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Unread 02/18/2019, 01:24 PM   #1051
homer1475
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Tank is basically on cruise control. I have a small GHA issue again, but I'm hoping it just sorts itself out. Nutrients are in check, just waiting it out.



I've gone to a more hands off approach. Once a week testing, once a week WC, and thats it. Seems to be working so far.


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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 02/18/2019, 01:30 PM   #1052
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good place to be...

I'm still stabilizing, testing alk daily, nitrates a few times a week.

Did you end up taking the ATS offline, or is it still online? I think having the algae reactor is helping add a stabilizing effect to my tank so far.

Are you running filter socks? I'm thinking of ditching mine to create more free-flowing detritus, which is what I had with the biocube and it worked out pretty well.


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Unread 02/18/2019, 01:36 PM   #1053
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I gave up on socks about a year ago now, best thing I ever did for my tank! I will run them for a few hours if I do a real deep cleaning, but just to catch the extra gunk floating around. My water doesn't "look" as clean, and pristine, but it 's certainly healthier.



ATS is still online and produces a decent amount. It died off once, and no one seems to be able to answer why. I just wish I could get it to produce better as I have a decent amount of GHA in my tank despite me thinking nutrients are in check(8 nitrates, .006 phosphates).


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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 02/18/2019, 02:31 PM   #1054
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I think it was important to help me stabilize, especially until I got the algae reactor going, but now that that is going, I really think it's helping keep nutrients low while not requiring much upkeep. I also stopped carbon (nopox) dosing too to see if algae can handle this all on its own.

Curious that you did get one time of dieoff. Have you tried increasing photoperiod on the ATS to get larger buildup and to out-compete the display algae? I wonder if doing 2-3 day dark periods would help too?


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Unread 02/21/2019, 04:42 PM   #1055
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Went to the LFS today for a specific fish..... A matted filefish. I have a small aiptasia issue, and yes I know they are a crap shoot, but even if it doesn't eat my aiptasia, I still think it's a cool looking fish.


While I was there the person I'm sort of mentoring, has been having trouble with getting anything through TTM(I think hes on his fourth or fifth flame angel, and like third mcoskers wrasse). Anyways, while I was there they had a very nice looking flame angel. They had just fed the tanks moments before I showed up so I knew it was eating. Long story short, since I have to TTM the filefish anyways, I'm going to TTM the angel for him also.


While I was there and looking around, they had a tiny skunk cleaner shrimp, and a bubblegum colored hammer my wife thought was cool looking. So they both came home with me also.



OOh and my long thought dead rock flower nem, just showed up floating around on the sandbed today! Since I'm doing a 3 day blackout, I think it's on the stroll for a new home. It was under my now rather large red monti, and I haven't seen it in months since the monti and that purple stylo I got my Soul started warring.



As far as the ATS goes, I already have the photo period on 24/7 alternating between front and back lights as suggested by Floyd. It grows well, just doesn't seem to be out competing the DT lights. Hence the current 3 day blackout to maybe give it a tilt toward the ATS rather then the DT.


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Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 02/27/2019, 06:20 AM   #1056
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Well flame angel didn't make it through TTM. Think that makes 6 now! No idea whats going on either. Eating well at the LFS, same TTM procedure I always do. My filefish I was TTMing at the same time is absolutely fine.



Tank is doing good, with the exception of some GHA thats slowly dying back.


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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 02/27/2019, 09:11 AM   #1057
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That stinks, sorry. Maybe #7 can just do hypo, or copper? I know angels are supposed to be sensitive to copper, but here's an old thread where it's discussed by people who seem to have experience doing it.


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Unread 02/27/2019, 10:02 AM   #1058
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For sensitive fish I do a slow drip acclimation and then qt tank for at least a month. Yeah, it's a lot slower and probably not as good at eliminating ich but less stressful than ttm. If I can get the fish eating in the qt and keep the water clean I'm home free.

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Unread 02/27/2019, 10:13 AM   #1059
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Pellikan View Post
For sensitive fish I do a slow drip acclimation and then qt tank for at least a month. Yeah, it's a lot slower and probably not as good at eliminating ich but less stressful than ttm. If I can get the fish eating in the qt and keep the water clean I'm home free.
That sounds good, but how is that home free? You haven't suggested any of the steps that are required to remove ich, unless you're suggesting that your QT has copper, but I don't think you are.

I think he'd have great success just adding the fish to a straight established QT, or to the display in an acclimation basket, but he's trying to keep ich out of his system (which he may end up getting through coral acquisition or something else anyway [sorry! ] ).


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Unread 02/27/2019, 12:19 PM   #1060
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ReefWreak View Post
That sounds good, but how is that home free? You haven't suggested any of the steps that are required to remove ich, unless you're suggesting that your QT has copper, but I don't think you are.



I think he'd have great success just adding the fish to a straight established QT, or to the display in an acclimation basket, but he's trying to keep ich out of his system (which he may end up getting through coral acquisition or something else anyway [sorry! ] ).
Beat me to it for the reply.


Guess i should also share for my build I am looking at an IM lagoon tank or similar to have am always on qt. For me as I grow more into sales I want to qt all coral for 90 days min and seperate from my others in case of pests. Cuc as well will go in there when acquired for 90 days as well

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Unread 02/27/2019, 12:29 PM   #1061
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I'm pretty much done stocking my tank as far as fishes go. I might add another one or two if something strikes me, but for the most part I'm done. I also never QT corals, just a float for temp, then a dip in Bayer. So setting up a semi permanent QT is not happening. I'm quite happy with just 5 gallon buckets for TTM.



On the other hand, I did find a place in Rochester that already QT's and treats in copper before putting up for sale. This is where all my current livestock has come from. Thats the reason I no longer have any sort of QT setup. The filefish was an impulse buy(kind of, as if I really was worried about it I would have taken the trip to Rochester for one), and as such I'm just doing TTM in buckets.



I was TTMing the fish for someone else seeing as they have killed 5 during their TTM procedure. I don't think ich will come from corals as this is a FOWLR tank, but yes I have gotten ich from a snail shell of all things.


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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 02/27/2019, 04:20 PM   #1062
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The shop by me I trust with fish as they run fish in groups to ensure full copper and only order in quarterly. I dont trust one shop who runs copper but has fish in and out. No way to ensure full exposure to copper and long enough dwell time.

At this point in my reef life I am MUCH more concerned about coral pests. I'd lose thousands if I was wiped out

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Unread 02/28/2019, 10:05 AM   #1063
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ReefWreak View Post
That sounds good, but how is that home free? You haven't suggested any of the steps that are required to remove ich, unless you're suggesting that your QT has copper, but I don't think you are.



I think he'd have great success just adding the fish to a straight established QT, or to the display in an acclimation basket, but he's trying to keep ich out of his system (which he may end up getting through coral acquisition or something else anyway [sorry! ] ).
I'm saying I'm home free because of I get to where the fish is eating and surviving in qt for a month than the chances are really good the fish will survive in the dt. I do put copper in my qt but no, I was trying not to say use copper because the op said that type of fish is sensitive and I'm not familiar enough with it's type to suggest using copper.
I'm not trying to keep ich out of my system. As you said, you'll get it somewhere anyway. I'm trying to assure the fish is de-stressed and healthy enough that its immune system keeps ich in check and I don't get a major, active outbreak in my dt. Been there, it ain't pretty.
Sorry for not being clear. That's what I get for posting too early in the day.

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Unread 03/01/2019, 04:21 AM   #1064
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I will never use copper on anything. I just don't get the concept of nearly killing an animal to cure it. Kind of like cutting off your nose because you have a cold and it's running.



And I can guarantee with 100% certainty, there is 0 ich in my system and I plan on keeping it that way. Fish are always treated, CUC, what CUC(lol, snails and crabs have all been in my system for years), and corals all come from coral only systems.


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Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 03/05/2019, 03:38 AM   #1065
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Filefish is in my DT!


Dumped him in this morning while the lights are off. I have 3 larger aiptasia on my clams shell, soon as I dumped him in, he went right to work mowing them down. The 3 on my clams shell were gone in seconds! Hungry little fish for sure.


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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 03/06/2019, 02:56 AM   #1066
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Went for a ride to Mass yesterday to visit an LFS I was told about.



Not impressed so I'll leave the name out. Fish were all about half dead, and in those tiny little acrylic separators you often see at LFS's. Which are mostly fine for nano fish and inverts, but they had large niger triggers, yellow tangs, and even hippos in those tiny things. The entire place was 3 low boy frag tanks in the middle, with 3 stacks of those tiny acrylic tanks surrounding the room. The 3 large lowboy frag tanks were covered in GHA and bubble algae, and I do mean covered in BA!


Need;less to say I was not impressed to say the least. No idea why anyone would suggest this place to me? I guess when thats all you have for an LFS you get used to it? I don't know I've traveled all over(up to 6 hours drive away) looking for LFS's and I've only been to maybe 2 or 3 I would ever go back to, or were impressed enough with their selection that I wanted to go back.



Anywho, they did have a black capped basslet I've been on the lookout for, and at a very decent price. I got it for 35$! A steal as I see them listed on LA for around 100$ and the ones that did not make it through QT when i had the biocube were also 100$. So not a bad deal I don't think. But with a 4 hour drive home, even though I brought a styrofoam and heat packs, I don't think it's going to make it. Bag was super cold and I had thought the poor guy was dead when I got home last night. Not moving, gills not moving, etc. ****ed off I threw the bag on the counter and went in to go to the bathroom. Got busy doing other things(like feeding the dogs), and my wife yells from the kitchen that the fish is swimming around!!! I was like ***! maybe the poor guy was hibernating from being so cold? IDK but I started a bucket for TTM, floated his shipping back for a while, then dumped him in. Check on him this morning and hes swimming around! No idea if he'll make it, but he's looking fine this morning.



I also got a smoking deal on a nice rainbow acan. Yes I know acans come to my tank to die, but I have to keep trying! I've never fed reef roids before and this is what they feed them so I bought some and will give it a try. I saw a video where a guy mixed it up rather thick, and fed it to the corals like that(it sort of just slid into their mouths and didn't float around). Think I'm going to give this method a try and do once a week feedings. Fingers crossed this one makes it!


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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 03/06/2019, 06:11 AM   #1067
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FYI I am going to reefapalooza this year! Just booked my room at the hilton across the street.



Not bad, it's only a 4 hour drive.


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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 03/13/2019, 02:49 AM   #1068
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Well lets see.....


Filefish died, no idea why. Made it through TTM, went into the display, munched a few aiptasia, found stuck to an MP10 the next day?



Black cap didn't make it through TTM, and the acan I bought to try again with, hasn't opened since putting in my tank. Not opening fully is nothing new in this tank, but I always could see feeders out at night. With this acan, there is no display of life other then some colored flesh, not puffing up at all, or showing feeders at night. I'm finding this no acan in this tank thing, very annoying to say the least.



I did win a Hanna salinity tester on R 2 R! And let me tell you, way easier then the milwaukee, and dead nuts accurate! Just turn it on, and dip it in. Within seconds you have salinity(ppt, sg, or psu), and temperature. In using that I found my display to be down to 1.022(I admit I hardly every check my display), and I'm wondering if this is why the new acan won't open, my sunset monti faded, and possibly the reason the filefish died? I do now have it back up to 1.025, but it still has me wondering.


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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 03/14/2019, 02:12 PM   #1069
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So in more interesting news......


Needed a few dry goods, and had the day off yesterday so I took a ride to the LFS. Not much in the store this trip(haven't been to this LFS in a few months), with the exception of the one fish I have been on the lookout for since I had my biocube! I even have an email alert setup on LA, and in 4 years I have not seen one, or got an email from LA.



A pygmy wrasse! I really wanted the tanaka's, but I will settle for the yellow banded. I'll put a bag pick in the next post as tapatalk is way easier to post pics from. He's currently going through TTM, as I have already done a FW dip for flukes(part of my QT protocol now). I was going to gamble as just dump him in the display, but while I had the bag floating, I wasn't sure if I could see ich or my eyes were playing tricks on me. So into TTM he goes. Always better to be safe then sorry. And I have been down that road once before already.



My wife saw a very pretty but drab colored alveopora, so of course that came home too.



Then I get home and I get an email that Algaebarn has captive bred peppermint shrimp for super cheap(this LFS had them for 30$ a piece, I considered it but that's awfully steep for a tiny little shrimp). I snagged 3 of them for 29$ and some more pods for the mandy. Even if they don't touch my aiptasia issue, it's more life to the tank.


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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 03/14/2019, 02:13 PM   #1070
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Pics.





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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 03/15/2019, 12:59 PM   #1071
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Nice additions! The acan thing is frustrating. I don't know how people are constantly direct feeding their LPS. At least my euphyllias are now very happy with just broadcast feeding, and that's about as much as they'll ever get.

Keep us updated on the alveopora. I've tried a few small frags, and they never do well. I got a great deal locally on a large colony of goniopora, and it's doing MUCH better than any of the small frags ever did.

Also, I love the pygmy wrasse! I hope he stays visible in your tank! That's one of the downsides of them is that they're known to hide in rockwork. Solid updates!


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Unread 03/16/2019, 09:33 PM   #1072
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Homer do you have a current full tank shot? Love the new additions.


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Unread 03/18/2019, 03:11 AM   #1073
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Holy carp! it's \clownfish/! Hows it going buddy? long time no see, or read in this case. Still have a tank?



Well lets see, I think I'm giving up on any new fish for a while. Just can't seem to keep anything alive. In the last month I've personally killed 5 fish, and my friend that I'm mentoring is up to around 10. Yes that means my pygmy wrasse died too.



Alveopora is doing good and opens up every morning, that acan is still there, but I see no signs of life. No puffing up at all, and no tentacles out at night.



At this point in time I'm so frustrated with this hobby, I'm seriously considering throwing in the towel for a while. Heck I would be time and money ahead if I just took a couple paychecks and threw them in the trash.


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80G SCA Build: http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2560256

Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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Unread 03/18/2019, 11:15 AM   #1074
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Quote:
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At this point in time I'm so frustrated with this hobby, I'm seriously considering throwing in the towel for a while. Heck I would be time and money ahead if I just took a couple paychecks and threw them in the trash.
Sorry to hear the frustrations. Maybe it's time to just kick back and chill and let the tank grow out? That's always the hardest part in my experience. Just set calendar reminders to force you to do maintenance on a schedule, and just watch it grow out?

For the coral stuff, have you run a Triton/ICP test? It frankly didn't help me, but after a big 20% water change my tank was much happier (though I'm sure you're doing WCs more often than I do), and the ICP just gives you some reassurance that it isn't rust or some other weird thing that is causing issues (which should be fixed with sufficient water changes anyway).

I remember when WallyB found that he had water dripping from condensation or a pipe joint or something, that he found was poisoning his tank, after spending months scratching his head, trying different solutions, and never being happy with the results. Something to think about before you throw in the towel.


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Unread 03/18/2019, 12:52 PM   #1075
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Just seriously frustrated more then anything. The waste of money is in reality a waste to begin with if it's spent on the tank(they call that disposable income?)lol.



I do believe I'm just going to let things cruise for a while. Corals I'll add here and there, but fish, I'm done with fish for a while. I do have the LFS supposedly ordering me a new black cap and black leopard wrasse, but I've asked this guy to order fish before and never heard from him.



While I have been spending a ton of time over on r 2 r, I have found quite a few new online coral vendors I have never heard of, and as a result, I think I have been bitten by the stick bug! Some of those things are amazing colored, but of course the price increases too. Meh we will see where it ends up, but my green slimer is doing wonderfully, and that purple stylo I got from soul has added a bunch of height and new arms. I actually had to break(frag lol) some of the red monti because it was slowing growing around a new branch, and killing it. Besides this silly red plating monti grows like a weed. I break a piece off, and it grows back in a month or 2.



Currently trying some lights out to get my ATS kicked back in after taking it down for a while. After talking to floyd for a while, I(we) decided to paint the inside of my box white to help aid in light dispersion so I don't have such a narrow beam of light. Could be why I had the die off and hasn't really gotten back going since, but I certainly have plenty of algae in my display.


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Originally posted by der_wille_zur_macht:

"He's just taking his lunch to work"
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