Was that the golden plating algae? Did I see that on here or NR?

I don't know if it's "the" golden plating algae, but it is kinda golden. :D

:lol: Aha! So I'm not dreaming!

I love macro, I would just keep picking it off, sort of an 'in tank refugium'. Though less refuge and more algae filter, I guess :biggrin:

haha, macro's I can appreciate...this is starting to reach epidemic proportions...I'm thinking about trying a little blue or black stripped tuxedo urchin to see if he'll munch on this stuff. With my luck, he won't.:sad:

Sadly, my very fat little clown Goby dove to his death today. He must have decide to carpet surf just before I checked on the tank as he was still wet. He was a lot of fun, but I don't think I'll replace him with another as already my SPS is happier today than it's been in a while (better polyp extension) so he might have been nipping.

I've put a few new pics of the algae up in case someone recognizes it for me.
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/r...g?t=1242943241

http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/r...g?t=1242943262

Wow that stuff IS taking over. Best of luck getting rid of it... maybe it will go away after a while, like a phase of some type (like the HA phase that a lot of people seem to go through)?

Just read through the thread... Real nice tank! As far as your algae it looks like dictyota algae or nitophyllum. Good looking stuff in my opinion and i think its also a sign that things are doing well. Try a small diadema/longspine urchin.
HTH

You know, that's funny I was just thinking that it sure looks like Dictoyota, but it's totally the wrong color. A Diadema might do the trick, but they grow REALLY fast! Like really, really fast.

Take a hunt through here maybe. I already have, and can't come up with anything, but you'd be better at recognising it since you look at it everyday. http://saltcorner.com/sections/guest.../algaepage.htm

Thanks for the info...I'll look into those type of algae.

It may be good, but it's taking over and has started to force some of my zoas to recede and some of my SPS to RTN.

new pompom crab
 

Added a new addition to the tank today. Great find considering the availability of stuff around here.

http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/r...g?t=1243035785

Any suggestions on what makes these guys happy in our tanks?

No idea what makes them happy, but I have a pair in my 75 and I've seen them trying to spawn... So I figure they are happy.. haha :lol:

:laluot_18:

OMG I love these crabs!

What did you pay for the pom pom? I have one in my fuge you could have, or still can if you want a pair

I think he is still in there:redface:

I'll be getting a pair for my nano, when it's ready for livestock. Or two.

Complete pet had them on for $15 (they only had one) but it had both anemones (sometimes they drop them). I took a long time added it and everything looked great yesterday. Can't find it today (but I hear that's common for these guys).

Really a great little creature.

Oh great addition Mark!!! I love Pom Pom Crabs! They do tend to be shy though, some people think they are dead, but they show up months later. They seem to like to hide for awhile, then learn to come out. Hey, you should take a pic of that coral to get it IDed. The one I thought was Porites-esque! :lol:

I am heading to the Coast next week and a pom pom is on my list, but if you have one you'd like to part with...

Urchin
 

Mark:

If you are still struggling with algae I now have 2 urchins. I would like to get rid of one now that my algae issue is more or less under control.

I like him but in my 180 I don't think I would ever see it so I keep it in my fuge. I actually got it as a hitchhiker.

Mark I have to be in Falkland for 12 so I will get hold of you when I get back. If I could have a piece of eggcrate that would be great. I am going to go do 9 holes before I go, so it will have to be after

Well, it's been a while since I updated this...mostly because my picture taking just leaves so much to be desired.

Here's a FTS of my nano...I've been away for a bit so it needs a scraping that will come this weekend.
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/r...anoSept09a.jpg

Here's a closeup of one of the SPS in the tank that's doing quite well.

http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/r...noTankacro.jpg

And lastly, in trying to deal with the unknown algae that has plagued this tank so badly, I've added a fuge recently. I know the light is ghetto but it's made from parts of a coralife light that simply fell apart on my last fuge.

http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/r...n/NanoFuge.jpg

It's gravity fed back to the tank. As I haven't figure out how to stop the chaeto from plugging the return, I've got it locked in a breeder box for now.

Cool little fuge! Have you thought of using egg crate to hold the chaeto back?

Thanks Myka, I have thought about using the eggcrate but what is to stop little bits from clogging the return. I know Chaeto usually sticks together but I wasn't sure I wanted to take the risk.

I have the eggcrate so maybe I'll give it a try.

try cheato with some filter floss if your that worried about it. make a layer of eggcrate so that the floss can just sit in between and you can replace it.

Ahhh...now that is an ingenius idea!!

Now that you've suggested it...what about maybe using one of the charcoal pads or nitrate pads?

Those pads are not a good idea imo since they are essentially made from media dust and too much gets into the water.

Try turning your ISO to 200 or less, then adjust the "F" setting to wide open. Then turn down the shutter speed (I think it is lol) to 1/4 or 1/8 or so to really darken up the pic. Then use a photo adjusting program to fine tune. I use Picasa (free) even though people say it's horrible, it's easy to use!! :D Take a read through a picture taking thread I posted up a little while ago. They really helped me!! http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=53743

How is the Pom Pom doing? Does it still have both pom poms? I'm still thinking of adding one or two to my tank. I see my Emerald crabs all the time, so I think I would see Pom Poms too...maybe not?

Thanks Myka. I had a feeling that they were too good to be true.

The pompom is doing great...he has both pom poms and comes out regularly.

I read your thread on taking pictures and I need to do it again. I will try what you have suggested.

So today after much debate over the last few months I got an urchin (tuxedo) which I hope will help tackle my algae problem. I spent some of the morning epoxying down any loose corals and then picked him/her up in the afternoon. I'm acclimating it now so I will try to get pictures tonight or tomorrow.

Got the fingers crossed that it might help.

That's not a bad idea. If all else fails the urchin will do well in your 70.

Well, here's my new little Urchin buddy. Hopefully he does what I've read elsewhere on the net and mows down all my algae.
http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/r...g?t=1254334704

You can see that ugly red stuff all over the rocks above him in the pic.

I have my fingers crossed for you!

Say, how's your 70 doing? I don't think you have a journal for it do you?

Hey Myka, no I don't have a thread for my 70G tank. I didn't even know about this site when I started that tank. I've included a few pics in the FTS thread but not much more.

The tank is doing well. I'm still struggling with some algae on those two acros tips but hopefully my change to dosing will help in the long run.

As for my urchin, so far, he's ripped some algae off to use in his camoflage, but I don't see any eaten yet. Not sure how fast that happens so maybe I'm just being impatient.

I will try to get a FTS of the nano with my wife's camera tonight. It is an A640 so it has more range, including controls over the aperature...which my camera doesn't.

Don't uncross those fingers...lol..

Well after suggestions from a few people I thought I would put a picture of my 70G tank up since I haven't done so in a long time.

http://i485.photobucket.com/albums/r...g?t=1254423857

I originally wanted to change over from softies to SPS with the odd LPS but now I'm in a holding pattern until my new tank is started (roughly a 280g) where I hope to have some softies at one end (low flow end) and SPS at the other end.

looking goooood there Mark....a 280g huh?....theres a bit of a jump:lol:

Yeah....I'm looking forward to it. I'm waiting this week to find out if the contractor for our new house can start in late Oct, early Nov. If not, they will push us to early spring which will make me want to cry. If they can start, then I'll be putting quote requests out for an 84x32x24 tank along with a 100g sump. It will be a peninsula tank and we've already drawn it into the plans with a basement fishroom (8 x 10).

You can see why I want to get started already.:lol:

That is so exciting Mark!!! :D

Your tank is looking great. That Monti Cap has really grown in nicely. I think those Yumas have increased population too eh? Lookin good! =]

Thanks Myka...I need to try to clean the back wall soon. Otherwise, I'm pretty happy with it. Wish I could rid myself of all the mushrooms though. Not sure what to do for the future.

Hi Mark, your tanks look very nice....:wink:

As for the Pom Pom Crab, he will eat and sweep the sand for any left overs that fall. I have had mine for a year now and yes they do hide but every once in a while they come out. They will eat everything from frozen to small flakes if you feed that. Great little guys that is for sure.

Bugsy....:biggrin:

Well after being away for much of Christmas my Nano tank is showing some struggles. I developed some type of slimy brown algae on all the SPS and it's already resulting in about a 60% death rate for them.

A couple are holding and I'm doing all I can to keep the stuff at bay. My parameters were pretty good, PO4 was a little high as I was due for a GAC and Phos change in mid Dec and didn't get it done until Jan 2nd.

None of my efforts seemed to be affecting this stuff so yesterday I tried some chemi-clean just in case this stuff was related to cyano. Funny thing is that my sand is as clean as a whistle...my fuge has a tiny bit of cyano but nothing major at all.

Anyways, the LPS and zoas are all fine so we'll just keep fighting the good fight and see what comes of it. Worst case scenario I make a Frag-a-lot order of $10 frags and re-fill the nano once I know this stuff is beat.

That sucks.