Jeff's 150 Build - The Salt Box

[CastAway]

First Time Syphoning Sand Bed

Traveling to Florida next week and wanted to get a water change in today. I have some algae growth and am trying to address excess nutrients, so, I figured I syphon my sand. It's a very thin sand bed, .5 to ,75", but I've never cleaned it since starting the tank about one year ago now. I vacuumed a few areas and got the water change done. Then wouldn't you know, my micro brittle stars decided to spawn and cloud the water. I reduced my photo period and will reduce feeding while I'm gone.

 

[Rob.D]

Have not updated the thread in a while, so....

I've removed my filter socks. With the freezing temperatures I can no longer go outside and hose them out as easily, so knowing many folks don't ue them at all, and even advocate against using them at all, I removed them about two weeks ago now. I can't be sure, but think my water may somehow actually be clearer now then before.

I started dosing the Aquavitro Fuel product. My two pieces of green montipora have colored up, from almost no green at all to the green they were when I purchased them almost a year ago. It may be a combination of Fuel and/or removing the filter socks, but regardless, they're coloring back up. I'm also seeing my frogspawn tissue re-take surface on the stalks where it had receded.

I also pruned the macro (Caulerpa serrulata) in my refugium back hard.

Recent additions include my first chalice, my first acans, and two SA neon gobies. It appears I have lost a peppermint shrimp over the holiday.

More later.....

Glad your corals are doing better Jeff!

 

[CastAway]

Thanks Rob!

 

[CastAway]

.....have some algae growth....

Wanted to post a picture and try to get an ID.

Thanks in advance.

 

[CastAway]

....so, I figured I syphon my sand....

….one other side note I’ll make about syphoning the sand in my display tank; my collection of coral and shell rubble from Mexico, albeit beautifully encrusted with coralline now and however aesthetic and/or natural looking, is a pain to work around. I had to painstakingly move each piece, using my aquarium tongs, from one side of the 5’ tank and back again in order to effectively vacuum an area. If vacuuming is to become more than an annual maintenance item for me, then I really don’t know how practical the décor will be. I’m definitely going to prune down the amount of shells and rubble.

In the beginning, I wanted to go bare bottom. I opted for a thin layer of sand for the sake of livestock I wanted to keep, i.e., small gobies and blennies. However, now I’m beginning to re-think the decision. I suspect my gobies and blennies would do just fine without the sand and rubble, with the possible exception of my Ranfordi. The sand that has clumped into large pieces I am removing altogether, if only to get a head start on BB.

…and a last note, trusting they’ll return in numbers proportional to their food source, I must have sucked up and discarded a hundred spaghetti worms!

Still having a blast!

 

[Rob.D]

Wanted to post a picture and try to get an ID.

Thanks in advance.

What color is the algae?

 

[CastAway]

It's brown Rob, and kinda shiney. It's firmly attached. I can't remove it manually. Scrubbing just breaks it off.

 

[Rob.D]

It's brown Rob, and kinda shiney. It's firmly attached. I can't remove it manually. Scrubbing just breaks it off.

Ok, was worried it was pink (cotton candy algae) that stuff is a nightmare! It sounds like true hair algae, do you have many Turbo snails, if you do try setting some directly on the rock and they should mow it down in short order.

 

[CastAway]

Well, I do have some cotton candy algae in my sump, but it's proven pretty easy to manually remove so far. Just need to stay on top of it. This hair algae on the other hand; I think I'll just have to starve to death.

 

[Dextereef]

It's hair algea. grab some turbos and place them right on the algea.

 

[CastAway]

I did a 20-25% water change, and cut back on my feeding. The brown hair algae has receded significantly, and I fully expect it to disappear. I've been lazy with testing lately, and did a full set of tests last night. I measured my first detectable nitrates and phosphates since my initial cycle, almost a year ago now. NO3 at 0.5 and PO4 at 0.08, using Red Sea. I don't really trust these readings, and suspect I have more of a PO4 issue than may be detectable, as it may be bound up in my HA and macro. I run GFO and may begin to explore other remedial efforts as well. Still having a blast. Just added a very small scopas and a nice rainbow stylo. I've never seen the stylo for sale locally, so I could not pass it up. I'll be anxiously watching it, and the PO4. Pics to follow.....

 

[TJ's Reef]

Jeff, good to hear bud and think that your current levels of Nitrate and Phosphate are ideal for a healthy Reef even SPS dominant. You are correct that there is much higher levels of each though that are just being processed and consumed. As your Coral population continues to grow so will it's demand of these nutrients thus creating that needed balance. With the amount of Coral and Macro Algae I have it is still in balance with having 25 very well fed Fish in my 125g/175g overall system. I still firmly believe that you are on the right track and in the long run will be the outstanding Reeftank you'd hoped it to be.

Cheers, Todd

 

[CastAway]

Todd, you are truly an encouragement. Thanks.

 

[CastAway]

Before and after on the HA, even less there now!

 

[Rob.D]

Success!!!!

 

[CastAway]

Hey Rob! Got some nice birds nest from Jake today. Let's hope the success continues. Thanks for the encouragement!

 

[cmaxwell39]

Been a while since I caught up on this thread, but just took some time to do so. Tank is really coming together nicely.

Looks like you got the algae on the run. That is always good to see. Hope it continues to recede.

Can't wait to see some pictures of the new corals once they settle in some.

 

[CastAway]

Just went back through this entire thread. What a journey. Still having a blast. Today I bought a frag of an acro colony I've been watching for a year. I am so excited about it. I really hope it thrives in my system. I also bought a Sapphire Damsel for my fuge as a first step in addressing a flat worm issue - not really an issue really, but an experiment let's say.

Just some other random shots...

 

[CastAway]

I seem to be ignoring my own build thread lately. Here's a chalice I picked up yesterday, my second. Told it's a "tyree golden eye".

Better pics later.

 

[CastAway]

I don't think the Sapphire damsel ate any flat worms. Moved it into the DT. Might try a six line in the fuge next, but if he doesn't eat flat worms someone will have to take him cause I don't want a six line in my display.

Bought a couple small pieces of LR today, to eventually mount some chalice on.

Before I had a tank, I used to hate all that blue I'd see in my LFS's - I would think 'how unnatural'. Now though, the last hour of my photo period is my favorite!

It's not throw back Thursday, but I Found this old JPG on my computer. I'm embarrassed to say how long I planned and CAD'd up my system, but, my system matches my plans to a t. [emoji2]