TikiBird's first SW tank (BioCube 29)
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OP
OP
TikiBird
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Just an update:
Not sure how this happened, but I have managed to kill all four of my little mushrooms that I loved [emoji24] They died and literally disintegrated. Everyone says mushrooms are impossible to kill so yay me.
I did get two new corals at a Black Friday sale at a new-to-me LFS last weekend.
I like the clove polyp a lot. It’s pretty BUT in the LFS it had bright green on it also, and that’s not really visible in my tank.
The pagoda cup is cool and I hope it’s doing ok—it’s my first LPS. It kind of varies between greenish polyps and brownish. It also gets ticked off when my shrimp steps on it, which happens a lot.
Not sure how this happened, but I have managed to kill all four of my little mushrooms that I loved [emoji24] They died and literally disintegrated. Everyone says mushrooms are impossible to kill so yay me.
I did get two new corals at a Black Friday sale at a new-to-me LFS last weekend.
I like the clove polyp a lot. It’s pretty BUT in the LFS it had bright green on it also, and that’s not really visible in my tank.
The pagoda cup is cool and I hope it’s doing ok—it’s my first LPS. It kind of varies between greenish polyps and brownish. It also gets ticked off when my shrimp steps on it, which happens a lot.
OP
OP
TikiBird
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I just came across this photo. This is not really at all related to my tank, but I want to post it anyway and I don’t think I have yet.
We visited Kauai for the first time three months ago, which was awesome, of course. We had just gotten to the island and of course immediately ran to the beach near our rental.
This cool piece of live rock was washed up on the sand. So beautiful. I wouldn’t have appreciated it a couple of years ago. (I put it under water farther out.)
(My son was more focused on the water.) [emoji23]
Here is a closer pic.
We visited Kauai for the first time three months ago, which was awesome, of course. We had just gotten to the island and of course immediately ran to the beach near our rental.
This cool piece of live rock was washed up on the sand. So beautiful. I wouldn’t have appreciated it a couple of years ago. (I put it under water farther out.)
(My son was more focused on the water.) [emoji23]
Here is a closer pic.
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That's really neat. I'm jealousI just came across this photo. This is not really at all related to my tank, but I want to post it anyway and I don’t think I have yet.
We visited Kauai for the first time three months ago, which was awesome, of course. We had just gotten to the island and of course immediately ran to the beach near our rental.
This cool piece of live rock was washed up on the sand. So beautiful. I wouldn’t have appreciated it a couple of years ago. (I put it under water farther out.)
(My son was more focused on the water.) [emoji23]
Here is a closer pic.
OP
OP
TikiBird
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Hey guys, I just wanted to pop into my thread for an update. So about 3-1/2 months ago my sweet clownfish Trick and Treat died. I’m honestly still bummed about it, partly because I just miss them but also because I never figured out exactly what happened. Here’s a thread about it:
https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/My-fish-suddenly-died-tonight.348127/
Anyway, I was going to take the tank down after they died, and I’m mostly still leaning toward it, but I still haven’t yet. I can’t quite seem to bring myself to do it.
Shortly after my fish died, my cleaner shrimp died too, and then I let the tank go to hell. My corals got covered in algae and I thought they were probably dead, but I decided to try flucanazole so I could attempt to save them enough and get them in shape to pass along to someone else. Also the actintic light went out in my BioCube and I didn’t bother replacing it.
Well, a funny thing happened. Despite not changing the water for literally months, and two of my corals not recovering from the algae and neglect, and the light going out, the other two corals made a comeback and are doing better than ever!! I have done literally nothing to help them, other than the flucanazole once in January. It’s crazy to me. And honestly more than a little aggravating that doing absolutely nothing is more successful in my tank than when I did everything I could to maintain it!
The tank in general is also doing better than ever. The algae has been gone for months and actually only this week has started to creep back on some rocks. I would think the nitrates are sky high so I’m shocked it hasn’t come back before now. Also another light went out. (Edit to add: I would think the low bioload helped my algae issues enormously, although with only two clowns I didn’t think t had a huge bioload to begin with, but I have no other explanation.)
The sand bed looks amazing. I ALWAYS struggled with my sand bed. I could never seem to get the algae under control there. It is basically nonexistent now. Perhaps related to that, around the time my fish died, I discovered a gorilla crab that must have been hiding in my rocks for a very long time. He was a good size (maybe like an inch). I just left him alone since I was planning on taking the tank down anyway, but obviously I couldn’t let him starve, so I have been feeding him. He is, to me, huge now!! He’s a couple of inches across and I was scared of him at first, but honestly he’s really grown on me and I like to watch him. [emoji23]
Well, that’s my update. I’m still like 95% sure the tank will come down soon (once the algae is again gone) but I am at least sort of enjoying it again for now, even if it baffles me. [emoji51]
I’ll post a pic soon. I moved some rocks around a few days ago because one of the toadstools has gotten so big it hid the other one, so I wanted the little one to get more light, but they got mad when I moved rocks and are just starting to come out again.
Thanks for reading!
https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?threads/My-fish-suddenly-died-tonight.348127/
Anyway, I was going to take the tank down after they died, and I’m mostly still leaning toward it, but I still haven’t yet. I can’t quite seem to bring myself to do it.
Shortly after my fish died, my cleaner shrimp died too, and then I let the tank go to hell. My corals got covered in algae and I thought they were probably dead, but I decided to try flucanazole so I could attempt to save them enough and get them in shape to pass along to someone else. Also the actintic light went out in my BioCube and I didn’t bother replacing it.
Well, a funny thing happened. Despite not changing the water for literally months, and two of my corals not recovering from the algae and neglect, and the light going out, the other two corals made a comeback and are doing better than ever!! I have done literally nothing to help them, other than the flucanazole once in January. It’s crazy to me. And honestly more than a little aggravating that doing absolutely nothing is more successful in my tank than when I did everything I could to maintain it!
The tank in general is also doing better than ever. The algae has been gone for months and actually only this week has started to creep back on some rocks. I would think the nitrates are sky high so I’m shocked it hasn’t come back before now. Also another light went out. (Edit to add: I would think the low bioload helped my algae issues enormously, although with only two clowns I didn’t think t had a huge bioload to begin with, but I have no other explanation.)
The sand bed looks amazing. I ALWAYS struggled with my sand bed. I could never seem to get the algae under control there. It is basically nonexistent now. Perhaps related to that, around the time my fish died, I discovered a gorilla crab that must have been hiding in my rocks for a very long time. He was a good size (maybe like an inch). I just left him alone since I was planning on taking the tank down anyway, but obviously I couldn’t let him starve, so I have been feeding him. He is, to me, huge now!! He’s a couple of inches across and I was scared of him at first, but honestly he’s really grown on me and I like to watch him. [emoji23]
Well, that’s my update. I’m still like 95% sure the tank will come down soon (once the algae is again gone) but I am at least sort of enjoying it again for now, even if it baffles me. [emoji51]
I’ll post a pic soon. I moved some rocks around a few days ago because one of the toadstools has gotten so big it hid the other one, so I wanted the little one to get more light, but they got mad when I moved rocks and are just starting to come out again.
Thanks for reading!
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Hey!
I'd rather you not take it down but for many reasons, we all need to at some point for whatever reasons that come up.
You weren't an avid thread updater, but was nice to have you around=p
Maybe you will reconsider and things will get better for you. It takes time and patience, and to be honest......letting the tank run itself and just keeping an eye on it......makes a world of difference.
Also, stock biocube lighting I feel is an algae booster.....lol. just saying.
OP
OP
TikiBird
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Hi @cameronh! Thank you for checking in! [emoji1]
Tank is still going. Lol I was telling myself I would sell my corals and such that were looking good (and maybe give away my rock and big old crab!) but then GHA came back finally (after months of not doing anything, even water changes!) and now I don’t think anyone would want them.
I’m thinking of keeping it going until after I get back from a long vacation. I don’t really want to take it down in a rush just to get rid of stuff before the trip if I don’t have to. I’m going to post another thread with a question about leaving it for two weeks...
ETA: BC29 vacation questions
https://www.reef2reef.com/index.php?posts/4824093/
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OP
OP
TikiBird
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Of course, now that I’m back on here catching up on your tank threads, I now maybe want to keep some stuff going and downsize to a pico reef! [emoji23] I originally wanted a pico in the first place before I lucked into the deal on my BC29. Gotta convince my husband. Lol
If there was an unlike button for that I would hit it, I'm sorry that happened. Take him back to the store.
Stop by my thread on the last 3 pages and check it out.
OP
OP
TikiBird
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I think he might be a black mithrax but I have no idea really. He looks like that from online pics, but he’s got really hairy legs and big (!) black claws so I thought those indicated gorilla. No clue really.
I wish I could get a picture of him, but the bigger he is, the more he hides! Weird crab.
I want him out, and he’s kind of freaky now that he’s so big, but I also am kind of attached to him [emoji23] so I’m thinking of asking on a local FB group if anyone wants him for a sump. Or if there are any R2R folks near me (Sacramento CA) I’d love to give him to somebody...
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