Zoas domain

LadyMac · Jul 13, 2018

Did a light trade today. I was trying to sell two of my freshwater fixtures. And posted them to Facebook. Last night I get contacted by an interested party. He has a 90 gallon, planted. He was using a 36” orbit marine fixture and needed a 48” freshwater one. What a coincidence, I needed a 36” marine and had a 48” planted+! So now I have two of the orbit marine fixtures on the tank, and it looks beautiful! Here is before and after shots. I pray the one the guy got will help his plants grow wonderfully, and since they are easier lower light plants, they should be fine!

Before.

After

cameronh · Jul 14, 2018

LadyMac said:
Did a light trade today. I was trying to sell two of my freshwater fixtures. And posted them to Facebook. Last night I get contacted by an interested party. He has a 90 gallon, planted. He was using a 36” orbit marine fixture and needed a 48” freshwater one. What a coincidence, I needed a 36” marine and had a 48” planted+! So now I have two of the orbit marine fixtures on the tank, and it looks beautiful! Here is before and after shots. I pray the one the guy got will help his plants grow wonderfully, and since they are easier lower light plants, they should be fine!

Before.

After

Looks really good!

LadyMac · Jul 14, 2018

Thank you! I do hope the zoas like it better than algae does

cameronh · Jul 15, 2018

It will all come along eventually.
I have a bunch of hair algae as well.

LadyMac · Jul 15, 2018

This morning, I decided to do 10% change. I decided to move the HOB overflow to the center, because I feel the flow would just be more efficient. Cleaned the sponge and the floss. I need more floss.

Fts

cameronh · Jul 18, 2018

LadyMac said:
This morning, I decided to do 10% change. I decided to move the HOB overflow to the center, because I feel the flow would just be more efficient. Cleaned the sponge and the floss. I need more floss.

Fts

Looking good. Why does it look so dark in that back left corner?

LadyMac · Jul 18, 2018

No idea. Could be the rock, not the far left but the one just next to it is my mature rock. The rest is newly added. Also could be my light placement.

LadyMac · Jul 20, 2018

Squirted some peroxide on my rock that was having hair algae issues. Seems to have helped. My test kits should be here soon so I’ll finally know my true levels.

I’m thinking of turning the blues up and whites just slightly. It’s a little dim for my liking although it seems the cyano is leaving.

cameronh · Jul 20, 2018

LadyMac said:
Squirted some peroxide on my rock that was having hair algae issues. Seems to have helped. My test kits should be here soon so I’ll finally know my true levels.

I’m thinking of turning the blues up and whites just slightly. It’s a little dim for my liking although it seems the cyano is leaving.

Well I'm looking forward to it all getting sorted out.

count krunk · Jul 20, 2018

Quite the battle you have going on! You will find having the right equipment makes a huge difference. Something to keep in mind, I would search craigslist everyday for aquarium related goods. You can really find some great deals. Lights, pumps, tanks, everything.

I didn't read tooooo indepth, but I wasn't sure what sort of filtration methods you were using? How often do you do water changes, what salt do you use, get a refractometer! You can find them on amazon for $21

cameronh · Jul 20, 2018

yungreefer2410 said:
Quite the battle you have going on! You will find having the right equipment makes a huge difference. Something to keep in mind, I would search craigslist everyday for aquarium related goods. You can really find some great deals. Lights, pumps, tanks, everything.

I didn't read tooooo indepth, but I wasn't sure what sort of filtration methods you were using? How often do you do water changes, what salt do you use, get a refractometer! You can find them on amazon for $21

Hes right, having the right equipment helps....but all at the same time it can still thrive haha.
Welcone to reefkeeping

LadyMac · Jul 20, 2018

yungreefer2410 said:
Quite the battle you have going on! You will find having the right equipment makes a huge difference. Something to keep in mind, I would search craigslist everyday for aquarium related goods. You can really find some great deals. Lights, pumps, tanks, everything.

I didn't read tooooo indepth, but I wasn't sure what sort of filtration methods you were using? How often do you do water changes, what salt do you use, get a refractometer! You can find them on amazon for $21

Unfortunately around here prices of aquarium goods are quite high, even used. I have found my rock and lights at great prices. I’m unable to travel out of town, so I’m also very limited that way.

I do plan to get a refractometer as soon as I can finish a painting and it sells..

I use Reef Crystals for my salt. I’ve heard good and bad but even my lfs only sells it or the other instant Ocean type.

For filtration I have the rock, and a sump that was poorly constructed by yours truly. I have a rigid sponge, some carbon and filter floss to catch the small particles.

The tank isn’t drilled so I am using a HOB overflow. My skimmer is just a Hydor Slim Skim, the larger size. I went with it at the time because we were strapped for cash and I didn’t have the sump. It does well, I clean the cup weekly, and I wash out the sponges in the sump regularly. The rigid one weekly, the carbon weekly as well and the floss every other day.

I try and do my water changes weekly, on sundays. I do about 20%. Though I did another last night after using some peroxide on the rock with the hair algae. I’m sure right now my other rock isn’t quite cycled, but my stocking is pretty low. I’ve around ten hermit crabs, a nacirrus(sp) snail and bumblebee snail, a tiger pistol shrimp, and my two clowns.

Future plans are for a yellow watchman goby, and a fairy wrasse if I’ve got room.

Right now I’m running two of the current USA marine orbit fixtures. One is 36”(which is the one I just got in the trade) and the older, 24” that’s been on for some time now. I have them at 70% blue and 30% white, as per a suggestion on a Facebook group to help combat the algae issue.

It is very slowly but surely coming together. My stand was custom built, but at the time I didn’t even dream of going salt, so it was just for aesthetics. I really regret that now, as if I ever get a decent sump it’ll have to sit to the side. I’ve got my eyes on the Red Sea reefer contest. I do eventually want to go with a complete reef ready setup but that’s probably some time from now.

My anniversary is in Sept. and I’ve told hubbs I want a goby and more sand, since I don’t think I’ve enough for a goby to be solidly happy.

My hands need to cooperate... I may nix the pain and go with my pastels for the picture, and I’m sure I’ll have no real issues selling it.

LadyMac · Jul 20, 2018

cameronh said:
Hes right, having the right equipment helps....but all at the same time it can still thrive haha.
Welcone to reefkeeping

Haha sometimes I think, what have I done? And then when I watch the clowns swimming about, I know it was a great choice. I love them. They are so entertaining. To sit and look at my beautiful betas across the room with their interactions, and to look into this vastly different world, I wouldn’t trade even the downs for anything in this world.

LadyMac · Jul 26, 2018

Alrighty. Today’s parameters are:

Ph 8.2
dKH 10
NO3 4?
PO4 .0.02
Cal 360
Mg 1400
Sg 1.022

So ph, dKH and Calcium tested with in date API. So rough estimates at best. Magnesium is Red Sea, a month out of date so probably off as well. The sg is with a hydrometer as I’m still waiting on a refractometer. The other two are Red Sea algae kit, in date. I’m confident in my reading of the discs but is it normal params for those? As everyone knows I’m still battling hair algae and the red cyano is slowly leaving. I do dose calcium but it’s a cap ful usually after a waterchange, or weekly. I don’t dose more often simply because I’m not sure how accurate api is on the calcium test and don’t want to overdose.

LadyMac · Jul 30, 2018

Redid the rockwork. I am much happier with this layout .Also ordered a yellow watchman goby fpr my little Ravager, the pistol shrimp

pics!

LadyMac · Aug 24, 2018

Been a bit since my last post, but I've been so busy with things, it's been hectic. First off on the YWG front, they have yet to get him in for me. So while waiting for that, I had been playing my game. PS4 decides to quit, third time on me. So contacted Sony, get the box, pack the box, put box in Fed Ex drop box two weeks ago. Day before yesterday I get emails about purchases made on my pan account .Sigh. So contact Sony, they don't have the system .tracking never updated. So now I am filing a claim, but at the mercy of the fed ex location for possible video footage of us dropping the box and of who took it from their drop box. Needless to say I may be out around $300.00 as well as possible personal information.

cameronh · Aug 29, 2018

LadyMac said:
Been a bit since my last post, but I've been so busy with things, it's been hectic. First off on the YWG front, they have yet to get him in for me. So while waiting for that, I had been playing my game. PS4 decides to quit, third time on me. So contacted Sony, get the box, pack the box, put box in Fed Ex drop box two weeks ago. Day before yesterday I get emails about purchases made on my pan account .Sigh. So contact Sony, they don't have the system .tracking never updated. So now I am filing a claim, but at the mercy of the fed ex location for possible video footage of us dropping the box and of who took it from their drop box. Needless to say I may be out around $300.00 as well as possible personal information.

I would be hitting fedex real hard. I'm sorry to hear that and hope that you can get it all sorted out.

LadyMac · Sep 25, 2018

Apologies for my recent absences lately. Things have been a bit hectic. We moved my mom in, so that called for a rearraingement of several rooms. I had to give up my art studio for hubbs office, which truth be told, my hands havent been able to pain regardless .

My daughter also just moved back home, so again some more moving stuff around.

My fibro has been quite bad and to top things off this week my brother in law has been admitted in the ICU. He went in originally for a bag on his stomach, but was in a weakened state and now has pneumonia. He has had a tube in his lungs for several days and a pic line placed as well. Then they poked a hole in his lung with the pic line. All in all a very busy several months.

Well wishes and prayers would be very appreciated, for my dear brother and for the sanity of my family, especially my husband. He is the only man in the home of four women lol.