Red Sea Max Owners Club

[Rue]

I wish I could have a refugium too! But it has to wait...er, like...forever...

Geez...I wish my tank was as clean as yours...I rescued my green and my orange zoos from the algae when I introduced today's additons after I acclimated them...tomorrow I'll uncover the palys from the bryopsis...

[mbdave]

Donna my parameters today are magnesium 1250 and KH 12.5 or so, "the only two I tested". Been dosing mag for a few days now up the dose today it looks like some of the bry is dying? Will see what happens in time. I have kept a close eye on the KH due to the amount of mag I have been dosing it slows the process but I don't want a KH crash.

[Reefmack]

Rue - my tank could be a lot cleaner than it looks! I need to put some effort into getting the coralline off the front, sides & corners. You're not the only one with algae & bryopsis threatening to cover up their zoas. I've learned that when you get one thing solved, another problem takes its place. Neverending war against one thing or another in our tanks.

mbdave - seeing any negative effect on anything from the magnesium? My biggest and oldest colony of GSP still hasn't opened, yet smaller colonies seem fine. Weird. I still can't say for sure whether the bryopsis is dyeing or not. I stopped dosing after I was sure I hit 1600ppm.

[Hodge]

Here's a pic shortly after introducing my new corals. Colt and toadstool were open pretty quick. The leather coral finally stood up straight today and colored up a nice gold color. The frogs spawn wasn't happy when the pic was taken, i'd just moved it cause it was too close to the toadstool.



PS. calcium levels are up 30 points today...should be able to get to 450 fairly easy.

[donna53w]

Reefmack, when I was researching the Emerald Crab, I ran across some info that said it might eat snails. I'm happier hearing that yours hasn't bothered any.
Your new Foxface is beautiful! Your tank looks great! Nice & clear & clean, and beautiful corals. Wow ... you did a fantastic job getting the hydor cleaned up with the vinegar.

mbdave, thanks for the mg & kh readings. I'm just curious & anxious to hear some really positive results from you and Reefmack re bryopsis.

Hi Reefersteve, looking forward to future pics. I'm going back to read your thread on the wood airstone mod. If it's easy enough for me to tackle, I'd like to give it a try.

Donna

[Rue]

...what I read was that the Emerald Crabs won't go after 'live' meat unless they're starving...hope so!

See Reefmack...Donna thinks your tank is clean too!

Hodge? Nice to see someone else's leather NOT standing at attention!

[Reefmack]

Hodge - the tank is really coming to life now - looks great! Be careful with the frogspawn types - they not only can sting neighboring corals - they can sting us too. After 3 bouts with my frogspawn stinging me I wear a glove now if I know I'll be working near it. By the way, did you know that the Foxface have venomous spines? I was very careful acclimating it and transferring it into the tank, and I'll have to keep an eye on that as well when I have my hand in the tank.

Donna - glad to hear I handn't misled you on the hermit/emerald crab - at time I mean one thing but type another!

Rue - Hodge's tank looks pretty clean too I'm not the only one LOL. Other than the coralline on the front/sides, and my !$*&* bryopsis, I do think my tank is the cleanest it's ever been. Maybe it's just maturing, going to real RO/DI water, adjusting my powerheads, adding the A&B, putting chaeto back in the system, or a combination of all of these. About a month ago I still had brown & dirty looking substrate in several areas, but that's gone now.

I never did get to my tests yesterday, but I'll try to post my Mg, Ca & Alk readings later today, and a bryopsis update (too dark to see in the tank at this time).

[abyall]

I feel left out with the full tank shots.[IMG][/IMG]

[Reefmack]

Beautiful tank abyall. Nice to see it again. Good job!

For those of you that also have large tanks, or are going to a large tank, I found this cool, inexpensive mod to increase the flow of a low cost Maxi Jet 1200 from the stock 295 gph up to 800 - 1400 gph depending on the model of the mod. Takes 30 seconds, and is easy to remove.

http://www.marcorocks.com/index.asp?...TS&Category=22

[Rue]

Yes, Hodge def. has a clean tank...and so does Abyall...dunno why I'm picking on YOUR clean tank!

...btw, Abyall? Shouldn't your brain be on the substrate? Other than that...I must say it's a gorgeous tank!

[Reefmack]

Rue - I was also under the impression that brains should be on the substrate, yet I've seen more than one instance of them being placed on the rockwork and looking healthy. I wonder myself about that.

[MAXreefer]

Originally posted by Reefmack
Rue - I was also under the impression that brains should be on the substrate, yet I've seen more than one instance of them being placed on the rockwork and looking healthy. I wonder myself about that.

"You can place the Brain Coral in the sand bed or on an exposed rock along the bottom two-thirds of the aquarium where currents will be able to supply it with necessary nutrients and trace elements. "

I have mine on a rock in the lower part of the tank with medium flow and expands about twice his size during the day.

Michael
MAXreefer

[Rue]

Thanks Michael...I thought I remember reading because the brain tissue is so delicate, that the rocks can damage them too easily..therefore they should be on the substrate...

[abyall]

Here is a picture of a brain I had from my 58 gallon at the top it did very well[IMG][/IMG] Here are some awsome mushrooms that I have from my old tank[IMG][/IMG] Sorry these pictures are ten years old from a sony mavica.

[Reefmack]

Michael, Abyall - I must have read the same thing that Rue did on the brains placed on the rocks. It just proves that we can't 100% believe everything we read! Thanks for sharing your personal experiences - those are usually the best source of information!

Just finished some tests on my water:

Ca 440 ppm
Alk 10.2 dKH
Mg 1600 ppm (wooohooo!)
pH 8.4

The Byropsis does look lighter in color now. The new Foxface is out & about today, but no sign yet of picking at the Bryopsis. But I knew there was no guarantee on that, so I'll just enjoy the beauty of the fish before he outgrows the tank (and hope he likes the taste of Bryopsis eventually). He did chow down heartily on mysis this morning so it was good to see him eating well. He hasn't bothered any other fish. I've read that if a fish shows aggression toward them that they extend their venomous dorsal spines and tilt a bit on their side, pointing the spines at the aggressor, and I've seen mine do that with the Damsel and Pseudochromis a few times - and they back off immediately. It's kinda like he tells them "bite this buddy, and you'll be sorry"! It works! Cool to see it being done. Everybody getting along very well now.

[mbdave]

Update, today the mag is 1400. I can see a section of bry that has died,"not saying its the mags fault yet" I'm using twopartsolution.com mag mix if anyone is interested and a salifert test kit.

[Rue]

I just cleaned and did a water change...

...dunno what I'm doing with the water...lol...I took out less than I had made...and STILL had to add back some old water to get it up to the 'bubble-free zone'...

I'll feed everyone in a minute...and try and take some pics of my new cutie...

[Reefmack]

Rue - sounds like you have magic water in the tank! Strange, but I think I've had the same thing happen to me. I figured that between filling the new fuge and acclimating the Foxface yesterday that I could skip my weekly water change without feeling guilty. I did, however, have to make up SW for next week, then about 10g of RO/DI. I still had to suffer through the worst part - lifting & carrying 5g buckets & bottles. Pictures - yes! Let's see the new cutie!

The Foxface is out & about today & all over the tank. An active fish and difficult to get a nice picture of. I think I'll try it with the flash next time to stop his motion.



The GOOD NEWS - I twice today saw the Foxface pulling off & eating strands of bryopsis! I hope he keeps that up. Even if he just eats a piece here & there it will all add up.

I was a bit concerned about the fish's eyes - they have a dull look to them. I did some searching and found a few articles that this is normal: "..... It is normal for Foxface to appear to have a slight haziness or "cataract-like" appearance to the eyes when the light hits them just right." I also saw one mention that they'll even eat bubble algae.

[Rue]

No pics! No batteries! I'll try to remember to get some tomorrow...

However, my black perc ate Cyclopeeze! So that's good...the sun coral ate...every polyp except one at any rate...so hopefully I can get it back on track! I got a deal on it because it was kicking around the store for a long time...seems people don't want them because they have a rep. for being finnicky...however, it was neglected at the store a bit, so it's a tad 'skinny'...I'll see if I can fatten it up...

Saw the male emerald crab...or at least his claws pulling in food...and all 5 Nassarius snails were out and about...

Blue shrimp moulted again! But if it's eating ANY bryopsis, I'd be surprised...wanna lend me your foxface?

[Rue]

BTW...is a black true perc the same as an onyx perc?

[mbdave]

On a side note, since adding the added mag my halimeda has taken off even more than before.

[donna53w]

Beautiful tank, abyall . How long have you had it running? Nice coraline growth on the back wall, too. And what a great assortment of coral, etc... Do you run your RSM stock or have you made mods to lights, etc?

Hodge , for some reason your pics don't show up on my 'puter. Very disappointing for me. I run Firefox, and wonder if that would make any difference?

Rue I'm looking forward to your pics of the new additions. About the water ... sometimes I haven't enough, and it seems like I take out the same amount as I'm putting in! It's a real pain when you make your own RO/DI ... I think I'm finally learning that 'more is better'.

mbdave It sounds to me like you are on track with the bryopsis. I have to store your & Reefmack's info ... haven't got bryopsis yet, but there will come a day ....

Reefmack 'sounds like your Foxface has settled in very nicely. I hope he really makes some good meals on the bryopsis. Like mbdave, it does sound like you are seeing some initial success with the increased mag, tho. Good news.

Well, I spent some time just trying to fish out some more cyano ... tried some hair-brained ideas, trying to scoop it out. I tried cheesecloth wrapped around my cleaning rake ... didn't work. Then cut a short bristle round brush & attached it to the rake with elastic bands ... worked a little, but very inefficient. Next I used my brineshrimp net to try & catch the floaties .... Cleaned the filter pad & black sponge (cut down to about 2") , yes, I still am using them in the skimmer compartment. Cleaned the skimmer. Cleaned the glass, cleaned up my mess, and then came here to see how everyone is doing!
Donna

[Reefmack]

Rue - that's great on the new black perc & sun coral eating. My false percs seem to eat anything (except bryopsis). No idea on whether a black true perc & onyx perc are the same, but it's possible they're just different common names for the same fish?

mbdave - I can't really remember but I think the increased Mg may raise Ca or make it more available? Halimeda needs Ca to grow, so maybe that's why it's growing more? Or just a coincidence. Just a couple guesses.

Donna - it may be a firefox related thing. I sometimes switch to Netscape and everything doesn't always work with that. But, I checked the properties on Hodge's picture & it looks like he's using photobucket, same as me & lots of other people. Why my pics show up & his didn't is strange. On the Foxface - he not only eats mysis - he enjoys flake food too. Unfortunately he seems to like them more than the Bryopsis. But, maybe he'll at least put a dent in it over time. Sounds like you got a workout working on the tank again. Isn't it amazing (if that's the right word!) how much of our time these tanks can consume? Mine is like a black hole sucking up money and what used to be my R&R time.

[Fishy Something]

Originally posted by Reefmack
Mine is like a black hole sucking up money and what used to be my R&R time.

This is just too damn true...

Ignoring the money (because if I didn't I would probably have a breakdown), the time is what kills me.

My progression on my way to a RSM was a couple of gold fish to a 180l FOWLR tank, that became 450l reef after a year or so. Then when a pair of clowns spawned things got really ugly & they were moved to a 90l on their own that grew to a 600 litre system for 6 pair, which of course required another 10+ larvae/growout tanks.

At that point (3 hours work a day on tanks plus more on weekends) the reef had to go & 5 years later here I am, having sold my last baby clowns this weekend & reclaiming the bathroom cum fishroom for its original purpose, the few minutes a day on the RSM seems easy!

This all started because my wife's materal instincts kicked in & she couldn't "let the baby fishies die..." Only problem now is my wife thinks a pair of seahorses in the RSM is a good idea, & now that I remember how big the bathroom is, my thoughts turn towards the 850l in-wall system that could now fit where the growout was



Rue - Black & Onyx Percs are the same thing IMO. I think that many people define the Onyx by them having virtually no orange colouration left, whereas the "black" ones retain a hint of orange around their face. The reality is that Amphiprion percula have colour variations ranging from the traditional "Nemo" to a near black & white Onyx variant - they are all the same species of fish.

Cheers

James

[brooklynfish]

Can anyone recomend an auto-feeder? I have to go away for a few days and I'm looking for something that will fit well with my Max tank.

Thank you,
-Mike