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My Nano Reefs Part Seven

Last Updated: 3/3/09

On 11/15/08, I changed the usual amounts and attacked some more red planaria and bubble algae. There is not much to report which I guess is good!

The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 77.6 degrees F, 1.024 SG, pH 7.81
6 Gallon Tank: 77.1 degrees F, 1.0245 SG, pH 7.94
Make up water: 76.2 degrees F, 1.0245 SG, pH 8.09

I changed the aquariums on Sunday, 11/23/08, instead of Saturday for once because I was too weak Saturday and went to the ER for IV fluids after 12 hours of vomiting and diarrhea from possible severe food poisoning. As always, the red planaria and bubble algae are out of control so I don't bother with them too much. I sprinkled some more aragonite in the back of the 12 gallon tank. Otherwise, there is not much to report. Larry has been laying around on his side so I am worried he may die. He probably suffered when I could not clean the tank on time, and I also was not able to feed him that night since I was stuck in the ER until after the tank lights were out.

The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 75.7 degrees F, 1.0235 SG, pH 8.11
6 Gallon Tank: 76.2 degrees F, 1.024 SG, pH 8.05
Make up water: 75.9 degrees F, 1.024 SG, pH 8.30

I do not know why the pH's are higher this time, especially with a day-late water change. I will have to calibrate the pH meter next Saturday. The room is now in the 60's so the temperatures are those kept by the heaters now and not from the room or the hot reef lighting.

On 11/25/08, I removed poor Larry. He died.

On 11/29/08, I did the usual on the aquariums. I calibrated the pH meter this time which I do about once a month. The pH values were similar to last week. I discovered two interesting things. Attached to the rock that the dead sun coral was on were two white, hard tubes. I figured they were feather dusters or tube worms which they are but was surprised when I saw them open. They look like tiny versions of my pink dwarf feather duster, Dusty! Did Dusty have babies? Dusty's tube is brown and smushy, not white and hard but maybe the babies are different. The feathers on the two babies are remarkably large for their size.

In the 6 gallon tank, the largest mushroom coral detached a few weeks ago in certain locations. It had a huge "foot" or stalk that was attached over a large area but part detached. Now, it is obvious that the two small blobs of flesh that it left behind when it partially detached are now developing in to separate mushroom corals. I do not know if that sort of movement is common as a mode of asexual coral reproduction. Also, in the 6 gallon sponge filter was a dead bristleworm. There are still tons of them in the tank.

The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 75.7 degrees F, 1.0235 SG, pH 8.14
6 Gallon Tank: 75.0 degrees F, 1.024 SG, pH 8.14
Make up water: 74.7 degrees F, 1.024 SG, pH 8.39

On 12/6/08, I did the usual. What can I say? TONS of red planaria and infinite bubble algae!

The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 75.9 degrees F, 1.024 SG, pH 8.00
6 Gallon Tank: 76.1 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.10
Make up water: 75.4 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.39

The evening of 12/11/08, Grabby (the emerald mithrax crab in the 6 gallon tank) was clinging to the live rock as he often did. He was waving his pincers at Dot, my female sexy shrimp, who was nearby. I was thinking, "I hope he doesn't bother her." The next morning, Grabby was near the same location but upside down. He was dead! There was no sign of injury or physical reason for him to have died. The other crab, Scary, is almost as big as him and did change hiding places after Grabby died. I doubt there was a fight because Grabby looked completely normal except he was dead. I took a few photos and was slow to dispose of him. He was about an inch long. I will miss him more than I thought.

On 12/13/08, I did the usual.

The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 75.9 degrees F, 1.024 SG, pH 7.96
6 Gallon Tank: 76.0 degrees F, 1.0245 SG, pH 8.15
Make up water: 75.6 degrees F, 1.0245 SG, pH 8.45

On 12/20/08, I did the usual.

The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 75.7 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.07
6 Gallon Tank: 75.5 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.17
Make up water: 75.3 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.37

On 12/27/08, I did the usual. I tested the alkalinity (KH or carbonate hardness) since I have not done that in a while. It was 100 mg/L (ppm) in the 12 gallon tank and 200 ppm in the make-up water. The ideal range is 150 to 200 ppm.

Ut oh! I found a green bubble algae in the six gallon tank. Without Grabby, it may spread. I removed what I found. One red bubble algae finally came back (after I had killed it before when I went mad and took out the anemones). The bubble algae in the 12 gallon tank are so multitudinous now that some are shaped like colonies of hotdogs while others are still round. I cannot do anything to control them or the planaria at this point. It is their tank! The Caulerpa has taken over large sections of the six gallon tank too. The 12 gallon tank now has an explosion of stiff but soft green tufty algae that is taking over. There is also a pick thing that is shaped like a fan, some kind of algae?

The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 75.0 degrees F, 1.024 SG, pH 7.97
6 Gallon Tank: 75.3 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.08
Make up water: 74.6 degrees F, 1.024 SG, pH 8.32

On 1/3/09, I did the usual. The planaria and bubble algae barely noticed my intrusion. I found some lumps of green bubble algae in the 6 gallon tank too which I removed.

The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 74.9 degrees F, 1.024 SG, pH 7.98
6 Gallon Tank: 75.2 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.11
Make up water: 74.5 degrees F, 1.0245 SG, pH 8.30

On 1/10/09, I did the usual.

The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 75.2 degrees F, 1.0245 SG, pH 7.97
6 Gallon Tank: 75.8 degrees F, 1.0245 SG, pH 8.04
Make up water: 75.1 degrees F, 1.024 SG, pH 8.31

Dusty, the pink feather duster, was doing very well until 2009 when he stopped opening as often. I last saw him open the first week of 2009. On 1/15/09, his body fell out of the crevice that he was in, and there is no doubt that poor Dusty has died. I do not know why.

On 1/17/09, I did the usual.

The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 75.4 degrees F, 1.024 SG, pH 7.99
6 Gallon Tank: 75.9 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.08
Make up water: 75.2 degrees F, 1.024 SG, pH 8.39

On 1/24/09, I did the usual yet again. Some of the bubble algae decided to start taking over the 6 gallon tank too. I may have to buy emerald mithrax crabs for both tanks and hope they behave; I do not know.

The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 75.0 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.02
6 Gallon Tank: 75.4 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.06
Make up water: 75.2 degrees F, 1.024 SG, pH 8.33

On 1/31/09, I did the usual yet again.

The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 75.0 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.05
6 Gallon Tank: 75.4 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.11
Make up water: 75.2 degrees F, 1.024 SG, pH 8.34

Those results were almost identical to the week before! A few hours after the tank cleaning, I put a shrimp pellet in to each of the reef tanks. The two nassarius snails in each tank came out and fought over it! They intertwined themselves. So, I put in another shrimp pellet for both sets of snails.

On 2/1/09, I bought an emerald mithrax crab for the 12 gallon tank to perhaps eat some of the bubble algae. I also got another clown goby for the 6 gallon tank. Since he is red, I named him Fireman.

On 2/7/09, I did the usual.

The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 75.0 degrees F, 1.0245 SG, pH 8.13
6 Gallon Tank: 75.9 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.13
Make up water: 75.7 degrees F, 1.0245 SG, pH 8.30

On 2/14/09, when I went to make up my saltwater, I could not find the paper that I print out each week with the saltwater recipe and a table for water quality test results! I had to guess (based on my poor memory) what the amount of salt was to add. I guess I was off because the salinity was only 1.022 at first until I added more salt. Then, I went a little bit high (but could not dilute it since I only had the 3.5 gallons of RO water). Because the file was Lotus, and I do not have Lotus at home, I could not access the information I needed; I will have to put that in my lists too!

The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 75.7 degrees F, 1.024 SG, pH 8.03
6 Gallon Tank: 75.7 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.08
Make up water: 74.7 degrees F, 1.0255 SG, pH 8.31

On 2/21/09, I did the usual.

The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 75.0 degrees F, 1.0245 SG, pH 7.92
6 Gallon Tank: 75.7 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.02
Make up water: 75.2 degrees F, 1.0245 SG, pH 8.34

On 2/28/09, I did the usual.

The water test results for the day were:
12 Gallon Tank: 75.9 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 7.89
6 Gallon Tank: 75.7 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.05
Make up water: 75.7 degrees F, 1.025 SG, pH 8.36

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My Nano Reefs Part Seven

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