90g Mixed Reef
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OP
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I saw them, I think I can too but it's still more risk than I'm comfortable with.
I am actually going to get a manufacturer to drill it for me, it turns out to be not much very expensive and definitely minimizes the risk. It will take a little longer but it should be here around Christmas if everything goes well.
OP
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Came back from a short vacation and my trachy is not looking good.
I cleaned the cyano off of it and used a turkey baster to clean the sandbed and rocks.
I dipped it in Seachem's reef dip and examined it more closely.
It has skeleton showing on one side and a little bit on one of the high parts. It is also receding around the whole base. I have noticed it hasn't been looking great over the past 2 to 3 weeks but I wasn't sure what the problem was exactly.
I'm not sure if the cyano grew on the coral and killed off that part, or if it died and then the cyano grew on it. Either way, it wasn't like that when I left on Wednesday morning.
I had noticed an orange sponge growing on the bottom of the coral that I thought was harmless but after today I'm not as sure. But after closer inspection it seems like the dead parts aren't too close to the sponge so I'm not convinced that is the issue.
I am also worried it might not be getting enough light at the bottom of my tank. The receding parts are mostly on the left most side (away from the light) so that would make sense. But it is also partially shaded by an overhang so I would think the back would be showing issues too?
I moved it over to the right side of the tank where there is less shading and cyano growth and I'll see how it does tomorrow. I think I'm going to increase my lights another 5% as well.
Lastly, I tested my water. I have been struggling with high nutrients, and recently added more phosguard to get my phosphates down. They were at 0.36 and I added more phosguard on Tuesday, which brought it down to 0.16 today. I'm hoping that wasn't too quick of a change, but considerering that level is still relatively high in doubt that's the issue.
I also double checked my salinity with a friend's refractometer (1.026) so at least I know that's not the issue.
I really hope it recovers, it's one of my favorite corals and I hope I didn't wait too long to take action.
I cleaned the cyano off of it and used a turkey baster to clean the sandbed and rocks.
I dipped it in Seachem's reef dip and examined it more closely.
It has skeleton showing on one side and a little bit on one of the high parts. It is also receding around the whole base. I have noticed it hasn't been looking great over the past 2 to 3 weeks but I wasn't sure what the problem was exactly.
I'm not sure if the cyano grew on the coral and killed off that part, or if it died and then the cyano grew on it. Either way, it wasn't like that when I left on Wednesday morning.
I had noticed an orange sponge growing on the bottom of the coral that I thought was harmless but after today I'm not as sure. But after closer inspection it seems like the dead parts aren't too close to the sponge so I'm not convinced that is the issue.
I am also worried it might not be getting enough light at the bottom of my tank. The receding parts are mostly on the left most side (away from the light) so that would make sense. But it is also partially shaded by an overhang so I would think the back would be showing issues too?
I moved it over to the right side of the tank where there is less shading and cyano growth and I'll see how it does tomorrow. I think I'm going to increase my lights another 5% as well.
Lastly, I tested my water. I have been struggling with high nutrients, and recently added more phosguard to get my phosphates down. They were at 0.36 and I added more phosguard on Tuesday, which brought it down to 0.16 today. I'm hoping that wasn't too quick of a change, but considerering that level is still relatively high in doubt that's the issue.
I also double checked my salinity with a friend's refractometer (1.026) so at least I know that's not the issue.
I really hope it recovers, it's one of my favorite corals and I hope I didn't wait too long to take action.
That's a bummer. We will be thinking happy healthy thoughts.Still getting worse.
OP
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Update time!
So I've got some good news and bad news. The bad news first: the trachyphyllia didn't make it. I brought it to work thinking maybe it was something with my tank but I think it was too late.
The torches I got from the frag swap died, too. I have contacted the vendor and they gave me some tips and offered a replacement for the torch next time I see them at a show. My 2 remaining torches seem fine, there is a small area of recession on one of them but it is still opening up pretty large. I'm thinking that my issues with torches comes down to a few problems: heat (window AC in the summer keeps the tank at 80 but it fluctuates a little, I'll try and keep it more stable next summer. The winter is no issue, stable at 77. Alkalinity has been dropping a little more than expected, I've been trying to make it a habit to dose 2x a day but I think I really need to get a doser. Alk seems to be the only thing they swings, calcium and magnesium are a lot more stable. My nitrates also were probably too high, right now they are at about 16 nitrates and 0.16 phosphate, which I am. Comfortable with but I am trying to get them a little lower to help with algae problems. And acclimation, next time I get torches I'm going to do a slower and more careful acclimation. Hopefully this will all pay off!
I think these factors may have contributed to the trachy as well but I am not 100% sure what was wrong with it.
As far as algae, I wanted to get my nitrates down to a reasonable level before starting the chemiclean to make sure it wouldn't just immediately come back. I started it on Tuesday, so I'll give it another 24-48hrs to do its job before I do a water change and then hopefully I won't have to deal with it for a while. My macro algae is also getting out of control, still not 100% sure on ID but I suspect bryopsis so I've got some fluconazole they I'm going to start as soon as the chemiclean is done and out of the system. I want to get everything in good shape before the upgrade.
So for the upgrade I am waiting for my tank still, but I have nearly everything else and I'll be ordering my final pieces of equipment soon. I got an icecap gyre 3k for flow, I tested it out briefly and it seems very powerful but I don't want to use it yet because I don't want to cause extra stress on my aquarium seals. I also got a Tunze osmolator while they were on sale.
Finally, I participated in World Wide Corals' 28hr live sale and completed the iron man challenge. I couldn't help myself and ordered a few corals during the process. They arrived today and look great although they're not totally open yet. I look forward to watching them grow, especially the platygyra.
And now pictures in no particular order.
So I've got some good news and bad news. The bad news first: the trachyphyllia didn't make it. I brought it to work thinking maybe it was something with my tank but I think it was too late.
The torches I got from the frag swap died, too. I have contacted the vendor and they gave me some tips and offered a replacement for the torch next time I see them at a show. My 2 remaining torches seem fine, there is a small area of recession on one of them but it is still opening up pretty large. I'm thinking that my issues with torches comes down to a few problems: heat (window AC in the summer keeps the tank at 80 but it fluctuates a little, I'll try and keep it more stable next summer. The winter is no issue, stable at 77. Alkalinity has been dropping a little more than expected, I've been trying to make it a habit to dose 2x a day but I think I really need to get a doser. Alk seems to be the only thing they swings, calcium and magnesium are a lot more stable. My nitrates also were probably too high, right now they are at about 16 nitrates and 0.16 phosphate, which I am. Comfortable with but I am trying to get them a little lower to help with algae problems. And acclimation, next time I get torches I'm going to do a slower and more careful acclimation. Hopefully this will all pay off!
I think these factors may have contributed to the trachy as well but I am not 100% sure what was wrong with it.
As far as algae, I wanted to get my nitrates down to a reasonable level before starting the chemiclean to make sure it wouldn't just immediately come back. I started it on Tuesday, so I'll give it another 24-48hrs to do its job before I do a water change and then hopefully I won't have to deal with it for a while. My macro algae is also getting out of control, still not 100% sure on ID but I suspect bryopsis so I've got some fluconazole they I'm going to start as soon as the chemiclean is done and out of the system. I want to get everything in good shape before the upgrade.
So for the upgrade I am waiting for my tank still, but I have nearly everything else and I'll be ordering my final pieces of equipment soon. I got an icecap gyre 3k for flow, I tested it out briefly and it seems very powerful but I don't want to use it yet because I don't want to cause extra stress on my aquarium seals. I also got a Tunze osmolator while they were on sale.
Finally, I participated in World Wide Corals' 28hr live sale and completed the iron man challenge. I couldn't help myself and ordered a few corals during the process. They arrived today and look great although they're not totally open yet. I look forward to watching them grow, especially the platygyra.
And now pictures in no particular order.
OP
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The chemiclean worked like a charm. I ran some carbon last night and did a water change today and removed the carbon and started a fluconazole treatment using Reef HD's Reef Flux. I used all 10 capsules.
I'm hoping it helps with this weird algae that I suspect is bryopsis. I have seen a few fern-like strands (definitely bryopsis) but most of it looks like this and it's really spread a lot in the last few months.
I'm hoping it helps with this weird algae that I suspect is bryopsis. I have seen a few fern-like strands (definitely bryopsis) but most of it looks like this and it's really spread a lot in the last few months.
They seem very happy ... especially the M. lords!
~Bruce
~Bruce
OP
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Thank you.
OP
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Here's a side picture of my tank with all 7 fish!
This Ricordia is growing a new mouth!
And my phytoplankton is progressing well. I'm about to split the 2 bottles of Nanochloropsis into 4. The right most bottle is Tetraselmis. But I waited a long time before I used the disk so it has taken about 2 weeks to get to this point, it was mostly clear until a few days ago. So I'm questioning whether it's actually Tetraselmis. But I'll give it a few more days.
I also wanted to share my favia growth over exactly 6 months.
And lastly just a shot of the right side of my tank this morning
This Ricordia is growing a new mouth!
And my phytoplankton is progressing well. I'm about to split the 2 bottles of Nanochloropsis into 4. The right most bottle is Tetraselmis. But I waited a long time before I used the disk so it has taken about 2 weeks to get to this point, it was mostly clear until a few days ago. So I'm questioning whether it's actually Tetraselmis. But I'll give it a few more days.
I also wanted to share my favia growth over exactly 6 months.
And lastly just a shot of the right side of my tank this morning
I couldn't really see the eggs this time but the male isn't eating and his head and mouth is so round! Hopefully they last the night!
OP
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All the eggs were gone by the next day. Better luck next time I guess. Lol.
I got a pack of 30 3" frag plugs from The Alternative Reef today. I moved some of my acans, favias, and platygyras to them so that they can spread and grow a little more easily. I have noticed that some of the acans are growing into balls and the bottom heads don't do as well, I guess they don't get enough light. So I moved as many as I could onto these flat disks before I ran out of glue. I want to put my green chalice on one too, but I can't get the stem off of the plug that it's on.
For now I just put everything onto the sand bed. I'm going to be out of town for a few days and I don't want anything falling.
I got a pack of 30 3" frag plugs from The Alternative Reef today. I moved some of my acans, favias, and platygyras to them so that they can spread and grow a little more easily. I have noticed that some of the acans are growing into balls and the bottom heads don't do as well, I guess they don't get enough light. So I moved as many as I could onto these flat disks before I ran out of glue. I want to put my green chalice on one too, but I can't get the stem off of the plug that it's on.
For now I just put everything onto the sand bed. I'm going to be out of town for a few days and I don't want anything falling.
OP
OP
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Actually, I have noticed a few things that could be doing better.
My fascination favia hasn't been looking good for the last week or so. My red goniopora from wwc also hasn't been opening as much.
And a red chalice that I got from a frag swap doesn't seem happy either. I'm gonna move them around the tank and see if they improve.
My fascination favia hasn't been looking good for the last week or so. My red goniopora from wwc also hasn't been opening as much.
And a red chalice that I got from a frag swap doesn't seem happy either. I'm gonna move them around the tank and see if they improve.
