ReefGrammie's 90-Gallon Reboot

ReefGrammie · Jan 4, 2023

My earth mover was excavating the sand again last night. One of these days I'm going to figure out what this mystery creature is!

Cthulukelele · Jan 4, 2023

ReefGrammie said:
The tank madness continues! I'm wondering if I have a hitchhiker pistol shrimp. That would actually be pretty great. I've noticed this a couple of times in the last week or so. It always happens at night. I just might have to pull out the red flashlight and do a little nighttime spying.

I have some kind of earth mover, pushing the sand around at night. The only thing I've ever seen do this before was a pistol shrimp. My only "sand dwellers" are the large Tongan nassarius snails. They just pop out of the sand when food arrives and go right back in. I have a yellow WM goby. He will do some sand sifting, but never to this extent (and not at night). The powerheads haven't been moved, and if it was a powerhead, I would expect sand blowing around (and why does it just happen at night??). The Kole tang is kind of pointing at it. I guess for now, the mystery will continue!

Tank has come a long way in recovery over the last few years!

ReefGrammie · Jan 8, 2023

I made a decision on the skimmer. After looking around (AND looking at the cost of them), I decided I would just replace the pump for my Bubble Magnus Curve 5. The skimmer itself has been fine! I wouldn't mind a smaller footprint, but since I have to remove the skimmer cup to replace the filter sock, it kind of forces me to empty the skimmer cup! It looks like it will be fairly simple to replace the pump. Hopefully, I can get another 8-9 years out of it.

I ordered the Bubble Magnus SP1000 pump off Amazon....$66.47 for the pump vs several hundred for a new skimmer! I definitely think it's worth a try, especially since I've been happy with the skimmer otherwise.

ReefGrammie · Jan 14, 2023

I had high hopes for replacing the skimmer pump, but it just wouldn't work. When I tried to take the skimmer apart again, I broke off 2 of the plastic screws, so I gave up. I figure it's 8-9 years old, so I may as well replace the unit. Time to go shopping!

I decided to go with an AquaMaxx from BRS. We'll see how it goes!

MrsBugmaster · Jan 15, 2023

ReefGrammie said:
I had high hopes for replacing the skimmer pump, but it just wouldn't work. When I tried to take the skimmer apart again, I broke off 2 of the plastic screws, so I gave up. I figure it's 8-9 years old, so I may as well replace the unit. Time to go shopping!

I decided to go with an AquaMaxx from BRS. We'll see how it goes!

I had that same problem with the plastic screws but was able to buy replacement ones for my Reef Octopus. If they sell replacement screws you know they know it’s a problem. The plastic thumb screws are easy to get off but the titanium ones that require a hex nut tool thingy last longer but are more of a pain to remove. I still think you can’t go wrong with a Reef Octopus skimmer though. But if you can afford a reeflife skimmer, you can use pretty much any pump with it.

ReefGrammie · Jan 16, 2023

I love acans. I never had much luck with them in the beginning. This was during feeding time tonight. I wasn't target feeding. They look pretty happy!

MrsBugmaster · Jan 16, 2023

Acans are one of my favorites

Petcrazyson · Jan 16, 2023

MrsBugmaster said:
Acans are one of my favorites

I agree! Have any favorite of the favorites?

MrsBugmaster · Jan 17, 2023

Petcrazyson said:
I agree! Have any favorite of the favorites?

I love them all

ReefGrammie · Jan 19, 2023

Petcrazyson said:
I agree! Have any favorite of the favorites?

I'm with @MrsBugmaster, I love them all!

Cthulukelele · Jan 19, 2023

All the coral looking pretty happy lately!

ReefGrammie · Jan 19, 2023

My new skimmer is set up and working! I must say my first impression is I'm impressed!! I love the cone design of the AquaMaxx ConeS Q-1 skimmer. It was really easy to put together (of course, in the kitchen

), and the instructions were very clear.

I'm so glad I went the replacement route on my 9-year-old skimmer that recently bit the dust. I'm sure skimmers have improved in the last 9 years. I also LOVE the fact that the collection cup screws off. I always struggled to yank the cup off my previous skimmer. It says to allow 2-4 weeks as a break-in period, but it's already foaming nicely and producing some brown skimmate. My water line is perfect for this skimmer at 8 inches in the sump. My previous skimmer had to be raised up a bit (think upside down Gladware with holes punched everywhere

).

Here it is, foaming away! I'm sure adjustments and fine tuning will be needed over the next few weeks. I'll also have to reach around it to change filter socks in the left corner, but that's what I had to do with my old skimmer anyway. So far, so good!

MrsBugmaster · Jan 20, 2023

Glad you got up and running already. I hope it’s a good skimmer for you. I don’t have any experience with AquaMaxx.

ReefGrammie · Jan 20, 2023

MrsBugmaster said:
Glad you got up and running already. I hope it’s a good skimmer for you. I don’t have any experience with AquaMaxx.

It's already producing nice icky brown skimmate. I haven't had a skimmer running at all for about 2 weeks now, so I'm sure it has plenty of junk to skim. I've tried to feed lightly during this time!

ReefGrammie · Feb 2, 2023

This nasty creature is my first dirty @Reef Diaper! I love these things! It was so nice to toss it in the trash.

I saw some reviews that they had to be changed every 3 days, but since I'm sliding it over the PVC pipe in the sump where the water flows down, I seemed to have more like a week before it overflowed. I'm going to time it this week to see exactly how long it lasts. I've never had a canister filter and don't really know how they work, but I guess they are different with the filter socks? I previously used the floss filters and cut off the center bracket so I could slide them over the PVC pipe.

Anyway, if I can get close to a week, that's well worth it to me not to wash/bleach nasty filter socks!

ReefGrammie · Feb 3, 2023

I was taking cell phone pictures last night. I love the encrusting corals!

Always room for a blasto...I love blastos. I have 5 of them!

Also my newest acan, which I recently glued to a rock.

Paul B · Feb 5, 2023

ReefGrammie said:
This was during feeding time tonight. I wasn't target feeding. They look pretty happy!

They look much better than mine.

ReefGrammie · Feb 11, 2023

I thought it was about time I took a picture of my little tank, the 16 BioCube. I'm still experimenting with Vibrant for bubble algae. I'm finished buying frags (maybe) and if I ever get rid of the bubble algae, I won't be putting anything in there to invite more problems. It's coming along!

ReefGrammie · Mar 18, 2023

Son and I took the grandkids to Emerald Bay and Music City Aquatics yesterday. I always love to see the local fish stores wherever we happen to be. One of them had a skittles cyphastrea about the size of a fingernail for $82.