20 Long Mixed Reef
- Thread starter Musing.Dog
- Start date
Musing.Dog
New member
I'll look into it but it looks like a colonista snail to me. I don't have zoas but I only ever see them eating diatoms or greendust/film micro algae.
StephLionfish
New member
They are collonistas. Beneficial.
You could still have some cleaners or fire shrimp, right? I thought that basslets only ate the smaller shrimp.
You could still have some cleaners or fire shrimp, right? I thought that basslets only ate the smaller shrimp.
Musing.Dog
New member
It depends on the royal gramma it seems. Some like to eat cleaning shrimp too. I think the orangeback basslets are more prone to it than the royal grammas. Yeah, I took a look at the snails are they are for sure collonistas.
The dkh is still 16 today after another 20% or maybe more waterchange. On the more positive note, calcium is 400ppm, not that that is very useful.
The dkh is still 16 today after another 20% or maybe more waterchange. On the more positive note, calcium is 400ppm, not that that is very useful.
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Musing.Dog
New member
Awesome, the alkalinity is coming up at 10.8 or 11ish. I accidentally dropped in a couple more drops past the color change point. Calcium is at about 400ish. Much more normal now. I am also seeing a greater increase of inflation in the orange ric and a slight increase in the green ric. It seems like bringing the calcium up a little has helped a lot with leveling the alkalinity out a little.
Musing.Dog
New member
Well, the alkalinity is a stable 10.8 or so. I haven't been topping off like I should though and the salinity has been a tad crazy. I need to buy an auto top off and forget about it.
I don't believe there has been much of a decrease in hair algae but the diatoms and cyano are decreased. The red ruffly algae is still doing well. The gracilaria is still melting some and the prolifera isn't growing very well.
I looked at some of my hair algae under a little microscope I have. Pretty interesting. I couldn't see too much because I don't have cover slips but I got to see the irregular branching of my hair algae, some nematodes, epiphytic diatoms, and a few random sponge spicules. I don't have fancy equipment but I tried a camera shot down the 'scope tube.
And here's the full tank shot. Notice the lack of diatoms in the left corner.
I don't believe there has been much of a decrease in hair algae but the diatoms and cyano are decreased. The red ruffly algae is still doing well. The gracilaria is still melting some and the prolifera isn't growing very well.
I looked at some of my hair algae under a little microscope I have. Pretty interesting. I couldn't see too much because I don't have cover slips but I got to see the irregular branching of my hair algae, some nematodes, epiphytic diatoms, and a few random sponge spicules. I don't have fancy equipment but I tried a camera shot down the 'scope tube.
And here's the full tank shot. Notice the lack of diatoms in the left corner.
Musing.Dog
New member
Now the green ric looks crappy like the orange one. I am not sure what's going on here but I have seen some brown matter expelled (unsure if it was fecal matter or zooxanthellae) and even some slight mesenterial filaments showing. There is nothing else in the tank besides snails, the two rics and a peppermint shrimp. I look at the tank at all hours and never see the shrimp anywhere near the rics.
Ammonia is showing up as 0.25ppm on the API ammonia test kit. I am unsure of this number.
Nitrite is 0
Nitrate is 0
pH: 8.0
Ammonia is showing up as 0.25ppm on the API ammonia test kit. I am unsure of this number.
Nitrite is 0
Nitrate is 0
pH: 8.0
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Musing.Dog
New member
I did another ammonia test and it has come up 0. The topoff water is also 0. Alk is 9.6 dkh. :/ I don't know what is going on here.
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Musing.Dog
New member
Well, a lack of resources and time have taken a toll on this tank. I have to stand on a chair to do any maintenance and I almost can't afford salt mix anymore. I am just growing algae and pods. The rics were no more as finals came and went.
I'm breaking this tank down most likely.
I am leaving soon for several weeks and this monstrosity will have no one to top it off. I don't want to come back to a box of green fluff and salt creep.
Thanks for following though, those who read. Maybe one day I will come back to this idea when I have more disposable income.
I'm breaking this tank down most likely.
I am leaving soon for several weeks and this monstrosity will have no one to top it off. I don't want to come back to a box of green fluff and salt creep.
Thanks for following though, those who read. Maybe one day I will come back to this idea when I have more disposable income.
Musing.Dog
New member
Okay well, I went on my trip. I turned everything off including the lights, circulation pumps and heater. No topping off was done and the aquarium was not covered.
It almost looks exactly the same as I left it perhaps except for a little more green fluff.
Here's a really rough phone picture.
Even the peppermint shrimp was alive.
The caulerpa is battered. I moved the other two algae into the quarantine which recieved the same treatment. They look sort of okay. The gracilaria is sad.
The casualties included a few nassarius snails and ceriths including a stocky florida cerith.
The water is super clear but the salinity is something like 1.029
I'll be bringing that down slowly for the sake of the shrimp. I don't know, I guess this hobby won't let go of me.
I just wish this tank weren't so deep. I am thinking about adding significantly to my sandbed or something to elevate the rocks so that I can reach things without wetting my armpits. Or perhaps just taking some rocks out for a more open scape.
It almost looks exactly the same as I left it perhaps except for a little more green fluff.
Here's a really rough phone picture.
Even the peppermint shrimp was alive.
The caulerpa is battered. I moved the other two algae into the quarantine which recieved the same treatment. They look sort of okay. The gracilaria is sad.
The casualties included a few nassarius snails and ceriths including a stocky florida cerith.
The water is super clear but the salinity is something like 1.029
I'll be bringing that down slowly for the sake of the shrimp. I don't know, I guess this hobby won't let go of me.
I just wish this tank weren't so deep. I am thinking about adding significantly to my sandbed or something to elevate the rocks so that I can reach things without wetting my armpits. Or perhaps just taking some rocks out for a more open scape.
