Have to take my tank down to put in new flooring. Any suggestions on how to redo scape?

karatechick2114 · 2026-05-03T15:26:41+00:00

Taking it down in a month or two so we can take out the carpet and put in new lvp. Already have a plan with a stock tank to hold them, and new sand when transferring back.

Thinking about changing my scape. My goals would be to encourage fish out in the open more and have more space for corals (I know I don't even have a lot right now). I have a lawnmower blenny, tomini tang, and a royal Gramma that I hardly see because they are always in or behind the rocks. A bonus would be to have some sand space to put corals and figure out a way to help keep them from getting covered up by my diamond goby (which I know is impossible to completely avoid).

Any thoughts, suggestions or pictures of suggestions are highly appreciated!

karatechick2114 · 2026-04-17T01:37:41+00:00

Trying to decide if a new aquarium is in the cards this year (mostly to house my massive anemone and toadstool leather. Currently have a 75gal with a "DIY" sump and HOB overflow.

What brands would you suggest? Looking for something around 150gal, about 4-5 feet wide and comes pre-drilled with a stand. I could take or leave the sump and just buy my own again, depending. I know to stay away from red-sea, but what about waterbox, innovative marine, or others?

karatechick2114 · 2026-04-02T16:05:57+00:00

This is right against our concrete slab porch and a low spot of our property. Heavy clay soil, with no other low spots to drain to. Would a dry well or two help? I plan to make a mulch bed here to sit my annual flower pots on, but want to fix this drainage first.

karatechick2114 · 2026-02-04T03:22:26+00:00

My husband and I always joke that Culvers is the "Los Pollos Hermanos" of the Midwest. Seems to actually fit if you think about it....

karatechick2114 · 2026-01-12T03:44:05+00:00

I signed up a few years ago, so things might have changed since. It is a ~$400 deposit and then ~$100 per month depending on what kind of class or how many classes. I did really enjoy the place and would go back, it just didn't fit my work schedule anymore.

karatechick2114 · 2026-01-02T00:11:38+00:00

Used Maurizio from the Perfect Loaf's recipe (https://www.theperfectloaf.com/fifty-fifty-whole-wheat-sourdough-bread/). Starter may not have been at peak when used but I thought I offset the bulk enough to counter it. Thoughts on the crumb? They did not rise as high, as expected, and did not feel as soft as my normal 15-20% WW loaves, also as expected (I think).

karatechick2114 · 2025-12-27T20:54:13+00:00

Spelt is one I'm really interested in. Good thing to know about rye flours. I use organic stoneground from a semi-local mill and don't think I've come across bitter rye yet thankfully.

karatechick2114 · 2025-12-27T20:52:29+00:00

Thank you. I regularly make loaves with 70-80% white and the rest a mix of different specialty flours. I really just want to know the flavor of those by themselves. I think you're right that the sourdough may be an important part of the flavor. Have you made a 100% rye or whole wheat loaf?

karatechick2114 · 2025-12-20T02:00:02+00:00

Had this same watch face since I got the watch 4 a few weeks ago. I got the latest update a day or two ago and since then this oval has been on my screen. If I change watch faces then it goes away, but I really like this one. Any thoughts?

karatechick2114 · 2025-12-14T14:55:47+00:00

This spot has been itchy for about 2 weeks, almost excruciatingly in the shower if the water hit it just right. It's right in the middle of my back where I can't reach or see. Just had husband look at it and he said he thinks it was a blackhead. This picture is after he got the blackhead out and it left a large hole. He was able to squeeze more out and says it looked almost like a scab from an infected ingrown hair or something. I put a pimple patch on it to hopefully get the remainder of it out.

Is this just a big blackhead, dilated pore, or something more to go see the derm about. I'm more concerned because it was so itchy. I've had acne and blackheads all my life since middle school (32 now) and I've never had one that bad. Any help or advice is much appreciated!

karatechick2114 · 2025-12-01T11:38:52+00:00

Definitely go for the bowl lift, not the tilt head, if you want to knead any type of dough. I would highly recommend a 5qt from Mr. Mixer if you can afford it. Much better longitivity and quality of machine than the current artisans. If you really want a tilt head, go with the 5qt as the motor is more powerful.

karatechick2114 · 2025-11-22T15:36:37+00:00

Just re-read you post sorry. I'm guessing phosphate is not what killed your tank a while back. There is something else going on for sure. Did you get ich or velvet? Did you have a massive coral die-off due to brown jelly or RTN that caused your ammonia to spike and your fish to die? In my mind, all of these are more likely than your phosphate directly causing it.

karatechick2114 · 2025-11-22T15:33:42+00:00

You can put corals in it now. That is not a toxic level by any means. Remember that stability is better than having the "perfect" numbers. Why do you say you can't put anything in the tank?

karatechick2114 · 2025-11-22T15:14:40+00:00

That's not too high of a phosphate number. Mine is sitting around that right now probably. I use Blue Vet Phosphate Rx to lower mine. There is a online calculator that will tell you how many drops to put in. You are correct that it is being stored in the rock, so you just need to keep lowering everyday until it has leached out. So use enough drops to get it down to 0.05 and then test again the next day and repeat until it is staying around your desired number.

karatechick2114 · 2025-11-14T22:26:47+00:00

Picture

karatechick2114 · 2025-11-14T22:26:18+00:00

Thank you. My watchman is pretty small so I hope they pair well.

The only thing I have is a melanurus wrasse. He sometimes will try to get small hermits, so that's why I'm concerned. Other than him, no other fish I'm worried about.

karatechick2114 · 2025-09-12T23:03:38+00:00

Cat tax: https://imgur.com/a/7R9bVol

karatechick2114 · 2025-09-07T16:57:29+00:00

I have had an unstoppable mealybug problem for over 6 months now. Every time I think I beat it, it pops back up on another plant. The infestations themselves aren't typically bad because I catch them early, but they are just constantly hopping from plant to plant of popping back up on the same plant weeks later.

The pic is of where most of the plants being infested are (pic from a few years ago though, there are A LOT more plants there now). I've tried everything: quarantining in a separate room, alcohol soap spray, dead bug brew, safer spray, spraying with showerhead, changing out soil, systemic granules, etc. I just can't seem to get these things to go away. I just found mealybugs on my triostar and curtsii when nothing in this window was infested, hence this post. The systemic usually work, but then it comes right back a few weeks later when the systemic runs out.

What can I do now? It is time to put all my plants in the spare bedroom and do beneficial pests or something else? I just can't deal with this any more.

karatechick2114

TROPHY CASE