Lister's Paradise
- Thread starter Zante
- Start date
More bad luck.
Lawnmower blenny died. It was VERY thin and despite trying to tempt it with algae, grazer's discs, and all sorts of food it just wouldn't eat. I honestly don't know what was wrong with it, because I had it fed in the LFS and it did eat some brine shrimp, while in my tank I saw it desperately trying to graze off the glass.
However much I like these fish I don't think I will get another.
Last Thursday evening the female herald's angel died. I found it convulsing at the surface of the tank. I set up the hospital tank but to no avail, it died in the night. I'd had it for less than a week, so the LFS is going to replace her for free, especially because they know me and how I keep my tank, so they agreed there must have been something wrong with the fish to start with.
This morning I found out that the sixline wrasse had decided to go carpet surfing. I found him behind the skimmer all shriveled up.
... and lastly, my male herald's angel, this evening I have found with a swollen right side, a bit pale on the swelling and the right fin ruined. Again, transferred him in the hospital tank, with a dose of penicillin.
To be honest I am quite hopeful in his case. He doesn't seem particularly stressed by the injury (because I do suspect it is an injury), and he did try to put up a fight when I went to net him. He's now swimming peacefully around the hospital tank. He's obviously having some difficulty, I'm guessing his right side must be quite sore, but apart from trying not to use his right fin he seems to be ok. If he makes through the night (and I have no reason to doubt he will) he'll be well on the way to recovery.
Lawnmower blenny died. It was VERY thin and despite trying to tempt it with algae, grazer's discs, and all sorts of food it just wouldn't eat. I honestly don't know what was wrong with it, because I had it fed in the LFS and it did eat some brine shrimp, while in my tank I saw it desperately trying to graze off the glass.
However much I like these fish I don't think I will get another.
Last Thursday evening the female herald's angel died. I found it convulsing at the surface of the tank. I set up the hospital tank but to no avail, it died in the night. I'd had it for less than a week, so the LFS is going to replace her for free, especially because they know me and how I keep my tank, so they agreed there must have been something wrong with the fish to start with.
This morning I found out that the sixline wrasse had decided to go carpet surfing. I found him behind the skimmer all shriveled up.
... and lastly, my male herald's angel, this evening I have found with a swollen right side, a bit pale on the swelling and the right fin ruined. Again, transferred him in the hospital tank, with a dose of penicillin.
To be honest I am quite hopeful in his case. He doesn't seem particularly stressed by the injury (because I do suspect it is an injury), and he did try to put up a fight when I went to net him. He's now swimming peacefully around the hospital tank. He's obviously having some difficulty, I'm guessing his right side must be quite sore, but apart from trying not to use his right fin he seems to be ok. If he makes through the night (and I have no reason to doubt he will) he'll be well on the way to recovery.
This morning I found him dead.
The affected flank was very dark brown and seemed deflated compared to the healthy side.
I'm thinking that there must have been something wrong with the whole batch of herald's angels as the other fish, including the other two Centropyge angels and the most recent addition, a small regal tang, are all fine and lively.
The affected flank was very dark brown and seemed deflated compared to the healthy side.
I'm thinking that there must have been something wrong with the whole batch of herald's angels as the other fish, including the other two Centropyge angels and the most recent addition, a small regal tang, are all fine and lively.
I have decided to wait for after christmas to replace the yellow angels, which is also when I'll seriously think of getting a blue carpet anemone and a pair of mandarins.
After loosing my favourite discus as well as the above, I want to just maintain these tanks and stave off the feeling of giving up.
After loosing my favourite discus as well as the above, I want to just maintain these tanks and stave off the feeling of giving up.
Sounds like a good plan.
Don't give up and don't be too disheartened.
Hope you will see some improvement soon and get your euthasism back again
Don't give up and don't be too disheartened.
Hope you will see some improvement soon and get your euthasism back again
There won't be any updates for a while. I'll be maintaining the tanks, and maybe adding some frags if the LFS comes up with an interesting coral.
I might take this pause to set up the separate tank for my future clam.
In the interim I might make a video on my technical setup: lights, pumps, skimmer, etc...
I am also trying to liaise with a fish shop to shoot some instructional videos, but don't hold your breath.
In the meantime... here's some chemistry.
Ph: 8.8
Kh: 9.5
Ca: 420
Mg: 1400
PO4: 2
NO3: 25
Hmm... I wasn't expecting this, but on hindsight it's logical. I moved the calcium reactor drip in the skimmer return pipe to keep an eye on it as I had some problems balancing the water flow and the CO2 flow. That also means that most of the CO2 gets dispersed and doesn't reach the algae bed. Starved of CO2 it's no longer drinking in phosphates and nitrates. Slightly higher Ph than usual seems to be proof of that.
I was planning a water change today, I'll just make it bigger than I was thinking of doing, I have plenty of ready salt water, and I will move the drip back where it was to feed the algae bed.
I'm fairly happy with the calcium and magnesium levels, especially considering I have plenty of SPS growing, I'd be happier with slightly higher levels, so I'm going to dose a little bit of magnesium, and when that's properly circulated I'll make a couple of litres of kalk water and drip it in the tank.
I might take this pause to set up the separate tank for my future clam.
In the interim I might make a video on my technical setup: lights, pumps, skimmer, etc...
I am also trying to liaise with a fish shop to shoot some instructional videos, but don't hold your breath.
In the meantime... here's some chemistry.
Ph: 8.8
Kh: 9.5
Ca: 420
Mg: 1400
PO4: 2
NO3: 25
Hmm... I wasn't expecting this, but on hindsight it's logical. I moved the calcium reactor drip in the skimmer return pipe to keep an eye on it as I had some problems balancing the water flow and the CO2 flow. That also means that most of the CO2 gets dispersed and doesn't reach the algae bed. Starved of CO2 it's no longer drinking in phosphates and nitrates. Slightly higher Ph than usual seems to be proof of that.
I was planning a water change today, I'll just make it bigger than I was thinking of doing, I have plenty of ready salt water, and I will move the drip back where it was to feed the algae bed.
I'm fairly happy with the calcium and magnesium levels, especially considering I have plenty of SPS growing, I'd be happier with slightly higher levels, so I'm going to dose a little bit of magnesium, and when that's properly circulated I'll make a couple of litres of kalk water and drip it in the tank.
A bit of a chemistry update:
Ph: 8.6
Kh: 10
Ca: 420
Mg: 1380
PO4: 0.03
NO3: 10
Minerals are spot on, especially calcium, considering I have several SPS frags growing well. Looks like I found the right balance of CO2 and water flow in the calcium reactor, for the moment at least.
Phosphate and Nitrate are now much lower. As I expected moving the CO2-loaded water drip back in the algae bed has spurred algae growth and nutrient absorption.
I'd be happier with lower nutrient levels, but I'm thinking that these could be acceptable to feed the zooxanthellae in the corals.
Some nice clams are expected at the LFS, so I might decide to set up the clam tank sooner than I was planning. That should export more nutrients though I don't expect to see much of a difference until the clam grows quite a bit.
Ph: 8.6
Kh: 10
Ca: 420
Mg: 1380
PO4: 0.03
NO3: 10
Minerals are spot on, especially calcium, considering I have several SPS frags growing well. Looks like I found the right balance of CO2 and water flow in the calcium reactor, for the moment at least.
Phosphate and Nitrate are now much lower. As I expected moving the CO2-loaded water drip back in the algae bed has spurred algae growth and nutrient absorption.
I'd be happier with lower nutrient levels, but I'm thinking that these could be acceptable to feed the zooxanthellae in the corals.
Some nice clams are expected at the LFS, so I might decide to set up the clam tank sooner than I was planning. That should export more nutrients though I don't expect to see much of a difference until the clam grows quite a bit.
Not much to tell since there's not much happening. The stock in my tank will be completed next year.
I might make a video on my equipment and tech setup before Christmas.
In the meantime...
Kh: 12
Ph: 8.6
Ca: 430
Mg: 1430
NO3: 10
PO4: 0.03
I might make a video on my equipment and tech setup before Christmas.
In the meantime...
Kh: 12
Ph: 8.6
Ca: 430
Mg: 1430
NO3: 10
PO4: 0.03
Sounds good, can't wait to see the vid of your tech set up and equipment
Hooray for wipeout number three!
I've just come back from my holidays and found the electricity gone. Discus are albeit very unhappy (and cold) the reef is pretty much dead.
So far I have seen alive only one clown, three anthias, the butterfly and the regal tang, loads of snails and what looks like all the cleaner shrimps but I have pulled out the corpses of the two coral beauties and the two coral banded shrimp.
Not to mention the sump was almost dry, thanks to a broken ATO pump.
Obviously the skimmer is going berserk...
The lights are off and until the water is back ata normal temperature I won't switch them on. Tomorrow I will try and assess the damage and do the largest water change I can with the water I have.
I've just come back from my holidays and found the electricity gone. Discus are albeit very unhappy (and cold) the reef is pretty much dead.
So far I have seen alive only one clown, three anthias, the butterfly and the regal tang, loads of snails and what looks like all the cleaner shrimps but I have pulled out the corpses of the two coral beauties and the two coral banded shrimp.
Not to mention the sump was almost dry, thanks to a broken ATO pump.
Obviously the skimmer is going berserk...
The lights are off and until the water is back ata normal temperature I won't switch them on. Tomorrow I will try and assess the damage and do the largest water change I can with the water I have.
I have decided that to replace the two coral beauties I will try and obtain two blue velvet angels (Centropyge deborae), a Fiji-endemic species defined just under two years ago.
If that doesn't happen I'll get two midnight angles (Centropyge nox)
If that doesn't happen I'll get two midnight angles (Centropyge nox)
Haven't done tests for a while now.
Ph: 8.6
Kh: 7
NO3: 10
PO4: 0.06
Ca: 400
Mg: 1500
Mmm... calcium and Kh are still good, but they are starting to drift south. Not unexpected since corals are growing, and so is demand. I'll have to keep an eye on it and eventually it will be time to up the calcium reactor again.
Ph: 8.6
Kh: 7
NO3: 10
PO4: 0.06
Ca: 400
Mg: 1500
Mmm... calcium and Kh are still good, but they are starting to drift south. Not unexpected since corals are growing, and so is demand. I'll have to keep an eye on it and eventually it will be time to up the calcium reactor again.
http
/www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADGgNHerOzo
A bit of an update, plus a slideshow of "before" and "after" pictures of some of my corals.
I'll have to seriously get down and practice my macro skills, the snaps are seriously bad!
/www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADGgNHerOzoA bit of an update, plus a slideshow of "before" and "after" pictures of some of my corals.
I'll have to seriously get down and practice my macro skills, the snaps are seriously bad!
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