food coloring
- Thread starter sadielynn
- Start date
I have heard of doing that but I don't care to put food coloring in my tank. I have done a similar test using a liquid food like Kents Phytoplex or just watching my tank after adding something like cyclopeeze and watching it circulate. I have watched both and they both aided me in finding low current areas without having to add foriegn chemicals to the tank. HTH, Skip
PS If you went with the food coloring route the use of activated carbon should take the coloring back out of the water within a reasonable time.
PS If you went with the food coloring route the use of activated carbon should take the coloring back out of the water within a reasonable time.
I tried food coloring when I set up my main system, but found that it disolved so fast in that amount of water, even under minor current, as to be totally useless in determining anything. Phytoplex is a good suggestion. It's more opaque/cloudy than food coloring, so you'll be able to get a better idea of the water movement. Plus it's food so there's nothing toxic about it. Although leaving it in the water might cause spikes, because it is a rich food, using enough of it to track water currents would definitely be overfeeding normally. Maybe try it right before a water change. I wouldn't turn off any pumps because that'll cut some of the flow you're trying to check.
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Thanks I went with the cyclop - eeze and can not detect any real dead spot issues . I was thinking that the reason my zoas were not opening up , so today I moved them placed a piece of egg crate beneath them and blew them off with a turke baster I will wait a few days to see I also saw what appeared to be algea but I am not sure , I wiped them off with the rubber gloves that I had on and placed them under a power head just to blow the remaining debris off . I have one or 2 polyps that are opening but the others just are not , the pet store had them on a bare bottom tank so I lifted them up , the other zoas are fine and opened up , I just tested again saturday night the tests were as follows
SPG 1.26
nitrAte 0
nitrIte 0
ammonia 0
high ph 8.4
lights are 72 watts power compact .
I added some chemi pure 3 weeks ago and carbon is due for change tomorrow and is rated for 150 gph
power heads are 2 rated at 145 (I think )
H20 changes weekly at 1.5 gallons
feeding is relatively light at 3 times a week small amounts of brine shrimp , some cyclop - eeze , smorgasboard liquid and some pellets (all very light )
I removed a peppermint shrimp and they still are not opening I thought that maybe the clown was trying to host him but I have not seen him do that in a while .Then I read some where to check the flow and make sure that they are getting sufficent flow (as you could tell from the above question ) So I am still perplexed as to why they are not happy .
:?: :?:
SPG 1.26
nitrAte 0
nitrIte 0
ammonia 0
high ph 8.4
lights are 72 watts power compact .
I added some chemi pure 3 weeks ago and carbon is due for change tomorrow and is rated for 150 gph
power heads are 2 rated at 145 (I think )
H20 changes weekly at 1.5 gallons
feeding is relatively light at 3 times a week small amounts of brine shrimp , some cyclop - eeze , smorgasboard liquid and some pellets (all very light )
I removed a peppermint shrimp and they still are not opening I thought that maybe the clown was trying to host him but I have not seen him do that in a while .Then I read some where to check the flow and make sure that they are getting sufficent flow (as you could tell from the above question ) So I am still perplexed as to why they are not happy .
:?: :?:
A
Anonymous
Guest
describe the zoa ie size and color mainly
http://www.nanotank.com/forum/viewtopic ... highlight=
sadie,
heres the other thread that i posted about the same problem....more info and more ppl having this problem
sadie,
heres the other thread that i posted about the same problem....more info and more ppl having this problem
A
Anonymous
Guest
OK I have a similar zoa but they are orange mouthed with a green ring and brown tenticles. I have them in mod current and light. I have tried them in less light (bottom of tank on pc end) but they didn't like it, so I tried them in more light (bottom of tank on MH end)and they did good there but I recently rearranged and they went to mod light (mid level under PC's with a little indirect MH light). I would say try to move them up where they still get good current and more light. Also I have noticed that mine grow some algae as well - when they are fully expanded you don't see it at all and when they are happy they shade out the algae. I think the slime they produce must be nutritious - nothing to worry about though if they are haoppy and growing.
A
Anonymous
Guest
I would move them up - drty is right though sometimes time is all it takes - but I have found that many people do not fully understand aclimation of corals. In some other threads I have seen people talking about acclimation like an hour of "drip method" and your coral is ready (now I am not saying that dripping is a bad thing) but the truth (as I perceive it) is that it takes about a month for a coral to become fully acclimated to a system. The progression is something like this, right after you put them in the tank they appear happy and healthy but they are static - not growing or receading. eventially though if they are happy and their zooxanthellae have adapted to your tank they start to grow ( this may take a month in some cases as I said) If conditions are less then perfect then they use energy reserves trying desperatly to adapt and then if unable they fad fast cause there is nothing left for them - this is why so many times you hear people come on and say "my coral was doing great and then all of a sudden died- why?". well obviously it used up all its energy reserves (this can take up to 6 months in the case of gonipora) trying to adapt to less then perfect conditions. All corals need to be acclimated slowly to tank parameters and light. I place all new corals on the bottom of the tank for a week. If it is a coral that needs more light I will move it up to its final rest in a two step process, half way in a week all the way the next week. I leave all corals at least a week in their location and watch them closely. If a coral is happy it will show expantion and growth then I leave it - if not it is using its energy just to survive - a problem! some real world (my tank) examples
1) I have some purple shrooms that I had too high in the tank - for a year they looked just fine but never reproduced new polyps, I moved them down when reararanging the tank and they started splitting like crazy more then doubling in number in 4 months.
2) I bought an acro frag placed it where I wanted it in the tank and about two weeks later all the tips were burnt off of it I dropped it down and now finally 3 months later all but one of the tips has healed over
3) I got a montipora frag from a buddy acclimated as I said and it seemed not to do anything for at least a month (completely static - I was starting to worry) then one day another month later and I looked at it and it was more then twice as big as when I got it and now it is huge growing like a weed
sorry for writing a book here but I think is importent to understand - in drty's case the coral either adapted its or took on new zooxanthellae and moving it again would be bad, moving yours, may be too late, but would be the best option at this time IMO of course
1) I have some purple shrooms that I had too high in the tank - for a year they looked just fine but never reproduced new polyps, I moved them down when reararanging the tank and they started splitting like crazy more then doubling in number in 4 months.
2) I bought an acro frag placed it where I wanted it in the tank and about two weeks later all the tips were burnt off of it I dropped it down and now finally 3 months later all but one of the tips has healed over
3) I got a montipora frag from a buddy acclimated as I said and it seemed not to do anything for at least a month (completely static - I was starting to worry) then one day another month later and I looked at it and it was more then twice as big as when I got it and now it is huge growing like a weed
sorry for writing a book here but I think is importent to understand - in drty's case the coral either adapted its or took on new zooxanthellae and moving it again would be bad, moving yours, may be too late, but would be the best option at this time IMO of course
that is some what a relief I put them in on the 27 of august (on or around that date ) and they seemed happy the stems are still "plump" so to speak just not opened I will post a picture to show you , I am worried that it hasent opened in a few weeks almost over a month , Drty where is yours placed ? The pet store has I believe VHO lights . So I am sure there is a shock there . I have 1 or 2 that still open is there hope for them do you think these are the ones that I have pictured above opened and now closed ? I dont want to lose them as I loved the way they looked :cry: I did add a torch did he perhaps sting the poo out of him :?: