First Build - 55 gallon mixed reef

[Red Eyed Reefer]

Day 32

Day 32

On the way home last night I grabbed 5 gallons of water to do a change, and also got a small heater to get the water to temp to limit any fluctuations.

While that took place, I went ahead to measure the water parameters:

NH3 - 0ppm
NO2 - 0ppm
NO3 - 0ppm
PH - 8.2

Checked the SG of the new water and everything was good to go :thumbsup:
Vacuumed a little sand in the process to clean things up :dance:

After an hour I checked the dKH and PH levels again:

PH - 8.0/8.2
dKH - 12



Both clownfish are still hanging out together, although the larger one has what I found to be tucked fins after the water change..

Is it possible that I stressed him out with all the activity? My water levels test fine and I don't see any signs of disease..

He was fine this morning while sleeping, both pelvic fins and dorsals were untucked.

They were basically spooning together sleeping, body wiggles were in sync and all, bumping into each other :lol2:

 

[pscott99]

What do you mean by grabbed 5 gal ?
Everything looks great I like the caves.

 

[Red Eyed Reefer]

What do you mean by grabbed 5 gal ?
Everything looks great I like the caves.

Picked up 5 gallons of RO/DI water from my LFS.. :rollface:
(mixed with IO salt mix, SG tested, temp checked, commence water change)

Don't have my own system yet :sad1:

I like the caves too! I'm hoping each one gets made into a home :fish1:

 

[Red Eyed Reefer]

Day 33

Day 33

Checked levels again

NH3 - 0ppm
NO3 - 0ppm
PH - 8.0/8.2
Temp - 78.6*F (77*F-79*F setting)
SG - 1.024


Concerned:

The larger clown (who was having clamped pelvic and dorsal fins) has begun hanging at the surface, refused to eat offerings (in small quantities) of:

Frozen Mysis
Frozen Brine
Frozen Krill
Cyclops-eeze
Pellets (w/garlic)
Prime Reef flake


The smaller clown eats the small mysis, particles from the krill and brine and the tiny prime reef flakes.


Now as I am watching the smaller clown eat, my girlfriend goes "what is that coming out of Wilfred" (the larger) and I look and there is a long stringy white poop hanging out, and it stayed there for about 5 minutes before finally finishing the passing.

So is this the start of an infection or just stress? Weird behavior that I noticed started after the water change, in the one fish only.

No eye cloudiness
No white spots
No mouth fungus
No "slime" coat


Yes clamped fins
Yes refusal of food
Yes lethargic swimming at surface
Yes speradic swimming motions


MAYBE rubbing (I have seen him rub in the sand bed twice since getting him, like a flip on the side)


Anyone have any ideas? I will post this in the disease section as well... :uhoh2:

At night, he returns to the bottom to sleep with the little guy....

...thinking of getting some formalin and prepping for a hyposalinty QT treatment regiment.

 

[pscott99]

My clowns have always hung together in both tanks in one generall area of the tank, hosting in their chosen coral. They twist and turn a lot separately and apart. It is mating like activity. You are feeding too much. I give one frozen and some small pellets to my whole tank once a day. Some days I switch and only do pellets and cyclopese. More than one frozen cube per day is too much for two clowns if that is what you are doing.

 

[Red Eyed Reefer]

My clowns have always hung together in both tanks in one generall area of the tank, hosting in their chosen coral. They twist and turn a lot separately and apart. It is mating like activity. You are feeding too much. I give one frozen and some small pellets to my whole tank once a day. Some days I switch and only do pellets and cyclopese. More than one frozen cube per day is too much for two clowns if that is what you are doing.

Thanks Scott! There are a lot of Scotts on here lol

I offered a lot because I am trying to get the large one to eat in general.. But it is good to have a ballpark estimate of how much they should be eating.

I am used to feeding snakes.. Toss em a rat and they either eat it or don't.. A healthy one can also go without food for up to a year :eek1:

So I was a little concerned when most of the time the food doesn't even spark interest, or it is quickly lost once they inspect it..

The little guy definitely is more active and atleast eating the food he can fit in his tiny mouth.

When do you feed? Is there a time when the fish is more actively seeking food?

 

[scott3569]

Well derek, it will be interesting what you find out..And yes scott's are taking over the world!!:uzi:

I will also point out in case your have not figured out yet...those arent snakes:ape: im jk..

 

[pscott99]

I feed when I get home from work but that is not the best way. Read the stickys and big tank guys. Random small automated feedings is a common opinion. What is the expiry date on the frozen food. He will eat when he is hungry. Likely adjusting to the new home.

 

[Red Eyed Reefer]

Day 38

Day 38

Well, I lost the battle with my larger clownfish. Even after dosing with pazipro, I believe it was too late and the damage was past repair. I had the whole tank wrapped in a black sheet to limit stress from people around the tank/lights going on and off.

He spent the last three days, not taking food, laying on the sand.. when I got up this morning, he was not in his corner spot.. Wishfully expecting to see him out and about perhaps swimming, I instead found him rolling in the current at the other end of the tank

Little guy is still going strong and no signs of any issues.. I got the skimmer up and running again this morning.

All NH3/NO2/NO3 levels were 0/0/0 during the treatment time.. checked daily.

I am getting the QT up and running to house a new ocellaris clown that will hopefully pair up with the little one in the tank now.

Also did some shopping at BRS...

Salifert Copper Aquarium Test Kit
Red Sea Reef Foundation Pro Multi Test kit (Ca,Alk,Mg)
1 kg - Red Sea Reef Foundation ABC+
BiFuran+ Multi-Purpose Treatment - Hikari
Metro+ Multi-Purpose Treatment - Hikari
3" JBJ Fish Net
8 oz - Coral Rx
1 Gallon - BRS Natural Coral Frag Mounts
1 oz. Bottle BRS Extra Thick Gel Super Glue
BRS Thick Gel Super Glue
60 mL Selcon Concentrate
Red Sea Aiptasia-X 2 oz (60mL)


Still have a few more meds to get for the cabinet... But yes I am planning for some easy corals coming up :bounce1: Figured I'd start getting levels where they need to be !

Also, picked up 8 small sized magarita snails to help with the increasing algae. One of them already found my skimmer inflow and outflow, acrylic prefilters look spotless and shiny - I think these guys use jet dry :lol:

That is all for now.. Still feeling defeat over the loss, but it is to be expected.

:uzi:
. :uzi:

 

[pscott99]

Sorry to hear that. Hope you get a healthier one next time.

 

[Red Eyed Reefer]

Sorry to hear that. Hope you get a healthier one next time.

Thanks, it was tough to lose one from the first pair of fish I got and I felt bad for his buddy..

BUT

The LFS that I got the one that passed from has had a premium ocellaris for $99 that has been there for almost a month. If he is still there (and looking healthy/eating) I may splurge and get him.

He is all white with orange fins and what looks like orange aviator googles and black outlines :strooper:

For now, no more updates except water parameters are still hanging out at:

0ppm for NH3/NO2/NO3​

and​

PH holding strong at 8.2​

I still have not set my auto top off up yet :mad2: hoping to get the plumbing I need to make it work soon (sick of topping off myself )

Also gonna need to do a large WC soon to help get the PraziPro out of the DT water.

 

[Red Eyed Reefer]

Forgot to add, I built some....



shelves!



LOL :lol2:

There was just not enough storage underneath the tank, not to mention it's easier to reach up, then it is to bend down when you're 6 foot+ lol

Cost me 20 bucks and 20 minutes of my time, and made things easier for me in the long run :thumbsup:

 

[scott3569]

nicely done!! hey if you haven't checked out liveaquaria I would sugest you check them out..even if it's just for extra info!!

 

[Red Eyed Reefer]

nicely done!! hey if you haven't checked out liveaquaria I would sugest you check them out..even if it's just for extra info!!

Liveaquaria needs to get more fish cause I have read everything 5 times by now :reading: :lol:

Make sure to check out divers den and collectors corner (bottom left side of livesquarias menu) too for rare specimens! No info provided but some cool looking stuff.

 

[scott3569]

yesI have looked at the divers den, and WOW some of those are a bit out of my pocket range..I went to the divers den to maybe find something I might want as a center piece..

 

[Red Eyed Reefer]

yesI have looked at the divers den, and WOW some of those are a bit out of my pocket range..I went to the divers den to maybe find something I might want as a center piece..

Yes, some of those are quite pricey! They have a great selection of freshwater species too.

I want a nice big planted tank (FW) with some cool unique species one day. My house is going to have more water volume in it then it does air :worried:

 

[Red Eyed Reefer]

QT tank up and running

QT tank up and running

So I finally got everything I needed to get the QT tank to start a cycle and get ready for a patient

Aqueon 50watt heater
Fuval AquaClear 30
Top Fin powerhead



After first setting it up, I realized that I DID NOT like the pump/housing for the filter running over the surge protector... :facepalm: it is now on the other side of the tank. I also plan to relocate the surge protector to a final location and have it wall mounted so it is not subject to a puddle if one should occur

And here is Pumpkin (named by the girlfriend :crazy1 starting to like one of the caves, he has been sleeping in here now




NH3 - 0ppm
NO2 - 0ppm
NO3 - not checked

 

[scott3569]

LOL pumpkin..thats great!!! now did you take everything out of that HOB filter on the QT tank? and replaced with????

 

[Red Eyed Reefer]

LOL pumpkin..thats great!!! now did you take everything out of that HOB filter on the QT tank? and replaced with????

This HOB filter is perfect for QT tanks, the media basket (filter comes with one of each) hold activated carbon, a foam sponge, and biological filtration media (I think they are ceramic pellets or something)...

Anyway, I bought extra foam sponges and have two in the basket, seeded with bacteria from my DT. I am not running the carbon or bio's..

This should get the QT cycled and capable of processing the waste from the fish patient!


FOR AN UPDATE:
All is well

Levels all 0/0/0 with ph still holding steady.

I brought home two mex turbo's to eat up these diatoms and a banded serpent sea star to chow down any waste or leftover food. :bounce3:

Serpent sea star is fast to get anything that hits the sand, quite impressive :eek1:

Hopefully if everything lines up correctly, I will be ordering a new midnight ocellaris clown from live aquaria for Friday.

 

[scott3569]

This HOB filter is perfect for QT tanks, the media basket (filter comes with one of each) hold activated carbon, a foam sponge, and biological filtration media (I think they are ceramic pellets or something)...

Anyway, I bought extra foam sponges and have two in the basket, seeded with bacteria from my DT. I am not running the carbon or bio's..

This should get the QT cycled and capable of processing the waste from the fish patient!


FOR AN UPDATE:
All is well

Levels all 0/0/0 with ph still holding steady.

I brought home two mex turbo's to eat up these diatoms and a banded serpent sea star to chow down any waste or leftover food. :bounce3:

Serpent sea star is fast to get anything that hits the sand, quite impressive :eek1:

Hopefully if everything lines up correctly, I will be ordering a new midnight ocellaris clown from live aquaria for Friday.

so which HOB is it?