Building my 56 gallon Column reef tank

florida joe

florida joe

Well-Known Member
Bang the OP states the rock Is from Florida somewhere Well there is a question then that has to be asked. The purple sea urchin is found off the west coast of North America, in the Pacific Ocean, from Canada to the Baja peninsula the pencil urchin is found in the Caribbean so the Florida reference is really no help but I will defer to my two and now you make three hobbyist friends who feel it is a purple in so much as they have firsthand knowledge
 
bang guy

bang guy

Moderator
Let me rephrase without the common name (that refers to a dozen different species perhaps) - Diadema lacunter
When they are small they vary a lot in color.
 
monsinour

monsinour

Active Member
Well, there are 3 different kinds of rock in the tank. 3 pieces of "premium" LR that came from florida. It is these pieces that had atleast 2 of the urchins on them. There was also a tuxedo urchin on one piece at the LFS and I didnt feel like paying extra for the tux. There are quite a few coraline LR pieces that I have no idea where they came from. These pieces are the ones that I am sure introduced the snails, bristle worms, and probably that damn crab. Then there is loads of "base" rock that appeared lifeless in the store. Now that the base rock is in the tank, it appears to have had a $h!tload of feather dusters on and in them. I will be trading in 3 of the 4 urchins when I get my first batch of the CUC. I will be keeping the larger one as he is more mobile during the day. Let see what I can find for pencil urchin and compare that to what I have.
Edit : the "spines" or "pointy pieces" are too far apart on pencil urchins and those do not match what I have. Also the "pointy pieces" on pencil urchins are not visably sharp where as the "pointy pieces" on the urchins that I have do appear to be sharp. Kinda like below:
 
mylady

mylady

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/160#post_3313783
She doesn't have to put her hand in the tank to do the test, lol
Anyways, I prefer Salifert and SeaChem test kits. My only complaint is Salifert nitrate kits, they suck.
You can thank my husband for my fear of touching anything near the tank, even the water. He knew I didn't want to touch the live rock but insisted on help. The first piece of rock I picked up he thought it would be funny to scream and startle me making me believe there was some nasty creepy crawly thing on it about to attack me. So from now on HE will be the only one to go near the water! Serves him right.
 
mylady

mylady

Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by MyLady http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/200#post_3314396
You can thank my husband for my fear of touching anything near the tank, even the water. He knew I didn't want to touch the live rock but insisted on help. The first piece of rock I picked up he thought it would be funny to scream and startle me making me believe there was some nasty creepy crawly thing on it about to attack me. So from now on HE will be the only one to go near the water! Serves him right.
It was one of my better practical jokes I have played on my wife. I still think the best one is when she was sitting on the couch and I was in the chair. We were watching a movie at night and I looked over at her and with a totally serious look on my face told her, "DONT MOVE!" I repeated that with even more seriousness and started to get up slowly. The act was as if there was a spider next to her and I was getting up to get it. As I got closer and closer, she couldnt take the tension and shot up out of the couch and I just started laffing. I still joke about it to this day.
Edit : dangit, i posted this as my wife.
 
monsinour

monsinour

Active Member
Quote:
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///forum/thread/380344/building-my-56-gallon-column-reef-tank/200#post_3314529
LOL ... I never said that

Um.........
Originally Posted by BTLDreef http:///forum/thread/380443/i-need-to-vent/40#post_3313516
I know that my living expenses would be cut in half, but doing the math, it just would not work. I probably wouldn't even be able to find a job outside of a major area. I love Long Island, I just hate the 5 boroughs of NYC, that's a nightmare. Anywhere north of Westchester is too "hick" for me, LOL. As for education, Long Island is where it's at, as far as I'm concerned. We don't have overcrowded schools like the rest of the state does. LI is really like it's own state, stuck in the hell that is NY.
I just don't think that I would be able to live in the middle of nowhere, especially when all our family is here. Even when I visit Grandma in FL, she lives an hour outside of Orlando and that's too quiet for me. Don't get me wrong, I love where I live, and it's not near the city, but it's not rural either.
Implied then if not said.
 
monsinour

monsinour

Active Member
Back to the tank talk. Here is a better picture of the urchin. this is from the side, not top down.

The ends are pointy and not dull like the pencil urchin.
Edit : water test from this evening
80.1 degrees F ( I never asked, but this is an ok temp right? )
SG 1.0245
pH 8
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5
I am starting the alternating light cycle to see if this will help keep the pH consistant.
Edit : just got off everyone's favorite HitchHiker ID website and noticed that I have these:
Hydroids - Colonial.
Hydroids
Suitability: Remove Them!
Can someone tell me why i have to remove them and how do I go about doing this?
I also noticed that I have all 3 of the popular pods in my tank with the majority of them being Isopods - Munnid. I cant remember, but are these what the mandarin eats?
 
monsinour

monsinour

Active Member
Water test from this morning
80.1 degrees f
sg 1.0245
pH 7.8 (alternating lights didnt help this)
ammonia .25 (due to the food in the trap yes?)
nitrite 0
Nitrate 5
 
monsinour

monsinour

Active Member
Water test from this evening
80.1 degrees F
SG 1.0245
pH 7.8
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate10
I would imagine that the .25 ammonia this mornign was from the food in the trap and now that the test reads 0, my tank is ready for something to be purchased and put in there already, am I right?
Regardless of what ya'll say, saturday I am getting snails and shrimp. I cant wait any longer. It certainly seems like the tank is ready. Besides, I cant stand looking at the grass growing on the back tank wall. It has to go.
Can I get an answer to the hydriod colony questions?
Do amphipods eat isopods?
Has anyone ever seen aiptasia detach from a rock, move on the sand, then puff up into a ball and shrivel up? I should have taken that video. If this aiptasia is not attached to a rock and looks rather sick, should i reach in there with something and get it out? Or rather still attempt to kill it with the aiptasia - x.
BTW, the aiptasia - x seemed to work, but i have noticed that the ones i squirted are making a comeback. Haw small does the aiptasia have to be for peppermint shrimp to eat?
 
monsinour

monsinour

Active Member
Water test this morning
80.1 Degrees F
SG 1.0245
pH 7.8
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 5
found some tiny flatworms and they are listed as "watch them" so leaving them there for now.
 
monsinour

monsinour

Active Member
Water test from this evening pre crab mess
80 F
1.0245
pH 8
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 10
Odd that nitrate went up. With it at 10, should I be concerned? Looking forward to tomorrow morning's tests.
 
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