Alec's 40gal breeder chronicles!

It's been a few weeks, how is that tank looking?

 

Hello one and all, been awhile since I did an update so I figured it was about that time.

Everythings going pretty well, though I still have a few issues in the tank. First of all, bubble algae is everyyywhere. I suppose it came in on a rock or something, which I know is my fault for not dipping!! But it's tough stuff to remove, I need to do some serious manual removal. To be honest I've just been lazy with it and kinda letting it grow, since it's not REALLY hurting anything. I have a few emeralds, but buying those that eat bubble algae is kinda a crap shoot. I think I have a little idea in mind, but PLEASE if you know any somewhat easy or even just effective methods please do share..

Secondly, I need to add more sand. I knew I shouldve 40 lbs instead of 30 when I set the tank up. Woulda coulda shoulda. My clownfish loves to kick the sand around, and it's created some low spots in my sand bed, somewhat exposing the lighting grate I have under there. My question is, what's the best way to add sand into my tank? Or is that even a good idea? I'm not sure if that will start a mini cycle, so please educate me haha.

Other than that no real issues. Other than my RBTA is getting to big and won't split!! I wouldve sold it by now, but my clownfish loves it and I would feel bad. So I've been waiting for a split, that way I can keep the smaller one. But all my fish are alive and well. My long nose hawk has become the more dominant one in the tank, as he's the biggest now (used to be the smallest other than my cryptic wrasse) Corals are doing good, some more than others. I've come to realize that some things just don't do well in my tank... Regardless of my water conditions. But oh well.

I've also FINALLY managed to get my mandarin on frozen foods, so that's good. She was lookin curious about it for the longest time, hovering close to my tongs when I feed. So I finally just sat in one spot and she slowwwly swam up and started eating. That was like 2 wks ago, and she's eating everynight since along with poppin pods all day. Its funny, when I feed now I'll take off my top and all my fish get excited, but now the mandarin gets all pumped up too lol. She'll swim to the top and swim back and forth back and forth along the glass splashing water on the surface haha. I need to get a vid of it.

Anyways I attached a few pics of the tank I took with my moms IPad, so it should be a lil better quality. We'll see how it translates. Then the last pic is of some really pretty lineatus wrasse (I think) that were at the top dollar fish store in Houston called The Fish Gallery - very cool place btw, they just opened their brand new store here and it's awesome. If you in the area definitely check it out, they have a fresh tank there that's 12ft by 20ft with an entire sunken tree in there lol its sweet.

 

Everything is looking awesome. I've heard that you should be able to add 1" of sand at a time with none to little side effects. You shouldn't kill any of the living critters in the sand adding only that much at one time either. That is cool about the mandarin is eating frozen foods now. Sounds like some very fun fish lol. By the way, your clowns are most likely always going to kick sand about everywhere. I know mine do lol.

 

ahh yes thats what I needed to hear haha. whats the most efficient way of getting the sand down to the bottom of the tank though? obviously I'm sure it'll be somewhat of a sandstorm no matter what I do.. but to at least be able to get it in the right spots haha

 

Obviously you want to rinse it first, but you could get a piece of PVC pipe to use like a funnel. That is the best way I know of. Once you get the sand to the bottom, you can then move it around with your hand to get it into the places you couldn't reach. If you rinse it good enough, you may not have much of a sand storm IME.

 

Okay sweet, I appreciate stick. How's your 40 coming along?

 

It's coming along nicely lol. I have a wonderful shroom garden going on lol. I started dosing Seachem Fuel as well.

 

Nice.. You should scroll through the pages on here, Corailline had posted a pic of a shroom garden that was really cool. Kinda what I've been striving towards haha.

But I stopped dosing completely really. Although I've been lazy with everything lately like I said, and I don't have the cash to by additives lol. I feed coral frenzy coral food, and all my corals go absolutely nuts for it. You should check it out.

 

I will check out coral frenzy. I've been interested in it for a while. I will look for those pics by corailline as well. Thanks

 

I made the decision to go ahead and get rid of my sherman bubble tip. I didn't really want to, but it was just too big for my tank. I put it on craigslist for 75 bucks or trade for sps (I bought it for $15 haha) A guy that sells coral and clownfish ended up replying and we just did a trade. For the nem he gave me frags of ORA frogskin, ORA pearlberry, ORA oregon tort, and ORA green slimer. So I'll get some pics up soon when they get settled in!