Step-by-step account of my first reef (with lots of pics)
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Dudester
Premium Member
No you weren't, and don't go bare bottom, your tank (when it has corals in it) looks like a natural reef, which contains sand! I'm sure thedude anticipates that you will replace your sand bed. You could easily build a small PVC platform to put the rocks on if you wish.<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8415785#post8415785 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fishypets
Sorry man I was way out of line.
melev - Thanks!
So I need some advice. In the SPS forum I reported that we saw AEFW on monti digitata corals, and others have validated this. Concerning to me was that someone also saw them on monti caps :eek2: . I have 4 of them in my tank that I did not remove, as they are encrusted over several rocks of the aquascape. Does anyone think I should get them out as well, or take my chances since AEFW are clearly more prevalent on acros? I really don't want to tear up my rock formation, but I will if necessary. I was going to break off a piece and dip it, and if I see any flatworms then it'll be a no-brainer, but if there are none them I'm back to having to make the decision. I looked carefully with my "babe magnets" and didn't see any eggs or bite marks, so that's a good sign that perhaps there's no infestation. What to do, what to do ...
KingfishJohn
New member
I'd dip as Marc said and perhaps turkey baste the caps a little to see if any fly off.
Clint we're putting sand back into your tank but we may be a little creative. I'm thinking of putting your main rock pieces on acrylic "stilts" so that they don't sit directly on the sand.
Clint we're putting sand back into your tank but we may be a little creative. I'm thinking of putting your main rock pieces on acrylic "stilts" so that they don't sit directly on the sand.
Checkin' In
Checkin' In
Hi guys,
Just checkin' in. I've been pretty busy lately and haven't posted much, but I have been lurking and keeping up with the thread.
I'm learning 'way too much about dipping, red bugs, flatworm, AEFW, etc. Man, it's scary. I haven't had to deal with any big pest outbreaks in my little 20L tank yet (knocking firmly on wood
), but if I do I'll know what to do. I guess I've been lucky, as I haven't dipped or quarantined anything in my tank. As I'm planning my next (probably 90G) tank I'm starting to worry about taking such precautions already.
Like Dudester a few weeks ago, my tank just hit it's first birthday on October 15th. I am pretty proud of myself that I have managed to keep it alive this long.
I told myself a year ago that if I could keep a little tank healthy for a year I'd have enough confidence to start a bigger one, hence the planning for a 90 gal RR tank. I guess once I start getting serious about setting it up I'll start a thread like this one to walk through the progress.
Not to steal your thunder, Mike, but here's a couple birthday pics of my baby!
Not quite up to the usual standards here, but I'm workin' on it!
:rollface:
Checkin' In
Hi guys,
Just checkin' in. I've been pretty busy lately and haven't posted much, but I have been lurking and keeping up with the thread.
I'm learning 'way too much about dipping, red bugs, flatworm, AEFW, etc. Man, it's scary. I haven't had to deal with any big pest outbreaks in my little 20L tank yet (knocking firmly on wood
), but if I do I'll know what to do. I guess I've been lucky, as I haven't dipped or quarantined anything in my tank. As I'm planning my next (probably 90G) tank I'm starting to worry about taking such precautions already.Like Dudester a few weeks ago, my tank just hit it's first birthday on October 15th. I am pretty proud of myself that I have managed to keep it alive this long.
I told myself a year ago that if I could keep a little tank healthy for a year I'd have enough confidence to start a bigger one, hence the planning for a 90 gal RR tank. I guess once I start getting serious about setting it up I'll start a thread like this one to walk through the progress.Not to steal your thunder, Mike, but here's a couple birthday pics of my baby!
Not quite up to the usual standards here, but I'm workin' on it!
:rollface:
badgers034
New member
Hey dudester, I just read (skimmed) your whole thread, and that tank is sweet. ONe wuick wuestion, how did you aquacape it like that?? Did you use a PVC frame, or just carefully place the rocks??
Dudester
Premium Member
thedude - Yep, that's the plan. I'll do the Lugol's dip since it was very effective in finding the AEFW on my mille frag.
fishypets - Thanks for taking such good care of my corals, and for all of your hard work. I can tell they love the flow - I can actually see my green slimer smiling in that photo. Of course you know that they're going to get spoiled at your house, and they won't want to come home to me after the 10 weeks are up.
bcoons - Glad to see you're still here. Your tank looks fantastic! All of your corals are very happy. I'm particularly impressed with the green branching acro colony you have growing there, and the zoanthids are quite plump - very nice! Happy birthday to you, too.
badgers034 - Skimming 33 pages is no small task, hope it was worth it. Thanks for the compliment, and the rocks were stacked "carefully," as you mentioned. John (thedude) was instrumental in creating it as it is, and I'm very grateful for his help. There was a single tumbling episode that occurred early on, but now they're quite rigid due to some settling as well as coral encrustation over adjacent rocks. I'm extremely happy with the aquascape, but feel that the front right lacks height, and I'm still toying with the idea of placing a small rock island there.
fishypets - Thanks for taking such good care of my corals, and for all of your hard work. I can tell they love the flow - I can actually see my green slimer smiling in that photo. Of course you know that they're going to get spoiled at your house, and they won't want to come home to me after the 10 weeks are up.
bcoons - Glad to see you're still here. Your tank looks fantastic! All of your corals are very happy. I'm particularly impressed with the green branching acro colony you have growing there, and the zoanthids are quite plump - very nice! Happy birthday to you, too.
badgers034 - Skimming 33 pages is no small task, hope it was worth it. Thanks for the compliment, and the rocks were stacked "carefully," as you mentioned. John (thedude) was instrumental in creating it as it is, and I'm very grateful for his help. There was a single tumbling episode that occurred early on, but now they're quite rigid due to some settling as well as coral encrustation over adjacent rocks. I'm extremely happy with the aquascape, but feel that the front right lacks height, and I'm still toying with the idea of placing a small rock island there.
badgers034
New member
Yea, it was worth it. I am slowly reading chunks of it now, as it is a very informative thread. Also, I hope you dont mind if I take your idea about the thing you hung your light from. I think thats a really good idea.
Dudester
Premium Member
Of course you can use that idea - I'm thrilled that one of my original ideas is going to be used by someone else. Let me know how it goes, and feel free to ask if you need help.
Yesterday I beefed up my clean-up crew, as there's been some attrition. I got 12 nassarius, 12 ceriths, an emerald crab, a lettuce nudibranch, and 2 peppermint shrimp. The sixline went after 1 of the shrimp briefly, but I don't think any were killed. They're kinda small and I haven't seen them, but I hope they make an appearance around my next feeding.
Yesterday I beefed up my clean-up crew, as there's been some attrition. I got 12 nassarius, 12 ceriths, an emerald crab, a lettuce nudibranch, and 2 peppermint shrimp. The sixline went after 1 of the shrimp briefly, but I don't think any were killed. They're kinda small and I haven't seen them, but I hope they make an appearance around my next feeding.
badgers034
New member
It is a very good idea. It is DEFINATELY a better alternative to hanging them from the ceiling.
fishypets
New member
Well today was the second treatment using Fluke tabs for the AEFW and all went well. I didn't notice any AEFW, however I did scrape a cluster of eggs off my Tubs blue digi.
However I did notice something I've never seen before. It was a red flat worm that was about 1.5 inches long. I noticed it in the bottom of the tub I was treating the corals in. I'd say it was in the bath for over 45 minutes and when I pulled the little guy out to snap a shot he was still moving. Has anyone seen a flatworm like this before? Obviously the Fluke tab didn't kill him so I hope there are no more and they don't like acro flesh. Here are the pics
However I did notice something I've never seen before. It was a red flat worm that was about 1.5 inches long. I noticed it in the bottom of the tub I was treating the corals in. I'd say it was in the bath for over 45 minutes and when I pulled the little guy out to snap a shot he was still moving. Has anyone seen a flatworm like this before? Obviously the Fluke tab didn't kill him so I hope there are no more and they don't like acro flesh. Here are the pics
Dudester
Premium Member
2639 - "Holy crap" is right. I hope you've recuperated so you can keep following along.
fishypets - I'm afraid ... I'm very afraid! I'll be the first to tell you when I don't know Jack, and on the subject of that red monster, I don't know Jack! But I will surmise this ... I doubt that is an AEFW, and I doubt it eats acropora tissue. The fact that it survived Tropic Marin Pro Coral Cure and Fluke-Tabs causes me to guess that it may not even be a planaria (??). Whatever it is, I'm glad you found it; we just need to have it identified. Could you post some pics of it in the "Other Invertebrates" forum, or maybe as a new thread in the "SPS" forum, and maybe we can get an ID on it.
I'm a little discouraged by the fact that you found eggs on the Tubs colony. That means that either I missed them (even with the dorky glasses), or there are still surviving flatworms that laid new eggs. I guess that means that we have to re-start the clock at time zero now that eggs were seen, which means the corals still have 10 weeks in quarantine and with weekly treatments
.
I saw 1 of the new peppermint shrimp yesterday, so at least the sixline hasn't killed both of them. I'm hopeful that the other one is better at hiding and that it'll show up soon. The new lettuce nudi is having a tough initiation into the tank, too (you reading this, Bax?). As you know, I've spent countless times rescuing my nudis from my overflow in the past, and the new one has been no exception. Last night I saw that my overflow wasn't siphoning, and when I looked at the air line tubing connecting the overflow box to the AquaLifter pump, there was an obstruction inside. It was the lettuce nudi crammed inside the air line tubing and the plastic nipple that the tubing connects to! I tried to pull it out, but what I could grasp had essentially liquified. I then broke a toothpick and pushed the remainder of the critter back into the overflow box, turned on the flow, and then removed the remainder of it (about 2/3 of its original length) from the overflow strainer. Amazingly it lived, and this morning I again found it in the overflow box, but fortunately not in the air line tubing. So much for learned behaviors.
fishypets - I'm afraid ... I'm very afraid! I'll be the first to tell you when I don't know Jack, and on the subject of that red monster, I don't know Jack! But I will surmise this ... I doubt that is an AEFW, and I doubt it eats acropora tissue. The fact that it survived Tropic Marin Pro Coral Cure and Fluke-Tabs causes me to guess that it may not even be a planaria (??). Whatever it is, I'm glad you found it; we just need to have it identified. Could you post some pics of it in the "Other Invertebrates" forum, or maybe as a new thread in the "SPS" forum, and maybe we can get an ID on it.
I'm a little discouraged by the fact that you found eggs on the Tubs colony. That means that either I missed them (even with the dorky glasses), or there are still surviving flatworms that laid new eggs. I guess that means that we have to re-start the clock at time zero now that eggs were seen, which means the corals still have 10 weeks in quarantine and with weekly treatments
.I saw 1 of the new peppermint shrimp yesterday, so at least the sixline hasn't killed both of them. I'm hopeful that the other one is better at hiding and that it'll show up soon. The new lettuce nudi is having a tough initiation into the tank, too (you reading this, Bax?). As you know, I've spent countless times rescuing my nudis from my overflow in the past, and the new one has been no exception. Last night I saw that my overflow wasn't siphoning, and when I looked at the air line tubing connecting the overflow box to the AquaLifter pump, there was an obstruction inside. It was the lettuce nudi crammed inside the air line tubing and the plastic nipple that the tubing connects to! I tried to pull it out, but what I could grasp had essentially liquified. I then broke a toothpick and pushed the remainder of the critter back into the overflow box, turned on the flow, and then removed the remainder of it (about 2/3 of its original length) from the overflow strainer. Amazingly it lived, and this morning I again found it in the overflow box, but fortunately not in the air line tubing. So much for learned behaviors.
Re: Checkin' In
Re: Checkin' In
I REALLY like this aquascaping! I think I'll redo mine tonight just like this
I need to do some reasearch on what corals are best to place directly on the sand. Does anyone know of a 'list' that I can read? I'm still a newbie when it comes to coral placement.
dudester....we need more pics!!!
Re: Checkin' In
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=8423548#post8423548 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by bcoons
I REALLY like this aquascaping! I think I'll redo mine tonight just like this
I need to do some reasearch on what corals are best to place directly on the sand. Does anyone know of a 'list' that I can read? I'm still a newbie when it comes to coral placement.
dudester....we need more pics!!!
Bax
Premium Member
Dude
I have three of four nudis still active in the display. I had two in the display and two in the fuge. But now I can't find any in the fuge and there are three in the display?
One looks really great, a nice deep green. Another looks a little pale but otherwise OK.
The third looks like it met my VorTech MP-40 or perhaps my Mag 9 return pump? It looks like it was cut in half, but is still active.
I have three of four nudis still active in the display. I had two in the display and two in the fuge. But now I can't find any in the fuge and there are three in the display?
One looks really great, a nice deep green. Another looks a little pale but otherwise OK.
The third looks like it met my VorTech MP-40 or perhaps my Mag 9 return pump? It looks like it was cut in half, but is still active.
Re: Re: Checkin' In
Re: Re: Checkin' In
Gee, thanks! It's really great to get a compliment on my tank in Dudester's thread.
Actually, there wasn't much thought given to aquascaping in that tank. I'm more of a systems integration type, and not much on aesthetics, and just kinda threw the LR in where it would fit together. My son, who has more of an artist bent, just rolls his eyes.:rollface:
As far as to what to put on the sand, I just looked in some of the coral reference pages on the 'net, and if it said they like sand, I put them on the sand. None of them have climbed up on the rocks, so I guess they are happy on the sand!
So Dudester, now that a bunch of livestock is out of your tank for awhile, do you plan any equipment or aquascaping changes/improvements?
I'm up in Seattle this week, staying on the waterfront. It's nice and cool!
Re: Re: Checkin' In
[iOriginally posted</a> by 2639 [/i]
I REALLY like this aquascaping! I think I'll redo mine tonight just like this
I need to do some reasearch on what corals are best to place directly on the sand. Does anyone know of a 'list' that I can read? I'm still a newbie when it comes to coral placement.
dudester....we need more pics!!!
Gee, thanks! It's really great to get a compliment on my tank in Dudester's thread.
Actually, there wasn't much thought given to aquascaping in that tank. I'm more of a systems integration type, and not much on aesthetics, and just kinda threw the LR in where it would fit together. My son, who has more of an artist bent, just rolls his eyes.:rollface:
As far as to what to put on the sand, I just looked in some of the coral reference pages on the 'net, and if it said they like sand, I put them on the sand. None of them have climbed up on the rocks, so I guess they are happy on the sand!
So Dudester, now that a bunch of livestock is out of your tank for awhile, do you plan any equipment or aquascaping changes/improvements?
I'm up in Seattle this week, staying on the waterfront. It's nice and cool!
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