SC Aquariums 50 gallon PNP

Philipgonzales3 · Mar 20, 2019

I fed my puffer and wrasse a small piece of shell on shrimp today by hand. So neat, I had never done that before.

Ricordia looks like it has attached to my small rock.

I think cutting back the whites to the recommended level has definetly cut back the diatom production!

As far as dosing goes I went ahead and picked up an alkatronic. I'll let it decide when I need to dose. Just waiting on the calciumtronic to come out...

Haha just teasing guys. You guys never let me do ANYTHING fun! I have decided to cut testing back to only once a week for the most part so I won't get the urge to dose haha. Only exception may be that I may want to test before and after water changes to see how much a water change effects my water. At least in the short term while I figure out what effect a water change has on my tank.

Why-Me · Mar 20, 2019

Since you have new corals and a new nem, I would test 2-3x/week for the first month. That way you have a baseline and graph to see where to go from there. Whether you dose or water change is up to you but I wouldn't do anything until getting that baseline of what elements deplete at what rate, or you'll be chasing numbers.

Philipgonzales3 · Mar 20, 2019

Why-Me said:
Since you have new corals and a new nem, I would test 2-3x/week for the first month. That way you have a baseline and graph to see where to go from there. Whether you dose or water change is up to you but I wouldn't do anything until getting that baseline of what elements deplete at what rate, or you'll be chasing numbers.

I think that's a little excessive and a waste of tests. I'll just do the tests before and after water changes and should be able to average out the changes. I don't think there is going to be an advantage to testing so often. I think in this case less may be more so to speak.

Philipgonzales3 · Mar 20, 2019

@Gonebad395

Any tips for the nem?

Krawl · Mar 20, 2019

Like the thread. Literally spent the last hour reading it from the first post. Tank looks great!

I do have a question, what app is that you are using to store your test in. I like that and like seeing the graph.

-Krawl

Philipgonzales3 · Mar 20, 2019

Krawl said:
Like the thread. Literally spent the last hour reading it from the first post. Tank looks great!

I do have a question, what app is that you are using to store your test in. I like that and like seeing the graph.

-Krawl

Great,

Glad that you enjoyed it! I feel like I tend to annoy most people with my constant questions, updates, sarcasm, and overthinking.

Hopefully one day I will have a legit reef to be proud of. The rough plan for now is to not buy ANY more corals, livestock etc... for a good while. At least 2 weeks! Jk about the two weeks, but I think now after my shipment comes in I need to just sit back and watch my corals slowly grow as I analyze what my tank is doing.

The app is called Aquarium Note. It's pretty sweet. It lets you track multiple tanks, livestock, and all the important parameters. Best of all its free.

Krawl · Mar 20, 2019

Nice! I will have to check it out! I have been in the hobby for 3 years now but always learning. Been fighting a bad GHA breakout so I like to see the attention to detail you have to testing and making sure your parameters are in check. I could, and have learned a thing or two...

Philipgonzales3 · Mar 20, 2019

Krawl said:
Nice! I will have to check it out! I have been in the hobby for 3 years now but always learning. Been fighting a bad GHA breakout so I like to see the attention to detail you have to testing and making sure your parameters are in check. I could, and have learned a thing or two...

You might try hydrogen peroxide for the GHA. A buddy of mine @Nanofan12 ended up doing a reset after battling with GHA, but I think he learned about hydrogen peroxide after and used it in his smaller tank.

I'm not too familiar with any nuisance algea or anything yet and hopefully I won't become familiar *fingers crossed*.

I change my water religiously and test the same day every week. I was so tempted to test my Calcium, Alk, and Nitrate today but tomorrow is my testing day so trying to let things be and stick to only testing once a week to avoid wanting to make any corrections to small changes that could just be test noise at this point.

Philipgonzales3 · Mar 21, 2019

I'm thinking about going to aquashella in Dallas next weekend. It's about a 8.5 Hour drive, but with my family and how muche they always need to pee and eat, I'm sure it would easily be 10 Hours. Not sure I want to leave my tank unattended for a few days. I could likely get someone to come feed the tank for one or two days (would likely separate a pre-selected amount of frozen). Probably a little too young for me to want to leave it for a few days. Still debating. Kind of a far drive to go see some tanks lol.

Edit: Oh it looks like it's about 9 hours via Amtrack. 4.5 Hours driving. I don't travel much. Seems like if we go we are driving.

Why-Me · Mar 21, 2019

Sounds like fun, also the more approval from the fiance, maybe she will green light a second and bigger tank??

Gonebad395 · Mar 21, 2019

Philipgonzales3 said:
@Gonebad395

Any tips for the nem?

When you get it temp and drip acclimate it I do mine for a hour no less more won’t hurt. Put it where you want it in the tank hold it there for about 1 minute it should attach. The most IMPORTANT part of this is LEAVE IT ALONE after you place it lol. A anemone is going to go where it wants and likes to be only move it if it’s gets to close to a power head. You also got coral well now you have a nem so you will have to place the coral around the nem not the nem around the coral. Let it settle don’t try feeding it right off the get go let it settle in. Also inspect it when you get it make sure there is no foot damage and the mouth isn’t gaping open. PATIENCE!!!! Now you are getting into reef keeping.

Philipgonzales3 · Mar 21, 2019

Gonebad395 said:
When you get it temp and drip acclimate it I do mine for a hour no less more won’t hurt. Put it where you want it in the tank hold it there for about 1 minute it should attach. The most IMPORTANT part of this is LEAVE IT ALONE after you place it lol. A anemone is going to go where it wants and likes to be only move it if it’s gets to close to a power head. You also got coral well now you have a nem so you will have to place the coral around the nem not the nem around the coral. Let it settle don’t try feeding it right off the get go let it settle in. Also inspect it when you get it make sure there is no foot damage and the mouth isn’t gaping open. PATIENCE!!!! Now you are getting into reef keeping.

Perfect, thank you! I had read that they go where they want. That they are animals and will move to where they are comfortable. I am already assuming it is going to move to somewhere in the back or somewhere right on top of some corals. I am planning for the worst, that way no matter what happens I will be happy. I will be sure to post pics and questions when I get it. I'll be sure to keep an eye out on my coral to move them if needed. Do nems only attache to rocks or do they go to the sand as well? Just curious as I may want to move my corals to the sand initially if it will help.

Philipgonzales3 · Mar 21, 2019

Why-Me said:
Sounds like fun, also the more approval from the fiance, maybe she will green light a second and bigger tank??

Yeah, I'm hoping the family really gets into it.

Gonebad395 · Mar 21, 2019

It’s a bubble tip if I remember correctly it’s going to want to be on the rocks.

Philipgonzales3 · Mar 21, 2019

Gonebad395 said:
It’s a bubble tip if I remember correctly it’s going to want to be on the rocks.

Ok, cool. Then plenty of space for corals on the sandbed if needed.

Philipgonzales3 · Mar 21, 2019

I thought my Ricordia was dying/melting this morning. I has never seen it look like this.

Turns out it looks like it was just sleeping as it seemed to be opening up as I was headed out the door.

Gonebad395 · Mar 21, 2019

Yep once it settles you can place your corals accordingly. But remember they can move at anytime if something upsets their routine.

Gonebad395 · Mar 21, 2019

Hopefully yours will get this happy

This is my lfs tank not for sale tank. I’ve thinned my herd out down to 4 bubble tips 2 rainbows 1 sunburst and a green and 3 rock flower nems for right now.

Philipgonzales3 · Mar 21, 2019

Gonebad395 said:
Hopefully yours will get this happy

This is my lfs tank not for sale tank. I’ve thinned my herd out down to 4 bubble tips 2 rainbows 1 sunburst and a green and 3 rock flower nems for right now.

Man that would be so awesome. And thinned out, wow. You still have a lot! Right now I'd be more than happy with just one. We'll see if it ever splits and go from there. Not sure if splitting indicates happiness, unhappiness, or no correlation to happiness.

Philipgonzales3 · Mar 21, 2019

Weekly testing results from today.

Calcium and Alk seem to be on a downward trend.

Nitrate is a bit concerning as far as how low it is.

Salifert medium resolution and API seem to both show 0. Followed the directions for salifert high resolution and got 1-2.5ppm. Barely freaking detectable!