Fishroom Reality Check
- Build Thread
- Thread starter User
- Start date
- Tagged users None
Dubs83
Valuable Member
Per your recommendation. So if it does t work out, your fault [emoji6]
Yea, I’m going to solder the valve and then the shark bite fitting and go PEX all the way to the fish room. This way, I keep the copper as far away as I can.
Dubs83
Valuable Member
Lol. The thought of that made my head hurt
OP
OP
User
2500 Club Member
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2017
- Messages
- 4,523
- Reaction score
- 7,484
- What state or country do you live in
- Georgia
So I picked up a little floating breeding box for the invert qt and put the crabs in there (or at least 17/22) since I didn’t like how they were rough handling the snails.
The biggest one immediately dumped his shell and found a bigger replacement, and there are 2 dead snails. I haven’t seen a bunch of them move but I can tell they’ve been active when I check every few hours.
I’m feeding both crabs and snails with some topfin algae wafers. Not exactly swarming all over it though.
Anyone recommend a different feeding strategy?
Main 180 is processing 1.5ppm ammonia to zero nitrite in 36-ish hours. That’s a 12 hour drop from the last ammonia dosage, so they are reproducing.
The biggest one immediately dumped his shell and found a bigger replacement, and there are 2 dead snails. I haven’t seen a bunch of them move but I can tell they’ve been active when I check every few hours.
I’m feeding both crabs and snails with some topfin algae wafers. Not exactly swarming all over it though.
Anyone recommend a different feeding strategy?
Main 180 is processing 1.5ppm ammonia to zero nitrite in 36-ish hours. That’s a 12 hour drop from the last ammonia dosage, so they are reproducing.
Last edited:
Dennis Cartier
Valuable Member
- Joined
- Aug 25, 2016
- Messages
- 1,970
- Reaction score
- 2,409
- Location
- Brampton, Ontario
- What state or country do you live in
- Canada
Snails are hard to move between tanks, or at least that has been my experience. I believe it has something to do with capillaries in their kidneys being prone to bursting due to salinity changes. It usually takes about 2 weeks to show up, meaning the ones who did not handle the acclimation die. The hard part is buying snails at the LFS and not knowing if they are already pre doomed. When I go into a LFS and see a tank with like 500 dead snails on the bottom and a handful on the glass, I think "Survival of the fittest indeed!". 
The moral of the story is, you may lose a few snails over the next while.
Dennis
The moral of the story is, you may lose a few snails over the next while.
Dennis
OP
OP
User
2500 Club Member
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2017
- Messages
- 4,523
- Reaction score
- 7,484
- What state or country do you live in
- Georgia
Thanks Dennis
I got these guys from Reefcleaners. They have s very clear acclimation protocol- float to temp match, then add to tank keeping water transfer to minimum.
Apparently they are intertidal so can tolerate the salinity differences. The big killer is a slow drip acclimation that turns the reduced ammonia in their shipping water into oxidized toxic form when trying to drip acclimate. I’ve been told to expect a very high survival rate.
Cheers
I got these guys from Reefcleaners. They have s very clear acclimation protocol- float to temp match, then add to tank keeping water transfer to minimum.
Apparently they are intertidal so can tolerate the salinity differences. The big killer is a slow drip acclimation that turns the reduced ammonia in their shipping water into oxidized toxic form when trying to drip acclimate. I’ve been told to expect a very high survival rate.
Cheers
OP
OP
User
2500 Club Member
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2017
- Messages
- 4,523
- Reaction score
- 7,484
- What state or country do you live in
- Georgia
Well, aarrggh!
My invert QT has cyano! It looks like it came in on one particular snail- his shell has turned bright red, and I’ve got pink/red deposits all over.
Snails include a bunch of nerites and ceriths that should chow down and hopefully keep it in check
Crabbie jail...
My invert QT has cyano! It looks like it came in on one particular snail- his shell has turned bright red, and I’ve got pink/red deposits all over.
Snails include a bunch of nerites and ceriths that should chow down and hopefully keep it in check
Crabbie jail...
OP
OP
User
2500 Club Member
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2017
- Messages
- 4,523
- Reaction score
- 7,484
- What state or country do you live in
- Georgia
Hermits and snails doing well, cyano under control.
Think I saw a small flatworm dog into the sand at the glass, but was behind the rim before I could really see it.
I’ll check in the dark with flashlight tomorrow.
Any good planarians out there?
Think I saw a small flatworm dog into the sand at the glass, but was behind the rim before I could really see it.
I’ll check in the dark with flashlight tomorrow.
Any good planarians out there?
OP
OP
User
2500 Club Member
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2017
- Messages
- 4,523
- Reaction score
- 7,484
- What state or country do you live in
- Georgia
Quick update. Last night, about 7 pm I got a call from our contractor dude that he had an opening this weekend. This’ll complete the fishroom exterior drywall (and drywall half of the ‘front room’ of the basement which is fishroom adjacent) and hang the fishroom door. Up to now, that’s looked like this-
Been calling it my ‘biohazard prepper door’.
So last night I had to finish the insulation on that wall- R13 faced (paper facing the warm side) - ending up with this-
Contractor arrived 10.30, we headed out to a craft fair and left him and his nephew to it. 5 hours later the door is hung, it’s drywalled and the first mudding is done.
Beyond giddy with this final part of the build.
Here’s the double doors to the water making station, QT area and general workshop. The photo is taken from the middle of what will become the girls playroom and after-pool hang out lounge (our backyard practically abuts against the community pool and lake...)
Bottom half is going to be painted in chalkboard and whiteboard paint for art practice, the upper half will be a reef themed mural or underwater-scape. That wall on the right is going to get a trio of our leftover kitchen reno cabinets for games etc.
Here’s a look behind the double doors-
Tank updates:
180 is eliminating 2ppm ammonia to 0/0 in 12/30. Nitrates are at 40ppm. Next week I’m going to do the 50% wc on the isolates DT, then bring the 130g sump back online. Calcs say this’ll put me at ~15ppm, so I’ll then bring the chaeto fuge online and start sucking up those nitrates, and make a dent in my 0.105 ppm phosphate (pukani is leaching). That gives me ~ 2 weeks fir the nitrite reducing bacteria to increase in population and push that 30 hours down closer to 12-18.
Snail and hermit qt is going well, I have a bunch of copepods swimming around, no sign of that possible flatworm, and some very active nassarius snails. Those things like to move all over.
Fish QT is almost done cycling 0/0 in 16/36. One more round of ammonia, test 0/0, then 100% wc. First fish will be 2 very small clowns, so the current biofilter should handle it. I’ll be adding a small bottle of biospira to be safe. Fish shopping planned for 10/15.
Still undecided regarding the failed Apex. They offered me a discount on a classic head unit, but I’m probably going to need a new temp probe, I’m honestly not impressed AT ALL with the salinity probe (so would only be using the pm2 as a convenient bob hook up spot) dont plan on ORP, don’t plan to chase pH... so it’s utility is looking less about the real time monitoring and more about the alerts, conditional programming, BOB usage etc. I’m so glad I installed the ‘backup’ outlets, since right now, they are my only outlets. My entire main electrical plan revolves around the eb8’s, so I’m kinda bummed about the failure. Wife says to go for the discounted replacement, which is great, but it’s another $200-300 I hadn’t budgeted for a replacement piece.
Uggh- literally just remembered I have a 1” VCA RFG in a box downstairs. Project for next week [emoji3]
Been calling it my ‘biohazard prepper door’.
So last night I had to finish the insulation on that wall- R13 faced (paper facing the warm side) - ending up with this-
Contractor arrived 10.30, we headed out to a craft fair and left him and his nephew to it. 5 hours later the door is hung, it’s drywalled and the first mudding is done.
Beyond giddy with this final part of the build.
Here’s the double doors to the water making station, QT area and general workshop. The photo is taken from the middle of what will become the girls playroom and after-pool hang out lounge (our backyard practically abuts against the community pool and lake...)
Bottom half is going to be painted in chalkboard and whiteboard paint for art practice, the upper half will be a reef themed mural or underwater-scape. That wall on the right is going to get a trio of our leftover kitchen reno cabinets for games etc.
Here’s a look behind the double doors-
Tank updates:
180 is eliminating 2ppm ammonia to 0/0 in 12/30. Nitrates are at 40ppm. Next week I’m going to do the 50% wc on the isolates DT, then bring the 130g sump back online. Calcs say this’ll put me at ~15ppm, so I’ll then bring the chaeto fuge online and start sucking up those nitrates, and make a dent in my 0.105 ppm phosphate (pukani is leaching). That gives me ~ 2 weeks fir the nitrite reducing bacteria to increase in population and push that 30 hours down closer to 12-18.
Snail and hermit qt is going well, I have a bunch of copepods swimming around, no sign of that possible flatworm, and some very active nassarius snails. Those things like to move all over.
Fish QT is almost done cycling 0/0 in 16/36. One more round of ammonia, test 0/0, then 100% wc. First fish will be 2 very small clowns, so the current biofilter should handle it. I’ll be adding a small bottle of biospira to be safe. Fish shopping planned for 10/15.
Still undecided regarding the failed Apex. They offered me a discount on a classic head unit, but I’m probably going to need a new temp probe, I’m honestly not impressed AT ALL with the salinity probe (so would only be using the pm2 as a convenient bob hook up spot) dont plan on ORP, don’t plan to chase pH... so it’s utility is looking less about the real time monitoring and more about the alerts, conditional programming, BOB usage etc. I’m so glad I installed the ‘backup’ outlets, since right now, they are my only outlets. My entire main electrical plan revolves around the eb8’s, so I’m kinda bummed about the failure. Wife says to go for the discounted replacement, which is great, but it’s another $200-300 I hadn’t budgeted for a replacement piece.
Uggh- literally just remembered I have a 1” VCA RFG in a box downstairs. Project for next week [emoji3]
OP
OP
User
2500 Club Member
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2017
- Messages
- 4,523
- Reaction score
- 7,484
- What state or country do you live in
- Georgia
Thanks for the comments.
This has been 10 months in the planning so it’s great to see it coming together. I’m missing a few things- like frag tank, I still need to build lights, and hook up the ventilation.
Yeah- I had a leftover corner cabinet, and my last water station was gravity flow (29 and 20 gallon brute totes) which worked just fine so I figured I’d try to make it a bit more functional with the storage.
I made a plumbing mistake and have to redo a section- there’s a Tee with a hose quick disconnect that I was planning to use to fill QT and Obs tanks, as well as for general SW use, but I put it too low and I can’t hook it up once the barrel is half full without spilling 2-3 cups of water.
OP
OP
User
2500 Club Member
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2017
- Messages
- 4,523
- Reaction score
- 7,484
- What state or country do you live in
- Georgia
Got him!
He’s grown considerably since I thought I saw him a few days ago. Maybe triple the size. He is approx 5mm long- that’s the tip of a 1ml syringe in the vid
Gray with a hint of mottled brown, but mostly gray.
I’ve QT’d him for now, in his own personal condo/test vial. Until I figure out what to do.
Any possible ID’s? General feeling on flatworms in tanks - G/B?
Cheers
He’s grown considerably since I thought I saw him a few days ago. Maybe triple the size. He is approx 5mm long- that’s the tip of a 1ml syringe in the vid
Gray with a hint of mottled brown, but mostly gray.
I’ve QT’d him for now, in his own personal condo/test vial. Until I figure out what to do.
Any possible ID’s? General feeling on flatworms in tanks - G/B?
Cheers
OP
OP
User
2500 Club Member
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2017
- Messages
- 4,523
- Reaction score
- 7,484
- What state or country do you live in
- Georgia
Lost my big blue legged hermit today. Kinda bummed. I’ve been feeding algae wafers every couple days, and when I put more In today they didn’t swarm the food, so I don’t think they are starving.
One of those things I guess. Uugghh
One of those things I guess. Uugghh
Janci
Staghorns will prevail
Wow, not sure what it is, but I would have removed it as well.Got him!
He’s grown considerably since I thought I saw him a few days ago. Maybe triple the size. He is approx 5mm long- that’s the tip of a 1ml syringe in the vid
Gray with a hint of mottled brown, but mostly gray.
I’ve QT’d him for now, in his own personal condo/test vial. Until I figure out what to do.
Any possible ID’s? General feeling on flatworms in tanks - G/B?
Cheers
Sorry about the hermit crab. You sure it is not just the molt? They are pretty hardy.
starypotter
Valuable Member
- Joined
- May 27, 2018
- Messages
- 1,010
- Reaction score
- 897
- What state or country do you live in
- New Jersey
For what it's worth all of my reef cleaner snails and hermits love when I stick a sheet of nori in there, tied to a rock at the bottom, and the hermits gobble up chopped clams from a can at the grocery store, and also Ocean Nutrition formula one flakes, the carnivore ones.
OP
OP
User
2500 Club Member
- Joined
- Aug 15, 2017
- Messages
- 4,523
- Reaction score
- 7,484
- What state or country do you live in
- Georgia
Looks like the flatworm might be AEFW. ID courtesy of a critter ID thread here on R2R.
If it is, any others should die off in 5-6 days after hatching since they won’t find any acro to eat.
If it is, any others should die off in 5-6 days after hatching since they won’t find any acro to eat.
