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Brian's 225g Monstrosity is Now 180 gallons of FUN!

B

Brian

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Well, it's been a looooong time since I've posted anything about my tank. Mostly because it's been one disaster after another.

First it was flatworms (for the third time) I got through that only to have bryopsis show up and cover the whole tank. I boosted my mag and like magic it went away...great, right?

Well, then I saw a little patch of macro algae...a type I have never had. Well, that patch has now overrun my entire tank. I am at my wits end, I'm seriously considering tearing it all down. I "think" that I am going to try and get rid of this macro first...but it's not looking promising.

So I'm looking for some help...I need an ID on the macro and I would like some recommendations for fish that may eat it (I currently have a Hippo Tang, Powder Brown Tang a pair of Swallowtail Angels, Blue Throat Trigger, Scooter Blenny and a Green Coris Wrasse) or an alternative way of getting rid of it. (I'm not totally against housing the corals somewhere else if need be).

Here are some very embarrassing pictures of the tank.

Here is the tank about a year ago.

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Here is the tank now.

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Some shots of the macro...

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Phyl

Phyl

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Re: Brian's 225g Monstrosity!

Well you certainly managed to make it look worse in pictures than it does even in PERSON! Sorry to see the tank looking like that, Bri. If you need a temporary home for your corals, we'd certainly hold them for you.
 
Edwardw771

Edwardw771

NJRC Member
Re: Brian's 225g Monstrosity!

Not sure what the hell that stuff is or how to get rid of it. But I'd be willing come over and help pull everything out and help you start over. I did that with my 90 over the past few months and I am really enjoying the process of starting over. The Way Merv showed me how to hook up the rocks is pretty cool.
 
jimroth

jimroth

Re: Brian's 225g Monstrosity!

Wowsers. That's a lotta grape caulerpa. Maybe a herd of tangs, on rental. When I had my "toilet tank" going for around a year I would periodically pull a dozen or so stinky handfuls out. Unsatisfying. I think you have to get most of it manually and then get a a zebra or sailfin tang, they love it, IME.
 
B

Brian

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Re: Brian's 225g Monstrosity!

Do you think that it's grape? I've had grape and the "grapes" were completely round...this kind is flat on the bottom.
 
jimroth

jimroth

Re: Brian's 225g Monstrosity!

Brian said:
Do you think that it's grape? I've had grape and the "grapes" were completely round...this kind is flat on the bottom.
Click to expand...
I had both kinds. It's definitely Caulerpa sp., whatever the flavor ;).
 
B

Brian

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Re: Brian's 225g Monstrosity!

Hawkeye said:
could it be Caulerpa nummularia ?
Click to expand...

I think that may be it. Of course it's a type that will definitely go sexual. Rabbitfish do seem to be the key to removal. I just couldn't see one fish doing any sort of substantial removal of it.
 
jimroth

jimroth

Re: Brian's 225g Monstrosity!

Brian said:
Hawkeye said:
could it be Caulerpa nummularia ?
Click to expand...

I think that may be it. Of course it's a type that will definitely go sexual. Rabbitfish do seem to be the key to removal. I just couldn't see one fish doing any sort of substantial removal of it.
Click to expand...
You definitely need to physically remove it. I think what fish can do is get all the little sprouts when it pops up where it was torn, etc. Also if a fish eats it it just becomes fish poop, where as harvesting exports nutrients from the system.
 
J

JerseyWendy

Re: Brian's 225g Monstrosity!

If you don't want to tear it all down, Brian, I'd suggest a Sailfin Tang and a Scribbled Rabbitfish. Both of mine are phenomenal at tearing apart any kind of algae that dares shows up in my tank.

I'd still remove lots of it manually though, as Jim suggested.
 
B

Brian

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Re: Brian's 225g Monstrosity!

Thanks for all the encouragement guys...The only problem with removing it is, I can barely reach the bottom the of tank (30") and with the canopy on it makes it almost impossible to work...but the canopy is to large and bulky to remove it alone...I'll try and see how much I can remove on my own...and then get a rabbitfish. Phyl told me about dosing vodka too...I guess I can always give that a shot...but I need to research it...I think I have a bottle of gray goose here...Top shelf for the fishies!
 
mikem

mikem

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Re: Brian's 225g Monstrosity!

Sorry to see your tank look like that.
I can make myself available whenever you need a hand for anything.
 
P

paintman27

Re: Brian's 225g Monstrosity!

3 words Brian......DITCH THE SAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I had this stuff when I was running my tank with a DSB. Since going naked, I rarely even have to clean my front glass not a spot of algae anywhere. Now lets wait for Blange to chime in and tell us that theres no such thing as a bare bottom ocean ;D
 
R

REEFLECTIONS

Re: Brian's 225g Monstrosity!

getting ready to put up the 125 bb and i can't wait for the tank to be sooo clean like alot of the other tanks i've seen of the fellow club people. i think i will create a remote deep sand bed, to make use of the sand i have in my 75 now.... i can always remove if i don't like it...
 
Phyl

Phyl

Officer Emeritus
Officer Emeritus
Re: Brian's 225g Monstrosity!

Well? I know you pulled a lot out. Any progress pics? Did you pick a plan yet?
 
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