Ricordia dying, sorry for the length

[Brian & Mary Adams]

I'm not new to this hobby, but have been out of it for a while. I'm a long
way from an expert and google is not helping. I just set my system up again
8 weeks ago. 75 gallon 4 foot long under tank wet dry, protein skimmer,
charcoal filter, great water flow, good algae colors and all water
conditions test great with 3 different kits all new. (specifics below)



I started with 10 pounds of live rock, 2 weeks later added 3 damsels. After
2 weeks water was great and my dealer suggested 45 snails. I also added a
small rock packed with simple brown Ricordia and another with a few purplish
Mushrooms. For 2 weeks these guys were full, open, happy and pretty! (I have
proud pictures) on 4 occasions in that time I fed the Ricordia small amounts
of thawed silversides, some of which went to the bottom of the tank, but
most of which was eagerly consumed.



One of the original live rock came with a free small tube anemone, and small
feather duster. My dealer said I needed more light so I dumped the 7 year
old technology and bought one 48" 4x65W Coralife Aqualight CF hood, 2x
Actinic and 2x 10,000K, -Straight Pin and one 48" 2x65W Coralife Aqualight
hood w/ 50/50 -Straight Pin.



About a week later things changed. The duster is not as happy as it was but
not bad at all, the tube in constantly on the move and not full at all, the
Ricordia and Mushrooms are tiny, green and all but dead. Or maybe they are
and have just not burned off yet.



Specifics... The tank, wet/dry container, bio-balls, power heads, ceramic,
and plastic decorations (filler until more live rock) were all gathering
dust for 5 or so years. I washed everything in hot water and vinegar and
rinsed until my prune shaped fingers looked good enough to eat in cold but
softened water. I bought 90 gallons of RO water transported in 2 NEW 50
gallon Rubbermaid containers rinsed well in non softened very hard high in
iron water and dried completely.



Specific Gravity started at 1.0235 and after 2 25% water changes,
evaporation replacement etc., all with RO water it is now at 1.0225.



PH is 8.3 Alk is above normal, no ammonia, no nitrite no nitrate water is
plenty hard. Tried chem. absorb, copper absorb, and after reading an article
saying my pumps may be releasing charges to the water because of their age
and length of misuse I bought a grounding system that has a titanium rod in
the tanks, and a ground plug only in a grounded outlet.



The blue lights go on at 9:30 am and go off at 10:30 PM, the white lights go
on at 10:00 am and off 12 hours later. I added 6 emerald crabs, and 3 shrimp
to get rid of any leftover silversides, no I don't overfeed, and besides I
have not been able to feed the Ricordia since they shriveled up. I have
green bubble algae I'm thinking is NOT related, and the only other thing I
can think of to add is that it all seemed to have started when:



Within about 2 days the front and 2 sides were covered with green algae that
the snails could not keep up with. The dumb things were all worried about
the back! I bought a magnetic algae remover that worked great but clouded
the water to a green tint until I got out the old Magnum 350 (after thorough
cleaning and rinsing) and installed a new micron filter in it.



The water is once again clear but the inverts are not happy. The fish are
and in fact my niece bought a cinnamon clown from my dealer that has been
happy for the week I've had it. Snails, crabs and shrimp are all happy too.



Please help!



Brian and Mary Adams, Plainwell, Michigan and getting cold outside!

[Marc Levenson]

Brian,

From what I'm reading, I think your tank is reacting to the increased lighting
from what it was. Typically when lights are swapped, and livestock is involved,
you need to acclimate the inhabitants to the new lighting by starting off with
short time periods of full intensity, gradually ramping it up a half hour every
other day until your full photo-period is achieved.

FYI: Charcoal is for grilling, Carbon is for filtering. :)

It is good that you have no nitrates, but using a wet/dry will end up creating
nitrates your system won't be able to keep up with, and your invertebrates will
not be happy at all. 20ppm is the maximum "happiness" factor, with people
attaining 10ppm, 5ppm or even 0. Getting more LR (live rock) will help to shade
some of your unhappy creatures now.

When you clean the glass and release all the green stuff into your water, you
are actually feeding plankton to your reeflings, and I'd not use the Magnum 350
unless you must. Your ricordias are filter feeders like most mushrooms. In
fact, I was really surprised to read that yours were eating (some) silversides,
as I've never heard of anyone target feeding rics before.

Marc


Brian & Mary Adams wrote:

> I'm not new to this hobby, but have been out of it for a while. I'm a long
> way from an expert and google is not helping. I just set my system up again
> 8 weeks ago. 75 gallon 4 foot long under tank wet dry, protein skimmer,
> charcoal filter, great water flow, good algae colors and all water
> conditions test great with 3 different kits all new. (specifics below)
>
> I started with 10 pounds of live rock, 2 weeks later added 3 damsels. After
> 2 weeks water was great and my dealer suggested 45 snails. I also added a
> small rock packed with simple brown Ricordia and another with a few purplish
> Mushrooms. For 2 weeks these guys were full, open, happy and pretty! (I have
> proud pictures) on 4 occasions in that time I fed the Ricordia small amounts
> of thawed silversides, some of which went to the bottom of the tank, but
> most of which was eagerly consumed.
>
> One of the original live rock came with a free small tube anemone, and small
> feather duster. My dealer said I needed more light so I dumped the 7 year
> old technology and bought one 48" 4x65W Coralife Aqualight CF hood, 2x
> Actinic and 2x 10,000K, -Straight Pin and one 48" 2x65W Coralife Aqualight
> hood w/ 50/50 -Straight Pin.
>
> About a week later things changed. The duster is not as happy as it was but
> not bad at all, the tube in constantly on the move and not full at all, the
> Ricordia and Mushrooms are tiny, green and all but dead. Or maybe they are
> and have just not burned off yet.
>
> Specifics... The tank, wet/dry container, bio-balls, power heads, ceramic,
> and plastic decorations (filler until more live rock) were all gathering
> dust for 5 or so years. I washed everything in hot water and vinegar and
> rinsed until my prune shaped fingers looked good enough to eat in cold but
> softened water. I bought 90 gallons of RO water transported in 2 NEW 50
> gallon Rubbermaid containers rinsed well in non softened very hard high in
> iron water and dried completely.
>
> Specific Gravity started at 1.0235 and after 2 25% water changes,
> evaporation replacement etc., all with RO water it is now at 1.0225.
>
> PH is 8.3 Alk is above normal, no ammonia, no nitrite no nitrate water is
> plenty hard. Tried chem. absorb, copper absorb, and after reading an article
> saying my pumps may be releasing charges to the water because of their age
> and length of misuse I bought a grounding system that has a titanium rod in
> the tanks, and a ground plug only in a grounded outlet.
>
> The blue lights go on at 9:30 am and go off at 10:30 PM, the white lights go
> on at 10:00 am and off 12 hours later. I added 6 emerald crabs, and 3 shrimp
> to get rid of any leftover silversides, no I don't overfeed, and besides I
> have not been able to feed the Ricordia since they shriveled up. I have
> green bubble algae I'm thinking is NOT related, and the only other thing I
> can think of to add is that it all seemed to have started when:
>
> Within about 2 days the front and 2 sides were covered with green algae that
> the snails could not keep up with. The dumb things were all worried about
> the back! I bought a magnetic algae remover that worked great but clouded
> the water to a green tint until I got out the old Magnum 350 (after thorough
> cleaning and rinsing) and installed a new micron filter in it.
>
> The water is once again clear but the inverts are not happy. The fish are
> and in fact my niece bought a cinnamon clown from my dealer that has been
> happy for the week I've had it. Snails, crabs and shrimp are all happy too.
>
> Please help!
>
> Brian and Mary Adams, Plainwell, Michigan and getting cold outside!

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

[Rod]

Along with some of th ethings that Mark touched on.... You seem to be going
the wrong way with your salinity.. 1.026 is a good target.... temps at 80-84 ..


>
>Specific Gravity started at 1.0235 and after 2 25% water changes,
>evaporation replacement etc., all with RO water it is now at 1.0225.
>
>


Rod Buehler
www.asplashoflife.com

[Dragon Slayer]

"Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
...
>........... In
> fact, I was really surprised to read that yours were eating (some)
silversides,
> as I've never heard of anyone target feeding rics before.
>
> Marc
>
>

sorry to break it to you Marc, but the two you got from me have been target
feed many times. its how i get such fast growth from them just befor i
frag. and as soon as the mouth heals they get feed agian. you should try
it, its quite amazing watching that little fuzzy mouth open up and swallow
something twice as big as it.

kc

[Marc Levenson]

So what do you suggest? I assume I'll need to cut the power to the powerheads
to keep the food from blowing away, plus put in so much food that my cleaner
shrimp and serpent star will stay away for a little bit.

Marc


Dragon Slayer wrote:

> sorry to break it to you Marc, but the two you got from me have been target
> feed many times. its how i get such fast growth from them just befor i
> frag. and as soon as the mouth heals they get feed agian. you should try
> it, its quite amazing watching that little fuzzy mouth open up and swallow
> something twice as big as it.
>
> kc

--
Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com

[David Young]

My Ricordia loves shrimp pellets!
David Young
"Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
...
> Brian,
>
> From what I'm reading, I think your tank is reacting to the increased
lighting
> from what it was. Typically when lights are swapped, and livestock is
involved,
> you need to acclimate the inhabitants to the new lighting by starting off
with
> short time periods of full intensity, gradually ramping it up a half hour
every
> other day until your full photo-period is achieved.
>
> FYI: Charcoal is for grilling, Carbon is for filtering. :)
>
> It is good that you have no nitrates, but using a wet/dry will end up
creating
> nitrates your system won't be able to keep up with, and your invertebrates
will
> not be happy at all. 20ppm is the maximum "happiness" factor, with people
> attaining 10ppm, 5ppm or even 0. Getting more LR (live rock) will help to
shade
> some of your unhappy creatures now.
>
> When you clean the glass and release all the green stuff into your water,
you
> are actually feeding plankton to your reeflings, and I'd not use the
Magnum 350
> unless you must. Your ricordias are filter feeders like most mushrooms.
In
> fact, I was really surprised to read that yours were eating (some)
silversides,
> as I've never heard of anyone target feeding rics before.
>
> Marc
>
>
> Brian & Mary Adams wrote:
>
> > I'm not new to this hobby, but have been out of it for a while. I'm a
long
> > way from an expert and google is not helping. I just set my system up
again
> > 8 weeks ago. 75 gallon 4 foot long under tank wet dry, protein skimmer,
> > charcoal filter, great water flow, good algae colors and all water
> > conditions test great with 3 different kits all new. (specifics below)
> >
> > I started with 10 pounds of live rock, 2 weeks later added 3 damsels.
After
> > 2 weeks water was great and my dealer suggested 45 snails. I also added
a
> > small rock packed with simple brown Ricordia and another with a few
purplish
> > Mushrooms. For 2 weeks these guys were full, open, happy and pretty! (I
have
> > proud pictures) on 4 occasions in that time I fed the Ricordia small
amounts
> > of thawed silversides, some of which went to the bottom of the tank, but
> > most of which was eagerly consumed.
> >
> > One of the original live rock came with a free small tube anemone, and
small
> > feather duster. My dealer said I needed more light so I dumped the 7
year
> > old technology and bought one 48" 4x65W Coralife Aqualight CF hood, 2x
> > Actinic and 2x 10,000K, -Straight Pin and one 48" 2x65W Coralife
Aqualight
> > hood w/ 50/50 -Straight Pin.
> >
> > About a week later things changed. The duster is not as happy as it was
but
> > not bad at all, the tube in constantly on the move and not full at all,
the
> > Ricordia and Mushrooms are tiny, green and all but dead. Or maybe they
are
> > and have just not burned off yet.
> >
> > Specifics... The tank, wet/dry container, bio-balls, power heads,
ceramic,
> > and plastic decorations (filler until more live rock) were all gathering
> > dust for 5 or so years. I washed everything in hot water and vinegar and
> > rinsed until my prune shaped fingers looked good enough to eat in cold
but
> > softened water. I bought 90 gallons of RO water transported in 2 NEW 50
> > gallon Rubbermaid containers rinsed well in non softened very hard high
in
> > iron water and dried completely.
> >
> > Specific Gravity started at 1.0235 and after 2 25% water changes,
> > evaporation replacement etc., all with RO water it is now at 1.0225.
> >
> > PH is 8.3 Alk is above normal, no ammonia, no nitrite no nitrate water
is
> > plenty hard. Tried chem. absorb, copper absorb, and after reading an
article
> > saying my pumps may be releasing charges to the water because of their
age
> > and length of misuse I bought a grounding system that has a titanium rod
in
> > the tanks, and a ground plug only in a grounded outlet.
> >
> > The blue lights go on at 9:30 am and go off at 10:30 PM, the white
lights go
> > on at 10:00 am and off 12 hours later. I added 6 emerald crabs, and 3
shrimp
> > to get rid of any leftover silversides, no I don't overfeed, and besides
I
> > have not been able to feed the Ricordia since they shriveled up. I have
> > green bubble algae I'm thinking is NOT related, and the only other thing
I
> > can think of to add is that it all seemed to have started when:
> >
> > Within about 2 days the front and 2 sides were covered with green algae
that
> > the snails could not keep up with. The dumb things were all worried
about
> > the back! I bought a magnetic algae remover that worked great but
clouded
> > the water to a green tint until I got out the old Magnum 350 (after
thorough
> > cleaning and rinsing) and installed a new micron filter in it.
> >
> > The water is once again clear but the inverts are not happy. The fish
are
> > and in fact my niece bought a cinnamon clown from my dealer that has
been
> > happy for the week I've had it. Snails, crabs and shrimp are all happy
too.
> >
> > Please help!
> >
> > Brian and Mary Adams, Plainwell, Michigan and getting cold outside!
>
> --
> Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
> Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
> Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com
>
>

[Xena Warrior Princess]

<<SNIP SNIP>>

> I was really surprised to read that yours were eating (some) silversides,
> as I've never heard of anyone target feeding rics before.

I feed my ric's pieces of supermarket shrimp all the time. They close up on
it and eat it. You have to shoo the fish away because the will steal the
shrimp. They seem to grow much quicker when fed. The Yumas are better
eaters than the Floridas.

<<SNIP SNIP>>

[Dragon Slayer]

most often i feed the hard dry shirmp pellets that sink. place it directly
on the mouth, it will stick and pull it in, no need to cut the pumps off
IME.

when i feed fresh shrimp i have to give my CBS his piece first, or he
steals.

kc

"Marc Levenson" > wrote in message
...
> So what do you suggest? I assume I'll need to cut the power to the
powerheads
> to keep the food from blowing away, plus put in so much food that my
cleaner
> shrimp and serpent star will stay away for a little bit.
>
> Marc
>
>
> Dragon Slayer wrote:
>
> > sorry to break it to you Marc, but the two you got from me have been
target
> > feed many times. its how i get such fast growth from them just befor i
> > frag. and as soon as the mouth heals they get feed agian. you should
try
> > it, its quite amazing watching that little fuzzy mouth open up and
swallow
> > something twice as big as it.
> >
> > kc
>
> --
> Personal Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com/oanda/index.html
> Business Page: http://www.sparklingfloorservice.com
> Marine Hobbyist: http://www.melevsreef.com
>
>

[Dragon Slayer]

"Xena Warrior Princess" > wrote in
message ...

> I feed my ric's pieces of supermarket shrimp all the time. They close up
on
> it and eat it. You have to shoo the fish away because the will steal the
> shrimp. They seem to grow much quicker when fed. The Yumas are better
> eaters than the Floridas.


mine never close up when feed, the mouth opens and engulf's whatever i feed,
then it grows up around it as it closes its mouth. they remain full and
never deflate from eating and seldom deflate at all.

i only have 2 yuma's and just recently got them on some LR i picked up,
havent tried to feed them but my ric's will eat twice daily if i feed them
that much (they make a mess when they poop) cant imigian the yuma eating
more.............got to give it a try now, you got me curious.

thanks
kc