This is my final update for 2016 I suppose. But I got a lot to cover. But before I do that I come here in shame.... A good friend / old boss gave me some of his racked frags from his 75g for Christmas. I wanted to decline b/c of my tanks age, but the pressure and hype was real. They seem to be doing pretty good. No coloration changes, I know I have the flow / lighting for sure, PH hovers around 8 nonstop and my Calcium / Mag / DKH levels have been in the higher than average range...but still in the preferred range (Calc v Mag) according to my Google-fu. I have Reef Foundation AB&C on hand when it depletes, and other foods....
It's just the age of my tank that scares me, and I only kept easy SPS way back when like a brown monti cap.
ROAST ME IF YOU MUST!!! It took a lot to muster up a FTS and show my shame....
Now onto the update:
The big cycles have passed I think! Diatoms started showing up a little over two weeks ago, and and a bright green "film" algae of sorts which seems may be caused by the Chaeto sometime last week.
Now I have some hair algae...Will touch on that further down. Full Tank shot first! I REALLY NEED A MACRO LENS!
Okay so early last week I came back in from a weekend trip, and I noticed two of my hermit shells were empty. Some panic happened, and the next morning my friend THOUGHT he finally found the Blue Spotted Porcelain Crab I added with my CuC. I was asking him if it was "waving its feather hands" and he was like..."WHAT FEATHER HANDS???"....SO I get up to show him, and immediately at first sight I yell...THAT'S NOT MY CRAB!!!!!!!
Luckily the tanks still easy to move stuff around, We captured the beast, and came here for an ID!!!!
After we were told to Sump it, We dubbed him "El Chapo" and away to Supermax he went. THE TERROR OF THE TANK IS NO LONGER A THREAT!
On Christmas morning I found one of my Halloween Hermits ripped to shreds....THANKS SANTA
SO I fashioned a bottle trap, and set it up that evening with some bait. When I went to explain to my friend why I had a bottle in the tank...WE SPOTTED SOMETHING...
It was another Halloween Hermit...Holding one of his bros down...pulling it's legs off! In came the tongs, and away the Cannibal hermit went to see El Chapo...As he must be one of his henchmen. As for the victim, he still walks around, and is eating...I feel bad for it. But I am letting it hang out as long as it seems able to survive. My buddy said I was pretty much Batman for that Crab tho....
I knew I had to supplement some food for the CuC, but if anything I felt I was over feeding. I don't feel my crab was starving...It was just an *******.
The last few days have been casualty free, but I feel all the bloodshed may be why I am seeing hair algae like this. I am also chalking it up to the cycle for some of it. The TDS on my RO/Di reads 000 still. But I have also read the "Bacteria in a Bottle" I used has some complaints of algae outbreaks when used. It's probably a combination of everything, and my snails get to chow down! The Certh crew look like they may need some help, so I ordered 5 Astraea Turbo snails today, pretty bummed I have to even order snails online! But I picked up a Pistol Shrimp and a Goby as well, as I think I can finally add something to the tank!
Fear not folks! There's some good news! The Zoa frag I ordered with my CuC a few weeks ago are as happy as can be!
And I also received some "Fire and Ice" Zoas from my same friend, I would have loved to show them off...but the struggle is real...Also I think the ones in the front are another type, but I like them too!
Anywho...Happy New Years Y'all!
