My Project ★ GENESIS ★ 110G (Miracle) SPS Dream Tank - (II) Build Thread

[Wally.B]

Im sorry Wally.B , I didn't meant to be the cause of the lost claim shell. I'm glad to here you are able to feed him brine and mysis shrimp. while my copper band will eat both as well he isn't as fast as my other three fish in the the tank. I first fed him live blackworms which he took to right away. All of my fish loved them and I don't know what could be better for them then a living anything! however with the heat wave in California this last summer the shipment of the blackworm was halted for a couple months. I had to improvise, so I went the clam route. At first I bought the half clam shell which like you I had huge issues with regarding waste. Then I bought IQF pro salt select clam strips and now I manually sliced the clam in thin sheets. I 3D printed tweezers as no matter how often I rinsed my metal ones rust would show its self. My copper band will eat from the tweezers no problem. At this point he knows when its dinner time. by far one of my favorite fish. Plus the lack of aiptasia in my tank is due to him without a doubt .

No worries about the Lost Clam (with Meat). I saw 3 hermit fighting over the meat right away. Very sure there is nothing left to polute the tank.

Interesting that you mean Blackworms. I wanted to try that in one of those grilled basket feeders, but I have found any Blackworms. They sell Frozen Bloodworms, but I don't think it's the same. I will keep looking.

I agree on your point about Copperband not being fast enough to get as much food during eating time. The other fish are faster, and my Tank has pretty high flow.

So to offset that I use a Gourmet Defroster.
https://www.amazon.com/Innovative-Marine-Gourmet-Defroster-Frozen/dp/B00XLYD5JA
Throw in a chuck of Frozen Mysis and walk away. It slowly dissolves and comes out the various holes.
The Copperband has an advantage over the other fish having a Long Snout.

The Defroser is easy to clean. (3 Parts) I only use the Bottom Half since the upper portion is just at the water line. The magnet is strong, and it doesn't look like an eye sore in the tank.

I will look into Bloodworm, and Slicing clam meat, (with Plastic Tweezers), since I want to give the Copperband more. (He could be more fatter)
NOT TOO Much, since you want him hungry enough to hunt for any Aptasi should any show up.
He is always busy poking around and eating something on my rocks (not sure what).

 

[Wally.B]

Love it, Wally! And you are right, the video shows it off way better. After watching the video, I really think your scape is gorgeous.
Also, the corraline growth is crazy in your tank, and algae is non existent..
Very nice!
How’s acro growth these days?

Thanks Matt. After Putting in that 2nd Arch (couple days ago), I actually really like the FINAL LOOK.

Most important thing (compared to past) is there is NO SPS DEATHS. Feels weird.

As all people say, Growth isn't as fast as I would want it to be. (but only on the Really Slow Growers)
But Tank is barely a year old (most frags 1/2 that), and since I have Really Good Flow, my Corals seem to be working on Encrusting first, and the ones growing....grow Slowly thick, vs thin and fast.

Another Really Weird thing (compare to last tank) is my Milli's have good PE. Last time with Soap all Milli's Died and NO SPS had much PE at all.

Colors are holding. And Sensitive Frags like Tyree Pacman, Strawberry Shortcake, Ice Fire Enchinta, moving along.

Here is one example:

All a Dream come true (if you remember last tanks struggles for 3 years or so)

 

[Wally.B]

....
Also, the corraline growth is crazy in your tank, and algae is non existent..
Very nice!
...

Matt,

Since you mention No Algae in the Tank....

You may remember that in my OLD Tank, my DIY Algae Scrubber (Upflow) wasn't growing any Macro at all. We fooled around with Photo Period, and everything possible. Nothing helped.

With the New Tank, I switched my DIY Blue/Red LED Panel (8 LEDS) to one of those pre-made Plant LED Panels (red/blue) LED.
https://www.amazon.ca/Roleadro-Hydroponic-Greenhouse-Succulents-Seedlings/dp/B01N7ROVX7/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1548615598&sr=8-6&keywords=led+grow+panel

Of course the No-Soap was probably one reason, but after I put that Panel in, the Algae Scrubber has gone into Overdrive. Even at 12-14 hour PhotoPeriod.

This was the First Harvest after a Month

I have screens in the ATS (as a Guard filter to not allow macro loose-pieces to escape), but Macro hardly sticks to screen, and it comes out in Large Lump with Tweezer (like butter) for harvest.

It is now sustained, and I have to Harvest every 2 weeks (combination of a Stringy Macro, and Cheato)

Certainly what grows in Scrubber, doesn't grow in DT.

 

[reefmutt]

I most certainly remember all the troubles you were having. It was a real head scratcher..
Very happy to see that super healthy Pacman and fuge!!
I’m happy for you that after all the work, it is finally paying off.
And be careful what you wish for.. fast growing corals just become a pruning problem more quickly..

 

[sensei]

Wally,

everything looks good.

I have always wanted to have a copperband buterflyfish but I have never passed quarentine. it has been difficult for me to train them to eat frozen. Any trick you learned for than?

 

[Wally.B]

Wally,

everything looks good.

I have always wanted to have a copperband buterflyfish but I have never passed quarentine. it has been difficult for me to train them to eat frozen. Any trick you learned for than?

Hi Jeorge,

I have had 100% success in QT in 3 attempts on Copperband.
One Copperband got ICH but I Fully cured him doing TTM method (which you encourage me to do) THANK YOU!!

1 Died in DT only because I wasn't paying attention (thinking he was eating).

What worked for me (feeding) EVERY TIME IN QT was MASSTICk Food mixture.
I still use MASSTICK food in DT as a supplemental feeding (once to twice a week).

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/masstick-fish-food-easy-reefs.html

It is a powder food, that you mix with few Drop of RO. I actually add in Vitamins Like [Selcon, Kent Zoe, or VitaChem]. (But no Vitamins till they learn to Eat Masstick plain and learn the Feeding Station)

You roll up the Power/water mix into Tiny Meatballs, and freeze.

Then you stick the Meatball onto a Small Clam Sea Shell which is Natural Feeding for Copperband.

You simply drop the Shell into QT, and it will always fall UPRIGHT due to shape of Shell.

Copperband will smell it, and start eating after a few tries.

Before I learn the Shell Trick, I made a Mastick Feeder with a piece of Acrylic and some holes.

HERE IS VIDEO of the Mastick Feeder PLATE I made (and Coppernand eating in QT)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkOFZZgeByY


HERE IS COPPERBAND eating Masstick from Shell in DT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLq8JjcaLkM

HERE IS COPPERBAND Eatting Masstick on a DIY Feeder STICK (since in SPS tank, I don't like throwing in Shells)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dISOzD0l7YA

 

[sensei]

Hi Jeorge,

I have had 100% success in QT in 3 attempts on Copperband.
One Copperband got ICH but I Fully cured him doing TTM method (which you encourage me to do) THANK YOU!!

1 Died in DT only because I wasn't paying attention (thinking he was eating).

What worked for me (feeding) EVERY TIME IN QT was MASSTICk Food mixture.
I still use MASSTICK food in DT as a supplemental feeding (once to twice a week).

https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/masstick-fish-food-easy-reefs.html

Thanks Wally,
I will try this when I have the oportunity.

let me comment that now I am also doing preventive Velvet treatment with TTM and it is as follows:
4 ( four) TTM of 36 hours max
2 ( two) TTM of 72 hours max
with this protocol you treat fish for velvet and ich during quarentine.
In addition I also do prazi twice during TTM

I am happy TTM worked for you. super easy to do.

best regards
Jorge




It is a powder food, that you mix with few Drop of RO. I actually add in Vitamins Like [Selcon, Kent Zoe, or VitaChem]. (But no Vitamins till they learn to Eat Masstick plain and learn the Feeding Station)

You roll up the Power/water mix into Tiny Meatballs, and freeze.

Then you stick the Meatball onto a Small Clam Sea Shell which is Natural Feeding for Copperband.

You simply drop the Shell into QT, and it will always fall UPRIGHT due to shape of Shell.

Copperband will smell it, and start eating after a few tries.

Before I learn the Shell Trick, I made a Mastick Feeder with a piece of Acrylic and some holes.

HERE IS VIDEO of the Mastick Feeder PLATE I made (and Coppernand eating in QT)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bkOFZZgeByY


HERE IS COPPERBAND eating Masstick from Shell in DT
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLq8JjcaLkM

HERE IS COPPERBAND Eatting Masstick on a DIY Feeder STICK (since in SPS tank, I don't like throwing in Shells)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dISOzD0l7YA

 

[sensei]

ups,
I made a mistake is last post.
I wanted to post the following:

Thanks Wally,
I will try this tips when I have the oportunity.

let me comment that now I am also doing preventive Velvet treatment with TTM and it is as follows:
4 ( four) TTM of 36 hours max
2 ( two) TTM of 72 hours max
with this protocol you treat fish for velvet and ich during quarentine.
In addition I also do prazi twice during TTM

I am happy TTM worked for you. super easy to do.

best regards
Jorge

 

[Wally.B]

ups,
I made a mistake is last post.
I wanted to post the following:

Thanks Wally,
I will try this tips when I have the oportunity.

let me comment that now I am also doing preventive Velvet treatment with TTM and it is as follows:
4 ( four) TTM of 36 hours max
2 ( two) TTM of 72 hours max
with this protocol you treat fish for velvet and ich during quarentine.
In addition I also do prazi twice during TTM

I am happy TTM worked for you. super easy to do.

best regards
Jorge

Interesting Jorge,

How does the Extra (but Shorter) First FOUR 36 Hour (instead of 72) TTM help (specifically for Velvet)

I do all of my 5 TTM in 72 Hour Range.

And when you do Prazi, do you do it in TTM #2 and #4, or #4 and #6 ?

 

[sensei]

Interesting Jorge,

How does the Extra (but Shorter) First FOUR 36 Hour (instead of 72) TTM help (specifically for Velvet)

I do all of my 5 TTM in 72 Hour Range.

And when you do Prazi, do you do it in TTM #2 and #4, or #4 and #6 ?

becuase of the life cycle of Velvet parasite, the first 4 TTM of 36hour will get rid of Velvet, and then the last 2 TTM of 72 hours to finish the ich treatment. Humble Fish is the one that game me this tip. I was thiking of doing Cloroquine Phosphate for velvet as preventive but he recomended the 4 initial 36hour TTM and it is easier and safer as no chemical are dosed to fish.

I used to do prazi on 2nd and 4th transffer when I was doing the 4 TTM of less than 72 hours.

regards

 

[Wally.B]

becuase of the life cycle of Velvet parasite, the first 4 TTM of 36hour will get rid of Velvet, and then the last 2 TTM of 72 hours to finish the ich treatment. Humble Fish is the one that game me this tip. I was thiking of doing Cloroquine Phosphate for velvet as preventive but he recomended the 4 initial 36hour TTM and it is easier and safer as no chemical are dosed to fish.

I used to do prazi on 2nd and 4th transffer when I was doing the 4 TTM of less than 72 hours.

regards

Well Jorge,
I just have started Day 1 of TTM. 1 Hour ago.

I got these Hardy Neon Gobies about a week ago. 4 of Them.
In QT there were perfectly Fine including Yesterday. All eating too.

Today I noticed ALL FOUR looked Fuzzy, and upon close inspection (photo), things don't look good.

Might be ICH or Flukes, so here we go again!!

At least I'm not doing Stupid things like Putting NEW Fish into DT anymore.

 

[sensei]

Well Jorge,
I just have started Day 1 of TTM. 1 Hour ago.

I got these Hardy Neon Gobies about a week ago. 4 of Them.
In QT there were perfectly Fine including Yesterday. All eating too.

Today I noticed ALL FOUR looked Fuzzy, and upon close inspection (photo), things don't look good.

Might be ICH or Flukes, so here we go again!!

At least I'm not doing Stupid things like Putting NEW Fish into DT anymore.

Wally,
as you know fish stores have low copper concentration to avoid symptoms in sick fish. You are already quarentining them before introducing them to dt, so IMO you should start TTM the first day you get fish. anyway you can observe fish during TTM and avoid loosing time. with these 4 fish you already lost 1 week, and the problem is that when fish start to show signs of disease it could be hard to bring them back.

If I were you I would do prazi right away and if you can I would do the 4 initial TTM of less <36hours.

I never qt a fish with out doing the TTM and prazi protocol, it is so easy that it is not worth it.

best regards

 

[Wally.B]

Wally,
as you know fish stores have low copper concentration to avoid symptoms in sick fish. You are already quarentining them before introducing them to dt, so IMO you should start TTM the first day you get fish. anyway you can observe fish during TTM and avoid loosing time. with these 4 fish you already lost 1 week, and the problem is that when fish start to show signs of disease it could be hard to bring them back.

If I were you I would do prazi right away and if you can I would do the 4 initial TTM of less <36hours.

I never qt a fish with out doing the TTM and prazi protocol, it is so easy that it is not worth it.

best regards

Jorge,
I did start PraziPro Last night.

However today, I did a Fresh Water Dip on all 4 Fish, just to see if it was Flukes (which they would come off).

Hard to say, but I think nothing came off that I could find in Dip Container.

But after Putting fish back into QT they do look MUCH better. Maybe the Prazi started to take effect, or the Fresh Water Dip gave some relief.

No harm done, and I will continue to observe for Possible Brook Disease.

Right now they are very active. Eatting very well (vitamin enriched food)

I have all these MED/Treatments available on Shelf:

-> PraziPro (Already Used over 24hrs)
-> API (General Cure)
-> API (Furan-2)
-> Seachem (MetroPlex) ** Could be used for Brooks **
-> Seachem (KanaPlex)
-> Seachem (ParaGuard)
-> API (MexlaFix)

At this point hard to say what they have. They are highly ICH resistant species.

One day at a time. I've had things spiral worse each day. Right now that is not happening.

 

[sensei]

prazi does most of the work in the first hour but you need to leave it 24 hours to be sure it does all the work.

 

[Wally.B]

I haven't got a Lot to show since Tank and Frags are young.

Here is one of my Original Frags that went in First. (Sorry a repeat, but it's starting to Speed up on growth)

Hard to believe an SPS Survived in my Tank 7 Months. Sensitive one too.

 

[reefmutt]

Nice, Wally.
Great growth and it looks super healthy as well.

 

[Wally.B]

Thanks Matt.


So Time for a 6 MONTH Update ( CURRENT FRAG List )

Got most of the names, except a few I can't recall, or No-Name Acros.

Lost a Few/Damaged a Few Frags since Last Update...and added a few.

 

[reefmutt]

Looking good! Nice colour in the papi chulo. Much better than mine.
How’s the purple dragon doing?
Mine is struggling to survive the stress from shipping.
That’s quite a collection you have there!

 

[Wally.B]

Looking good! Nice colour in the papi chulo. Much better than mine.
How’s the purple dragon doing?
Mine is struggling to survive the stress from shipping.
That’s quite a collection you have there!

Yes, my collection DOES Keep me worried I don't mess anything up. MY GOAL/Lessons learned from Past is Stability.
What I did in past is whenever, things got good.....I tried to make better (with adjustments). Worst mistake ever to mess with Goodness.

As far as the PAPICHULO. I got mine from Reef Raft Canada (nearby).

It actually looked really nice when I brought it home, with WHITE BACKGROUND (like you get from an IceFire Enchinata).

But over that last while it lost the WHITE, and went dark. Which matches the original Colony Photo RR put up.

The PURPLE Dragon was from GTAreef, and I got both a RED one and Purple.
I lost the Red in a very short time, but the Purple has been doing fine for a few months. NOT GROWING (with White Tips), just looking good, and improving on Purple Coloration.

Actually what I'm noticing is ALL my SPS are getting COLOR but on the DARK RICH COLOR SIDE. Not as Bright. Not complaining, but in some ways, I wish they would brighten up to typical known coloration.

It could be the Amino's I'm doing. Two Brands (opposite days). Coral Essentials GROW/AMINO and AquaForest ABEV.

I don't feed corals at all any food like (Reed Roids, Coral Frenzy, Oyster Feast) in order to keep my P down.

 

[reefmutt]

Well, things are looking pretty good- like you said - don’t change much.
I think your papi chulo chulo looks better now.
I may have mine too low in the tank..
and keep in mind that pretty much no coral looks as good in real life as it does in a vendor’s pic