The tank is progressing nicely. Coralline algae is really starting to color the rock and most of the corals in the tank are doing well. I have made a few additions to the tank, however the acan echinata in my tank has taken a real beating from the hermit crabs that love to sit on top of it. One of the polyps has really receded, with the others showing a far bit of wear and tear. I know it is the hermit crabs because I have seen them on top of the coral on multiple occasions and there are no corals close to it. In the future I might stick to a crab-less CUC in order to avoid this happening again.
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54G Corner Reef Tank
- Thread starter freshoffthegrill
- Start date
Everyone has a love hate relationship with hermits. They can be a great CUC but all you need is one to turn on you and boom you are in trouble. Problem is with so many species you never really know what you are going to get. I have always stuck with blue legged and scarlet reefs, but even then we pick them over to make sure they are legit. Even after that we have gotten some nasty ones.
I got two clown fish in the tank again. They are healthy and are starting to pair up. They are funny because they seem to really like the mag float glass cleaner and go nuts when I try to clean the glass. I picked up a nice Orange Lobo coral and a hammer as well.
I have a question regarding pH. When I have the AC cranking, especially during the past month the pH starts to really dip down from around 8.30-8.25 when the windows are open to 7.90-7.85 when they are closed. My concern is that in the winter when it is harder to open the windows that the tank's pH will start to affect the corals negatively. I did run the protein skimmer line outside to draw in fresh air, however it only does so much. Any advice or am I worrying about the pH level too much?
I have a question regarding pH. When I have the AC cranking, especially during the past month the pH starts to really dip down from around 8.30-8.25 when the windows are open to 7.90-7.85 when they are closed. My concern is that in the winter when it is harder to open the windows that the tank's pH will start to affect the corals negatively. I did run the protein skimmer line outside to draw in fresh air, however it only does so much. Any advice or am I worrying about the pH level too much?
Hammer Coral. I will get a better picture next time the polyps are more extended now.
I like this coral a lot, it is a voracious eater and is a nice addition to the tank.
We have had cooler weather the past two days. I’ve had my windows open. If you have as well, have you noticed your pH going back up? If so, you have a CO2 problem in the house when it’s closed up. However, if I were to guess, especially in the summer, I’d guess that this is not your problem.
Are you dosing anything to maintain pH and calcium? And, how frequently and what percent volume of water changes do you do? And finally, whose salt are you using?
The windows have been open since yesterday and the pH always rebound when I do it. I use Tropic Marin Bio Actif Salt. I have been using a buffer in the tank and the Alk stays between 8-10 and Calcium 440-500ppm.
Pink Lobo and one of my new clowns.
Overall shot of the tank.
Second Green Bubble, I really like bubbles so I go another.
My Acan that has taken a beating at the claws of my hermit crabs, hopefully I can get it to recover.
I took the advice of my LFS and went with open rock work, plenty of places for the shrimp and fish to swim through or hide in. The clowns really like to swim through the caves looking for pods to eat. Overall the rocks are taking on a very nice purple hue as the coralline algae continues to grow. Coralline algae is starting to grow on my power heads and I have tiny patch on the overflow.
I have been using API test kits for Calcium, Alk, Nitrate and Phosphates. I was thinking about getting a second set from a different brand to confirm my parameters going forward now that I have more coral in the tank.
NJRC what are your experience with API tests kits and do you have a preference for certain kits for each tank parameter?
NJRC what are your experience with API tests kits and do you have a preference for certain kits for each tank parameter?
Tank Update
There have been some developments in the tank:
1. I purchased a dual media reactor from BRS, it has made a huge difference in the Phosphate level in the tank and the carbon has made the water much clearer. The corals have responded nicely to the addition of the media reactor.
2. I (my wife picked out) purchased a new fish for the tank, a Bicolor Pseudochromis. I like the color of the fish and it gets along well with the clowns.
3. The new Pink Lobo that was added to the tank recently started to recede. Upon further investigation I discovered a crab was living inside the coral. I removed it last night, but the damage has been done to the coral, it made two sizable holes in the coral and I hope that it recovers. I compared it to pictures on the internet and I think it was a Gall Crab.
4. I picked up a nice chalice coral from the LFS. I cannot wait for it to grow out as it will definitely be the centerpiece of the tank.
There have been some developments in the tank:
1. I purchased a dual media reactor from BRS, it has made a huge difference in the Phosphate level in the tank and the carbon has made the water much clearer. The corals have responded nicely to the addition of the media reactor.
2. I (my wife picked out) purchased a new fish for the tank, a Bicolor Pseudochromis. I like the color of the fish and it gets along well with the clowns.
3. The new Pink Lobo that was added to the tank recently started to recede. Upon further investigation I discovered a crab was living inside the coral. I removed it last night, but the damage has been done to the coral, it made two sizable holes in the coral and I hope that it recovers. I compared it to pictures on the internet and I think it was a Gall Crab.
4. I picked up a nice chalice coral from the LFS. I cannot wait for it to grow out as it will definitely be the centerpiece of the tank.
5. I got another Acan for the tank. I really like the Acan / Lobo corals, the color, patterns and shapes that they come in are just awesome.
6. The Acan that was taking a beating from the hermit crabs is starting to slowly come back. Each day it grows a little more and hopefully it will recover. I have a few hermits left in the tank, however once they go I will stick with a crabless CUC.
7. Since I have increased the amount of corals in the tank and I plan on getting more, I started to dose Kalkwasser via my ATO system. The pH level in the tank is more stable than in the past as well as the Alkalinity and Calcium levels.
6. The Acan that was taking a beating from the hermit crabs is starting to slowly come back. Each day it grows a little more and hopefully it will recover. I have a few hermits left in the tank, however once they go I will stick with a crabless CUC.
7. Since I have increased the amount of corals in the tank and I plan on getting more, I started to dose Kalkwasser via my ATO system. The pH level in the tank is more stable than in the past as well as the Alkalinity and Calcium levels.
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The pink lobo coral is struggling to overcome the damage from the Gall crab. Hopefully it will recover.
Hiitchhiker crabs can be a PIA, I am sure you are happy that you got rid of it now before it migrated to another coral. Give the lobo low flow and low light and you might have a shot at it. Maybe even a dip in revive or lugols to help it heal a bit if it looks worse.
Moved the Pink Lobo to lower flow, lower light corner of the tank. Almost instant polyp inflation and extension, I plan on keeping it in its new location. Trying to feed it through the recovery, hopefully it works.
Lost the green hammer today, one head melted away yesterday and the other today. Not sure what did it in, but it never seemed to adjust to the tank like the Torch and Forgspawn did.
Lost the green hammer today, one head melted away yesterday and the other today. Not sure what did it in, but it never seemed to adjust to the tank like the Torch and Forgspawn did.
Have not posted I awhile, not sure where to start so please excuse the mess of a post.
I lost the Pink Lobo and the Frogspawn, amongst other corals to my inexperience. I have invested in LED lighting and an MP10 for the tank, both of which have made a difference overall. One of the major issues in my tank that I was over looking was salinity. I was running the tank below 1.023 for the longest time. I invested in a refractometer. Once I raised the salinity in the tank the corals that were previously suffering and not doing well started to puff up and grow. I have been battling some cyano and HA, but I have gained the upper hand with additions to the CUC and reduction in feeding. Current Phosphates 0.00 and Nitrates about 10ppm.
I plan on making a bigger push into SPS corals. I tried a Montipora but it did not last over a month, probably due to Nitrates and Phosphates in the system. I have two other pieces of Acropora, one showed signs of STN from the bottom up, which seems to have stopped for the moment and another Acropora which is encrusting and changing a nice powdery blue green. Not sure what to make of it, but I will push on.
Some of my Zoanthids/Palys are growing like weeds while others have not sully opened in months, a mixed result as well.
The Torch coral has more than doubled in size and the new Hammer coral has split into 5 heads. The Candy Cane coral is also recovering and once again fully extended.
The two GSPs that I have are growing nicely and I will have to frag them out soon to control their spread.
Full Tank Shot, sorry for the glare I need to use a better camera.
I lost the Pink Lobo and the Frogspawn, amongst other corals to my inexperience. I have invested in LED lighting and an MP10 for the tank, both of which have made a difference overall. One of the major issues in my tank that I was over looking was salinity. I was running the tank below 1.023 for the longest time. I invested in a refractometer. Once I raised the salinity in the tank the corals that were previously suffering and not doing well started to puff up and grow. I have been battling some cyano and HA, but I have gained the upper hand with additions to the CUC and reduction in feeding. Current Phosphates 0.00 and Nitrates about 10ppm.
I plan on making a bigger push into SPS corals. I tried a Montipora but it did not last over a month, probably due to Nitrates and Phosphates in the system. I have two other pieces of Acropora, one showed signs of STN from the bottom up, which seems to have stopped for the moment and another Acropora which is encrusting and changing a nice powdery blue green. Not sure what to make of it, but I will push on.
Some of my Zoanthids/Palys are growing like weeds while others have not sully opened in months, a mixed result as well.
The Torch coral has more than doubled in size and the new Hammer coral has split into 5 heads. The Candy Cane coral is also recovering and once again fully extended.
The two GSPs that I have are growing nicely and I will have to frag them out soon to control their spread.
Full Tank Shot, sorry for the glare I need to use a better camera.
First of all, the FTS looks nice. I know you are battling HA, but for a young tank, hair algae is normal.
As strange as it sounds, you are not the first person to lose coral to low salinity - Mike and me lost a whole bunch of coral last year because I calibrated our refractometer incorrectly. The good thing is that you have diagnosed the problem.
As far as your corals go, keeping a mixed reef with zoas and SPS can be a bit tough. Zoas tend to like dirty water, whereas SPS do best in nutrient poor systems. That said, there are people who have done it and done it well. On the other side of the coin, as you move to a nutrient poor SPS system, you are likely to face reductions in the growth rate of your zoas. As for your acros, if you can dip the frag that is going through STN (I like ReVive) you may be able to halt it if it is bacterial. If the STN was due to salinity and/or alk swings, then dipping it may be unnecessary. Don't give up hope, we have had SPS struggle, nearly lost them, and then had a tiny branch grow back into a nice coral. We have gotten pretty good growth from zoas, SPS and LPS under LED lights, what fixture did you pick?
As strange as it sounds, you are not the first person to lose coral to low salinity - Mike and me lost a whole bunch of coral last year because I calibrated our refractometer incorrectly. The good thing is that you have diagnosed the problem.
As far as your corals go, keeping a mixed reef with zoas and SPS can be a bit tough. Zoas tend to like dirty water, whereas SPS do best in nutrient poor systems. That said, there are people who have done it and done it well. On the other side of the coin, as you move to a nutrient poor SPS system, you are likely to face reductions in the growth rate of your zoas. As for your acros, if you can dip the frag that is going through STN (I like ReVive) you may be able to halt it if it is bacterial. If the STN was due to salinity and/or alk swings, then dipping it may be unnecessary. Don't give up hope, we have had SPS struggle, nearly lost them, and then had a tiny branch grow back into a nice coral. We have gotten pretty good growth from zoas, SPS and LPS under LED lights, what fixture did you pick?
EcoTech Radion Gen I hung from the ceiling. I like being able to control the duration, spectrum and intensity.
*of the light.
