LC Scott Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 Well due to someone, the tank Kimberlee had a picture above was broken (cough). (whistle) The good news is (Thanks to Epic1) We have now recycled that old tank into the baffles on this sump. Beer can is there for Height reference. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberlee Posted March 6, 2011 Author Share Posted March 6, 2011 Isn't that sump pretty. I woke up to it this morning Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberlee Posted March 6, 2011 Author Share Posted March 6, 2011 Oh Hozer that hammer is a monster. I swear it's trying to reach across my tank to attack other coral. The thing is huge and has a resident clown fish. The two seem happy together, wish I was as happy about the union. This is a problem seeing as the clown has lost color ever since it hosted the hammer. I think I my need to introduce a carpet anemone to the tank to correct this. I however don't feel my tank is quiet ready for a carpet anemone, so that's the new goal. I need time to do some reading, and while I'm getting ready for that I have time to try other things like diet. Maybe the problem isn't the host. The top part of this ones head was all filled in w/ black. I'll post another pic when the lights come on, but you can get the jist from this one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberlee Posted March 6, 2011 Author Share Posted March 6, 2011 CH/9 Now we take a look at my water chemisrty Seeing as I'd like to take a crack at a carpet anemone I think it's time to look at what I do to my tank. Oh and I keep logs, not the most professional logs, but hey this is a hobby.I started keeping records when I decided to attempt vodka dosing. Yes vodka. I read a lot before I did it. I read so much that I didn't have any questions to ask when I was done. I think I did it right to, because after the first 2 weeks everything in my tank started to show 10x the color. Anyway let me see if I can copy my records to the thread. 1 1/28/11 dose .1 ml Nitrate 10 Ammonia 0 Phosophates 0? maybe? KH 8 PH 8.4 2 1/29/11 .1ml day 3 1/30/11 .1ml 4 1/31/11 .2ml 5 2/1/11 .2ml 6 2/2/11 .2ml 7 2/3/11 .2ml 8 2/4/11 .4ml Nitrate 5 Amm 0.25 Ph 0 KH 6 PH 8.4 9 2/5/11 .4 10 2/6/11 .4ml 11 2/7/11 .4ml 12 2/8/11 .4ml 13 2/9/11 .4ml 14 2/10/11 .7ml Nitrates 0 Amn 0 Ph 0 PH 8.2-8.4 morning test 7.4 KH 7 Cal 440 cyno on the sand bed 15 2/11/11 .7ml 16 2/12/11 .7ml 17 2/13/11 .7ml Nitrates 0 18 2/14/11 .7ml Amn 0 19 2/15/11 .7ml Ph 0 PH 8.4 KH 7 cal 460 20 2/16/11 .7ml 21 2/17/11 1.3ml Nirtates 10 22 2/18/11 1.3ml Amn 0 23 2/19/11 1.3ml Ph 0 PH 8.1 KH 8 Cal 480-500 Nits, could be due to 20lb of LR added 2/15/11. Added carbon to a high flow area on 2/19/11, to be left until 2/21/11 24 2/20/11 1.3ml daily Cal 25 2/21/11 1.3ml 26 2/22/11 missed dose 27 2/23/11 1.3ml Nirtates 28 2/24/11 1.3ml Amn Ph PH KH Cal 29 3/2/11 missed dosess starting at 1/2 dose .7ml and .7ml in the evning to be dosed like this the first week 30 3/3/11 .7ml Nitrates 5 Amn 0 Ph 0.0 PH 8.0 KH 7 Cal 540 Mag ??? 1050 31 3/4/11 morning .7ml 32 3/5/11 morning .7ml Had a little set back when I had to go up to OHSU w/ my husband (everything's fine), but I wasn't at the house for a couple of days, and things were neglected a little. Regular maintenance includes a 10% weekly WC, w/ Kent salt. This water now comes from an RO/DI unit in the house. Not trying to promote anything here, but the Kents salt is great. Switched from instant ocean about two months ago. The mag and cal levels are always good, and I've found no need to dose any supplements. All power heads and other equipment is cleaned on WC day. I take most of the day to do this just so I don't feel rushed and I know it's done thoroughly. Except when cyno starts to show up I leave the sand bed alone.I also take this time to ajust any corals that don't seem quiet happy where they were. The last run of test I did were three days ago, so it probably wouldn't hurt to test tonight. I always test at the end of the light cycle, but I test the PH again before the lights come on. I find a 10 point swing through out the day, and that has been constant for some time. I have no idea if that's considered a big swing or not. As you can see from my records I don't test all the time. I don't like to drive myself crazy trying to keep prefect #s. Bad things seemed to happen when I obsessed and messed w/ it all the time. I've got a couple of things non reef related to attend to. I know what could possibly need to be done that's not reef related, but as it turns out apparently there's a whole other world out there. Who knew. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
moto826 Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 your tank has come along way since first post and is looking good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberlee Posted March 6, 2011 Author Share Posted March 6, 2011 Well thank you. I love this hobby, there is always something new and something new to learn. Now I'm waiting for my lights to come on so I can take a few after pics. I'd like to put them next to the pre vodka pics. Funny though the color doesn't show as well on film. It's amazing the difference I can see in person. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberlee Posted March 6, 2011 Author Share Posted March 6, 2011 Continued Now since I started keeping records of the vodka dosing I've started putting everything into a record. I have a feeding record as well as a place to document general changes. If I change something I write it down w/ date. FEEDING HABITS/ changes and info to make schedule CORALS DAY 2/23/11 all fed 1/2 cube 3/1/11 1/2 cube NIGHT Candy Canes and Fivia are the only coral feeding at night 3/2/11 fed 1/2 cube 3/5/11 1 full cube FISH 2/23/11 fed large amount of the big pack of food from Fanta seas 2/24/11 fed small amount of bloodworm mix from Rose City, + piece of silverside to the BTA 3/2/11 fed +1 silverside to BTA 3/3/11 fed +1 silverside to BTA Been feeding the cubes for three weeks. Corals have colored up a lot, but colors could also be the result of the vodka.I've been over feeding, will now stick to feeding twice a week. Day after WC, Thurs., and Sun.Except the skirt less zoos from Scott's tank, they need to be fed every other day due to condition. Need to add Phytoplankton after WC once a week for the clam And the general notes All DT notes Feb. notes Moved the tank 3 weeks ago, cyno reappeared. Started vodka dosing 27 days ago. Corals Acans The acan from Rose City was a maroon, army green, and blue when I brought it home in Dec. Over the last 2 months the color dulled or (bleached out) a little, ending up light blue and maroon. Vodka dosing started 1/28/11, almost a month ago. The colors bleached a little more. About three days ago I started to see a big change in color. The acan now shows a bright orange. The green is no longer army green. It's a bright green, blue is now strong light blue-violet. The growth on all the coral has increased, as well as them all appearing to be stronger and brighter in color. 3/4/11 x-mass fivai added + longnose hawkfish Lights 2/23/11 Ive been running the lights for 9 hrs, w/ the actinics for 1,1/2hrs at start and end of cycle. Looking to see if the longer actinic time might effect coral color. GPH skimmer 295 canister 250 4 power heads, totaling 1300 total GPH 1845+ 32x water volume Water Changes No longer using water from the vender at Safeway,5 stage RO/DI unit now provides. Done between Thurs. night and Fri. morrning. Vodka dose is increased after WC. Before old water is changed w/ new, water flow is cut off and maintenance is done. This includes removing cyno off sand bed, and algae off the glass. Than the skimmer is allowed to run for a while to clean up the water a little. Also at this time power heads and other equipment, is cleaned. Missed last Thur. Tank went weeks without WC. Did 15% following Wed. and I'm changing the day to Sun. Changes not routine fraged 2 palyps. will frag the rest after the first 2 show they are doing well. Removed cyno and small amount of the sand bed w/ it. The sand will be rinsed and put back during WC. Cyno did not recover the sand bed,during the next light cycle, after removal. Missed weekly WC, starting log over kinda.Changed out 15% 3/2/11 These are all records I've decided to start keeping the last couple of months. I wish I had kept them from the start. I think it would be interesting to compare. I'm hoping this thread might help someone just starting their tank, and I'd like knowing how other members run their tanks, and why they do it that way. There's a lot of knowledge in records like these. The thing I hear said the most is every tank is different, so we all do it a little different for a reason. The reason is the part some of us leave out of the thread. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberlee Posted March 6, 2011 Author Share Posted March 6, 2011 OH and could some one shoot me some tips on getting the color of my corals to show up in a pic. The pics don't seem to ever do the coral justice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerv503 Posted March 6, 2011 Share Posted March 6, 2011 Your livestock looks healthy and blooming good work! Vin "Keep On Reefing" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberlee Posted March 6, 2011 Author Share Posted March 6, 2011 I've been lucky I think. Despite some of the dumb things I've done I think I've suffered less causalities than most, and have yet to be struck w/ a disease. Knock on wood. I've only had 1 pest, and dealing w/ it was as simple as removing a small piece of rock. The stuff the LFS was trying to sell me to rid my tank of the Aiptasia that came from a rock I bought from them ( sorry I find it messed up) was more than what I paid for the rock. I just chucked the rock and avoided buying something I might not need again until it was expired any way. I think I'm also lucky that any tank crash I thought was happening, was really only happening in my head. My tank was less bothered by what was going on than I was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberlee Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 Here is a pic right when I brought it home. There was way more green, but it soon went away. It wasn't a real nice green either. The green is now coming back, and is brighter. Also orange is showing in the center of the heads. A pic under just my actinics and one under full tank lighting The color never shows up as well on camera. It bleached out, and started to color back up within three weeks during vodka dosing, and should be something in another month. The colors have just started coming back but are already more vivid. Here is another one. Went from that to this And now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberlee Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 An updated pic of the monster hammer, courtesy of Hozer. Thanks I actually find it funny that this hammer seem to get it's hands on everything, so to speak. First my birds nest frag fell, than the hammer stretched its self to attack a near by fivia. Turned parts of both coral white. There's an earlier pic in this thread I love pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberlee Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 hawk fish is dead I want out of this will probably be giving things away soon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReefSafari Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 hawk fish is dead I want out of this will probably be giving things away soon Sorry to hear about your Hawk fish, Don't give up...Everyone has thier ups and downs, I know I sure have, but you can't let a set back cause you to give up entirely....Anytime you deal or work with living creatures, things can happen, they can die, and sometimes it almost seems beyond your control, Everything else looks good still doesn't it? You still have a beautiful tank with beautiful corals, just unfortunatley minus a Hawk Fish.... Again sorry for your loss.... Looking back, it says you added the Hawkfish on Friday the 4th, and today monday the 7th its dead? I would almost say it wasn't doing well prior to you getting it, did it come from a LFS? I would almost check back with them, and take in a water sample...I know most places don't have guarantees but 48 hours and its dead, seems pretty quick to me...Sometimes though fish just die, I bought a fish, looked healthy, added it to a tank, with fish that had been there thriving for a long time, and within 3-4 days it was gone, the rest of the fish continue to do well, and are still thriving....so I know its not my tank...it was the fish I purchased...If it was something wrong with the tank, the other fish would be perishing as well.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberlee Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 Last 1 died in QT because I had to go up to OHSU for 2 days and my window was left open. The smaller tank couldn't maintain temp, even w/ the heater. This 1 I don't know what did it, but w/ the fish my lucks been that bad.' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberlee Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 The three fish in my tank have been in there for months. They are all happy as could be. All other live stock is thriving. I just want like 2 more small fish in there. Doesn't seem to be happening though. Tested my water, nitrates were 5, but nothing else. My tank has been really stable even down to the nitrates being around 5. Yes it came from a local fish store, but it's 1 I regard very highly w/ reason. The fish looked very healthy, although it didn't eat yesterday. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberlee Posted March 8, 2011 Author Share Posted March 8, 2011 Would you guys bring this up to the LFS? I know it wasn't the tank, and what I'm more upset about is it's just time to add a new fish and I can't seem to get 1 to stick around. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberlee Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 Okay love my tank too much, would never get rid of it. Still need more fish. It's really frustrating that the tank is healthy, yet the last three fish I've gotten have all died. It's just been bad luck. I've loaded the thing w/ corals and they are all just dandy. Better than that really. Clam is more active than I though a clam would be. Reacts when the fish that are in there pass by, and is healing nicely from where the blenny I had decided to take a bite from. Dose any one know what this is? It is small and hard to get a good pic of, but looks like one of those clear vitamin E tabs. The ones that are jell on the inside. It doesn't appear to be hurting anything. I'd like to know what it is though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReefSafari Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Dose any one know what this is? It is small and hard to get a good pic of, but looks like one of those clear vitamin E tabs. The ones that are jell on the inside. It doesn't appear to be hurting anything. I'd like to know what it is though. Glad to hear your sticking with it, as to your question that is bubble algae, it seems fairly common, but can quickly spread all over if your not careful....it can quickly become a nuisanse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberlee Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 Well it's kinda like marriage. If you look at the hours you put into it over the years, it doesn't make sense to walk away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mitchell Posted March 9, 2011 Share Posted March 9, 2011 Don't pop the bubble algae when you remove it, spores are inside and if you pop it you will release them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberlee Posted March 9, 2011 Author Share Posted March 9, 2011 I'm going to cut the flow and use a baster to suck them up and out. It's weird looking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberlee Posted March 10, 2011 Author Share Posted March 10, 2011 Just a few more pics Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Googs Posted March 12, 2011 Share Posted March 12, 2011 Emerald crab took care of all my bubble algae. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberlee Posted March 13, 2011 Author Share Posted March 13, 2011 I have 2 already so maybe they'll do some good Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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