. I can only see how to make symmetric cycles so the low is the same time length as the high flow part of it.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/question-on-tunze-hub-control-of-6105-powerheads.1138203/

I don't know how long they live but I just caught mine in my 150 after 1.5 years.
I tried the Mantis trap and caught alot of snails and crabs, lol.
I was able to catch it by feeding it when I saw it. I used a hemostat with shrimp and got lucky and grabbed it.
They will continue to kill anything they can reach.
Best to try and get it out before adding any small fish that live on/in the sand.
Good luck with the hunt.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Oceamo Analysis

In order to understand my system better, and to possibly diagnose some of the issues I'm having (such as soft coral decline), I'll be taking my Oceamo samples today for inorganic and organic analysis.

In addition to just a random screen for every possible issue that Oceamo can detect, I'm especially interested in certain possibilities.

Possible clues I'm looking for are elevated tin (I use a fair amount of new soft tubing in the system (food grade silicone mostly), as well as some new hard pvc parts. I'm also looking for known toxins from cyanobacteria and dinos, both of which are real possibilities. I know Christoph cannot detect all possible toxins, but I'll see what i see.

I may also send in the RO/DI and maybe RO only too so I can see its suitability, though I have not finalized that plan yet.

 

[X-37B]

My experience has been when a fish gets weak enough to be caught by a power head it’s not long for the world. I don’t know much about fish health but I know from experience it’s a bad sign. Perhaps a separate tank you could nurse it back to health.

My large file fish was stuck to my Tunze 6255 one day. I was ready to turn off the pump but it swam away. I think it was using it as a rest, lol.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Cyano/Dinos

The red pest I'm getting on the sand and some rocks is getting worse day by day. I've blown it off the rocks with a simple transfer pipette a couple of times, including last evening, but am now taking stronger action. It does attract a lot of bubbles, but is clearly red, unlike the brown I had that I thought might be dinos a few months ago. It might be a mix of pests. It also is not stringy like the earlier pest. It largely disappears at night, which I had thought mostly an attribute of dinos.

In any case, I added silicate yesterday (I mentioned that earlier) and will continue that every few days, at least until the glass gets a golden brown growth coating rather than a green one. Since it was getting worse during a time when I added no iron or manganese (except low dose AFR and water changes and foods), I'm experimenting with adding more of those to boost competitors.

Last night I broke out the big guns and put my bare bulb UV devices back in. Two are in the sump with the skimmer and one is in the hard PVC pipe that runs from the first refugium into the second brute where the skimmer is.

 

[X-37B]

Oceamo Analysis

In order to understand my system better, and to possibly diagnose some of the issues I'm having (such as soft coral decline), I'll be taking my Oceamo samples today for inorganic and organic analysis.

In addition to just a random screen for every possible issue that Oceamo can detect, I'm especially interested in certain possibilities.

Possible clues I'm looking for are elevated tin (I use a fair amount of new soft tubing in the system (food grade silicone mostly), as well as some new hard pvc parts. I'm also looking for known toxins from cyanobacteria and dinos, both of which are real possibilities. I know Christoph cannot detect all possible toxins, but I'll see what i see.

I may also send in the RO/DI and maybe RO only too so I can see its suitability, though I have not finalized that plan yet.

That will be an interesting analysis.
How much carbon do you currently run? In my mixed nano when I change carbon every month the 2 leather corals show full extension and just look healthier. I am going to change it every 2 weeks now.
2 tablespoons of rox in 9.5g's of water works well. That's 2× recommended.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

My experience has been when a fish gets weak enough to be caught by a power head it’s not long for the world. I don’t know much about fish health but I know from experience it’s a bad sign. Perhaps a separate tank you could nurse it back to health.

Thanks. I'll watch it closely. I have two suitable refugia (both 12 h/day) it could move to if needed. :)

 

[Pod_01]

That will be an interesting analysis.
How much carbon do you currently run? In my mixed nano when I change carbon every month the 2 leather corals show full extension and just look healthier. I am going to change it every 2 weeks now.
2 tablespoons of rox in 9.5g's of water works well. That's 2× recommended.

Just to double check, you are using 2 tablespoons of ROX 0.9 on 10gal tank?

From the picture all corals look happy… hmmm…

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

That will be an interesting analysis.
How much carbon do you currently run? In my mixed nano when I change carbon every month the 2 leather corals show full

I increased the amount last week. I don't measure it. Part is actively pumped through (maybe 50 mL) and part is passive under the outflow of my skimmer (maybe 250 mL).

 

[X-37B]

Just to double check, you are using 2 tablespoons of ROX 0.9 on 10gal tank?

From the picture all corals look happy… hmmm…

Yes 2tbs in a nylon bag under the floss cup.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Grabber tool

A while back in this thread I reported I bought a cheap grabber tool. This one:

https://a.co/d/eIsxMKM

It worked great for getting stuff off the bottom (in my case, I used it a lot for pick up the rock weights I used to hold ulva in place when i was away; e.g., tang vacation feeder).

I was using it recently and it locked up with a snap. Turns out the interior wire (a silver wire of some sort, maybe a cheap stainless or iron alloy) that allowed it to close corroded and broke. It quickly fills with water when in use, and I guess rinsing it in tap water after use does not help it sufficiently. It was never in the tank for more than 30 seconds at a time.

Nevertheless, for $8.99, I might even buy another.

Here's a picture of the corroded interior wire and the plastic sheath it was in, which likely held salty water inside it even after rinsing.

 

[Shirak]

Grabber tool

A while back in this thread I reported I bought a cheap grabber tool. This one:

https://a.co/d/eIsxMKM

It worked great for getting stuff off the bottom (in my case, I used it a lot for pick up the rock weights I used to hold ulva in place when i was away; e.g., tang vacation feeder).

I was using it recently and it locked up with a snap. Turns out the interior wire (a silver wire of some sort, maybe a cheap stainless or iron alloy) that allowed it to close corroded and broke. It quickly fills with water when in use, and I guess rinsing it in tap water after use does not help it sufficiently. It was never in the tank for more than 30 seconds at a time.

Nevertheless, for $8.99, I might even buy another.

Here's a picture of the corroded interior wire and the plastic sheath it was in, which likely held salty water inside it even after rinsing.

I have the Tunze which is built for salt water. No clue what it cost these days. Reach may not be as long? There are others too. Maxspect one seems reasonable price.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

My experience has been when a fish gets weak enough to be caught by a power head it’s not long for the world. I don’t know much about fish health but I know from experience it’s a bad sign. Perhaps a separate tank you could nurse it back to health.

Looks like you were correct. I no longer see that fish at all. Can’t be sure if the powerhead injured it, or if it was on the way out and that’s why it was hiding in an upper corner, but it’s gone entirely now.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Oceamo Testing

I took a number of samples for testing by Oceamo. I’ll drop them in the mail tomorrow.

Organo-MS to look for things like plasticizers and toxins.

ICP-MS for elements in tank water and ro/di that was reading 0 ppm TDS by the in line meter as it was made.

The tank water samples get collected by syringe, and passed through a fine filter to remove particulates and suspended organisms. The icp samples needed three sample tubes, one getting a stabilizer added. The organic test was dispensed from the filter syringe into a small bottle.

I collected the ro/di sample directly into the shipping tube from the end of the plastic tubing that normally delivers into my ATO reservoir.

The icp and organic tests are separate, and get purchased and shipped independently.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The foxface has taken to biting my Duncan. :(

I think maybe he needs more food, though he seems plenty fat. Lol

 

[dwest]

The foxface has taken to biting my Duncan. :(

I think maybe he needs more food, though he seems plenty fat. Lol

That’s surprising. I’ve never had a fox face or Duncan. But I’ve never heard of a fox face eating coral.

 

[fandaga]

The foxface has taken to biting my Duncan. :(

I think maybe he needs more food, though he seems plenty fat. Lol

Bummer, at least the Duncans grow super fast. Hopefully can outgrow the fox face appetite.

So you have both a school of Chromis and Azure Damsels? That must be a nice display!

 

[Sam7]

Cyano/Dinos

The red pest I'm getting on the sand and some rocks is getting worse day by day. I've blown it off the rocks with a simple transfer pipette a couple of times, including last evening, but am now taking stronger action. It does attract a lot of bubbles, but is clearly red, unlike the brown I had that I thought might be dinos a few months ago. It might be a mix of pests. It also is not stringy like the earlier pest. It largely disappears at night, which I had thought mostly an attribute of dinos.

In any case, I added silicate yesterday (I mentioned that earlier) and will continue that every few days, at least until the glass gets a golden brown growth coating rather than a green one. Since it was getting worse during a time when I added no iron or manganese (except low dose AFR and water changes and foods), I'm experimenting with adding more of those to boost competitors.

Last night I broke out the big guns and put my bare bulb UV devices back in. Two are in the sump with the skimmer and one is in the hard PVC pipe that runs from the first refugium into the second brute where the skimmer is.

Does yours disappear at night....ah i missed that part never mind.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

So you have both a school of Chromis and Azure Damsels? That must be a nice display!

Yes, I think it is working out well. Both look great in my white light. :)

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Does yours disappear at night....ah i missed that part never mind.

It mostly does, yes.