The dreaded "Clicking"

reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member
I was hearing clicking in the 65 for past few weeks, The tank had LR up to the waterline but ya gotta do what ya gotta do so I went ahead and just plunged in . Removed ALL coral and ALL rock.
Went through with a fine tooth comb while submerging the pieces one by one and rotating them in a separate tank to see if I could find the culprit. Didnt find anything aside from a porc crab, and a pink cuke I didnt know I had.
I decided since I had it all apart I would take the oppourtunity for new aquascaping. The new design is about 100lbs less then before so more open water room. Many know of my upcoming move so I have been getting rid of alot of the livestock and have only a Puffer, a few cucumbers, minthrax, and a few pepermints left in the tank.
I looked very well through the rockwork and now a day later I STILL am hearing the ocassional clicking noise. What the hell could this be? It is entirely possible that I missed a pistol or mantis, but I have serious doubt as my inspection was so thorough.
Do puffers click? I have Spiny puffer that was a rescue. He is the only new addittion in a very long time. Dont have to tell me hes not reef safe, He chews on everything and eats his body weight in Kenya. Hes not too destructive beyond a few polyps here and all of it regrows soon enough. He shouldnt be in a 65 I know this before the peanut gallery chimes in. Just he was in sad shape and was going to meet the porcelin god in the restroom so I took him as a rescue. Hes doing fine now btw
SO anyone have a clicking puffer? or any other ideas?
 
reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member
Unfortuately no, not that I can think of. I have been little by little making the tank into its simplest form.
Right now theres nothing but a few powerheads and a skimmer. No sump, fuge or any other plumbing or pumps to make noise
 
reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member
Sounds like a snapple top being clicked. It is audible from another room. Distinct and a clear click coming from the tank. I have been driving myself nuts staying up all night in the dark with a damn flashlight to catch whoever is making the noise in action. But cant seem to see anything. Clicks with lights on during the day and also at night.
 
isistius

isistius

Active Member
reef-
did you ever finish the mods on the maxijets? if so, it could very well be the proppeller spinning the other way, hitting the stopper a few times before spinning the right way again.
 
reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member
no, didnt do the mods yet, want to move first before I do any new reefs. I am absolutley iching to move and be done with this house. Building the new 300 when I get moved. But I am going to get rid of ALL of this rock just for my own sanity if cant find the source in the next few weeks.
Stay tuned evryone, if clicking isnt found I will sell the rock for a dirt to prevent being driven mad.
 
cowfishrule

cowfishrule

Active Member
then just leave it.
if you have nothing in there, why worry about what it could be?
or is it just your curiousity that is driving you mad.
 
djhippie

djhippie

Member
i had the same problem, only 1/2 the amount of rock. i solved my problem by taking each rock and dumping soda water over it and that sucker came flying out, i aso found a smaller one in a diffrent rock.
Good luck
 
J

jaybird101

Guest
What did you find in the rock?
Does soda water hurt the rock?
Will it force out Bristle worms from the rock?
 
djhippie

djhippie

Member
sorry, i found 2 mantis shrimp. and i lerned about the soda water from someone on here. i dont know if it harms the rock mine is fine. and the two mantis shrimp live at the lfs now so i guess it didn't hurt them either.
 
ophiura

ophiura

Active Member
Every once in awhile I freak out because I hear a clicking, and it is typically a hermit or snail that fell against the glass. So that is a possibility.
 
trainfever

trainfever

Active Member
I used to hear a clicking in my tank. Then I found out it was just a hermit crab banging its shell against the glass as it walked along the edge of the tank.
 
reefforbrains

reefforbrains

Active Member
Yeah I am resigning that with the new distance around the rockwork, its about 3 inch from the glass all the way around now so I am done with my late night stake-outs and I will just see what happens.
Might try the soda-water approach when I move the tank just to be concrete about it. Very good idea.
I was watching the puffer with such intensity (felt like a total nutjob)to see any muscle contraction or movement when the click is heard but I am officially rulling him out. He just thinks I have a screw loose.
Thanks for all the imput. It is always appreciated.
 
ci11337

ci11337

Active Member
Originally Posted by ophiura
Every once in awhile I freak out because I hear a clicking, and it is typically a hermit or snail that fell against the glass. So that is a possibility.
Yea, that happened to me too, i stayed up all night looking for an 8in. fish killing mantis shrimp and found out i had a blind hermit.
 
detroit

detroit

New Member
Are there any snail on the glass that are in the direct path of your powerheads?
I've had snails get in the path and stay there, with their shell banging on the glass due to the water flow.
 
rabid frog

rabid frog

Active Member
It is most likely a pistol, especiall if you do not see a pile of invert shells laying busted up around 1 area. I heard the same noise in my 75. I thought for sure it was a mantis. I figured out the general area where the clicking was coming from and removed the rock. I took a hammer and busted the rock up, it was about a 25-30 lb rock. I found a tiny pistol in there. He was about the size of a eraser and mad as hell.
I threw him in my 3.5 gal pico tank and now his buddies and him communicate between the 2 tanks. It is funny.
I vote for a pistol, they are small and not easily seen.
 
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