crvz's hole in the wall

[crvz]

Well my reg is about 5 years old. Still works pretty well, but I NEVER found that you could dial in a very slow drip rate. The real issue was that I didnt have the CO2 on. My pH probe was failed, and I didnt want to run the unit without insight into the pH of the chamber. I assumed, as was a big mistake, that I wouldnt need it for a few weeks with the new sand bed, large water volume, very few corals, etc. But, I couldnt have been more wrong.

 

[crvz]

I know I mentioned moving the stock tank from one wall to the next, but I don't think I shared an image. And this isnt a good one, but it's now on the wall opposite the tank, instead of adjacent. This gives me loads more access to the main power panel.

What I was really intending to show was the stock tank power panel. I'm half way through wiring it up. This went much more smoothly than the one under the sump. And I had zero black wire to spare, either, so I'm glad that I'm done.

 

[crvz]

I got mail today. I like these kinds of packages.

Of significance in the order was a 3" purple tang and 6" presumably male blonde naso. Those that have followed this thread know that I've tried the naso before, but I'm foolishly determined to house one of these fish long term. I suspect that this specimen, based on its size and behavior this afternoon, will give me a better chance than the small ones I've attempted in the past.

 

[drummereef]

Nice! I love Naso Tangs, one of my favorite fish. Those posters above the stock tank are cool, where did you get those? Signed by Anthony Calfo?

 

[crvz]

Yep, he visited the local club a couple years ago and I picked them up at that time. Thought them to be nice in lieu of just white doors.

 

[drummereef]

Yep, he visited the local club a couple years ago and I picked them up at that time. Thought them to be nice in lieu of just white doors.

Nice. Dang I just re-read and saw that was a purple tang in the bucket :inlove:. EXCELLENT!!! Can't wait to see it at home in the new tank.

 

[tegee]

I want a purple tang in the worst way. How aggressive are they to hippos, naso and yellows? And do they hard any other spp in the tank? Purples are awesome...look forward to hearing from your experiences with them.

 

[Padrino]

Chris,
Nice additions!

Brett,
Saw your videos of your tank on youtube. Nicely done! very clean

 

[Taqpol]

So weird, somehow I got unsubscribed to this thread!

Sorry to hear about the mimic tang. That naso looks amazing! I'm pretty sure mine is a female as its getting kinda big and hasn't shown any sign of tail streamers. Do you know of any other way to sex them?

 

[drummereef]

Chris,
Nice additions!

Brett,
Saw your videos of your tank on youtube. Nicely done! very clean

Thanks Rob!

 

[crvz]

Chris,
Nice additions!

Thank you, sir! The purple tang has a bit of the ich, but it's not bad and the fish is still eating vigorously and is otherwise acting normally. I'll be in monitor mode while ensuring they remain well fed before taking any drastic measures.

So weird, somehow I got unsubscribed to this thread!

Sorry to hear about the mimic tang. That naso looks amazing! I'm pretty sure mine is a female as its getting kinda big and hasn't shown any sign of tail streamers. Do you know of any other way to sex them?

Good to have you back. I've not heard of another way of visually sexing them other than with the streamers.

 

[prop-frags]

Sorry to hear of the loss of the Mimic, Chris, but very excited for you for the new arrivals!

 

[KuyaMark]

wow very nice

 

[crvz]

thanks, Mike and Mark!

I know I'm updating less these days, but the reality is that 1)not much is happening as I allow the tank to mature, 2) family life is superb and I spend most of my free time in that realm, and 3) work has amped up and consumes more of my thought process. I've always used this hobby as an outlet for my engineering mind in an otherwise boring existence (as well as an opportunity to enjoy the magnificence of creation), which I had the freedom to do as I've yet to be really challenging at the office, but over the last 3-4 months I've been put into jobs that require much more integration and thought. So when I get home, I usually don't care to exhaust that part of brain on hobbies. Who knows how long that will last.

But it does afford me the patience to wait on additions or other things. I've been enjoying more of the brown, stringy algae that was first noticed on the marco base rocks (Brett knows what I'm talking about), although now it is on the walls of the tank and the sand bed. It correlates very strongly to the addition of the new fish (or, more directly, the increase in food), so I assume the tank will react and then recover. Right now we're in the react mode, so I'm ensuring to clean the skimmer regularly and do 10% water changes every week or two at worst. Maybe in 3 or 4 months I'll be ready to throw in some new corals and other inhabitants, but until then I'll just be content with the current treasures.

The new fish are still doing wonderfully (with the exception of the dragon wrasse whom I've not seen since the day I added it), and the ich concern seems to be relegated to just the purple tang and on the way out. I see no need at this point to QT any of the fish, which is good as any thoughts awarded to fish capture quickly spin down the pessimistic drain. The blonde naso, clowns, shrimp, and regular naso (who I got for the QT system) are all following the purple naso tang in eating with vigor and tolerating everyone else. At current, we have peace, and I intend not to disturb it.

 

[psteeleb]

..... I've always used this hobby as an outlet for my engineering mind in an otherwise boring existence (as well as an opportunity to enjoy the magnificence of creation).....

Very well stated, and does a great job reflecting my passion for the hobby also.

Any update on that dragon wrasse? I've tried only one, and can't offer much as mine was acting great for a few days then disappeared.

 

[crvz]

havent seen the dragon wrasse for about a week, so who knows? hard to get credit for a fish that vaporizes, too. oh well, maybe again down the line. I intend to stock this tank with more small wrasses in the future (particularly of the halichoeres genus), but for a few months, as...

I've decided to treat the fish for the ichs. While all the fish are eating well, the parasite has spread to the blonde naso. Being so early in this tank's history, I think its the best course of action. I've introduced the fish trap I built years ago and have been keeping nori in there, and so far all four big fish (the three tangs and the rabbitfish) have been entering it to eat. I'll try to finish up the quarantine this weekend (the 120 gallon stock tank) by putting a sump on it and removing any inverts and a good portion of the rock to a 30 gallon setup. After that, the fish will get transferred and I'll start a hyposalinity treatment. Anyone have experience with that? This will be my first time to do it on such a grand scale, and I want to ensure the fish enjoy their time as best as possible. I've read various threads here, but any personal experience to share would be appreciated.

Also, one day last week I kept the metal halides, and most of the brown algae has disappeared. I've also seen coralline on the marco rocks, which is nice as it had been quite some time and I hadnt seen anything yet. I'm sure that as much to do with getting the alk/calc levels flattened out as anything.

 

[prop-frags]

On the ich issue, I will pass along this experience: when we got our bellus angel pair they were immediately harassed relentlessly by the larger fishes in the tank. The stress of shipping and the "unwelcome wagon" treatment when they arrived caused a massive outbreak of ich on the angel pair, especially on the male. Rather than increasing the stress by capturing them out to a QT, we decided to treat in-tank. The approach was to let the natural aggression and socializing occur, with some minor interventions with the sailfin tang using a mirror and stern finger pointing :hammer:, and to use freshly pressed garlic in every feeding. We allowed the salinity to fall a few points, and kept a very close eye on things. Yes, the ich spread. Yes, other fish in the system who had never had it before got a few spots on them, but we maintained this regimen and beat the ich without having to pull anything out of the display. We'll not get into the holy war of how one "must eradicate all ich or have it forever", but simply consider this a data point.

As far as your brown algae, are you also monitoring Mg levels? We agree completely with the assessment about steady CA/dKH...

 

[drummereef]

On the ich issue, I will pass along this experience: when we got our bellus angel pair they were immediately harassed relentlessly by the larger fishes in the tank. The stress of shipping and the "unwelcome wagon" treatment when they arrived caused a massive outbreak of ich on the angel pair, especially on the male. Rather than increasing the stress by capturing them out to a QT, we decided to treat in-tank. The approach was to let the natural aggression and socializing occur, with some minor interventions with the sailfin tang using a mirror and stern finger pointing :hammer:, and to use freshly pressed garlic in every feeding. We allowed the salinity to fall a few points, and kept a very close eye on things. Yes, the ich spread. Yes, other fish in the system who had never had it before got a few spots on them, but we maintained this regimen and beat the ich without having to pull anything out of the display. We'll not get into the holy war of how one "must eradicate all ich or have it forever", but simply consider this a data point.

As far as your brown algae, are you also monitoring Mg levels? We agree completely with the assessment about steady CA/dKH...

Mike, this brings up a valid question I'm debating myself. If you buy from a reputable dealer, such as Live Aquaria - or other outlets that keep inhabitants in hypo and copper, what's really the point in QT'ing the specimens? Don't you feel it potentially adds more stress to the animal where introducing them to the display after acclimation might initiate normal feeding behaviors that can ward off weakness that tend to thrive with stressed fish? Thoughts on this are much appreciated...

 

[crvz]

Brett, I'd bet it depends on the QT for your main question. I've got this 120 gallon stock tank that has 100 pounds of live rock. While not great for a hospital tank, if I wanted to use it to QT fish it would do rather well, and I don't think there would be much of a difference between that and the main display. Now, if I was aiming at a 30 gallon QT with a 6" naso tang, that may be a different conclusion.

I'd also point out that the fish, when I got them, appeared incredibly healthy. Which makes me think... could they have gotten ich from my main display? Say our foxface is not sensitive to outbreaks, but carries the parasite and has for years (which I wouldnt be surprised about), putting them in the QT for 4 or 6 weeks may have never brought out an issue. Then I stick them in the display, and poof. Plausible, though I can't know that now. But I'd like to overcome this problem long term so that, with new additions (which will now go through the QT process... I didnt do it the first time because I only had 1 other fish in the display tank), I won't be risking these guys.

 

[drummereef]

Brett, I'd bet it depends on the QT for your main question. I've got this 120 gallon stock tank that has 100 pounds of live rock. While not great for a hospital tank, if I wanted to use it to QT fish it would do rather well, and I don't think there would be much of a difference between that and the main display. Now, if I was aiming at a 30 gallon QT with a 6" naso tang, that may be a different conclusion.

I'd also point out that the fish, when I got them, appeared incredibly healthy. Which makes me think... could they have gotten ich from my main display? Say our foxface is not sensitive to outbreaks, but carries the parasite and has for years (which I wouldnt be surprised about), putting them in the QT for 4 or 6 weeks may have never brought out an issue. Then I stick them in the display, and poof. Plausible, though I can't know that now. But I'd like to overcome this problem long term so that, with new additions (which will now go through the QT process... I didnt do it the first time because I only had 1 other fish in the display tank), I won't be risking these guys.

Interesting Chris, thanks for the info. I guess that's what I'm saying. I don't have the time/space/budget to set up a large QT system (consider yourself lucky ). I have this 29g QT setup I built a while back but I can't even see putting 4 Lyretail anthias in it. In fact I think the QT might have been why I lost all 5 of my Chromis, due to stress. If presumably healthy specimens are added to the tank, yes it's rolling the dice, but like you said problems can arise after the QT process has ended, once they are in the display. That's where I'm on the fence with the whole QT process. I do believe it's a good idea if the fish seem stressed or are already sick but for a healthy fish, is it adding to their stress level... Hmmm :hmm2: