Caribbean Biotope Seagrass Tank
- Thread starter Michael Hoaster
- Start date
From my build on 7/18
"Update:
Very very good progress, I treated the tank with 7 days of hydrogen peroxide (10 ml's a day) for 7 days, the last three days the tank in complete blackout(wrapped in trash bags). A couple days after that I could see brown growing again on the bottom but no stringy snot bubbles, left for a week vacation and when I came back the sand was clean the macros where growing and all sorts of other growth was occurring! "
"Update:
Very very good progress, I treated the tank with 7 days of hydrogen peroxide (10 ml's a day) for 7 days, the last three days the tank in complete blackout(wrapped in trash bags). A couple days after that I could see brown growing again on the bottom but no stringy snot bubbles, left for a week vacation and when I came back the sand was clean the macros where growing and all sorts of other growth was occurring! "
Dinos!? I was wondering if that would come up, based on your last few posts about diatoms.
Your tank is so different, that I don't know if we can 100% trust the well-worn paths of others. The daily cycle you described + the grazer die-off makes my Dino sense go tingly. What's different is that usually a Dino onset is preceded by a drop or consistently low values of P (or N) and a reduction in green algaes.
3 common Dino strains:
Ostreopsis, most toxic, but also easiest to eradicate by targeting its nightly trip into the water column.
Amphidinium, low/non toxic, but stays firmly in/under the sand, making it the hardest to eradicate.
Prorocentrum, sorta between the two.
A few other oddballs show up rarely.
Get a microscope. You may end up chasing your tail for a long time if you don't actually have a firm ID. I've seen a few types of diatoms, cyano, etc do a really good impression of dinos.
Got pics?
What's your Phosphate and nitrate levels?
What are you dosing? Carbon, trace elements, additives of any sort?
If it is in fact dinos, then a natural approach with consistent healthy nutrient inputs to favor other competitor algae and grazers is the most reliable path to stability.
Oxidizer, algaecides, antibiotics, etc all get a down vote from me because they reduce biodiversity, which is the opposite of the direction you want to push a system. Blackouts just kick the can down the road, which can be ok until,a plan of attack is developed.
TLDR: for most people with dinos, dosing inorganic P (and N) while adding strong UV (1 watt per 2 gallons) is enough to turn the tide.
Your tank is so different, that I don't know if we can 100% trust the well-worn paths of others. The daily cycle you described + the grazer die-off makes my Dino sense go tingly. What's different is that usually a Dino onset is preceded by a drop or consistently low values of P (or N) and a reduction in green algaes.
3 common Dino strains:
Ostreopsis, most toxic, but also easiest to eradicate by targeting its nightly trip into the water column.
Amphidinium, low/non toxic, but stays firmly in/under the sand, making it the hardest to eradicate.
Prorocentrum, sorta between the two.
A few other oddballs show up rarely.
Get a microscope. You may end up chasing your tail for a long time if you don't actually have a firm ID. I've seen a few types of diatoms, cyano, etc do a really good impression of dinos.
Got pics?
What's your Phosphate and nitrate levels?
What are you dosing? Carbon, trace elements, additives of any sort?
If it is in fact dinos, then a natural approach with consistent healthy nutrient inputs to favor other competitor algae and grazers is the most reliable path to stability.
Oxidizer, algaecides, antibiotics, etc all get a down vote from me because they reduce biodiversity, which is the opposite of the direction you want to push a system. Blackouts just kick the can down the road, which can be ok until,a plan of attack is developed.
TLDR: for most people with dinos, dosing inorganic P (and N) while adding strong UV (1 watt per 2 gallons) is enough to turn the tide.
Also, check this paper on your caulerpa slugs. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/11250003.2013.818722
It's got good stuff.
Only eat caulerpa, predators highly unlikely, and they can go into "sleep mode" for a month or so?!
"Evolution in this order has been closely linked to their specialized suctorial herbivorous habits. All the shelled species (about 20% of the described species) feed exclusively on green algae of the genus Caulerpa..."
"Moreover, predation is not a controlling factor for [Oxynoe] olivacea populations, as the production of the noxious metabolites oxytoxin-1 and oxytoxin-2 makes this species unpalatable"
"Interestingly, O. olivacea showed a cryptic behaviour in March, hiding below the boulders and forming sleeping groups of two or three animals very close to each other. During field observations, the animals remain motionless side by side and do not respond to disturbances. This behaviour has already been described in O. olivacea as well as in Lobiger serradifalci as “sleeping behaviour”"
It's got good stuff.
Only eat caulerpa, predators highly unlikely, and they can go into "sleep mode" for a month or so?!
"Evolution in this order has been closely linked to their specialized suctorial herbivorous habits. All the shelled species (about 20% of the described species) feed exclusively on green algae of the genus Caulerpa..."
"Moreover, predation is not a controlling factor for [Oxynoe] olivacea populations, as the production of the noxious metabolites oxytoxin-1 and oxytoxin-2 makes this species unpalatable"
"Interestingly, O. olivacea showed a cryptic behaviour in March, hiding below the boulders and forming sleeping groups of two or three animals very close to each other. During field observations, the animals remain motionless side by side and do not respond to disturbances. This behaviour has already been described in O. olivacea as well as in Lobiger serradifalci as “sleeping behaviour”"
Outstanding information. It is refreshing to hear aquaculture advice from a scientific perspective. Of course I like natural systems. The coral holibiont loosely discribes the complexity of our captive eco-systems, that have operated in harmony for 5 billion years. I prefer to keep it simple and let “Mother Nature” steer the ship.
Happy Holidays, Everyone!
I decided to step back from the thread for a little while (six whole days!). I had a couple of incidents that really tested me, and I just felt like it was time for me to walk the walk - not talk the talk. And honestly, I am pretty tired of reporting more screw-ups. But I guess I should go ahead put it out there.
I had a perfect storm of my own actions and negligence, combining with something out of my control, that very nearly killed all life in my tank. I was doing a 3 day black out, to combat dinos. I had turned off my pumps to facilitate killing nems and catching slugs. And, I had an overnight power failure, that I failed to notice - until it was almost too late. All four barnacle blennies died and the large male sailfin blenny died. Worms, pods, serpent stars, the cucumber, and the fighting conch were all very highly stressed but survived. Once I realized what had happened, I got additional aeration going, and everything eventually seemed to recover, except the fish. Remarkably, the royal gramma, two sailfin blennies, and the the single molly survived.
As if that wasn't enough drama, later, the same day, my metal halide bulb exploded. My wife and I were both in the room, when it happened. It sounded similar to a gunshot. Kinda scary! If my hood had been open, like it had been a lot lately, we might have been injured. With it closed, the glass shards fell harmlessly into the tank. I was able to remove the shards pretty easily.
Needless to say, it was not a good day. But of course, it could have been worse, and I will learn from it. I'm getting kinda tired of all my lessons lately!
I flipped my light fixture around, so that the bulb socket faces the back of the tank, rather than the front. I also added a sheet metal shield on the front, for extra protection. For power failures, I have a battery back up and a battery powered bubbler. Normally, power failures aren't too big a deal in my heavily planted tank. It was just the above-mentioned combination that made it so much worse.
So, deep breath!
I've just about wiped out the caulerpa slugs. I caught only eight yesterday. The nem war rages on, but I'm determined to win, and there are only tiny ones left now-I hope! The dinoflagellates have subsided, but aren't gone yet. I'm still playing around with different eradication methods. It's a tricky balancing act, trying to kill one algae, while favoring others. I'm hoping that removing the slugs will allow the caulerpa to grow back prolifically, thus denying them of needed nutrients.
Thanks to all who have posted suggestions! Great info! Sam, I concluded it was dinos mostly by the photos. They showed the characteristic bubbles that they form. I haven't seen that with diatoms. Also, some of the causes listed lined up with some of the things I was doing, like higher lighting, increased nitrogen input, lower pH and reduced water flow.
I, for one, look forward to a New Year! Peace!
I decided to step back from the thread for a little while (six whole days!). I had a couple of incidents that really tested me, and I just felt like it was time for me to walk the walk - not talk the talk. And honestly, I am pretty tired of reporting more screw-ups. But I guess I should go ahead put it out there.
I had a perfect storm of my own actions and negligence, combining with something out of my control, that very nearly killed all life in my tank. I was doing a 3 day black out, to combat dinos. I had turned off my pumps to facilitate killing nems and catching slugs. And, I had an overnight power failure, that I failed to notice - until it was almost too late. All four barnacle blennies died and the large male sailfin blenny died. Worms, pods, serpent stars, the cucumber, and the fighting conch were all very highly stressed but survived. Once I realized what had happened, I got additional aeration going, and everything eventually seemed to recover, except the fish. Remarkably, the royal gramma, two sailfin blennies, and the the single molly survived.
As if that wasn't enough drama, later, the same day, my metal halide bulb exploded. My wife and I were both in the room, when it happened. It sounded similar to a gunshot. Kinda scary! If my hood had been open, like it had been a lot lately, we might have been injured. With it closed, the glass shards fell harmlessly into the tank. I was able to remove the shards pretty easily.
Needless to say, it was not a good day. But of course, it could have been worse, and I will learn from it. I'm getting kinda tired of all my lessons lately!
I flipped my light fixture around, so that the bulb socket faces the back of the tank, rather than the front. I also added a sheet metal shield on the front, for extra protection. For power failures, I have a battery back up and a battery powered bubbler. Normally, power failures aren't too big a deal in my heavily planted tank. It was just the above-mentioned combination that made it so much worse.
So, deep breath!
I've just about wiped out the caulerpa slugs. I caught only eight yesterday. The nem war rages on, but I'm determined to win, and there are only tiny ones left now-I hope! The dinoflagellates have subsided, but aren't gone yet. I'm still playing around with different eradication methods. It's a tricky balancing act, trying to kill one algae, while favoring others. I'm hoping that removing the slugs will allow the caulerpa to grow back prolifically, thus denying them of needed nutrients.
Thanks to all who have posted suggestions! Great info! Sam, I concluded it was dinos mostly by the photos. They showed the characteristic bubbles that they form. I haven't seen that with diatoms. Also, some of the causes listed lined up with some of the things I was doing, like higher lighting, increased nitrogen input, lower pH and reduced water flow.
I, for one, look forward to a New Year! Peace!
sam.basye
New member
Damn, Michael...
I hope next year goes better than this year for your tank!
I will say, the silence has been rejuvenating.
Now that you pretty much have no fish, you have a blank slate to start new with. Does this change your fish stocking ideas??
I can continue to pester you about adding more fish. Haha
Which bulb blew? Yellow or new blueish one? Bet that was scary!
I look forward to a new year of biotopiness!
I hope next year goes better than this year for your tank!
I will say, the silence has been rejuvenating.
Now that you pretty much have no fish, you have a blank slate to start new with. Does this change your fish stocking ideas??
I can continue to pester you about adding more fish. Haha
Which bulb blew? Yellow or new blueish one? Bet that was scary!
I look forward to a new year of biotopiness!
Thanks Sam. Me too! 2017 was a year of my highest highs and lowest lows. I'll gladly take a much less volatile 2018.
I seriously contemplated not posting for months. There are guys that do that. I guess I'm just not one of them.
I'm not sure yet how my fish stocking plans will change. As much as I loved the barnacle blennies, I'll probably not replace them. They're not Caribbean and I couldn't face losing any more of them. I have set up two quarantine tanks, so I can get royal grammas and chalk bass simultaneously. I've spoken with a Florida Keys collector, and we'll see what he can find. I expect to hear from him early next month. I'm still bouncing the idea around of a cherub angel harem. My biggest concern is their aggression, so if I got them, I would wait until all the basslets are very well established. Another fish I'd love to get, but whose reputation for aggressiveness is well documented, is the sergeant major. They get big and mean, but a school of small juveniles would be super cool, swimming through the grasses. If I knew I could catch them, once they get too mean, I would go for it, but I'm not sure it would be worth the risk.
The older, bluish bulb blew. It scared the bajeezus out of me. And the thought of injuring my wife…that was rough.
So, the newer, yellowish one is back in service. It is noticeably brighter - 33,000 v 32,000 lumens. This time around, it doesn't look so yellow. One side of the element looks more yellow than the other. Maybe that's the difference. I still have a 7500K bulb on the way, but it has been delayed. It is 32,000 lumens. I think the seagrasses like the brighter light, and the macros like the dimmer one. We'll see how the new one looks when it gets here, sometime next month. I'm sure I'll get suggestions to switch to LED lighting. I don't think I could justify the price of any that would be bright enough to work in my 30 inch deep tank. I still prefer the natural look of a single point light source. I'll keep an open mind, and an eye on the sales! Suggestions welcome.
I look forward to 2018! I'm hoping to surpass the peak my tank achieved earlier this year. I've just about got all the pieces of the ecosystem puzzle in place…
I seriously contemplated not posting for months. There are guys that do that. I guess I'm just not one of them.
I'm not sure yet how my fish stocking plans will change. As much as I loved the barnacle blennies, I'll probably not replace them. They're not Caribbean and I couldn't face losing any more of them. I have set up two quarantine tanks, so I can get royal grammas and chalk bass simultaneously. I've spoken with a Florida Keys collector, and we'll see what he can find. I expect to hear from him early next month. I'm still bouncing the idea around of a cherub angel harem. My biggest concern is their aggression, so if I got them, I would wait until all the basslets are very well established. Another fish I'd love to get, but whose reputation for aggressiveness is well documented, is the sergeant major. They get big and mean, but a school of small juveniles would be super cool, swimming through the grasses. If I knew I could catch them, once they get too mean, I would go for it, but I'm not sure it would be worth the risk.
The older, bluish bulb blew. It scared the bajeezus out of me. And the thought of injuring my wife…that was rough.
So, the newer, yellowish one is back in service. It is noticeably brighter - 33,000 v 32,000 lumens. This time around, it doesn't look so yellow. One side of the element looks more yellow than the other. Maybe that's the difference. I still have a 7500K bulb on the way, but it has been delayed. It is 32,000 lumens. I think the seagrasses like the brighter light, and the macros like the dimmer one. We'll see how the new one looks when it gets here, sometime next month. I'm sure I'll get suggestions to switch to LED lighting. I don't think I could justify the price of any that would be bright enough to work in my 30 inch deep tank. I still prefer the natural look of a single point light source. I'll keep an open mind, and an eye on the sales! Suggestions welcome.
I look forward to 2018! I'm hoping to surpass the peak my tank achieved earlier this year. I've just about got all the pieces of the ecosystem puzzle in place…
Holy crap indeed, Kevin! Talk about a beat-down! I feel like I've been through a meat grinder. Now I'm a brand-new sausage!
I remind myself that I've seen much worse. It wasn't a total tank wipe out. Can you imagine that? I came pretty close, but I held it together enough to prevent that. Despite the utter disappointment in myself, I am hugely relieved I kept a clear head in a seriously messed up situation, and saved my cast of thousands detrivore crew, and a few of the fish.
2018 is going to be great!
I remind myself that I've seen much worse. It wasn't a total tank wipe out. Can you imagine that? I came pretty close, but I held it together enough to prevent that. Despite the utter disappointment in myself, I am hugely relieved I kept a clear head in a seriously messed up situation, and saved my cast of thousands detrivore crew, and a few of the fish.
2018 is going to be great!
Taricha, thank you so much for your excellent insights on dinoflagellates.
I especially like this one: "If it is in fact dinos, then a natural approach with consistent healthy nutrient inputs to favor other competitor algae and grazers is the most reliable path to stability."
That is exactly what I'd like to do.
It does not appear to be the highly toxic version. My snails are still eating it after several weeks and I still have snails. The molly that was eating it looks a bit off, but I don't know if it was the dinos or something else. Early in the day there's not much to see. Later, they start producing more and more oxygen bubbles and get carried to the surface. This would be a good time to export via netting, as much as I can. Now that I've just about eradicated my caulerpa slugs, my caulerpa is mounting a comeback. It should be a key competitor for nutrients.
I think what may have caused the outbreak was INconsistent nutrient inputs, combined with a major light intensity increase. I had bumped up the CO2 bubble rate, and I increased ammonia dosing, to see if I could stimulate the seagrasses. Changing one factor at a time would have been better. Changing three likely caused the tipping point. I still have the brighter bulb temporarily, but I have shortened the photoperiod. I am resuming previous dosing levels to return to consistent inputs.
Any additional suggestions would be appreciated.
I purchased some new charcoal, but have not implemented it yet. I have quite a few filter feeders and I'm afraid using charcoal would starve them. If that is the case, why not just let THEM soak up dissolved organics instead. I could get some mollies back in there to increase grazing pressure.
I like the idea of consistent nutrient input to assist Mother Nature in returning to balance. I've got a huge diversity of players already in place. I'll give them time to do their thing.
I especially like this one: "If it is in fact dinos, then a natural approach with consistent healthy nutrient inputs to favor other competitor algae and grazers is the most reliable path to stability."
That is exactly what I'd like to do.
It does not appear to be the highly toxic version. My snails are still eating it after several weeks and I still have snails. The molly that was eating it looks a bit off, but I don't know if it was the dinos or something else. Early in the day there's not much to see. Later, they start producing more and more oxygen bubbles and get carried to the surface. This would be a good time to export via netting, as much as I can. Now that I've just about eradicated my caulerpa slugs, my caulerpa is mounting a comeback. It should be a key competitor for nutrients.
I think what may have caused the outbreak was INconsistent nutrient inputs, combined with a major light intensity increase. I had bumped up the CO2 bubble rate, and I increased ammonia dosing, to see if I could stimulate the seagrasses. Changing one factor at a time would have been better. Changing three likely caused the tipping point. I still have the brighter bulb temporarily, but I have shortened the photoperiod. I am resuming previous dosing levels to return to consistent inputs.
Any additional suggestions would be appreciated.
I purchased some new charcoal, but have not implemented it yet. I have quite a few filter feeders and I'm afraid using charcoal would starve them. If that is the case, why not just let THEM soak up dissolved organics instead. I could get some mollies back in there to increase grazing pressure.
I like the idea of consistent nutrient input to assist Mother Nature in returning to balance. I've got a huge diversity of players already in place. I'll give them time to do their thing.
Chasmodes
Well-known member
No need to do that. Most of us are here to help and support you, or sympathize when needed.
sam.basye
New member
Chasmodes is right. Most of us are here to help and support you, and some of us like to kick you while you're down
I want to see more fish, more grass (no, not you Colorado people's kind), and for you to recreate that bulb explosion, except get it on film this time!
Would you consider a Caribbean pistol shrimp now? Or porcelain crabs (gray, rock, Florida variant)?
You've always got some elaborate plan going on I can't keep up with. Lol
LED suggestion:
Get a cheap 16" Chinese black box and angle it slightly like the halide. Or get two and flat mount one on the left end and angle one at the center. That will give you the same graduated look and the ability to perfect the exact color spectrum you're looking for. Plus the added benefit of varying total light intensity to the tanks needs, built in moonlights, and a programmable photoperiod. If you didn't like it, you could easily resell them for what you pay on Craigslist.
It's time you venture over to the LED side! Lol
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I want to see more fish, more grass (no, not you Colorado people's kind), and for you to recreate that bulb explosion, except get it on film this time!
Would you consider a Caribbean pistol shrimp now? Or porcelain crabs (gray, rock, Florida variant)?
You've always got some elaborate plan going on I can't keep up with. Lol
LED suggestion:
Get a cheap 16" Chinese black box and angle it slightly like the halide. Or get two and flat mount one on the left end and angle one at the center. That will give you the same graduated look and the ability to perfect the exact color spectrum you're looking for. Plus the added benefit of varying total light intensity to the tanks needs, built in moonlights, and a programmable photoperiod. If you didn't like it, you could easily resell them for what you pay on Craigslist.
It's time you venture over to the LED side! Lol
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thanks guys.
Sam, I took a look at the black box LED thing. They look to be a viable option, with some shortcomings. I'll keep them in mind. BRS did an in-depth video comparison on them:
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/vide...lack-box-led-lights-are-they-worth-the-price/
I'll probably not get a caribbean pistol shrimp. Porcelain crabs are a possibility, especially if I get the purple condylactis resurrected.
The fish plans are always subject to change. Right now, I'm leaning towards nothing but bomb-proof species. Peaceful coexistence is also a requirement. So I'm picky. Combine that with my priorities on some fairly challenging plants, and it makes for a tricky situation.
One thing that would make fish selection easier for me, would be a fool-proof, guaranteed-to-work, fish trap. If I knew I could easily catch ANY fish that didn't work out, I would feel free to try more 'borderline' options. Anyone out there know of one? My home-made 2 liter soda bottle trap works fine for some fish, but not all.
A rather complicated solution for another tank someday: build a fake wall, substituting fish traps for bottles, for the fish caves. I don't even have the energy to flesh out the idea, but it's possible…
Sam, I took a look at the black box LED thing. They look to be a viable option, with some shortcomings. I'll keep them in mind. BRS did an in-depth video comparison on them:
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/vide...lack-box-led-lights-are-they-worth-the-price/
I'll probably not get a caribbean pistol shrimp. Porcelain crabs are a possibility, especially if I get the purple condylactis resurrected.
The fish plans are always subject to change. Right now, I'm leaning towards nothing but bomb-proof species. Peaceful coexistence is also a requirement. So I'm picky. Combine that with my priorities on some fairly challenging plants, and it makes for a tricky situation.
One thing that would make fish selection easier for me, would be a fool-proof, guaranteed-to-work, fish trap. If I knew I could easily catch ANY fish that didn't work out, I would feel free to try more 'borderline' options. Anyone out there know of one? My home-made 2 liter soda bottle trap works fine for some fish, but not all.
A rather complicated solution for another tank someday: build a fake wall, substituting fish traps for bottles, for the fish caves. I don't even have the energy to flesh out the idea, but it's possible…
I trained a chromis for 5 days to go in a water bottle to eat and caught it first try.
I caught jawfish with a tiny barbless fishhook in mysis instantly.
But... Azure Damsel was too bleeping smart and fast for every method I could find over 3 months.
Finally, the only guaranteed method for me. Drain the water into a few plastic tubs down to a couple of inches. Fish come out of hiding and swim along glass trying to leave. Net the fish out easily. Pump water back in. Like 15 minutes.
Nothing suffered, except some rockwork wasn't strong enough to stay stable without buoyant support of water, and it had to be reattached.
I caught jawfish with a tiny barbless fishhook in mysis instantly.
But... Azure Damsel was too bleeping smart and fast for every method I could find over 3 months.
Finally, the only guaranteed method for me. Drain the water into a few plastic tubs down to a couple of inches. Fish come out of hiding and swim along glass trying to leave. Net the fish out easily. Pump water back in. Like 15 minutes.
Nothing suffered, except some rockwork wasn't strong enough to stay stable without buoyant support of water, and it had to be reattached.
Good ideas taricha. Lots of good ones out there. Moveable partitions are another option. Draining a 180 is a bit of a stretch for me, and the bottle caves complicate it further. I'm sure there are tons of creative strategies for catching fish out there. I wonder if there is a thread?
If I had a large quiver of catching strategies, I'd definitely be more open to more fish species. Hmm…
If I had a large quiver of catching strategies, I'd definitely be more open to more fish species. Hmm…
Have you ever felt like your LFS is baiting you? The other day I walked in mine and they had seven royal grammas, four chalk bass, two spanish hogfish, a queen and a rock beauty angel - all Caribbean species. Somehow I managed to resist.
Today, I did a water change, trying to remove some dinoflagellates. I know I got rid of some, but there seem to be a lot still in there. I may have to syphon more out through a fine mesh net, and just return the water. It's a handy trick when you've got a lot to get rid of, but not enough water to replace it all. And apparently water changes are discouraged for dinos. I went ahead and put some new charcoal in the canister filter as well. I only use it in rare situations like this. I don't want to strip the water of dissolved organics, that feed a variety of filter feeders.
The tank's doing well otherwise. The shoal grass has filled in nicely and is growing tall. The caulerpa racemosa peltata is growing back, now that I've just about rid myself of the caulerpa slugs. I only managed to find four today. There are still some lingering aiptasias, but I keep X-ing them. Only very tiny ones remain.
The few remaining fish are doing well too. Percival, the male sailfin blenny, has taken up residence in the same barnacle Leroy used to occupy. Betty, the female is quite the huntress, constantly stalking pods. Big Daddy 2.0 continues patrolling the back wall. I may get some mollies back in the display, to help consume dinos.
Today, I did a water change, trying to remove some dinoflagellates. I know I got rid of some, but there seem to be a lot still in there. I may have to syphon more out through a fine mesh net, and just return the water. It's a handy trick when you've got a lot to get rid of, but not enough water to replace it all. And apparently water changes are discouraged for dinos. I went ahead and put some new charcoal in the canister filter as well. I only use it in rare situations like this. I don't want to strip the water of dissolved organics, that feed a variety of filter feeders.
The tank's doing well otherwise. The shoal grass has filled in nicely and is growing tall. The caulerpa racemosa peltata is growing back, now that I've just about rid myself of the caulerpa slugs. I only managed to find four today. There are still some lingering aiptasias, but I keep X-ing them. Only very tiny ones remain.
The few remaining fish are doing well too. Percival, the male sailfin blenny, has taken up residence in the same barnacle Leroy used to occupy. Betty, the female is quite the huntress, constantly stalking pods. Big Daddy 2.0 continues patrolling the back wall. I may get some mollies back in the display, to help consume dinos.
I've been re-reading articles on dinoflagellates. I've decided to take a more aggressive approach. It sounds like this stuff requires a full commitment. "You wanna get nuts? Let's get nuts!"
Yesterday, after the partial water change, I did another, but retuned the water through an improvised filter, to prevent returning dinos back into the tank. I started another blackout, this time wrapping the tank, so no light can get in. I have suspended all dosing, including CO2. I added baking soda to raise pH. I also plan to get some more phosphate media, to make sure those levels are low. After blackout, I'll run a reduced photoperiod. I will also do water changes on two consecutive days to remove any remaining traces. If all looks good after that, I will gradually increase the photoperiod again. I may add hydrogen peroxide as an extra measure, but I hope I won't need to. Sterilizing the tank water sounds a bit extreme for this kind of tank, but I'll look into it.
Happy New Year!
Yesterday, after the partial water change, I did another, but retuned the water through an improvised filter, to prevent returning dinos back into the tank. I started another blackout, this time wrapping the tank, so no light can get in. I have suspended all dosing, including CO2. I added baking soda to raise pH. I also plan to get some more phosphate media, to make sure those levels are low. After blackout, I'll run a reduced photoperiod. I will also do water changes on two consecutive days to remove any remaining traces. If all looks good after that, I will gradually increase the photoperiod again. I may add hydrogen peroxide as an extra measure, but I hope I won't need to. Sterilizing the tank water sounds a bit extreme for this kind of tank, but I'll look into it.
Happy New Year!
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