Dave (and Emily's) 24 gallon journal

[Klatzy]

Hey all, thought I'd start a tank journal. This is my 24 gallon (Lifegard AIO), in a previous life it was 10 gallon for keeping hermit crabs and fish for my daughter. Somehow corals were added and it morphed into the current 24 gallon tank you see today. It was officially started in August 2021, finished cycling in Dec. 2021 and the livestock moved in. Also have a 5 gallon copepod culture tank in the garage for the Mandarin. Daughter is a Dr. Who fan so there's a Tardis in there.

Corals
2 Hammers, 1 Octospawn, 2 Duncans, 2 ricordeas (Florida I think), 3 zoas, a favites/favia, 2 GSP colonies, and a 1 poccilopora

Fish/invertebrates
1 snowflake clown "Wigglebutt", 1 Royal gramma "Amethyst", 1 neon blue goby "Flash" and 1 mandarin dragonet "Bubbles". You can see the clown and the gramma (lurking in the back) in the pic.

1 Halloween hermit "Big Red": survivor of the terrible Halloween civil war (RIP: Dyno and Tiny)
3 Blue-leg hermits
2 Turbo, 3 Nassarius, and several Cerith snails.

 

[Klatzy]

Past occupants (RIP): A Pygmy cherubfish, a Ruby Dragonet (before I discovered the necessity of a tight-fitting tank lid), and as mentioned before 2 Halloween hermits (or as my daughter calls them Murder Crabs).

 

[Klatzy]

Equipment:
Kessil A160 (started with 2 Nicrew 100W lights). Likely to upgrade over time
Tunze Eco Chic refugium LED
Intank media basket for the refugium in the back compartment
AquaMaxx Bullet-1 skimmer
2 Jebao wavemakers

 

[Klatzy]

I kept a spreadsheet for a while of the Calcium, alkalinity, pH for about 3 months. Average Ca = 409 (19 readings), dKh = 9.12 (20 readings). pH = 8.16 (15 readings). Salinity is measured with refractometer with a goal of ~1.025 specific gravity.

 

[Klatzy]

Outbreak of digitate (and may be colony) hydroids. Took out one of the rocks to scrub and dip several of the corals that had hydroids on them (not sure if Coral Revive will do the job).

 

[Klatzy]

Added a pygmy cherubfish because there were reports of Angels (including this species) eating hydroids). I haven't seen it directly but several of the colonies are reduced or gone after the addition of "Topaz" (daughter's name for the new fish).
Update: nearly all of the hydroid colonies are gone. Wow that fish did a good job (apparently).

 

[Klatzy]

PAR readings

Front readings 10% - 50% intensity
LEFT	MIDDLE	RIGHT
25-45 top	60-100	30-50
30-76 mid	40-120	30-60
13-30 bottom	28-80	8/30
Back readings
25-50	60-100	30-50
45-80	45-80	35-60
25-50	25-50	25-50
Top-mid-mid of tank, under light	Top rock shelf with zoas and Florida
80-140	50-100

 

[Srt4eric]

PAR readings

Front readings 10% - 50% intensity
LEFT	MIDDLE	RIGHT
25-45 top	60-100	30-50
30-76 mid	40-120	30-60
13-30 bottom	28-80	8/30
Back readings
25-50	60-100	30-50
45-80	45-80	35-60
25-50	25-50	25-50
Top-mid-mid of tank, under light	Top rock shelf with zoas and Florida
80-140	50-100

What light are you running?

 

[Klatzy]

It's a Kessil A160 Tuna Blue, at peak it's running at 50% (I'm thinking of bumping it up gradually). Not sure what PAR levels are needed for the various corals (frogspawn, candy cane, zoas, favia, discordea, pocillopora); going to tabulate what's recommended for each. I think I'm running a bit low for the corals on the sides and lower down.

 

[Darkxerox]

Added a pygmy cherubfish because there were reports of Angels (including this species) eating hydroids). I haven't seen it directly but several of the colonies are reduced or gone after the addition of "Topaz" (daughter's name for the new fish).
Update: nearly all of the hydroid colonies are gone. Wow that fish did a good job (apparently).

This is really good to know! I've always wanted one of these angels since they seem to have so much personality. Any updated photos?

 

[Klatzy]

Left side was before I added the Cherubfish and right is after (I moved the zoa to get it away from the colony). I should get some sort of filter for taking tank pics. The Cherub is more aggressive than the first one we had (a year ago, that died after about 4 months for unknown reasons). "Topaz" will harass the clown during feeding time. I did take the rock out and scrub but there were still colonies that were left (and in other parts of the tank). But so far I don't see them anymore.

 

[Klatzy]

Was accidentally sent a large-ish elegance coral (Blue tip elegance) instead of an octospawn. Not sure it can stay for long in the 24 gallon.

 

[Coral reefer]

I can cut it for you if you want help

 

[Klatzy]

Thanks for the offer! Posted in the other thread but I'll probably take it the next fragging workshop.

 

[Klatzy]

An update.
1) had a big dino bloom after the move (under the scope a lot of fast moving small ones, so probably Ostreopsis or Amphidinium small cell (I'm leaning towards Amphidinium because of the lack of bubbles, lack of long strands, and fast, linear swimming movement). Followed this guide https://www.dropbox.com/s/jykctqddl2gr44z/DinoflagellateID12_12_2019.pdf
2) did several 2-3 day blackouts, added UV sterilizer, replaced carbon regularly, and started adding some microbacter, silica, and phyto (to encourage competitor), skipped water changes to increase nutrient levels.
3) after about 3 weeks, dino bloom is going away but do have a small hair algae (which is preferable).


Sadly,
the big elegance melted (this week) and did lose an octospawn a few weeks ago).

 

[Klatzy]

Developed a green cyano outbreak a couple weeks after the Dinos receeded. Tried multiple blackouts, dosing Microbacter, substrate siphoning, and water changes. Still blooming. Finally had to dose with chemiclean, and now the cyano has receded.
Good news though, the elegance came back even though it look pretty dead. Kept what I thought was the skeleton and now it's starting to grow again.

 

[Klatzy]

Photo was taken just before New Years, with some "aquarium goggles" as an improv filter.

 

[Klatzy]

Unfortunately found the Royal Gramma ('Amethyst') floating on the bottom on its side. RIP. Didn't see any detectable infection/damage/parasites. Was about 3 in. in length could be old age or just some sickness. Will need to monitor the other three fish.

 

[Klatzy]

Bubbles the Mandarin goby passed away. Not sure if he was sick but seemed fine and then he was not. Was 1 year and ~10 months old. Now there's just Wigglebutt the Clownfish and a Pygmy Cherub.