My Reef Journey Begins!

[Brew12]

I really need to break out the good camera and use it to take pictures. Its very hard for me to get a good FTS using my iphone!


On a positive note, the issues between my Yellow Tang and the Magnificent Foxface seem to have resolved themselves. After one day where they acted aggressively, they were very passive toward each other . I think my YT is just moody. Does that mean it is a female?

 

[Brew12]

#reef2reef, #worldwidecorals, #mywwccontest

Almost forgot my contest update!

 

[Brew12]

Yup, I know.... not much in the way of updates. Why? Well, I still don't have my invert QT done. I don't have my regular QT set up. I am waiting for a coral show that is local in 2 weeks. And my lovely wife and I took one of these....

To here....

And drank lots of....

 

[RamsReef]

Have a fun vacation!

 

[Brew12]

Have a fun vacation!

We had a great time! Just stinks being back in the real world. Work never stops piling up just because I take a vacation day.

 

[Brew12]

One more project off the list. My invert/coral QT is done. Just in time for a coral show in the area on Saturday. I still need to get a frag rack but I have some egg crate I can use until I get something better.

 

[Brew12]

I'll be darned. I have an evil intruder in my aquarium. Not sure exactly which type of invasive anemone I have, but I definitely have one. I haven't added anything new to my tank in months but the little bit that must have come in on a frag has just now grown enough to be visible. That frag has gone through a Bayer dip and inspection. Must have just been a tiny bit of matter stuck to the plug that has taken months to grow big enough to be seen. Amazing!
Unfortunately for it, I have seen it and I own superglue. Saturday will be it's last day before it becomes aquarium art.

 

[Brew12]

I hit the coral show and picked up a few corals. After a Bayer dip they are now in my Invert QT. Nothing fancy, still trying to get the basics down.

I was disturbed by the number of little black bugs I saw in my container after I was done with the dip. Not sure if they were pests but I am SO glad I have a QT for the frags!

 

[Brew12]

Also today, I pulled out the flame thrower!

Ok, maybe just a knife, towel, and super glue. Scraped this guy off the plug, wiped the area he was on with a towel, and then covered the area in superglue. Fortunately, I hadn't glued to frag down so I was able to do it all outside the tank.

I noiced this thing for the first time a few days ago. I haven't added a single thing (other than food) to the tank since before Thanksgiving. It must have been a tiny spec of tissue that came in with the frag and survived a Bayer dip. So glad I have a QT system set up for my coral now!

 

[ksed]

Nice to see your build thread Steve.
Thanks for sharing your valuable information on the electrical aspect of reef keeping.
Keep up the great work.

 

[ksed]

BTW are you stills running the Danner for your return or was it the Eheim?

 

[ksfulk]

Also today, I pulled out the flame thrower!

Ok, maybe just a knife, towel, and super glue. Scraped this guy off the plug, wiped the area he was on with a towel, and then covered the area in superglue. Fortunately, I hadn't glued to frag down so I was able to do it all outside the tank.

I noiced this thing for the first time a few days ago. I haven't added a single thing (other than food) to the tank since before Thanksgiving. It must have been a tiny spec of tissue that came in with the frag and survived a Bayer dip. So glad I have a QT system set up for my coral now!

Bayer wont get rid of those pest anemones, unfortunately. Ive found that out the hard way a few times. Now, no matter who, what or where the corals come from, I acclimate the corals to my tank water in a bucket, then they are removed from the original plugs, then Bayer dipped for 10 minutes, double rinse in fresh tank water, Bayer dipped again for 10 minutes, double rinsed, then into the tank. Taking off the original plug help eliminate pest anemones, most pest eggs and stuff like bubble algae and sponges. Using a dedicated QT like you are will help with a lot of this stuff, but a couple of straight razor blades, a pair of heavy bone cutters, a bag of fresh frag plugs and a bottle of super glue goes a long way to making it all clean before it even hits your QT.

Glad things are turning around for you too. Ive had several tanks where the ugly phase is seemingly unending. Hopefully it stays away now that you've been through it, and you can get on to the "fun" stuff!

 

[Brew12]

BTW are you stills running the Danner for your return or was it the Eheim?

I'm running the Danner right now. I do have an Ehiem that I have run on and off. The Ehiem I have is a bit undersized for my desired flow but I do like it better.

 

[Brew12]

Bayer wont get rid of those pest anemones, unfortunately. Ive found that out the hard way a few times. Now, no matter who, what or where the corals come from, I acclimate the corals to my tank water in a bucket, then they are removed from the original plugs, then Bayer dipped for 10 minutes, double rinse in fresh tank water, Bayer dipped again for 10 minutes, double rinsed, then into the tank. Taking off the original plug help eliminate pest anemones, most pest eggs and stuff like bubble algae and sponges. Using a dedicated QT like you are will help with a lot of this stuff, but a couple of straight razor blades, a pair of heavy bone cutters, a bag of fresh frag plugs and a bottle of super glue goes a long way to making it all clean before it even hits your QT.

Glad things are turning around for you too. Ive had several tanks where the ugly phase is seemingly unending. Hopefully it stays away now that you've been through it, and you can get on to the "fun" stuff!

Thank you, I appreciate it. The hobby is definitely more enjoyable when you don't feel you are constantly fighting something.

At one point I would have thought you were crazy for going through all the work you do when you get new coral. Now I consider that very sound advice. I need to up my coral game and start picking up fragging supplies.

 

[ksed]

Bayer wont get rid of those pest anemones, unfortunately. Ive found that out the hard way a few times. Now, no matter who, what or where the corals come from, I acclimate the corals to my tank water in a bucket, then they are removed from the original plugs, then Bayer dipped for 10 minutes, double rinse in fresh tank water, Bayer dipped again for 10 minutes, double rinsed, then into the tank. Taking off the original plug help eliminate pest anemones, most pest eggs and stuff like bubble algae and sponges. Using a dedicated QT like you are will help with a lot of this stuff, but a couple of straight razor blades, a pair of heavy bone cutters, a bag of fresh frag plugs and a bottle of super glue goes a long way to making it all clean before it even hits your QT.

Glad things are turning around for you too. Ive had several tanks where the ugly phase is seemingly unending. Hopefully it stays away now that you've been through it, and you can get on to the "fun" stuff!

+1
Removing the plugs is the best thing you can do.

 

[ksfulk]

I also suggest using a nylon bristled brush (toothbrush is ok, a brush used for cleaning guns is exceptional) is also a great tool. You can remove the frag from the plug, then scrub the remaining base (zoas and other LPS that dont have a flat or uniform base are prime for this) and rinsing several times before gluing it onto the new plug. Adam from @Battlecorals has a brush he gives away frequently called the "Battlebrush" which is what I use all the time. It has two ends - a toothbrush type end (but with more rigid bristles) and a narrow thinner end with short bristles that are great for working around corals and removing algaes and sponges. Tunze also has one (but not quite as versatile since it has only one end) included in their cleaning tools packet. I have both and they are invaluable tools.

 

[Brew12]

I also suggest using a nylon bristled brush (toothbrush is ok, a brush used for cleaning guns is exceptional) is also a great tool. You can remove the frag from the plug, then scrub the remaining base (zoas and other LPS that dont have a flat or uniform base are prime for this) and rinsing several times before gluing it onto the new plug. Adam from @Battlecorals has a brush he gives away frequently called the "Battlebrush" which is what I use all the time. It has two ends - a toothbrush type end (but with more rigid bristles) and a narrow thinner end with short bristles that are great for working around corals and removing algaes and sponges. Tunze also has one (but not quite as versatile since it has only one end) included in their cleaning tools packet. I have both and they are invaluable tools.

I have a battle brush that I have almost worn out. Such a simple thing that Adam includes but it really is a great tool.

 

[Jeffdstafford]

@Brew12, how long do you plan to quarantine corals before they go in the display? Along with coral pests, I'm also worried about importing ich with frags..but not sure if you remove the plug if ich could still be on the coral's flesh. Being overly cautious, I'm thinking of going the full 76 day period to make sure to kill off any rogue ich that may have made it through.

 

[Brew12]

@Brew12, how long do you plan to quarantine corals before they go in the display? Along with coral pests, I'm also worried about importing ich with frags..but not sure if you remove the plug if ich could still be on the coral's flesh. Being overly cautious, I'm thinking of going the full 76 day period to make sure to kill off any rogue ich that may have made it through.

They will be in my invert QT at least the full 76 days. I've worked way too hard at keeping my DT clean to risk adding them early.

What I really need to learn is the life cycle on the coral pest side. How long do I need to keep them in a QT before any eggs that came attached hatch and show themselves. That may drive me to keep them in QT longer.

 

[Jeffdstafford]

Yeah that's where I need to do some learning as well; I'll be doing some major reading on coral pests once I get the display tank back in order and get a coral QT established.