Soulpatch's build thread (ongoing)
- Thread starter soulpatch
- Start date
soulpatch
New member
Ugh like Cabo I am having a small acan issue. Thankfully it is on my fast producing Iron Mans. Regardless I saw my emeral taking some nips tonight. Tried to get him and he got away for now. I couldnt grab my spear in time so tried my foreceps which failed miserably. He did lose a leg though. I will be sitting up tonight for a bit to grab him. I have some food thawing now to throw in and entice him out then wham bam thank you maim he will be speared.
soulpatch
New member
He got away again from me last night. He lost a claw in his escape though. I know where he hides in the tank so he might see his rock come out tonight if I cant catch him otherwise.
Also have a smaller one that has not been eating my acans that I am still deciding on. He likes to hang out in the torch and I like him so he might stay. Or I take him out as well and replace with a couple porcelin crabs.
The one porcelin I had gotten just recently was killed by my emerald I believe. I found him dead a few days afer I got him. Well I should say I found his claw and part of his body shell...
Also have a smaller one that has not been eating my acans that I am still deciding on. He likes to hang out in the torch and I like him so he might stay. Or I take him out as well and replace with a couple porcelin crabs.
The one porcelin I had gotten just recently was killed by my emerald I believe. I found him dead a few days afer I got him. Well I should say I found his claw and part of his body shell...
soulpatch
New member
Mission success on the larger emerald. I still have a small emerald in the tank that I will allow to stay for now since he is easy to find. He just hangs around my torch most of the time.
Though in my hunting mission for the larger emerald I saw a porcelin crab that I thought was dead so that was pretty cool. I might have to get another one or two and I hope they come out a bit more with the big emerald gone...
Though in my hunting mission for the larger emerald I saw a porcelin crab that I thought was dead so that was pretty cool. I might have to get another one or two and I hope they come out a bit more with the big emerald gone...
homer1475
New member
Never seen my emerald eat anything other then algae and coralline. He will pick at my zoas, but if I watch him closely, he's just picking between the polyps. If he does manage to grab a polyp(large and clumsy) by accident, he immediately spits it out. Pretty sure this is how the nuclear green palys made it to the other side of my tank.
I have never witnessed him picking on anything other then dead flesh on a coral or algae between the zoa mats. I will admit I only have 1 acan, but he hasn't even so much as looked at it, so far.
I have never witnessed him picking on anything other then dead flesh on a coral or algae between the zoa mats. I will admit I only have 1 acan, but he hasn't even so much as looked at it, so far.
I don't trust any of the crabs. I just think if they get hungry enough they'll go after coral, and I'm a light feeder to keep bioload in check.
In my old tank, I used mostly dead phosphate-filled cyano-covered rock, but added a few cool pieces of TBS (from the waaaay early days) live rock to add bio diversity. It worked, but even then, I got a decorator arrow crab that only came out at night. I never noticed any issues with my SPS, but then one night I actually saw it walking out on my A. Formosa, pulling the polyps out of the coral, and sticking them on its back. Way cool, but annoying. I never went after him directly, but did do an interceptor dosing for red bugs, and I'm sure it killed him with whatever other crabs I had at the time.
I still don't trust fresh liverock
if/when I ever set up a tank again with fresh liverock, instead of a barn raising, I'll have a liverock cleaning party
In my old tank, I used mostly dead phosphate-filled cyano-covered rock, but added a few cool pieces of TBS (from the waaaay early days) live rock to add bio diversity. It worked, but even then, I got a decorator arrow crab that only came out at night. I never noticed any issues with my SPS, but then one night I actually saw it walking out on my A. Formosa, pulling the polyps out of the coral, and sticking them on its back. Way cool, but annoying. I never went after him directly, but did do an interceptor dosing for red bugs, and I'm sure it killed him with whatever other crabs I had at the time.
I still don't trust fresh liverock
if/when I ever set up a tank again with fresh liverock, instead of a barn raising, I'll have a liverock cleaning party
soulpatch
New member
bah porcelins are awesome crabs. Cool to look at and have never seen/heard of them doing damage. And if I was in a larger tank that had more options for the crab to nip at so I wouldnt notice I would probably be fine but he was rather large and destroyed an acan head in a night which was the last straw.
Partially my fault as I got rid of the algae that they were feeding on and they went hunting for more food sources.
Partially my fault as I got rid of the algae that they were feeding on and they went hunting for more food sources.
soulpatch
New member
So since removing that one large emerald and another mid sized one I have seen some bounce back in my tank. I have one small emerald left that I need to get yet as I dont want him in there anymore either.
As is my emeralds much have been eating more then the one acan I saw as my hammers which I thought were struggling due to their newer placement are bouncing back so the crabs much have been eating them as well.
My stylo is hopefully going to come back as they destroyed that but it is still white so good chance of return of life. no algae on it and there are a couple of polyps left. So we shall see.
I need to move my enchilada as it appears to be getting hit from something close to it. It can be hit or miss mixing them with regular acans and it appears that I have a miss so it needs to be moved. Also have to find a new spot for my one hammer.
I moved my zoas around as I have been having issues with them since I got my Kessil. Not sure what all is going on with them so I moved the 2 colonies I have up to where I have my utter chaos and death mauls since those two are doing good though not growing like I would like.
My one rainbow acan rock was moved from the sand to the acan garden since I got a new acan colony this weekend. I will shoot pics tonight but suffice it to say if I got something with my crowded tank it is a stunner...The wife was with me when I saw it and it is a small colony of only about 12 heads though she scoffed slightly at the price of 130. Though I have awesome florida ric that has split and he had a need so a couple pieces of ric and a spare since acan head to him and I walked out with the colony for half that. Sure he still makes out since he will sell my rics for 20-29 a pop, the yuma for 30, and the acan for 25 but I got what I wanted... Plus it felt somewhat nice that my growth "made" me some money...
Now to test water tonight and do a water change. I believe my project for this week is to set up the dosers as I believe they will need to start running. My calc is swinging finally with the acans so i need to check it and calculate weekly consumption.
Pics to come tonight with my water change.
As is my emeralds much have been eating more then the one acan I saw as my hammers which I thought were struggling due to their newer placement are bouncing back so the crabs much have been eating them as well.
My stylo is hopefully going to come back as they destroyed that but it is still white so good chance of return of life. no algae on it and there are a couple of polyps left. So we shall see.
I need to move my enchilada as it appears to be getting hit from something close to it. It can be hit or miss mixing them with regular acans and it appears that I have a miss so it needs to be moved. Also have to find a new spot for my one hammer.
I moved my zoas around as I have been having issues with them since I got my Kessil. Not sure what all is going on with them so I moved the 2 colonies I have up to where I have my utter chaos and death mauls since those two are doing good though not growing like I would like.
My one rainbow acan rock was moved from the sand to the acan garden since I got a new acan colony this weekend. I will shoot pics tonight but suffice it to say if I got something with my crowded tank it is a stunner...The wife was with me when I saw it and it is a small colony of only about 12 heads though she scoffed slightly at the price of 130. Though I have awesome florida ric that has split and he had a need so a couple pieces of ric and a spare since acan head to him and I walked out with the colony for half that. Sure he still makes out since he will sell my rics for 20-29 a pop, the yuma for 30, and the acan for 25 but I got what I wanted... Plus it felt somewhat nice that my growth "made" me some money...
Now to test water tonight and do a water change. I believe my project for this week is to set up the dosers as I believe they will need to start running. My calc is swinging finally with the acans so i need to check it and calculate weekly consumption.
Pics to come tonight with my water change.
soulpatch
New member
Good luck. Apparently there is at least one marked for my approval first before they go on sale to the public at my LFS. Also a gold torch might be coming my way.... LOL
I might get rid of the "normal" zoas and switch to simply acans, ric, gsp, hammers, and torches. I will keep my mauls and chaos though since they will net me a ton in resale value eventually...
soulpatch
New member
Anyone know of a way to semi easily get rid of palys? Do fluke tabs work? I dont mind if it kills my GSP as well if it nukes my palys.
Or any other method? With any method please let me know of potential other casualties or dangers. I think I saw or read fluke tabs work but not positive. And if so where would I get them?
Or any other method? With any method please let me know of potential other casualties or dangers. I think I saw or read fluke tabs work but not positive. And if so where would I get them?
I don't think fluke tabs work on palys/zoas. The only thing I can think of is manual removal, either by you and your sharp object of choice, or a critter (or some critters) that eat them preferentially). I've tossed the idea of adding zoa eating nudibranchs to my tank a few times, they're EVERYWHERE now (fortunately now that I'm adding the appropriate amount of calcium and alkalinity, most of my acros are able to overgrow them).
I don't recall any other palythoa specific chemical to get rid of them, sorry!
I don't recall any other palythoa specific chemical to get rid of them, sorry!
Luck? Hmmmm, guess the gauntlet hath been thrown down. Haha!
You just wait mister.....umm, umm, until I'm sure I've killed all those damn critters that's been eating my acans...that is....yeah, that's it!
soulpatch
New member
But soon after I should have my new tank. I think I am looking at a Jan build schedule should I go custom with Marek that is looking likely.
It's crossed my mind. My hestitation is that I want to win it ( ) when it's fully grown out, and I have these giant acro colonies grown in a tiny cube, from itty bitty frags. So maybe a year or so. You guys can/should go for it though! Let's be honest, there are some really beautiful tanks around here!
) when it's fully grown out, and I have these giant acro colonies grown in a tiny cube, from itty bitty frags. So maybe a year or so. You guys can/should go for it though! Let's be honest, there are some really beautiful tanks around here!
soulpatch
New member
yeah I dont want to enter my tank as of yet. It is not grown in enough for me to put it up. I will do so before it gets moved over but there are some other items I want to do first.
Really I want my one acan zone to grow in as it should be stunning. I think I simply need to dial in the calcium and alk in my tank to get the growth I am after...
Here is my new guy and some other pics:
Really I want my one acan zone to grow in as it should be stunning. I think I simply need to dial in the calcium and alk in my tank to get the growth I am after...
Here is my new guy and some other pics:
