Pearls Of The Antilles... Llj's Planted Marine

[lljdma06]

I had a power head. I had actually three power heads in different parts of the tank, one was used specifically for surface agitation.

Power heads below the surface usually don't cut it with a good macro bomb, which is why I specifically mentioned things like a bubbler or elevated output (and a vigorous one at that - just a dribble won't cut it either). In other words, if you had a miniature oil spill on the surface of the water, would it just get pushed around as a continuous surface, or would something actively break it up? The common case for marine tanks is that it would just get pushed around, even when powerheads are rippling the surface quite a lot. So, if a film gets there...it's bad news. In my many, many, many iterations of having macro bleedouts, mass dieoffs, and stuff going sexual over the years, there are exactly two things I have had that made macro bombs into non events: bubbles popping and fast jets of water that are disconnected from the surface by quite a bit. Macro goop going into the water seems to really inhibit gas exchange by forming films early on. pH drops off fast and fish start gasping within minutes sometimes. The films can be really hard to see, but I was able to see it on some tanks quite a few years back when I first started keeping macro, which is why I started putting a bit of airline into all tanks that have macro. For me it made the difference between gasping fish within minutes and total non-events. I haven't even needed to do WCs the last few times I've woken up to opaque green tanks (most recently in my 55gal).

Of course, this assumes you are certain the macro bomb caused the deaths and not something else in the tank that happened to have a low-probability timing (e.g. hidden nudi nuke), although it is pretty classic macro-bomb-sounding.

No, I don't have a nudi that I'm aware of in that tank. It was a macro bomb I'm pretty sure. I just wasn't home to prevent it like I normally am. I know about the film and can usually adjust a powerhead and remove offending Halimeda when I see it, or do a small water change, which breaks up the surface film too. I just wasn't home and my family didn't know what to do. They said the tank was fine in the morning, by the afternoon, everything was dead. Not a slow developing thing, but very sudden. I assure you, there was enough ripple in the surface normally. I'm really careful about that. It breaks the water quite a bit and prevents the film. What may have happened and I noticed this is that that particular power head was rather clogged, again, probably because I wasn't there as much to monitor what was going on.

Now, I do feel bad. You made me feel really bad, Donya!

Just teasing. You're absolutely right and it's something I have to keep on top of if I decide to keep macros again. If I do macro again, I'll be adding, as I really hate bubbles, sorry, probably an HOB with a strong jet to break up the water surface further.

What stinks is that I knew this (I did my macro research, you all know this) and was working to prevent it, and it still happened. This is the problem with having multiple reefs and being a performer. I have one busy performance weekend and something goes to pot. All it takes is for a little thing to become clogged that wasn't clogged before...

Can somebody give me a darn hug please...

Lissette

 

[ainsy]

Always happy to oblige!

 

[ian]

as you said before, you can take a lot from this...it has been a really interesting read for a non SW person. It must be a real pain llj, I know how much you loved this tank.

#hugs

 

[lljdma06]

Always happy to oblige!

Thank you.

as you said before, you can take a lot from this...it has been a really interesting read for a non SW person. It must be a real pain llj, I know how much you loved this tank.

#hugs

I did take a lot from the entire experience, ian. Both the good and the bad. I always get so frustrated when journals simply pop off the face of the Earth and are never updated, or when only good updates are posted. I'm a firm believer in posting the bad with the good, including mistakes. This is how you help people. Not everything is rosy in reef-keeping or in any aspect of tropical fishkeeping. People have to know what they're getting into when they take this on. It involves work and study. And even when you think you're doing ok and things are going well, a freak accident can change everything.

Part of it also is the support I've received from members here. You guys are awesome, I love being your moderator. And it's part of the reason why I came out of retirement so fast. I want to be here! I came in last year just to fill in for other mods and it's been great seeing this section really begin to develop again.

Lissette

 

[lljdma06]

Recovery Day 2...

I've a mind to do this tank EXACTLY the way I had it before... Especially armed with what I know now... I'll see when things are in better shape, but for now...

Today's accomplishments...

1. Massive water change (about 15g)
2. Syphoning of gunk and removal of some algae that was on the rocks
3. Removal of Caulerpa. For now the best option. I shall reassess later.
4. Installation of clumps of chaeto into the display. I grow macro well. Why not use my chaeto pulls to help this tank along? Only temporary.

Pictures...

Full tank shot

Seagrasses, still going strong.

More ceriths... I think more things are alive than I anticipated.

The paly is recovering. Was open almost all the way today and I'll feed him plankton tomorrow. If he continues to recover, I'll feel better about moving him to one of my picos to make a full recovery until he can return to the tank.

Tank smells better than yesterday. Things are breaking down.

Tomorrow's plans...

1. Smaller water change
2. More removal of gunk. Basically, I gotta keep the rock clean
3. Clean out the power heads.

Thanks for looking. Thanks for your continued support and kind words.

Lissette

 

[lljdma06]

Tank's taking a break today. I'm taking a break today. My back hurts from the show and from having to do rushed water changes and such.

By the way, I forgot to mention yesterday that the Caulerpa I removed from the tank was healthy. And I removed a lot of it. What I had significantly less of was Halimeda and what I did have was in poor shape. So I'm wondering if it wasn't now the Halimeda that went sexual and not the Caulerpa? Doesn't really matter as I wasn't there that weekend because of a show anyway, so nothing could be done. But I don't want to give the Caulerpa a bad rap when it may not have been that plant that went sexual. I binned everything though, I'm not taking chances. To order macro, if I decide to do this again, isn't expensive.

 

[lljdma06]

I came back from the weekend to some good news.

1. Tank smells a lot less. It's almost back to smelling like ocean now as apposed to rancid and icky.
2. Ceriths are doing well.
3. Palythoa is alive and opening now. Still in quarantine with the black ocellaris
4. Chaeto is absorbing ammonia and showing visible growth.
5. Tank is much, much clearer. Almost back to normal now. See, below...

And best of all...

6. Small feather dusters and other organisms are appearing again.

The tank is starting to come back, I'm seeing clearer sand patches, less rubbish and gunk. I'll see how we progress and test the water in a few days. I see no point in wasting tests at this point. Better to assess once a cycle has completed. Probably will look for diatoms again, as I'm I'm now treating this tank as a new tank again.

I'm not sure what my plans are. I'll figure it out.

L

 

[SaltNoob]

Blah. I totally wish that didn't happen to your tank. Makes me sad.

So remember that dude that wants to sell his 90gal to me? Im going to look at it this week.

-Tyler

 

[lljdma06]

Blah. I totally wish that didn't happen to your tank. Makes me sad.

Makes me sad too, but I totally learned from this. Looks like I can't have caulerpa even if I wanted too. I read and reread stuff on prolifera. Evidently, in all the research I did on keeping it from going sexual, which, haha, I ended up doing well with (the halimeda went sexual instead), I forgot that it secretes a chemical that suppresses coral growth. I noticed that my rics in the tank were shrinking a bit and not looking as amazing. It didn't effect my big old paly, though, but I don't think anything effects that thing. It survived a macro bomb for goodness sake!

So remember that dude that wants to sell his 90gal to me? Im going to look at it this week.

-Tyler

Yeah I do remember... Keep me posted.

This tank may stay Caribbean, but it'll be a slow, slow burn this one.

L

 

[Biulu]

I have just read the last 2 weeks of your journal and the disaster that happened. I am so sorry to hear what happened but thanks for sharing! I am now even more convinced that I will stick with freshwater because of my workschedule! I can always go marine once I retire...

I am sure you will come up with something exciting for this tank; you always have!

 

[GAB99]

I'm really sorry to read what happened, but I'm really happy you are going to continue.
Keep it up

 

[lljdma06]

I have just read the last 2 weeks of your journal and the disaster that happened. I am so sorry to hear what happened but thanks for sharing! I am now even more convinced that I will stick with freshwater because of my workschedule! I can always go marine once I retire...

I am sure you will come up with something exciting for this tank; you always have!

Hi Biulu. Yes, it was devastating, but I've learned a lot. I also firmly believe in putting it all out there in journals. I bet you could have a saltwater. My picos are still going strong. It was an accident in an atypical system. Most tanks don't feature macro algae prominently. If I had a tank with just corals, I'm sure we'd still be talking about this tank right now...

I may end up doing a Caribbean tank, but with just corals, but I'm not sure. I personally think it's a waste of a very good light. If it was just the compact flourescents I originally had, then I'd go well just zoas and mushies, so sticking with Caribbean corals would be great, but with a halide. Hmmmmm, makes it tough to justify Caribbean corals only. There are Caribbean sps and lps, but you're not allowed to harvest them. With good reason.

I'm really sorry to read what happened, but I'm really happy you are going to continue.
Keep it up

Awwww, thanks. Everybody's been really nice and supportive. Means a lot. Of course, I'm going to continue.

Because it's a corner bow, there's a spot in the back where basically I can't do anything with. I may add a small nano skimmer, but I think if I stick with softies and easy lps, I won't have issues if I just do the larger water changes I have always done.

One thing is for certain. I have a deep sand bed. I must have a jawfish of some type in that tank. I'd love to revisit the pearly jawfish. One of the most entertaining fish I've ever had. The blue-spot is also nice.

If I opt not to do Caribbean, I'll use my mod powers to split this topic and start a new thread, as it won't be the same.

L

 

[ian]

looking a lot better llj...you can win.


Charlie Sheen style!

 

[bae1994]

Add some more sand and keep the Seagrass and then have garden eels

Hopefully it will get better

Bae

 

[lljdma06]

looking a lot better llj...you can win.


Charlie Sheen style!

LOL, it still looks like a nuclear disaster in there, but a contained one. It's actually nice seeing long stretches of clean sand again. Very pretty. Oolite is a lovely sand when it's clean.

Add some more sand and keep the Seagrass and then have garden eels

Hopefully it will get better

Bae

Bae, I already have like a 4" sand bed. Actually, I think the DSB absorbed quite a bit of garbage from the tank. Not sure if I want seagrasses again. They were great and all, but I kind of feel like leaving them in the ocean right now. I also really, really want a jawfish again and him mucking around in the sand bed I don't think helped the seagrass any.

I'll be testing parameters this weekend and figuring out where I am. I may be ready for a CUC in this tank pretty soon. I see diatom growth already and little critters popping up everywhere. Still have some gunk in the back to remove though. It's a chore having a corner bowfront. Since nothing can jump out, I'll remove the hood and really get back into the corner to clean. I will also probably purchase an Aquaclear 110 and use it for added flow and water agitation until I decide that I want to mod it into a small fuge with chaeto for this tank.

I'm heavily leaning towards just having a load fun with this tank, not going entirely Caribbean, and splitting the journal at this point. It's the cheaper, more fun option. I've always fancied a flame angelfish. I also love wrasses and I've never been able to keep one. The Caribbean wrasses get too big and not many wrasses are small enough for picos. I've got enough light for some very nice corals...

I'll see.

Lissette