StephLionfish
New member
Beautiful Rics! I love Ricordeas.
20 Long Mixed Reef
- Thread starter Musing.Dog
- Start date
Musing.Dog
New member
Thanks, they are nicer in person I think. Perhaps I will be able to get better pictures when they are under proper lighting. Ricordeas are beautiful.
Musing.Dog
New member
Well, I have transferred everything to the 65. I haven't messed with the plumbing so the sump is offline.
The ricordea are doing well. Especially after I returned my peppermint shrimp today. A couple days ago the shrimp carved a piece of flesh off of the orange ricordea. Other than the peppermint shrimp, this tank houses ceriths, nassarius, micro brittlestars, collonista snails... essentially nothing that could cut coral flesh like that. I caught him sitting on one of the polyps one morning too. Frankly, the shrimp was very aggressive and rather opportunistic. It even tried to eat one of my nassarius. I am 100% it was not a camel shrimp, just a plucky peppermint shrimp. I opted for returning him for credit versus trying to feed him frequently to keep him from "nibbling".
The ricordea are doing well. Especially after I returned my peppermint shrimp today. A couple days ago the shrimp carved a piece of flesh off of the orange ricordea. Other than the peppermint shrimp, this tank houses ceriths, nassarius, micro brittlestars, collonista snails... essentially nothing that could cut coral flesh like that. I caught him sitting on one of the polyps one morning too. Frankly, the shrimp was very aggressive and rather opportunistic. It even tried to eat one of my nassarius. I am 100% it was not a camel shrimp, just a plucky peppermint shrimp. I opted for returning him for credit versus trying to feed him frequently to keep him from "nibbling".
Musing.Dog
New member
A little update, it's been a while.
The rics seem to be doing well.
Whatever macro this is, is growing nicely I think. It's beautiful.
I trashed all of my old prolifera and got more from a different source, no more blisters. Maybe it was some kind of virus?
Have some color coming in on my new rocks. This pinkish haze isn't slimy, not sure what the little red sticks are but they are growing very slowly.
I do have some of this. This algae is wire-like and stiff as well as course. It does not feel slimy. Out of water it looks pretty much the same and it even dries green. Maybe it's come kind of marine clado? It's not feathered at all.
And here's the tank shot. Still haven't put the MH's up. I have some aiptasia coming up. :/ Too bad I had to take the peppermint back; it was really chowing down on those aiptasia (and my ric).
The rics seem to be doing well.
Whatever macro this is, is growing nicely I think. It's beautiful.
I trashed all of my old prolifera and got more from a different source, no more blisters. Maybe it was some kind of virus?
Have some color coming in on my new rocks. This pinkish haze isn't slimy, not sure what the little red sticks are but they are growing very slowly.
I do have some of this. This algae is wire-like and stiff as well as course. It does not feel slimy. Out of water it looks pretty much the same and it even dries green. Maybe it's come kind of marine clado? It's not feathered at all.
And here's the tank shot. Still haven't put the MH's up. I have some aiptasia coming up. :/ Too bad I had to take the peppermint back; it was really chowing down on those aiptasia (and my ric).
StephLionfish
New member
I like the scape! Everything looks nice.
I'm still not sure about the blisters on the prolifera. The new stuff is very pretty, though.
I'm still not sure about the blisters on the prolifera. The new stuff is very pretty, though.
Musing.Dog
New member
Thanks, it's been going so slowly being a student and low on funds. Also, trying to limit my additions to Caribbean natives.
frugalreefer
Premium Member
A couple of seahorses will look great with that macro algae 
. Ever consider?
. Ever consider?
Musing.Dog
New member
I did consider seahorses; I am leaning toward not not doing seahorses as I am pretty new to saltwater and I might have periods of time in the future where I won't be able to pay as much attention to my tank as I'd like. It seems seahorses are higher maintenance than some other options. They do seem interesting though, I like pipefish too.
Musing.Dog
New member
I haven't updated in a bit, thought I'd post some more pictures. Not a whole lot has changed though.
"Woke" the rics up for a picture so they aren't fully expanded.
One change I have had are these interesting, sparse, red macro-looking strands.
I have a bit of gracilaria that isn't growing or dying on one end of the tank. I tried to glue it a long while ago but it just detached. Perhaps this is gracilaria.
"Woke" the rics up for a picture so they aren't fully expanded.
One change I have had are these interesting, sparse, red macro-looking strands.
I have a bit of gracilaria that isn't growing or dying on one end of the tank. I tried to glue it a long while ago but it just detached. Perhaps this is gracilaria.
Musing.Dog
New member
Pretty neat.
Pretty terrible.
Michigan Mike
Freedom costs a buckofive
Lol, it's a phase luckily. What a difference 2 months makes!
Musing.Dog
New member
Thanks, and hopefully. This system is over a year old at this point. I have been neglecting it some and I am sure this is part of the reason for the green algae. The algae is stiff and wiry, but usually slow growing. It grows up and not along the rock. I was thinking cladophora but I am leaning more toward some kind of turf algae now.
Honestly, it needs a good water change. : )
Yep, that red macro is so cool. I put it in forever ago and it has never been attached to that rock. Somehow spores just settled down on it and it has taken off.
Honestly, it needs a good water change. : )
Yep, that red macro is so cool. I put it in forever ago and it has never been attached to that rock. Somehow spores just settled down on it and it has taken off.
Musing.Dog
New member
Well, the ricordea haven't been looking good for a couple weeks and I have been seeing some dead collonista snails. I introduced some old water from the offline sump and got a slightly milky precipitate.
Today I ponied up some money for a Salifert alk test as I had a suspicioun something was wrong there. Upon following the instructions, my samples won't change color after a full syringe of reagent. The accompanying reference solution sparks an immediate color change so it looks like my alk is through the roof. I am currently preparing water for a 25% water change. I'll reevaluate afterwards. I have a feeling this will be a series of water changes.
On a positive note, my red ruffly algae is responding positively. The halymenia is not though, it's giving me a sort of orange-y color. The rics are scrunched looking but not closed. The snails other than collonistas are fine as well as the mini brittles. My peppermint shrimp is also out and about. The C. prolifera isn't spreading as much and occassional "leaves" are dying; there hasn't been a mass sexual event. ( I recently pruned it back to very little biomass).I also have a 4" by 4" square of diatoms in one corner.
I measured a pH measurement of 7.9 but a local store found 8.3 (albeit from a dip strip). My salinity is also running a bit high at 1.026. I don't have a magnesium test kit.
We'll see how this works out.
Today I ponied up some money for a Salifert alk test as I had a suspicioun something was wrong there. Upon following the instructions, my samples won't change color after a full syringe of reagent. The accompanying reference solution sparks an immediate color change so it looks like my alk is through the roof. I am currently preparing water for a 25% water change. I'll reevaluate afterwards. I have a feeling this will be a series of water changes.
On a positive note, my red ruffly algae is responding positively. The halymenia is not though, it's giving me a sort of orange-y color. The rics are scrunched looking but not closed. The snails other than collonistas are fine as well as the mini brittles. My peppermint shrimp is also out and about. The C. prolifera isn't spreading as much and occassional "leaves" are dying; there hasn't been a mass sexual event. ( I recently pruned it back to very little biomass).I also have a 4" by 4" square of diatoms in one corner.
I measured a pH measurement of 7.9 but a local store found 8.3 (albeit from a dip strip). My salinity is also running a bit high at 1.026. I don't have a magnesium test kit.
We'll see how this works out.
codyreef29
New member
lol i did the same thing to my 7.5 my alk went to like 16 and killed an acro and monti my digitata lives on and is making a great come back in my new 2.5. make big water change and it will help you
Musing.Dog
New member
Thanks, my water is mixing up right now. I have no idea how high my alk is but it's well over 15. There is an issue that I also tested some leftover water I mixed up a while ago and it shows similar numbers. I will test my new makeup water as well (I stupidly mixed it with the older water.)
Musing.Dog
New member
Okay well, I did a 20% water change today because I don't have the facilities to store much water at a time. The dkh is something like 16 now using the 'low resolution' instructions. Not good but the ricordea seem to be happier than before the water change. My new water in the trash can is 10.8 dkh.
Musing.Dog
New member
So here's everything.
The ruffly alga is doing some nice things.
The gracilaria is not though. I might not feed enough; I frequently have 0 nitrates.
My little orange ric is shrinking and has been. I am not sure what its issue is.
The green one seems fine.
And I have some diatoms on top of everything else.
I am still debating whether I want to feature royal grammas or orangeback basslets here. I am leaning toward the orangeback basslet right now even though they might eat my peppermint shrimp which is still alive and kicking (really nice complete molt today).
StephLionfish
New member
Hope that algae clears up for you. As I always say, the scape looks nice.
Orangeback Basslets are cool looking fish.
Glad the shrimp is doing well. They are cool little critters.
Orangeback Basslets are cool looking fish.
Glad the shrimp is doing well. They are cool little critters.
Musing.Dog
New member
Thanks StephLionfish, I love the orangeback basslets but they do limit my other stocking choices. I think the diatoms will clear up eventually, the macro will need more coercive methods. Thanks for commenting on the scape, I like it but I wish I had more space around the formation. Yep, this peppermint shrimp is so much better than my last; he doesn't try to eat my arm.
