FTC Disclosure: Fishpondinfo contains affiliate links, and, if you click on such a link and make a purchase, and I meet their minimal requirements, then I will be compensated.

Home Animal Index Fish Index Pond Index Master Index Contact
Free
Pond Newsletter Message
Board Pond Book Calculator
Donate Interactive Fishpondinfo Stores Pond
Showcase Guestbook

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


Continue to the next page


Go to the marine index
Go the marine master index

Member of  AquaBanners



Like Fishpondinfo
on Facebook Follow Fishpondinfo on
Twitter

E-mail Robyn

Copyright © 1997-2024 Robyn Rhudy

Follow Fishpondinfo on
You Tube Follow Fishpondinfo on Instagram