Weeds

[ThePurple12]

Michael, I was really surprised and saddened when I heard your fish population crashed. The tank was doing so well. Kudos on doing your best to save them.

Nice progress on the tomini!

[Michael Hoaster]

Thanks ThePurple12. I had a run of bad luck and bad decisions. I've tried to learn from them. The Look Downs brought ICK into my display, and I had a brutal run of sick fish bought online. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. So now I aspire to be excellent at quarantine, after years of slackness.

Scarlett's doing nicely. She seems free of illness, so now I focus the fattening.

[vlangel]

I also know the pain and shame of losing fish. It is one of the worst feelings associated with this hobby. I am really happy that you have not left the hobby and that you are sharing with us the things you have learned.

Hopefully Scarlett takes to emerald entree as much as Tommy. He loves any type of frozen green food. Your damsels and the gramma harem should all enjoy it as well once they get in the display. Just like us I think most fish can benefit from eating their vegetables!

[Michael Hoaster]

Yep, it's bad. After some success, I'm feeling much better!

Scarlett likes Emerald Entree! Now I'm feeling like I have a good, healthy selection of herbivore foods for her that she likes. The next challenge is getting her over her shyness, when I'm in view. At some point she's going to realize that I'm the 'food giver'. Just a matter of time…

QT11

[Michael Hoaster]

Scarlett, the Tomini Tang is still ridiculously timid. It takes the patience of a monk to wait for her to come out. I have found that she likes both kinds of veggie flake foods I got for her. One is a Spirulina based flake, the other is Chlorella based. Those combined with the sinking algae disc and Emerald Entree, should give a good, varied diet. She's eating well, so hopefully she'll be fat by the time she goes into the display.

I heard back from KP Aquatics, and they're waiting until next week to get Royal Grammas in. I'm hoping the shipping delays that are happening throughout the country will be over by then. It's kind of a bummer because I'd prefer to get them into the display BEFORE I add Scarlett. With the delay, it's more likely they'll all be introduced on the same day, or maybe a day or two apart. It will depend on my patience level.

QT12

[vlangel]

With Scarlett's tendency to be overly shy, maybe it's not a bad thing for her to get into the display a wee bit ahead of everyone else??? Tommy was assertive right from day 1, which seems more tang-like so he worries me with new fish. Scarlett seems to have a much more timid personality, so I would not expect her to show aggression. Of course it's the quiet shy ones that can surprise you sometimes, ha ha!

[Michael Hoaster]

That's not a bad point. I'll keep it in mind. I'm less concerned with her being timid. I know it will pass. I'm more concerned with the tiny, new grammas. I want to give them total focus on introduction, and allow them a peaceful, stress free environment to settle into. I think if I can hold out on adding her for at least a day or two, it will help. I think the small grammas will stress Scarlett less than she will stress them.

A lot will depend on the grammas' size and disposition. I'll see what I get and then make the call.

[vlangel]

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

That's not a bad point. I'll keep it in mind. I'm less concerned with her being timid. I know it will pass. I'm more concerned with the tiny, new grammas. I want to give them total focus on introduction, and allow them a peaceful, stress free environment to settle into. I think if I can hold out on adding her for at least a day or two, it will help. I think the small grammas will stress Scarlett less than she will stress them.

A lot will depend on the grammas' size and disposition. I'll see what I get and then make the call.

That is a good idea waiting until you get the grammas. You will have probably an inkling about what is best then.

[Michael Hoaster]

Thanks Dawn. I'll know more when I have them. I do appreciate the idea. Remember, you were the one that thought of catching the damsels, which is brilliant!

[vlangel]

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

Thanks Dawn. I'll know more when I have them. I do appreciate the idea. Remember, you were the one that thought of catching the damsels, which is brilliant!

When it comes to introducing fish to an established tank with fish already, it's always a bit nerve wracking. I am never totally confident. Lately I have had more success than in the past but not perfectly, as in the Marmalade incident. I still feel bad about that.

It seems like you have a good plan. I am rooting for 100% success.

[Michael Hoaster]

Yes, introduction is tricky. I'm really hoping I can get those damsels out before the grammas go in. That will be key.

[vlangel]

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

Yes, introduction is tricky. I'm really hoping I can get those damsels out before the grammas go in. That will be key.

I hope you can as well. I feel like the new fish will be a lot more relaxed without any damsels.

[Michael Hoaster]

Agreed! That would be ideal. Of course we don't always get ideal. If I can't catch the damsels, I'll have to adapt. I really hope I can!

[vlangel]

Well keeping my fingers crossed for you.

[Michael Hoaster]

I'm jonesin' to get those Royal Grammas! Hopefully I can get them next week.

Maybe this weekend I can do some seagrass transplanting. I need to move a lot of them off the fake wall. I don't like it when they mingle with the Caulerpa. I'm also considering getting rid of the Shoal Grass. I like it but I think I'd like just the Manatee Grass. I like monospecific patches. Gardening stuff…

QT13

[ThePurple12]

That would make sense. I guess in a tank like mine, the shorter growing shoal grass looks better, while in a tall tank like yours, manatee makes more of a statement.

[Michael Hoaster]

Exactly. I may have some spare shoal grass if you want any. Maybe a shoal grass/dove snail combo pack? Keep that stylo happy!

Today I did a massive caulerpa export, ripping handfuls off the back wall. I only made a dent in it. It looks pretty rough but I imagine it will recover quickly. I really just wanted to get an idea how much was there. It's a lot.

I also pulled precipitate-covered seagrass out, which thinned it out considerably. If I have the energy tomorrow, I'll pull out the shoal grass. Then I will see where the manatee grass needs to be transplanted to. There's plenty of it too close to the walls, so I should have enough to fill in the holes. It's a daunting project, but if I just get started, hopefully I'll finish it.

[ThePurple12]

I've got plenty of shoal grass at the moment, but if it starts dying off... The stylo is happy!

[vlangel]

Sounds like you were busy Michael! No rest for the
weary reefer! So what is your first impression of the back wall without caulerpa? Do you miss the lushness? Caulerpa is a 2 edged sword: it adds a wonderful lush look fast but unfortunately it also starves out everything else. I too am wondering if I should keep it or try to eradicate it from my fuge.

[Michael Hoaster]

I got nowhere near all of the caulerpa, so it doesn't look that different. Just battered from a simulated school of tangs grazing event. I just wanted to knock it back a little, and see how deep it was. I'll probably take a few more swipes at it, as I get ready to add the Grammas. I'd love to get rid of it, but it would look rather stark for awhile, until I could get something else growing to replace it. I think the only way I could get rid of it, besides draining and disinfecting the tank, would be to add a Foxface or Tang to keep it at bay.

QT15

[vlangel]

Originally Posted by Michael Hoaster

I got nowhere near all of the caulerpa, so it doesn't look that different. Just battered from a simulated school of tangs grazing event. I just wanted to knock it back a little, and see how deep it was. I'll probably take a few more swipes at it, as I get ready to add the Grammas. I'd love to get rid of it, but it would look rather stark for awhile, until I could get something else growing to replace it. I think the only way I could get rid of it, besides draining and disinfecting the tank, would be to add a Foxface or Tang to keep it at bay.

QT15

Yes, I am guessing that ridding the fake back wall of caulerpa forever is not really possible without the drastic measures you suggested. It's a little easier in my tank, mostly just removing certain rocks/coral skeletons. I am still on the fence about whether I want to do that or not.

[Michael Hoaster]

The seagrass is growing back from my cutting, surprisingly quickly. I suspect the CO2 dosing is the cause. Nearly all aquatic plants are Carbon limited in Nature, as well as in our aquariums. I was very impressed with the results I had when the tank was freshwater. So I had to try it in the marine version. I think all the plants are enjoying the more central placement of the metal halide light as well. My two Sargassum plants have responded in slightly different ways. The one closest to the light has grown fuller, and the other one has gotten taller. Other than the large Gracilaria, they are the two biggest macros on the patch reef now. They started out as tiny, little leaves growing out of the rocks. I have little String of Pearls plants growing around it, but they're still pretty small. The Galaxauras are looking good, with new growth on all four. I moved the one in the back to the middle, so it's no longer shaded by the Caulerpa. There are several small Botriocladias scattered around, taking their time, gradually growing bigger.

Scarlett is still maddeningly timid. This afternoon I sat still on the couch for around forty minutes, and I saw her for a total of thirty seconds, in quick, twitchy bursts. I'm starting to see some film algae in her tank, so she'll have that to supplement the various foods I feed her.

KP Aquatics still hasn't gotten grammas in stock. It's a bummer because it's wreaking havoc on my timing. We're fast approaching the three week mark, and Scarlett seems quite healthy. Hopefully they'll get them in soon!

QT18

[ThePurple12]

It would be really cool to have 2 big Sargassum plants scraping the surface. The one in my tank was smothered by hair algae, but it could recover. I have 2 more in the seahorse tank. Do yours have the air bubbles on the leaves? I noticed mine get them once they get bigger.

It's been an unusually long time without pictures...!

[Michael Hoaster]

That would be cool. I hope it happens at some point. I haven't seen any air bladder thingies. They do seem particularly happy these days so stay tuned! I really hope to get the patch reef thoroughly covered in lush macro growth. I got pretty close a while back when I had a big Dragons Breath and the Botriocladia plants were going nuts. But they weren't quite 'right'. I took the DB to my LFS and pruned the Botriocladia way down, when it got too leggy. I might try a sponge or a gorgonian one of these days, if I can get what I want.

Yes, I have gone a little while without pics. It seemed like there was more going on with you and Dawn's tanks, so I kicked back and watched what you two were doing. It's been very impressive watching y'all's progress! Right now, my tank looks a little rough, with the back wall Caulerpa in tatters. I'd like to have another go at it, and see how close to gone I can get it. Maybe this weekend.

[vlangel]

I wonder if Scarlett is so timid because she is confined in the QT? She may be a bit less shy when she gets in the display and it feels more like home. I wonder how things would go if you caught the damsels and kept them in a holding tank and moved Scarlett in the display. If she is timid by nature then she may not be a problem for any newcomers after her, especially when the newcomers arrive in multiples, (as in 6 grammas and 4 damsels). I feel for you about the delay in being able to order the grammas. That is unfortunate.

Good luck in defoliating the caulerpa on the back wall this weekend.