Reef Discussion

Buddy

Member
Mar 13, 2012
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1,526
I wouldn't add any chemicals at all, ever. Unless you really do need it. Most of the time they are just a money spinner for your lfs. Just do regular water changes after your cycle and you will be fine.
 
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BlueBolts

Member
Apr 7, 2014
257
132
Currambine
Thanks for the heads up.....I was also alerted that the algae on my pic maybe bryopsis ? Just researching and reading on it now ? Can I get a confirmation ? And the best cure ?
 

Buddy

Member
Mar 13, 2012
3,142
1,526
Yeah the fern looking algae looks like it. I had some during my cycle and it just died off. I would just pluck it off the rock. I have seen people treat it with high magnesium levels when it gets out of hand.
 

slin1977

Member
Jul 13, 2011
3,476
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Sydney
Going to be interesting to see how this project evolves given the information posted so far. I visited this tank last weekend and I know that @BlueBolts has challenges ahead converting a tank of this size to a species aquarium. Possibly one way to overcome slice and diced anemone is using a pond type pump and hard piping the outlet side and putting in a tee or two to perform the function of a wave maker.
Another observation might be to replace those stick like pieces of live rock with rounder ones and making caves where the nems can hide their foot in.
 

Agent M

Member
Oct 21, 2011
3,536
1,586
Melbourne
Good to see the pics of your tank, always helps when giving suggestions.

With the algae - if it were me, I'd go with a black out first so that it all dies off, followed by a decent sized water change, then follow up with spot treatments of hydrogen peroxide to deal with the rest. Then see where that leaves you algae wise.

Here is the thread I was telling you about - its very long and there is a lot of irrelevant crap to wade through - I just scan read down each page and stopped on the interesting/practical bits. You can also contact brandon429 direct if you want a shortcut and he will help you through the process:
http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2082359

One of his vid's on Youtube. If you research this guy and his interesting tank experiments as well as long term success with them, you can decide if you trust his methods or not (I do):
 

BlueBolts

Member
Apr 7, 2014
257
132
Currambine
Wow, 51 pages....:-( that's bedtime reading for tonight,,,,,,I'm very familiar with H202, and use it frequently in my FW tanks for algae issues etc.... So much so that I don't use the dilution of 3%, but use the hydroponics version at 50%.... Yes, everything about me is eccentric. LOL

I would like to pose a question here for discussion.....I invest extreme hours into my hobby, and love the challenges & difficulty, plus enjoy pushing the envelope. I would like to out a plan in place for a newly cycle 120 lt tank to immediately house 6 anemones, and 2 snowflakes clowns ONLY......question is what do I need to do.....as mentioned in the original post, I have a protein skimmer design for a 500lt tank, the juwel built in filter, plus a G3 to provide more then sufficient filtration...... Once the tank is cycled, I propose to add activated charcoal, nitrate and phospahte removers, and a 5% WC every 2-4 days. Presume denitrators isn't necessary for his size tanks, and the animals I'm housing......any suggestions would be greatly appreciated....
 

MagicJ

Moderator
Jul 11, 2011
9,650
3,761
Hobart, Tasmania
There is a well used phrase often heard in reef keeping - "Nothing good happens fast".

You may think you can take shortcuts, and may think you have a plan to combat every possibility, but eventually it will come back to bite you on the bum.

What you need to keep in mind is that anemones can, and do, live for a very long time in the wild - are you willing to risk them just to satisfy your quest? Their main requirement over everything else is a stable environment - unfortunately that is not something you can buy.
 

BlueBolts

Member
Apr 7, 2014
257
132
Currambine
Thanks Majic J, I hear you, and have been around long enough to appreciate the importance of stability. I'll never put any animals at risk, but will always challenge the "system" as it makes me better understand every aspect of the hobby in great detail......as mentioned, my play in scenario wasn't that I wanted to rush it, but understand that if the situation demanded it, and the option was limited, what must we do to ensure success..... A bit like a "Macgyver"( for those old enough to know the television series ), where we just need to find the means to achieve the situation....

Thanks slin1997, I've got a lot of reading tonight :)
 
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BlueBolts

Member
Apr 7, 2014
257
132
Currambine
Just read the zeovit manual....absolutely awesome, and explains it all well. Zeobak and zeostart3 with 5% weekly WC it shall be.

Does anemone create a big bioload ? Say in comparison to a fish ? I.e. 1 tea cup size anemone = 1 clown fish....are we able to equate it as such ?
 

Agent M

Member
Oct 21, 2011
3,536
1,586
Melbourne
Yes a good bed time story for sure! I find the application of the peroxide very simple & easy to do. I treat it like weed killer - less is more, 1 drop can kill off a large area of algae if its all the one 'plant'. I treated a morph with it yesterday that is growing in a spot I don't want it & needed to use a lot more - probably 1mls worth. Anything stronger than 3% isnt necessary IME so far but I'm new to using it. Anemones, Xenia corals, brittle starfish & bristle worms are extremely sensitive to it so on the occasions I have used a pipette to target certain areas in the tank I've checked first to see whats living in the rock due to having seen what happens when I don't, that's my only word of caution so u don't feel bad when u accidentally squirt it on a bristle worm :dead
 

leodb89

Member
Mar 6, 2012
3,751
876
Sydney
mate cant wait to see this tank glad to see you're back after a long break, seemed like a lot of people were getting out of the hobby but glad to see people coming back, honestly I love how well you guys kept reef tanks back then and seen the way you guys did it and now you must feel like its almost a walk in the park :P

you should start a tank journal because im sure a lot of people want to follow this build. so :welcome and remember our biggest saying here is :poidh lol
 

slin1977

Member
Jul 13, 2011
3,476
1,661
Sydney
I wish I saw BBs original system- by all accounts it was off the Richter. The plumbing was on another level and the tank was built around and after the live rock went in :worship
 

leodb89

Member
Mar 6, 2012
3,751
876
Sydney
start a new thread nils and share that...I would absolutely love to see how they did it before all this tech, I spoke to a guy who made his own ATO based on a siphon break system on a 6ft tank but it also did flood his whole bottom floor after about ayear when it failed lol. sorry for the hijack
 

MagicJ

Moderator
Jul 11, 2011
9,650
3,761
Hobart, Tasmania
I used to love MacGyver :)

@BlueBolts I will get off my soapbox now :rolleyes You seem to know what you are doing so I wish you luck. It's just that I have seen so many people over the years try to rush things only to have their tank crash and everything die - they then get frustrated and eventually leave the hobby thinking that it is all too hard.

Your question about the bioload of an anemone is an interesting one - I guess that they eat meaty foods, probably more than many fish, so there must be a certain amount of ammonia created as part of the digestion process?? I will see what I can dig up.
 

BlueBolts

Member
Apr 7, 2014
257
132
Currambine
My original marine tank was 3m x 1m x 1m.....tank was build/design around the house, FULL of coral, and anything marine, fully auto DUPLA system...even went to Germany to learn their system 1st hand, and travelled twice to QLD for coral collection. Quality info was sketchy in 1994,, so lots of experiments, trail and error etc, lots of $$$$$$$ just to maintain the system..... Comparatively, it's cheap and easy these days..... There I said it ! LOL. Pics ? Mmmm 20 years ago, gotta search for it.

But it's all a re-education for me...lots have changed, and although "simpler" to setup/establish, the dynamics of marine will always be a learning and challenging one.

Anyway, back to my impossible anemone tank....... BTW, I appreciate all the feed backs, shows concern and different perspectives which is what I like in a forum :-)
 

BlueBolts

Member
Apr 7, 2014
257
132
Currambine
Thanks MagicJ, just presume that the bioload would be the major contribution factor affecting tank stability. If the bioload was minimal, then putting 1 or 5 may not affect the system. Otherwise, I'll need to think of plan b
 

BlueBolts

Member
Apr 7, 2014
257
132
Currambine
Day 12/22, zapped the green algae & bryopsis with H202. Used a 50% solution! with a pipette @ 1ml....if I dose 2ml+, I would turn off my filters for a few minutes so that the peroxide doesn't effect the bacteria. Introduced snails & hermit crabs today :-)
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