Tank Arrived today

[James Hammett]

Well that was disappointing, our shrimp was not molting he was fading.... Apparently I dipped our new coral to add to our tank one piece being an encrusted rock. I thoroughly rinsed the coral before putting it in the tank but did not consider the porous rock as i rinised the surface. The rock must have taken some of the dip in the tank with it and the shrimp paid the price for my mistake. Everyone else seems fine and happy. I broke the news to my students this morning. Although we are all a bit saddened we are developing a step by step procedure for adding things to the tank to ensure this never happens again. we are also adding a bag of charcoal to the filtration to help remove any residual chemicals in tank and doing a water change today, and again in about 3 days before adding a new shrimp. Question how will water change this soon after being added affect the corals added saturday and yesterday.

 

[Fudsey]

As long as salinity and ph are matched, you should be fine. Also watch dkh doesn't increase to much with water change

 

[James Hammett]

Thanks we always make sure the salinity in the new water is the same as in the tank before doing the change. I've never checked PH in the new water. hadn't thought of that but the tank has maintained between 8.0-8.2 consistently.

 

[Fudsey]

As long as ph doesn't change too rapidly, you'll be fine. Most salt mix is around that so you should be ok

 

[Tiger-Paws]

I 100% agree with that has already been said. The carbon will take care of any left over chemicals.

Your students need to understand that things die, sometimes without any noticable reason, they (we) are trying the recreate a very complex and big eco system in a very small box. It is not easy.

The creatures we put into our ecosystem are all animals, some are healthier and hardier than others, also we generally do not know a great deal about how they were handled or the conditions ther were under before they came into our care.

We hopefully do the best that we are able to do to provide a quality enviroment for the animals to live and thrive in.

Success is measured in days, weeks, months and years, failure is an oppertunity to learn what we did wrong.

 

[hecterma]

I 100% agree with that has already been said. The carbon will take care of any left over chemicals.

Your students need to understand that things die, sometimes without any noticable reason, they (we) are trying the recreate a very complex and big eco system in a very small box. It is not easy.

The creatures we put into our ecosystem are all animals, some are healthier and hardier than others, also we generally do not know a great deal about how they were handled or the conditions ther were under before they came into our care.

We hopefully do the best that we are able to do to provide a quality enviroment for the animals to live and thrive in.

Success is measured in days, weeks, months and years, failure is an oppertunity to learn what we did wrong.

What a beautiful speech! [emoji122]I couldn't have said it better myself.

 

[James Hammett]

WEEK 9 UPDATE:

Thought I would show a nice picture of our classroom tank as we close out week 9 and head into week 10 of the build. I am not sure if we have started moving too fast, we all ( Me and my students) are chopping at the bit to get his tank filled but at the same time budget and caution work together to hold us off. We have received many generous donations from this community in the set up process thus far and are very grateful to you all,both for the physical equipment and supplies and the knowledge and sound advice.

We have had some excitement and disappointment along the way, We had and lost due to a mistake in application a really cool Banded Coral Shrimp. We also had a Diamond Watchman Goby go missing. Haven't seen him in over a week? Tank Parameters are stable so we don't believe he is dead in the tank, but have no Idea where he may be.

We have also been contacted by a local reefer who may or may not be a member here (not sure) and given several coral ( a Toxic green hammer coral with two heads, a couple "sticks" of GSP, a couple BTA Anemones, a cool little mushroom, and a rock covered in a different type of mushroom and some older zoas. We also stopped by a Frag Swap and were given a very cool little colony of Zoas and met up later and were given a Kenya Tree and a cool red macro algae. Thanks "Coral Syndicate"

Our project has a way to go and the students and I are constantly learning and planning. we are however right now holding where we are and seeing how the guys in the tank now progress.

ZOAS

KENYA TREE

Neat little Red "Fern" Algae

 

[Fudsey]

I'd like to make a suggestion about the GSP. You might want to put it on it's own island off of the main rock structure. It can, and does, spread and is hard to get off the rock. If it is on an island you can carefully trim it to keep it in check.

 

[Josh Kraft]

I'd like to make a suggestion about the GSP. You might want to put it on it's own island off of the main rock structure. It can, and does, spread and is hard to get off the rock. If it is on an island you can carefully trim it to keep it in check.

Agreed. Get that off your rocks ASAP. It will spread like a wildfire.

 

[James Hammett]

Agreed. Get that off your rocks ASAP. It will spread like a wildfire.

I thought so... honestly when I got it I thought it was a devils hand frag so glued it standing up. I’ve thought I’d like to lay it flat on a rock and make a little “yard” I was thinking I’d let it settle in a bit before disturbing it again. Is that not required?

 

[Josh Kraft]

I challenge you to kill that GSP frag, it's nearly impossible.

That's kind of what I did. I have a patch in front of my rocks.

 

[Fudsey]

I did the same between my 2 islands

 

[James Hammett]

Ok I took your advice and within 10 minutes they were peeking back out... dirt time ever doing this and I don’t think I was very Gentle... these guys must be tough

 

[Fudsey]

They can really take a beating They are also a good sign of water quality, from what I have heard. They are the 1st to close up if something is not right. But they also do it from time to time.

 

[James Hammett]

Finally saw the tank under blue lights today... stupid Question, but I know corals and fish don’t have watches. Can I alter the settings so that the blue lights come on while
Kids are at school so they can see and white lights are no alternate or just time maybe so blue lights switch on during day???? Will the change cause problems?

 

[James Hammett]

They can really take a beating They are also a good sign of water quality, from what I have heard. They are the 1st to close up if something is not right. But they also do it from time to time.

GSP popped back out in less than 24 hours.... tuff little booger

 

[James Hammett]

Algae is really kicking this morning, should I do something?

This also appeared over weekend on back wall... is it a snail trail or is it something else

 

[Fudsey]

Snail eggs maybe?

 

[James Hammett]

really? now that could be cool wonder if they will survive

 

[Reef Box]

I'd get the sand stirred up a bit. How much are you feeding? It may be time to back it off a smidge to let the biological filter catch up. Also did you go zero to full schedule on your lights? I recall the same thing happened to me. I had to revert back to no lights then turn them on and add to the schedule weekly a little at a time. Copper banded coral shrimp looking good!