skyfreak73

Currently have .25 cup of carbon in my return flow.

I don't use Phosban or GFO...using Polyp Lab System Reef-resh to control nitrates and phosphates.

I haven't seen any noticeable snails or other things which may be irritating.

As far as livestock, I got rid of my clam-nipper (dwarf cherub angel) 4 days ago. I saw him nipping on one of my crocea clams. I do have a Kole tang, but I haven't noticed him harassing the clam. He mostly likes to graze on the live rock. I've got 2 skunk cleaner shrimp, a flame hawkfish, a cryptic wrasse, a midas blenny, and a blue assessor.

Thanks for the advice...still thinking it's an infection of some sort.

/sf

I think it's progressing.

I don't want to make the progression worse with a FW dip...but I don't want to wait too long either. AARRG!!

While Epsom salt will certainly work for raising magnesium, one of the other reasons I prefer aquavitro 'ions' is that it includes strontium and boron.

Please don't take this as knocking the Epsom salt method...plenty of so-called 'old school' methods have worked wonderfully for years. I just personally prefer supplements targeted at reef keeping.

/sf

Very interesting link, thanks for that. It will take time but I will gradually bring up my Mg and hopefully my ph will come up too. I tried to raise my Mg a few months back and added several bottles and it didn't make any difference, I will try again and stick with it until I get the levels up. I bought some locally but can't use it because both containers are hard as a rock. Should I stick with seachem? Is there something better? I'm just going to order it online.

I use aquavitro 'ions' (Seachem) to maintain Mg. I had to dose at the maximum dosage recommended for a few days until my Mg levels were where I wanted (900 when I started dosing). It can take quite bit to get to the recommended level, but once there you should only have to dose maybe twice a week. (One school of reef keeping would have you make small doses daily rather than larger doses twice a week).

A word on the aquavitro line: you probably won't find it online. Because it's Seachem's "premium" line, they only sell it in retail, brick-n-mortar stores. I've only found it at AquaTek here in town.

/sf

It sounds to me like you may have an ionic imbalance due to low Mg. Seachem has a good article about it here:

aquavitroâ„¢. Calcium, Magnesium and Ionic Imbalance

I am in no way affiliated with Seachem , but I have had many good support experiences with their tech support folks. I use their aquavitro line exclusively to maintain my basic water parameters (pH, alkalinity, calcium, magnesium) with good results. I find the dosing easy and their instructions clear. Also, if I do have any questions, I can tell you from past experience that I will receive excellent support if I need to contact them.

Hope this helps.

/sf

I'd leave it be. It'll heal up fine if its getting enough light and healthy. One of my clams did that once and a couple of days later it was fine

Thanks. I've been on the fence about the FW dip, so you just swayed me off the fence and onto firm standing. I'll leave it to heal, but if I see it progressively worsen, I'll reconsider the FW dip.

Howdy reefers,

I recently got a nice T. maxima show piece (about two weeks ago perhaps), and I recently noticed a small area where the mantle seems pinched. I noticed it the same day that I floated a livestock bag, and it's entirely possible that the bag may have hit this part of the clam. But I also lost a T. maxima recently (my two T. crocea and one T. derasa all seem fine), so I'm being extra-cautious. I didn't give the last one a freshwater dip in time, and while it looked improved 24 hours after the FW dip, it declined rapidly about 48 hours later.

I'm thinking about giving this one a FW dip. If this is Pinched Mantle Syndrome on this one, I want to nix it quick.

TIA!

Sounds good, Mama. Set two aside for me if you would. Where are you located?

Scypha sponge

This is a harmless Scypha sponge. They are very small, and usually found in our overflow boxes and down in the sump. Attached to rock, glass or acrylic or even your plumbing, they may be about the size of a grain of rice or perhaps larger, like Debi's above. These little filter-feeders are reef-safe.

------- Melevsreef.com ------

Thanks.

Howdy folks,

Does anyone have any large peppermint shrimp they would like to sell? The last two small/medium-sized ones quickly became food for my flame hawkfish.

TIA!

Howdy folks,

I have a couple of white, fuzzy growths in my live rock similar to the one pictured here:

I have quite a few of these growing inside my sump. From another forum where I found this picture, someone identified this as a type of sponge, but no one said what kind. Does anyone have any info they care to share?

TIA.

Thanks, all! I appreciate the warm welcomes.

I'll offer a definite maybe; feeling quite noncommittal lately.

welcome to your new addiction.

Howdy and welcome, watch this habit, it's addictive.

I'm already feeling the addiction. I've gone a bit crazy with the cheez whiz already.

I wanted to take a moment to say hello to all the reefers on the board. I recently setup my first reef tank thanks to AQT's annual sale (thanks, Bruce!) back in August. It's been running now for three months, and I'm having a blast with it. I'll post the latest photo in the gallery. I'm looking forward to joining some of the monthly meetings, too.

Happy reefing!

/sf