JJ4417
New member
Short version question...what do I need to dip everything in to 'clean out' the LR? High salinity? RO? I've even read carbonated water?
Long-winded bedtime girly story version...
So for the last couple of months, I have been having a couple of minor issues. Lost a couple of small fish and had a couple of crabs die off. And when I say lost, I don't mean died. I mean completely disappeared lost. Recently, my girlfriend said she thought a couple of the corals actually looked smaller. I thought she was batty. Since then, they have bleached, bottom to top. I don't have many, so I wrote it off to unstable params that I haven't bothered to buy test kits for. I wasn't planning on putting any more livestock in the tank and have been planning 'the next tank'. I do about a 30% water change bi-weekly and check the standard params once a week.
I'm getting great thick coralline growth on one of the rocks. While staring at the growth I noticed a hole and three extremely small 'feelers' coming out. They almost look like miniature bristle star arms. Black and white stripes. I didn't think much of it. I've also noticed a white slime or mucus covering the rocks. More than a little bit. A couple of quarters in size worth. Lastly, some of my LR almost looks like it is bleaching.
I should have asked earlier...but hell, honestly this tank has been stable for a couple of years and I thought I was pretty safe. I did add a couple more larger pieces of LR after I got it. I was reading a random build thread and saw the above mentioned descriptions...mucus holes and disappearing fish. This guy is pulling these things out of his 220 for the better part of a year now. Some a couple of feet long.
The feelers on the front of this lovely little critter are spot on for what is coming out of the rock. And where there is one worm...there are a truckload. (You should see my bristle worm collection in this little 20g.) I've also found my third gorilla crab, so I was going to get at him anyway.
At this point, I think that I am resigned to pulling out all my LR and dipping (or drowning) it. This will by my first real experience doing major tank work, so it is a learning experience. I'm just trying not to kill off everything in the process. I always get the impression that these tanks are super-sensitive, and screwing with them concerns me. Might as well start sometime.
If you could help me out with a dipping solution, or any tips that would make my upcoming weekend easier, it would be great. Or if you want to come up and start lecturing me on Friday, that's fine too. I'll be the one staring at my grand prize raffle ticket, rocking back and forth slowly, murmuring to myself.
Long-winded bedtime girly story version...
So for the last couple of months, I have been having a couple of minor issues. Lost a couple of small fish and had a couple of crabs die off. And when I say lost, I don't mean died. I mean completely disappeared lost. Recently, my girlfriend said she thought a couple of the corals actually looked smaller. I thought she was batty. Since then, they have bleached, bottom to top. I don't have many, so I wrote it off to unstable params that I haven't bothered to buy test kits for. I wasn't planning on putting any more livestock in the tank and have been planning 'the next tank'. I do about a 30% water change bi-weekly and check the standard params once a week.
I'm getting great thick coralline growth on one of the rocks. While staring at the growth I noticed a hole and three extremely small 'feelers' coming out. They almost look like miniature bristle star arms. Black and white stripes. I didn't think much of it. I've also noticed a white slime or mucus covering the rocks. More than a little bit. A couple of quarters in size worth. Lastly, some of my LR almost looks like it is bleaching.
I should have asked earlier...but hell, honestly this tank has been stable for a couple of years and I thought I was pretty safe. I did add a couple more larger pieces of LR after I got it. I was reading a random build thread and saw the above mentioned descriptions...mucus holes and disappearing fish. This guy is pulling these things out of his 220 for the better part of a year now. Some a couple of feet long.
The feelers on the front of this lovely little critter are spot on for what is coming out of the rock. And where there is one worm...there are a truckload. (You should see my bristle worm collection in this little 20g.) I've also found my third gorilla crab, so I was going to get at him anyway.
At this point, I think that I am resigned to pulling out all my LR and dipping (or drowning) it. This will by my first real experience doing major tank work, so it is a learning experience. I'm just trying not to kill off everything in the process. I always get the impression that these tanks are super-sensitive, and screwing with them concerns me. Might as well start sometime.
If you could help me out with a dipping solution, or any tips that would make my upcoming weekend easier, it would be great. Or if you want to come up and start lecturing me on Friday, that's fine too. I'll be the one staring at my grand prize raffle ticket, rocking back and forth slowly, murmuring to myself.
