No Going Back Now.

[kj23502]

I really like that island look.

 

[jennybugs]

Can we have an update please VM?

 

[Thommo]

Yes! update prett please

 

[VictorMeldrew]

Hi all

Sorry i have not updated for a while but with work and the huge amount of time i have had to spend maintaining the tank lately (explain later) i have never found the right time. Before i update i will respond the latest posts on here that i should have replyed to ages ago

Thanks Ski for the info on feeding the frogspawn, i have been spot feeding it now and again and it is growing very well, i am well pleased with it, i might even buy some more. So my tank looks similar to a Carribean patch reef, thats fantastic, makes me feel like i have achieved something, even if it was more by chance than intension

Gary, yes mate i am still running the T8 lighting and i can not complain about them, they appear to be producing more than enough light to keep what i have in the tank looking nice. But I am looking to upgrade soon so i can keep more hard coral.

Thanks to everone else for your posts, great comments, i am pleased i changed the tank now, it helps alot to know fellow reef keepers thoughts, thanks

I will be updating later today, but first in must take some photo's of the tank, and with my dodgy camara skills i might be some time

Thanks
VM

 

[garybuk]

Cant wait for some more pics Give up with my 6ft tank on my shed i dont get the justic i want so upgrading to a bigger one in my room ill be watching for pics

 

[VictorMeldrew]

Hi all

Ok here is my latest news, its been a while since i posted i know, but i can tell you everything i have been up to very quickly, i have been cleaning algae, mass's and mass's of green algae, believe me, this has been a bit of a testing time. I think my lack of water changing over the christmas and new year period has finally come back to bite me, i have had an algae bloom from hell.

The small patches of green hair algae has spread and is now covering almost every piece of rock in the tank, it surely can not get any worse. I have been lucky so far that it has not killed any of my coral, the pink coral i have (i still don't know its what its called) was almost conpletely engulfed in the stuff and i had to pick off the algae with my fingers, it has came out in the last couple of days but i think i have been lucky not to lose it. I have now added more Rowaphos to the cannister because i did take a phosphate reading that was a bit high, i put the whole 250ml pot in plus the stuff i put in a couple of months ago so i must have enough of that now and i have been doing a water change with RO every week for the last four weeks and still the stuff is relentless. I even took the extreme measure of scrubing it off with a soft toothbrush a few weeks ago, which worked pretty well and the tank was algae free, but only for one week.

I have found that if i keep the sand clean i can at least tolarate the algae for now, i have managed to keep that clean by sucking up the algae with a 50ml syringe when i do the water changes, i have to keep on top of this thou and it takes me hours to do.

On the plus side despite all this, the fish and coral are all doing very well and the water looks crystal clear although i am holding off buying any more coral until i get the problem sorted and will be buying more fish instead. I already have a new addition, a coral beauty, i have been keeping a close eye on him and it does not appear to be nipping at anything it should'nt , so thats good, it's a lovely fish to look at.

Here is the first pic, more to come. Welcome to algae city.



nightmere

Thanks
VM

 

[Trod]

My emerald Crab would love it in there,

Have you any idea as to what is causing it, I assume your stats are ok?

 

[ben1987]

bet the tangs ok with it though?

Maybe your old rowa had absorbed all the phosphates it could so you had a gradual build up leading to this? You will get it sorted though VM, still think the scape much better!

 

[VictorMeldrew]

Hi guys, yeah the stats are all correct from every test that i have done, apart from the Ph which is a little low at 7.9 which for some reason will not go any higher and the slight raise in phosphate level's which at the last test before adding more rowaphos was between 0.25 and 0.5. The tangs do graze alot but no way near enough to clear it. Should i get a crab, i am reluctent to, will it harm my life saving cleaner shrimp?

 

[VictorMeldrew]

Nearly forgot, here is a picture of my new fish, a Coral beauty dwarf angelfish.



Still looking to add more fish, another largeish fish, but i can never find anything that is reef safe, i think i have taken a gamble with this fish but i think i will be ok if i keep it well fed.

I am still undecided, shall i clean the back glass or not, i think it will be well worth the wait when it is covered with coraline but sometimes i am not so sure, maybe i should do a vote some day.

Thanks
VM

 

[ben1987]

nice fish mate, he should graze on the rocks a bit too!
what about a banner fish. make sure sure you get a proper one and not its non-reef safe cousin

 

[TigerIssey]

Lovely coral beauty, will have one myself in bigger tank.

Zoas look very good too.

I say leave the coralline to grow, will look better in the long run.

Good luck with the algae, like the islands too.

 

[Trod]

Regarding the emerald crab, mine has made short work of algae, but he has caused no end of problems with LR falls, he can be like a mini bulldozer never been interested in my cleaner shrimps they live happily together, so it whether you want to risk a few rock falls or not, also bearing in mind there are no guarentees that your crab would eat algea like mine does

 

[VictorMeldrew]

Thanks TigerIssy, its a shame this picture does not show the bright blue colour around the edge of its fins its stunning, it is a bit shy and spends more time at the back of the rocks than the other fish, is this normal? Ben I just googled a banner fish, wow, would it really be compatable with my other fish and safe with coral, i want one

Thanks Trod i guess the jury is still out on that one.

 

[garybuk]

How long do you have your lights on for? my mate had this problem cut down on lighting times and it was gone with in a week, he syphon the grass off everyday aswell!