Welcome back me....I have some problems (long)

T

Trackz

It's been about 11 months since I've been active on this board; mostly do to a ton of international travel for work. To all those still here...nice to talk to you again; to all those that have joined since...nice to meet you.

Well, due to the extrodinary amount of travel I've had lately (gone weeks at a time), my tank has somewhat gone into the crapper. Now, I need to figure out a way to get it back to nice, so I was some of you may want to give me ideas on how to fix it, help me with it, buy some stuff, trade some stuff, etc. (It's driving me nuts). I think I'm going to need to scale back to very close to a FOWLR in order to get this manageable in the near term.

The problems as I see them:

- Flatworms; I've now got a ton of them. They aren't hurting anything yet, but they sure are ugly. I tried over the weekend to siphon a bunch out, but quickly realized that this is going to be way to big of a PITA; it could take months. I'd love to use Flatworm eXit, but don't want to risk the fish. All of the online retailers are out of Velvet Nudis, so let me know if any of you has one (or preferably more) available.

- Overgrowth; green star polyps and montipora digitata are going nuts...they're everywhere. If anyone wants some (or alot), and knows how to get it out, please let me know.

- BTA craziness. I swear, these suckers must have split a gajillion times (probably not a gajillion, but I must have about 8-10 now). I've quarantined a rock with three on it by itself. If anyone wants to purchase multiple BTAs, let me know. Also, if anyone knows how to get them off a rock when their foot is buried in holes, let me know.

There's other issues as well, but these are the ones that I'm seeing as most problematic. If any of you considers yourself an expert and wants to swing by and give me ideas or a game plan, feel free (Marc...could be some good raffle frags if you're still doing that).

Anyhow.....ALL ideas appreciated.
 
Hi,

I have a six-line wrasse that will eat these since you don't want to use chemicals. I don't think Flatworm eXit will hurt anything in your tank, but can't confirm since I have never personally used the product. I will have to catch the 6-line which will take a near miracle. LMK
 
I've heard very mixed results about six-lines and mandarins (I do have a mandarin)...sometimes they eat them, sometimes not. Have your's actually ate them?

I couldn't imagine trying to catch any of my fish. I think the nudis are my best bet, plus I've already got a ton of fish and jumpers aren't really conducive to my tank (open-top). If he's already 'flatworm-friendy', I'd definately be willing to listen though.
 
Hi,

I'm not sure if he eats flatworms, I've had it about 8 months and for all I know..have never had flatworms.. That's the first time I've heard that mandarins eat flatworms. I had a open top tank for 5 months and it never jumped on me. Just thought I would offer, best of good luck to ya.

Cheers!
 
Sorry to hear about your rapid poliferation of softies and montipora... :D

Seriously though, the star polyps are tough to get off the rock, but once you can get a corner of them pried off and can get a hold of them the mat can generally be pulled off, not always easy, but can be done. Can't speak for the monti's though, I understand you can frag them by cutting the branches, but they would grow back and that would only give you a temporary fix.

The wife and I would be interested in some GTBA's and some Monti frag's. I only work weekends so let me know, I will send my number in a PM.

Todd and Peggy
 
Thanks for the offer bimmerzs...I really shouldn't get any more fish though (2 neon gobies, yellow tang, 2 regal tangs, achilles tang, foxface, 2 clowns, royal gramma, 6 chromis, copperband)...I've got plenty.

Due to my stupidness, I've gotten rid of at least 3 of the BTAs. I moved a large piece of live rock that had three of them on it to a quarantine tank. It was there for a couple days, when I noticed the temp was a little low. I hooked up a big heater (that apparently was malfunctioning), intending to only have it on for a few minutes. Well, I went to the living room to watch the baseball game and dozed off. I woke up, saw one of the BTAs laying on the bottom of the tank, and the thermometer showing 104. I didn't want the guys, but man do I feel like a crap. I've got the temp back down, and I'll see what they look like in the morning, but I don't have much hope.

After looking at my tank for a while, I think another thing I need to do is get rid of some live rock...I have too much. Anybody need some?
 
Todd, if you want to drive to Frisco to get some montipora, feel free. I've got giant branches of those stupid things braking off and fallin to the sand. They would be extremely easy to get rid of...I just hate trashing them if there's someone out there that wants some.

As for the BTA, there all green and I'd be happy to sell one to you, but I'd rather trade a rock with one on it for a piece of live rock with nothing on it (I've sold them before...this is a much easier proposition than trying to pry those suckers loose).
 
I guess I should also add...the tank is 300 gallons with 450+ lbs. of live rock. I didn't want anybody thinking "What's wrong with him? Just pull out the rocks with GSP and anemones"...It just isn't going to be quite that easy unfortunately.

To make matter worse, I just noticed that one of my overflows stopped working. I have no idea why; I did a thorough cleaning of it a couple weeks ago and it was doing fine. The other one is big enough to handle the job, but man....when it rains, it pours.

Also, in case anyone wonders, waking up to a house that smells like dead anemones isn't pleasant (so much so that my wife immediately packed up the kids and left). Jeez...I gotta get this thing back in 'north dallas tank tour' shape again.
 
Chris,
I would start by quarrantining the most overpopulated rocks and cover them from any and all light for about a week, this should kill off any softies you have and seriously harm any encrusting corals you have. another option would be to talk to the various LFS's or members about doing a lb for lb swap for live rock. they get your errand corals, you get clean cooked live rock. for the BTA's, usually if you direct a powerhead right AT them, they will move within a day or so. just wait til they start moving and lift them off the rock.

By the way.... Welcome back
 
Thanks for the ideas. Taking the rocks out will be a weekend job (maybe more). Many of them are close to the bottom of the pile....and I definately don't have enough other tank space to hold them for a week or more.

Is that an Akita for your avatar? Beautiful dogs; I've got two myself.
 
I will take any frags that you don't want. I also have some rocks that I don't mind trading for your rocks. 300 gallons is a huge tank and must be beautiful when working right. Good luck getting the overflows running agaon. LKM and we can work something out. Breezy
 
No, the Avatar is actually a Black phase wolf, we actually have 2 wolfdogs, a 7 YO female 70% artic/Alsatian and a 97% SE Grey wolf just over a year old
 
Oh...I'm gonna get some GSP 'pulled-up'. Sad thing is, I knew what exactly it would do before I ever put it in the tank (multiple times; it's just so darn pretty swaying back and forth in the current...plus, my wife liked it. I blame her for everything).

I did get the overflow working. Apparently, there was a bubble-algae break out in that overflow. I'm not sure how, but it managed to clog alll gajillion holes I have drilled in the durso opening in the last couple weeks. I've taken care of it I hope. I built a cover for that overflow so minimal light gets in. I did it a few months ago for the other one, but ran out of materials and never got back around to this one.

Seriously, if you want some GSP or montipora, let me know. I know m. digitata is an SPS, but I swear it would grow in the dark in freshwater.
 
And Russ, I don't know much about phase wolfs, but here's a pic of my old guy...you can see why I thought it was familiar.
 
You can see a few of the colonies in this pic (branchy stuff up top). You can also see some of my anemone, button polyp, and gsp problem. (kudos to me for making the tank very livable :( )
 
Chris. Ill take any of the digitata you want to get rid of as Im setting up a 175. Thanks, Les . Shoot me a Pm with a good time.
 
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