VKernus

Very cool! Well done!

Using LEDs and trying to play with intensity. Algae seems to start middle of the day. Need to balance the algae with getting enough light to a couple small sps frags

Thanks Fishgate. Am running carbon and Phosban. Phosphates are at 0

Agreed. Ben is a great guy and has amazing coral.

RBTA seems to have found a happy place. Ironically, it is about 2 inches from where it started. It is still acclimating but taking food. It is open from about late morning until lights out. He is taking food, but loosing some to a blood red fire shrimp. Crazy thing reaches in a pilfers food from the RBTA.

Thanks Alan.

Recently the algae build up on my front glass has increased. That is to say, in the past, I would clean the front glass and get maybe two-three days before it was again needed. Now, the algae seems to come back faster. Is this normal? pH: 8.1 Temp: 77.4 Nitrates 4.0 Ca: 400 Magnesium 1360 Alk 10 kH. Ammonia and Phosphates 0.0

I will be nearby (relatively speaking) in Deale but tied up all day. Wish I could make it out there.

I must say that the members of this site are by and large extremly helpful.

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Done

Rob, They appear to be rather adept at getting into and out of small places. Mine came out today for a bit. Stretched way out into the light and expanded for about an hour, then retracted up tight as a drum back under the shelf. I am sure he will come out sooner or later. I just don't want him to do another tour of the tank. Some of the corals are still recovering from his last trip. Victor

That is a scary thought. It seems that any purchase or import from a system that does not practice good quarantine protocols is like playing Russian Roulette with your tank.

Very good advise. Having just gotten back into the hobby I am tempted by some of the fish I see but have been resisting temptation and only purchasing fish that have been through a proper quarantine. I dip the coral I buy from other sources. I have not been as careful with some of my invert purchases. I have been told that the chances for ich on an invert are very low.

Thanks Origami. Being patient with the nem. He is now sitting atop a rock in the shade. I am sure he will find its own place. There does not appear to be an irritant at present, at least not one that I can perceive. Maintainance crew checks in weekly. I believe the tank has nitrogen cycled. I do have a ways to go for microfauna stabilization. Water parameters seem relatively stable. Ca drops weekly but that is normal and I am dosing the same amount each week to maintain Ca levels.

s2nhle, I am trying to be patient. I am following the recommendations of the guys that are maintaining the tank. They have been monitoring the parameters weekly and said that it was ready for the nem and clowns. Parameters have been pretty steady. Coral growing well. Nem is moving about the past couple of days, looking for a happy place. As of this morning, it was sitting on top of a rock below a shelf. Curious to see where he is when I get home. I see you are in Lorton. That is pretty close to me. Are there many members in our area?

RBTA still poking its head out (downward into a cave). I see that before settling into the cave, he must have done a lap or two around the tank. Other coral looks like it has been stung. Pink Gonies, and green zoa's seem to have taken the worst of the stinging. Other corals, acans, duncans, are starting to make a comeback.

Tank was stable before the water change. Running a pair of AI Hydra 26's

Tank is two months old. 90 gallon. Did first water change last week. 25 gallons. Based on nitrates, will be doing another change this week. Need hoses and another pump to make the change easier. Mg was high prior to change, now it is a tad on the low side. Ca and alk have been pretty stable. Dosing small amounts weekly as called for. Parameters as of last night: Salinity 1.025 pH: 7.93 Ammonia: 0.0 Nitrate 4.0 Ca 395 Mg 1200 Alk 10.4

I added an RBTA and a pair of snow flake clowns to my reef on Saturday. The RBTA seemed happy in the afternoon, but when I looked the next morning it had disappeared. I found that it had crawled around the side of the rock it was placed upon and settled in a depression that formed an opening to a cave or passage formed in, and extending entirely through the rock. The RBTA then moved into the cave. I can see a portion of its tentacles poking out of the bottom of the cave. Any thoughts about how to lure him out of the rock? He will not get enough light or food where it is currently settled. Removing the rock would entail a substantial deconstruction of my aquascape. Victor

Shrimp did not invite Goby into the cave. The goby does stand watch for him though

Thanks for the response Matt. My pistol has built himself quite the under sand condo system. Extends across nearly half the 90 gallon tank. He has multiple openings. Plenty of food in the tank, perhaps it is a combination of molting and the pistol.

Never thought of that. The other crabs seem to be eating the remains. There are a number of empty shells. I did not keep track of whether the crabs perhaps took up a new home.

Every morning when I go to feed the fish, I notice another small Hermit Crab fatality. Not sure who is responsible. All that is left are the legs and head. Tank inhabitants: Sm Hippo Tang Fox Face Lyretail Anthias Chromis Purple Fire Fish Watchman Gobi Brittle Star Peppermint Shrimp Blood Red Fire Shrimp Tiger Pistol Shrimp Tuxedo Urchin Any thoughts on who may be the culprit?

Looks awesome. Well done!