out's log thread (otherwise known as Rae C's log)

[Rae C.]

I've decided to run a log on the RC since I've been keeping less and less of a log on the notebook that came with the tank.

I acquired the tank in July 2007, after my husband told his boss we'd be happy to take in the reef aquarium that he didn't want anymore. So we jumped in blind. I'm "New to the Hobby" but the tank is well over 5 years established.

I also acquired the user name for RC with the tank. (moderator, if I can keep my posts, and just change my user name, I'd be sooo happy!)

We moved the tank by putting all the live rock in buckets with tank water, all the smaller corals in rubbermaid or tuperware containers with lids, and fish in ziplock baggies. We then loaded that stuff into the minivan, drained the remainder of the tank water to the level of the sand, and with 4 people carefully carried the tank to the van.

It was only a 15 mile transfer. But we drove as if on eggshells. Didn't want any splashage.

We then reversed the order, loading the tank on it's home (a homemade stand made with sink cabinet bases reinforced with 2x4's and topped with countertop material. Then we added the rock back, gently poured that water into the tank, placed the smaller corals carefully, poured that water into the tank, then floated the fish in their bags while we made more salt water in the buckets the live rock traveled in.

AFter an hour, we let the fish go (two clowns and a shrimp). Then topped off with new water.



THen I began my massive research into the care of reef tanks. And thus began my addiction to Reef Central!

[Rae C.]

I, of course, was not happy to leave well enough alone, and re-aquascaped many times that first month. Mostly, I moved the right hand leather up a bit so I could clean the glass.

I found a small starfish and was both thrilled and panicked. It was a little asterina, no worries.

My fuge became packed solid with the algae in it, so, not really knowing what to do, I cut the chunk in half and hoped for the best. Again, no worries.

The tank did start a small cycle, we had green hair algae for a few weeks. I pulled it and changed water frequently.

[tthnow]

Purty!

[Rae C.]

One month in, we discovered a wierd black thing in the SPS. It sent out mucous webs, then gathered them back in. After more research, we found it was a serpulorbus sp. (vermetid gastropod). The kids dubbed it "Snot Nose"

After a month and a half, we added 2 pajama cardinals and a cleaner shrimp.

In September 07,I ruined the RO unit that came with the set up. I'd been using hot water from the laundry sink because the cold hook up was shut off. BUMMER. Then, we forgot the darn unit out inthe sun all month and I was unsure if it was recoverable. It took me a month to figure this out.

The maxijets were beginning to get gross, despite cleaning, and I wanted to try something new anyway. I bought 2 powersweeps to replace a couple MJ's. I loved the way it moved the water more randomly. The sweep function gunked up after a few months though. PITA.

THe green hair algae was gettig worse. And, we were getting beautiful green pearls growing onthe rocks (bubble algae). I ordered a lawnmower blenny, an emerald crab, and some snails. Fun stuff!



The skimmer stopped making bubbles. I LOVE RC! I was advised to simply wash it out with hot water to remove salt build-up. piece of cake!

In October, the blenny just disappeared. I ordered a new one, and 2 more emerald crabs. ( The old RO was definitly not working right) One of the crabs had an appetite for the sps. Could NOT get him to leave!

The next day, the new blenny had stuck his head in the intake for the power sweep. BUMMER! The kids were very upset.

Two weeks later, we bought 2 royal grammas and another blenny. It was like adding jewels tothe tank. And th blenny,, what a hoot!

[Rae C.]

In November, the new RO unit came, and I switched the powersweeps out for a Koralia 3.

After flooding my husbands workspace in the basement with the RO unit and buckets, I invested in a Brute can and a sprinkler timer.




Boy did that save some heart ache! But the positive of the flooding was that we went through a lot of stuff in the basement and reorganized and threw out quite a bit of ....stuff.

I keep the waste water from the RO/DI in a bucket in the sink (in case of overflow!) and use it for laundry and watering plants. We also have African clawed frogs and companions that we use the water for.

I also bought a pond pump to pump the water out of the tank into buckets, then pump the new SW from the Brute to the tank. I have the Brute on a wheelie thingie and move it from the laundry room to the family room for water changes.

[tthnow]

Kool - I had a green crab too! but he became seafood last weekend along with Clarki seabass meat.

[tthnow]

More like gumbo actually.

[CoRPS]

Very nice tank..... VERY nice... I love softies

[Rae C.]

The blenny lasted one month. I noticed him skinny and sluggish one morning before school, then found him in the powersweep intake that afternoon. No more blennies for us. Too sad!

The kids found the empty skeleton of one of the crabs in December. Another one died soon after that. The remaining crab got huge!

We started tracking energy usage. The lights consume 8.39kwh in 72 hours. The powerheads consumed 8.68kWh in 72 hours. (this was just before I switched out the powerswiips for the Koralia). After math gyrations, we figure we are spending 68 cents a day or $21 a month (at $.12/kwh, colorado rates)

The sps is having trouble. I have no idea what it is. The xenias and mushrooms are encroaching on it and it's looking horrible.

I keep trying to move it to find a happier place, it breaks everytime I handle it. It didn't work in this corner, because I couldn't clean the glass. But I tried for a few weeks.

[Rae C.]

My January/Feb entries in my paper log show that the remaining Emerald crab keeps molting, leaving huge claws for the kids to marvel over.

I took out more algae from the fuge, then little white bugs appeared on the crab, especially on its legs. RC advice was not to worry, just pods released from the fuge.

In February, I decided the lights were in need of a change. I had read up on lights on RC, the lights were more than 6 months old (who knew when they were installed at the last home). SO after convincing my husband that just because a light bulb still makes light doesn't mean it still works, I ordered lights. I've got 2 actinic white 24" VHO, 2 Aquasun 24" VHO, and 2 SuperActinic 24" VHO. I changed them two at a time over 6 weeks.

The corals responded nicely over the next few weeks to the light change. So did the algae! ACK! I ordered a cleanup crew of snails and hermits from Dr. FOster and SMith. Can't believe snails are so expensive!

As I released the snails, $100+ worth, the emerald crab ate them. It was like a special buffet just for him! Oooh, the kids and I were so MAD! My husband was grossed out. The crab would flip the snails over and just ripped them out of their shells! Horrid, mean thing!! A few escaped. Enough, I suppose. THe little red legged hermit crabs are adorable!

I also thought about changin gthe skimmer pump because it's getting so loud, I'd only run it a couple days a week. THe tank is in the family room and the TV Volume is getting louder to compensate. But I put that off.

[Rae C.]

Journal entries skip from May to July. The crab died while I was away for the weekend. I discovered it's corpse with a huge, HUGE, bristle worm. My husband named it Spiny Bast*rd. I think he may have topped off the tank from the salt water bin instead of the plain RO/DI water. The salinity was high. Wonder if that did it? I did a water change to get the salinity back down from 1.032 to 1.025.

[acrodave]

were did you get that ro timer ..i want one

[Rae C.]

The next entry is this September. I've still got hair algae problems. They are worse than when the crab was around. The algae is growing on the sps ends, and has created a nice lawn onthe rocks. I've been picking off the large masses, but it's dificult to get all the rocks.
I think some of it is bryopsis. Here's a shrub of it:





After more RC lurking, I've decided to run an experiment onthe algae. I bought Phosban, magnesium, and gardening tools. I also bought shoulder length gloves after CapnHyliner got hurt so bad.

I'm going to measure the parameters tonite. Then tomorrow, I'll put a Phosban paket in front of the Koralia. I'll take measurements again on Wednesday ( I hope). We'll see if the Phosban does anything to the algae, and what it does to the params. I'll continue for two weeks.

If no change, then I'll dose mag for a while.

I will try to refrain from pruning the shrubs, unless they begin to suffocate corals.

Here's the full tank shot from last night.

I lost a pajama cardinal, never saw a corpse. I don't think I'll buy any more fish. I must be at a perfect load right now.

[Rae C.]

Originally posted by acrodave
were did you get that ro timer ..i want one

Home Depot sprinkler aisle, $15 I think.

[timschmidt]

Ahhh man!! I hope that isn't a form of bryopsis... because I have that now too. Bah I haven't had any real issue with it though yet. I have been pulling the patch clear now though. It grows in like 4 places (as of now) I may get aggressive with my mag though. Let me know what works for you please!

[Aquarist007]

thanks for sharing--great log thread.

Don't count out the pajama cardinal yet--mine likes to disappear behind the reef for long periods of time--they are real loners.

[Aquarist007]

Originally posted by timschmidt
Ahhh man!! I hope that isn't a form of bryopsis... because I have that now too. Bah I haven't had any real issue with it though yet. I have been pulling the patch clear now though. It grows in like 4 places (as of now) I may get aggressive with my mag though. Let me know what works for you please!

a coral beauty and a yellow tang introduced very early in my tank took care of the hair algae in less then two days--and its never come back.

[kudora]

nice pics, i agree with capn my pajama hides so well i dont see him till feeding time most days.

[raen]

Way to go Rae C. FANTASTIC job! Tiyr tank looks great too!

[Hop]

Looks good out!

This is bryopsis and raising mag levels to a range between 1500 and 1600 for a couple weeks, followed by a waterchange should do the trick

[timschmidt]

Originally posted by Hop
Looks good out!

This is bryopsis and raising mag levels to a range between 1500 and 1600 for a couple weeks, followed by a waterchange should do the trick

Ah crap. That is what I thought. I was fooling myself as I really hadn't had any real issues until now. And even then, it's not that bad yet. Oh well. Time to bump up the mag and let the stuff die out.

[maroun.c]

Nice Log.
One thing I would also try is to fins out the source of your Nitrates and Phosphate as these are fueling your hair alga. you don't share your filtration method? Do yo uhave a skimmer? I would run it full wet and clean the cup as soon as you see the neck starting to get covered with slime as this will clog it. A couple of waterchanges with RO water. feede less forhte coming days increase your circulation ( what is your total tank volume and circulation again? what type of food/additives do you put into your tank?
solutions like tangs snails foxfaces do help sometimes however their action is mostly hiding the problem instead of finding the problem and solving it. also some tanks do run into alga cycles as part of the cycling process.

[Hop]

Very true maroun. The levels are there and they should be taken care of otherwise the bryopsis will fade and something will take its place

[Rae C.]

Originally posted by capn_hylinur
a coral beauty and a yellow tang introduced very early in my tank took care of the hair algae in less then two days--and its never come back.

I thought a 65g was too small for those fish. I'd love to have them, but...

Also, after TJ's and Rae's experiences with ich, I think tangs are very prone to it.

[Rae C.]

Thanx for all the feedback folks!

For filtration, I have lot of live rock (who knows how many pounds), a HOB fuge with grape caulerpa, and a CPR, HOB skimmer with a new Rio pump.

Water flow is two Koralia 3's.