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Marinereefiner

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Hello,

It is nice to be able to join this wonderful group of marine aquarists. I have converted my 75g to salt water aquarium with 29g sump just over 9 months ago after taking a few years break from freshwater (cichlids).

I have been through a few issues, mostly algae has been my biggest issue. I have just vacuumed up most of the algae on the rocks and sand bed. I have a couple clownfish, just purchased a small copper banded butterfly to battle a bunch of glass anemone’s.

I have several successful blue tip frogspawn and an acan. Almost all of the other corals I have struggle;

I got these from another tank that was being decommissioned;
green goddess birdsnest(died)
Bubble tip Anemone(died)
Green Encrusting corals (1 died, I think I have one coming back)
Red plating montipora (died)
Red Acan (died)
Green candy cane (died)
Green stem Duncan (3 thriving in the
tank)
Blue tip green frogspawn (5 thriving in the
tank)
Purple people eater blasto( thriving)


Also I have some Zoas that seem to be doing alright with some polyp growth.

I have just purchased;
Superman montipora
Strawberry shortcake acropora
Sunset millipora
Pipe organ


Param:
Salinity: ~1.025
PH: 8.0
dKH: 6.44
Cal: 540
PO4: 0.02

I stopped dosing and lowered my lights to blue due to the algae I had.
I don’t typically test for nitrates or nitrites for the passes couple months. These parameters have been consistent for over 6 months.


Thanks,
Eric

IMG_9473.jpeg IMG_9456.jpeg IMG_9465.jpeg
 

vetteguy53081

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vetteguy53081

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Hello,

It is nice to be able to join this wonderful group of marine aquarists. I have converted my 75g to salt water aquarium with 29g sump just over 9 months ago after taking a few years break from freshwater (cichlids).

I have been through a few issues, mostly algae has been my biggest issue. I have just vacuumed up most of the algae on the rocks and sand bed. I have a couple clownfish, just purchased a small copper banded butterfly to battle a bunch of glass anemone’s.

I have several successful blue tip frogspawn and an acan. Almost all of the other corals I have struggle;

I got these from another tank that was being decommissioned;
green goddess birdsnest(died)
Bubble tip Anemone(died)
Green Encrusting corals (1 died, I think I have one coming back)
Red plating montipora (died)
Red Acan (died)
Green candy cane (died)
Green stem Duncan (3 thriving in the
tank)
Blue tip green frogspawn (5 thriving in the
tank)
Purple people eater blasto( thriving)


Also I have some Zoas that seem to be doing alright with some polyp growth.

I have just purchased;
Superman montipora
Strawberry shortcake acropora
Sunset millipora
Pipe organ


Param:
Salinity: ~1.025
PH: 8.0
dKH: 6.44
Cal: 540
PO4: 0.02

I stopped dosing and lowered my lights to blue due to the algae I had.
I don’t typically test for nitrates or nitrites for the passes couple months. These parameters have been consistent for over 6 months.


Thanks,
Eric

IMG_9473.jpeg IMG_9456.jpeg IMG_9465.jpeg
CA high ( you want 400-475 and alk is low, as you want 7.7-11
Pics too blue to clearly see algae issue but is tank at or near a window?
What cleaner crew as in crabs and snails do you currently have?
 
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Marinereefiner

Marinereefiner

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CA high ( you want 400-475 and alk is low, as you want 7.7-11
Pics too blue to clearly see algae issue but is tank at or near a window?
What cleaner crew as in crabs and snails do you currently have?
Thanks for the Welcome! Vetteguy,

Yes I tested right after a 5gal water change, typically my cal had been around 450. I will test again tomorrow and the next day.

The tank gets sun in the morning but it is through a blind 90% of the time and the window is fairly small as the tank is in the basement. I had around 5 blue and red hermit crabs, and an about the same amount of snail. Seemed that the crabs wanted to snails shells so they seemed to have dwindled. I bought 5 nassrius snails and move the crabs to the sumps refuge for now. Looking at getting a brittle star fish to sift through the sand.
 

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CoralB

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Thanks for the Welcome! Vetteguy,

Yes I tested right after a 5gal water change, typically my cal had been around 450. I will test again tomorrow and the next day.

The tank gets sun in the morning but it is through a blind 90% of the time and the window is fairly small as the tank is in the basement. I had around 5 blue and red hermit crabs, and an about the same amount of snail. Seemed that the crabs wanted to snails shells so they seemed to have dwindled. I bought 5 nassrius snails and move the crabs to the sumps refuge for now. Looking at getting a brittle star fish to sift through the sand.
I would test nitrates and invest in Mexican turbo snails and or tuxedo urchins . I would also try to block out some of the light from that window if possible
 

vetteguy53081

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Thanks for the Welcome! Vetteguy,

Yes I tested right after a 5gal water change, typically my cal had been around 450. I will test again tomorrow and the next day.

The tank gets sun in the morning but it is through a blind 90% of the time and the window is fairly small as the tank is in the basement. I had around 5 blue and red hermit crabs, and an about the same amount of snail. Seemed that the crabs wanted to snails shells so they seemed to have dwindled. I bought 5 nassrius snails and move the crabs to the sumps refuge for now. Looking at getting a brittle star fish to sift through the sand.
nassarius focus on the sand and you want to add the following:
Snails: Astrea-nerite- turbo grazer and even a fighting conch

8-10 Carribean blue leg hermits which are tiny

Pencil urchin

As for blinds- Its the UV from the sun causing the issue and will penetrate shades-blinds- curtains.
You can place black construction paper from walmart stationary section which is 30"x30" and it will reduce the UV rays drastically
 
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Marinereefiner

Marinereefiner

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nassarius focus on the sand and you want to add the following:
Snails: Astrea-nerite- turbo grazer and even a fighting conch

8-10 Carribean blue leg hermits which are tiny

Pencil urchin

As for blinds- Its the UV from the sun causing the issue and will penetrate shades-blinds- curtains.
You can place black construction paper from walmart stationary section which is 30"x30" and it will reduce the UV rays drastically
Thanks,

I had the blue legs, but no extra shells.

I will look for a complete clean up crew next with spare shells.
 

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