Build and Progress of my RSM Nano Tank - Page 13

Jimbo327 · #**301** 09/07/2007, 05:01 PM

Hi guys,

Well, I'll give out some advice. For the skimmer, place a small cup of arm&hammer baking sode near the collection cup, it can help remove the smell a little bit. But some people have really sensitive sense of smell, so it might not help too much.

And feed your pets already. They are going to starve or get aggressive soon. Those pods are quite common in the larger tanks, I've seen them big like that when given a chance to grow and not eaten.

LaurentSeattle · #**302** 09/07/2007, 11:39 PM

Week 11 - Day 72 - Friday September 7th

Let's start with good news: Here is the tank tonight.

- The battle against algae is still raging but the situation clearly evolves in favor of a cleaner tank.

- The ALK mystery is solved. I got the Salifert Test Kit and got a 9.0 dDK reading. Could be a tad better but will work on that later... I am going to trash the Red Sea Alk test...

- Nitrites and Nitrates both zero. Phosphates very near to zero, hard to tell exactly, but maybe 0.02ppm if simplistically interpolating colors make sense...

- My new problem is now this:

It seems like a nudibranch is killing my zoanthids polyps one after the other. Please help ID this monster!

I am now considering biological control and getting a 6-line wrasse tomorrow from the LFS. This will also help getting rid of the monster pods.

LaurentSeattle · #**303** 09/08/2007, 11:53 AM

The hitchhiker is just a bristle worm, see here:

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...readid=1202258

Best suggestion so far is here:

http://archive.reefcentral.com/forum...readid=1202226

Reefmack · #**304** 09/08/2007, 12:09 PM

I hope you can get it under control Laurent.

LaurentSeattle · #**305** 09/08/2007, 11:19 PM

Week 11 - Day 73 - Saturday September 8th

I drove quite a lot of freeway miles in my little pony to visit three LFS's: None of them have the magic Furan-2 recommended by ZoaID to cure the "pox". I ordered it online earlier tonight but if the infection continues at the current rate my zoanthids rock will be totally bleached before the package arrives. The pace of the infection has slowed a bit though.

Since animals are dying, I made a preventive 2 gallons water change (siphoning out detritus along the way) and I plan to do the same tomorrow. Small and frequent water change cannot hurt... Right?

I also cleant the mechanical filters twice today. Removing cr*p... Again, that cannot hurt... Right?

Got some Chemi-Pure Elite from LFS #2 and I will put in place tomorrow to replace standard active carbon. Again, again, that cannot hurt... Right?

Well, I am trying to get the best possible water quality with the cheapest weapons that I have in hand.

On a more positive side:

- All water parameters are just right. No2, No3: Zero. PO4 almost zero. pH:8.3, ALK : 9.2

- The pest algae is finally clearly receding and coralline is gaining ground on the walls.

- Yumas and blue stripped mushrooms in great shape.

- Other Zoas and Palys doing great! (Which is weird...)

Reefmack · #**306** 09/09/2007, 07:18 AM

Sounds to me like there's nothing wrong with the steps you're taking. Have you thought about the lugols (iodine) dip, or one of the other coral dips?

LaurentSeattle · #**307** 09/09/2007, 10:10 PM

Month 3 - Week 11 - Day 74 - Sunday September 9th

Today, I stuck to the "plan" with again two white pad cleanings and a two gallons water change. It is amazing that there is always something to clean in the white pad even after only 10 hours or so... Decaying algae, snail poop... etc. Cleaning the white pad also gives me apparently better skimming and less bubbles.

Water parameters are stable with this time a perfect zero reading for PO4. I did not placed the Chemi-Pure in the filter chamber yet. Apparently, the PhosBan stuff is working and removing the hood of the RSM is, as we all know, a pain in the butt...

The Zoa Pox has almost stopped spreading. This is encouraging but still about 5 (maybe 8) polyps have died today.

I went to a fourth LFS today looking for Furan, they did not carry that either. But they had the Goby I was looking for since quite a while, and not available at the other three LFS. Therefore, I pulled out my Visa card for this very cute Rainford's Goby (Amblygobius rainfordi). They like to stiff the sand and also to graze on filamentous and hairy algae. They look good, are peaceful and hardy. My kind of fish.

Here is a picture of the new little guy with mushrooms in the back:

And some background info from the experts at advancedaquarist.com

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issu...2005/fish.html

Reefmack · #**308** 09/10/2007, 06:45 AM

Hi - good news on the zoas (I hope). I've always liked the Rainford's Goby - pretty fish. I guess you meant sift the sand.

LaurentSeattle · #**309** 09/10/2007, 10:58 AM

Yes... Indeed my goby likes to SIFT the sand...

Reefmack · #**310** 09/10/2007, 02:00 PM

I thought you meant "sift' but I've learned to never assume anything. There are a lot of SW terms I'm still not familiar with. Keep us posted on the zoas.

dreboogie · #**311** 09/10/2007, 04:08 PM

THanks for posting your progress, this has definielty helped me with my decision to get a RED Sea Max in the future

LaurentSeattle · #**312** 09/10/2007, 05:50 PM

Month 3 - Week 11 - Day 75 - Monday September 10th

- Today same thing, two white pad cleanings and a two gallons water change.

- Water parameters are stable. All readings are perfect.

- The Zoa Pox has stopped spreading. Only 3 or 5 polyps have died today, they were in very bad shape yesterday. My Furan-2 "magic medication" will not arrive until Wednesday.

- So far, my goby is doing great, is fun to watch and also is helping in controlling algae. He seems to like his new home and is not hiding at all.

- Mushrooms, other zoas and palys are all doing good.

---

dreboogie: You're welcome

ReefMack: Thanks for correcting my bad english

Reefmack · #**313** 09/10/2007, 06:44 PM

How do you use the Furan - as a dip? Just wondering.

BTW, I wasn't trying to correct your English - just wanted to be sure I understood. Your english is much better than my French!

LaurentSeattle · #**314** 09/10/2007, 07:01 PM

ReefMack: Here is the Furan treatment verbatim from ZoaID:

Recommended Instructions for long-term treatment of ZoaPox:

1st WEEK

* Day 1: 1st treatment started with 20 min dip
* Day 2: 2nd treatment started with 20 min dip
* Day 3: 3rd treatment started with 20 min dip

Let the colony rest for 1 week

2nd WEEK
* Day 1: 4th treatment started with 10 min dip
* Day 2: 5th treatment started with 10 min dip
* Day 3: 6th treatment started with 10 min dip
---

Also Copied/Pasted from ZoaID:

Attempted Cures

Aquarists that have found their colonies infected with ZoaPox have attempted many different ways to eradicate the disease.

* Fresh Water Dips
* Dips in Strong or weak Lugols solution
* Tetracycline Dips
* Air drying for long periods of time (5 hours)
* Physical removal
* Fragging the colonies
* all of the above!

Most of these techniques have done nothing to halt the progression of the disease. Much to the dismay of the tester, some of these methods killed the colonies altogether.

Reefmack · #**315** 09/10/2007, 07:04 PM

Hopefully the Furan will work! Some of the other treatments sound pretty harsh, especially air drying for 5 hours.

LaurentSeattle · #**316** 09/10/2007, 07:29 PM

Yes, air drying for 5 hours, that's likely to kill everything. These animals are not tidal, AFAIK...

Reefmack · #**317** 09/10/2007, 08:22 PM

Air drying 5 hours might kill the pox, but the zoas too. AFAIK ? - I once knew what that was, but not any more LOL!

LaurentSeattle · #**318** 09/10/2007, 08:51 PM

As Far As I Know, AFAIK means "As Far As I Know".

IIRC

Reefmack · #**319** 09/11/2007, 06:33 AM

NOW I remember AFAIK! Thanks Laurent. I'm not even going to ask about IIRC! ROTFLMAO

LaurentSeattle · #**320** 09/11/2007, 09:37 PM

Month 3 - Week 11 - Day 76 - Tuesday September 11th

- Did my treatment: Two white pad cleanings and 2 gallons water change. All water parameters are all perfect. Green hairy and filamentous algae are receding and if the zoa pox, the tank would look really great.

- Bad news of the Zoa Pox front: The disease seems to spread to a nearby second colony. I am very annoyed about this because this colony was beginning to attach to another rock. The rock where the infection declared first seems to stabilize with only a few more polyps lost today. I will start the Furan treatment tomorrow, FedEx seems to be on time for delivery.

- I took this picture this morning just after the lights went on: The zoas were not fully opened for the day yet.

Any idea about what this could be? Any ID? The "thing" does not move at all and seems to be part of the colony. Is it a mutant polyp???

michaelaz · #**321** 09/11/2007, 10:28 PM

That might be a nudibranc, that could be whats killing the Zoos

LaurentSeattle · #**322** 09/12/2007, 12:19 AM

Some say it's a sponge and something I should get rid off ASAP...

More suggestions???

Reefmack · #**323** 09/12/2007, 07:33 AM

That white thing looks like a sponge to me. I've read that they aren't really harmful, but that removing it will let the zoas fill in that space occupied by the sponge. You might be able to suction it out with an eyedropper or turkey baster.

LaurentSeattle · #**324** 09/12/2007, 05:32 PM

Month 3 - Week 11 - Day 77 - Wednesday September 12th

- Just received the "magic" Furan-2. I did apply the treatment by the book ( btw, the "book" is here actually: http://www.zoaid.com/articles004.php) And back in tank, only after a few minutes after the prolonged dip, most of zoanthids have already reopened. A little feather duster living on the back side of the rock has also survived and seems to filter as if nothing has happened... Amazing animals...

- Replaced almost 2 gallons of tank water used to dip and then rinse the zoanthids. And, business as usual, cleant the white pad.

- I left the sponge alone... Enough of stress for today.

- Will update later tonight.

Reefmack · #**325** 09/12/2007, 08:33 PM

Sounds like a good sign Laurent! Hopefully the Furan-2 will do the job!