The inwall 380 starfire reborn
- Thread starter Sparkss
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Let's take a break from the corals to see some of the other livestock 
Our 3 blue sided fairy wrasses like to stick together, but they all have separate burrows/dens that they sleep in at night.
They like to follow me around when I am in front of the tank.. I think they think they are going to get fed
and our blue neon goby pair (that are rarely every far from each other). They do a better, more frequent job of cleaning the other inhabitants than the cleaner wrasse and cleaner shrimp do)
Our 3 blue sided fairy wrasses like to stick together, but they all have separate burrows/dens that they sleep in at night.
They like to follow me around when I am in front of the tank.. I think they think they are going to get fed
and our blue neon goby pair (that are rarely every far from each other). They do a better, more frequent job of cleaning the other inhabitants than the cleaner wrasse and cleaner shrimp do)
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Here are some of the non-swimming critters in our tank
Cleaner shrimp (with a waiting tomini tang at the shrimps cleaning station)
cucumber (two picts of it, just a minute apart, showing how much they change their appearance, shape and size)
And the urchin is barely visible at the back of this rock/picture
Cleaner shrimp (with a waiting tomini tang at the shrimps cleaning station)
cucumber (two picts of it, just a minute apart, showing how much they change their appearance, shape and size
)
And the urchin is barely visible at the back of this rock/picture
ok, back to the corals
Here is a purple stag.. one of the few acros that made it with us through the AEFW infestation in our old tank last year.
And this gorg that I am still not sure if it is photosynthetic or not, but I would swear that I detect new growth on it. I am going to have to go back to some old pictures of when we originally added it to our tank to compare and see. Either way it is a very vibrant piece
and a close up of the yuma at it's feet
Here is a purple stag.. one of the few acros that made it with us through the AEFW infestation in our old tank last year.
And this gorg that I am still not sure if it is photosynthetic or not, but I would swear that I detect new growth on it. I am going to have to go back to some old pictures of when we originally added it to our tank to compare and see. Either way it is a very vibrant piece
and a close up of the yuma at it's feet
here is a pink jacquilinea (sp?) that we got fmor Live Aquaria a while back. It seems to be doing well where we placed it :
There is a green w/ blue tips stag behind it.. the tips are a very bright baby blue and longer than the other blue tipped ones I have seen
This green w/ glowing green polyped acro is one of our favorites. We had a darker green one (almost an evergreen color) that RTNed on us a couple of months ago... but this one has been more solid (crosses fingers). We have 3 different shades of these corals for almost a year now.. the other 2 are still doing well.
Here is the pink panther frag that we also got fomr Live Aquaria.. it has encrusted and is doing well also
There is a green w/ blue tips stag behind it.. the tips are a very bright baby blue and longer than the other blue tipped ones I have seen
This green w/ glowing green polyped acro is one of our favorites. We had a darker green one (almost an evergreen color) that RTNed on us a couple of months ago... but this one has been more solid (crosses fingers). We have 3 different shades of these corals for almost a year now.. the other 2 are still doing well.
Here is the pink panther frag that we also got fomr Live Aquaria.. it has encrusted and is doing well also
Thanks for the kind words...in the pictures unfortunately you can see the red turf algae that we have been battling for the last couple of months 
.
We also added a pair of purple firefish yesterday, but after a short stint swimming around they disappeared into the rocks. I will give them a couple of days before getting too concerned. With the mesh top in place we at least know that they are still in the tank somewhere
.We also added a pair of purple firefish yesterday, but after a short stint swimming around they disappeared into the rocks. I will give them a couple of days before getting too concerned. With the mesh top in place we at least know that they are still in the tank somewhere
Both the clowns and the RBTA look great!<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=10272370#post10272370 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sparkss
Ok, so to answer the call for more pictures, here are some that I took last night just before lights out
Let's start off with a couple of our clowns playing in and around our RBTA
What is the purple SPS in those pics?
TIA
We got both of those clowns from PetCo over 2 years ago, about a month apart, but they paired up nicely . The RBTA we got from a fellow reefer who was taking down his tank.
The SPS you are referring to is actually a bright pink stylophora. Here is an older, better picture, that more closely represents the color.
It has grown quite a bit since this picture was taken several months ago. And I think that the URI actinic white bulbs give it more of a blue tint, making it look more purple than it really is
. The RBTA we got from a fellow reefer who was taking down his tank.The SPS you are referring to is actually a bright pink stylophora. Here is an older, better picture, that more closely represents the color.
It has grown quite a bit since this picture was taken several months ago. And I think that the URI actinic white bulbs give it more of a blue tint, making it look more purple than it really is
token
Thanks.. but the only "trick" can claim to have learned in this hobby is patience. Nothing happens fast.. nothing good anyways
I think that we actually acquired that coral as a nub almost a year and a half ago (in our old tank). It only recently started growing well and coloring up. But as with many of ours, we didn't give up on it and it paid us back with a sweet looking little colony
ebolii
As time allows. Plus, we are still fighting with the turf algae and a nagging general water clarity issue (you can see some suspended particulate in the water column in the pictures). I would really like to figure out what the heck is causing it (read back a couple of pages for some tests we performed trying to nail down the root cause,, without any luck). I suspect that it is tied to the turf algae (IE: possibly microbubbles outgassed from the turf algae), but I have yet to prove that. So our first course is to try to resolve (remove) the turf algae, then see where we stand.
Because of all of that I get discouraged and tend to not want to take pictures.
Thanks to both of you for the kind words of encouragement
Thanks.. but the only "trick" can claim to have learned in this hobby is patience. Nothing happens fast.. nothing good anyways
I think that we actually acquired that coral as a nub almost a year and a half ago (in our old tank). It only recently started growing well and coloring up. But as with many of ours, we didn't give up on it and it paid us back with a sweet looking little colony
ebolii
As time allows
. Plus, we are still fighting with the turf algae and a nagging general water clarity issue (you can see some suspended particulate in the water column in the pictures). I would really like to figure out what the heck is causing it (read back a couple of pages for some tests we performed trying to nail down the root cause,, without any luck). I suspect that it is tied to the turf algae (IE: possibly microbubbles outgassed from the turf algae), but I have yet to prove that. So our first course is to try to resolve (remove) the turf algae, then see where we stand.Because of all of that I get discouraged and tend to not want to take pictures
.Thanks to both of you for the kind words of encouragement
EBOLII
New member
This is probably a silly question, not knowing your filtration setup. Would not a mechanical canister with micron filter help this problem?
As frustrating as it seems there is great hope because of what I see from the posted images…well they are fantastic. Causes great envy it does even…..with the algae
As frustrating as it seems there is great hope because of what I see from the posted images…well they are fantastic. Causes great envy it does even…..with the algae
Ebolii,
100% of the drain water goes through the skimmer, after that it travels through a slot 2/3 the way up the sump section divider, then a 4' long refugium stocked with Chaeto then through a bubble trap filled with rubble and a durso to the bottom sump, where it goes through another bubble trap across another 4'L x 2'W sump section and through another slot in the sump section divider and then finally to the section where the return pump pulls from.
I expect a bit of detrius to collect in the first top sump section, but to make it all the way through and back into the tank would surprise me (but I guess that anything is possible).
One thing I want to try (as time permits) is to vacuum the bottom sump from end to end to see if any more collects on it's bottom and to also see if that helps with our water clarity issue. I just need to figure out the best way to do that.. siphon doesn't work since the sump essentially sits on the ground. Guess it's time to dig out one of our old mag drives and hook up a hoes to it's inlet and run it's output through a filter sock
100% of the drain water goes through the skimmer, after that it travels through a slot 2/3 the way up the sump section divider, then a 4' long refugium stocked with Chaeto then through a bubble trap filled with rubble and a durso to the bottom sump, where it goes through another bubble trap across another 4'L x 2'W sump section and through another slot in the sump section divider and then finally to the section where the return pump pulls from.
I expect a bit of detrius to collect in the first top sump section, but to make it all the way through and back into the tank would surprise me (but I guess that anything is possible).
One thing I want to try (as time permits) is to vacuum the bottom sump from end to end to see if any more collects on it's bottom and to also see if that helps with our water clarity issue. I just need to figure out the best way to do that.. siphon doesn't work since the sump essentially sits on the ground. Guess it's time to dig out one of our old mag drives and hook up a hoes to it's inlet and run it's output through a filter sock
I was thinking about putting something on the drain into the bottom sump (IE: filter floss, silter sock, etc), but that defeats the purpose of the top level refugium for food production, and also add a failure point if the filter floss or whatever become clogged and eitehr floods the bottom sump (of backs up and floods the top one).
The bottom sump is a 150g sump, so I would need to get another water container for the impending water change after draining it to vacuum it. I have used the wet/dry vac in the past on other tanks/sump and do agree that it is fast and effective. I just don't know if I want to try using it on this setup or not (especially since I don't know for 100% assuredness that it is what is causing our problems). As with the other suggested resolution steps, if I knew for positively sure that it was what would resolve our problem, then I would bite the bullet and just endure the "pain" and get it done. So far I can't nail down the exact root cause, so I am going after the "low hanging fruit" to see if any of it helps the situation. That plus right now we have less and less time to dedicate to the tank. Hopefully that will open back up in a month or so. Until then we dedicate enough time to maintain it, just not truly "improve" it (at least not in my mind).
The bottom sump is a 150g sump, so I would need to get another water container for the impending water change after draining it to vacuum it. I have used the wet/dry vac in the past on other tanks/sump and do agree that it is fast and effective. I just don't know if I want to try using it on this setup or not (especially since I don't know for 100% assuredness that it is what is causing our problems). As with the other suggested resolution steps, if I knew for positively sure that it was what would resolve our problem, then I would bite the bullet and just endure the "pain" and get it done. So far I can't nail down the exact root cause, so I am going after the "low hanging fruit" to see if any of it helps the situation. That plus right now we have less and less time to dedicate to the tank. Hopefully that will open back up in a month or so. Until then we dedicate enough time to maintain it, just not truly "improve" it (at least not in my mind).
That would be alot of poo to cover all of that tank space
One other thing that I was considering is just letting the tank mature a bit more before I try to make any sweeping changes. So far the "clarity" issue has not shown to impact the tank's inhabitants at all, on the contrary, everything seems to be healthy and growing well. So letting it ride the way it is shouldn't cause any problems or issues.
I keep thinking that the issues will work themselves out. If they are in some way related to the turf algae, then hopefully over time and keeping the nutrients down it will die out. If it is garbage in either the sump or caught on the rocks/sand that needs to be filtered out, hopefully over time it will make it's way through the water column and get pulled out by the skimmer and/or first 2 sections of the top sump (which is easily and occassionally cleaned). Or anything else I may have overlooked. So I am tempted to just "let it ride" for the next couple of months.. which also ties into some life events that will prevent any major changes to the tank anyways, due to a lack of time.
One other thing that I was considering is just letting the tank mature a bit more before I try to make any sweeping changes. So far the "clarity" issue has not shown to impact the tank's inhabitants at all, on the contrary, everything seems to be healthy and growing well. So letting it ride the way it is shouldn't cause any problems or issues.
I keep thinking that the issues will work themselves out. If they are in some way related to the turf algae, then hopefully over time and keeping the nutrients down it will die out. If it is garbage in either the sump or caught on the rocks/sand that needs to be filtered out, hopefully over time it will make it's way through the water column and get pulled out by the skimmer and/or first 2 sections of the top sump (which is easily and occassionally cleaned). Or anything else I may have overlooked. So I am tempted to just "let it ride" for the next couple of months.. which also ties into some life events that will prevent any major changes to the tank anyways, due to a lack of time.
mrcrab
In Memoriam
I just like to start with the most simple approach first and get more complicated as it goes.
I have a very similar setup to yours and I have stuff flying around all the time. I don't think you'll ever get it to the point where there will be nothing floating no matter what as the poo is produced in the tank and it will fly with all that movement.
I have a buddy who had a BB tank with very low bioload and lots of movement... sps tank and there was always stuff flying around even with the BB.
I have a very similar setup to yours and I have stuff flying around all the time. I don't think you'll ever get it to the point where there will be nothing floating no matter what as the poo is produced in the tank and it will fly with all that movement.
I have a buddy who had a BB tank with very low bioload and lots of movement... sps tank and there was always stuff flying around even with the BB.
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