KJoFan's SCA 150g Build (1 Viewer)

[KJoFan]

Nothing new to report really. I adjusted flow and cleaned powerheads yesterday. I’m still getting some algae on the sand that is like to go away but so far unsuccessful. There really shouldn’t be excess nutrients, I don’t even feed the fish daily but get plenty of film algae on the glass so who knows.

Things look ok but aren’t back to peak health by any stretch. I decided to go back to the basics and am switching back to plain Instant Ocean salt instead of the Aquaforest Reef Salt I was using. It’s also so much easier to just dump a bag in my mixing container. No measuring or weighing out salt this way.

I ordered an ICP test and will do that once it arrives just to check things over.

Right now I’m just resisting the urge to change my aquascape since I basically have no corals. It would mean adding some new/dry rock which could upset things further. I don’t know, I’m undecided. If I’m going to do it now is the time.

Problem is I don’t have any good idea or vision in mind. Ha!

On a positive note, fish are all eating and healthy. Though I am down to just one anthias now. Finicky buggers.


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[Flounder]

Sounds like positive direction.
#staythecourse

 

[KJoFan]

Decided to take some nitrate and phosphate readings today just to see where I’m at. The tank looks dingy but nutrients have always been historically low.

NO3 - 0.5
PO4 - .01

But, the tank looks like this:

So, not really sure what, if anything to do. I was considering reducing fuge lighting time to increase nutrients and hopefully bring lps and softies around a bit more, but based on the algae growth that doesn’t necessarily seem wise either.

So, were it you would you do nothing or do something?


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[KJoFan]

Slowly coming around except for some algae here and there and discoloration on the sand. Tank will hit the 11 month mark on Jan 7th.

Need to spend some quality time with the magic eraser to get that hardened green haze off the glass.

I lost my Copperband along the way a few weeks back and am down to one anthias which doesn’t look great.

I’m thinking I’ll wait for the 1 year mark before trying to add back sps as that seems to be the magic benchmark and will have me at 3+ months acro free to be sure pests are gone. At least that’s the hope.


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[H2OHOH]

How do you like having the shrimpers? I was thinking of getting 2-3, I like how they crawl on the rocks

 

[KJoFan]

How do you like having the shrimpers? I was thinking of getting 2-3, I like how they crawl on the rocks

They don't bother much and the anthias likes to stop at them and get attended to. They can be jerks and steal food from corals if you're target feeding. I don't tend to target feed so it's not an issue, but I have seen them take food from corals before.

 

[KJoFan]

Like some others have posted I did a little maintenance on the tank today. I've been getting some hair algae and discoloration (another algae?) on the sand so I was guessing nutrients were starting to appear, but I haven't tested in a month so...

LPS and softies are all coming around nicely. I rearranged some of the rockwork last week during a water change, but may tinker a bit more. Maybe it'll be time to try out some sps again soon??

I pared down my chaeto. I've always gott trouble with it getting a mat on top and detritus in it. I don't want or need to increase flow through the sump overall, and since I've got the Triton style sump, I don't know that I could achieve enough flow with my current pump to really get the chaeto moving. So, I added a small powerhead to push back against the flow of the sump which so far is keeping the chaeto moving. We'll see if it keeps it up as the chaeto grows. Maybe I also shouldn't let the chaeto nearly fill the entire fuge area before I thin it...

Anyway, just documenting for my own sake mostly. My final anthias died this past week. I need to think about some new fish to add.

Current fish list:
Snowflake clown pair
Potter's angel
Potter's wrasse
Hippo Tang
Pintail wrasse

Current readings of the parameters I tested:
NO3 - 2.0
PO4 - .04
Alk - 7.7

I should test Ca and Mg and work on getting those all in line where I want them before I start back with sps, so that when I move back up to dosing again, parameters will be ready to go.

 

[KJoFan]

A few shots under the actinics last night.

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[OldNemo]

Like some others have posted I did a little maintenance on the tank today. I've been getting some hair algae and discoloration (another algae?) on the sand so I was guessing nutrients were starting to appear, but I haven't tested in a month so...

LPS and softies are all coming around nicely. I rearranged some of the rockwork last week during a water change, but may tinker a bit more. Maybe it'll be time to try out some sps again soon??

I pared down my chaeto. I've always gott trouble with it getting a mat on top and detritus in it. I don't want or need to increase flow through the sump overall, and since I've got the Triton style sump, I don't know that I could achieve enough flow with my current pump to really get the chaeto moving. So, I added a small powerhead to push back against the flow of the sump which so far is keeping the chaeto moving. We'll see if it keeps it up as the chaeto grows. Maybe I also shouldn't let the chaeto nearly fill the entire fuge area before I thin it...

Anyway, just documenting for my own sake mostly. My final anthias died this past week. I need to think about some new fish to add.

Current fish list:
Snowflake clown pair
Potter's angel
Potter's wrasse
Hippo Tang
Pintail wrasse

Current readings of the parameters I tested:
NO3 - 2.0
PO4 - .04
Alk - 7.7

I should test Ca and Mg and work on getting those all in line where I want them before I start back with sps, so that when I move back up to dosing again, parameters will be ready to go.

How's the Potters wrasse doing?

 

[KJoFan]

How's the Potters wrasse doing?

Doing great. As far as prepared foods, it really only ate frozen bloodworms for a long time. Now it seems to pick out a mysis every now and then. Overall I don't think it relies much on frozen food, but sustains on the live foods it can find in the tank. Probably helps that I have the large fuge that's usually packed with chaeto and crawling with pods.

It's grown and filled out over the months. It's my favorite fish in the tank. I am picking up a Yellowtail Tamarin this weekend, so it will have some competition for food coming. But, I will spend some time with the Yellowtail in QT working on getting it to eat frozen. Maybe it already does, I'm not sure. It's been at the LFS for 2+ weeks and is doing well I hear.

 

[jlanger]

Doing great. As far as prepared foods, it really only ate frozen bloodworms for a long time. Now it seems to pick out a mysis every now and then.

If I may ask, what frozen foods have you tried?
My little Ornate Leopard Wrasse goes crazy for the LRS Frenzy blends; Reef and Fish. She will eat pieces of mysis, shrimp, scallop, worms, etc. If you haven't tried LRS Reef Frenzy yet, I'd recommend trying it; and get their fish eggs if in stock.
My male Blue Star Leopard Wrasse also loved the LRS frozen foods, but then again, he would rip pieces from the sheet of nori and eat that.

 

[KJoFan]

If I may ask, what frozen foods have you tried?
My little Ornate Leopard Wrasse goes crazy for the LRS Frenzy blends; Reef and Fish. She will eat pieces of mysis, shrimp, scallop, worms, etc. If you haven't tried LRS Reef Frenzy yet, I'd recommend trying it; and get their fish eggs if in stock.
My male Blue Star Leopard Wrasse also loved the LRS frozen foods, but then again, he would rip pieces from the sheet of nori and eat that.

LRS Reef Frenzy is all I use (generally the nano version because I prefer the smaller pieces). Along with the frozen bloodworms and something else that's escaped my mind I was using mostly for the anthias. I think it's just a matter of not having to rely on the frozen food when there are live foods available. But it gets after some of it when I feed just like the others. I suspect as time goes on it will start eating more of it, but since it doesn't have any weight issues and is growing I haven't been concerned.

The only other prepared foods I use regularly are some Reef Nutritions varieties, Mysis and ROE are my general go-to's. But, I don't always have them on hand.

 

[KJoFan]

On another note, I'd love to have one or a pair of Blue Star Leopards again some day. They're on my want list.

 

[OldNemo]

Doing great. As far as prepared foods, it really only ate frozen bloodworms for a long time. Now it seems to pick out a mysis every now and then. Overall I don't think it relies much on frozen food, but sustains on the live foods it can find in the tank. Probably helps that I have the large fuge that's usually packed with chaeto and crawling with pods.

It's grown and filled out over the months. It's my favorite fish in the tank. I am picking up a Yellowtail Tamarin this weekend, so it will have some competition for food coming. But, I will spend some time with the Yellowtail in QT working on getting it to eat frozen. Maybe it already does, I'm not sure. It's been at the LFS for 2+ weeks and is doing well I hear.

Nice!

Yeah the Tamarins are tough to crack onto frozen and pellets Good luck and let us know how it goes!

 

[jlanger]

On another note, I'd love to have one or a pair of Blue Star Leopards again some day. They're on my want list.

I'm kicking myself for not purchasing a second ornate when I had the chance. There are multiple specimens in stock and it would've been so easy to add them together. I didn't do it because I didn't know how well they would fare being so small.
I do like the Potter's quite a bit also; all thirteen(?) species are quite nice actually.

 

[KJoFan]

I'm kicking myself for not purchasing a second ornate when I had the chance. There are multiple specimens in stock and it would've been so easy to add them together. I didn't do it because I didn't know how well they would fare being so small.
I do like the Potter's quite a bit also; all thirteen(?) species are quite nice actually.

I’m with you, I really like the Leopard wrasses. There are some very nice fairies and flashers too but I think my favorites are the leopards. The LFS brought in a Kuiters at the same time as the Tamarin, but it went MIA unfortunately.


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[KJoFan]

Maybe I spoke too soon about the Potter’s wrasse. Or I jinxed it. I observed it with its mouth constantly open and breathing rapidly last night and still today. It’s just swimming around aimlessly. Not hunting or showing any interest at feeding time.

I’m going to suspect a fluke issue and started a dose of PraziPro in the main tank. Shouldn’t hurt anything as I’ve used it safely before in a Reef and I’d never catch him to treat separately anyway. Plus, if it’s got them, what’s to say the other fish don’t? I hope I see some improvement soon.

On another note the yellowtail tamarin is in QT. I watched it eat a bit of mysis at the store but it certainly didn’t kill it. I fed a mix of frozen this morning and it showed little interest though I did see it snatch up a couple bloodworms off the sand a little later.

I’ve ordered some brine shrimp eggs to maybe hatch. It’s been years since I’ve done that so I’ll have to see if I can rig something up to hatch them.

Anyone else have an idea of what might be afflicting the Potter’s if not flukes?


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[KJoFan]

Well, an hour after dosing the Prazi I went downstairs and looked at the tank and the Potter's was dead on the sand. Not sure if that means it was heavily infested and the meds just seized everything up or what happened. I hope it's nothing more sinister than a bad case of flukes...

 

[ArcKatana]

Usually what I've found is whenever a fish can't close their mouth, they are done for. Be it dislocation of the jaw or even broken, it is usually the end. Sucks about the Potters, really great fish.

 

[KJoFan]

Usually what I've found is whenever a fish can't close their mouth, they are done for. Be it dislocation of the jaw or even broken, it is usually the end. Sucks about the Potters, really great fish.

And maybe there were signs before that that I just missed but when I saw that I really started to take notice. That along with the heavy breathing prompted me to try the prazi. I have to think it had a heavy infestation of flukes that spasmed with the treatment and led to the fish's quick demise.

Of course it had to happen to that fish. Sigh.