Maroun 150g Build Thread

[melev]

It grows nicely, and can encrust nearby rockwork to make more. I don't think of it as a fast grower, but it is very hardy. It doesn't mind nitrate nor phosphate issues. I gave away a large piece because I had at least that much still in my reef in two different areas. After a while a smooth area will grow some interesting wavy-shaped fins.

 

[maroun.c]

Last update for now,
Pics of the Crhistmas tree and Gorgonian i got.
I know the christmas tree is very hard to keep but I had a successful one in my old 80 which I could not find after the move and it had lived for months then. I also had one of those gorgonians in my old 80 for months but it dies after transfer to my 150 and I guess the reason was that it fell into an area with much higher flow for few days before I came back and noticed it. so I decided to try them again.
Right after introduction

after it showed its polyps:

A not so good closeup with my 17-50 lens

And the christmas tree,

It opened up a lot more the follwoing day just before I travelled again. Can't find pics of the 2 Cauliflowers I got will post some when back in 2-3 days.

one last very important thing, How lucky can you get when you miss a flight? I was supposed to fly from Beirut to Paris then Algers then ot Morocco. and missed the Paris connection. which gave me one day time in Paris to go to my sisters and pick up some gadgets she brought back from the states on her trip a few weeks before. most important are the Alk MG and Ca test kits from Salifert. Whish I know they had such a long expiration date as I would have gotten much more. I also got my Aqua Medic Niveaumat ATO as well as a kent flow valvewtill have to consider my ATO options now that I have both. also got a OM squirt one bad surprise in the OM and ATO pump is that the OM is 220 V as I requested but 60 Hz instead of 50 that we have don't know if that will cause problems. the ATO pump is 12 V 60 HZ too I can easily change the 110V -12V converter and buy a 220-12 V one however don't know if one exsts to change the 60 HZ into 50? any input will be appreciated.

 

[michika]

Nice finds.

I too hope the yellow tang makes it.

 

[maroun.c]

Thanks Catherine.
So far it looks like he will make it.
any inof on the Id of the new clam I got? I know you are very knowledgeable with clams.

 

[Aquarist007]

I keep following your progress in awe, Maroun.

 

[maroun.c]

Thanks Capn

 

[michika]

I'm thinking its either a squamosa or maxima.

I'm leaning squamosa because the scutes are quite pronounced, whereas if it was a maxima the scutes would possibly be smaller and a little more in line. If you can take a macro photo of the inhalent siphon, and if there are branching tentacles that surround the siphon you probably have a squamosa on your hands. It also looks like the scutes on the clam are relatively far apart, and when I look at your new clam in comparison with your others it again points to squamosa. Its probably a squamosa.

Either way its a nice specimen, and it looks like its settling in nicely!

 

[maroun.c]

thanks for the info Catherine.

 

[maroun.c]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13729319#post13729319 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by michika
I'm thinking its either a squamosa or maxima.

I'm leaning squamosa because the scutes are quite pronounced, whereas if it was a maxima the scutes would possibly be smaller and a little more in line. If you can take a macro photo of the inhalent siphon, and if there are branching tentacles that surround the siphon you probably have a squamosa on your hands. It also looks like the scutes on the clam are relatively far apart, and when I look at your new clam in comparison with your others it again points to squamosa. Its probably a squamosa.

Either way its a nice specimen, and it looks like its settling in nicely!

Tried my best to ID my clams correctly according to your info (I always suck at IDying stuff in my tank) . I'm guessing I have 3 maximas and one Probably Squamosa?

1 This is my oldest clam in the tank as usuall it does not open more than this. Was alsready ID'd as probably maxima so I'm presuming it is?

2 2nd clam I got, the smallest one in the group yet the best colour of all 4 I'm assuming maxima too? Its on a bigger flat rock so the shell does not show much. It also has the most mantle extension.

3 third one I got largest of them all. has a rather turquoise colour, Guess also maxima

4 Last one I got. the shell is different from all 4 expecially where the bissal attachment goes out. also has a different exhalent siphon shape? no "tentacles" on the inhalent siphon? you mention a squamosa should have tentacles on the siphon so I'm not really sure anymore? the Scutes (if this means the curves on the shell) are much more pronounced here and extend farther than on other 3?

Thanks for any help you can give on ID.
One last question clams related is that all 4 of my clams open nicely (one not as much as others btu still good mantle extension) they all have good reactions to shade and close well at night. should I check for other things to make sure their OK? do clams show signs of being unhappy quickly or not? finally they are getting light from a 250 W 22K Gieseman MH and 150 W 14 K Arcadia from the Rt side of the tank. In addition to 1 85 W white T5 and 2 54 W actinic T5 Arcadia do you think this is enough for clams ( I have another 150 W 14K arcadia on the lt side but they are on teh rt side. Should also be switching to 10Ks MH soon) tank is only 24 high with 4-5 inches DSB so it is rather shallow. I fI am to take one or two clams higher on the rocks which ones do you think would love a bit more light than the others?
Thanks.

 

[Reeftanks6]

Great corals.

 

[maroun.c]

Thanks

 

[Aquarist007]

Great looking clams maroun--IMO if they are open and coloured up like yours then they are getting adequate light.
There is a clam forum on RC which I suggest you repost your questions on---the post might be seen a little easier then locked away deep in your thread

 

[maroun.c]

Will try that Capn.

 

[maroun.c]

The bag of goodies that my sister had brought with her back from New York and That I picked up last week from Paris where she lives.

-Salifert Ca Mg and alk test kits AT LAST
-JBL Niveaumat ATO
-Kent float valve
Still have to decide on which to use for my TO as I don't want to risk any floods while I'm on travel. might endup using both with each having a minimal volume of TO water to minimize a flood in case one happens. so any tips on ATO safety are appreciated.
Still have to find a 220-12 V 50 HZ converter instead of the 110 V
50 Hz converter that came with the pump. any info if it's ok to use a 220-12 V 50 hz instead of 60?
-filter bags
-OM squirt
got the 220V option but it came with 60 HZ instead of 50 we have but it seems to be working with 50 hz (dry tested it)
I'm also struggling with the thread of the OM as it comes with the american threading which is a bit conical and smaller than the European 3/4 inch thread we get(and it's also a thinner threading to make it harder). I ordered some barbed fitings with it as I anticipated this but as they seem to be smaller and will restrcit flow I'm having an american to european 3/4 inch thread specially made and it should be ready by next friday when I'm back from my next trip to Turkey.
- OM bypass unit just in case I endup using a pump stronger than 1000 G thinking of stickin a 1 inch SCWD on that or maybe another 4 way OM or maybe another squirt... this will be decided in the future as I might endup just adding one vortex and haivng one CL with the OM squirt on it....
- Loc line nozzles and connections... as I'm planning on improving the look and flexibility of my CLs. So far I have acceptable flexibility however the nozzles still look a bit too evident in my tank. I mostly have 2 threaded 45 degrees on each output to hav the most flexibility but i endup sometimes having the output nozzle to much in the water to get the direction I need so Loclines will be a good help here. Still have to manage some free time to work on these.

 

[Joeee]

Am glad you're moving closer to solve all the problems you faced with your tank.
I really like how fast things are changing in your tank although you never seem to be home to look at it?
How are your SPS additions doing. Once these kick off I'm sure it'll be just a matter of time till this tank starts heading TOTM direction.

 

[maroun.c]

A Small Nice surprise when I came back from my trip to Algeria and Morocco, I was looking a the sump and found the CoCo worm that I thought had died in shipping from AbuDhabi opened. I was feeling very sorry to have killed it in shipping but turned out to be alive. Other reason to like it so much is that it's a dual head one and we usually get only single headed ones which don't look as full as this.

Also my yellow tang seems to be in very good shape inthe Q tnak eating very well still a bit skittish but improving.
On a sad note I lost my Tiger Cowrie shell (very large one) and new Hyppo tang that just disappeared. My wife is sure she saw the hyppo eating the night before I came as I had told her to watch out if its eating or not as it was very thin.
The cowrie had dies and fully decomposed in the tank as the shell had nothing and no smell in it. I'm seeing a bit of cyano reappearing on the sand bed which could be justified by the hyppo and cowrie decomposing in the tank. I looked a lot for the body of the hyppo with no luck.

 

[maroun.c]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13756873#post13756873 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Joeee
Am glad you're moving closer to solve all the problems you faced with your tank.
I really like how fast things are changing in your tank although you never seem to be home to look at it?
How are your SPS additions doing. Once these kick off I'm sure it'll be just a matter of time till this tank starts heading TOTM direction.

Well I'm hoping I am really closer to solving those problems too. Finally my water quality is now much better with the TDS issue solved, my parameters even if not optimal are a bit very close (at least that's what I hope) my circulation is OK and will soon be improved. my lighting can and will beimproved by switching to 10ks but I'm sure it'll be fine till I find me a 2nd 10 K bulb. Coral wise I will be soon posting comparative pictures asI believe I'm seeing lots of improvements.
The SPS frags are doing very good I only lost 3-4 tiny ones butthat could have been related to shipping or handling and 2 have fallen in the sand.. overall I'm positive on them. one blue accropora which is one of my 2 nicest SPS is still holding it's colours but no signs of growth and very limited PE I have so far moved it to an area with more random flow and still the same. the green accropora next to it and in the same coniditions is showing much more PE. TOTM is a dream I guess for me. My setup is very basic. only the ligthing is automated I still ahve to figure out my dosing methode... get me some more corals and get them to grow and fill up nicely, then I also have to modify my aquascaping which is not the nicest however I'm trying to live with it till we relocate when we buy our own house as I would hate to tare this tank down jsut to reaquascape... So TOTM is still very far away.

 

[maroun.c]

Back to my water parameters issues.
These are the results comparing the Red sea and Salifert for alk and the JBL and Salifert for Ca and Mg

From those tests I'm concluding:

The red Sea test kit is not very consistent as it gives 3.4 for RC water then 3.6 (max value) for Crystal sea then when I combine 50%mix of both the result goes even higher than 3.6 instead of being in the middle.

JBL test kit for Ca is overestimating a little bit and also is a bit inconsistent as it reads 460 for RC and 420 for Crystal sea and then 420 for a 50 % mix of both. still it's a very small variation.

JBL Mg test kit seems to be the worst underestimating by 300 for bot hsalt mixes. 800 for RC and 680 for Crystal sea then a very weird 1080 for a 50% mix of both salts which matches exactly with Salifert at this level. Seems like this test kits have different accuracies at different concentrations than it should. it does also follow the change (manual adjustment of MG to 1280 better than Salifert but then using a pharmaceutical grade Mg could have overadjusted the level than the Mg standard in teh online calculator) I still fail to understand how a kit reads one sal at 800 another at 680 and their combination at 1080 this test was repeated twice.

Finally I don't think I will send my water to the lab for another comparison as Im sure it will confuse me even more.
Alk of new mixed water from both salts that is in the order of 14.4 for RC and 24 for Crystal sea is a majoe concern (had to do the salifert low res test to be able to measure 24 on Alk as the max with high res test is 16) don't know if I should do smaller waterchanges now to avoid serious fluctuations?
a firned using the same salt mix (same batch) but maybe different water as he's living in a different area is getting 12 DKH out of RC. so I'm not sure if my water is alkaline that much? could it be after RO? Will try to check further on the Chemistry forum as well as to decide on a dosing regimen.

 

[Joeee]

TOTM is a dream I guess for me. My setup is very basic. only the ligthing is automated I still ahve to figure out my dosing methode... get me some more corals and get them to grow and fill up nicely

I remember reading that a TOTM does not have to be the classic Ca reactor and all sort of other automated things( ATO, Water changes, Feeding, dosing...). don't really think your aquascaping is that bad? anyway it will not be that obvious when SPS start to grow. If you manage to get the corals to grow with such a basic setup and with being constantly away, and having to struggle for each step and adidtion in your tank as you do, I' sure your dedication will merit TOTM. One other thing I Really admire is that how stable things are in your tank at least you don't come back to a disaster each time you travel, where as some of us can't afford to consider a 4-5 days vacation
So I presume all those automations have their risks and going back to a basic setup sometimes is a good thing.

One last comment about your test results, could it be that you're not exactly following the described testing methods and that the mistakes are from your side?

 

[maroun.c]

Thanks Joeee.
guess you'r right my system has not failed me yet in terms of stability while I'm away. It has been pretty basic so far however automation of 2 part solution dosing and ATO are becomming a necessity now and I'm still not decided on what to use for that. I have not yet came back to a disaster or any thing major yet however I still have to setup few things to feel more safe each time I travel. high on the list is
-Power backup line with a UPS and/or generator feeding a back up return pump, heater and one of the skimmers.
-Online camera to watch over GFCIs, tank temp, and return partition while I'm on travel.

Concerning testing I highly doubt I'm messing up any of those tests as I have done radioactive labeling and chemical purity testing for radiopharmaceticals for 10 years. some tests were highly sensitive and difficult ones ranging from 1 min to 1.5 hours QC testing. I don't remember having to repeat any of those tests ever because of any wrong doing so I really find it hard to miss with ALk, Ca and Mg testing for my tank. It is very clear that the kits I had access to were just not accurate enough. I'm hoping the salifert readings which I will be following are just right. for that I will buy a second batch of salifert test kits and cross check.