Stray voltage...aefw...life...reefing...pics...

MeanGreenEyes

New member
So...I got zapped last week while doing a w/c on my system. Stupid Atman pump on my BM Nac3 crapped out on me in the middle of my w/c. Skimmerless until the new pump arrives...stupid shipping always takes longer when you REALLY need something. Grrr!

I've seen a lot of very mixed reviews on grounding probes/gfci outlets...debating on my next move on this issue. Concerned that if I replace the outlet with a gfci of it possibly tripping while I'm away from the tank and coming home to dead livestock. On the other hand, my research so far has shown that grounding probes are a joke. So, some input on this one would be welcomed.

Aefw wiped me out...so I've been an addict without my drug of choice in this hobby for months and considered bowing out. Got [profanity] and tried dipping and qt'ing and lost it all. *shrugs*

About to remove softies and crap coral (non-sps) and ditch it all to make room for sps, basically a full livestock overhaul. I've got 6 RBTA's in my top refugium that decided to sit on my gorg's and kill them. Downsizing the # of system's too...ditching the fw planted tanks to make room for a living room tank to keep "A" rbta, to move my saddlebacks, tang, zoa's, hammer's, frogspawn, and acan's to. With all of that gone...I'll have room to replace my SPS/NPS. All sps will be QT'd before entering this system.

I know they're a touchy subject, but I'm actually considering running an ATS in conjunction with my continuous feeder on this system...I think it just [profanity] in a good way. *ducks for cover from the naysayers*

Other issues with the system=life...tank has been running on all the automation and everything else has been thriving. Surprisingly, I haven't had crazy algae outbreaks being that I've only filled my ato reservoir and culled macro's as needed.

Oh and my almost 7 year old pit bull's food allergies reared their ugly head severely to an organic lamb, millet and rice kibble he's been on since he was 9 months. So I've had to convert him back to a homemade raw (b.a.r.f.) diet and he's had a total 180* health wise in the last two months. So he eats a combination of lamb, rabbit, chicken, beef, raw bone, organ, dietary supplements, etc. It's a lot of work, but the results are amazing. So he's taken me away from reefing as well, but he's my heart and soul and worth every ounce of it.

Big Boy's food after meeting the meat grinder:



Freezer ready:





A friend recommended that I run SPS free til' Jan. to make sure the aefw are completely starved out, but I'm dying without the "sticks." :facepalm:


Crap cell pics...













 
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Ouch ! Sorry to hear all your troubles .. Reefing truly test your love for this hobby !

On the other hand everything looks good ! Don't quit!
 
If it's not one thing, it's another. I feel your pain MG, I know everyone can relate aswell with mishaps in this hobby. Comes with the territory. You've said it best... "shrugs"
Well.. you've officially caught a STD.. lol!! saltwater transmitted disease. Your not truly a reefer until you've had one pest or another. I know it's not funny, but in an enclosed system like we reefers have, its bound to happen. Sorry it was them. On the brighter side of it... you've learned from it, and know what to look for in the future when buying or picking out sps corals. You know you mustdip and you know qting is the best practice. You can now also get the prized pieces you've always wanted but couldn't because there was no room. Catch my drift! So all is not lost!
Side note.. I think your raw b.a.r.f dog ingredients are better than what some people eat nowadays... lol!!
Other than that your tank is looking GREAT! Nice acans! TTY soon and keep ur head up!
 
you've officially caught a STD.. lol!! saltwater transmitted disease that a good one we need to put that on a T-shirt lol. but nice looking tanks how do you do it :)
 
Feel free to grab some sticks from me (free). You could quarantine them in a separate frag tank before adding them to the display. The reason I say this is that I have had AEFW in the past (2 years ago), and red bugs (1 year ago). I do not see any signs of these today. I did not use any chemicals. Just kept throwing wrasses at the problem until one worked.
Currently a six line is my reef protector. But I have had a candy hogfish, dragon wrasse, green wrasse, and yellow wrasse. Candy was the best.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U6zRJxqJ_Mg
 
@afernandez Thank you...It definitely tests your patience! I love this hobby too much to quit.

@OPG ...You know what!! Lmao...I have no words for you!

By the way...saw you walking your dog...nice outfit! lololol



In regards to the raw dog food...talk to your vet about converting him. They'll tell you that your alternatives are steroids and prescription diets that I've seen first hand not work. Some cases with these allergies are so severe that they suggest putting them down. Do your own research...talk to your vet...this stuff is amazing. Oh and I forgot to tell you, give him a half pill of Benedryl allergy twice a day until he clears up so he doesn't scratch to the point of infection. You can give it in a little piece of cheese. Also, bathe him in an oatmeal and aloe shampoo...it's helped Big Boy a lot when he's had his outbreaks.

@Cully Don't egg him on he's worse than my kids! lol In regards to the tank...it's the continuous feeder with the Pappone, live phyto, feeding heavy with a variety of live and frozen foods that I soak in garlic and selcon, etc. and for nutrient export skimming, carbon, gfo, lots of macro algae (regular culling of the chaeto), carbon dosing, and of course wc's. It's balance and patience.

@Nanighan Thanks for the offer. These pests are the worst! I have a springerii in both the 40B and top macro tank just in case. Jealous of your copperband...love them! That's amazing growth and color for par bulbs! Which ones are you using?
 
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@Nanighan Thanks for the offer. These pests are the worst! I have a springerii in both the 40B and top macro tank just in case. Jealous of your copperband...love them! That's amazing growth and color for par bulbs! Which ones are you using?

Im using pretty much most of the brands that are out there. 2 Boost LED, 1 Rapid LED, 1 original Nanotuners LED, and 2 Reef Breeders LED. RB are hands down the best for color. Eventually I want to replace all with only RB.
Copperband is cool but a pain to feed. He is in a separate tank for easy feeding. Blackworms are the key.
Ron
 
Im using pretty much most of the brands that are out there. 2 Boost LED, 1 Rapid LED, 1 original Nanotuners LED, and 2 Reef Breeders LED. RB are hands down the best for color. Eventually I want to replace all with only RB.
Copperband is cool but a pain to feed. He is in a separate tank for easy feeding. Blackworms are the key.
Ron

That's what's up...I might have to give the RB LED's a shot for my bottom 30g fuge.

I'm a huge fan of feeding my system blackworms...so no problems there. I'll definitely be getting one when I get a larger system one day.
 
My skimmer pump giving out on me actually did me a favor, because the replacement is working better than the old one...amazing.

After what felt like 2 weeks without a skimmer because of shipping/the holiday, etc. my PO4 was only .04. I think that was pretty good considering.

Have two quick cell clips of my mantis...haven't showed her off in a while and I gotta say she's still my favorite livestock purchase after a little over a year with her. Sorry, the video's are kinda shaky because she snuck into the skimmer section and I was trying to con her back into the fuge with a silverslide and a pair of tongs while trying to hold the phone.





Completely re-did the tanks/scapes and removed everything that I no longer want. The 40B is nothing but rock right now b/c it will be officially all SPS.

I misbehaved and put a tester piece of SPS in the 40B to make sure the tank's pest free. :eek2:

Hawkin's Blue Echinata:

 
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