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My Nano Reefs Part Ten
Last Updated: 6/28/10
On 1/30/10, I did the usual. I also calibrated the pH meter and added some aragonite gravel to
the 12 gallon tank. Some of the "gravel," which is crushed coral and little snail shells, gets
thrown out with the weekly water changes by accident or on purpose when it is stuck in clumps
of algae.
The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 73.8 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.73
6 Gallon Tank: 74.7 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.93
Make up water: 75.2 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.29
On 2/6/10, I did the usual. I noticed that the orange Ricordia mushroom has retreated to just a
tiny little dot. I do not think it is going to make it. The anemone has not reappeared as of
yet.
The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 75.1 degrees F, 1.0245 SG, pH 7.69
6 Gallon Tank: 74.6 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.90
Make up water: 74.7 degrees F, 1.0245 SG, pH 8.33
On 2/13/10, I did the usual.
The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 75.0 degrees F, 1.0255 SG, pH 7.71
6 Gallon Tank: 75.0 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.96
Make up water: 75.7 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.30
On 2/20/10, I did the usual.
The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 74.3 degrees F, 1.024 SG, pH 7.88
6 Gallon Tank: 74.7 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.08
Make up water: 75.1 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.32
On 2/27/10, I did the usual. I noticed that Pablo was missing. That is not like him. I am afraid
he may have died. If I do not see him by next Saturday, I will make it official. I think Nemo may
have gotten to him. He is just too aggressive and wants to be the only fish so he has gotten his
wish.
The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 74.5 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.91
6 Gallon Tank: 74.6 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.09
Make up water: 75.2 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.34
On 3/6/10, I did the usual. Pablo is definitely gone.
The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 74.3 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.73
6 Gallon Tank: 75.2 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.92
Make up water: 75.4 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.27
On 3/13/10, I did the usual.
The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 75.9 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.91
6 Gallon Tank: 75.2 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.00
Make up water: 75.4 degrees F, 1.024 SG, pH 8.28
On 3/20/10, I did the usual. I also cut a piece of the green start polyps off the animal in the 6
gallon tank as it was starting to touch the rock with the button polyps, and it did not want it to
take root there.
The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 74.5 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.79
6 Gallon Tank: 75.2 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.96
Make up water: 75.3 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.36
On 3/27/10, I did the usual and more. I calibrated the pH meter. When I pulled some hair algae
off my oldest bunch of zooanthids in the 12 gallon, they came off the rock. I wasn't surprised
as they've been loose. Underneath the rock was a non-descript sponge. I epoxied the zooanthids
back on; they're not doing very well. A chunk of the slimy black stuff by the brain coral came
off. Underneath, it was beige and spongey too so it is a sponge too. In the 6 gallon, the green
star polyps were sneaking over to the live rock again so I cut another small piece off. Two other
arms have touched the back wall and the magnet (for cleaning; I never use it) so they'll affix and
start taking over in those areas. I don't know if putting the star polyps in the little tank was a
good idea. Down in the sand, I saw a nice big Aiptasia! I should have taken a
photo but my first thought was to suck it up since I was vacuuming. It was thus easy to be rid
of him. They always keep reappearing!
The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 74.6 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.86
6 Gallon Tank: 75.1 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.96
Make up water: 75.3 degrees F, 1.0245 SG, pH 8.30
On 4/3/10, I did the usual.
The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 75.1 degrees F, 1.024 SG, pH 7.61
6 Gallon Tank: 75.4 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.98
Make up water: 75.6 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.38
On 4/10/10, I did the usual. It is time to change the bulbs in the 12 gallon tank but when I went
to find the spares, all I could find were the two used ones from last year! But, I did have a new
bulb for the 6 gallon which was not quite due yet for a bulb change. The left fan though was
dead; it used to make a lot of noise but eventually stopped turning. I spent 30 minutes removing
over a dozen screws and obstacles in place to get the bulb and fan changed. I had to cut a few
miniature cable ties that were holding the fan wires. I should have retied them but left them all
loose; a few are near the fans but when I noticed, I had already put most of the screws back. It
takes so much effort to get in the hoods. I gave it a good cleaning inside. One screw over the
innards was thread bare so I just pulled up the metal shield enough to get done what needed to
be done. The pin for the old fan was glued in but a cut there took care of that too. I will order
some bulbs for the 12 gallon.
The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 74.9 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.68
6 Gallon Tank: 74.8 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.90
Make up water: 75.4 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.29
On 4/17/10, I did the usual. I also changed the two lamps in the 12 gallon tank which took about
20 minutes to remove the eight screws I think. I also added some aragonite gravel to that
tank.
The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 74.9 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.68
6 Gallon Tank: 74.8 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.90
Make up water: 75.4 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.29
What! On 4/19/10, I noticed yet another Aiptasia! It was attached to one of the
rocks at the front of the 6 gallon tank. Since there is nothing on the rock with algae, I ran the
rock under cold, freshwater, tap water. I hope that is enough to kill it.
On 4/24/10, I did the usual. I calibrated the pH meter.
The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 75.3 degrees F, 1.024 SG, pH 7.96
6 Gallon Tank: 75.2 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.03
Make up water: 75.9 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.28
On 5/1/10, I did the usual (water changes, front glass cleaning, filter cleaning, algae pulling) and
lots more. First off, I found another Aiptasia the day before yet again! This one
was on top of all the live rock. So, first, I turned off the pump in the 6 gallon tank and then
added some calcium hydroxide solution near the anemone which had, by then, closed up! I don't
know if it will work. Both tanks have way too much algae. It also doesn't pull off easily. The
pumps are working but the one in the 12 gallon tank seems to put out little power even though
the intake part of the sump is over full while the later parts of the sump are low (indicating good
flow and/or blockages; I keep the filters pretty clean so that seems unlikely). I decided to put in
the Koralia nano pump that I bought a few years ago. I mounted it next to the filter's output so
the outer magnet is in the sump. The flow is light. I had to pull out the rubber grommet for the
pump's electrical line so that I could run both lines through there which are both plugged in to an
extension cord. Now, when I open and then close the lid, the cords get squished unless I hold
them. In the 6 gallon tank, I sucked up the calcium hydroxide that was laying around. I also
tried using the coral scissors to cut the hair algae, and it worked pretty well. I gave some of the
snails hair cuts too! They will like being lighter. I went back to the 12 gallon and cut a tiny arm
off the green star polyps that was growing at the Duncan coral. The corals have not been their
best, and I hope the Koralia pump makes things better and not worse. The pump does seem to
break up the surface tension better which was holding a layer of floating RowaPhos.
The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 77.4 degrees F, 1.0245 SG, pH 8.17
6 Gallon Tank: 77.3 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.11
Make up water: 76.4 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.34
On 5/8/10, I did the usual. The Aiptasia was unaffected by last week's Aiptasia
Stop dose so I did that again.
The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 77.5 degrees F, 1.0245 SG, pH 8.02
6 Gallon Tank: 76.7 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.01
Make up water: 76.3 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.30
The morning of 5/10/10, not only did I see the Aiptasia on top of the live rock near
where the orange Ricordia mushroom died but I saw the one down on the small live
rock piece that I had washed under freshwater. Apparently, they cannot be killed! I guess I
should give up.
On 5/15/10, I did the usual. The Aiptasia was unaffected by last week's Aiptasia
Stop dose so I did that again, for a third time. The one on the rock that I ran under freshwater
appears to be dead. The algae near where it was is all white, dead from the freshwater.
The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 78.6 degrees F, 1.0245 SG, pH 7.84
6 Gallon Tank: 77.3 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.98
Make up water: 75.9 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.20
On 5/22/10, I did the usual. The Aiptasia is still there so I dumped calcium
hydroxide on it for a fourth time. I calibrated the pH meter. I counted 18 heads on the Duncan
LPS coral.
The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 78.5 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.95
6 Gallon Tank: 76.9 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.94
Make up water: 75.9 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.02
On 5/29/10, I did the usual. The Aiptasia is still there so I dumped calcium
hydroxide on it for a fifth time. This time, he has a little buddy too on a nearby rock which I
tried to squirt too. I don't think this stuff works! I tested the phosphate in the 12 gallon tank that
is full of algae but it was zero (I guess the algae used it all). I also tested the calcium in that
tank and the make-up water and got 337 and 345 ppm respectively. It is supposed to be 412 to
450 ppm but never is. I think the make-up water has precipitated calcium because it's always
cloudy lately.
The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 78.8 degrees F, 1.024 SG, pH 7.75
6 Gallon Tank: 77.0 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.88
Make up water: 76.4 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.09
On 6/5/10, I did the usual. I could not find the Aiptasia so I do not know if they
moved or died. I tested the alkalinity of the 12 gallon tank and the make up water and got only
65 ppm for the tank and a nice 215 ppm for the make up water. It is supposed to be 150 to 200
ppm. The tank must really use it up.
The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 78.7 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.82
6 Gallon Tank: 76.8 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.91
Make up water: 75.9 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.20
A margarita snail died on 6/5/10 in the 12 gallon. There is now just one of those left. An
Astraea snail died on 6/9/10 as well in the 12 gallon. It was upside down and alive. I righted it,
and it never moved again. What is going on?
On 6/12/10, I did the usual. I found another Aiptasia and gave it some kalkwasser
for lunch. I tested the nitrate in the 12 gallon tank. Since the phosphate was nothing, I thought
maybe nitrate was feeding the algae but no. I couldn't read anything (<5 ppm). The nassarius
snails and hermit crabs were eating the dead Astraea snail but I removed it since there was a lot
of flesh in there to rot.
The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 78.9 degrees F, 1.0245 SG, pH 7.68
6 Gallon Tank: 77.0 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.85
Make up water: 75.8 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.21
On 6/19/10, I did the usual. I calibrated the pH meter. I cut some green star polyps in the 6
gallon to keep it from growing on to the rock.
The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 78.7 degrees F, 1.0245 SG, pH 7.82
6 Gallon Tank: 76.4 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.87
Make up water: 76.1 degrees F, 1.0245 SG, pH 8.23
On 6/26/10, I did the usual. I saw two Aiptasia in the 6 gallon tank but didn't really
try to kill them. I've resigned myself to their ever-presence. There are now more red
planaria/flatworms in the 6 gallon than the 12 gallon. Both tanks are bad with algae. I used the
coral scissors to give some rocks hair cuts in the 6 gallon.
The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 79.2 degrees F, 1.0245 SG, pH 7.81
6 Gallon Tank: 77.4 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.92
Make up water: 75.8 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.24
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