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visuvius posted:Yeah I'd like to place some mangroves into the back chambers in my Lagoon 25 but I'm not sure if that would work out. I think I might place a couple in the back of the display area, maybe behind some rocks. Two island +1 I tried mangroves on my 29 and had them grow a few leaves but eventually they died off probably due to my salinity/refractometer calibration issues. Thanks SniperWoreConverse for the mangrove info! EDIT: Oh poo poo new page. Quote pics.
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Mar 4, 2016 01:46
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We poked mangrove pods through styro and just floated the styro in the lit sump until the roots grew into the fuge substrate. It really does work.
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Mar 4, 2016 08:02
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I've had my tank running for over a year now and have had continuous aptasia problems in my 20 gallon display.  I have a peppermint shrimp that chows down on those pests in the sump and want to move it to the display to finish off this infestation but I have a massive coral banded shrimp that is incredibly territorial and don't think the peppermint would last more than a day.   Anyone know how to capture the coral banded shrimp? She hangs out under an unremovable rock most of the day and evades capture when I try to net her if she is out of her cave. Also, can anyone identify the coral on the left? It was given to me as a gift and the giver couldn't remember what it was called. 
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Mar 4, 2016 15:38
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You could always grab a couple of berghia nudibranchs. They'll take a month or two, but will absolutely wipe out any aiptasia.
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Mar 4, 2016 15:44
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Enos Cabell posted:You could always grab a couple of berghia nudibranchs. They'll take a month or two, but will absolutely wipe out any aiptasia. Would a triggerfish devour those on sight most likely?
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Mar 4, 2016 16:50
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Schwza posted:
That looks like either an Echinophyllia chalice of some variety or maybe a Mycedium green-eyed cup coral. I'm with Enos on the aiptasia - berghia nudi's are the way to go.
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Mar 4, 2016 16:54
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Enos Cabell posted:You could always grab a couple of berghia nudibranchs. They'll take a month or two, but will absolutely wipe out any aiptasia. Would my LFS have them or do I have to order them from an internet store?
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Mar 4, 2016 17:04
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Schwza posted:Would my LFS have them or do I have to order them from an internet store? I was able to find some at a LFS, but I had to call around to a few first. They look kind of like those ear worm things from Wrath of Khan, so that was cool too. Bulky Bartokomous posted:Would a triggerfish devour those on sight most likely? Possibly? I never saw them again after putting them in my tank, they are pretty tiny and good at hiding.
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Mar 4, 2016 17:10
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I assume you've tried simply scaring it out from under the rock and into a waiting net?
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Mar 5, 2016 00:59
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When i had a small pistol shrimp I needed out I used an inverted soda bottle trap. If you can find a bottle large enough I imagine you can make one of these for the coral banded shrimp. Maybe like a one gallon water bottle or something. If not they sell traps that would probably work.
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Mar 5, 2016 01:36
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The death of my yellow tang has made my triggerfish a little chippy towards the wrasse. The tang was the boss of the tank and probably the most "aggressive" of the three fish. I never saw him go after the wrasse but every once and a while he would get into a mood and use his tail knife to keep the tirgger from getting too comfortable near his favorite hiding spot. After things stabilize a bit and get my RODI system I'm torn on whether to get another tang. On one hand, yellow tangs are one of my favorite Hawaiian fish and I find an odd number of fish is usually best with semi-aggressive fish. On the other hand, I'm not sure my 75 gallon tank is big enough for the a rectangle trigger, yellow tang and melanurus wrasse for the long haul. Humu's grow slow from what I've read but I'm more worried about territory issues than bioload.
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Mar 5, 2016 04:06
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Schwza posted:
Definitely a chalice. Looks like a Hollywood Stunner, though the base is a little darker than usual. I've seen that happen with mine when nitrates got high - the polyps stayed vibrant green, but the base browned out. A really pretty, fast growing coral, but a little sensitive. Schwza posted:Would my LFS have them or do I have to order them from an internet store? I've found that most LFSs don't stock them, since they are obligate aiptasia-vores and will wipe a tank clean of the pest anemones in a matter of weeks. Most places aren't interested in setting up a separate, aiptasia-only breeding tank that they can use to feed Berghia. I had a great experience ordering from https://www.saltyunderground.com. I ordered ten to deal with a truly terrible aiptasia plague (at a guess, I'd say I had 500-1000 of the things in my 150 gallon). Two of the worms died during placement in the tank (pro-tip - try to put them near aiptasia, but don't worry about getting too close. It really sucks to feed your $10 aiptasia-eating nudibranch to your aiptasia. Apparently I am not the only person who has had this problem.) The other eight disappeared, and I saw no change in the tank for the first three or four weeks. After that, there was an explosion of nudibranches, which totally cleared the tank of aiptasia in about four weeks. I siphoned out about fifty and traded them in at the LFS - there were still dozens left in the tank. If you go this route, try to make arrangements to pass them on to other needy reefers so they don't just starve. I really enjoyed using the nudibranches. They were hugely effective, attractive, easy and very fun to watch. The only issue is their relatively high cost (currently on sale at Salty Underground - $9.99 each, buy 6 and get the 7th free.) Castaign fucked around with this message at 17:31 on Mar 6, 2016 |
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Mar 5, 2016 07:43
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Checked around at all of my LFS and no one stocks them. Looks like I'll be going with that saltyunderground deal. After a year of battling aiptasia I hope this is the final solution.
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Mar 5, 2016 16:39
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Picked up a couple new sticks for my tank. Sorry for the bad quality... I plan on getting out my DSLR at some point and taking some proper photos. 
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Mar 8, 2016 17:59
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Very cool! I've got an encrusting monti that has been doing pretty well for me the past few months, so I think I'll pick up some more SPS this weekend at a big frag swap in Omaha. Hoping to get some ricordea and possibly a clam as well. I think I should probably bring cash and leave my ATM card at home, so drat easy to break the bank in this hobby!
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Mar 8, 2016 19:09
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Enos Cabell posted:Very cool! I've got an encrusting monti that has been doing pretty well for me the past few months, so I think I'll pick up some more SPS this weekend at a big frag swap in Omaha. Hoping to get some ricordea and possibly a clam as well. I think I should probably bring cash and leave my ATM card at home, so drat easy to break the bank in this hobby! +1 lmao My tank is small and quickly filling up so I have that going for me...
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Mar 8, 2016 19:21
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Tax return came today. PIcked up and Air, Water & Ice 75 gpd RO/DI system at my LFS. Will mess around with setting it up this weekend. Also picked up a turbo snail. We will see if it gets to eat some green hair algae or if my rectangle triggerfish is going to have a snack from the dollar menu tonight.
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Mar 9, 2016 01:11
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Bulky Bartokomous posted:Tax return came today. PIcked up and Air, Water & Ice 75 gpd RO/DI system at my LFS. Will mess around with setting it up this weekend. Also picked up a turbo snail. We will see if it gets to eat some green hair algae or if my rectangle triggerfish is going to have a snack from the dollar menu tonight. I've got that same RO/DI, it's great! If it didn't come with a fastflush, which I think most do, you should pick one up.
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Mar 9, 2016 01:49
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SaNChEzZ posted:I've got that same RO/DI, it's great! If it didn't come with a fastflush, which I think most do, you should pick one up. Cool, glad to hear that. I usually research stuff like this but I've been on a weird small local business kick lately so I went for it over something a little cheaper than BRS or Amazon. Another LFS in my town that had been open for over 30 years recently shutdown and it sucks.
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Mar 9, 2016 03:08
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RIP Turbo the Snail. You were kicking rear end at chowing down on the green hair algae until I heard a hideous crunching sound. The humuhumunukunukuapua'a accepts your sacrifice.
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Mar 12, 2016 01:50
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My wife and I have run a small but happy (25 gallon) freshwater tank for awhile now, and I've been coveting a saltwater tank the whole time. We recently found a local person selling a 14g Biocube that's established and apparently functional, but after my wife looked at it I'm wondering how. The light fixture burned out, so she's just been keeping it near her living room window for light. It's a FOWLR setup with a Cardinal and what we think is a Green Chromis, some decent live rock, no visible algae and apparently a good population of tiny starfish(?). She said she's had the fish for two years but she had a relationship change and without her ex around, she doesn't have the interest to keep the tank running. She doesn't do any filtration but does weekly water changes and seems to be using good salt and is careful with her salinity. All water changes have been done with RO water from a local shop. The price is very reasonable for the setup and since the tank seems established and stable, we think it's healthy enough to keep going. My plan is to put a functional LED fixture on the tank, establish meaningful filtration and just try to keep the poor fish happy and healthy. The Cardinal is active but the Chromis is extremely shy. What would you guys recommend for filtration/skimming/etc in a 14g Biocube? We'll still stick with using RO water and regular changes, but I'm wondering if a filter sock or a small refugium would be a good idea. What's a good solution for a nano cube like this?
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Mar 12, 2016 08:03
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Sounds like the tank is in pretty decent shape. Your filtration in saltwater is the live rock and sand in the tank, and it sounds like she's got that covered. A skimmer on a tank that small isn't really needed when you are doing weekly water changes, and from the sound of it she's been doing a good job with those. Chromis are really best kept in small schools, so it's no surprise that it's shy, but the tank isn't big enough for a school. Frankly, aside from replacing the light, I'd just maintain everything as-is for a few months.
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Mar 12, 2016 16:23
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Cool, thanks. I've read about live rock providing filtration but it's hard to get a feel of when a skimmer is helpful for a tank. We're also thinking we'd like to get some paired clownfish and a host anenome. Is that reasonable in a tank this size? We'd be rehoming the cardinal and chromis through a local reef group before we picked up the clownfish, so the tank shouldn't be too crowded. I've seen mixed opinions on having a pair of clownfish in a 14g tank.
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Mar 12, 2016 20:30
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DrakeriderCa posted:Cool, thanks. I've read about live rock providing filtration but it's hard to get a feel of when a skimmer is helpful for a tank. I think as long as you get clownfish that are already paired up, you should be just fine. Sounds like you've got a good plan. Picked up a bunch of stuff today at the frag swap. Came home with a maxima clam, 3 rock nems, 2 ricordea, 2 zoas, an acan and a torch. Letting them get settled in now, but I'll probably take some pics later.
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Mar 12, 2016 22:28
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Rumors of Turbo's death have been greatly exaggerated. The humuhumu is content to let you live. For now.
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Mar 12, 2016 23:18
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DrakeriderCa posted:Cool, thanks. I've read about live rock providing filtration but it's hard to get a feel of when a skimmer is helpful for a tank. In a tank that size you'll need to make sure you are on top of your water changes to keep the nem happy. What kind of lighting are you going with? The stock lights on that tank are not powerful enough to keep an anemone. You can also get two really young small clowns and as they grow the dominant one will become female.
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Mar 12, 2016 23:45
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Yeah, agree with what others have said. If you stay up on maintenance 2 clowns in a 14g is just fine. The captive bread ones are even hardier.
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Mar 13, 2016 00:24
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Yeah, we'd definitely either get an established pair or some juveniles that will pair up. The current light is burned out, so I'd be replacing it anyways. Any recommendations for lighting that would keep a (probably) bubble tip anemone happy and healthy? I was thinking an LED setup with day/night on a timer. Preferably cheap but that shouldn't be too hard on a 14 gallon, right? I've also seen people talk about keeping a Blenny as well, to keep up on maintenance and because they're supposed to be fun. Would that be reasonable as well? What kind of inverts would be good for cleanup? My wife loves shrimp and crabs. Would a hermit and a few small shrimp be a good fit? And some small snails? I wish I could have a tuxedo urchin but I'd think this tank is way too small.
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Mar 13, 2016 00:35
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Not quite aquarium related but I thought y'all would appreciate this. https://fat.gfycat.com/ImprobableWigglyBluetonguelizard.webm
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Mar 13, 2016 00:41
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DrakeriderCa posted:Yeah, we'd definitely either get an established pair or some juveniles that will pair up. Are you opposed to removing the hood? A lot of options open up if you do. Honestly for reef keeping any good light is going to be pricey. For that tank I would probably go with a Kessil a160 or an AI Prime. Both are really solid lights and will support any anemone or coral you throw at them in that tank. Budget option would be a par 38 bulb and gooseneck from coral compulsion. If you want to keep the stock look you get can a kit like this from Stevesleds. I have one of these kits on my biocube 29 and it's amazing. Rallos fucked around with this message at 03:15 on Mar 13, 2016 |
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Mar 13, 2016 03:09
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Some pics of my haul for the day.      
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Mar 13, 2016 04:24
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Nice pieces man. What were the prices on those if you don't mind me asking?
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Mar 13, 2016 06:33
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visuvius posted:Nice pieces man. What were the prices on those if you don't mind me asking? Sure thing. The ricordeas were $20/ea, acan was $40, rock nems were $30/ea, torch was $30, froot loos zoa was $25, other zoa was $15 and the maxima clam was $40. I'm gonna need a bigger tank before I hit up another swap I think!
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Mar 13, 2016 17:31
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Enos Cabell posted:Sure thing. The ricordeas were $20/ea, acan was $40, rock nems were $30/ea, torch was $30, froot loos zoa was $25, other zoa was $15 and the maxima clam was $40. I'm gonna need a bigger tank before I hit up another swap I think! Good prices! How big is your tank now? That clam is gonna get massive!
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Mar 13, 2016 17:43
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I've only got a 40 breeder right now, but I already own a 120g that will probably get swapped over to sw in the next year or two. I hear they are pretty slow growers, so I should have some time I hope.
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Mar 13, 2016 18:07
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Well, we spent this afternoon at the local fish shops and learned a bit more. I'm really happy that we're getting the Biocube now. It seems like a great way to start out, and for the price we're paying it'll be a really good entry level tank. For the lights, I'm debating what's best to do my LED retrofit. The stevesled and rapidled kits are nice, but by the time I pay international shipping and the exchange rate to CAD it'll be more than I paid for the whole tank/stand/fish setup. I'm talking to a few local LED stores that do custom lighting, hoping that they'll be able to set me up with something similar for a better price. Once of the LFS's also carries the Current USA lineup of LED strips, which seem like a good solution. But they're only 9W each, so running 4 strips will give me 36W which isn't too bad but I'm worried it'll be a bit low to keep coral happy. What do you guys figure would be the minimum wattage in a 14g cube for a variety of coral and a bubble tip anenome?
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Mar 14, 2016 05:49
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Honestly it's more about PAR than wattage. Lighting is the one thing you really dont want to skimp on in this hobby. The advantage to some of the fixtures vs upgrade kits is that when you upgrade to a bigger tank the fixtures will still be useful. Are you planning on buying a rodi unit or getting water from your LFS for top off and water changes? Also: Macro photos are cool.  I noticed a couple of white patches on my pocillipora colony this morning. My six line was picking at it a little bit but he's never munched on coral before so maybe I have a pest? I read that pocillipora can also send babies all over the tank sometimes but I don't know what the mother colony is supposed to look like after that happens. I can only find pics of the baby colonies. 
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Mar 14, 2016 13:35
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So I picked up a babby snowflake eel last week!! He's about the size of a pencil. His name is Earl    
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Mar 14, 2016 13:41
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Kick rear end! I'm definitely going to have to set up an eel tank someday.
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Mar 14, 2016 14:06
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Enos Cabell posted:Kick rear end! I'm definitely going to have to set up an eel tank someday. Snowflakes aren't generally fish eaters as long as you feed them. The only thing they will really bother is ornamental shrimps but only when they get bigger. I have a large coral banded shrimp in the same tank and he's one mean sonuvabitch. Also don't feed them silversides or they might develop a taste for fish.
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Mar 14, 2016 16:28
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