pics of my girls...

monalisa

monalisa

Active Member
I changed out my powerhead tonight...I'm thinking that the old one has been shot for a while without my realizing it. I pride myself with seeing thing amiss in my tanks that others would very easily miss. Well, I missed that one until last evening after I did the water change. Suddenly the surface didn't quite look right...powerhead was dead. I had planned on replacing that ph with a Maxijet, but the only MJ the LFS had were MJ 1200...YIKES.
I put the new one in (Penguin 660 - 170gph) and everything seemed to come back to life again. Not that things looked sick or anything, just not the same...it's really hard to explain. Anyway things are good again.
Maybe that's where that cyano breakout came from...time will tell. I'm happy, and more importantly, so are my pets.
Lisa
 
rykna

rykna

Active Member
Good to hear. I'm considering getting a wave 2K to put into the 90. One big problem is flow. My reef tank thought it had returned to the ocean when I installed the unit.
 
monalisa

monalisa

Active Member
Originally Posted by Rykna
Good to hear. I'm considering getting a wave 2K to put into the 90. One big problem is flow. My reef tank thought it had returned to the ocean when I installed the unit.
I hear ya about flow. Even now with the replacement powerhead in my seahorse tank, it seems that the flow has kicked up quite a bit...I'm not sure how long the old was on the fritz and how long it hadn't worked properly before finally giving up. Hope my horses will adjust before too long.
When my 37gal was a reef, I put in one of those hydor wave makers and that darn thing moved the sand right down to the glass...I took it right out of there, never to return.
Lisa
 
monalisa

monalisa

Active Member
Originally Posted by Rykna
The secret is LR. Pile a whole bunch of LR in front of the wave maker to divert the flow.

Ahhh
there ya go. I might just see if Beth would like the hydor in her tank. Her's is a 55gal and she has lots and lots of LR rubble that would be great in that situation. I just checked, and I still have the hydor...might be just the ticket in her 55!!
Great idea Ryk!!

Lisa
 
rykna

rykna

Active Member
Well, I'll soon find out. I'm holding a garage sale this weekend, and hope to pull $500 dollars out of it.
$250 of that with purchase me a brand new Wave2K, 55 lbs of LR, and a few other odds and ends.
Hope the hydro works for Beth
 
monalisa

monalisa

Active Member
Random basic water parameters taken just minutes ago:
pH: 8.2
ammonia: 0
nitrites: 0
nitrates: 0
I also have test kits for phosphates and calcium, but they aren't here right now. Will get those soon. On to my reef...
Different tank, same exact basic parameters in my reef. Again, when I get my test kits back, I'll test for phosphates and calcium (those are the only other tests I have at this point).
Lisa
 
monalisa

monalisa

Active Member
I want to post here that these random water tests, especially in my seahorse tank are very important to me and give me piece of mine, so to speak.
With feeding Apache and Navajo twice a day, it has occurred to me that if I overfeed the tank there is a real chance of an ammonia spike and mini-cycle. I want to keep abreast of something like that happening so that I can plan my water changes accordingly.
As it is, so far my horses are getting their meals (and then some), and so far the water parameters are in check. Yay...

The random water checks in my reef...well, that's just to keep an eye on things in there, and well, cuz it's fun.
Lisa
 
monalisa

monalisa

Active Member
Originally Posted by MonaLisa
I'm a bit disheartened. I've got a cyano breakout in my sh tank...crap.
Lisa

This might just be a reallly optimistic observation, but with the addition of the new powerhead (one that actually works), it looks to me that the cyano is already beginning to break up a bit. Hope so. And I also will keep an eye on whether or not my filters will be able to take the fall out from the water (I'm wondering about the sponges over the intakes).
I'm still getting a handle on how much mysis my girls actually need per meal.
That's it for now,
Lisa
 
monalisa

monalisa

Active Member
Nothing really much new today. It does look as if I've got a handle on the cyano problem, yay...
For some reason the rock that my gorg is situated in has, well, shifted...I'll have to deal with that this weekend some time...grrrr.
That's it for now...
Lisa
 
rykna

rykna

Active Member
Sounds Great!! The Garage sale didn't go so hot.
Course $200 bucks is nothing to sneeze at, but it won't get me a wave 2K. Glad to hear your girls are happy
What have your water levels been??
 
monalisa

monalisa

Active Member
Originally Posted by Rykna
Sounds Great!! The Garage sale didn't go so hot.
Course $200 bucks is nothing to sneeze at, but it won't get me a wave 2K. Glad to hear your girls are happy
What have your water levels been??
I haven't been on here in a while, just too busy with summer and taking care of things in my tanks maintenance-wise.
Levels in my tanks have been consistently zeroed as far as ammonia, nitrites, nitrates, Ph at 8.2. I still have the link for the Mini-jet powerheads, I think it's time to seriously look into ordering a couple of those for my sh tank. We'll see how that works out.
The cyano is not terrible...but it's also not something that I want in my tank. I think with water change this weekend, I'll try re-directing the powerhead I have in the tank to see if that'll make a difference.
I'm still watching it, but it sure doesn't look like my gorg is going to make it...
There are still a few die hard polyps showing consistently and the yellow skin looks good yet, but, well...IDK, like I said, I'm still watching...
Apache and Navajo are eating consistently and are out and about in the tank all the time. They're both growing very nicely as well. I've noticed that they are both getting a very subtle red hue to them...I'm assuming that's from the colors in their environment?? Looks pretty cool.
That's it for now.
Lisa
 
monalisa

monalisa

Active Member
I just went in and took a good look again at my gorg. It's doing a LOT better than I thought. I actually went in to move it, and the polyps are out like crazy on that little number...it did need to be moved however, so it's in a little bit higher flow and high in the tank now...here's hoping.
That's it for now.
Lisa
 
darthtang aw

darthtang aw

Active Member
If it starts to decline again move it back to where you had it...sometimes a high flow on those thing will bother them. I know the recommend high flow for them, but I have found this isn't the case, may explain why it wasn't doing as well in your reef.
 
monalisa

monalisa

Active Member
Originally Posted by Darthtang AW
If it starts to decline again move it back to where you had it...sometimes a high flow on those thing will bother them. I know the recommend high flow for them, but I have found this isn't the case, may explain why it wasn't doing as well in your reef.
Will do Darth...I'll give it a couple of days and see how the gorg is doing then and make a decision as to what or where to go with it.
I just did a 5gal water change in my sh tank...it never fails to amaze me how much Apache and Navajo love that!! Well, not so much the process as how nice it is afterwards. I also made a minor adjustment to the powerhead until my mini-jets arrive (ordered those this morning), and I added a couple of really cool looking fake plants...they're hitching in them already
I also set up another 5 gallons of water for a change in my reef tomorrow...those fishies love cleaning day as well.
Well, that's it for now.
Lisa
 
monalisa

monalisa

Active Member
I would like to post an observation here and see what others might have to say about it. After every single water change...a day or two later...the water in my seahorse tank gets a milky, hazy look to it then clears up until the next change. I just don't know what could be causing this...is it the lighting, the flow...hmmm, IDK. Ideas on this are greatly appreciated.
PS, this doesn't happen after water changes in my reef

Lisa
 
rykna

rykna

Active Member
hmmmmmmmmmm.....the only thing that comes to my mind is excess detritus...do you see any left over tid bits of dinner swirling around? Do you change or add anything to the filters?
 
monalisa

monalisa

Active Member
Originally Posted by Rykna
hmmmmmmmmmm.....the only thing that comes to my mind is excess detritus...do you see any left over tid bits of dinner swirling around? Do you change or add anything to the filters?
I've been changing out the filter cartridges with each water change. Think that could be it? I rinse the sponge cartridge in change out water and replace the carbon inserts. I can't really say that I see any excess pieces of dinner in the water. I'm off to do a water test to see what they are...I just don't know.
Later.
Lisa
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top