Overstocked?

[Brooks_McClary]

When do I know I'm overstocked? I think everything looks OK. I can not detect nitrates on my test kit. My phosphates are around 2 to 3 ppm depending on when I test. I have 5 fish (I know that is a tad high) and I feed a cube of plankton or mysis every day. I also feed frozen invert food 2x a week. All the corals are growing great and the fish are super healthy. I have never lost a fish (which is why I have 5). My Mandrin is fat (I have had him for about 6 mos).

My issue is that some macro algae came in with a coral and it is growing nicely (grrrrrr). I also have a littly cyano. The cyano I can live with (it is getting less and less). The macro is growing FAST!! I harvest some every week. I am pretty sure a algae eating fish would overstock the tank (unless someone has a suggestion). How do I get this under control?!?

Here is a photo of my macro algae and "THE GRUMP"

 

[saltyESQ]

in a 20g? I have a 24g aqua pod and have only 3 fish and it seems like there is not enough space for them.

and unless the mandrine eats mysis, he will eventually starve to death as he will eventually eat all the pods. (unless you have a refuge)

BTW your tanks looks awsome!

how do you get the corals so close together, mine seem to fight and kill each other

 

[Jordan55]

Overstocked? Yes!

I must admit, your tank does look pretty nice, but still.... I think you need to get rid of a fish or 2. That maroon clown will get big and probably become territorial. I am not sure what type of angel that is in the front, but I think he should also go because angels enjoy swimming room and most require 55-75 gallons minimum depending on the species.

What are the other 3 fish?

 

[Brooks_McClary]

My mandrin will ONLY eat live food. I have to ton of worms and pods in the tank. I converted my emperor 280 into a mini fuge. I took out the filer media and PACKED it with live rock rubble. It keeps him FAT.

All of the fish are kind of agressive but they only occasionally flare at each other. No one gets bullied or nipped.

I have had to move stuff all over the place to find the perfect fit. some stuff can touch and some CANT. I watch closely and move quick if it appears that something is getting agressive. The funny thing is that the biggest trouble maker was some fast growing octocoral (Zenia spp.???) I didn't think it would or could hurt anything but it seriously hurt two of my candycane coral heads and a ricordia. I gave it all away to a friend with a full warning of it's evil. It had grown to about 5x it's original size in about 6 mos. Otherwise, the only thing in the tank that is agressive is my hammer coral. It attacked my feather duster that i've had for over a year. I had to move that around a bit. Otherwise... It is all pease and happiness in my tank... for now.

 

[Brooks_McClary]

I have the following fish...

Yellow Damselfish (Amblyglyphidodon aureus)
My first fish. Over a year in the tank.
Yellowstripe Maroon Clownfish (Premnas biaculeatus)
My second fish. Also over a year.
Arc Eye Hawkfish (Paracirrhitus arcuatus)
Birthday Present. Over 6 mos in the tank.
Royal Gramma Basslet (Gramma loreto)
Over 10 mos in the tank.
Green Mandarin (Synchiropus splendidus)
Around 5 months I am guessing.

They all look super healthy and are growing.

I know I am pushing the envelope. I don't skim and I dont really use mechanical filtration... I do throw some carbon in my otherwise empty fluval for two weeks out of the month... I also do 10 to 20% water changes every week.

Rest assured that I will have a much larger tank soon. I am upgrading to a 50 gal tank with a month or two. I will use my 20 under it for a fuge.

MMMMM, more room for more stuff.

BTW, most of the coals in the tank came in as teeny frags from friends or nano sized stuff from the LFS. The just grew so darn fast. So really, the overstocking is not MY falut. (LOL) It also lets me frag stuff out of my tank to share with friends.

 

[chocolateblnt]

Well the macro-algae you have is Mexicana Caulerpa ... the fern looking stuff. It grow's insanely fast and roots to LR. I feel your pain however if it's rooted so you're screwed unless you find a fish that eats it. The only suggestion is an algae blenny but you're overstocked; you could exchange that big yellow one for one?! Catch-22 ... Only solution is to get a bigger tank By the way that's a gorgeous lookin' fish ... never seen one like that! I'm assuming it's the Hawkfish!?

 

[Brooks_McClary]

Would a Court Jester Goby be a good Nano alternative to a blenny to eat the Caulerpa? How bout an Emerald Mithrax Crab? Any ideas about what the relative bioload of the two are? I assume the Goby would be a much bigger bioload but then again... It might eat more.

I'll add more Arc Eye pics. He is a riot.

 

[flameangel88]

Two nights ago I got 3 emerald crab in the tank in which one of them is very active to pulling things off the live rocks and for a moment I was wondering if I will have any more 'Live Rocks' left after they are done. I haven't seen them eat hair algae yet but one of them is pulling out anything he gets his claw on and literally taking shells off the LRs and sucking out whatever is on it then spits the shell.

Btw--you have a beautiful tank and I love your arc eye and sure want one myself but I think I'm overloaded in the 2 months that I'd my tank running.

I've the following (they are all very small from 1-1.5"):
1 pygmy angel
1 mandarin
2 pajama cardinal
2 percula clown
1 royal gramma
1 chalk basslet
1 lawnmower (went in the tank about 10 days ago and never saw him again--maybe I shouldn't count this one)

Cleanup crew of hermits and snails, 2 cucumbers, cleaner shrimp, 2 lettuce nudibranch, 3 emerald craps. And these came hidden in the LRs--2 porcelain crab and 1 mantis.

It doesn't look like my mandarin is eating the frozen brine shrimp and mysis, can you tell me where you get your worms and pods to feed the mandarin? Thanks.

 

[Brooks_McClary]

I had a 10 gal tank set up with just some LR and Sand for about 2 mos prior to setting up my current reef. The live rock came from several sources but they all were from gunky under maintained holding tanks. The good news was that they were crawling with pods. If you have good live rock, you'll get the pods. I didn't add teh madarin until My 20 was CRAWLING with PODs. They were all over the place. That was about 6 months after the tank was set up. Now with him there, I only see pods when I flip the lights on in the early AM. There are about 3 different kinds of pods that I can identify. There are also some micro stars and bristle worms. I'm not sure what all he eats but he always has a full belly.

You might want to go to your LFS and see if the have some sand or grunge or rubble from their live rock holding tanks that they will sell you. It should be crawling with little critters to be. I understand that cucumbers will compete for the food in your substrate that your mandarin is looking for. I have not had personal experience with the cucumbers though. Also, sand sifting stars will compete for mardarin food (I think).

The bad news is that I have NEVER gotten my mandarin to eat frozen food, no matter how much I wiggle it. He is smart.

I'd get the mantis out of your tank unless you want a species tank.

 

[flameangel88]

I've been trying to get the mantis out but he's all over the place and it used to be one rock but now it's all over the bottom and I under the rocks the sands been moved. I've got 60lbs of rocks plus all the new stuff with rocks is going to be difficult.

Btw--thanks for the info.

 

[DirtySouth056]

that Arc Eye Hawkfish is badass! Nice pic

 

[Jovreefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7265004#post7265004 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Brooks_McClary
Would a Court Jester Goby be a good Nano alternative to a blenny to eat the Caulerpa? How bout an Emerald Mithrax Crab? Any ideas about what the relative bioload of the two are? I assume the Goby would be a much bigger bioload but then again... It might eat more.

I'll add more Arc Eye pics. He is a riot.

Waite waite... are you thinking about putting ANOTHER fish in? I think you are certianly overloaded espically if your not skimming! But if your upgrading in a few months I wont be all preachy, just waite to add any other fish till you upgrade to a bigger tank. Your tank looks nice, you dont want to push it to far and wind up crashing before you upgrade just because you had to have that one other fish.

Have you tested your phosphates? with a fuge you should have no algea in your main tank if all your parameters are in check.

 

[Brooks_McClary]

My fuge is a penguin 280. Hardly large enough to do more than throw a couple more pods into the tank.

My phosphastes are usually between 2.0 and 3.0 ppm.

I think I'll throw a mithrax crab in and see if that helps (they have lower bio-load than a fish, right?) That, and get a teeny weeny waterproof riding lawn mower.

Don't worry, there is no way i'd put another fish in there. I know I started pushing my luck a while ago. sigh.

 

[Brooks_McClary]

I am thinking of buildng a fuge for my tank... I have limited space under my 20. What type of containers mage good fuges? I am thinking of finding a rubbermaid container, using a CPR overflow and a rio return pump. I can silicone in baffles. I figure I might be able to get as much as 10 extra gallons under my tank. Any thoughts?

This would end up extremely "improvised"

 

[Newreeflady]

What is the point of the post? You said yourself you know you are pushing the envelope, so why ask?

Most will tell you your phosphates are high, you are definitely walking the line with your choice/quantity of fish, etc. Ultmately, it's your system, it sounds like you have a good pod farm for the mandarin, which is good, and you have already taken the stance that you're not here for advice, or at least not willing to heed any.

I'm betting you'll want to remove one or two fish at some point as they grow. Nice looking corals

-A

 

[Brooks_McClary]

You are absolutely right. I am looking for ways to either increase my overall volume or/and decrease my bioload. I am most likely going to take out 1 fish and add a much bigger fuge. BTW, I just saw this little critter in my tank. Is this going to be a problem?

 

[Brooks_McClary]

Also, I got a better FTS of the tank not on macro. I think it is a better view...

 

[Brooks_McClary]

Sorry, here is the correct image...

 

[Newreeflady]

Looks like a Limpet. I had some come in on some Florida rock. They were never a problem for me and I had plenty, good algae eaters. I have seen people who would disagree and say they are a threat. I would trust your gut, if you see nothing wrong, leave it. They get a pretty good grip, so pulling it off will probably kill it.

Best,
Angela

 

[ACBlinky]

If you're only keeping LR rubble in the HOB fuge, this might work: try adding a little light (a desk lamp with a 13W compact fluorescent bulb is what I use) over the fuge and growing some Chaetomorpha macroalgae. It will keep your phosphates and nitrates down and give the pods a nice place to hang out
PO4 at 2-3ppm is WAY high IMHO. Levels over 0.25ppm affect calcification, so you'll get better growth out of your stony corals and more coralline (which also binds nutrients) if you get that number down.
I don't think Chaeto in the fuge will affect the Caulerpa growth much, but it should really help with the cyano. AFAIK macroalgaes actually prefer good water conditions, unlike hair algae and cyano which would probably grow in a sewer pipe. The Caulerpa might be a PITA, but it's binding nutrients and probably preventing a major cyano outbreak.
I have some small and large 'grape' Caulerpa in several of my tanks, along with a tiny, fine-leaved feathery macro, Sargassum, Chaeto... I actually like the way a little macro looks on the rocks, it feels more natural to me. If you can't stand the look, I'd remove as much as you can manually, then scrub the rocks to remove any little bits you may have missed. Hopefully it won't grow back, and if it does it will be in manageable amounts.