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Need an intervention... marine addict... Clown trigger systems, tossing in cnidarians 09/13/2005 Dear Aqua-Gurus: <Eric> I've just overheard my dogs chatting about turning me into the ASPCA, as I've been pretty busy these past two months diligently enhancing, upgrading and/or setting up seven--yes seven--tanks. Two are freshwater, which I'll bypass in this query (indeed, they're so straight-forward, my dogs could pretty much run 'em). While I've garnered much from reading various postings, I do have some unanswered questions about three of my marine tank outfits: First, I have a 55-gallon tank wholly dedicated to a clown trigger (3"). He rules the roost! Wet/dry set up with an external canister for extra bio, chem, and mechanical filtration and a decent protein skimmer. I've become a fan of live rock in recent months as I've spent time developing a nano reef tank. From a filtration standpoint, how much live rock would you recommend adding to supplement the wet dry (rather than replace it)? <Ten, twenty pounds here... need room, and will need a larger tank soon... for the Trigger> All parameters continue to be favorable, though nitrates climb to 5-10 ppm in between water changes. That boy is one messy eater (loves thawed frozen shrimp the most). I recognize that he would benefit from the biological plusses of the live rock, but are there other benefits I should be considering? Will the live rock eventually "bring to life" the non-living rock in my tank? <To some extent, yes> I suspect the clown will "clean" off the rock of any tasty items that hitchhike their way into the tank, true? <Again, for the most part, yes> Even the coralline algae? And will I need to add calcium supplementation and the like should I decide to add the live rock to the Clown quarters? <Maybe... but not likely... With the requisite water changes, enough alkaline reserve and biomineral will be added> On a maintenance issue, I'm judicious about water changes and regular cleaning, but are there any "clean-up crew" options to address the mild to moderate algae growth on the tank floor and walls? <Not with this Trigger in place> Longspine black urchin with its defensive qualities? A Mexican turbo snail with its own fortress? A nocturnal emerald crab? <All will/would be alternate play things and food items> These might be questions in vain....he is a clown after all, but thought they were worth asking. He seems like one of the nicer ones--at least at this size. :) Second, I am up and running with three other tanks--two nanos and a 40g--each serving as different reef ecosystem variations. One is well along.... 15 lbs of beautifully colored live rock, four different small polyp colonies, two small vibrant red mushrooms, a small green trumpet coral, a feather duster, a friendly yellow bellied blue damsel, and a Rainford goby...all doing, well, swimmingly. Yesterday, I purchased a beautiful green star polyp--attached to a live rock the size of a small fist--from the LFS. It was pretty showy there in the store, but after placing it in my tank--after an acclimation period of about 45-50 minutes-- <... you should, will learn the lessons of quarantine> the polyps have not reappeared. How long does it take them to show themselves? <... depends...> I have them at the top of the tank where there's strong water flow and great lighting. Shall I just leave it alone? <At this point, I would> Or try different placements to see what appeals to it? Are there sensitivities that I'm not considering? <Oh yes...> Or have they buried themselves in the rock never to be seen again? I'm afraid I'm not very familiar with this species. <... study before purchase...> All my water parameters are great, though my nano-tank runs a little warm...between 79.8 and 82.5....and the calcium readings are in the mid 300s. Trying to bump it up gently over time. For my 40-gallon set-up, my LFS talked me into a small hammer coral, which I also added yesterday, joining a fair amount of live rock (adding more later after it's moved through its curing), some hermit crabs, an Emerald Crab, and a Mexican turbo snail. Like the green polyp, the hammer seemed to be more "exposed" at the store. How long will it take to present itself? <Maybe a week, perhaps never... impossible to say> I tried offering it some small brine shrimp with an eye dropper and it retracted--a coral's version of turning up its nose. Just a little while ago, the moon lights switched , and it's now out again slightly--just not to the degree that it was in its tank at the LFS. As an aside, its "mouth" is now stretched open with a very interesting small web apparatus coming out periodically--I'm guessing to nab micros in passing. (Anyone who thinks all the gee-whiz stuff happens when the light is on needs to sit in the dark with the moon light on and check out all the fascinating spectacles behind the tank wall!) It's the only coral in the tank for the time being, as I want to move slowly with this set-up. I believe I did read that hammers along with elegance corals and a few others in the family actually prefer/thrive in water with higher nitrates than what one usually finds in reef tanks. True?? <Yes> I do plan on adding a few fish to this tank over time....considering a filamented flasher wrasse, royal Gramma, Fridmani Pseudochromis, cinnamon clownfish, and neon blue goby as well as (possibly) an elegance coral, a Kenya tree coral (aquacultured), a short tentacle plate coral, an orange sea star, and one or two feather dusters. See any challenges/problems/compatibility issues with any of those I mentioned? <All sorts> I would plan on spacing the aggressive corals at opposite ends of the tank. <... not enough> Finally--and perhaps most importantly given my bordering-on-insane marine tank obsession, I am setting up a 20G quarantine tank. <Yay!> You all have made a strong argument in its favor. My LFS has excellent stock, and I've never had a problem... but it only takes one outbreak. Question though....if I get 4-5 fish at the same time through my LFS or a mail order option, is it problematic for them to share the quarantine quarters? <Possibly... depends on the mix> (They're all peaceful, so there wouldn't likely be any compatibility issues....but what if 4 are healthy and fit and one is on the verge of an infection?) Also, how often do you recommend water changes in a quarantine tank? <More Q tanks, more time...> I could ask dozens of other questions, but I fear I've already crossed the proverbial line. My "crew" and I are deeply grateful (in advance) for your guidance. Eric in North Carolina <Keep studying... and enjoying! Bob Fenner>
Starfish & (My Friend) Goo Problems, Flame scallop Flamers... Hello! I need advice again oh wise ones! <More like wise n heimers> First off here's the tank specs - 29gal 3-5" DSB, 30lbs(-ish) LR from a previous large reef setup Double 55w PC 50/50 lighting Emperor 400 doing the filtering - I don't change the filters and there's tons of pods and shrimps in there so they keep it fairly clean. <Good> 2 - 225gph powerheads set on either end Water all checked out as normal and stays that way for the most part. I do a 10% water change about 3-4 times a week...no extra additives, I figured I was changing enough water that the salt mix would cover this. <Yes... good practice> Creatures 3 little red starfish (think they're Fromia) 1 "African" anemone. I still have not been able to find out what this thing really is but it is doing well. I see the dyed ones in the store a lot... most of them looked half dead.. 2 - true perc clowns 1 firefish 1 neon goby 1 yellow watchman goby 1 neon Dottyback 2 skunk cleaner shrimp Numerous little hermits and snails Trumpet coral and a small rock of green sea mat Ok my first question...I used to have 2 flame scallops that were doing well. They had supplemental feedings every other day and their shells were nice and dark. I had let them stay near the back of the aquarium for awhile and they were fine like that for a good 6 months. One day in my cleaning I got the brilliant idea to move them out to where people could see them! Evidently it wasn't a good idea... the next morning one of the shells was empty and that was quickly followed by the emptying of the other shell. Now could the 3 cute little red stars be the ones to blame here? I can't think of anyone else in the tank that would really feed on these guys. <These Lima's just don't live period in captivity... in the wild they're either on the move (can jet about) or way back where other animals' can't get to them> Second question/problem...I cannot for the life of me get the Cyano and hair algae to go away. I have read up on both of them on your forums but it seems no matter what I do it keeps coming back. <Is persistent> I put a lot more turbulence in the tank with the addition of two 225gph powerheads and like I said I do 3-4 10% water changes a week. <All helpful> The Cyano (pretty sure it's Cyano.. nice red slime that burns when it's on your skin) seems to love the added flow and has covered the back part of the glass overnight. I am in the process of getting a decent skimmer... <Good idea> ...evidently my water changes aren't enough. I don't add any extra additives and I'm very careful about how much food goes into the tank. Do you think the skimmer will help? <Definitely> I don't think it could hurt though I'm running out of edges to hang gadgets off of! Thanks! ~Angela <Mmmmm, am thinking about a bigger tank for you? You don't need that couch! You don't need that TV!... Bob Fenner> -Fish and Beer? The best (reef) Combo Ideas- Greetings and salutations!!! <Hello, and how are you?> I am in the early stages of (my latest aquatic endeavor) setting up a 180g reef tank. it's location is built into a wall, approx. 10 ft. away from a home-bar, with a built in keg-refrigerator underneath. I was wondering if I could use this life-supportive resource of cold beverages to help keep the temp. of my tank down. <Oh yes. This is a great DIY project that is very easy.> If you think this could assist in keeping the tank temperature down during the summer months, what diameter and thickness of piping should I use to plumb this 'home-chiller' to and from my sump. <Umm I would use 1 inch or maybe 2 inch tubing, but put it on its own circuit. For more safety, make it completely closed loop, and have two coils one in the tank and one in the fridge/keg.> Overall length would be approx. 40' including the 20' of coiling around the keg inside the fridge. What should the flow rate be? <I am not sure on that but I would think a good rate of 600-800gph would suffice, though you may need more or less depending on the ambient temperature. Also I would put the coiled lines in freshwater in the fridge in a container rather than around the keg since it is easier maintenance and removal if necessary.> Would a designated pump w/ temp control be best, or could I just use a tap off the main sump return? <Either, but a designated pump would offer the best control and the least amount of your time to maintain the proper temperatures at any given time.> Is this going to significantly warm up my beer? Thanks sooo much for all the past help, and not laughing at my latest brainstorm! <Hmm not really. The Temps would be stable in the fridge. The idea is one that has been used a lot with those little dorm sized mini fridges so its a tried and true answer for a chiller. I would search for a DIY chiller online to get some detailed plans on it, but good luck and good drinking. Please just don't drink and drill :) > <Justin (Jager)> Marine Stocking question 6 Mar 2005 Love your site though it has made me realize my many stupid, irrational mistakes as a new marine aquarist. <Don't worry we have all made them. That's the point of something like this website to try to help people.> I will not go into detail, out of embarrassment and time, I will just say lessons learned and leave it at that. After loosing my entire stock to marine velvet, I now have my few remaining bluefoot and zebra hermits and my two emerald crabs in the quarantine tank. <Quarantine really does make a huge difference.> I am letting my 30 gallon display tank run empty for 8 weeks. I should mention I increased the temp to 92 degrees to speed along the parasite cycle and lowered the salinity. <Lowering the salinity to 1.010 should take care of it.> I took out all decorations and bleached. They are still out of the tank. <Be very careful to get the chlorine out of the corals. Make sure there is NO chlorine smell whatsoever.> Here comes the questions: Should I also bleach components of the filtration system or is letting the tank run fallow enough to destroy the parasite? Should I leave all the filtration medium in while the tank is cycling through this period? <That depends on the type of filtration medium that you are using. Sponges should be thoroughly rinsed with fresh water. I wouldn't use the chlorine because that can bring on additional problems.> When it is done and I get ready to add anything, all new filter medium? <You'd be better to be able to continue to use the medium you have. Lowered salinity should take care of the parasite problems.> One thing I also wished I had done from the beginning with this tank was to have some live rock. I was told so many opinions on that subject that I shied away from it. Now I think the benefits for filtration and my fish far out way the disadvantages, which I can't remember what they were. <For most people the disadvantages are cost and curing time. However I think the live rock WAY WAY WAY proves to be advantageous.> Once my tank has run for 8 weeks would this be a good time to introduce live rock? <Adding it first would be the way I would suggest that you go. So yes immediately after you get the tank back up to the proper salinity.> How long would that have to cycle before I could add my new stock of fish. <That's going to depend on the live rock itself.> That takes me to the last question.......fish stocking for this size of tank. (My biggest mistake in the beginning..... why the guys at the LFS let you buy fish they know are not appropriate for your tank!!) <In all fairness they are in the business to sell the fish. You might find a good local store that places its emphasis on having people have successful tanks. But having worked in pet stores, most of the time when you tell someone the fish will be too big for your tank they just ignore you. It gets to the point where you hate to waste your time.> Anyhow Here is what I would like: Small Pixy Hawkfish (had one before, he ate out of my hand, gotta get one again) His name was Spike. Gosh we miss him!! <Great fish indeed.> 1 bicolor blenny Pair of True Black Percula Clownfish 1 serpent starfish 1 cleaner shrimp (our hawkfish left ours alone in our last tank) <You'll need to get the cleaner shrimp in the tank first and get him settled before you add the hawkfish. For the most part cleaners are safe if they aren't swimming or moving around in the tank but instead keeping to their areas.> Thanks for all of your help and for hosting such an informative website. <Thanks for the nice compliments Shannon, its great to hear them. Hope I helped you. MacL> Circulation, bubbles, and stock help WWM crew, <John> First off, thanks for your previous help. I have upgraded my lighting to 288 W (for a 55 gallon) with another 96w VHO and my bulb anemone seems quite happy now. I have also realized that Bob Fenner is the man responsible for this site! What an honor! CMA is my first and best guide for my aquarium hobby. :) Thank you for all of your help and the information you make available to us! I love you guys! <Whoa!> OK, sorry to bother again but I have been doing much perusing of your site and have several questions now. I have a very modest setup with a 55 gallon(48x18x14) tank with 288 of VHO lighting, 2 AquaClear 110(500) back-pack type filters (with sponges on the intakes) and a Bak-Pak protein skimmer. My system has been running for about a year now. The water is very healthy and my livestock seems to be doing very well. I am trying to tweak my tank to make the best of what I have and had the following questions. 1. Circulation: The AquaClears are mounted on the back on either side of the tank with the Bak-Pak protein skimmer in the middle. Do you have any suggestions to help water flow with such a simple set-up? Is my flow ok? <Likely could be improved... read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/circmarart.htm and the links above...> 2. Skimmer intake: Do you have any suggestions for more protection on my protein skimmer intake? <Read here: http://www.google.com/custom?q=skimmer+intake+protection&sitesearch=wetwebmedia.com > 3. I have a bit of micro-bubble build up from my skimmer outtake (hangs on the glass). Is this a problem or a potential one? < http://www.wetwebmedia.com/bubtroubfaqs.htm > 4. I currently have 1 Midas blenny, 1 ocellaris clown, 2 juvenile blue tangs (planning on moving when they get bigger-gifts from a friend), 1 rose bulb anemone, some clove polyps, star polyps, button polyps, a few hairy mushrooms, and a cleaner shrimp. I am thinking of adding the following over the next year: marble sea star, a diamond watchman goby, 1 crocea/squamosa clam, some pipe organ coral, and maybe some blue Ricordeas. Are all these compatible? <Overall, yes... I would use the Google search tool on WWM to investigate re care, selection, compatibility....> How about bioload? Is this too much? <Ultimately, with growth, yes> I think I'm ok with the fish but don't know how to measure for inverts. Wanted to make sure BEFORE I added anything else. Thanks again for your time and advice. A concerned beginner reef aquarist, John Kelley <John, do spend a good deal of time, effort in gathering collateral information here... through study you should be fine. Bob Fenner> Tweaking a Successful System! As is so common, I too begin with a huge THANK YOU for the vast information you put at our fingertips! Your threads have become a bible to us as we continue with this fascinating endeavor of reefing. <And thank you for being part of the WWM adventure! Scott F. here tonight!> An introduction to our obsession: 92 gallon bow front reef with built in overflow - Reef System - 450 MH 150 + of live rock 4-5" deep bed of live sand FISH: Powder Blue Tang (4"), Splendid Pseudochromis, Lawnmower Blenny, Pink Spot Watchman Goby, Target Mandarin, 2 Purple Fire Fish, Yellowhead Jaw Fish, Cherry Red Flame Hawk, 3 Neon Gobies, Pair Male/Female Gamma Basslet, Six Line Wrasse, and 4 Catalina Gobies. <An interesting, colorful mix> CORALS: Various Mushrooms (Red, Blue, Green Stripe, Hairy, Elephant), 3 Colors of Star Polyps, Waving Hand Xenia, Toadstool Leather, Cabbage Leather, Spaghetti Leather, Fox Coral, Candy Cane Coral, Hammer Coral, Kenya Tree Coral, Blue Maxima Clams, Orange Zoos & Other Assorted Polyps. OTHER CRITTERS: Coral Banded Shrimp, 2 Skunk Cleaner Shrimp, 3 Peppermint Shrimp, 3 Emerald Mithrax Crabs, 1 Sallie Lightfoot Crab (Sally is vicious! Ate about $120 worth of shrimp in 2 days! Can't put small shrimp in with her anymore!), 3 Christmas Tree Worm Rocks, 4 Hawaiian Feather Dusters, 1 Pink Cocoa Worm, 1 Red Knobby Star, 1 Orange Star, 2 Brittle Stars, 1 Sand Sifting Star, Numerous & Various Snails, Hermit Crabs (Didn't realize they weren't truly 'reef safe' until your threads!), & 1 Pink Knobby Cucumber. 40 gallon tall reef with built in overflow - Horse House - Corallife PC @ 35-40 lbs of live rock Refugium Mud Bed with 3-4" deep bed of live sand CRITTERS: 2 Black Reidi Seahorses, 2 Yellow Reidi Seahorses, 2 Red Erectus Seahorses, 1 Blood Red Fire Shrimp, 1 Sand Sifting Star, 1 Purple Linckia Star, and 3 Peppermint Shrimp. <Sounds really interesting> CORALS: Various Mushrooms, Star Polyps, Waving Hand Xenia, Orange Zoos & Other Assorted Polyps. The SET-UP: The 92 & 40 Gravity Feed to a Bucket housing the Mag 7 Pump direct feeding the AquaC EV-180 Protein Skimmer The Protein Skimmer overflows into a 29 Gallon Sump with about 35-40 lbs of Live Rock & 500 W Titanium Heater The 29 Gallon Sump overflows into a 5 Gallon Tank used as an overflow to the 60 Gallon Refugium (filled to about 40 Gallons) which overflows into another 5 Gallon Tank housing a CA-2200 (returning to the Horse House) & a CA-4000 (returning to the 92 Reef) The Refugium houses: Snails, Sand Sifting Star, & 2 Cleaner Shrimp with a 5" live sand bed, and a 150 W Heater. <Excellent!> Everything is doing very well! All levels great! All Corals Great! All Fish Great! All Critters Great! QUESTIONS: 1) Did we set this up right? We have read that it is strongly suggested that the refugium gravity feed back to the main tanks. Unfortunately we were unable to accommodate that and must pump the water back to the main tanks. We want to make sure that the live food available to our Reef & Horse House is ample. <Well, in a perfect world, the refugium would be above the display, but not everyone can configure their setups to function this way. As long as your refugium is thriving and filled with life, your tank will benefit regarding its location within your system, IMO.> 2) Are our fish in the 92 overstocked? They all stay relatively small with the exception of the Powder Blue Tang. When he gets too large we plan to trade him for another baby (I love to watch them grow!). <I wouldn't say "too crowded" at this point, but the tank is about as populated as I'd care to make it! I would not add any additional fishes to this system.> 3) Is a CA Reactor really necessary? <Well, a calcium reactor is not "necessary"; you can supplement with Kalkwasser in a tank with modest calcium demands (such as your mixed soft/LPS tank.), but the Tridacnids will benefit from some form of calcium supplementation. Reactors really help you achieve a balance of alkalinity and calcium within the system, and can usually do a fine job of keeping up with your tank's needs if you size it appropriately> Testing the calcium levels in the tank only takes a few minutes. Are these tests inaccurate? <I have found most of the hobbyist-grade calcium test kits that I have used to be just fine for our purposes.> 4) I would like to add a High-Fin Goby or a Pseudochromis to the Horse House. I have read that we should not put anything in the tank that will compete for food with horses. <Correct> Is one fish too much competition? <I would avoid the Pseudochromis under all circumstances. Even the most mild-mannered species could present problems for the seahorses.> Is there any specific fish that you would recommend to house with the Horses (other than none?)? <Well, none would be my choice! However, you asked, so I suppose the only ones that I'd consider would be very small, relatively inactive fishes, such as Neon Gobies, or maybe Mandarins (although they are a competitor for many of the same foods that the seahorses eat, and can out-compete them...). In the end, I'd leave the spectacular seahorses to themselves.> 5) We are preparing to purchase the Mix 'n Match $99.95 special from Indo Pacific Sea Farm. Do you have any specific recommendations for enhancing the refugium? <I'd include the Trochus, Strombus, and Turbo snails, as well the "Tang Heaven" (Gracilaria macroalgae), "baby bristle worms", amphipods, and "live sand booster" in my selections. Just about everything that IPSF offers is useful, IMO. I really like the company and the livestock that they offer. The owner, Gerald Heslinga, is a great guy and a pleasure to do business with!> 6) Do I have to worry about the Flame Hawk eating the peppermint shrimp? Spanky (yes we name them!) is just under two inches right now, but will grow! <Well, these guys do have surprisingly voracious appetites, despite their seemingly small mouths. They can decimate a snail or small hermit crab population easily. You can't be 100% certain that your shrimp will be safe indefinitely!> HAVE I EXCEEDED MY QUESTION LIMIT YET? <Nah!> 7) I add the tank supplements to the Sump. Is this the optimal location? <As long as you have sufficient flow returning to the tank, this will keep your additives from concentrating dangerously in the sump. Additives like Kalkwasser should be added in a high flow area, preferably in the display.> 8) I just added the Six Line Wrasse last week. He is tiny, about 1/2". Can I add a larger Fairy Wrasse while he is small? Or, am I at tank capacity with the 92 Reef? <I think that you're maxed out.> 9) Should I add a bunch of cucumbers to the Refugium? <They can be useful if you have a deep sand bed, but I prefer not to include them, myself. I feel that they are more of a nuisance than a help, IMO!> 10) Can I add a Midas Blenny to the 92 Reef without problems with the Lawnmower Blenny? <These fishes can be pretty grumpy, and may not be "model citizens" in most cases, IMO.> STILL NOT OVER MY QUESTION LIMIT? <You're getting there...LOL> Swear! Last One! Are Mangroves worth the trouble? <Mangroves are really cool, neat to look at, and add some interesting "microhabitats" to your tank (the root systems help foster epiphytic matter and provide shelter for various natural plankton). However, they are not efficient nutrient export mechanisms for most systems, as they grow very slowly..> Thank you for taking the time to answer all of our questions. Our system has evolved to what it is largely due to the information in your threads (we started off with PCs, TidePool). We have sooooo much tied up in it at this point I just want to make sure we are on the right track. <You are! You should be quite proud of your systems to date! We are thrilled to have played a small part in your success!> Best regards, Jenn <Glad to be of service, Jenn! Feel free to contact us again any time! Regards, Scott F.> - Problems with Problem Algae - Hello all at WetWebMedia, <Hello.> I am interested on your feedback in relation to my circumstance. The website is very helpful and appreciated. My question is regarding a 120 gallon reef tank with an outbreak of Bryopsis, Derbesia, and possibly Cladophora filament algae. The tank is three months old and doing quite well, all water parameters of the nitrogen cycle according to my test results, are good. By giving you a brief synopsis of my system maybe you could arise on a path I should take. - 120 gallon display with 90 pounds of live rock and 2" sand bed. - 90 gallon sump half being a refugium housing red and green Gracilaria and a species of Caulerpa lit by 75 watts on 24/7. - Two Blue Line pumps 1100 gallons/hr each and a Tunze Stream 6000 1850 gallons/hr. - Two 20 K HQI pendants and two 110watt VHO Super Actinic on for 10 hours. - Aqua C 180 Skimmer. - RO/DI make-up water. - Reef Crystal salt used in a 5% water change weekly. - 76 degree tank water, specific gravity of 1.0250. - One Kole tang 3" . - 15 snails. - One Blackcap Basslet. Thank for all the hard work. Dante C. <Please read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/algaeconMar.htm http://www.wetwebmedia.com/avoidingalgaeproblesm.htm Cheers, J -- > Algae Problem Hello, <Hello Ryan> My name is Ryan Mischnick and I would first like to say I really love you site. It is very informative and I visit it every day. I have a 35 gallon cube that has been up and running for about 2 years. The tank is doing very well. I have a few questions that you can hopefully help me with. First, within the last two weeks I have had green hair algae take over the rocks in my tank. Nitrites and Phosphates are undetectable and I have tried doing more frequent water changes and I scrub the rocks constantly. below are my test readings. Please Help. Nitrite- <.3 <You mentioned above that your nitrites were undetectable and you list a .3 on your test readings. Which is correct? You shouldn't measure any nitrites in a normal system, but looking below with your fish load it is understandable. Too many fish for that size tank.> Ammonia- 0 Nitrate Nitrogen <10 mg/l Ph- 8.3 KH- 10-12 Calcium- 500 mg/l Phosphate 0 Another question that I had is about the stocking of my tank. All of the fish get along very nicely and there are no behavioral problems. The tank consists of 1 Maroon Clown (1 inch) 2 Firefish (1.3 inches each) 1 neon goby (.5 inch) 1 Hawaiian tang (2 inches) 1 sixline wrasse (1.3 inches) 1 algae blenny (1.3 inches. recently added to help with the hair algae) <Your algae problem is due to importing more waste than the system can export.> Do you think this is a good amount and mixture of fish? <No, as above there are too many fish for a 35 gallon. The tang definitely does not belong in there as they require a much larger tank than that, and the Maroon Clown will grow quite large as far as clowns go.> My current tank setup is: 30 lbs of live rock Aquaclear 300 filter (aprox 400 gph) Bak pak protein skimmer (295 gph) 3 powerheads doing 550 gph 140 watt Lunar Coralife light (10 hour on) Is this enough water movement?? <Definitely> I have the following corals Open Brain Hammer Coral Branching Frogspawn Torch Coral Rose bubble anemone Several Mushroom Corals Bubble Coral Trumpet Coral The corals are doing well but a few aren't opening up as large as they used to. The Brain used to get about 3 times as big. is it possible to overstock corals?<Yes, without sufficient bio-filtration.> They have ample space between corals and I add phytoplankton once a week as well as calcium, strontium, iodine and Cyclop-eeze.<This is good> Any suggestions to get the them to open up more again?<You don't mention water changes. You need to change 10% weekly as a normal maintenance function. This will help the corals. Your lighting is a little on the weak side also, especially for the hard corals. You really should have a test kit for the iodine. Too high a level can be detrimental.> I am running the skimmer 24/7 is that the right thing to do? or does that contribute to the algae growth? <No, the skimmer needs to run 24/7 and helps reduce algae growth.> I really really love my tank and enjoy the hobby greatly. I am very meticulous with maintenance and would greatly appreciate it if you could help me answer these questions. <It appears that the live rock is the only form of biological filtration you have. I recommend adding at least 10 more pounds preferably 15 of live rock. Even though the tang and the clown are not large right now, they do grow quickly, especially the clown. Keeping them will just add more waste to the system down the road. A 35 gallon tank, after adding the rock, corals etc ends up being closer to 25 gallons in actual water capacity, and that is not large enough for your fish and coral load. James (Salty Dog)> Thanks, Ryan A Mixed Bag of Questions! Hi Crew - Couple Questions, <Sure! Scott F. here today!> I've got a 120gal FOWLR with 20gal sump, 15gal refuge w/ Chaeto & 30gal DSB refuge w/ Chaeto all plumbed in-line. About 180lbs of LR covered w/ purple& pink coralline algae in main tank w/ ½ " medium substrate on bottom. Turns over about 1700gph with Iwaki100 (12 ft head travel - in basement). AquaC 120 powered by Iwaki40, Red Sea Ozone & UV sterilizer. Water params all look relatively good - nitrites-0,nitrates-10-15, ammonia-0, ph 8.2, temp 76, salinity 1.025, 360CA, 8dkh. I do battle w/ low dKH, though. Slowly in the process of adjusting 2-part dosage to balance out. 30% water change every 2 weeks. All water changes & evaporate top-off done with buffered/aerated RO water from Kent Maxxima Hi Silicate (changed out all membranes 4 months ago). Lights on refuges 24/7. PC lights on main tank - 260w 10,000K & 260w Actinic. Tanks been up 8 years - 2.5 years w/ live rock & 7 months ago went through cross town move (painful!!!). The questions. Green hair algae! Appeared 5 weeks ago out of the blue. No changes around that time. Phosphate test kit not showing any readings - maybe slightly. <Well, "slightly" is important. It only takes a very low phosphate reading to result in an algae bloom.> I thaw & rinse food prior to feeding - food varies: Mysis, Formula1, Formula2, blended squid/clam/mussel, Nori. Light cycle is 12hr actinic & 10hr 10,000K on timers. About 35 turbo snails, 40 blue legs & 25 Cerith snails. I have to end up brushing LR w/ a toothbrush every week to keep clear. A week after hair algae appeared, I made some adjustments. I've cut photo period down to 10hr actinic & 8hr 10,000K. Introduced PhosGuard in sump as precaution, as well as activated charcoal <Carbon, right?> - replaced both after 2 weeks. Stopped the 2-part dosing for right now. The last step is to replace PC bulbs - they're on the way. They've been in there about 18mo - I know they should be replaced at least every 12mo. Can bulb's loss of spectrum be causing this or is there something else? <It is possible that the spectrum has strayed into lower Kelvin ranges that tend to favor algae growth, but light alone is not the cause of algae problems> The algae growth seems to be only marginally affected. Any thoughts? <Well, algae problems are almost always caused by nutrient excesses. Light, coupled with excess nutrients can result in nuisance algae blooms. I think that you are on the right path. Just keep up more frequent water exchanges (I like two 5% changes per week) with quality source water. Make sure that you are using a very high grade of carbon (one that does not leach phosphates), and be sure that you are getting good production from your very capable skimmer. With continued diligence on your part, you'll begin to defeat the algae problem!> Cleaning Iwaki pumps? Flow seems to be down a little on them - 1& 2 years old. I'm assuming they should be regularly cleaned, but I can't find any maintenance instructions on the web or in the manuals. I'm assuming you unbolt the screws off of the intake side of the pump to clean everything. I'm a fairly technical person & shouldn't have an issue doing that, but I want to make sure - #1 it's ok to do so & #2 the pump is designed to be cleaned that way. Having to unbolt 8 or so screws to clean the pump doesn't seem like the best design - that's why I'm questioning myself. Again, any thoughts? <Do consult Iwaki/Walchem (the manufacturer) on this one. It is relatively easy to disassemble and clean, but you really want to consult the manufacturer to make sure that you are familiar with the procedures and placement of the components.> Turbo snails deaths? I've seen a fairly high death toll on some recent turbo snail additions. About 20 of them went through QT for a month - lost about 3. Now in the main tank I've lost about 8 that were introduced about 2 weeks ago. Only the new ones are seeming to go. My old ones are covered in coralline algae, so their easy to tell apart. I brought more in to help combat algae problem. Any thoughts? Thanks, John <Well, John, I have seen this phenomenon before, and it's hard to say what the cause might be. It's certainly possible that they are succumbing to acclimation problems or collection/shipping traumas. You could be looking at a disease of some sort that your existing specimens have developed a resistance to, but it's hard to be sure. The best solution I can think of is to try a different source for your snails, and acclimate them very slowly. Try them from a few different sources to see who has the best specimens. Best of luck! Regards, Scott F.> Circulation, bubbles, and stock help WWM crew, <John> First off, thanks for your previous help. I have upgraded my lighting to 288 W (for a 55 gallon) with another 96w VHO and my bulb anemone seems quite happy now. I have also realized that Bob Fenner is the man responsible for this site! What an honor! CMA is my first and best guide for my aquarium hobby. :) Thank you for all of your help and the information you make available to us! I love you guys! <Whoa!> OK, sorry to bother again but I have been doing much perusing of your site and have several questions now. I have a very modest setup with a 55 gallon(48x18x14) tank with 288 of VHO lighting, 2 AquaClear 110(500) back-pack type filters (with sponges on the intakes) and a Bak-Pak protein skimmer. My system has been running for about a year now. The water is very healthy and my livestock seems to be doing very well. I am trying to tweak my tank to make the best of what I have and had the following questions. 1. Circulation: The AquaClears are mounted on the back on either side of the tank with the Bak-Pak protein skimmer in the middle. Do you have any suggestions to help water flow with such a simple set-up? Is my flow ok? <Likely could be improved... read here: http://www.wetwebmedia.com/circmarart.htm and the links above...> 2. Skimmer intake: Do you have any suggestions for more protection on my protein skimmer intake? <Read here: http://www.google.com/custom?q=skimmer+intake+protection&sitesearch=wetwebmedia.com > 3. I have a bit of micro-bubble build up from my skimmer outtake (hangs on the glass). Is this a problem or a potential one? < http://www.wetwebmedia.com/bubtroubfaqs.htm > 4. I currently have 1 Midas blenny, 1 ocellaris clown, 2 juvenile blue tangs (planning on moving when they get bigger-gifts from a friend), 1 rose bulb anemone, some clove polyps, star polyps, button polyps, a few hairy mushrooms, and a cleaner shrimp. I am thinking of adding the following over the next year: marble sea star, a diamond watchman goby, 1 crocea/squamosa clam, some pipe organ coral, and maybe some blue Ricordeas. Are all these compatible? <Overall, yes... I would use the Google search tool on WWM to investigate re care, selection, compatibility....> How about bioload? Is this too much? <Ultimately, with growth, yes> I think I'm ok with the fish but don't know how to measure for inverts. Wanted to make sure BEFORE I added anything else. Thanks again for your time and advice. A concerned beginner reef aquarist, John Kelley <John, do spend a good deal of time, effort in gathering collateral information here... through study you should be fine. Bob Fenner>
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