call me exited, but...
- Thread starter monalisa
- Start date
monalisa
Active Member
Did a nice 5 gallon water change and cleaning in my reef this morning. I also scraped coraline from the front glass (needed it really badly). It looks like a new tank now.
I don't know what's going on with my galaxea coral. It doesn't seem to be doing as well as it has all this while. I've tried readjusting the flow, but I'm afraid that the problem might be the lighting as the best place for it is pretty much in the shadow of the (stupid) cross bar of the tank. I'm going to move him around a bit and see how he does...hope I don't lose him.
Lisa
I don't know what's going on with my galaxea coral. It doesn't seem to be doing as well as it has all this while. I've tried readjusting the flow, but I'm afraid that the problem might be the lighting as the best place for it is pretty much in the shadow of the (stupid) cross bar of the tank. I'm going to move him around a bit and see how he does...hope I don't lose him.
Lisa
monalisa
Active Member
Originally Posted by Lecithin
nice tank, I enjoyed watching the switch and upgrade process. I just started my own 50g and now I can't wait to move to larger lol!
Thank you!!
I always hope that my experiences with sw will help others starting out...actually my 46 gallon tank is my upgrade_ hahaha. I also keep a 37 gallon seahorse tank.
Keep reading!!
Lisa
nice tank, I enjoyed watching the switch and upgrade process. I just started my own 50g and now I can't wait to move to larger lol!
Thank you!!
I always hope that my experiences with sw will help others starting out...actually my 46 gallon tank is my upgrade_ hahaha. I also keep a 37 gallon seahorse tank.
Keep reading!!
Lisa
monalisa
Active Member
I purchased 2 rusty clown gobies from SWF.com...oh, about a month or so ago. I was a little worried about the little buggers because they didn't come out very much, and I didn't really see them eating. I placed them in my reef instead of my sh tank because...well, they were really BIG!! I'm glad to say that they are doing very nicely, eating, getting along with others and pretty much settled in...thank goodness.
I'm thinking I may scoop one of them out to give to Beth, but we'll see about that.
Lisa
I'm thinking I may scoop one of them out to give to Beth, but we'll see about that.
Lisa
monalisa
Active Member
Originally Posted by addicted2
http:///forum/post/2455118
Hello Lisa!
How's things goin?? looks like you and your sealife are doing great! How about a couple of new full tank shots!
I'm still here...I miss you guys. More to come soon.
Lisa
http:///forum/post/2455118
How's things goin?? looks like you and your sealife are doing great! How about a couple of new full tank shots!
I'm still here...I miss you guys. More to come soon.
Lisa
monalisa
Active Member
MonaLisa is back with a vengeance.
I feel like I've just started my reef and am SOOO excited with how it's going. OK, recap.
After a tremendously tough year personally and emotionally, unfortunately my 46 reef took the brunt, mostly from semi-neglect on my part. Hair algae and xenias taking over like crazy. I still did water changes, but I had fallen off considerably from my 1-2 week changes to where I was doing it every 1 to 2 months!!! I'll NEVER do that again.
I had been in the very slow process of relocating critters and rock from my 37gal seahorse tank...between my 46 and my daughter's 55 (both reefs). Finally...FINALLY got that done this past weekend.
Also, my heater had been malfunctioning without my knowing and had temp in my 46 reef up to 86 degrees
With a renewed commitment and excitement, I began by replacing the heater (of course) and adding a new clean up crew, probably more clean up crew than I need in my 46, but I plan on moving some to my daughter's 55 when the time is right. I can't tout enough the power of the snails!! In the short time I've had them in there, they've taken out more than half of the hair algae that had grown in my tank (stupid, stupid, stupid!!
). During one of my water changes, one of my filters didn't kick in, so I replaced it with an Aquaclear 110 (my other filter is an Aquaclear 70). Very nice filter.
Because of the continuous problems I have had with skimmers, I made the personal decision to not run one, but to run my filters and do water changes religiously and during the past 6 weeks or so with that decision, I'm seeing a tremendous transition in my reef!!
After much clean up and clear up, I decided to add a new tankmate...a blackcap basslet. He's awesome...just wish he was out and about more. He does come out at feeding time, mingles a little bit, then back to his cave...that's just his way. He's beautiful.
3 weeks later, I added another inhabitant, a gorgeous little midas blenny...Mr. personality. I named my blackcap "Jack" and my midas "Benny"...get it? Jack Benny?
Anywho...Little by little I'm also adding more and more corals, the xenias seem to be respecting that and are receding a bit (sort of). Where there is no respect from them...well, off to the LFS they go.
I've also noticed that I have a couple of mojanos that need to be taken care of and I'm in the process of eradicating those (they came in on rocks my LFS sent with me for fragging xenias...might just send them back again...
)
So, all in all I'm EXTREMELY grateful that during all this time, I didn't lose any of my critters. My fish are all fat and happy and have been VERY welcoming to the newcomers. The mushrooms that my clowns have hosted for years are intact, and in fact they have a new mushroom leather that they are just as happy with.
I'm very lucky. And so blessed that things didn't turn out worse in my tank.
Like I said, I'm back with a vengeance...and I'm here to stay. Thanks for reading my ramblings.
Lisa
I feel like I've just started my reef and am SOOO excited with how it's going. OK, recap.
After a tremendously tough year personally and emotionally, unfortunately my 46 reef took the brunt, mostly from semi-neglect on my part. Hair algae and xenias taking over like crazy. I still did water changes, but I had fallen off considerably from my 1-2 week changes to where I was doing it every 1 to 2 months!!! I'll NEVER do that again.
I had been in the very slow process of relocating critters and rock from my 37gal seahorse tank...between my 46 and my daughter's 55 (both reefs). Finally...FINALLY got that done this past weekend.
Also, my heater had been malfunctioning without my knowing and had temp in my 46 reef up to 86 degrees
With a renewed commitment and excitement, I began by replacing the heater (of course) and adding a new clean up crew, probably more clean up crew than I need in my 46, but I plan on moving some to my daughter's 55 when the time is right. I can't tout enough the power of the snails!! In the short time I've had them in there, they've taken out more than half of the hair algae that had grown in my tank (stupid, stupid, stupid!!
Because of the continuous problems I have had with skimmers, I made the personal decision to not run one, but to run my filters and do water changes religiously and during the past 6 weeks or so with that decision, I'm seeing a tremendous transition in my reef!!
After much clean up and clear up, I decided to add a new tankmate...a blackcap basslet. He's awesome...just wish he was out and about more. He does come out at feeding time, mingles a little bit, then back to his cave...that's just his way. He's beautiful.
3 weeks later, I added another inhabitant, a gorgeous little midas blenny...Mr. personality. I named my blackcap "Jack" and my midas "Benny"...get it? Jack Benny?
Anywho...Little by little I'm also adding more and more corals, the xenias seem to be respecting that and are receding a bit (sort of). Where there is no respect from them...well, off to the LFS they go.
I've also noticed that I have a couple of mojanos that need to be taken care of and I'm in the process of eradicating those (they came in on rocks my LFS sent with me for fragging xenias...might just send them back again...
So, all in all I'm EXTREMELY grateful that during all this time, I didn't lose any of my critters. My fish are all fat and happy and have been VERY welcoming to the newcomers. The mushrooms that my clowns have hosted for years are intact, and in fact they have a new mushroom leather that they are just as happy with.
I'm very lucky. And so blessed that things didn't turn out worse in my tank.
Like I said, I'm back with a vengeance...and I'm here to stay. Thanks for reading my ramblings.
Lisa
monalisa
Active Member
I'll post pics this evening (after I get some). They'll probably be under actinics...no choice, gotta go to work then feed the fish. Usually by that time, the actinics are on. Looks good that way too though.
I'll definitely get a couple angles of the vase, it's definitely looking like a part of the reef at this point.
Talk to you all later.
Lisa
I'll definitely get a couple angles of the vase, it's definitely looking like a part of the reef at this point.
Talk to you all later.
Lisa
monalisa
Active Member
I received 3 incredibly small ricordea mushrooms tonight via overnight mail. The packaging for these guys was AWESOME!! The water was very warm...I have to admit I was impressed with that.
Anyway, I acclimated them and had to superglue them to the rock they need to go on. I hope they make it. They were so small, and I'm a little afraid that I may have glued where they shouldn't be glued. I'll post more later on this since they went into a dark tank. Lunars gave out on me today for some reason. I'm glad my plan is and has been to have the light completely serviced this weekend. In the meantime, hopefully my corals will be okay and the algae dissipates a bit more. I'll watch tomorrow to see if the actinics are still working...I was working late tonight and wasn't here to observe
More later.
Lisa
Anyway, I acclimated them and had to superglue them to the rock they need to go on. I hope they make it. They were so small, and I'm a little afraid that I may have glued where they shouldn't be glued. I'll post more later on this since they went into a dark tank. Lunars gave out on me today for some reason. I'm glad my plan is and has been to have the light completely serviced this weekend. In the meantime, hopefully my corals will be okay and the algae dissipates a bit more. I'll watch tomorrow to see if the actinics are still working...I was working late tonight and wasn't here to observe
More later.
Lisa
monalisa
Active Member
Good news for me, the actinics are working just fine on my lighting. Can't wait though to get the lighting serviced this weekend.
When I checked this evening with the halides on, there is only one of the three ricordeas still on the rock that I placed last evening...
. Snails, crabs and starfish are causing havoc with these little guys. Unfortunately for me, I also won another ricordea from the same seller, and a "rock" of devil's zoas...hopefully they'll come attached to little rock fragments...sheesh. I did contact the seller with my concerns...hopefully my concerns will make them take a good look at their procedures. Shipping and packing was AWESOME from this seller, gotta say that!!
That's it for now.
Lisa
When I checked this evening with the halides on, there is only one of the three ricordeas still on the rock that I placed last evening...
That's it for now.
Lisa
monalisa
Active Member
We got to Hoffer's in Milwaukee today to have my lighting serviced...all I can say is "I LOVE THAT PLACE!!". Hector and Joe made a point of taking care of us personally, and both were very, VERY accommodating and very personable...we also learned a LOT from them.
So, anyway, the halide bulb that I needed to replace was a 250w 10,000k, and it was replaced with a 250w 14,000k bulb...much more of a blue hue to it, but I was assured that my "corals will LOVE it". I'm taking them on their word for that. I feel like I have a brand new light set up, as I also had the actinics replaced, but 3 of the LEDs need to be ordered. That's fine. I will need to get used to the blue hue of the 14,000, definitely looks like saltwater to me. My daughter ended buying a brand new light set up for her 55gal...a 48" T5, HO...so far I think she really likes it.
Anywho, as I was browsing around and talking to Hector and Joe, I noted to them that I didn't have a skimmer anymore because of my track record with them. After much discussion and MUCH reassurance from them, I decided to purchase a CPR bakpak...it's on my tank right now...we'll see how it goes. It's a little noisy right now, but it's also in the break-in period (been there, done that). If this skimmer works...I will be one happy little saltwater fish keeper.
Also, during the process of switching out my Aquaclear 70 filter for the new skimmer, I was emptying the filter into the sink and found one of my little ricordea mushrooms that I had lost (see previous post). I was able to scoop it up and attach it to my ricordea rock.
A lot done today, a lot learned...very satisfied. Hoffer's rocks in my book!!
Lisa
So, anyway, the halide bulb that I needed to replace was a 250w 10,000k, and it was replaced with a 250w 14,000k bulb...much more of a blue hue to it, but I was assured that my "corals will LOVE it". I'm taking them on their word for that. I feel like I have a brand new light set up, as I also had the actinics replaced, but 3 of the LEDs need to be ordered. That's fine. I will need to get used to the blue hue of the 14,000, definitely looks like saltwater to me. My daughter ended buying a brand new light set up for her 55gal...a 48" T5, HO...so far I think she really likes it.
Anywho, as I was browsing around and talking to Hector and Joe, I noted to them that I didn't have a skimmer anymore because of my track record with them. After much discussion and MUCH reassurance from them, I decided to purchase a CPR bakpak...it's on my tank right now...we'll see how it goes. It's a little noisy right now, but it's also in the break-in period (been there, done that). If this skimmer works...I will be one happy little saltwater fish keeper.
Also, during the process of switching out my Aquaclear 70 filter for the new skimmer, I was emptying the filter into the sink and found one of my little ricordea mushrooms that I had lost (see previous post). I was able to scoop it up and attach it to my ricordea rock.
A lot done today, a lot learned...very satisfied. Hoffer's rocks in my book!!
Lisa