A Calm Blue Ocean - IM Fusion Pro 50 Gallon AIO Lagoon

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Thoughts of aiptasia in my old tank just gave me a new thought. I can finally test my hypothesis! I've maintained since the first time I saw my peppermints attack an aiptasia that the shrimps only give you the illusion of being aiptasia free. There is no way those nems don't go into panic mode and spread their spores with the way the shrimps hit them. And if that's true...how long after removing the peppermints will it take the aiptasia to reappear? And when it does (because I'm sure it will), will it be everywhere??? This should be fun to watch.

 

[TheWB]

Thoughts of aiptasia in my old tank just gave me a new thought. I can finally test my hypothesis! I've maintained since the first time I saw my peppermints attack an aiptasia that the shrimps only give you the illusion of being aiptasia free. There is no way those nems don't go into panic mode and spread their spores with the way the shrimps hit them. And if that's true...how long after removing the peppermints will it take the aiptasia to reappear? And when it does (because I'm sure it will), will it be everywhere??? This should be fun to watch.

I’ve got some aiptasia x on the way. I’m going to give it a try although I’ve seen mixed reviews. Peppermint shrimp would be my preferred method of removal but you just never know what your going to get with them and I’d rather not have them if they don’t do the job I’d be hiring them to do. Props to you for getting some that will eat the aiptasia.

 

[jcolliii]

I had great luck with peppermints 8 or 9 years back. Can't recall where I got them - mail ordered because I wanted to make sure I got true peppermints and not camels. They did the job, did it completely, and then I rounded them up and passed them off to another local reefer who had a similar problem. I only had a few - maybe 10 or 12, but they never came back.

 

[TheWB]

I had great luck with peppermints 8 or 9 years back. Can't recall where I got them - mail ordered because I wanted to make sure I got true peppermints and not camels. They did the job, did it completely, and then I rounded them up and passed them off to another local reefer who had a similar problem. I only had a few - maybe 10 or 12, but they never came back.

My aiptasia is starting to get a little out of control. If the aiptasia-x doesn’t work I can get a very small tank raised aiptasia eating file fish from the lfs for about $50. That might be the next step.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

I had great luck with peppermints 8 or 9 years back. Can't recall where I got them - mail ordered because I wanted to make sure I got true peppermints and not camels. They did the job, did it completely, and then I rounded them up and passed them off to another local reefer who had a similar problem. I only had a few - maybe 10 or 12, but they never came back.

My two came from Algae Barn. When they arrived I thought the one in particular was so small there was no way it would survive in my tank. Figured at the least it would get sucked through a power head and be gone! Not only did they survive and eat all the aiptasia, but Big Mamma and Little Papa spawn regularly, much to the clowns delight! They've also put a nice dent in my spaghetti worm population. I am a little paranoid that without all the free food in the new tank they might start looking to corals for a snack as some people have reported, but hopefully that won't be the case!

 

[TheWB]

It encouraging that you had success with the Peppermints. I’ll check and see if Algaebarn or somewhere else still has any If the Aip-x doesn’t work. I’d like to get them locally but there’s always a concern over getting the right species.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Took a few pictures of my lighting with 2 AI Prime 16s. I'm using the 18" Flex Arm mounts which put the lights about 10 inches above the water.

The picture is a little deceiving but it was challenging to get enough height over the tank to show things accurately. The mounts are actually slightly closer to the center rather than evenly spaced across the back because of the skimmer.

With one large rock structure I have some shading but overall I'm pretty happy with the coverage. My hermit crab, Ghost in the Shell, is working hard up there.

No par meter and the lights are still in acclimation mode. Diatoms are having a good time, though! My trochus was a good boy and ate the single tuft of algae. Probably bring in more cleaners next week!

 

[jcolliii]

Lol - like your hermit's name! Do you stir your sand around? I thought that it made keeping it clean a bit easier.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Lol - like your hermit's name! Do you stir your sand around? I thought that it made keeping it clean a bit easier.

The fun part of a smaller tank is getting to name most of the CUC!

I have been stirring and vacuuming sections a couple times a week but I'm finding it to already be shockingly dirty! I'm going to have to pick up my game or I'm going to have nutrient issues before I even start. I was thinking what I might do is take a day each week (water change day would be appropriate) and pull everything from the first chambers and drop the filter socks in, crank up the flow and try to blow out as much as I can, then supplement with regular vacuuming in between.

I also feel like I need to reevaluate my filtration overall. I have the pump cranked up to the max but I somehow feel that the turnover isn't what it should be. Possibly I'm overdoing the filter media. It's one thing to try to catch as much detritus as possible but I think when it starts to slow the flow it's going to do less than it should.

Had a big pod explosion today! I think they say it takes about a month for pods to really get going in your tank and it's been just over a month since the first jar was added. Feeling pretty good about that!

 

[jcolliii]

Awesome on the pod culturing! Your fish will love you!

How much media do you have? I feel like the pump should be able to handle it unless the media is clogged up - and I doubt that's the case. But, I recently felt the same way about my return, but it was pretty grunged up after only 4 months. It was like a different pump once it was cleaned - looks as if the flow doubled - no exaggeration. I have what I feel is a lot of media as well - a liter of Seachem Matrix in two filter bags which completely fills up the space below my floss holders in each of my first chambers, and the pump does a great job (not that it's clean!).

I think in a few weeks here, I'm going to order a second stock IM pump and go with two return pumps and throttle them both to minimum. I think that should still be a bit of a step up in terms of flow from the single at max.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Awesome on the pod culturing! Your fish will love you!

How much media do you have? I feel like the pump should be able to handle it unless the media is clogged up - and I doubt that's the case. But, I recently felt the same way about my return, but it was pretty grunged up after only 4 months. It was like a different pump once it was cleaned - looks as if the flow doubled - no exaggeration. I have what I feel is a lot of media as well - a liter of Seachem Matrix in two filter bags which completely fills up the space below my floss holders in each of my first chambers, and the pump does a great job (not that it's clean!).

I think in a few weeks here, I'm going to order a second stock IM pump and go with two return pumps and throttle them both to minimum. I think that should still be a bit of a step up in terms of flow from the single at max.

I really wondered if I'd jumped the gun with the pods. It sounded logical enough to add pods before adding something that would eat them but I also worried that there might not be enough for them to eat and they'd just die out. Daily phyto was plenty it seems (although I'll also blame the phyto for my surprisingly dirty tank). I have pods all over the glass and they're super active so mission accomplished.

The media caddy is currently running inTank bonded filter floss, one bag of IM carbon, and a bag of Marine Pure Gems. The UV is topped with Poly-Filter. I feel like the floss is maybe too dense and that water is tending to pool on top and flow past the front of the caddy. I just changed it so definitely not dirty. I haven't pulled the caddy out recently but I'm going to today to change the carbon, however I would be shocked if there is any kind of blockage down there. I might try using the IM fiber balls for detritus. I didn't use them initially because I didn't like how they sat in the caddy (although I use them in the Tunze filter on my other tank and have liked them there).

The tank is still young, now is the time for testing things out!

Running two pumps isn't a crazy idea. Not only does it give you backup but I agree that it would feel better to have room to adjust rather than running full throttle with nowhere left to go.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Funny the most recent Question of the Day was about crazy things you've done. Well, today I did yet another crazy thing. I moved my big Mexican Turbo, Gary, into the new tank.

Of course I need a good eater in there with the diatom bloom but the real driving force was that Gary just hasn't been looking very good for a week or so. I know they say that Turbos tend to live short lives at typical tank temperatures but I feel like there's more to it than that. I've been trying to supplement him with nori and still he's been off.

I decided if I was going to save him, this was my last ditch effort. The new tank not only runs cooler than the bowfront, but I think it has better oxygenation, and it's coated with great snail food. So Gary got a bath and in he went.

So far so good. Time will tell. He's been eating diatoms with more enthusiasm than I've seen him do anything lately and he actually has his foot down. I will have to watch him closely since the last thing I really want is a massive Turbo dying in there but hopefully he starts feeling better.

Good luck, Gary!

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Clearly I'm lacking some self control. The urchin is getting an upgrade!

Long story short, was going to put frags from the old tank and extra hungry inverts into my QT tank but...I might actually need that for QT. So I decided to just go all in and give them something nice. Who knows how long it will take the new tank to have enough coralline to support a tuxedo urchin? Might as well make the most of the year long wait.

In the meantime:

The 50g needed more clownfish! Moved my two Mocha Ocellaris Clownfish over from the bowfront and they've found their new host. There is actually a swim through cave up where the female clown is in the picture and she's just loving it. Poking her nose out either side and doing the whole clownfish dance. Beats the heck out of the notch behind the Tunze 9004 that she used to hang out in. Thumbs up to them for not going with plastic this time! Go clowns!

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Not sure how I double posted that...

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Clowns were acting odd yesterday (not sure how you tell if a clown is acting normal sometimes) and I went into full blown panic. Got out the test kits, checked temperature, salinity, ammonia. And then I saw the "problem". They found Gary. My Mexican Turbo had been their part time host in the bowfront and it seems they aren't ready to give him up. So much for fish and short memories?

Poor Gary! All he wants to do is eat diatoms in peace! And that he's doing. Can't tell you how many times after introducing him to the new tank I contemplated euthanizing him. He just looked so bad! And then all of a sudden, wow, he's scouring rocks 'til they're white again! No idea what kick started him but I couldn't be happier. Still watching him closely but right now he's doing a great job.

Looks like I will be moving up the big move. I've had further equipment failure in the bowfront (heater now). I still haven't had a chance to leak test the 10g IM and won't have a light for it 'til the middle of the week. The "plan" is to move the island with the most coralline and all 4 coral types into the 10 with the urchin and remaining nerites, throw the remaining rocks into a brute until I decide what to do with them, catch the pistol shrimp and his gobies in the now empty tank and get them into the 50 and then...take a breath and maybe enjoy stuff for a while?

Next up, starter corals for the 50! Lets do things better this time!

 

[jcolliii]

That sounds odd - clowns trying to use a snail as a host! What do they do - just sort of rub all over him while he's trying to do his thing? Strange mental image.

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

That sounds odd - clowns trying to use a snail as a host! What do they do - just sort of rub all over him while he's trying to do his thing? Strange mental image.

If you think the mental image is strange... lol

They fuss over him and wiggle and flutter at his shell exactly the same way they do with their cave. Which I guess is also odd, my clowns are cave dwellers. The difference is that the cave used to be plastic and now they have a real cave but I can't find much of anything about clowns that like caves.

From the old tank:

 

[jcolliii]

Lol - that is exactly the mental image I had!

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Just wanted to do a quick update to say everyone is in the pool! The 46 bowfront is officially a decoration in the garage. Frags of the corals and a gnarly chunk of rock now reside in an IM 10g and all fish and inverts are in the 50g. Will be updating with pictures after I clean the tank!

I'm really liking the 10g aside from an ongoing microbubble issue. It's small enough to not be a lot of extra work and makes a nice tribute to the old tank. My toadstool actually looks healthier than it did before.

In the 50g, Doozer the pistol shrimp wasted no time creating a new fort with 3 entrances and the gobies have been rotating between them. Not the spot I'd hoped he'd dig in but I'm sure given his history he'll branch out.

The peppermints have been spawning much to the delight of the clowns.

In spite of a peroxide wipe down, the hermits all have wild hairdos. Might need to do another scrub. Wish they'd all just change to new shells!

I decided to gamble and put the urchin in the 50 instead of the 10. He does seem to be eating diatoms and film from the glass. I've also been successfully supplementing him with algae wafers and I even saw him eat some freeze dried brine shrimp that the fish missed. Had no idea tuxedo urchins ate stuff like that. He's been super active, so hopefully that means he's doing well.

Gary is still my diatom eating master! I'd love to have half a dozen of him right now. I still can't believe he's alive.

In other news, I've been experimenting with the IM midsize reactor. It probably deserves a whole post of it's own because my feelings on it are pretty mixed atm and it's already forced some DIY and the order of a new pump.

Guess that's about it for now but more details to come!

 

[Calm Blue Ocean]

Just a quick shot of the 10g before lights out. Hopefully get some pictures of all the guys in the 50g tomorrow!