Gonzo59 Posted February 13, 2014 Author Share Posted February 13, 2014 With respect to your stocking plan from Post #1, I would leave Emerald Crabs and Hermit Crabs out of the mix. Both are voracious predators and when they are hungry, they will attack and eat anything, including each other. For the janitors, I recommend Florida Drawf Cerith Snails and bristle worms. Both will reproduce in your system with their population density determined by the food supply. Amphipods and copepods fit into this category and are especially appropriate in your rubble refugium where they will feast on the biofilm which grows in the safe haven of your refugium. All of these janitors, release their spores into the bulk water of the tank which is a splendid diet for corals and other filter feeders. Yes, corals are filter feeders. As your system matures, you may want to get diversity in filter feeders such as colorful sponges, feather dusters, NPS and LPS. They would all flourish in this system. Patrick Yeah I had already nixed the emeralds. That is good to know about the hermits though, I didn't realize that. I have some in there now but I will make sure to take them out before the tank gets too far along. Thank you for the janitor suggestion, wrote them down on a note and set it aside. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo59 Posted February 13, 2014 Author Share Posted February 13, 2014 (edited) Ha...ultimately your bubble tip will go whereever the heck he pleases. I didn't bait mine into the paly colony he loves so much. Yes... one can dream though :/ How did you keep the anemone away from your powerhead whilst it was floating for a leg hold it desired? I have a friend who lost one that way. Edited February 13, 2014 by Gonzo59 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo59 Posted February 13, 2014 Author Share Posted February 13, 2014 Great start. Thank you jestep. Lets hope I'm not rushing things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo59 Posted February 13, 2014 Author Share Posted February 13, 2014 Ammonia had dropped to 1 ppm this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planeden Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Ha...ultimately your bubble tip will go whereever the heck he pleases. I didn't bait mine into the paly colony he loves so much.Yes... one can dream though :/ How did you keep the anemone away from your powerhead whilst it was floating for a leg hold it desired? I have a friend who lost one that way. I gave him a stern talking to. Other than that, nothing really. When he was going after my frogspawn I think I turned off the powerhead for a while to mess with him. I don't remember when I tuned it back on. I have tunze powerheads and I keep meaning to look if they have a protector, but haven't gotten around to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Ammonia had dropped to 1 ppm this morning. How long are you running lights. At this point in your tank cycle, using macro algae requires photosynthesis to fuel absorption of nutrients by macro. Watch your water temperature as AIO tanks hold the heat in with a tight canopy. If the water temperature approaches 82 degrees, you should consider leaving the access door open to allow increased evaporation. This brings in another point about what water you add as make up to the tank. As your tank matures in biodiversity, each group are absorbing minerals from the water. In so doing, they are depleting elements from the water in the tank. With such a small tank you should have at least 5G of previously mixed salt water available at all times. Instead of adding straight RO/DI water as makeup for evaporation, you should consider using a buffer added to this water. It is very easy to exceed super saturation of certain minerals and for this reason, most favor partial water changes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo59 Posted February 13, 2014 Author Share Posted February 13, 2014 I'm doing at least 12 hour periods sometimes 19 hr (I only turn of the lights when I sleep). Would you recommend white light, acitinic or both? I read that you can get a jump start on coralline if you use just acitinic for a few weeks, but i'm afraid of how it will affect the macro. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo59 Posted February 13, 2014 Author Share Posted February 13, 2014 Also I haven't had any problem with my AIO overheating yet. Have my heater set at 78 and the temp stays at 78. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Your lighting schedule is fine. Leave both spectrum on. While subdued lighting is probably more conducive to coralline than macro, I have not seen any documentation that actinic grows coralline better. It may grow a specific color better, but that is no different than the requirement of deep water macros like red grapes which favor actinic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo59 Posted February 13, 2014 Author Share Posted February 13, 2014 Ammonia back up to 2 ppm even though I put 12 drops of prime in this morning... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo59 Posted February 13, 2014 Author Share Posted February 13, 2014 (edited) The beginning of long and sexual relationship? If you can't make it out, the tip of the back feather has turned completely white, and there is yellow spotting on the tops of other feathers. Hoping that placing it in the substrate will give it the necessary nutrients to not sexually violate my tank. Edited February 13, 2014 by Gonzo59 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planeden Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 I don't think that's sexual. I think that's just ebb and flow of growth. Mine did that for months while the tank was maturing. I think it oes sexual when it is low on nutrients, which you aren't. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 That is not white. It is opaque. The macro will absorb nutrients thru its surface area. It does not care if it is on top of the rock or in the substrate. You need to take a vacation from fixating on a catastrophe. Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Unless the fish are showing signs of stress, I would not use anymore prime. Dennis had a post on another thread about how it tied up nitrite. He suspects that it hides ammonia and nitrite from being uptaken. That is "off the hook" to me but I am not a chemist and neither is he. The macro will absorb nitroghen in all three forms. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo59 Posted February 14, 2014 Author Share Posted February 14, 2014 Haha yes, yes that would be nice. Sadly I cannot, seeing as I still know very little; everything I see is a system meltdown! ...plus I couldn't resist the enuendo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 The fish know best. Take there lead. Ignorance should be bliss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planeden Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 He suspects that it hides ammonia and nitrite from being uptaken. That is "off the hook" to me but I am not a chemist and neither is he.Ha, no, not a chemist. So, standard disclaimer of "listen to me at your own risk" I suppose should be added. Short version: in three tanks cycled with prime it seems that nitrite always reads high and never goes to zero. Later water changes fixed the readings and showed the tank was cycled. As a point of (non)interest. I actually don't like prime. I am using it now because the store didn't have anything else last time I needed it. A cycled tank shouldn't have amonia or nitrites, so why should I add something to "detoxify" elements that aren't there anyway? Why add who knows what to my tank when I don't need it? Anyway, i just remember you are using it for its detoxification, so, I guess my rant doesn't apply. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvrEnuf Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Patrick, You're a gem, I really need to come visit with you! Gonzo59, I have slightly different style of system you may want to come look at. I rely on natural filtration just as Patrick does, but in a slightly diffrent way. I feed heavily, run an "over stocked" tank, and yet my skimmer can't find much to skim because my algae does all the filtration under the display. I don't run a DSB (= Deep sand bed) or even a sand bed at all for that matter; just crushed coral and live rock (okay I still have some miracle mud in the 'fuge) My main filtration that made my skimmer obsolete and cost about $15, it is known as a ATS, or algal turf scrubber. Personally, I can't say enough about it, but maybe that's because I put it into action a few months back and have been blown away by the results. I run everything from softies to SPS to NPS and everything is happy and growing. Patrick's science is spot on... I don't think anyone on this forum knows more about the nutrient exchange of a saltwater biotope (along with a myriad of other things he is spot on about). But I do run a system I would call modified from what I understand he runs. I would also say most on this forum, at least that I know of, run systems pretty different from Patrick's...where as mine is not so different... at least in filtration methodology. Just shoot me a PM if you'd like to check it out. ~Jason 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elizzy Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 I was gonna add stuff, but everyone covered it Your tank is doing great! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo59 Posted February 14, 2014 Author Share Posted February 14, 2014 Water readings: PH- 7.8 (same) NO4- 2 ppm (same) NO2-.25 ppm (I have Nitrite people!) NO3-10 ppm (same) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Jason, Where the ATS uses microalgae, I use macro algae. As a rule, as you go further down on the food chain the organisms are more efficient. Microalgae is more efficient than macro algae. Bacteria are more efficient than micro algae. I have never set up ATS. I guess I prefer the look of macro. Just recently, I started using UV sterilization with very impressive results. Come visit anytime. Patrick Kyle, If you are not having heat problems, I would run the lights for 16 hours a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo59 Posted February 14, 2014 Author Share Posted February 14, 2014 Sounds good. Thanks Patrick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nvrEnuf Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 I ran a UV sterilizer on my 'cube...I was also impressed with the results. Of course, I wasn't running carbon at all, so I couldn't say if clarity compared with or without carbon.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gonzo59 Posted February 15, 2014 Author Share Posted February 15, 2014 Ammonia up to 3 ppm; everything else the same as last night. The black female mollie was acting a little stressed, hiding behind the heater with her mouth towards the air, but she is acting normal now. Thought she was gonna give birth for a second! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subsea Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 I am perplexed with the rising ammonia. Get somebody else to test your water with different test kits. I did not consider a handful of grunge to seed bacteria considering your live rock and substrate should have aready been inoculated. How is your macro growing? How much have you feed the fish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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