homer1475's 80 gallon build

[soulpatch]

Yes a lot of times the corals get agitated for a short period but quickly get back to normal

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[homer1475]

Thanks Soul! Would have never thought of using peroxide.

Glad I got that little bugger out before he started creating more havoc.

[soulpatch]

I will PM you where to send my check for my services....

[homer1475]

Check is in the mail Soul. lmao Again thank you for the help.

Picked up a new "flowerpot" coral last night as well as a pair of baby midnight osc clowns. Currently going through TTM. Really like the all black with just a small spot of white on the tips of their faces. I would post pics, but snapping pics from within a 5 gallon bucket doesn't work very well.

Not big on the goni, but the wife liked it so of course we HAD to have it. When my lights come on I'll post a couple pics.

My other goni is of the plating variety and has survived being broken up a hand full of times. Yes it's that crazy goni on the crazy looking frag plug from way back in the biocube. believe it or not, I have fragged that goni about 15 times now and have sold all 15 frags(about 10 or 20 polyps per frag) back to my LFS who really can't believe with all the problems I've had with my tank that this coral still continues to thrive.

Everything seems to be going well now.... Fingers crossed.....

Yellow eye kole has made it through TTM and is now in my temp 40G holding tank. New baby clowns are going through TTM. When they make it to the holding tank, I will attempt to catch and TTM my leopard wrasse.

Tunze nano ATO I've been using has finally died(brain box), now I don't know if I want to buy the apex ATK or just the full size osmolator. From what I've been reading the ATK is anything but reliable when used as a stand alone ATO, but all its shortcomings can be overcome with some special programming from the apex.

The osmolator we all know is rock solid, just that small burst of water when powering it on. This could be a problem for me as I only have 80G total system volume and I shut off the ATO several times a day for various reasons.

Opinions?

[soulpatch]

Why are you shutting off the ATO would be my first question...

I have the Tunze and with as much as I have going on in my tank it is never shut off save for tank maintenance.

[homer1475]

I shut it off when I do a WC, I shut it off when I'm filling the ATO jug, I shut it off when the float in the jug says the water is to low for the pump. I think that's it.

[soulpatch]

No need to shut it off for filling jug honestly I know I sure don't and have not seen any issues.

I also shut mine off when doing maintenance or large water changes but have not had any issues with it pumping water in afterwards. For 150 gallons a couple cups of water at most wont impact anything and delays when it would fill anyway... I chalk it up that the tank is slightly low with water anyway but not low enough to have triggered the Tunze so the added water is "needed" anyway.

[homer1475]

Yeah think I'm just going to buy the osmolator. To many issues with the ATK to be reliable.

[soulpatch]

tons of used options I would explore personally. A replacement pump if needed is all of like $30...

[homer1475]

Its not the pump, its the brain. I have a spare pump laying here because this issue arose a few months back and I thought it was the pump. I have since deduced its the brain and not the pump.

Also the regular osmolator uses the same pump as the nano so I'll have 2 spare pumps if I go with the osmolator.

[soulpatch]

no I mean used for the brain. Many times the used pump will need replaced shortly so I was just stating the cost since risk is minimal but you already have the pump so you are good to go...

[homer1475]

ahh I got you now.

[homer1475]

Pic of new goni.

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[soulpatch]

gonis and clams are things that come to my tank to die a slow miserable death....

[homer1475]

That's kind of funny since my goni and clam are about the only two things that lived when everything died. lol

My new blue maxima is doing great also! he just won't attach for some odd reason. Opens, expands fully, reacts to light, closes up at night, all doing great, just won't attach. I read a thread about placing them on frag plugs and that's what I've been trying. It did lightly attach for a few days, but I noticed last night it had moved and the frag plug was left behind. I know this typically means they are not healthy, but I think it's just not happy in it's placement. Going to try and find a new spot and see how it does.

[homer1475]

Blue Maxima


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[homer1475]

Pics on the phone look totally different then when uploading them.

[soulpatch]

Are you feeding him being so small? If I remember right phyto or such until they are like 3 inches long. If you are then it is likely movement to find a light situation he likes. If not perhaps he is searching for food.

Also while frag plugs work for some most clams attach to a crevice or such so the flat surface is not really appealing to them. This is why many clam "plugs" are concave and larger to imitate a rock crevice. You can easily build you own with some reef epoxy and give that a go.

[homer1475]

Googled clam frag plugs, did not know such things existed. Learn something new everyday!

Ended up just ordering a brightwell aquatics clam hammock. Lets see if that helps. Suppose I could have just made something out of putty, but for 5$ and designed specifically for small clams, why bother.

[homer1475]

After looking at "clam hammocks" yesterday I was just doing some light reading on the net about clams. I found out I have 2 maximas, not a blue maxima and a gold squamosa. I also found out that unlike some clams that always attach to something, unless a maxima has the need to attach when they are tiny, they often lose this ability and will never attach even when larger. This often happens when maxima's are aquaculture and not ocean caught. Could be why my new blue one won't attach, and my larger one that I've had for 2 years now has never attached to anything. Only difference is the larger one is large enough and heavy enough to keep itself upright, where as the little blue one I just got it so tiny the flow knocks it around.

The only clams to have the dark little circles on its mantle(often times called eyes) are maximas.

Originally Posted by Animal World

The mantle of a Maxima Clam can be any colors of the rainbow, including black and white. It will sometimes exhibit an undulating shape with tubercles that are light sensitive. Although it is rare, the tubercles are sometimes quite numerous. This is a distinct feature that only the Maxima Clams have. They look like little "eyes" around the edge of the mantle, and are often incorrectly called "eyes." But these are actually hyaline organs, a translucent window that allow more light onto pockets of zooxanthellae, thus increasing the clam's metabolism.

Here you can clearly see the "eyes" on the outer edge of the mantle. I think That fish place, That pet place should learn what they are selling before they sell it. or better yet I should know what I'm buying before I walk out the door with it. lol

I could care less what type of clam it is, just found it interesting that all this time I've thought it was a squammy when it fact its a maxima.

[homer1475]

Did my usual weekly WC routine today and checked on the ATS screen. Wow it's finally taking off like it should. Been a couple months, but it's really starting to work well. Each side of the screen before cleaning. This is the first time since setting it up do I have actual GHA on the screen, and not just slimy snotty goo.

[soulpatch]

good deal man!!!

[Pandagobyguy]

Nice growth!

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[homer1475]

I know it's hard to get excited about the growth on an ATS, but it's a feeling of accomplishment and knowing I didn't do all that work for nothing.

[homer1475]

Well another loss, and I have no idea why or how.

Checked on the tank last night around 7 and my new little blue maxima was open, and looking good(it did attach to the frag plug). My wife woke me up an hour later and there is an empty shell!

I have nothing in my tank other then a couple red leg hermits, a handfull of super tongan snails, and my cleaner shrimp.

My only thought was the snails because you normally don't see them unless there is food around, but that doesn't make sense since they only eat the micro fauna, and detritus in the sandbed. I did move the clam yesterday so I'm thinking it was so small that the snails assumed it was leftover food? No idea on this one, but it's been nice and healthy looking up until then.

The next one I purchase will be larger.