Finally put my tank together...

[tmd77]

i think it would be great to grab another light fitting and no way would it over do it.

i'd go the following Actinic | KZ fiji purple/ATI pro red | 14K | Actinic

that IMO will give you the greatest range of lighting spectrums and will bring out all the colours of your corals.

in the meantime 2x 10000K and 2x actinic will be suitable for your tank.

also by spending a bit more on the bulbs (ati/kz/aquaZ) you will not only enhance the PAR levels, but will also extend the longevity of them as well. :mrgreen:

 

[tmd77]

P.S nice ric btw, if you want some more really good rics, head to qld coral creations at sumner, heath there has some incredible pieces.

 

[KoNP]

i'd go the following Actinic | KZ fiji purple/ATI pro red | 14K | Actinic

that IMO will give you the greatest range of lighting spectrums and will bring out all the colours of your corals.

in the meantime 2x 10000K and 2x actinic will be suitable for your tank.

Wow, all those different bulb types Where would I source those from? I might go grab another T5-HO from nielsens tomorrow afternoon.

In other news I'm seriously concerned about my lobo. He's shrunk to the point where his skeleton is poking through his skin in places. I have been trying to target feed him but he doesn't seem terribly receptive. All his mouths are open though. I can't figure out what has him upset - I've tested the water and there's nothing showing as insanely high or low or where it shouldn't be. From what I've managed to dredge up from the internet, light and food are really the only things I can do at this point.

 

[tmd77]

i'd go the following Actinic | KZ fiji purple/ATI pro red | 14K | Actinic

that IMO will give you the greatest range of lighting spectrums and will bring out all the colours of your corals.

in the meantime 2x 10000K and 2x actinic will be suitable for your tank.

Wow, all those different bulb types Where would I source those from? I might go grab another T5-HO from nielsens tomorrow afternoon.

In other news I'm seriously concerned about my lobo. He's shrunk to the point where his skeleton is poking through his skin in places. I have been trying to target feed him but he doesn't seem terribly receptive. All his mouths are open though. I can't figure out what has him upset - I've tested the water and there's nothing showing as insanely high or low or where it shouldn't be. From what I've managed to dredge up from the internet, light and food are really the only things I can do at this point.

don't get a t5HO from nielsens... get it straight from the importer at www.guppysaquariumproducts.com.au pretty sure i can guarantee that guppys will be cheaper. you can get those bulbs or similar from guppys as well.

check your phosphates... they may be your cause. that and what is your water temperature? also how much flow have you got going through your tank (only including powerheads/not including HOB filters)?

 

[KoNP]

i'd go the following Actinic | KZ fiji purple/ATI pro red | 14K | Actinic

that IMO will give you the greatest range of lighting spectrums and will bring out all the colours of your corals.

in the meantime 2x 10000K and 2x actinic will be suitable for your tank.

Wow, all those different bulb types Where would I source those from? I might go grab another T5-HO from nielsens tomorrow afternoon.

In other news I'm seriously concerned about my lobo. He's shrunk to the point where his skeleton is poking through his skin in places. I have been trying to target feed him but he doesn't seem terribly receptive. All his mouths are open though. I can't figure out what has him upset - I've tested the water and there's nothing showing as insanely high or low or where it shouldn't be. From what I've managed to dredge up from the internet, light and food are really the only things I can do at this point.

don't get a t5HO from nielsens... get it straight from the importer at www.guppysaquariumproducts.com.au pretty sure i can guarantee that guppys will be cheaper. you can get those bulbs or similar from guppys as well.

check your phosphates... they may be your cause. that and what is your water temperature? also how much flow have you got going through your tank (only including powerheads/not including HOB filters)?

Phosphates are at 0 or so close they don't show - I've got a bag of Phosguard in a hang-on filter at the back. Not counting hang on filters I've got that small powerhead at the front-left as you're looking at the tank, and the internal filter at the back-right, angled roughly 45° so the flow is hitting the glass and going down and along the front lip, and it's about an inch below the water's surface so there's a good "rolling" effect going on.

Temperature is about 29°C, although I think the thermometer is off by a degree up, so it's probably closer to 28°.

 

[tmd77]

maybe drop your temp down to between 24-27... thats the only thing i can think of.

apart from that just maintain water quality and definitely grab another lighting system.

maybe some pics might help as well.

 

[KoNP]

maybe drop your temp down to between 24-27... thats the only thing i can think of.

apart from that just maintain water quality and definitely grab another lighting system.

maybe some pics might help as well.

The temp should drop overnight, but I'm sure that thermometer is off - my 3 other tanks are several degrees cooler than the 29° my marine thermometer is quoting, and 2 of them are closed-hood tanks.

I've checked out that website - it looks great. I'm going to get a second fitting and one of those red/blue tubes. I was going to allow for a purchase price of about $150 buying from nielsen's but considering the fitting is like half the price I can afford a fair bit more now. Thanks for the links, and for the help here

 

[tmd77]

maybe drop your temp down to between 24-27... thats the only thing i can think of.

apart from that just maintain water quality and definitely grab another lighting system.

maybe some pics might help as well.

The temp should drop overnight, but I'm sure that thermometer is off - my 3 other tanks are several degrees cooler than the 29° my marine thermometer is quoting, and 2 of them are closed-hood tanks.

I've checked out that website - it looks great. I'm going to get a second fitting and one of those red/blue tubes. I was going to allow for a purchase price of about $150 buying from nielsen's but considering the fitting is like half the price I can afford a fair bit more now. Thanks for the links, and for the help here

if you were allowing $150 for another unit... get this one instead... its still half of what you were expecting to pay, but will be such a better choice for you especially with the individual reflectors. http://www.guppysaquariumproducts.com.a ... d_622.html

only cons are that you would need to do a DIY frame for it (as it doesnt come with legs or whatever) and that they arent as "pretty" (not that i would call that a con)

let me know how you go :bigthumup:

 

[KoNP]

maybe drop your temp down to between 24-27... thats the only thing i can think of.

apart from that just maintain water quality and definitely grab another lighting system.

maybe some pics might help as well.

The temp should drop overnight, but I'm sure that thermometer is off - my 3 other tanks are several degrees cooler than the 29° my marine thermometer is quoting, and 2 of them are closed-hood tanks.

I've checked out that website - it looks great. I'm going to get a second fitting and one of those red/blue tubes. I was going to allow for a purchase price of about $150 buying from nielsen's but considering the fitting is like half the price I can afford a fair bit more now. Thanks for the links, and for the help here

if you were allowing $150 for another unit... get this one instead... its still half of what you were expecting to pay, but will be such a better choice for you especially with the individual reflectors. http://www.guppysaquariumproducts.com.a ... d_622.html

only cons are that you would need to do a DIY frame for it (as it doesnt come with legs or whatever) and that they arent as "pretty" (not that i would call that a con)

let me know how you go :bigthumup:

Yeah, if I tried to make a DIY thing for that I'd wind up missing a thumb with a broken light fitting to boot. What I was allowing the $150 for was the fitting + another actinic, but seeing as I can save a ton using that site I'll grab another fitting like the one I have, an actinic and one of those red/purple ones you mentioned.

My kitchen is going to look like a disco at this rate hahaha.

 

[KoNP]

So much for that. I woke up thismorning only to discover the lobo in pieces. Either he decided to die and fall apart quicker than I've ever seen it happen, or there was something in the tank picking at him. Also lost a head of my torch and my small elegance coral.

F-ck. :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: Really not happy now. Did a 50% water change and stuffed 2 carbon/filter wool cartridges in one of the hang-ons. The fish were fine, I'm more than a little concerned about the corals though.

-UPDATE-

The torch is starting to show some life as is the frogspawn and the larger elegance. I have my fingers and toes crossed that the tank survives this.

 

[TimSchmidt]

Ouch! Tough to hear! Good luck on the clean up.

 

[KoNP]

Ouch! Tough to hear! Good luck on the clean up.

Thanks. It's more frustrating because I don't know WHY the lobo did that (parameters-wise the water was ok, not perfect but certainly not enough to affect a so-called "very hardy" coral THAT BADLY).

That, and the way he looked really makes me think there was something chewing on him when it was light-out time but I'm buggered if I know what.

-EDIT-

I know what it was.

The damn BTA.

He'd stationed himself directly above the lobo and then detonated like a tiny 5c-coin-sized time bomb.

I hate how some kinds of marine life can look healthy right up until the point they explode and nuke the entire place.

Body count so far:

Hammer coral - bits were falling off and he smelled.
Lobophyllia - unless he's coming back as a zombie, he's not coming back.
One torch head - bits were falling off and he smelled, but the other three heads are fine.
Small elegance coral - HE WAS MY FIRST CORAL :cryb:

Everybody else seems reasonable. Frogspawn is still out and not shedding pieces, the remaining torch heads are ok, the other elegance is a bit shrunken but given the situation I'm not surpsied. Ricordea is totally untouched (tough little bugger - I should visit that coral creations place and get a few more), red zoa colony are all closed up, once again not surprising, but I'm hoping they recover and open back up again.

Fish are fine - the blenny is a little excited at all the change, he's swimming around (not frantically or anything, just observing me for the most part). Cleaned out the internal filter and set it up as follows:

Filter wool
-------------
activated
carbon
-------------
Filter wool.

That way the wool can filter out any detritus and the carbon can leach the toxins out. Coupled with the double-carbon double-wool in the hang on, that should clear the water before long.

 

[funkngroovy]

There are lots of things that you cannot test for.

Eg hormones.

I still believe this system is immature and adding a large fish to eat the algae, which is a symptom of other problems, will compound any issues.

Might be a good time to let things be for a while and let the tank sort itself out with the help of some good water changes.

Will save you lots of bucks too.

Hope things turn out ok

 

[KoNP]

Might be a good time to let things be for a while and let the tank sort itself out with the help of some good water changes.

You're not wrong there, lol. I've checked out the tank. The three trochus snails are fine, elegance seems stressed but he's still responding to stimuli, blenny and clowns are fine, happy as always. Frogspawn is ok, he was in the part of the tank that the flow is basically moving away from so he was probably spared the worst. Torch is ok, Zoas are reluctant to come out but I saw them peeking before, and the Ricordea... well I think he barely noticed, to be honest.

Damn that bubbletip, lol. No more anemones for me. Well, except the Ricordea but that's kinda different.

Thanks for the well-wishing, btw. I'm running alot of carbon to keep nasties out, I'm about to pop my bag of purigen back in the filter to help deal with the smokiness but other than that, any suggestions? Other than the water changes, of course. I'm glad I bought that big box of salt hahah.

 

[tmd77]

this is the reason why i truly believe i will never own an anemone... they are just too much of a hassle.

oh well you live you learn konp!

keep running that carbon, keep doing water changes and as geoff said, let the tank settle for a while.

good luck

 

[KoNP]

this is the reason why i truly believe i will never own an anemone... they are just too much of a hassle.

This one we got for free, he kinda hitchhiked. But still, yeah. I guess it's something to look at getting when I eventually get a large tank with a chiller and a skimmer and a cannister and all the other bits and bobs, but not in a nano.

oh well you live you learn konp!

True true. I don't like that I've cost some corals their lives though - it frustrated me today almost to the point of throwing in the towel, to be honest.

keep running that carbon, keep doing water changes and as geoff said, let the tank settle for a while.

good luck

How often should I do water changes? Just the usual amount (10 - 15% weekly) or maybe a small amount daily because of this? The water is still smoky, better than it was though. And nothing else has seized up and died so yeah.

 

[tmd77]

i still wouldnt get one in any tank... they have a tendency to be attracted to powerheads.

i know that feeling of wanting to throw in the towel but just keep pushing through... then end result is always worth it.

i'd do another 50% water change tonight/tomorrow and then 10% water changes every day for a week just to be on the safe side.

good luck

 

[TimSchmidt]

Good sound advice. In my 90 gallon with T5 lights I didn't have any real issue with my anemone, but during my downsize to a 28 with MH I took my anemone back to the LFS. Keep at it and enjoy what you have right now. You saw Trents pictures, it just takes time and steady care.

 

[KoNP]

Ok so I performed another 50%-ish change tonight. Lost the big elegance, lost the fungia, and there was a purple sponge on my ricordea rock that was no longer purple. I'm willing to bet he died and toxified the tank a bit. Zoas are curled in but respond to a light poke. Lost another head of Torch, Frogspawn seems ok.

Now, onto the Ricordea. I bumped the rock while tooling about getting the sponge off, and I realised that I could see directly through the middle of the Ricordea - he was across 2 rocks and either he's developed a tear or had his mouth WAAAAYYY open. He's not slimy or anything, he's still brightly coloured, but he's kinda... rubbery, I guess would be the best way to describe it. Now I know these things are supposed to be crazy-resilient, and he cost me more than anything else I put in the tank so... what are his chances? I've got my fingers crossed they're high, because he was my girlfriend's valentines gift and he cost $110 (with the rock and associateds).

 

[tmd77]

chances are good,

biggest thing you need to do is stop fiddling with the tank and just do water changes and let it settle,

everytime you play around in there you stir $h!t up again.

i know its hard but just try and sit back and let everything go for the next 2 weeks with 10% water changes daily