Already Helped So Much

[SeaTila]

I purchased a 120g saltwater tank on craigslist and had no idea what I was getting into. Lets just say the 8 year old overflows were muck and worms...the sand hadn't been touched in 1.5 years and it had a serious green bubble agae growing out of control...did I mention aptasia...low circulation. I paid for it but the guy looked relieved for a reason as I merrily took the tank off his hands. I remember thinking...I'll clean it up and how bad can it be...its nice to still realize I can be naive about anything 20 years after I tried out this hobby the first time.

This forum has helped me change salinity from 1.30 to 1.25 with ro while saving the tank from a ph drop because the previous owner used tapwater...that was fun...I bought 5 emerald crabs who shoved their faces with bubble algae and licked the rock clean revealing a live rock paradise of ancient coral branches. I saved the 4 year old clownfish thru a 80 ammonia spike and unfortunately the damsels eat ammonia for breakfast and thrive anyway....so I had to catch 3 damsels in live rock trying not to disturb the sand...lol. Wish I had a picture of me and my husband standing over the tank with fish nets trying to lure the most clever species of fish in the fish kindom...the dam-damsels. 3 separate trips to lfs to donate a huge humbug and two yellow damsels. My husband caught one damsel for me as a birthday gift and I was happier than if I had won a lottery or received jewelry. Oh did I mention I didnt know the big green brittlestar monster needs to fed to keep from killing fish...the way he stood up while fish hid under him creeped me out. He was pretty hungry before I knew I had to feed him lol.....

So fast forward 2 months...excellent numbers, aptasia free, clean water, sand looks like sand, macro algae is growing purple...all the bubble algae is gone. Bought a couple tangs and clowns. I read about old tanks coming apart...yikes and figured out I dont have to live with the sound of a pool in my livingroom. I've decided to get a new Elos 160xl 200g to replace the old tank inhabitants we rescued from the jaws of hell. And my husband seems to like helping me out and in onboard with a new 200g. Imagine being that 4 year old clownfish going from dirty water to clean in 120g to 200g. And I felt like I won the lottery because my husband caught a damsel in a tank full of liverock! That was probably also the happiest day of the clownfish's life too.

SO for now I dont have a question...just announcing that a journey begins as one clown's fate changed and I found how much fun it is to research and solve one salty problem at a time! Thanks to all of the members who take the time to share so that others can find the answers.

Before:

After 2 months:

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[darmar7812]

That was an awesome story thanks for sharing and im excited for your new journey can't wait to see your progress

 

[SeaTila]

That was an awesome story thanks for sharing and im excited for your new journey can't wait to see your progress

Thanks! I'll post some before and after pics shortly...

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[darmar7812]

Wow! Worked some real magic there! Looks great and real nice photography as well, I'm still tryna work out taking pictures just right at home.

 

[billdogg]

Looks like you are off to a great start!

If I might ask - what are you using for lights? Your anemone appears to be bleached out - they require fairly intense lighting, so that could become an issue.

 

[SeaTila]

Looks like you are off to a great start!

If I might ask - what are you using for lights? Your anemone appears to be bleached out - they require fairly intense lighting, so that could become an issue.

I bought the anemone that way and didnt know about bleaching issue until I researched where to place a malu sebae in the tank. The tank was on the old type of lights needing power supply...very bright due to depth of tank I think. When I brought the tank home the power supply was shorting out and was noisy. I bought 2 coralife 36" led aqualight s and added 4 10k daylight and 8 actinic bluelight trilamps. We have a 60" length and 19" depth of water line to sand. This tank is about 18 inches front to back. I run the full lights 8 hours and nightlights when lights are off. I moved the sebae to the back corner in deeper sand after buying a small live rock and sebae appears to be pretty happy with the location now. I bought a small green bubble tip a week also about the same time and the gbta is thriving and growing. The gbta was very hungry and feeding krill mysis and some of 50/50 frozen...grabs everything immediately. Three peppermint shrimp were hanging under the gbta but good luck little buddies...he's fast.

The white malu sebae has purple tips and its been a bit more difficult. Took the recent move placement to look better and its eating...just slow as molasses about it. I have to guard the sebae from clowns and shrimp and even the sailfin tries to steal its food. I surround it with fishnets. I've got the 4 year clownfish...bought two snowflake clowns so bought juveniles and chocolate clown bit larger than largest snowflake. Now I have an east gang of 3 (largest clown, chocolate, juve) and west gang of 3 clowns (2 snowflakes and juve). All want to bother the sebae but largest clown took over and banished the snowflakes to side with the gbta. I figured the snowflakes would just use the gbta but so far theyd rather hang near the overflow.

So any advice is welcome. I will post pics for detail. So far I think everything is good. I have to babysit this tank due to sump limitations changing waterlevel for skimmer adjustments...huge amount of detris still pulling out of sand/sock filter cause I installed another circ pump and wave maker.

I purchased a 200g 160xl ethos with razor ..as I have same concerns about too much or too little on this tank...definitely there is less intense light from before but the prev owner. I'll keep this running and get the 200g up and running and take my time with conversion to not impact fish/inverts. After I sell this 120g setup I'm likely going to get a red sea refeer xl ...60g I think. This way I can separate out the snowflakes and have a place to move tangs if I have short term issue with 200g. I dont like the idea of a 30g hospital tank to treat a tang. The issue came up because I bought a juve cheveron tang and he was beatup by last remaining damsel I couldnt extract. Then didn't want to treat him in my 30gal because I was worried it wasnt a large enough tank and would do more harm than good.

So I'm looking forward to moving all this liverock to bigger tank and having an ato to stabilize without constant daily supervision of this tank...I have a business to run after all...[emoji53]

Tank with coralight aqualights 8 hours a day. Not getting any new algae and no slime buildup. Nightlights on other 16 hours:

120g, Salinity at 1.25 ...I keep it 1.24-1.25. Nitrates less than 20, nitites 0, ph 8.2-8.3, calcium 440, alk 90, 30 gallons change red sea coral pro weekly., red oct pro skimmer, microfilter sock, 2 circ pumps, one wave maker pump, 78-79 degrees. No issue with temp stability due to house system, no issue with oxygen fresh air ..high ceilings. at least 20ft to tinted windows in both directions.
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[SeaTila]

Wow! Worked some real magic there! Looks great and real nice photography as well, I'm still tryna work out taking pictures just right at home.

I think the key is to take a thousand of them and then delete 998.

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[nathan1986]

Ive had some used tanks, one being almost 10 years old. I must say the silicone on that 8 year old tank still looks near perfect. Nice transformation, nice to see how things look after some care is put into it. Keep up the good work

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[gone fishin]

Looks like things are coming along nicely. Slow and steady wins this race. Good luck.

 

[SeaTila]

Ive had some used tanks, one being almost 10 years old. I must say the silicone on that 8 year old tank still looks near perfect. Nice transformation, nice to see how things look after some care is put into it. Keep up the good work

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Thanks!

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[darmar7812]

I think the key is to take a thousand of them and then delete 998.

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Ha ima have to try that if I don't run out of memory first

 

[SeaTila]

New tank delivered and waiting on parts..

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[uncleL]

Aggies looking good you put in a lot of work great job

 

[SeaTila]

Aggies looking good you put in a lot of work great job

Ah...the perfect tank. It's so empty. No worms. No algae. No fighting clowns over a reluctant sebae anemone...But its way more fun to fill it with saltwater and have to manage 200g of drama, isn't it?

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[xanthurum]

It's amazing what can happen if you are willing to listen and learn. I've made more mistakes over the years than I care to talk about but there was no Internet when I got started so it was a bit tougher. Good luck on the new tank and don't forget to share pics. After all that's what we live for here, pics.

 

[xanthurum]

By the way there is no such thing as a white male sebae, just a "bleached" sebae. Not actually bleached just mad and stressed so it expelled it's zooxanthellae. It should recover in time and regain its color. It will still have the purple tips but they are supposed to be a nice tan color.

 

[SeaTila]

It's amazing what can happen if you are willing to listen and learn. I've made more mistakes over the years than I care to talk about but there was no Internet when I got started so it was a bit tougher. Good luck on the new tank and don't forget to share pics. After all that's what we live for here, pics.

I agree. The info sharing had made a huge difference. My first saltwater tank was in about '91. I lost the whole tank due to a power outage. I like to solve problems and have found this hobby a very good reason to research for answers now that so much info is available... I will post pics on progress.

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[SeaTila]

By the way there is no such thing as a white male sebae, just a "bleached" sebae. Not actually bleached just mad and stressed so it expelled it's zooxanthellae. It should recover in time and regain its color. It will still have the purple tips but they are supposed to be a nice tan color.

My sebae has not been happy but appears better than in the beginning. I was surprised by the bleaching issue since I hadnt heard of it before. The last anemone I bought was in the 90s.

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[SeaTila]

Quick update. Sebae is doing well hosting largest clown and green anemone is finally hosting a snowflake clown. On an amusing front...all were fighting over sebae malu when green anemone was in tank and it was ignored for over a month. Now that the snowflake pair pay attention [having been banished]to the green the largest clown goes back and forth now across the tank obviously envious of the snowflakes having the bigger healthier green anemone. So "green anemones are greener on the other side of the tank" is not just a human thought process.



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[SeaTila]

Quick update. Sebae is doing well hosting largest clown and green anemone is finally hosting a snowflake clown. On an amusing front...all were fighting over sebae malu when green anemone was in tank and it was ignored for over a month. Now that the snowflake pair pay attention [having been banished]to the green the largest clown goes back and forth now across the tank obviously envious of the snowflakes having the bigger healthier green anemone. So "green anemones are greener on the other side of the tank" is not just a human thought process.



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