AIO drop off from innovative marine.
OP
OP
It's been awhile since I posted a update. Things are going well. I am finding the longer I leave my tank alone the better it looks. I'm currently feed 2 times a day and feed with LRS reef frenzy. I'm see good growth rate from almost all my corals. I also added 4 rock flower anemones! I love anemones but my tank is to small for a regular nem. Enjoy these pics !
ZipAdeeZoa
Valuable Member
Looking good! I love how consistent the long nose hawkfish is with the perch location;Hilarious
OP
OP
Yes that's his spot and will be found there most of the day !
OP
OP
For tonight's update we cover how to crash your tank!
The last few day I realized the my corals looked off. I've been neglecting to test my parameters so I figured my calcium was off since I have my alk on a doser. Sure enough my calcium was at 290. So I corrected the issue and prepared to do a water change. The water change was planned for 2 days in advance. The day of my water change I realized my corals still didn't look good and it made me scratch my head.
Upon further investigation I saw via my Apex that my temp was sitting at 68 degrees! I then looked back on my graph and found it was at the temp for about 3 days! For some reason my Apex failed to notify me that my temp dropped out of limits!
My heater had failed and almost crashed my tank! Fortunately I caught it and corrected the issue and knock on wood so far haven't lost anything even thought my goni was real ticked. Moral of the story always check your equipment! I contacted Apex support and they found the issue and will be calling me Monday to help me correct it.
Here is a pic after a fresh water change with moon lights.
The last few day I realized the my corals looked off. I've been neglecting to test my parameters so I figured my calcium was off since I have my alk on a doser. Sure enough my calcium was at 290. So I corrected the issue and prepared to do a water change. The water change was planned for 2 days in advance. The day of my water change I realized my corals still didn't look good and it made me scratch my head.
Upon further investigation I saw via my Apex that my temp was sitting at 68 degrees! I then looked back on my graph and found it was at the temp for about 3 days! For some reason my Apex failed to notify me that my temp dropped out of limits!
My heater had failed and almost crashed my tank! Fortunately I caught it and corrected the issue and knock on wood so far haven't lost anything even thought my goni was real ticked. Moral of the story always check your equipment! I contacted Apex support and they found the issue and will be calling me Monday to help me correct it.
Here is a pic after a fresh water change with moon lights.
OP
OP
So I was browsing the LFS for the first time in months. I came across a mandarin for $9.99 with his belly pinched in. He wasn’t really moving much but was Alive. I asked the employee what they have been feeding him and his comment was “ what ever the other fish eat”. I know there no pods on their system as they are always running copper in there tanks. So I decided to buy him. Even though I only have a 20g I felt as though I would give him a better chance at survival than if he was left at the store.
I didn’t see the little guy for a day or to and thought he perished. But to my surprise on day 3 he was going about his business color looking better. I’ve been feeding the tank heavy with frozen baby brine and frozen pods in a cube. I started a monthly subscription pack with algae barn for pods and phytoplankton to help maintain my pod population. He’s been in the tank for about 2 weeks and I’m sterling seeing pods all over the glass in the mornings and my little guy seems to be happy. He’s still skinnier than I would like but I hope that will change with time.
I didn’t see the little guy for a day or to and thought he perished. But to my surprise on day 3 he was going about his business color looking better. I’ve been feeding the tank heavy with frozen baby brine and frozen pods in a cube. I started a monthly subscription pack with algae barn for pods and phytoplankton to help maintain my pod population. He’s been in the tank for about 2 weeks and I’m sterling seeing pods all over the glass in the mornings and my little guy seems to be happy. He’s still skinnier than I would like but I hope that will change with time.
Ben549
2500 Club Member
I just read your last post about the mandarin and rather than jump on you for having a mandarin in a small tank (the mandarin police are worse than the tang police 
), I wanted to share my experience with having a mandarin in a small tank. My tank is a 12 gallon display with a large sump (20 gallon total system volume). I have a captive bred Biota mandarin (direct from Biota) that has been living in the tank for about 2 years. She was raised on frozen and pellet food when I bought her which she refused to eat. Instead, she just eats pods. You made the right choice buying pods and phyto for them. I usually buy the 5280 pods in bulk every couple of months. I don't run socks or a skimmer to keep as many pods from being removed (I'm probably just being paranoid). Lately, she has started eating pellets again, she will eat TDO chomo boost only (this is what she ate at Biota so you may not have the same success). Something we noticed is that she has a strong preference for certain sized pellets; she prefers the B2 size which is 360-650um. We feed once a day and she comes (very casually) up to the highest rock and eats along with our blenny, shrimp, and crabs. It's always a risk buying a starving fish at an LFS but I wish you best of luck with yours.
), I wanted to share my experience with having a mandarin in a small tank. My tank is a 12 gallon display with a large sump (20 gallon total system volume). I have a captive bred Biota mandarin (direct from Biota) that has been living in the tank for about 2 years. She was raised on frozen and pellet food when I bought her which she refused to eat. Instead, she just eats pods. You made the right choice buying pods and phyto for them. I usually buy the 5280 pods in bulk every couple of months. I don't run socks or a skimmer to keep as many pods from being removed (I'm probably just being paranoid). Lately, she has started eating pellets again, she will eat TDO chomo boost only (this is what she ate at Biota so you may not have the same success). Something we noticed is that she has a strong preference for certain sized pellets; she prefers the B2 size which is 360-650um. We feed once a day and she comes (very casually) up to the highest rock and eats along with our blenny, shrimp, and crabs. It's always a risk buying a starving fish at an LFS but I wish you best of luck with yours.
OP
OP
Thank you for that ! So far he is doing well and plumped up! I see pods everyday all over the glass and also noticed him eating the frozen baby bribe as well. Time will tell but so far so good !I just read your last post about the mandarin and rather than jump on you for having a mandarin in a small tank (the mandarin police are worse than the tang police
OP
OP
Haven’t updated this thread in a long time! It’s amazing when things start to go south you lose the desire to write about it! I had a tank crash that started back in sept. I had about 200 aptasia in the tank that sting and killed 90% of my corals. It’s my own fault for not acting quicker when the problem first started.
So I took this opportunity to look on the bride side, I broke the tank down cleaned everything and restarted the system. I still have some corals but for the most part it’s a full reset. I decided to go bare bottom and crank the flow up. I’m currently at work so I do t have any pics. All my fish are ok and I used Dr Tim’s bacteria to prevent loss during a cycle.
My plans are encrusting corals on the bottom of the tank with gonis on the right side and euphyllia on the left. On the top some easier LPS.
So I took this opportunity to look on the bride side, I broke the tank down cleaned everything and restarted the system. I still have some corals but for the most part it’s a full reset. I decided to go bare bottom and crank the flow up. I’m currently at work so I do t have any pics. All my fish are ok and I used Dr Tim’s bacteria to prevent loss during a cycle.
My plans are encrusting corals on the bottom of the tank with gonis on the right side and euphyllia on the left. On the top some easier LPS.
OP
OP
So it’s been a few months since the last update. As you all know I had a tank crash that started with a large aptasia outbreak. The system was broken down, cleaned and restarted. The only 3 surviving corals was 3 Goniopora corals and all fish. I was able to restart the tank successfully with new rock and bare bottom. I’ve decided That I want to make this a Goniopora tank with some easier to keep sps corals on the very top. I will be stocking the tank slowly getting all aquacultured corals from @usernam invalid as he’s the best around in my area.
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The restart is about 2 months old , so I know that the tank is not mature yet but my Goniopora I have in my tank that survived the crash, 2 of the 3 have minimal to no polyp extension. I will be ordering an ICP test as Alk, CA, Mag, Nitrate, Phos don’t show anything unremarkable. There is also no sand in the tank so I’m not sure if that is hindering things.
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OP
So I’ve decided to order a ATI ICP test. The are located in the US and also include a RODI test tube as well. This will hopefully give a good look into what I have going on in my water and I can take steps to correct it
OP
OP
Quick update today,
I sent off my ICP test. Did another round of testing and my NO4 and PO4 are both sitting at 0. Which is why my Gonis are ticked off. I did have a minimal amount of turf algae that I assume is out competing the few corals in the tank. I have to decide if I should start dosing nitrate and phosphate.
I sent off my ICP test. Did another round of testing and my NO4 and PO4 are both sitting at 0. Which is why my Gonis are ticked off. I did have a minimal amount of turf algae that I assume is out competing the few corals in the tank. I have to decide if I should start dosing nitrate and phosphate.
OP
OP
So my ATI ICP test came back and according to them was 84% on track. I know there are some definite problem areas but I’m not sure if any of them would be a cause for by Goniopora not to open.
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OP
Quick update on this rainy day, I continue to have a problem with green turf algae. My ICP test indicated I have phosphate at around .2 so I suspect it’s actually higher than that. Since I’m limited in space I have gone ahead and installed GFO and carbon in a media basket in my first chamber of my tank. I’ve also started a NOPOX dosing routine. Today I began a 3 day blackout period that will end with another ICP test and a water change.
My Goniopora is still ticked off and I’m still scratching my head over it. Meanwhile my green polyp leather and neon green bird’s nest is thriving. I look forward to seeing if I can finally get the upper hand on this turf algae after the blackout.
My Goniopora is still ticked off and I’m still scratching my head over it. Meanwhile my green polyp leather and neon green bird’s nest is thriving. I look forward to seeing if I can finally get the upper hand on this turf algae after the blackout.
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