Brand New 8 gallon bio cube

[living_tribunal]

I wish I snagged a picture of it but the wrasse and blenny were hanging out for a moment!

The blenny is coming out more and more every time I look at the tank.

I swear he eats more than the wrasse does.

Both were able to finish a quarter mysis cube no problem.

I think I have a pair of healthy fish on my hands!

 

[12gallonsofhex]

20long are great size. I have one I want to turn into a zoa frag tank. I have a 2 bulb 24" T5 that would be perfect over it.

There was a 24 inch ati hybrid fixture on the local reef sales page on fb for $100. It sold so quickly, but I tried to buy it

 

[living_tribunal]

@Why-Me what do you think of microbacter 7 so far?

 

[Why-Me]

@Why-Me what do you think of microbacter 7 so far?

I used it to seed my 40b initially.
That tank started with all dry rock from @reefcleaners and one rock full of algae from the 20 gallon I transferred the fish and corals from.
It worked well for that but I forgot I had the stuff and quit dosing before the once a week low nutrient dosing for long term stability.
I actually started today.
1 capful =5ml per 50gal once per week, turn off skimmer for 4hrs after dosing.

 

[Magellan]

Fish emergency! Quick, I need 7 different opinions.

today was a normal tank day. However. I did something different. Why? I saw something on the internets.

I normally dose about 80% of a capful of alk (4ml) at some point in the evening after lights out. I saw a post recently talking about how it’s better to dose alk in the morning because alk consumption is higher during the day than at night. This made sense. I thought, hmmmm what’s the best way to switch that up...so after my water change yesterday I didn’t dose alk (the wc water is just a bit higher than my tanks “norm” so it was a good time...”norm” is between 7.5-8) and then today I was going to dose earlier but a busyyyy day happened and I didn’t get to it until 6:00. Still much earlier than normal, midnightish is when I usually dose. However, I never dose with the lights on. About 15 minutes after that my 6 line wrasse went nuts. That mother trucker decided “today is the DAY!” and started harassing my blenny. Repeatedly. The blenny mostly tolerated him but the wrasse persisted, and he has grown while my blenny has not. (7ish months ago the blenny easily punked him, but now the wrasse has more confidence). Mostly it seemed like the wrasse just wanted the blenny to swim fast so he could chase him..my dog does the same thing when he wants to play. But more mean spirited than my dog. I turned my lights off and he settled down immediately. Is he just establishing dominance...? (Did he decide he wanted to move up a spot on the totem pole). Or was he just really irritated by the alk? 4ml is not much for 28g of water..and my tank gets that every 24 hours anyway.

What have I done?! I love my wrasse, but he doesn’t eat algae and the toilet is in his future if this keeps up.

 

[Why-Me]

I'll be one of the 7 opinions
I'd say the last thing it would be is the alk.
I'd say it's a dominance thing, especially if he was the one being picked on before.
Just my opinion.

 

[Magellan]

I'll be one of the 7 opinions
I'd say the last thing it would be is the alk.
I'd say it's a dominance thing, especially if he was the one being picked on before.
Just my opinion.

He never got picked on though. I added the blenny after him like a fool, and got lucky because the blenny was larger. When the wrasse tried to pick on him, (right away!) the lawnmower bit him on the side, and there were never any problems after that. That was 7+ months ago...would a fish hold a 7 month grudge??!

 

[Why-Me]

He never got picked on though. I added the blenny after him like a fool, and got lucky because the blenny was larger. When the wrasse tried to pick on him, (right away!) the lawnmower bit him on the side, and there were never any problems after that. That was 7+ months ago...would a fish hold a 7 month grudge??!

No wouldn't think so.

 

[Magellan]

No wouldn't think so.

In 10 months of saltwater this is the first issue that i potentially didn’t cause myself. (Which is why I thought maybe it was my fault).

Did this wrasse just pop my reef cherry...??

 

[Why-Me]

In 10 months of saltwater this is the first issue that i potentially didn’t cause myself. (Which is why I thought maybe it was my fault).

Did this wrasse just pop my reef cherry...??

I added a lawnmower blenny to my tank with 2 clowns and a semi aggressive basslet.
First night in there was aggression from basslet, then the blenny got bigger and they were fine with each other but every once in a while one of them would punk the other one out.
Almost 100% sure my lawnmower blenny jumped when we were sleeping one night a month ago from the basslet scaring it or chasing it.

 

[Magellan]

I added a lawnmower blenny to my tank with 2 clowns and a semi aggressive basslet.
First night in there was aggression from basslet, then the blenny got bigger and they were fine with each other but every once in a while one of them would punk the other one out.
Almost 100% sure my lawnmower blenny jumped when we were sleeping one night a month ago from the basslet scaring it or chasing it.

So you’re saying let them handle it like adults?

There’s a hood on the tank but I’ve definitely heard and seen the blenny and the wrasse make splashes, just not at the same time before today. The blenny likes to sit on top of the returns sometimes, and the wrasse is so fast that when he eats there’s usually some splashing around. Going to be watching tomorrow like a hawk, the blenny didn’t seem to be fighting back today so that was worrisome. Also a good strategy though, the wrasse seemed to be getting bored before I turned the light off. Maybe he was just acknowledging the wrasse being dominant and I’m completely over reacting.

 

[anon9896]

where would someone get a blue velvet nudibranch ?

 

[Why-Me]

where would someone get a blue velvet nudibranch ?

Blue Velvet Nudibranch

The Blue Velvet Nudibranch, Casella atromarginata, also known as the Head Sheild Sea Slug, features a beautiful blue and black body with electric blue highlights around its edges. Its head is in the shape of a hammer. These nudibranchs are excellent flatworm eaters and are recommended if you...

www.saltwaterfish.com

 

[anon9896]

Blue Velvet Nudibranch

The Blue Velvet Nudibranch, Casella atromarginata, also known as the Head Sheild Sea Slug, features a beautiful blue and black body with electric blue highlights around its edges. Its head is in the shape of a hammer. These nudibranchs are excellent flatworm eaters and are recommended if you...

www.saltwaterfish.com

Don't look like they ship in Canada

 

[living_tribunal]

In 10 months of saltwater this is the first issue that i potentially didn’t cause myself. (Which is why I thought maybe it was my fault).

Did this wrasse just pop my reef cherry...??

Those are always the worst problems in reefing :/

 

[Magellan]

Those are always the worst problems in reefing :/

I just finished reading your PO4 thread. Time heals all wounds could be the answer to both our issues, but I would be really interested to know what that constant rise and fall of PO4 is/was doing to your alk. I’ve been trying to digest more words of wisdom from @Randy Holmes-Farley, and if I understand correctly, removal of PO4 drops your alk.

 

[Magellan]

Don't look like they ship in Canada

Does anything ship in Canada? I see that comment over and over on this forum :/

 

[living_tribunal]

Chow time

 

[living_tribunal]

I just finished reading your PO4 thread. Time heals all wounds could be the answer to both our issues, but I would be really interested to know what that constant rise and fall of PO4 is/was doing to your alk. I’ve been trying to digest more words of wisdom from @Randy Holmes-Farley, and if I understand correctly, removal of PO4 drops your alk.

I wasn’t testing alk at all during the whole process so that’s a good question.

Luckily things have stabilized and I’m able to maintain phosphates for a full 24 hours with only a single dose a day. Shouldn’t be long here that I won’t have to dose at all. The fish will also be ready to go in a month.

 

[Magellan]

Chow time

NOM-NOM-NOMMMMM!

I wasn’t testing alk at all during the whole process so that’s a good question.

Luckily things have stabilized and I’m able to maintain phosphates for a full 24 hours with only a single dose a day. Shouldn’t be long here that I won’t have to dose at all. The fish will also be ready to go in a month.

a priceless moment for the advancement of reef science was lost forever :/

however, all those corals should be bulletproof if that’s what was happening!