Suggestions for my upcoming projects

[kilralpine]

I have 4 semi-major issues that I want to try to work out in my display tank in the next 3 months. Aptasia outbreak, sand swap to fine sand, suspected monti eatting-nudis, and the fact my tank is not a RR tank. Here is a quick rundown of what I am currently working with prior to discussing solutions.

<u>My Main Setup Currently:</u>
75 Gallon Reef 4 foot standard; I think 3/8" thick TANK IS ABOUT 1 1/4 YEARS OLD</em>
Non-Drilled w/ ~400-500 GPH hob overflow (despise it)
20 lbs Crushed coral substrate
About 30-40 lbs mixture of fiji and base rock; very much alive and covered in coraline
Apex, single heater, skimmer, reactor gfo/carbon
6x T5HO 48" shroud using all giesemann bulbs w/ magenta moonlight

I have a SW mixing station downstairs capable of mixing about 75 gallons a day. I also have access to plenty of salt. I use only refractometers to mix.
I have a 55 gallon tank that does not leak I can use for holding, as well as about a 20 gallon. I have 2 junk heaters, a powerhead or two, and a HOB marineland filter good for about 50 gallons.

<span style="color: Red;">For livestock I have:</span>
Pair of maroon clowns hosting 2 5" RBTA
Pygmy midnight angelfish
Snowflake eel ~ 16"
Full size CBS
30+ Hermits and snails
Dozens upon dozens of small beneficial stars/snails
2 Brittle stars

<span style="color: Red;">Corals:</span>
4-5 types of birdnest
4 types of monti, idaho, sunset, superman, regular green branching
handfull of zoas
frogspawn, hammers, and torch
Toadstool, xenia, kenya, and cloves for softies
a few type of mushrooms
probably about 6 or 7 sps

Keep in mind most of these are frags, growing well, and are not necessarily glued down.

OK so my problems......
A. Aptasia outbreak
B. Monti-Eatting Nudis
C. Crushed coral needs to be replaced by sugar-fine
D. Would like to drill my Main Display if possible...

The aptasia issue I am assuming came in on a frag prior to me visually inspecting, knowing of aptasia, and beginning to dip all incoming frags. Around month like 2-3 I had added a few small frags of stuff like xenia, a kenya, a small toadstool and a few other easy-to-keeps. The stuff has blown up and given my rock structure(s) shape I will not be able to eliminate all of them VIA aptasia-x. I currently keep them as wounded as possible with the juice but it is an uphill battle. I know I could go the Berghia route given I don't have super aggressive wrasse, only a CBS as a natural predator (I think). I have held off on this idea for the moment seeing as the process is usually 2-3 months start to finish and I am currently facing the possibility of throwing out the LR and sand anyways.

Regarding my monti-eatting nudi issue; I noticed it probably about 3 months ago and did every other day dips for about 2-3 weeks. I know for a fact I killed probably 6+ smaller ones and then didnt see them for a little bit; the reason i noticed is because my sunset monti had started showing clear signs of a bleach look. Upon close inspection I found the little white buggers and identified them as the montipora eatting type. Today I havent dipped any of the monti's in a little over a month and I KNOW they are still there because I can simply flip over my idaho grape and usually find 1-2. My solution to this was going to be to setup the smaller 20 gallon tank with my other shroud and house the montis and maybe a few other suspected frags for a fallow period. Would love some input on this subject, but let me continue as some of the main reason I have held off annihilating this problem is due to the fact I feel like it is time for a tank reset in a sense.

The primary annoyance I am facing today though I would have to say is my crushed coral, its about 2-3 inches across most of a 4 foot tank, and roughly 20-25 pounds of carribesea live crushed coral is what I started with. I am aware this type of sand is a nitrate trap, especially at the thickness I run it. The sand has been in place and practically undisturbed for most of a year and a half; primary disturbers being my eel and my clowns doing burnouts; and a handful of hermits. I am beginning to dislike the appearance of it, in favor of the sugarfine look. The phos/nitrates in my tank are down at manageable levels to where I only need to scrape my front glass with my magnet about every 4-5th day and aside from that my caulerpa along with gfo outcompetes the rest. I do not have major algae issues as of this moment. I had detritus problems for a bit but I have resolved those issues. All this being said I would like everyones opinion on the best route to take in given the nature of my circumstances; do I transfer and acclimate everything except the montis to my 55 and just swap the current lighting over to it with it barebottom while I start up some new sand/LR ??? Or am I over complicating things and theres some trick-way to swap my sand without poisoning whats in there.

At the moment I am thinking the best fix-all is to get my 55 setup and able to be a holding tank for basically my fish and corals, in the mean time either buy an already drilled 75G or get this one drilled by a member. Decide if I would rather start with fresh LR and go through cycling, or try to re-use my LR and Berghia it after the fact.

Any input, experiences, or flames are welcome
Thanks guys!!!

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[jbadd99]

First, do yourself a favor... DO NOT use fine sand... I was warned when I started my tank against the same thing and didn't listen... now it just blows all over the place. Get something a little bigger. As far as swapping it, no ideas.

 

[kilralpine]

One note on the nudi issue, I have NOT lost or had any of my monti's show significant damage in quite a bit. Seems while coral-rx may not kill eggs it definatly immediatly halts any future damage for some time.

 

[jayu]

Swapping sand may be problematic without breaking down the tank completely. Sugar fine sand will blow around initially but will settle over time. I have about a four inch sugar fine sand bed, it settled after about a week.

 

[jbadd99]

JayU;837695 wrote: Swapping sand may be problematic without breaking down the tank completely. Sugar fine sand will blow around initially but will settle over time. I have about a four inch sugar fine sand bed, it settled after about a week.

You must have been lucky. Mine is only 2 1/2 inches deep and hasn't settled since I started the tank. Even before I got my diamond goby the water had quite a bit of sediment in it.

 

[kilralpine]

Despite the issues with sugar fine being able to be blown around; it will still be my sand of choice for the next setup. Anyone have any experiences with the nudis or aptasia + berghia??? Also still very curious how most other people setup their temporary housing for corals while doing these sorts of transfers.

 

[ralph atl]

I've had sugar fine sand for years with 2 mp40's, no issues. I do, however, have a single layer of crushed coral front center.

to exchange, I would use a wetvac and fish net on my next water change. also, a larger size hose can be used as you do a water change.

aptasia? this species of peppermint shrimp here:

 

[silver surfer]

Funny you mention fine sand replacement. I just replacement my sand last night in my 120. Went with reef sand. I just removed about 75% (couldn't get all due to rock and such) and dumped new reef sand one cup at a time (3 bags total). Happy to report no problems with any livestock.

One thing to mention. If you do use reef sand watch your mag levels, they my drop.

Here's a photo after 10 mins of replacement

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[kilralpine]

So you mean to tell me I could have just sucked out 20 pounds of sand with my wet vac lol? The peppermints are a great idea but my eel or cbs would probably make quick work of them.

 

[billsfan]

Sorry to change the subject , but what kind of eel do you have and do you have any problems with him going after the clowns? Pics if you have any.

 

[kilralpine]

I have a snowflake eel, all three were raised from quite young. The eel was a juvenile around the time he was introduced to the half year old maroons. Entirely non-fish diet for the eel, just shrimp/squid ect. He has never once chaised any fish I have had in the tank including pygmy angelfish, clowns, leopard wrasse, diamond watchman gobys, and my coral banded shrimp. You "could" say hes the dumbest eel I have ever seen but I love him to death

This was about 4 months ago, haven't taken any pictures of him lately.

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[kilralpine]

To continue on with my projects, if I vacuum my sand out should I isolate my livestock for a day or two while I do such??? I am off the next 2 days and I am currently mixing a bunch of salt in preparation to do a few larger WCs. Will be buying some more ammonia/nitrate/ite test kits today to be sure but am pretty unsure how dirty sucking most of the sand out really could be after right over one year. If it is possible I would love to leave my livestock in the tank and just suck out my sand, do WC, suck out more sand, do WC and be done; but I am not willing to risk my mated pair.

The current idea is take 1/3 to 1/2 of my water in my display; fill my extra 55 with an extra heater and get it set to 78-79. At that point I SHOULD be able to move most of my livestock without having to do crazy acclimation for all of this stuff.

 

[kilralpine]

Something I noticed. In my original post I said that I had 20 pounds of sand... Just kidding its actually 120... I have a ton of carribsea crushed coral live sand. Think I will be going with half of that this time around.