Returning to what I love - My new 180 Rimless

[jbanks]

ugghhh, finally, Ive been reading your thread for weeks! Finally sat down and gobbled up the last 15 pages! First and foremost, I am truly sorry to hear about the loss of your father. I have a deadbeat one and now I am a father to a near 2 year old and I cant imagine what a loss that mustve been now that I know what it means to have the honor of being a great father.

Now, to the ups and downs youve had. Man, lots of bad buzzes for a tank that through it all remained stunning. Its almost unbelievable. Really, had you not said you had or did what you did, no one woould know! So I take it you live with the aefw?

I am fearing that I may have something brewing in my tank. Just some odd things happening to some of my corals and tricolors are the hardest hit. Ive had several frags of a once beautiful tri that browned in my QT that have done nothing in my new system. THey remain brown and lack PE and look overall, bad. Then theres others that have paled and lost PE for no good reason. Ive basted and seen nothing but some detritus from the rocks blow off so I may be missing them. Is it really apparent when you have them? I see no bite marks at all. Can you take a pic of a coral that is effected to show me what to look for other than the bitemarks that weve all seen?

Now, im at the point of looking to carbon dose again in this tank. Ive used MB7 since the tank was born and up until recently its held PO4 to 0 on a hanna and NO3 to >5 so I had no need to dose. But now I have had some browning and slowed growth. I tested today and PO4 has risen to .02 and NO3 to <5 so I have upped my wc % and will refresh gfo. Im just thinking it might be time. I love the look everyone gets once they get their dosing down pat. It just goes against the kiss method that ive strived for on this tank. Im open though and of course like all of us, im looking for more. Whatda ya think?

Im having a spinal fushion at the end of the month so I dont want my wife to have to dose it for me for however many months ill be recovering. Therefore, pellets would be a better option unless I setup a dosing pump for it which im not apposed to.

Sorry for the novel but you seem open to discuss these things so I figured what the heck. ALso, kalk has done your system a world of good! I stopped using it since I use two part now that I exceeded kalks limit. Ive thought of bringing it back too but itd be another chore for my poor wife to do when im lame.

Great tank and thread, keep it going cause its working AEFW and all!

First and foremost Chris, thanks for reading and joining the thread. You are a very welcomed addition! Also, thanks for the kind comments starting with my Dad. He was my inspiration for getting back into the hobby and although it's been almost 3 years since he's gone, there are no words to describe the void I still feel. You've been given such an awesome gift and responsibility through your own son who you can love, protect and teach.. I saw a picture on your thread with you and your little man spending quality time together.. Those moments will stay with him for a lifetime! God Bless...As for your back, good luck with the surgery. I feel your pain Bro! I am no stranger to back issues with two herniated discs in my lower lumbar region.. So far, I've been able to manage with excercise and weight loss..

Now to this coral business...lol Yeah..... I live with the Bostiches(AEFWs)!!! and they live with me swearing at them from every angle that I can with my beloved turkey baster and MJ1200 :uzi: I've found that the weekly basting method along with having wrasses from the Halichoeres and Cirrhilabrus families are a pretty solid way to keep the population wayyyy down. The Halies are great hunters and the Cirrhies are great at grabbing them out of the water column when you're basting.. The key to it is basting on days that you do not feed your fish... It seems the AEFWs taste better on these days

I've never seen bite marks on my coral and I've inspected pretty closely, but I'm sure they were there none the less..From pictures that I've seen they look like circular white marks on the coral flesh.. The eggs are brownish-orange and laid in tight clusters.. Tricolors seem to be a favorite meal along with milies and they also took a liking to my Ora Bellina (still hanging in there) and chips (deceased)... If you think something is infected, pull the whole coral out and dip it in revive and see if anything comes off. I know coloration with tri colors can be dificult some time.. The big colony on the top right of my tank took a while to color up, but when it did, it went straight purple.. I have another piee from the same colony on the right hand side of my tank that only had purple tips, with the rest being brown.. Just recently, the whole coral started turning purple. It's placed just a little lower than the large colony.. I will post a couple pictures of a purple millie that I almost lost completely before I knew what was going on with it (coming up)..

As for Carbon dosing, I think it's totally worth a try. I would caution you in running GFO at the same time. You don't want to strip too much from your system.. My experience with dsoing has been very positive.. especially when it comes to retaining beautiful colors in my system.. With my last tank, I always lost colors from new additions and had to wait for them to color back up. I've carbon dosed this tank from the beginning and all colors have stayed in tact.. Corals that I got with no color have even colored up nicely.. I have never tried the pellets, but I agree that it may be the most hassel free method, but dosing vodka or vinegar throug a doser is not bad at all. I actually prefer vinegar because, I've experienced a lot less Cyano when using it versus vodka. Regardless of which way you go, I think it's a great idea to use a live bacteria like MB7 or Microbe Lift's Special Blend along with it... I believe that it helps to ensure that the good bacteria outcompete the bad. I actually prefer Special Blend because you only have to dose weekly for maintenance.. But be forewarned.... It smells horrible!

 

[aandfsoccr04]

your tank is so impressive! I love the way that you did your rockwork and the way the corals are all placed together not to mention the color of the corals. Where did you have your tank made at? would you do starfire glass again knowing what you know now? Great tank and good luck.

 

[jbanks]

To continue with my last post with the pictures that I promised... I will try to Narate how I notice AEFWs in my tank through pictures and the effect on a particular Millie colony.


September of 2009.. My tank was just a few months old and I receive the following purple Millie (maybe prostrata) from a good friend in the hobby that was breaking down his tank.. When he gave it to me, he told me that it was a very rare color, but that it looked like crap because he had not been taking care of his tank. He said, "just wait Jonathan and see what happens with it...

Boy was he right... By December of the same year it colored up beautifully and looked like this. I had never seen a millie this color..

Here is an FTS dring that same month... The Millie is in the back right-hand side. Notice, it now has a partner.... A mint green Millie from a local retailer. It was a maricultred coral and probably the first retail coral I had in my tank aside from my hawkins that I bought the very same evening. I gave the whole colony a thorough dipping in TMPCC, basted it and in it went rock and all (HUGE MISTAKE, but at the time, I didn't know any better).

A closer pic of the culprit! :headwally: :furious:

By may 2010, my beloved Millie stated getting pale and lost it's beautiful polyp extension.

So.. I started basting after reading quite a few posts on these mysterious AEFWs and off they flew (big ones, little ones... you name it!!! A few months after that, the colony was gone with the exception of a a few small pieces and so was the demon spawn green millie that infected my tank (Rock and all). From there, other corals became targets; mainly my Purple Plasma(deceased), Bellina (On the mend..with great polyp extension, but not completely out of the woods IMHO), Tricolor Valida (doing fine now)and Chips (a small encrusting patch left that is making a comeback).

your tank is so impressive! I love the way that you did your rockwork and the way the corals are all placed together not to mention the color of the corals. Where did you have your tank made at? would you do starfire glass again knowing what you know now? Great tank and good luck.

Thanks I really appreciate your comments! I wasn't crazy about the aquascape in the beginning, but now that corals are growing in and covering the rock, I'm really pleased with it. Not much soace to add more as it is, but I did leave enough space in the back left and front left to add to the rockscape in case I find some really special pieces that I 'd like to grow out.. This tank is pretty deep from front to back and there is definitely some wasted real-estate, but I like the fact that there is some growing room for the corals. My tank was made at 100island Aquariums in Brooklyn, NY. Their online company is called Cadlights.com. Yes, I would definitely use starphire again...

 

[chrishayes]

Hey man, thanks for the walkthru. The tissue loss at the juctions on the mille are caused by the worms, no? Is tissue loss typical to the plauge? Did your coral continue to show nighttime PE? When you basted, was it obvious in the water column? I mean were the worms like, "hi, how ya doin, thanks for the yummy corals"?

Ill reply to your other post as well.

 

[chrishayes]

First and foremost Chris, thanks for reading and joining the thread. You are a very welcomed addition! Also, thanks for the kind comments starting with my Dad. He was my inspiration for getting back into the hobby and although it's been almost 3 years since he's gone, there are no words to describe the void I still feel. You've been given such an awesome gift and responsibility through your own son who you can love, protect and teach.. I saw a picture on your thread with you and your little man spending quality time together.. Those moments will stay with him for a lifetime! God Bless...As for your back, good luck with the surgery. I feel your pain Bro! I am no stranger to back issues with two herniated discs in my lower lumbar region.. So far, I've been able to manage with excercise and weight loss..

Now to this coral business...lol Yeah..... I live with the Bostiches(AEFWs)!!! and they live with me swearing at them from every angle that I can with my beloved turkey baster and MJ1200 :uzi: I've found that the weekly basting method along with having wrasses from the Halichoeres and Cirrhilabrus families are a pretty solid way to keep the population wayyyy down. The Halies are great hunters and the Cirrhies are great at grabbing them out of the water column when you're basting.. The key to it is basting on days that you do not feed your fish... It seems the AEFWs taste better on these days

I've never seen bite marks on my coral and I've inspected pretty closely, but I'm sure they were there none the less..From pictures that I've seen they look like circular white marks on the coral flesh.. The eggs are brownish-orange and laid in tight clusters.. Tricolors seem to be a favorite meal along with milies and they also took a liking to my Ora Bellina (still hanging in there) and chips (deceased)... If you think something is infected, pull the whole coral out and dip it in revive and see if anything comes off. I know coloration with tri colors can be dificult some time.. The big colony on the top right of my tank took a while to color up, but when it did, it went straight purple.. I have another piee from the same colony on the right hand side of my tank that only had purple tips, with the rest being brown.. Just recently, the whole coral started turning purple. It's placed just a little lower than the large colony.. I will post a couple pictures of a purple millie that I almost lost completely before I knew what was going on with it (coming up)..

As for Carbon dosing, I think it's totally worth a try. I would caution you in running GFO at the same time. You don't want to strip too much from your system.. My experience with dsoing has been very positive.. especially when it comes to retaining beautiful colors in my system.. With my last tank, I always lost colors from new additions and had to wait for them to color back up. I've carbon dosed this tank from the beginning and all colors have stayed in tact.. Corals that I got with no color have even colored up nicely.. I have never tried the pellets, but I agree that it may be the most hassel free method, but dosing vodka or vinegar throug a doser is not bad at all. I actually prefer vinegar because, I've experienced a lot less Cyano when using it versus vodka. Regardless of which way you go, I think it's a great idea to use a live bacteria like MB7 or Microbe Lift's Special Blend along with it... I believe that it helps to ensure that the good bacteria outcompete the bad. I actually prefer Special Blend because you only have to dose weekly for maintenance.. But be forewarned.... It smells horrible!

UGH, dont remind me of my back! I have the fusion coming in exactly 27days. Im terrified to be completely honest with you...:worried:. I wish I could lose weight. If I did id be skinnier than my 17 month old. ALso, theres no living with mine, its hampered my life from walking to working. Cant do any of it. So its worth the risk to me. I either get my life back or end up in more pain and doing less than I do now. Not a good coinflip to have in life but, its the hand im dealt.

And yes, being a dad make just about everything else in life unimportant. I dont know if thats because its such an honor or you just dont have time to deal with anything else!

As to the AEFW, I guess time will tell. I just have a hard time knowing how big these are and if they are really visible when blown into the water along with the crud that comes out from the rocks and whatnot. I sure hope im just being my paranoid self...

Carbon dosing has been started. Just knew it was time. I hadnt seen any po4 since I set up the tank and nitrates I had to convince myself on the test kit that it was not zero, now I have them and they arent going down with WCs. Plus I like fish:wave: Ill let you know in my thread how it all shakes out but so far im impressed with the speed at which it goes to work on color and skimmer performance.

Thanks for taking the time and space to reply to me, I appreciate it!

 

[jbanks]

You got it Chris! Once again... Good luck with that surgery and let me know how it goes! You need that back for your waterchanges.... at least until Jr is big and strong enough to do them for you

AEFWs vary in sice from juvenile to adult and althoug completelt invisible while on the SPS, you will see them right a way when you the get into the water column.. You may think some of the juveniles are debri, but there is no mistaking an adult. The ones I have are a tranlucent white.. As a precaution and you will thank me for this.... Practice basting your SPS once or twice on a weekly basis from now on.. If you do this, and by chance they are in your system or ever introduces by accident, it will prevent them from getting a stronghold in your tank and doing any damage... and remember, it's best done when fish are hungry..

That's funny, usually it's the phosphate that's most subborn.. Either way, Vodka will get you there, I actually switch back and forth between vodka and vinegar every 6 to 8 months. I do this when I start getting cyano blooms.. I've found tht Cyano is least tolerant to vinegar, but it can adapt. When I see that happening, that's when I switch.. If you try this just rememeber to use 8 times the amount of vinegar as you would vodka since it is a much weaker carbon source. My thoughts on why folks see a difference even with low readings before carbon is that our test kits can test for organic nutrients only.. When it comes to the inorganic factor that may be affecting our systems, we really have no idea. Maybe it's possible that although carbon dosing is a biological bullet to assist with processing and exporting bilogical waste that it somehow has an affect on the non-biological waste as well. Just a thought to ponder...

 

[chrishayes]

I will definitely let you know how it goes. I already turkey baste every week. so far so good . thanks for the heads up on the vinegar idea.

 

[Reef_Noob]

You got it Chris! Once again... Good luck with that surgery and let me know how it goes! You need that back for your waterchanges.... at least until Jr is big and strong enough to do them for you

AEFWs vary in sice from juvenile to adult and althoug completelt invisible while on the SPS, you will see them right a way when you the get into the water column.. You may think some of the juveniles are debri, but there is no mistaking an adult. The ones I have are a tranlucent white.. As a precaution and you will thank me for this.... Practice basting your SPS once or twice on a weekly basis from now on.. If you do this, and by chance they are in your system or ever introduces by accident, it will prevent them from getting a stronghold in your tank and doing any damage... and remember, it's best done when fish are hungry..

That's funny, usually it's the phosphate that's most subborn.. Either way, Vodka will get you there, I actually switch back and forth between vodka and vinegar every 6 to 8 months. I do this when I start getting cyano blooms.. I've found tht Cyano is least tolerant to vinegar, but it can adapt. When I see that happening, that's when I switch.. If you try this just rememeber to use 8 times the amount of vinegar as you would vodka since it is a much weaker carbon source. My thoughts on why folks see a difference even with low readings before carbon is that our test kits can test for organic nutrients only.. When it comes to the inorganic factor that may be affecting our systems, we really have no idea. Maybe it's possible that although carbon dosing is a biological bullet to assist with processing and exporting bilogical waste that it somehow has an affect on the non-biological waste as well. Just a thought to ponder...

Thanks Jon this is very valid and great info!!

 

[jbanks]

You got it RN!

 

[jbanks]

Ok folks.. Here is a mistake I recenlty made that I just want to put out there to all APEX users or users of any other controllers that can be accessed from a mobile device.... Over the last week and a half, I've watched my ORP climb from the usual 410 to 420 range to as high as 600+.. My first thought was.. time to clean the probe because that's impossible. My water was looking clearer than ever, but my fish seemed a bit more skitish than usual... I never even considered looking at whether my Ozonizer shut off because, I have it "programmed" to shut of at 420... Well early yesterday I did a check and realized that somwhere along the line I must have fat-fingered my Ozone switch on my phone applet from "Auto" (which follows your program) to "Manual on", which just stays on. So I switched it to auto and my Ozotech shut off. By the time I got home last night, my ORP had droped to around 440 and by this morning it was at 420... I was a bit shocked because I have not serviced my Ozonizer in a while and I do not use an air dryer so I "assumed" it wasn't pumping out much ozone anyway.. Together with the assumption that my probe was dirty and was not reading correctly, I could have caused a catastrophe in my Tank.. Well, I have once again learned my lesson about assumptions. Now, if for some reason I find out that an ORP of 600+ eradicated all of my AEFWs.. eggs and all.. I will become a self clamied over-night reefing sensation! LOL... Moral of the story... keep your eyes :hmm3: on your mobile controllers folks..

 

[afernandez]

Amen To that!! I did something similar to that with my day lights I left them on (on) Instead of auto .. Luckly I check the tank before i leave the house so no big harm was done, imagine I would had done the same mistake with the heater .

Thanks for sharing

 

[afernandez]

Amen To that!! I did something similar to that with my day lights I left them on (on) Instead of auto .. Luckly I check the tank before i leave the house so no big harm was done, imagine I would had done the same mistake with the heater .

Thanks for sharing

 

[chrishayes]

well, thats sound advice for those of us looking into net control! Hope nothing is bothered too bad, except of course aefw!

 

[jbanks]

Amen To that!! I did something similar to that with my day lights I left them on (on) Instead of auto .. Luckly I check the tank before i leave the house so no big harm was done, imagine I would had done the same mistake with the heater .

Thanks for sharing

They say only bad things happen fast in this hobby! Automation can defnitely make us a bit lazy so it's good to make sure we're on top of this stuff regardless.

well, thats sound advice for those of us looking into net control! Hope nothing is bothered too bad, except of course aefw!

So far no bad signs. I'll be watching closely over the next few days.

 

[aquaph8]

WOW, glad you caught it, that could've been bad.

Jonathan, have you tried any other bacterial additives other than MB7 and special blend?

 

[jbanks]

Yeah... I was pretty happy that I did. Those are the only two that I've tried thus far... been wanting to try the Zeo stuff as well. I believe its called Coral Snow. I've heard some pretty good things about it in relation to knocking out Cyano.

 

[Reef_Noob]

Gosh ozone at 600...wouldv been bad for ya fishies if ya handnt fixed that...
Thats a good reminder for automation generation
Coral snow ...yeah...have hard good things about it too...

If ya gonna go the Zeo way will ya do it with a reactor or without one Jon?

 

[jbanks]

I don't think I will ever go that Route Bro... Too expensive and too many additives that can't be auto dosed. To me ZEO makes the hobby tedious! and although the results can be beautiful if executed properly, that would kill the hobby for me... Not enough time.

 

[chrishayes]

AMEN to that! Hang on honey, I gotta shake my stones before we go! lol um no. I dont like the look personally either. I hate pastel colors, so its a me problem.

 

[jbanks]

LMAO!!!! Not me..... Nope.... Won't do it!