Perseverance Reef

[Fishy888]

Today I came down to find a hermit crab on my green digi. I watched for about 10 minutes then I coaxed it off of the coral. There’s no evidence of it having eaten any polyps and they’re all open. The same crab is on the tip of my purple digi now. It doesn’t appear to be eating any polyps.

I know I’ve knocked some of the algae and cyano loose while cleaning the glass and pulling the GHA off of the rocks. I’ve seen some of it get caught on the digis from time to time. Most likely the hermit was just eating bits of algae too small for me to see.

I’ve adjusted the skimmer to skim a little more wet because overnight there wasn’t much skimmate in the cup. What was in there was the color of mud. So far so good.

 

[Fishy888]

As I was watching amphipods do their thing I saw something moving. It turns out it was my Hawaiian feather duster!

The last time I saw it out before today was about the tenth of September. I remember posting about it four days after it disappeared. I made that post on the fifteenth of September.

I’m thrilled it survived but how it did I have no clue. I watch for pods all the time, especially there because they’re most numerous on that side (although the other side’s catching up in a hurry, even with Dory picking at them). @Paul B once said that in a healthy tank there should be life wherever one looks. This was at least 10 years before I joined R2R. That stuck with me since then. That’s just part of the reason I watch the pods and other small life, but it’s one of the biggest reasons.

Like I said though I have no idea how the worm survived the whole time but I know it was rebuilding its tube. Perhaps the worm built it downward so that when it extended its crown it was facing downward instead of up. Maybe the worm shed its crown and stayed close to its normal spot? I’m leaning toward the latter. I know the worm didn’t leave its tube. I’d have noticed that.

Tomorrow I’ll remove the two small rocks that are on top of the worm’s rock. I want to be able to see it, but even more importantly I want it to be able to feed as efficiently as possible considering what it’s been through. At some point I want at least three more. I also want a Christmas tree worm rock or two, most likely pocillopora, millepora, or one of each.

As for my corals and other animals they’re doing great. I think they like the increased feedings, and the cleaner water the skimmer provides. My corals have awesome polyp extension. I’m seeing less nuisance algae, and more coralline. My asterinas are out more. My pods are out by day now. My two nems were barely open for about a week or so. They opened more today though.

I love what I’m seeing. I’m going to enjoy watching this tank as it continues to take shape.

 

[Fishy888]

I did some much needed tank maintenance today. I removed a bunch of hair algae, moved my duncans back a couple of inches, relocated the two rocks that were obscuring the Hawaiian feather duster, cleaned the front glass, and topped off the tank. I’ll get some pictures tomorrow.

Tonight I found out my good friend, who’s also a reefer, is giving me her lunar wrasse as a belated birthday gift. She’s a great friend as is her husband. They’ve both helped me tremendously.

I’m stoked! They are beautiful wrasses. There aren’t too many green fishes even in saltwater after all and I now have a tank big enough for them. I’m tempted to get a few females eventually as well but I want to see how the male behaves first. So far he hasn’t eaten any snails or anything. The only crustaceans I have are my hermits. As much as I feed the reef I don’t think they’ll mess with them. Now the bristle worms may be another story but I’ll keep a breeding population in the sump in addition to the DT.

I also get to go in with my friend on an order for trochus snails. I’m going to start with five snails and breed them in either my 10 gallon tank or in my sump. That’ll help me build a good population of them before letting some loose in the DT. I don’t want to put all my eggs in one basket so to speak.

I’ve been wanting trochus snails for a very long time. Unlike astrea snails they don’t have to be flipped over constantly. They’re reef snails so they’ll live a long time. They also reproduce in captivity. What’s not to like about them?

 

[tbrown]

I did some much needed tank maintenance today. I removed a bunch of hair algae, moved my duncans back a couple of inches, relocated the two rocks that were obscuring the Hawaiian feather duster, cleaned the front glass, and topped off the tank. I’ll get some pictures tomorrow.

Tonight I found out my good friend, who’s also a reefer, is giving me her lunar wrasse as a belated birthday gift. She’s a great friend as is her husband. They’ve both helped me tremendously.

I’m stoked! They are beautiful wrasses. There aren’t too many green fishes even in saltwater after all and I now have a tank big enough for them. I’m tempted to get a few females eventually as well but I want to see how the male behaves first. So far he hasn’t eaten any snails or anything. The only crustaceans I have are my hermits. As much as I feed the reef I don’t think they’ll mess with them. Now the bristle worms may be another story but I’ll keep a breeding population in the sump in addition to the DT.

I also get to go in with my friend on an order for trochus snails. I’m going to start with five snails and breed them in either my 10 gallon tank or in my sump. That’ll help me build a good population of them before letting some loose in the DT. I don’t want to put all my eggs in one basket so to speak.

I’ve been wanting trochus snails for a very long time. Unlike astrea snails they don’t have to be flipped over constantly. They’re reef snails so they’ll live a long time. They also reproduce in captivity. What’s not to like about them?

Only 1 in your tank as they all will become males eventually. There are other wrasses you can add (including different Halichoeres wrasses) but I definitely wouldn't add another Lunar.

 

[tbrown]

I did some much needed tank maintenance today. I removed a bunch of hair algae, moved my duncans back a couple of inches, relocated the two rocks that were obscuring the Hawaiian feather duster, cleaned the front glass, and topped off the tank. I’ll get some pictures tomorrow.

Tonight I found out my good friend, who’s also a reefer, is giving me her lunar wrasse as a belated birthday gift. She’s a great friend as is her husband. They’ve both helped me tremendously.

I’m stoked! They are beautiful wrasses. There aren’t too many green fishes even in saltwater after all and I now have a tank big enough for them. I’m tempted to get a few females eventually as well but I want to see how the male behaves first. So far he hasn’t eaten any snails or anything. The only crustaceans I have are my hermits. As much as I feed the reef I don’t think they’ll mess with them. Now the bristle worms may be another story but I’ll keep a breeding population in the sump in addition to the DT.

I also get to go in with my friend on an order for trochus snails. I’m going to start with five snails and breed them in either my 10 gallon tank or in my sump. That’ll help me build a good population of them before letting some loose in the DT. I don’t want to put all my eggs in one basket so to speak.

I’ve been wanting trochus snails for a very long time. Unlike astrea snails they don’t have to be flipped over constantly. They’re reef snails so they’ll live a long time. They also reproduce in captivity. What’s not to like about them?

Also also, Trochus will breed readily in your DT but keeping some in the sump would work. I've got plenty of "pest defense" fish that eat snails and I started with 2 Trochus and am up to probably well over 100 in the year I've had them.

 

[Fishy888]

Also also, Trochus will breed readily in your DT but keeping some in the sump would work. I've got plenty of "pest defense" fish that eat snails and I started with 2 Trochus and am up to probably well over 100 in the year I've had them.

Awesome! Maybe I’ll start them in the display then. I’ll just keep the one lunare wrasse. Evidently they can be some crazy fish so I’m fortunate to be getting a good one.

 

[tbrown]

Awesome! Maybe I’ll start them in the display then. I’ll just keep the one lunare wrasse. Evidently they can be some crazy fish so I’m fortunate to be getting a good one.

If you're going to start with 5, you can always toss 2 in th DT and 3 in the sump. Trochus are crazy though: you'll know when they're spawning. They'll go pile up and the water gets cloudy...

 

[Fishy888]

If you're going to start with 5, you can always toss 2 in th DT and 3 in the sump. Trochus are crazy though: you'll know when they're spawning. They'll go pile up and the water gets cloudy...

Good to know. I think I’ll split them like you suggested. I’ll feel a bit better about doing that I think.

 

[tbrown]

Good to know. I think I’ll split them like you suggested. I’ll feel a bit better about doing that I think.

All my wrasses leaves the Trochus alone but I've noticed fewer and fewer Stomatellas lately so I'm guessing those were on either the Leucoxanthus or Garnoti's menu. Come to think of it, the Garnoti has probably already tripled in size since I got her.

 

[Fishy888]

All my wrasses leaves the Trochus alone but I've noticed fewer and fewer Stomatellas lately so I'm guessing those were on either the Leucoxanthus or Garnoti's menu. Come to think of it, the Garnoti has probably already tripled in size since I got her.

I need to get some stomatellas eventually. No one close by has any so I’ll have to order some. I might try and get some from wherever my friend is getting the snails from.

 

[tbrown]

I need to get some stomatellas eventually. No one close by has any so I’ll have to order some. I might try and get some from wherever my friend is getting the snails from.

I got mine as a Hitchhiker at Petco. I went in, saw one on the back wall of the tank and said "Sell me that for $1 and I'll buy some hermit crabs, otherwise:"

 

[Fishy888]

My friend wasn’t able to catch the wrasse today. She may have to tear the rock work apart to catch him. I wouldn’t be surprised if she has to wait until the weekend. I know it’s coming though.

The water is about half as yellow as it was before I got the skimmer. Hopefully I can get some CaCO3 powder next month and get rid of the rest of the yellow. The nems are doing better too but have a way to go yet. They’re open though and are consistently opening each day.

 

[Fishy888]

I got mine as a Hitchhiker at Petco. I went in, saw one on the back wall of the tank and said "Sell me that for $1 and I'll buy some hermit crabs, otherwise:"

I’d do that if the petcos here still had a live saltwater section.

 

[Fishy888]

Although not the lunare wrasse I got another beauty today. It’s a blue velvet damsel. I know their blue streaks will fade and they get to potentially 6 inches long. They can be aggressive too but supposedly they won’t bother fish that are already established. They supposedly won’t go for shrimp, clams, or snails but they’ll eat pods. I’m glad I have a large population of them.

I also got some bumblebee snails. Well, two of them anyway. They’re doing good so far. In fact I’d say better than the last Mexican turbo snail, which started losing its grip just a couple hours after release.

So far it seems like all the other fishes have accepted the newcomer although the yellow tailed blue damsel still tries to bully it occasionally. By morning I expect they’ll all be hanging out together.

 

[Fishy888]

My friend hasn’t been able to catch the lunar wrasse as of yet. She’s going to try again tomorrow night using a fish trap.

I finally got the chance to help her out. The rock full of Xenia is now in her tank where it’s going to help her export nitrates. I had absolutely no Xenia in my system until she gave me the Xenia rock originally.

You can see how much Xenia is still in there. That all came from that one rock. Some of that will get relegated to the sump.

The blue velvet damsel is doing quite well. He’ll be able to keep the lunare wrasse in check as well as Dory. I imagine a Sailfin tang and a few other tangs would also but they would have to be added before the lunare wrasse.

 

[Fishy888]

I decided to start dosing LaCl again. I dosed enough to drop the phosphate level by 0.06 ppm. 1/4 teaspoon was dosed right into the neck of the skimmer around 4:00 yesterday afternoon. The second dose was around 9:00 last night. That dose was half a teaspoon.

I’m being cautious so that nothing bad happens. 1 tsp (5 ml) decreases my phosphate level by 0.08 ppm. That’s a daily amount. I’m going to dose 1/4 teaspoon (1.25 ml) four times a day. So far so good. My goal is to get phosphates down to a range between 0.5 ppm and 1 ppm. They’re easily at 2 ppm right now.

I don’t want to chase numbers but I do want my hair algae to decrease or at least to grow a little slower. I don’t want to totally lose it with the trochus snails that are coming, but I can pull out huge clumps daily and see them growing back the next day. Like I said though I’m not going to rush this. I want my system to thrive.

The new fish on the block has settled in nicely and he’s best buds with my yellow tail blue damsel now. No fights and no bullying. I realize that blue velvet damsels get quite aggressive when they grow to full size. He’ll have a lunare wrasse to keep him in check.

The rest of the animals are doing well too.

 

[Fishy888]

I decided to not go through with dosing LaCl after all. My system is stabilizing quite nicely and I don’t want to ruin that, especially since I saw @fishguy242’s system in person doing so well. My green digi is nice and green. My purple digi is coloring up nicely too. Otherwise there isn’t much new. As they say, no news is good news.

 

[Fishy888]

Today I got some maintenance done on the tank. I removed as much GHA as I could by hand. I accidentally fragged my green digi though.

On the other hand the purple digi looks much better.

Tomorrow is H2O2 day. There are a few corals that need it, however none were as bad as the purple digi was.

I cleaned the skimmer body, neck, and collection cup tonight. Hopefully I have an air valve somewhere but if not I’m going to buy one for the air intake of the skimmer.

The skimmer was noisy. Kathy had to turn up the volume quite a bit to hear the news tonight. After reading a post about reducing skimmer noise I took a thin piece of cardboard, rolled it up into a thin cone shape and pushed it partway into the air intake. It produces a bit less in the way of bubbles but the bubbles are much finer. If anything the skimmer is working better. By morning I’ll know if that trend continues.

Since the pump gets less air than before the hum from the pump itself is louder. Tomorrow I’m going to try to pad the skimmer. I have thin sponges that are like Scotch Brite sponges. They’re reef safe. I’m going to use several if necessary.

 

[Stang67]

Today I got some maintenance done on the tank. I removed as much GHA as I could by hand. I accidentally fragged my green digi though.

On the other hand the purple digi looks much better.

Tomorrow is H2O2 day. There are a few corals that need it, however none were as bad as the purple digi was.

I cleaned the skimmer body, neck, and collection cup tonight. Hopefully I have an air valve somewhere but if not I’m going to buy one for the air intake of the skimmer.

The skimmer was noisy. Kathy had to turn up the volume quite a bit to hear the news tonight. After reading a post about reducing skimmer noise I took a thin piece of cardboard, rolled it up into a thin cone shape and pushed it partway into the air intake. It produces a bit less in the way of bubbles but the bubbles are much finer. If anything the skimmer is working better. By morning I’ll know if that trend continues.

Since the pump gets less air than before the hum from the pump itself is louder. Tomorrow I’m going to try to pad the skimmer. I have thin sponges that are like Scotch Brite sponges. They’re reef safe. I’m going to use several if necessary.

A silicone oven potholder is also a quick inexpensive fix to the vibrating skimmer. Put it between the bottom of the sump and the skimmer.

 

[Fishy888]

A silicone oven potholder is also a quick inexpensive fix to the vibrating skimmer. Put it between the bottom of the sump and the skimmer.

I’m definitely buying a silicone potholder or two. Thank you @Stang67. I appreciate the advice!