My Nano Reef Set-up/diary (upgraded 45g) Step-by-step

[chrissaysyes]

if everything is dead now I'd dip the rocks in carbonated water and then let the tank re-cycle. If it doesn't leave the rock then, then maybe it will die in the ammonia spike.

 

[1entra]

But I have dipped every piece of LR into both fresh RO water followed immediately by carbonated water but found F*** all so really am stuck for ideas now! Also what ever it is ovbiously survived the initial tank cycle so I dont believe another tank cycle will do it any harm!

I didnt really lose everything in the tank as close inspection of the LR shows quite a bit a micro and macro fauna still alive! I did not get a spike in anything which to me says all my beneficial bacteria are still alive!

Really do not wish to dip my LR again as this has not worked. A few options I have also been suggested are:

• Dip rocks in high concentrate SG/salinity water - apparantly doesn't kill bacteria but will get the shrimp/crab out
• Dip rocks in tonic water
• Dip rocks in water with high magnesium concentrated water - again not supposed to harm corals or bacteria
• Leave rocks out to dry so shrimp/crab exits in attempt to find water! (wont work as received LR quite dry and it survived!)
• Get rid of all LR and start fresh!!

I have reset the whole tank up again and do not really wish to spend a whole day breaking it all up again only to find nothing... again!

The worst part is I still have not seen this invisible predator so it either dont exist and everything so far is a massive coincident or it is a professional killer that knows it's stuff about and so remains undetected!

 

[chrissaysyes]

a Hitman Shrimp! Man, I'm sorry about all of this. I'm having some parasitic issues myself. If it makes you feel any better, I have a big lovely fish tank that's had no fish in it for almost two months How are your water parameters right now? Maybe try a hardy fish like a damsel as bait to see what happens, or start adding some corals to bring up your morale/motivation?

 

[1entra]

I read up somewhere that to observe the life in your tank at night, it is best to do so using a red light by applying some sort of transparant red pastic in front of a flashlight/torch as they can not see it or something along them lines..? well anyways I went and bought myself a red lightblulb today and attached it to my bedlamp which I have attached to the top of my tank so the red light is shining directly into the aquarim in the hope my "predator" will emerge and I will see it for the first time ever!

I really would like to see what I am dealing with in the tank, as still dont know if it is a crab/pistol/mantis and so have been sat here beside my tank for about 2hours so far with my eyes fixed on my tank and I have seen no small/night life at all let alone a mantis/crab, not even a single bristleworm! Do you think this may be due to the dips as they may have killed off all my small life in/on the rocks?

HOWEVER... I have been hearing quite a bit of clicking although I have not yet seen the one resposible for it! The loudest was 3 simultaneos clicks about half hour ago which I responded to by tapping on the front glass with the backend of my ballpoint pen (sounded very similar)! AND IT RESPONDED A FEW SECS LATER WITH 2 CLICKS OF ITS OWN!! I think we are communicating!

When I re-tapped twice I heard nothing back until about 2mins later when another 3clicks were heard!

Just a few minutes ago I turned my back on the tank to get something off my desk when I heard a loud fast scurrying sound like something hurriedly rushing/running through the tank and brushing against the rocks as it did so. I immediately turned around to find... NOTHING! "It" had already disapeared somewhere!

Since turning my computer screen back on (all lights other than red bulb have been off whilst I've been sat watching the tank) about 10mins ago, I have not heard no further clicking from the tank!

I plan on going to the kitchen in a few minutes and boiling a prawn in some salted water and placing it near the LR on the far side of the tank where the clicking seems to be coming from and then sitting here for few more hourse waiting to see what comes out to eat it! (some may think it is a waste of time but I really do want to get to the bottom of this and see if I have got a predator in the tank or not!)

Also Chrissaysyes as you will be aware on my other thread regarding this problem on the main reef chat forum several people have suggested that I get some predatory wrasse of some sort and I really am considering this idea although it would indeed be hard to be able to tell if the wrasse had ate the shrimp/crab or not! So would be abit of a gamble!

 

[chrissaysyes]

I feel for ya bud

 

[1entra]

Over 5hours I've been sat here with the red light on waiting for some sight of the shrimp, even put a boiled salted prawn in... heard a lot of clicking... seen nothing! prawn lays untouched!

Whatever is in there really is one smart ar$e mo-fo clicking away at my misfortunes...

...But I will get the last click!

 

[chrissaysyes]

I probably wouldnt have boiled it, and I wouldve soaked it in garlic juice.

 

[syntax_error]

Hi 1entra! I've been following this thread from the beginning and I must say man don't you have bad luck or what! But hey keep up the fight, your doing an excellent job. Its also a good thread for us newbies to learn from your expriences.

And hey,

...But I will get the last click!

Well said.

Wish ya luck!

 

[timpetty]

Any news? (Hopefully good news!)

 

[1entra]

Nope no news as of yet. I keep hearing clicking but have not caught any site of the little critter still! All my CUC to the best of my knowledge are still fine.

I've decided on a new plan however... As my aquarium has been opentop, there has always een a possibility that my past fish MAY have jumped out and some rodent or something may have had them and thats why they have disapeared, so I have made myself a DIY cover for the top of my tank which consists of an acrylic frame with plastic pond netting tied down to it and fits on the support brackets on the inside of my tank. Once in place no fish should be able to jump out of the tank top.

So hopefully tommorow I plan on going out and getting myself a green/blue chromis or 2 as they are quite cheap and are also reputed as being very hardy. I am going to place them/it in the tank knowing perfectly well that they/it will not be able to jump out of the tank and see how they/it get on.

If I do indeed have a predator in the tank then I expect one fish to go missing followed a few days later by the other and this will confirm my suspicions! If this is indeed the case then I will have to move onto my plan of getting a predatory wrasse eg. cory of dragon to help me elliminate the problem.

It may seem cruel that I am using live fish as bait but but I believe it is necessary to confirm that I do have a predatory shrimp/crab in my tank for my knowldege and also the chromis dont cost to much and so wouldnt be too big a financial loss and (hopefully) they wont just die on me!

I will keep everybody updated

 

[nogarobluenano]

That is a good idea I like your thinking, what I was thinking is that you have a nano gremlin in your home that is coming from behind your bed at night and swimming around your tank when you fall asleep. Maybe you should set up a camera with night vision and catch the little sucker! Good luck!

 

[chrissaysyes]

Now it all makes sense!!! I know what's been attacking your fish!

 

[1entra]

LOL to both above comments!

 

[chrissaysyes]

 

[1entra]

Well the time for the truce is finally here...

I went fish shopping today in the hope of getting some green chromis, but the LFS HAD SOLD OUT!! And as I didnt want the trip to be a complete waste, I end up buying myself a single yellowtail damsel instead as they are also the same price!

Once I got the damsel home I noticed its skin was really blotchy in places rather than the dark blue it was in the LFS but as I started to acclimatise it I noticed the whole body started to turn back to it normal colour. Is this normal?

I acclimatised it over a period of an hour and introduced it to my tank about 2hours ago and it immeditely disapeared into my rockwork and not seen it since until just now when the lights have gone off! I can see it in between some of my LR.

I have secured the top of my tank with the homemade tank cover so nothing can get out, it only has a room of about 10mm either side which I need to get the cables for my equipment out to the supply!

Now lets see how it goes. What do you think the odds are it will still be here tomorrow? How long do your wreckon it will survive?