Follow my Oceanic 144g half circle reef tanks progress. 
Neverending Cyano Battle & a Pleasant Surprise!
Posted 07/07/2012 at 04:49 PM by Aaarrrggg
I've been fighting some pretty horrible cyano on the sandbed on the left side of the tank; pulling out the big clumps whenever I have the canopy off.
[IMG]http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r161/TheAaarrrggg/cyano4.jpg[/IMG]
I wish I could go back and tell "past me" to bring the side pillars in a little so the mp40s have a bit more room. I didn't really think about pump placement when I aquascaped and it's resulted in the side pillars shielding the tank somewhat from the flow. Ideally the powerheads should be on the side of the tank facing each other, but as the glass is curved, that option is completely out. I may have to add another dose of chemi-clean, although I'm trying to hold off on doing that in case it upsets my already fragile nems.
My large brittlestar is still stuck in the thin bit of the overflow, so he hadn't been any help in keeping the sand clean. I bought a fighting conch and couple of tiger tail cukes to help out, but none of them have moved much yet. Maybe once they settle in they might head towards the cyano sand.
[IMG]http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r161/TheAaarrrggg/tiger-tail-cuke.jpg[/IMG]
But it hasn't been all doom and gloom!
I was using a torch to check on the sunburst nem around the back of the rockwork and a darting movement caught my eye. Would you believe it, it was a baby Bangaii Cardinal!!
[IMG]http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r161/TheAaarrrggg/baby-bangaii.jpg[/IMG]
(see medium magfloat for scale)
Extreme close up:
[IMG]http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r161/TheAaarrrggg/baby-bangaii-close.jpg[/IMG]
Issac (Dad) is already holding a new clutch so the baby must be at least 2 weeks old. Considering cardinals are supposed to be reared in a dedicated tank with live foods, it's amazing that he's survived in the DT! He's quite close to the sickly sunburst nem, so I wonder if he's been noshing on the enriched mysis/Rods food that I've been squirting in that end of the tank?
None of the other fish ever venture to that part of the tank and the fire shrimp that lives there doesn't seem to notice him so hopefully if I keep turkey basting in his direction he'll continue to grow. Nature is amazing!
[IMG]http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r161/TheAaarrrggg/cyano4.jpg[/IMG]
I wish I could go back and tell "past me" to bring the side pillars in a little so the mp40s have a bit more room. I didn't really think about pump placement when I aquascaped and it's resulted in the side pillars shielding the tank somewhat from the flow. Ideally the powerheads should be on the side of the tank facing each other, but as the glass is curved, that option is completely out. I may have to add another dose of chemi-clean, although I'm trying to hold off on doing that in case it upsets my already fragile nems.
My large brittlestar is still stuck in the thin bit of the overflow, so he hadn't been any help in keeping the sand clean. I bought a fighting conch and couple of tiger tail cukes to help out, but none of them have moved much yet. Maybe once they settle in they might head towards the cyano sand.
[IMG]http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r161/TheAaarrrggg/tiger-tail-cuke.jpg[/IMG]
But it hasn't been all doom and gloom!
I was using a torch to check on the sunburst nem around the back of the rockwork and a darting movement caught my eye. Would you believe it, it was a baby Bangaii Cardinal!![IMG]http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r161/TheAaarrrggg/baby-bangaii.jpg[/IMG]
(see medium magfloat for scale)
Extreme close up:
[IMG]http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r161/TheAaarrrggg/baby-bangaii-close.jpg[/IMG]
Issac (Dad) is already holding a new clutch so the baby must be at least 2 weeks old. Considering cardinals are supposed to be reared in a dedicated tank with live foods, it's amazing that he's survived in the DT! He's quite close to the sickly sunburst nem, so I wonder if he's been noshing on the enriched mysis/Rods food that I've been squirting in that end of the tank?
None of the other fish ever venture to that part of the tank and the fire shrimp that lives there doesn't seem to notice him so hopefully if I keep turkey basting in his direction he'll continue to grow. Nature is amazing!
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