Well, folks...I am out of the game

Amphiprion · Post by **Amphiprion** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 5:00 pm

Sadly, my tank crashed earlier this week

. Apparently my anemone spawned while I was away (which I suppose was eventually inevitable). Well, the massive amount of biomass release killed off just about everything. The only things left are my fish, anemone, red open brain coral, and bubble coral--basically the oldest things. All my sps--large pocillopora colonies, montipora, acropora, etc. are completely gone, filling a couple 5 gallon buckets. I don't plan on restocking soon and may leave it as an anemone-only tank--haven't decided yet. I may go sps again, but it will have to wait until after I move the tank.

Post by **snoopdog** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 5:56 pm

And people wonder why I stay away from them. Ignore my post in the other thread asking what happened to your tank, that kind of answers it.

Marsfrogie · Post by **Marsfrogie** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 6:27 pm

That is most unfortunate. Did you have a protein skimmer on your tank?

Amphiprion · Post by **Amphiprion** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 6:36 pm

Marsfrogie wrote:That is most unfortunate. Did you have a protein skimmer on your tank?

Yes, but contrary to what you might think, it does no good. There are various oily compounds released that renders a protein skimmer useless. In fact, it later congeals to create a waxy film that will permanently impede a skimmer unless you go and wipe it out thoroughly.

Marsfrogie · Post by **Marsfrogie** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 6:38 pm

Funny how these things always happen when you are out of town. That sucks.

Post by **snoopdog** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 9:12 pm

Amphiprion wrote:oily compounds released that renders a protein skimmer useless

Yeah I noticed that from other things out there making a skimmer act crazy. I seem to remember certain glues that would freak my skimmer out. Still though, I am truly sorry about your tank.

Amphiprion · Post by **Amphiprion** » Thu Oct 04, 2007 10:42 pm

Yeah. You know, I'd be more upset if there was something I would've been able to do about it--but there's nothing I could have done to stop it. It sucks but it happens. Now it's time to take a break and get things going again later.

sb1227 · Post by **sb1227** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 8:47 pm

Good Grief, I get busy and don't check here for a few days and all Hell breaks loose.

I really hate to hear that, Andrew. I have to admit I was thinking it was almost bound to happen someday, but hoping I was wrong. So you finally rid yourself of that Pocillopora.

Take a break, though not too long, and when you're ready I can fix you up with some stuff if you want any of it.

Don't stay away from here though, it gets boring with no one posting.

Amphiprion · Post by **Amphiprion** » Sat Oct 06, 2007 11:33 pm

I knew it was a loaded gun for the longes time. I have experienced a spawn many times--just not this severe. This time was exceptional for whatever reason.

Amphiprion · Post by **Amphiprion** » Sun Oct 07, 2007 8:16 pm

Well, I finished working on the tank and I managed to get some of the rock out (a lot, actually) and I got the new aquascape ready to go. It is much lower and somewhat flat, absolutely made for increasing surface area= much more room for corals to grow. I am pretty happy with it. I guess I'll get some pictures up soon to let everyone see the progress.

Amphiprion · Post by **Amphiprion** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 2:19 pm

Alright, I took some pics. Tank is still a little cloudy, but whatever made it is still recovering, so bear with me.

Before:

After and minus 35-40 pounds of rock later:
Full tank

right

Middle

Left

It is much more open and I think it looks pretty good, though it will look better when I get things growing back on it. The flow has balanced out well and I plan on adding a bit more, bringing me somewhere around 125x turnover per hour. There's 98x in there now and you wouldn't be able to tell.

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sb1227 · Post by **sb1227** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 5:28 pm

Actually, it doesn't look bad....a bit bare, sadly. Is that a Pocillopora or maybe Stylophora in the 3rd pic?
Honestly, I was a little surprised that your red Brain (Wellsophyllia?) didn't have more trouble, but then I seem to have less luck with them than most.

What's that just above the Bubble next to the overflow? The bubble looks quite good from the pic....

You've definately got some nice room for growth now, and maybe a couple of additions. I know how hard it is to lose corals you've had so long though...

Glad you didn't just give up, but that's a little hard to do when you still have what's left to take care of.

You want a nice big frag of Pocillopora?

Amphiprion · Post by **Amphiprion** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 6:42 pm

That is a Trachyphyllia brain and it is the absolute oldest coral in the tank (12 years), followed by that bubble. Thank God they made it. The bubble looks good, but not nearly what it normally is--just waiting. The same goes for the anemone, who is completely angry. The coral next to the overflow is a Diploastrea. Some of the skeletons you see are Pocillopora, but none of it is alive. I was just unwilling to chip those encrusted colonies off. I think I will pass on Pocillopora frags in the future

I am ready to get some frags in there and let them grow out nicely like before and now I have enough room to do it.

sb1227 · Post by **sb1227** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 7:37 pm

Man, I can't get rid of that thing......

Thought that one might be a Diploastrea, it was hard to tell if that or a Favia. I have a large Diploastrea I bought some time ago, it's a sweet coral but it's doing alot of damage in the main tank....gonna have to find a home for it, I think. It's really nailing my Tubastrea.

You have some nice space for a nice Plating Montipora on the right side. Are you considering something like that?

Amphiprion · Post by **Amphiprion** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 8:35 pm

Yep, you guessed it. For whatever reason, I really like staghorn Acropora spp., so I will include things like that as well. Maybe some other types as well. I wouldn't mind something like Stylophora, either. I'll just have to play around with my now open options. Kinda bewildering, actually, as I haven't had an opportunity like this in a long time. I'll figure out what I want eventually.