75 Gallons of Persistence

[iwishtofish]

I think you should keep your sandbed. Once the tank matures, the sand will develop a biofilm from snails and bacteria and it won't move as easily. That's what i notice with my tank at least.

Hey, good to hear from you again! I really, really want to keep the sand bed, but detritus export is going to be my main emphasis with husbandry. If I am stirring the sand bed often, do you think it will still stay in place with the biofilm? It doesn't move quickly, but it is nonetheless a relentless migration.

 

[gabew]

Good work with the new powerheads. I hope you don't have to go barebottom too, I just don't like the way it looks jmho.

 

[D5HP]

Haven't stopped by in a while...sorry to see you lost the wrasse. I too wondered about ammonia but I doubt that was the cause all together. You might have just had some new tank troubles. I lost a few fish after all my params seemed fine. What's your overall fish list? Why don't you add some of the peaceful, easy to keep fish now? If you go with something a little bit hardier at this point it could help continue to populate your bacteria colonies (though I also believe in MB7 helping) quite rapidly.

What was your MB7 schedule? I started my 75g yesterday...and want to replicate your quick cycle (all dry rock here as well)

 

[iwishtofish]

Good work with the new powerheads. I hope you don't have to go barebottom too, I just don't like the way it looks jmho.

I agree. I'm not a barebottom fan - it would have to be really worth it.

Haven't stopped by in a while...sorry to see you lost the wrasse. I too wondered about ammonia but I doubt that was the cause all together. You might have just had some new tank troubles. I lost a few fish after all my params seemed fine. What's your overall fish list? Why don't you add some of the peaceful, easy to keep fish now? If you go with something a little bit hardier at this point it could help continue to populate your bacteria colonies (though I also believe in MB7 helping) quite rapidly.

What was your MB7 schedule? I started my 75g yesterday...and want to replicate your quick cycle (all dry rock here as well)

Glad to have you stop by again! Congratulations on starting your new tank!

MB7: I just followed the instructions on the bottle strictly, for the new tank dosing. (I believe it worked out to 4 capfuls - shaken gently - daily for me, based on 100g estimated twv). Then, after two weeks, I went down to the maintenance schedule, which is 2 caps, once a week.

One thing I would have done differently now: I would have added a whole smaller-sized shrimp (maybe 2" long) cut up into a few pieces, and just left them in there. That way I would have been almost certain to get a readable ammonia spike. I don't like not knowing for certain where my tank stands.

And, as much as I have resisted it, I am going to add a couple small pieces of cured live rock to my sump, and monitor it for pests. If it all looks ok after a a month or month and a half, I'll put some of it in the display. I got tired quickly of looking at the moonscape.

Best of luck, and keep us posted!

 

[c0mp|ex]

Hey, good to hear from you again! I really, really want to keep the sand bed, but detritus export is going to be my main emphasis with husbandry. If I am stirring the sand bed often, do you think it will still stay in place with the biofilm? It doesn't move quickly, but it is nonetheless a relentless migration.

Yup! I've been busy studying for the mcat!
A lot of people emphasize nutrient export in their systems with sand beds and they find a way to do it so i know you will too. Don't get discouraged.

Detritus is much lighter and more buoyant compared to the sand you're using, it doesn't take much to get it moving. As long as you have a steady flow over the sand bed, it would ever get a chance to settle. Try keeping strong flow towards the middle of the tank and a more medium flow that sweeps across the bottom of the sand bed. That will kick up detritus into the high flow layer and keep it from settling.

 

[iwishtofish]

Yup! I've been busy studying for the mcat!
A lot of people emphasize nutrient export in their systems with sand beds and they find a way to do it so i know you will too. Don't get discouraged.

Detritus is much lighter and more buoyant compared to the sand you're using, it doesn't take much to get it moving. As long as you have a steady flow over the sand bed, it would ever get a chance to settle. Try keeping strong flow towards the middle of the tank and a more medium flow that sweeps across the bottom of the sand bed. That will kick up detritus into the high flow layer and keep it from settling.

If you're not posting about your tank, I know you must be studying hard! Best of luck with that.

I have tried adjusting these powerheads just about every possible way. Whenever I think the sand just might stay put, a big random "gust" of current blasts down from above and swats at it. I think it will keep mounding before it gets any chance to film over or fuse. I think I will let it alone for a bit and see if it eventually stops moving, and then decide if I can live with that!

Looking forward to more updates on your system, once you get the opportunity!

 

[iwishtofish]

Had some weather last night along with a brief (I think) outage. I think there may have been a surge when the power resumed, but whatever happened, it knocked out my ATO controller. I'm going to try and see if JBJ sells just the controller, minus the switches, etc.

 

[sharkman121]

hey man....just checking in on you. Sorry to hear about yr fish

 

[iwishtofish]

hey man....just checking in on you. Sorry to hear about yr fish

Hey, thanks. I'll try to do things a little differently with the next one, and maybe it'll work out. Good to hear from you again, as well! Hope all is going well with your system.

 

[iwishtofish]

No longer all dry rock in this tank. I got a really good deal on a 7-pound coralline covered piece of rock (Fiji, I think) from someone I know. It is in the refugium now. Has some corals on it, as well as feather dusters, pods, and stomatella. Here's the kicker, though: there is one aiptasia that I was able to see. Well, we all need a challenge, right?

 

[iwishtofish]

It's got a few hitchhikers - wish my camera could take a picture that is not blue.

So far, for corals, I've seen blue mushrooms (not a mushroom fan, but these are pretty), some small brown mushrooms with green spots, green star polyps, some tiny blue polyps I can't identify, and some polyps that haven't opened.

More and more things are opening up or appearing. Maybe my water quality isn't so bad.

I am researching aiptasia control. Apparently it's a bear, but I learned a little about reproduction - when they wander, they leave a little bit of their foot behind, and this grows into a new one.

Lousy picture:

 

[Robb in Austin]

wish my camera could take a picture that is not blue.

You should be able to set the white balance. I used a styrofoam plate, held up under the light, to set mine.

Tank is looking good!

 

[iwishtofish]

You should be able to set the white balance. I used a styrofoam plate, held up under the light, to set mine.

Tank is looking good!

Thanks, Robb! I've tried to set the white balance on this point-and-shoot camera. It doesn't do the trick. I'm going to have to shoot raw with my DSLR and adjust in Photoshop, I think.

****************************************************

A couple more pics of the new life in my tank. Everything is starting to come out. I haven't seen the aiptasia, and I'm hoping now that I was mistaken, and that it was on a different rock he showed to me. I remember there was a bubble-tip along with it, and I haven't seen that, either:

 

[iwishtofish]

I ordered my replacement JBJ ATO today. Having to manually pour water in yesterday and today reminds me of just how much of a nuisance that is. It should be a really easy install - I'll just swap out the controller. I hated to spend that money all over again, but at least I'll have two extra float switches hanging around.

I noticed a bristle worm on the new rock (good, to me), and also what I believe were the arms of a little starfish of some sort. Serpent, or brittle?

I am looking forward to mixing water. I believe my Sg is dropping due to the skimmer skimming so wet. I think it is probably around 1.025, or perhaps a hair lower. I need to get on the ball and figure out my method of water-changing, the goal being the least amount of stress to the tank inhabitants. I am thinking I'll likely do 5g water changes frequently.

I believe coralline algae is taking hold in the display tank. If that's what it is, it has to have been from one of the hermits. I don't believe it acts fast enough to have come from the new live rock down below.

 

[iwishtofish]

I still have the blue "dots" on my rock; they are not getting bigger fast, but more are appearing. Keeping my fingers crossed for coralline.

I am still watching my new live rock for pests. I figure eventually I will want to speed up the introduction of its biodiversity to the DT, so I broke up the big piece of dry rock that it replaced and then put those pieces back in the sump. It will be interesting to see how long it takes for them to become "live." When they do, I can place some of the rocks in the DT and let things go from there.

Replacement ATO coming tomorrow. Might also browse the local pet store and see if they have any coral that interests me at an acceptable price. It's time to get something up top other than just hermits.

 

[shaggss]

Hi IWTF

You have made some really great progress!

If that aiptasia comes back try douse it with vinegar....worked for me!

cheers :beer:

 

[gabew]

Congrats on the cool hitchhikers on the live rock! Glad to hear it is all doing well down there. I wish my live rock could have coral on it lol! Hope some of that stuff spreads to the DT. Also can't wait to see if you find anything you like at the lfs.

Sorry about the ato though. Did you not have a surge protector?

 

[iwishtofish]

Hi IWTF

You have made some really great progress!

If that aiptasia comes back try douse it with vinegar....worked for me!

cheers :beer:

Hey, thanks shaggss! How are things with your tank?

I believe (fingers crossed) that the big aiptasia was on a different rock. But I'm keeping an eye out, haha. Thanks for the vinegar tip!

Congrats on the cool hitchhikers on the live rock! Glad to hear it is all doing well down there. I wish my live rock could have coral on it lol! Hope some of that stuff spreads to the DT. Also can't wait to see if you find anything you like at the lfs.

Sorry about the ato though. Did you not have a surge protector?

Gabe, you have the coolest tank. If you want corals, set up a tropical nano, haha!

No, no surge protector on the ATO. Should have had one, particularly as I remember that when we had a brief outage once before, the power came back on and turned on the whirlpool bath pump. Had to unplug it to get it to turn off.

 

[iwishtofish]

I hooked up the new JBJ ATO controller, so that is automated again.

My goal today is to start mixing a small water change, at least enough to allow me to add carbon to one reactor and flush it out. I figure 5 gallons will allow me to experiment with how much I can draw out of the skimmer and return sections of the sump. I'm open to suggestions on the best way to SLOWLY introduce the new water to the system, especially since it will be slightly higher in salinity than the existing water. I think it might be a good idea to add a Koralia 2 to my refugium first, so that can continue to circulate during the process.

Temperature is staying lower now, since the A/C is running pretty regularly in the house. It usually tops out at around 77.9, and bottoms at 77.1. Occasionally it drops as low as 76.5.

I also need to find a way to keep larger animals in the refugium. Anyone have ideas on adding "teeth," or another kind of screen to the top of the refugium baffle? I think it would be neat to put a shrimp in there, and maybe a small clownfish or goby. I guess it won't be a refugium anymore, if I do that! Here's the top of the baffle I am dealing with (old shot - the heater is no longer there):

I'll probably start a separate thread on this containment issue, since only my few die-hard fans read this! :lol:

Looking at the live rock with a red light last night, I noticed a ton of little stomatella snails cruising around. When I dropped some small food pellets onto the rock, bristle worms and the tiny sea star started to peek out and take notice. One thing seemed to be conspicuously missing: pods.

 

[gabew]

Gabe, you have the coolest tank. If you want corals, set up a tropical nano, haha!

Lol I was actually considering a tropical nano but then I saw how much work it was to keep one tank lol! :lmao:

If you want to keep things in the fuge you could do something similar to what I did and make a screen out of egg crate and 1/4" netting. It is working great for me so far.