derek_SR
Supporting Member
I'm amazed at how some of you are getting these pics! Is it an iphone? When you say close-up filter, is that something physical you are putting over the lens? Or am I just not using my phone correctly?!
DeFarts' IM 50gal Lagoon Journey
- Thread starter ReyDeFarts
- Start date
I'm amazed at how some of you are getting these pics! Is it an iphone? When you say close-up filter, is that something physical you are putting over the lens? Or am I just not using my phone correctly?!
Samsung S21 Ultra for some pics and most recently the S23 Ultra. I use Orphek lens kit which also includes a +10 magnification lens. I don't use that as often because it can cause distortion or difficulty to focus. As much as possible, I try to use only the phone camera with no attachments. Any lens attachments can cause distortions technically. I recently won another lens kit and will be comparing it to the Orphek. I'll be posting a thread about the filters in the photography forum here.
Well the most recent CUCs have been mowing down algae! Even some of the stuff that I considered to be bryopsis. Patches of Turf algae/ green hair algae are just gone! There is still more that needs to be addressed though. It's been a busy week and none of the rocks I wanted to take out and clean, have been cleaned. I have however found a few more things that need to be taken care of now. Found a couple aiptasia attached to a frag of clove polyps. I have no idea how I'm going to take them out and kill them without hurting the good polyps. Stuff grows so fast though, so I may just try the kalkwasser paste and epoxy method.
Then there's this thing! What in the world is this?!
Oh, and video of what some folks think is a type of sea cucumber. @JVU You also mentioned you might like to see a video.
Then there's this thing! What in the world is this?!
Oh, and video of what some folks think is a type of sea cucumber. @JVU You also mentioned you might like to see a video.
MarcosDelgado0
Supporting Member
I got curious on the work and did some digging and apparently that worm is a Nemertea AKA Ribbon Worm.
echinoblog.blogspot.com
Ribbon Worms: The Incredible Predators You've Barely Heard About!
This week: Some cool examples of predation by a predator, you've probably NEVER heard of! And yet, they are deadly, efficient and can take...
echinoblog.blogspot.com
white worm, segmented w/ black head
any ideas? was about 3-4" long, no more than 1mm wide, slowly crawling around on the rockwork no bristles or any identifying features aside from the black head and black lines that indicated segments
www.nano-reef.com
DaddyHook
Supporting Member
My 50 I’m going to have to break down because polyps made their way in.
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Kensington Reefer
Supporting Member
Similar issues here...aiptasia AND tiny maroon brown clove polyps
A frag in a new tank with aptasia seems like time to immediately pull it and throw it on the trash. You from 3 months from now hopefully will appreciate you from today.
On cloves, are they expected to travel in the water column or is it the runners you need to worry about? I had some in my frag tank that I'm pretty sure my urchin ate.
On cloves, are they expected to travel in the water column or is it the runners you need to worry about? I had some in my frag tank that I'm pretty sure my urchin ate.
That's what I came up with, ribbon worm, but it didn't appear like anything I saw. That video is exactly that though. Looks like I'll be searching for it and removing it.
These look different from the pics you posted. These are Firework Clove Polyps. They have runners from what I have observed.
From everything I have been seeing and understanding, it seems like aiptasia is a pest everyone has to deal with at some point. My assumption was to remedy as needed to keep it under control and incorporate biological controls to keep it in check.
So right now, it seems the only option is to just toss the entire frag out and call it a day? Such beautiful corals though. It's a shame to have to do that.
I'm curious what others think, but I don't consider aptasia something you need to assume gets in and manage. I'm imagining in comparison to vermetid snails, which seem completely unavoidable. Helps if you have a QT tank for at least short term observation though.
Aptasia seem like something you can handle in QT or see very quickly and deal with right away before they get hold.
Kensington Reefer
Supporting Member
Reef aquarium Herpes...
In your saltwater aquarium journey. Your gonna have to learn acceptance. There’s pest that you can’t get away from. Aiptasia, ich, some form of flatworm, vermited snail. Those are just a few off the top of my head.
Gotcha. I am in the process of planning a QT tank actually. But even some of the best tanks I have seen, accept that they deal with various pests. Even with a diligent QT process in place.
That's kind of where I'm at with it. I just know that it's inevitable. Even with QT, small aiptasia polyps are next to impossible to see. But it doesn't take them long to get big enough to see. Just last week, on the backside of a rock in my small fluval, a big enough (1"+) aiptasia popped up in a crevice between rocks. Injected it with kalkwasser paste and then immediately smothered it with putty. One of the first frags I ever got, brought it home, and had no idea was loaded with aiptasia. Didn't see them until at least 2 weeks after.
I just accepted that I'll have to deal with them moving forward after researching how prolific and difficult they are to get rid of. My plan is to have aiptasia predators eventually, and allow then to manage it better than I ever could.
I removed that clove polyp rock and split in half. I threw the piece that had the aiptasia out. The other half "appears" to be clean. I am still curious though if you all still feel that clove polyps in general need to be thrown out. It bummed me out just throwing out half that rock!
Coral reefer
Past President
Those cloves are ok. I would ideally keep them on a selected separated rock.
Aiptasia you will likely have. Doesn’t mean you should let it in if you can keep it out.
I wouldn’t make out with someone with herpes having a break out on purpose just because I might be likely to get it at some point.
Aiptasia you will likely have. Doesn’t mean you should let it in if you can keep it out.
I wouldn’t make out with someone with herpes having a break out on purpose just because I might be likely to get it at some point.
Of course. Understood. The luxury of a QT is simply not in the cards for everyone. It's a risk without one, I know. Thankfully, I'll have one eventually but it's too late at this point and I'm just not going to freak out about it. Manage it is the best I can do at this point. I'm more worried about bryopsis right now if I'm being totally honest!
Coral reefer
Past President
Throwing them out even if they cost you a frag is a good move. It’s not too late!
Did a big upgrade today! I was up in the Bay again and had a chance to pickup a matching light from @dioworld .
I also lowered the lights to minimize the spread. Now I need to do all new PAR measurements, but thankfully, I'll be able run the lights at a much lower intensity and still get great PAR numbers.
I also lowered the lights to minimize the spread. Now I need to do all new PAR measurements, but thankfully, I'll be able run the lights at a much lower intensity and still get great PAR numbers.
So my goal this weekend is to get my dosing pump setup. Got a nice used Jebao 4 head doser from @Matthew Meyer about a month back or so. I haven't got it setup yet though. I wasn't sure where or how I was going to do it. In the meantime, been struggling to keep my pH above 8 on most days. Corals are looking good but some I think are slowly declining because of that and drops in alkalinity between water changes.
How do you folks calculate your kalkwasser dosage if you don't have a pH controller? I can measure pH in the morning and in the evening.
Does anyone have a solution for an afforable pH controller for the doser?
A couple weeks ago, I changed out my 7gal ATO jug for a 5gal tank. I added measurements so I can begin to "accurately" calculate my evaporation rate. Current avg is 1.5L/day
How do you folks calculate your kalkwasser dosage if you don't have a pH controller? I can measure pH in the morning and in the evening.
Does anyone have a solution for an afforable pH controller for the doser?
A couple weeks ago, I changed out my 7gal ATO jug for a 5gal tank. I added measurements so I can begin to "accurately" calculate my evaporation rate. Current avg is 1.5L/day