90g Sw Build...eek! - Page 6

[Nart]

If you're looking for a cheapy route, just go to home depot and buy some window frames and some connectors. Hacksaw, get some mesh screen off BRS, and window spine it down to the frame and done. If you're looking for something a bit more fancy, Top Lids make custom and really fancy acrylic lids.

 

[Sprogladite]

Ahh thank you all, in the end I stuck some little plastic pieces on the edges of it so that it kinda hangs off the edges of the glass braces so it's workable until I find the willpower to DIY one (probably in 10 years, my DIY skills currently are at -10 points, lol). Interesting that the corals have all massively perked up, and I treated myself to a little marble hammer and a small leptastrea frag.
My next thing I want to sort out is proper 2 part dosing but this is gonna need some research and probably a bit of time to save as funds are tight at the moment (I'm taking my son to HawaiI in August and just paid for flights - made my eyes water lol).
The bubble coral is also starting to close his mouth more...yep, he's still going. Actively feeding and beautifully green, I'm amazed he's lasted this long!
Still have some algae but have just started to dose vibrant for bubble algae so interested to see how that works!

 

[Sprogladite]

Full tank shot for anyone wanting to see how it's getting on. Everything still walking up but not looking too shabby I think

 

[Culprit]

It looks fantastic! Love the huge goni. Is that a Coral Beauty?

 

[Sprogladite]

It looks fantastic! Love the huge goni. Is that a Coral Beauty?

Thanks! Yes that's a coral beauty, his name is Jaws as he swims around looking for fish to beat up lol. He is definitely the boss! Although he gets a run for his money from the female clownfish (aka big momma). The others try to stay out of his way lol. He is the biggest coral beauty I've ever seen

 

[Sprogladite]

Been on a minI coral splurge this week lol. Little baby bubble coral arrived in the post yesterday, I'm picking up some green trumpets on Sunday from a local reefer, and I've got a blue gonI frag and some red people eaters waiting to be posted out I have a problem, I admit it. Finding good sellers who post and having people at home who will acclimate for you is DANGEROUS (and convenient lol)...

 

[Sprogladite]

Went on a road trip to my fave store today. Came home with a red goni, a torch, a purple montI and a red monti. Will post pics when they're all settled in

 

[Sprogladite]

Few pics. Not all are new but don't think I've posted before/much of

The torch is really beautiful, it has a green base that you just get flashes of as it waves around. Tried for ages to get a photo but I just can't see to get the timing right lol.

The trumpets I got from a local reefer who was selling them dirt cheap, couldn't say no. The bubble was an online purchase, love him (affectionately referred to as "minI bubs" haha!). Picked up the catalphyllia a few weeks ago and the hammer a little while back but it's so pretty it deserved to be included again

GonI garden is now looking great, we are up to 6 gonis now. I have a problem

 

[Sprogladite]

Managed to get a pic of the torch showing the green base during water change today!

 

[Sprogladite]

Would appreciate people's thoughts - I have a leather who is getting pretty massive and it's starting to smother my zoa rock. It needs to be fragged down to a reasonable size again. However, it is attached to about 4 different rocks so taking it out to do this is going to be pretty much impossible unless I completely rescape (which I really don't want to do). Do you think I could get away with trimming it in the tank and chucking some carbon in the sump? I just need to cut off about 3 inches off the back of it...figure a scalpel or very sharp pair of scissors would do the job?

 

[stella1979]

Eeek!! I shouldn't really comment here because I have very very limited experience with softies and none with leathers at all. Here's why I say eeek...

Recently saw a gorgeous tank go through a partial crash due to fragging a Pectinia coral and placing it back in the tank a short time later while it was still releasing mucus. All of the SPS in the tank died.

Will this happen with a softie? Idk, but I wouldn't risk it unless I found many reports of in-tank fragging of leathers being safe.

 

[Sprogladite]

Eeek!! I shouldn't really comment here because I have very very limited experience with softies and none with leathers at all. Here's why I say eeek...

Recently saw a gorgeous tank go through a partial crash due to fragging a Pectinia coral and placing it back in the tank a short time later while it was still releasing mucus. All of the SPS in the tank died.

Will this happen with a softie? Idk, but I wouldn't risk it unless I found many reports of in-tank fragging of leathers being safe.

Yes, that's why I'm seeking input before I actually do it lol. My other option is to try and detach it from the rocks but tbh I don't think I will be able to without knocking a bunch of stuff down, and I kinda like how the leather is holding onto them as it gives it all a lot more stability (never did get round to gluing my scape lol...woops!). I've watched a few videos of leathers being fragged but haven't seen any being done in a tank yet. I can't move the zoa rock either because the leather is attached to it!

 

[Wild Bill]

What about taking a pair of snippers (bone cutters) and trimming the rock where it is attached?

 

[Sprogladite]

I took the plunge today! I worked out that the leather was attached to my zoa rock at the top then the trunk was attached to another rock, so took both the rocks it was attached to out, peeled it off the zoa rock and then fragged it. The toadstool and the frags went into a qt tank I had set up but there wasn't any sliming really. Frags attached to live rock rubble with an elastic band. Frags and toadstool went back in the main tank after a couple of hours, have chucked some carbon in the sump. Frags already look super happy, main toadstool is majorly unhappy with life right now hopefully he will bounce back ok!

I don't think fragging is for me tbh but happy it's been done. Hopefully it'll grow back a lot slower haha

 

[Sprogladite]

Welllll.....the toadstool necrotised and is now dead . All my other leathers sulked for a while but are coming back around after a tank-wide shed. I have two little frags left, one I think is almost certain to melt, the other one is possibly a little more hopeful. I've been doing daily water changes trying to keep the chemical warfare under control and going to change the carbon in the sump tomorrow as well. What a disaster! The only good thing was that in removing the leather completely from the tank, I had to completely rescape the left side of the tank and I really, really LOVE the new scape. Plus there is now space for more coral (when things have calmed down, lol). My dad is upset with me because he loved that toadstool. I've told him I will buy him a new one for fathers day lol

Fish tanks, who'd have em!!

 

[stella1979]

Boo! Well, we live and learn so... glad you're seeing the bright side.

 

[Sprogladite]

Tank seems to have recovered (phew!). Cant remember if I mentioned but we set up a doser a few weeks ago so hopefully corals will start growing a bit quicker. Picked up a gorgeous heliofungia a couple of months ago which looks incredible. The Christmas tree leather is growing at an alarming rate and the blenny now enjoys lurking in it pics below!

 

[Sprogladite]

After a quiet few weeks, a lovely heat wave came along and bleached my forest fire monti. Amazingly, that's the only piece who's keeled over (hoping it'll make a comeback and feeding heavily now...fingers crossed). I also finally caved and bought a mandarin lol. Here is the little cutie he seems to be on the move and picking at the rocks and sand constantly, especially at feeding time so I have my fingers firmly crossed lol

 

[Sprogladite]

So, we sold our house and will have to move the tank. Having a should I/shouldn't I debate in my head about moving the whole thing and just wondering if I should break it down. Costs are going to be huge with a new mortgage, travelling costs to work, and I'll be buying a couple of horses now there will be stables at home so wondering if I will have the time needed to care for the tank. I struggle now so not sure it's wise to take it with us. The coral is struggling at the moment, phosphates went through the roof recently (my fault, got lazy with changing the media) and had a miscalculation when dosing which caused the calcium to skyrocket and alkalinity to fall. Hair algae has made a comeback and 2 gonis, the heliofungia, one of the acans and the leptastrea are all looking rough (the heliofungia especially). Bummed out about it, especially as one of my heaters seems to be playing up and actively trying to cook everything. Currently skint as have just come back from HawaiI (which was AMAZING) and not sure how much I want to funnel funds into the tank right now.

But then I look at the corals who have made a comeback since I started addressing the issues, the clownfish who are starting to display egg laying behaviours, the mandarin who is now starting to get a little belly, and I change my mind all over again. I think when we get a moving date I will have to make a decision, and I'm sure a big part of that will be the state the tank is in when we get it. I don't want to move coral that is already struggling coz I'm sure it'll just die off, especially as we'll be moving sometime before Christmas and it's gonna be cold out. Hmmmm. Decisions, decisions!

 

[stella1979]

Oh man... that's a toughie. Sometimes we have to weigh things out where neither is something we really want to give up. Yet, if we're honest with ourselves, considering of both the life we have under our care and the time (not to mention stress) we have to devote to it, then even if it's tough to give in and let go of something... well, then at least we know we've made the best decision for all involved. Whatever will provide the best life for your fish, corals, horses, and yourself is the right decision.

 

[xiholdtruex]

So, we sold our house and will have to move the tank. Having a should I/shouldn't I debate in my head about moving the whole thing and just wondering if I should break it down. Costs are going to be huge with a new mortgage, travelling costs to work, and I'll be buying a couple of horses now there will be stables at home so wondering if I will have the time needed to care for the tank. I struggle now so not sure it's wise to take it with us. The coral is struggling at the moment, phosphates went through the roof recently (my fault, got lazy with changing the media) and had a miscalculation when dosing which caused the calcium to skyrocket and alkalinity to fall. Hair algae has made a comeback and 2 gonis, the heliofungia, one of the acans and the leptastrea are all looking rough (the heliofungia especially). Bummed out about it, especially as one of my heaters seems to be playing up and actively trying to cook everything. Currently skint as have just come back from HawaiI (which was AMAZING) and not sure how much I want to funnel funds into the tank right now.

But then I look at the corals who have made a comeback since I started addressing the issues, the clownfish who are starting to display egg laying behaviours, the mandarin who is now starting to get a little belly, and I change my mind all over again. I think when we get a moving date I will have to make a decision, and I'm sure a big part of that will be the state the tank is in when we get it. I don't want to move coral that is already struggling coz I'm sure it'll just die off, especially as we'll be moving sometime before Christmas and it's gonna be cold out. Hmmmm. Decisions, decisions!

definitely tough, If you are going to move it you could take advantage of it to fix the nutrient and algae issues with rip cleaning the whole tank and starting clean at the new location. If you decide to sell it I'm sure you will eventually come back. I would say do what is best for you and the inhabitant of the tank. you before tank and could always get another tank down the line.

 

[Sprogladite]

Thanks stella1979 and xiholdtruex - it is definitely a tough one! At the moment, the plan is to move the tank and see how it goes when we get to the new house. I won't be buying horses over winter (if I can stick to my guns lol), so can get into the routine and see how it works out while we adjust to the new house and see how the corals do. Once the horses are in the picture, I'm not sure I will have the time, but I will also have a good LFS a 15 minute drive away (as opposed to 45 minutes at the current house!) and I'm sure the owner of the new store would potentially take my coral and livestock if I needed to close the tank down. I just don't think I can rip it all apart, I am too attached and I've solidly done maintenance for the last 18 months until the blip with the phosphate media - so as long as I don't get lazy once in the new house we should be ok I think.

Of course, I keep changing my plans every 3 seconds so who the heck knows how it will all work out...will keep you updated haha!

 

[Sprogladite]

Tank update: our house buyer has pulled out so no longer stressing about moving the tank, instead stressing about finding a new buyer! Doh. Tank is still struggling with hair algae, and I have switched from phosphate media to liquid phosphate remover (Quantum). Only been dosing (very conservatively) for a few days so we'll see how that goes. 2 of my moniporas have bleached significantly, third montI seems ok. LPS all doing fine apart from the heliofungia which sadly lost all it's flesh and died. The green bubble who never closed his mouth appears to have grown a new mouth which is pretty cool, just a shame it looks horrible with it's original mouth/skeleton exposed! Quite amazed I've managed to keep that one alive tbh but it's looking pretty good at the moment. The "christmas tree" leather (finger leather) has now started dropping fingers so I've planted one and now have a baby leather growing. The green leather is the size of a small dinner plate now and we really do need to move in the next few months coz the leathers need the space and need to be separated!

Fish are all going strong and mandarin has a fat little belly. He is very cute and nobody bothers him, not even the angel (who we call Jaws...coz hes a total shark). Although the coral all looks rubbish feeling more positive towards the tank so hopefully I can fight off the algae and start filling it back up with coral soon!

 

[Sprogladite]

Soooooo latest hurdle in the tank is outrageously high phosphate levels. GHA is rampaging through the tank, so I switched from phosphate media to liquid dosing. I was super careful not to overdose with the lanthanum chloride and I think I shot myself in the foot...latest ICP test showed po4 at 0.99....YIKES. Amazed any of my LPS are alive tbh.

So, I now know to up my dosing, but I am wondering where all this po4 is coming from. I had been blaming the dry rock for leaching phosphates but the tank has been up and running for nearly 2 years now, surely that can't be the case anymore? I feed one cube of frozen a day and don't rinse it, BUT I'd be surprised if that led to these sort of levels. Any ideas anyone?

 

[Sprogladite]

Latest ICP came back...PO4 down to 0.07! hair algae starting to reduce, noticeably in the last week or so. Tiny amounts of cyano but I'm not bothered about that (yet). Fingers crossed this is the turning point!