Putter's first tank

[yote]

A DKH of 9 is border line low,but not bad.DKH is alkalinity measured in german degrees of hardness.(cant explain it)

I like the foxface.Mines got to be my favorite fish.
The corals look great to though.

 

[putter]

Thanks Robert, the rock appears to be getting some purple on it indeed, and I don't think it's the fault of the camera, more my shaky ass hands LOL anyhow....I can hardly wait to get the new fish to the DT I think he is going to love it there!

 

[putter]

sorry Yote didn't notice your reply, so if I am borderline I guess I better order something to buff it up a bit. Will retest it tomorrow to make sure I didn't screw up. Any suggestions on what to use to pump it up a bit?

I am a little disapointed with the florida blue, but I guess it will grow and turn out ok in the long run, going to swap the zozanthid and the GSP tonight when the lunar lights come on, thinking I may move the florida blue a bit as well, find some place with a bit more shade maybe. I think I may have gotten a free critter of some sort with the zoanthid, last night while I was preparing to put the zoanthid in the tank I noticed something crawling along the top of the tank near the opening, with out a thought I gave it a little bump into the tank, I have yet to spot it in there but it looked simalar to a crab...I think....will look for it after lights out tonight see if I can spot it.

 

[yote]

I use Kent Marines super Buffer in the powder.But SeaChem makes a product called Reef Builder.Its supposed to raise alkalinity but not the PH.

I'm guessing that your using Oceanic salt?

 

[putter]

Kent marine salt, ordered the large pail of it, good for 200 gallons. First pail is almost gone now, maybe 3 WC left in it. I will order the buffer tomorrow if the tests show the DKH is down again, I'm looking for around 14 right?

 

[Doc]

Kent marine salt, ordered the large pail of it, good for 200 gallons. First pail is almost gone now, maybe 3 WC left in it. I will order the buffer tomorrow if the tests show the DKH is down again, I'm looking for around 14 right?

14 DKh is pretty high. I try to keep mine around 12 and Calcium about 500. Makes my LPS grow well, but can't make those damn SPS do a thing....:grumble:

Seachem has a wonderful reef builder that I have used for years. the purple bottle, get the powder, it lasts longer than the liquid

-Doc

 

[putter]

Hey, the thumbs up button is gone :( oh well, thanks doc will shoot for DKh of around 12 and give this reef builder a try.

 

[putter]

Not sure why I got the spike but tested the QT this morning and nitrites were .4 and nitrates at 10, PMed a few, waited a bit for a responce, felt the need to get the fishes out of the QT asap, did just that, when I returned red had replied. Thanks for confirming the move red, the 2 new fish seem to be happy in the DT the fox face went to picking at the hair algae within the first 5 min of being in the DT. Nemo's seem to be ok with each other...looks like they buddied up and are swimming about.

 

[Alexander]

hope all is well. let us know

 

[yote]

Raise your DKH Doc.I keep mine at 14DKH with calcium at 450 and magnesium between 1300 and 1400.Seems to keep my SPS happy.

 

[Doc]

I may give it a shot. I noticed a nubbins of growth on my milli today. It has take almost 2 months to put out a "nub". maybe before I die, it will sprout a new branch

-Doc

 

[putter]

Well 3 days into the new tank and the fox face seems to be ok...I didn't realize they change color when they get nervous. Now a couple questions, first, do I need to try to get the fox face to eat some thing other than the hair algae in the tank, he would not even go close to the algae sheet on the clip in the QT. Also on maintenance, how often do you all tear down the sump system, IE: take out the skimmer and scrub it down, pull out the return pump/s and clean them? Or is that some thing that needs to be done at all, I have taken out the sponges and rinsed them in RO water but am not clear as to the other items in the sump. How full do you keep your DT with water, as of now I have mine a couple inches from the top, also with the overflow box I have the water about 2 inches below the teeth, and I am having trouble with flucuation...the over flow fills nicely until quiet and then will empty out to the top of the stand pipe,,,,gurgle bubble and generaly make alot of noise...any idea how to stop this?

 

[yote]

You may have to try several brands and kinds of the algae sheets untill you find one your foxface likes.Mine wont touch anything but the Julian Sprungs Sea Veggies (green seaweed).
As for sump maintance.Since I dont a refugium,I break mine down every time I do a water change.I dont clean the pump on my skimmer because that causes it need breaking in again.I do how ever clean my return pump and bio-balls.Rinse out the sponge bubble trap,and change my mechanical filter media,and wash any detritus out of the sump itself.All that is done usually every Sunday evening.
For your overflow noise,I think cthegame made a thread in the DIY section on a deal to quietin them down.It'd be worth looking at.

 

[putter]

Thanks yote, sure hope my fox face is not fussy, will take 3 to 5 days to bring in anything for food. So other than cleaning the sponges and filter media in the cannister filter, and of course the cup O doom! there is no reason to tear things down, so until a pump fails just keep maintaining the sponges etc. and that should be ok? As far as the stand pipes, I built the one in the DYI, the gurgle buster one, and it has been fine until just a few days back...now is doing that flucuation and driving me nuts!

 

[yote]

As long as you got hair algae that he's eatting,everything is alright.Its when theres no algae and they wont touch anything else,that causing the blood pressure to go up.

Yep,just keep all your sponges and stuff clean and you shouldnt have any problems.

 

[putter]

Thanks again yote, he was still pickin away at the hair in the tank, but he has done a number on it in the short time he has been there, what would be a normal feed for a fox face, a sheet a day or....?

 

[jhnrb]

Keep us posted. congrats. on your system and buildout/stocking.

 

[yote]

I give mine a 1/2 sheet about every other day.Between my foxface and sailfin blenny,they wipe that out in about 5 minutes.

 

[putter]

well good ol' POPEYE won't touch the stuff, have tried 3 flavours! Called the FS today to find out what he was eating before shipping and he says Mysis was what they were feeding. Not going to worry much yet as he is still eating on little bits of hair in the tank. On a side note, my sickly little open brain ate one of my sand siffting snails today!!! Poor thing fell on him and the fight was on....was kinda cool to watch, altho I did feel sorry for the snail.

 

[yote]

Another thing your foxface might like is emerald entree.Its got quiet a bit of algae and stuff in it.Thats mines 2nd favorite food.

I had sea hare for a while.It used to clumsy as all get out.It fell of the glass right into my BTA.Needless to say,the BTA got a good meal that evening.