aqua-ed

Yeah' date=' I realized after I posted that you were probably using an iodine supplement. When I experimented with iodine for my xenia, I used lugol's (which is pretty concentrated stuff). Adding that much lugols would kill the tank and make your neighborhood a superfund site [/quote']

(laugh)(scary)

I've been adding that much iodine to my tank for 4 months now with no such affects. I use Kent's iodine supplement.

Regarding iodine... [language filter]' date=' that's a lot of iodine to add :eek: If you aren't measuring it, don't add it.[/quote']

 

It's measured drops, 12 drops= 1mL. It's a poor chemistry teacher's trick. So 6 drops is .5mL for a 25+10gal tank.

What is the best mechanical filter to put in my tank or sump? I have nothing right now that pulls large chunks out of my water column. Whenever I scrub my tank (especially the cyano in the overflow and sump) it just floats around until it gets stuck on my rocks or I suck it out during water changes. However, I don't want something that will just end up a nitrate factory.

Any suggestions?

That's part of my problem: my tank is small, set up and it is the only one I've got. Taking out and baking my rock isn't really feasible for months.

BTW: my nitrates always test at 0-5ppm. This could be crappy test equipment, too. Is there a way to create a really stank nitrated sample? Like putting a bunch of food in a cup of tank water for a few days? That will let me see an actual color change if the tester works.

I will get some phosphate tests today.

Ok, got it. No more iodine. I have a powerhead in there that keeps the water flowing good.

The question still remains, why is the cyano limited to my sump? Is it because I don't have a full clean up crew down there?

I hate to put it off, but I'll be switching tanks after I graduate this summer and get a job with an income, so I might save rock baking for then.

How long do you leave them in the bake tub?

I'm curious why you are adding iodine? Do you test for iodine?

Nope, don't test for it. Someone told me iodine was something to add for softies. Is that a myth? I just add 6 drops a day (as directed).

I have heard of baking rocks, but how do I do that with all the flora and fauna I have growing on them?

Ok, so what defines "nutrients"? I've always assumed we're talking food, but does it include supplements? I add calcium, stontium, and lots of iodine, should I cut back on them, too?

Excess food isn't an issue because i only have two fish and feed them pellets until they stop taking them. The clean up crew quickly pounces on what they miss. Now, of course, there is a lot more missed food because of the brines I feed to the suns.

I just got the suns last week and the cyano has been there for a lot longer than that, so I don't think feeding them is the prob. I have two hermits and two nassarius in there, but they always climb over the baffles and I have to put them back.

That won't effect the cheato? Should I move the cheato up?

Also, does lighting make difference? Since it is just my sump, I use a HD fluorescent bulb. would I be better with an actnic or daylight?

As the title suggests, I'm having a bit of a time with red slime in my sump. The thing is, my main tank is completely free of the stuff. I have the normal green stuff that grows on the glass, but other than that, my algae battles are won up top. My DSB gets a red slime coating that I think is probably lower it's ability to perform properly. I also have some sun corals that I am raising in there (easier feeding and not as much light) that are starting to get a coating, too. My rock rubble, live rock, tank sides, protein skimmer, and cheato are all falling prey to it's grasps too.

Any suggestions? wiping it off isn't doing squat.

You guys might try Albany's Amazing Aquarium. I bought a chunk of cheato there a while back and found several different kinds of macro tangled up in the ball. I planted some and threw out others and it is growing alright. Right now, though, it is still kind of small, otherwise I'd pull some chunks of for you.

Dang...PM sent

To scrub rocks with the softies, I did a five gallon water change and saved the old water in a bucket. Fairly quickly, I took the rocks out and scrubbed them with a toothbrush inside the bucket of old water. This worked well because it was quick and kept things moist, and it didn't just scrub the junk back into the tank.

However, I only have about 30 lbs of live rock, so it was a pretty easy job for me.

Now that sounds too good to be true!

Interesting...So you just cut a piece of the foot off? Not an actual chunk of body and tentacles. That is good to know.

My plan was to wait until my ricordea split before I tried cutting him. I'm a little a afraid to risk killing my only ricordea by mistake...

What is the best way to "encourage" ricordea splitting (besides a knife)? Feed them or don't feed them? When they are fat and well fed, will they feel the need to split or just be content to hang out alone?

I know patience is the best, but sometimes feeding can make a difference, ya know?

I couldn't say for the aptasia, I've only had one show up in my tank on a piece of live rock about 6 months ago. I didn't know exactly what it was at the time, but knew it was bad, so I just turned that rock upside down in the sand and haven't seen him since

I wouldn't recommend this as a method though, it's just to say I've only seen that one in my tank, so I've never had experience battling them. I have one peppermint in a 30g, so maybe that helped, too.

I also only had one emerald crab in my thirty, and I had a lot of bubble algae. Mainly, what cleared up the already established infestation was a well running sump and scrubbing my rocks a couple times with the water change. I think the emerald crab just mowed down new sprouts of bubble algae.

How long has the bubble algae been at it since you got the emerald crab? As far as I can tell, they don't pop and eat the big ones, they just eat the smaller ones as they form. It took my emerald about a month or two to get the bubble algae out of my tank. Also, do you have chaeto? A beneficial algae like that would use up the nutrients that are now feeding the bubbles.

As far as aptasia, I've heard of injecting them with Kalk. Peppermint shrimp will eat them, but only small ones.

Go to garf.com, they have a section on controlling aptasia.

Keep up the fight!

I have 130W of PC (65 actinic, 65 daylight)

Bam! Reevaluated the mother colony and got a 10 polyp chunk off, if that interests you.

So, for all, I have two 3s and a 10 frag.

Excellent tips, Thanks! I've had a hard time getting my pictures to look realistic...

Yea, if your up to it, I would trade a small for a small. If I took a 20 polyp frag from mine, it'll about clean me out.

Where would you want to meet? I could also meet you somewhere near the Town Center on Saturday...

Ok, here is the best I could do, looks pretty close to me...

[ATTACH]2200[/ATTACH]

Honestly, no, they aren't that blue. It's hard to get a good picture without going all fancy with the camera. I will pull my camera out and try to get some more "actual" pictures.

They have a blue-grey center, with a neon green mouth and pinkish tentacles.

I would love to trade for some of those orange ones on the bottom if you are still interested...

I won't be at the meeting this weekend, but I will be in Oregon City on Sunday, and could meet nearby there at around 4 or 5ish?

I'll get some pictures taken and post them soon...

I just fragged some zoo's and would be interested in trading them for some other softie or lps frags if anyone wants. They aren't huge frags, one is two polyps and one is three, but they look cool! I could probably make some bigger frags if I get any interest.

I would trade for almost anything you got.

attached is the picture of the mother colony.

[ATTACH]2199[/ATTACH]

EDIT: They both have 3 polyps