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Unread 07/03/2021, 09:42 AM   #526
vlangel
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster View Post
I imagine your mini overhaul upset the biological filter, causing the Nitrate bump. You might try putting an Ulva plant up high, in very bright light, where it can rapidly take up nutrients.
Thanks for the tip Michael! Yes I will try that.


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Current Tank Info: A 56 gallon naural nutrient macro reef that flows into a 30 gallon fuge with macros/seagrass that flows into a 20 gallon sump.
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Unread 07/08/2021, 10:05 AM   #527
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So much for the best laid plans...Rice Krispie has managed to turn my lovely tiers back into rolling hills already. Uhhg, I guess I just need to 'go with it' while the pistol shrimp does his thing. After all, he is only doing what he is suppose to.


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Unread 07/09/2021, 09:42 AM   #528
Michael Hoaster
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Oh well! Nature does it's thing, and we adapt.


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Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018
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Unread 07/10/2021, 07:06 AM   #529
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Oh well! Nature does it's thing, and we adapt.
Ha ha, yes, we adapt.

I have been consistently doing 5 to 8 gallon water changes to bring my nitrates down and it has been effective. This morning I tested and they are 25 ppm, which is very much in line where I want them to be. The phosphates are .5 ppm which is ok if I can keep them there. Apparently my tap water has phosphates which I know because it has chloromines which causes high phosphate readings. I guess I need to replace the cartridges in my RODI unit, (or at least replace the resin ) to lower the phosphates a bit. At any rate the coral look better and the macro algae should still have enough nutrients to thrive.


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Unread 07/13/2021, 08:21 AM   #530
Michael Hoaster
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I sent you a message.


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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance,
our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey

Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018
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Unread 07/16/2021, 01:39 PM   #531
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I got your message. Wow, and amazing is all I can say! Here is a pic of the display.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/UYQWPDyXH2BF2dB78


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Unread 07/16/2021, 01:55 PM   #532
Michael Hoaster
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Wow, that looks amazing! Nice job. Of course we need a pic of the fuge too…


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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance,
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Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018
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Unread 07/16/2021, 03:47 PM   #533
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Wow, that looks amazing! Nice job. Of course we need a pic of the fuge too…
Definitely will get a pic of the fuge as well. Since they are on opposite light cycles the fuge will have to wait a day or so when I can get it with the lights on.
I love the color green of the shoal grass. It's a great contrast against the red macros.


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Unread 07/16/2021, 03:54 PM   #534
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Yeah, plus that was a great pic too!


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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance,
our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey

Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018
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Unread 07/18/2021, 06:28 AM   #535
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https://photos.app.goo.gl/j975y99qSCgCctxE6
https://photos.app.goo.gl/EyBXgE74m7h8HAew6
Some fuge pics!


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Unread 07/18/2021, 07:09 AM   #536
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Looks good! I'm sure you'll have better luck with these, with your new lighting and substrate. Nice that your peppermint shrimp comes out in the open. I thought mine was gone until I started leaving a baited trap out for fish.


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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance,
our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey

Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018
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Unread 07/20/2021, 12:28 PM   #537
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Looks good! I'm sure you'll have better luck with these, with your new lighting and substrate. Nice that your peppermint shrimp comes out in the open. I thought mine was gone until I started leaving a baited trap out for fish.
Yes, that one is a bold one. I may actually have 2 more in there but I have not seen them in months.

Yes, I really hope these grasses make it as I love how they look.


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Unread 07/20/2021, 02:05 PM   #538
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Well, I'm finally caught up on your thread Dawn.

First, regarding cleaning off your hardscape, a buddy of mine uses a pump for the new water going in during water changes. He uses that water input to clean off his hardscape, sending detritus into the water column to be picked up by strong, supplemental internal filters that he uses only during water changes. They remind me of internal versions of the old diatom filters. Anyway, his water change causes the detritus to suspend in the water column while the supplemental filters (along with his built in filters) to clean the water. At the end, he has cleaner water and a cleaner hardscape.

Pretty cool about collecting stuff from Chincoteague. I just did the same thing not that far away, a bit further South, Oyster VA and a few other places on the way North. One of my more pleasant catches, other than a new female striped blenny that I was thrilled to catch, but a hermit crab that I didn't know lived in the Bay, the thin-striped hermit crab (Clibanarius vittatus).

I couldn't see a lot of your pictures while catching up, but did see the most recent ones. Do they have some kind of time limit and then get automatically deleted or something? Sorry to hear about your blennies. The saddled blenny from KP might be a nice addition. Not tiny, but not big, and is more of a carnivore, and they look quite attractive. Of course, I've also been following your YT channel. Your tank and fuge look fantastic.


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Current Tank Info: 101g 3'X3'X18" Cubish Oyster Reef Blenny tank, 36"X17"X18" sump
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Unread 07/23/2021, 06:41 PM   #539
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Quote:
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Well, I'm finally caught up on your thread Dawn.

First, regarding cleaning off your hardscape, a buddy of mine uses a pump for the new water going in during water changes. He uses that water input to clean off his hardscape, sending detritus into the water column to be picked up by strong, supplemental internal filters that he uses only during water changes. They remind me of internal versions of the old diatom filters. Anyway, his water change causes the detritus to suspend in the water column while the supplemental filters (along with his built in filters) to clean the water. At the end, he has cleaner water and a cleaner hardscape.

Pretty cool about collecting stuff from Chincoteague. I just did the same thing not that far away, a bit further South, Oyster VA and a few other places on the way North. One of my more pleasant catches, other than a new female striped blenny that I was thrilled to catch, but a hermit crab that I didn't know lived in the Bay, the thin-striped hermit crab (Clibanarius vittatus).

I couldn't see a lot of your pictures while catching up, but did see the most recent ones. Do they have some kind of time limit and then get automatically deleted or something? Sorry to hear about your blennies. The saddled blenny from KP might be a nice addition. Not tiny, but not big, and is more of a carnivore, and they look quite attractive. Of course, I've also been following your YT channel. Your tank and fuge look fantastic.
Thanks Kevin for taking the time to read my thread. I need to keep your water change filtering detritus tip in mind. That should not only help the the hardscape look cleaner but I bet it would help with the nitrates levels too.

That is cool that you did some collecting of your own. It's sounds like you scored some great finds with the blenny and crab! I wished I lived close enough to the ocean to do that every year.

As far as my pics, I did not realize that if I deleted a pic from my Google photos that they would not be viewable in my thread too, doh! I really am an dunze when it come to tech stuff. Lesson learned the hard way!


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Unread 07/26/2021, 11:26 AM   #540
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As far as my pics, I did not realize that if I deleted a pic from my Google photos that they would not be viewable in my thread too, doh! I really am an dunze when it come to tech stuff. Lesson learned the hard way!
LOL. Yeah, me too. The tech world seems to be passing me by, unless required by work. I get the hang of that stuff, but, my performance would go down if I didn't learn it.


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Current Tank Info: 101g 3'X3'X18" Cubish Oyster Reef Blenny tank, 36"X17"X18" sump
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Unread 08/10/2021, 05:39 AM   #541
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I am back home now from watching my grandkids. I wrote on today's 'to do' list fish tank maintenance. The display especially needs some attention and it's time for a water change too.
On a positive note, all looked good when we got back from being away.


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Unread 08/10/2021, 08:31 AM   #542
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I need to catch up on some tank maintenance as well. It seems like I'm behind on everything!


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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance,
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Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018
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Unread 08/15/2021, 03:07 PM   #543
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I did my tank maintenance which included (3) 4 gallon water changes on 3 different days. I gently upped the salinity from .023 to .024 for the shoal seagrasses benefit. I am still not sure how they are doing. Some are a nice vibrant green but there is a lot of brown too. On a positive note, there is no nuisance algae on the seagrass at all. I guess it's just a waiting game to see what happens.


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Unread 08/16/2021, 07:49 AM   #544
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Yes, it's a waiting game. I think you get a lot of die off at first, then new blades will emerge. Hang in there!


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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance,
our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey

Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018
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Unread 08/16/2021, 01:56 PM   #545
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I am and hopefully those new blades will emerge! I am keeping my fingers crossed.


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Unread 08/30/2021, 04:20 AM   #546
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It's been a while since I gave an update. Mostly that is because the tank and it's inhabitants are perking along just fine. There just isn't much to report.

I still am holding out hope that some of my seagrass that Michael sent is going to take root and begin to get established. There is still brown but also there is still bright green blades too. None of the grass in either the display or the fuge has any algae growing on it. Maybe I hit on just the right amount of snails to keep it clean. ( Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while, ha ha!).

Guardian, my yellow watchman goby continues to thrive in the fuge, along with donated percula clownfish and the salt acclimated sailfin molly. I would love to move them to the display but I do not want to rock the boat, so they will remain in the basement fuge.

Rice Krispie has finally settled down enough that the display is not a constant cloud of dust! I still hear him snapping so I know that he is alive and well. I have not seen the masked goby for quite some time and I wonder if it fell prey to Rice Krispie? Other than that everyone else seems to be doing very well.

The coral and macros are ok. I have quit fretting on getting exact outcomes and accept that what I have adds a natural beauty to the fishes' environment and I guess that has become my new objective. Fish have always been my 1st love. So overall, things are good.


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Unread 08/30/2021, 09:05 AM   #547
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Nice to hear everything's humming along so well!

I'm sure the Shoal grass will come around. I was thinking about it, and I wondered if it is difficult for them to adjust to the different dirt we have in our tanks. But since they are a pioneering species, they should adapt. They very well could be making unseen progress beneath the sand. The cooler water you have may be signaling them to prepare for winter, so you may not see a ton of growth until Spring. I've definitely seen growing seasons with mine.


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As many naturalists and environmentalists have suggested, we should set aside our arrogance,
our desire to conquer and control everything, and walk hand in hand with Mother Nature. -Walter Adey

Current Tank Info: 180g Seagrass Sandbar Lagoon, START DATE November 28, 2018
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Unread 09/01/2021, 01:05 PM   #548
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When it rains, it pours (literally)! Not only did I wake up to discover that some of Ida's residual rain here in PA found its way into our basement, but also the return U tube that hangs over the rim of my display had sprung a leak! (Of course compared to folks in the south who were in Ida's path, this is nothing and I will not lose sight of that). My things were mere inconveniences that were fairly easily remedied. I put every fan we own down in the basement and they are doing the job. Then I went to Lowes and bought JB water weld. The leak was small and I was hoping that would work. I had the return pump turned off for about an hour and a half so the weld could set and harden some. When I turned the return pump back on, the patch seems to be holding! I ordered a new U tube return from Bulk Reef Supply that should be here in the next week or so. I guess it might not hurt to keep a bucket under that area, ha ha! Never a dull moment! That's what I get for saying that things were humming along nicely, not that I believe in jinx's.


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Unread 09/09/2021, 03:59 PM   #549
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My JB water weld patch is continuing to hold. My new U tube return nozzle has arrived but I have not had a chance to put it on.

All else seems good with the high nutrient system.


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Current Tank Info: A 56 gallon naural nutrient macro reef that flows into a 30 gallon fuge with macros/seagrass that flows into a 20 gallon sump.
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Unread 09/28/2021, 04:06 AM   #550
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My tank and system is humming along very well. Maintenance of the display seems to be only cleaning the glass every other week and using the turkey baster to blow off the detritus that settles on stuff from Rice Krispies stirring everything up, LOL. I really wished I had put him in the sump instead of the display but alas he is here to stay now. I do enjoy hearing him snapping from time to time.

I unexpectantly took a job at a Pet Supplies Plus. It is a new store and I was looking for something for my aunt's dog. They had a help wanted sign up and I enquired as to what they needed and shared with the owner of the franchise that I had petstore experience. It is a good fit as I could pretty much pick my hours(weekdays 3 Xs/week 8-2) and my main responsibility will be care of the animals. There is a lot to learn even though I have a fair amount of knowledge from my former job. I feel a bit overwhelmed but I like my bosses (a husband/wife team) and I like the work. It's a big adjustment however.


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