April 2008

Davis Family Reef Log

Learn to Live With It
Adam Blundell M.S.



"...As surprising as it may seem your tank will look ugly at first. This happens to all new marine aquariums as they cycle through their initial filtration phase. Your tank may go brown, and then green, and then red, and then just look junky. It happens. Consequently the one coral you really want to keep may not live. You may struggle to raise the prize fish you originally intended to acquire. It's okay; just learn to love whatever is working for you. Remember, not only is this a hobby, but we are keeping living ecosystems. Special efforts should be put forth to enjoy and appreciate what we are keeping, whatever it may be. It takes time and patience to turn a glass box full of rock into a beautiful, thriving reef tank..."

April 2008 SlideShow

Learn to Live With It
Adam Blundell M.S.



"...As surprising as it may seem your tank will look ugly at first. This happens to all new marine aquariums as they cycle through their initial filtration phase. Your tank may go brown, and then green, and then red, and then just look junky. It happens. Consequently the one coral you really want to keep may not live. You may struggle to raise the prize fish you originally intended to acquire. It's okay; just learn to love whatever is working for you. Remember, not only is this a hobby, but we are keeping living ecosystems. Special efforts should be put forth to enjoy and appreciate what we are keeping, whatever it may be. It takes time and patience to turn a glass box full of rock into a beautiful, thriving reef tank..."

April 2008   Tank Status 125 Gallon   (Started Feb 2003 - Upgrade from 55 gallon started in 2002)           Current Fish Inhabitants (2) Maroon Clown (pair) (2) Yellow Tail Damsels (2) Black Striped Damsels (Humbug) (1) Yellow Tang (1) Bicolor Blenny (1) Green Spotted Mandarin (1) Coral Beauty (1) YellowTail Wrasse (1) SnowFlake Eel (1) Pink Spotted Shrimp Goby (1) SixLine Wrasse (1) Brown Barred Goby  Current Invert Inhabitants (2) Blood/Fire Shrimp (1) Coral Banded Shrimp (1) Skunk Cleaner Shrimp (1) Peppermint Shrimp (?) Various snails/hermits   Tests 29 April 2008 [ Temp: 79.1 ORP:  355 SG: 1.024 PH: 8.2 Alk: 2.5 (mEq/L) Nitrite (No2): 0 Ammonia (Nh3): .25 Nitrate (No3): .1 Phospate (Ph4) .1 Calcium (Ca): 350 Copper (Cu): 0 04 April 2008 - 30 Gal Water Change 19 April 2008 - 30 Gal Water Change 30 April 2008 - 30 Gal Water Change/filter sock/carbon change           12 Gallon NanoCube (Started June 2007)       Current Fish Inhabitants (2) False Percula Clowns (pair) (1) Yellow Watchman Goby (1) Jewel Damsel   Current Invert Inhabitants (1) Blood/Fire Shrimp (1) Coral Banded Shrimp (?) Various snails/hermits   Tests 11 April 2008 Temp: 78.3 SG: 1.025 PH: 8.2 Alk: 2.5 (mEq/L) Nitrite (No2): 0 Ammonia (Nh3): 0 Nitrate (No3): 5.0 Phospate (Ph4) 0 Calcium (Ca): 380 Copper (Cu): 0   04 April 2008 - 4 Gallon Water Change 19 April 2008 - 4 Gallon Water Change/Filter Cleaning 29 April 2008 - 4 Gallon Water Change/Filter Cleaning/Carbon Change/PP Filter Change

04-07-2008 12:50 PM   Reef Keeping - April 2008     (April 2008)   Features: ReefSlides - Nano Nano by Peter Martis (SDguy) Tank of the Month This month we are featuring Weatherson's beautiful reef aquarium - once again. Columns: Product Review by Billy Beauchamp Sera Test Kits - How Do They Measure Up? Newbie Corner by Tom Murphy Reefkeeping 101 - Natural Filtration Reefkeeping's Club Showcase by Scott Spittle Reef Aquarium Society of Charlotte (RASOC) Reefkeeping's Top 10 by Readers Top Ten Reasons Why Your Show Tank Shouldn't Be In Your Bedroom...

04-07-2008 12:50 PM   Advanced Aquarist's - April 2008   April 2008 Editorial: April 2008, Terry Siegel Terry discusses his Thailand trip a bit more as well as an upcoming article in Advanced Aquarist. Feature Article: Emergency Protocols for Home Aquariums, By Jay Hemdal While this article cannot solve every aquarium emergency, it hopefully gives some ideas that can be implemented with little cost which may pay big dividends in saving the lives of aquarium animals. Breeder's Net: Rearing the Golden Damselfish, Amblyglyphidodon aureus, A Promising Candidate for Aquaculture, By Todd Gardner Four separate spawns were collected, eggs were hatched, and larvae were reared with a success rate approaching 100%, using rotifers as a first food. These preliminary successes in rearing A. aureus suggest that members of this genus may be good candidates for commercial aquaculture. Reefkeeping Events: What's Happening in Your Area?,By Advanced Aquarist Readers Check to see if an event is happening in your area! Aquarium Fish: Conspicillatus Angel, By Pavaphon Supanantananont This is not the an easy member of the genus because they are sensitive. Because of it price and rarity, make sure that the fish started to feed before you get it. Lateral Lines: Water Flow Part II: Common Devices, By Adam Blundell M.S. This is a review of some of the more common water flow devices used in the hobby. Media Review: Coral ID: "An Electronic Key to the Zooxanthellate Scleractinian Corals of the World" and "Corals of the World", By Dana Riddle Dana reviews John Veron's books and CD.

3Reef Post:  Cool Fish  (28 April 2008)

Quote:

Originally Posted by nemo1991 i am moving to a 135 gallon that i just got today, (not setting it up for a week or so) i was wondering what kind of cool fish could be kept it that size of a reef?

3Reef Post:  New Discovery

Never ceases to amaze me at what new critters show up in tank periodically even after tank up several years.

Up early and just as lights turning on I noticed a blackish "blob" on sand in front of tank...

Running for camera, I got these pics...







Would guess about 4" long.

Quickly disappeared into rocks once light turned on...


May explain complete disappearance of hydroid plague I have been "blessed" with for ages...


(still think there is a pistol shrimp in there that I have never seen, but often heard)

_________

 

Reply:

 

Quote:

Originally Posted by pagojoe OK, that last pic makes it look like something I'm familiar with. The mottled markings on the first pic and the odd shape of the front on the next-to-last pic made me think it was something else, but the last pic looks like it's either Dendrodoris fumata or Dendrodoris nigra. It should have white tips on the rhinophores, and I couldn't see any on the earlier pics, but it appears to be there on the last one. The Sea Slug Forum - Dendrodoris fumata The Sea Slug Forum - Dendrodoris nigra Cheers, Don

Thanks much.

Cool Site.

Looks like it is the Dendrodoris nigra.

Appears exactly same as,:

http://www.seaslugforum.net/images/m9034a.jpg

To include whites spots on tips of the rhinophores and the gills are relatively numerous and form a compact circle around the rear end of the creature...both characteristics of the Dendrodoris nigra.

Site states pretty much only sponge eaters and will die off when "meat" gone.

But if I am not mistaken, it is what has cleaned my hydroids out. Of course, could be something entirely different in tank doing so.


Will see...


 

04-19-2008 09:32 AM   Quote: Originally Posted by amcarrig Me neither. Those are some evil damselfish.   Quote: Originally Posted by glampka The only good damsel is a dead damsel. They shouldn't even be offered for sale. Respectfully disagree... No such thing as an "evil" fish...only "evil" people that put them in tank with incompatible species, not enough room or not taking into account living habits... Shove any six of us in a small room, and see how quick we start tearing each other apart... (guaranteed won't take long with me in there... ) I really like my damsels. They bring great color, activity and character to tank... Can't beat the price. ($4.00 ea for any damsel you want at my LFS) --- maybe I have been lucky, but have never had a ornery one to selves or others. Again, I think age of fish and when introduced has much to do with success/failure. Also have no so called "docile" fish in tank. All can well hold own against any other. You know me...never miss chance to post pics... (gotta stay on Luna's good side!)     Guess depends much on what you want and expect from your own piece of reef...takes some thought.

DFS Order 07 April 2008

Drs. Foster & Smith, Inc. 2253 Air Park Road, P.O. Box 100 Rhinelander, WI 54501-0100 Toll Free (800) 381-7179 Fax (800) 776-8872

April 07, 2008 Order Number: N8737805

12 Gallon NanoCube

Quote: Originally Posted by HORTON16 thanks scott about how much is a protein skimmer for that size tank? Don't have one. Is why I do the frequent water changes. Looking for a mod that will allow for a AquaC nano skimmer on back of tank while still keeping hood intact. Just sent msg to AquaC engineering wizards to see if they can figure out. Expect lots of us out here would get one if fairly simple and keeps tank looking OK. But so far - almost year now - tank is doing great with a 4/5 gallon water change each week. Also run a bag of carbon in rear chambers...and a piece of Bio-med Poly filter. Note: And also have very mature LR which came from main tank. Here are some pics...     Jewel Damsel Rainford Goby Yellow Watchman Goby   Good luck. Let me know what you come up with. Scott _________   AG "125" AquaC EV 180, 30 gal sump, "SCWD", 80 lbs LR, CoralSeaLife "Moonlite" Hood, PFO 250W HQI Mini-Pendant (XM HQI 10000k bulb), Battery powered air pump backup, Generator. 12 Gallon NanoCube   "...nothing good ever happens fast in a reef tank, only bad things happen fast..." - MIKE PALLETTA -

04-07-2008 12:50 PM   re:  04-07-2008 12:50 PM  3Reef Post  Has cleaning your aquarium made you physically ill?   Quote: Originally Posted by Matt Rogers Has cleaning your aquarium made you physically ill? I don't mean cleaning your aquarium is a pain. I mean... Have you ever gotten sick and wondered if it was from cleaning your aquarium? You can also state if you have gotten a rash from a coral or fish, etc.. if you like. Please provide what you've done to prevent it since. I picked up a wicked sinus infection this week that I had to get antibiotics for. I kept going back to a couple days prior when I took a mouthful from the siphon cleaning my big filthy turtle tank. But who knows... what about you?   Quote: Originally Posted by omard Never a problem from frequent mouthfulls of water syphoning water from SW tank. From a turtle tank I get sick just thinking about it. Wild fish story... Father was Navy surgeon stationed out in So. Pacific (Guam) back in late 60's. Native fishermen when net fishing from shore would give fish head a quick bite to kill it quickly once caught. Anyway, Dad had emergency call one night to deal with a native who when he went to bite fish, it jumped head first right down into his throat. Of course it stuck and dorsal spines prevented easy removal. As I recall, it was a near death situation. Moral I guess, use caution when starting a syphon in a tank with small fish. Can easily imagine it happening to self in Nano for instance. A small damsel could easily make it up tube with same result occuring...or worse, a palytoxin loaded zoa... Ouch...hurts just thinking about it. -------- Warning: Palytoxin is an incredibly complex marine natural product containing 71 stereochemical elements. Palytoxin, isolated from soft coral (most notably, zoanthids) , is considered to be one of the most toxic non-peptide substances known, second only to Maitotoxin. Typical symptoms of palytoxin poisoning are angina-like chest pains, asthma-like breathing difficulties, tachycardia, unstable blood pressure, hemolysis (destruction of red blood cells), and an electrocardiogram showing an exaggerated T wave. The onset of symptoms is rapid, and death usually follows just minutes after.   0 Comments

Good Reads for Beginner SW Aquarist

(3Reef Thread - Hi)

04-07-2008 08:17 AM   Quote: Originally Posted by omard The Tao of Marine Aquaria - Tips for Our Hobby and Life, by Adam H. Whitlock Knowing How to Set Up a Marine Aquarium, Adam Blundell M.S. Your First Reef aquarium: How to Create a Miniature Coral Reef System at Home. by J. Charles Delbeek B.Sc., B.Ed., M.Sc. About.com - Saltwater Aquariums 101 "Getting Started" FREE Email Course Thinking about setting up a saltwater aquarium? (melevsreef.com) An Introduction to the Marine Aquarium Hobby (Part 1) - Associated Content (Parrothead) An Introduction to the Marine Aquarium Hobby (Part 2) - Associated Content (Parrothead) A List Of Good Beginner Fish Fish To Be Avoided - I Fish To Be Avoided - II Your Aquarium Cleanup Crew, By Charles & Linda Raabe "More"

04-07-2008 12:50 PM   Frogspawn Coral   (Euphyllia divisia)   My frogspawn in main tank have been dropping heads rather regularly. Just for fun and to see how they would do, I put a couple in my "low light" 12 gallon Nano (24w). Surprisingly they are doing Great! --- good color and full expansion. This is a very light forgiving and fast growing coral.     Frogspawn cozying up with Kenya Tree...   Was single "head" about 5 mos. ago.   The really neat thing about frogspawn is that it "friendly" (unlike hammer)...is generally not very expensive, grows very fast, is very light forgiving...is a beautiful coral. A perfect starter...

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