Dopamine's 14g Biocube

[dopamine]

Hello! I have posted a few questions here and there but decided to do like 'The Dog Ate it' and start my own thread that can be for specific questions or help I need with my tank. (FYI: MY PICS ARE DONE WITH MSN PAINT!! HAHA BUSCH LEAGUE!)

 

I am starting to notice more and more little critters coming from my rock and have no idea how to identify if they are 'good' or 'evil'. Here are the pics!

 

1) here is what I call the gummybear, he looks soft and has appeared from a nearby rock, but I have yet to witness hit moving.[/b]

 

2) Here are 2 pics of the "lady bug" who looks like a snail or maybe a bunch of little feet and two front antennas, size of a lady bug, hence the name.

 

3) Here is a little pink looking fan/tree

 

4) Here are the little white mini octopus legs, they sometimes creep out.

 

5) And here is the little fan that pops out with a bunch of wholes in it.

 

any help with identifying names would be great...I dont have ALL the time in the world to read and identify, so with a little help from you guys and some trial and error, I hope to become a nanoreef expert!

[Knuckles]

Heres what I think

I might be wring on them but lookup those names and youll be able to compare them to webshots. Use the Search here in the forum for "hitchickers"

Might be able to compare more there

 

1. ?

2. maybe stomatella snail. Cant tell too well

3. maybe xenia stalk

4. bristle starfish

5. ?

[dopamine]

the stomatella snail is right, that pics I found look exactly like her. i read that they are fast multipliers and could be annoying, but other say they are great for the tank and are typically noctural.

 

are xenia stalks bad?!?! it kind looks like a REAL small version of the pics I saw on the internet.

 

I dont know about the star fish, it could be, he is REALLY small though!

[greeneyes]

1. sponge?

2. stomatella snail.

3. feather duster

4. brissle worms

5. ?

[dopamine]

1. sponge?

2. stomatella snail.

3. feather duster

4. brissle worms

5. ?

 

 

sponge? that guy worries me, he looks like he would taste bad or a little evil.

 

feather duster? i havent seen him move in or out, like looks a soft stalk too.

 

brissle worm - i guess they say the small ones shouldnt hurt anything and add biodiversity to the tank...leave him?

 

I do greatly appreciate the help from both of you...like I said, I dont have all the time in the world to read reference books and asking questions on here specific to my tank makes channeling information much easier!

[dopamine]

Hello All! Hope everyone had a great weekend!

 

UPDATE: DAY 7

 

The pic from above is bristle starfish, I have atleast 2 of them! they are smaller than my pinky nail.

 

Everything is testing great, I will post my water test numbers as soon as I get a chance. I do have one concern with my porclein crab.

 

DAY 3:

 

DAY 6:

 

what is on him? I am just guessing it is algea from the light being on. He isnt acting any different, he has been fanning for food and I also put some cyto"something"eeze in the tank. Just the frozen red protein just help with any littel critters in the rock and the crab seems to love the stuff! He got up all high and caught all he could.

 

Finally, I am having a problem with my water wanting to go straight into chamber 2. You can kinda see from the pic. what is up with this? If I try to take any water out, the pump starts going nuts.

 

FYI, I have filter floss and live rock back there with some stock bioballs on top of the live rock in chamber 2, should I just take all the bioballs out?

[Rippin]

what is on him? I am just guessing it is algea from the light being on. He isnt acting any different, he has been fanning for food and I also put some cyto"something"eeze in the tank. Just the frozen red protein just help with any littel critters in the rock and the crab seems to love the stuff! He got up all high and caught all he could.

 

Finally, I am having a problem with my water wanting to go straight into chamber 2. You can kinda see from the pic. what is up with this? If I try to take any water out, the pump starts going nuts.

 

FYI, I have filter floss and live rock back there with some stock bioballs on top of the live rock in chamber 2, should I just take all the bioballs out?

 

Sounds like you added cyclopeeze. Good stuff, but a little goes a long way.

If you're having problems with flow to chamber 2 it could be that the stock filter floss and carbon in chamber 1 is clogged. Remove and clean it...or better yet toss it. I've found that the stock floss/carbon is so tight fitting that when you are ready to pull it out it takes a good yank which causes all of the particles that was collected on the floss to detach and flow back in to the tank.

 

If your live rock in Chamber 2 is packed too tightly it may be restricting flow to Chamber 3. Bioballs are generally known as nitrate traps. In your case it shouldn't be a problem as you are using the stock filter floss to trap any large particles. If you decide to get rid of the stock floss/carbon screen, then lose the bio balls as well.

 

All I run in my BC 14 is a bag of chemi-pure, and filter floss on top of that in Chamber 2 + weekly water changes and cleaning of the floss.

[dopamine]

YEAH! cylopeeze! I have only added it once since the first day I got it and only put in a a VERY VERY small shaving (when it thaws it goes a LONG way)

 

thanks so much for you input. Is the chemi-pur the same as purigen? I wouldnt mind losing the stock filter because it does spit up alot of junk when I try to lift it out.

 

any ideas about why my crab is brown?

[dopamine]

did a water test for the first time on my own.

 

DAY: 9

Ammonia: 0

PH: 8.4

Alkalinity: 300

Nitrite: 3.0

Nitrate: 40

Temp: 76 Lights off / 78 Lights on (think i might have to get a heater for this upcoming fall/winter?)

 

So, it looks like I am still cycling...but towards the end?!! I do have the 6 blue legged hermits and the porclein who is still brown. I added a LITTLE bit of frozen cyclopeeze block last night and that porclein loves it!

 

I also took out the stock filter from chamber 1 but still have some bioballs. I am thinking about taking it all out tonight and placing the rock in a way where it does not obstruct flow. I am still getting over flow from my tank into all 3 chambers.

 

(is this ok? LR in chamber 1 / LR in chamber 2 w/ filter floss on top of the cap in chamber 2 / and blue sponge in chamber 3)

 

*twiddles thumbs, sits, and waits*

[Prowland]

From my understanding chemi-pure is very over priced carbon.... it is however a very high grade of carbon.

 

Purigen is synthetic and able to be renewed ie you can use it several times.

 

I have the AP and it only has 2 chaimbers but I use 250ml bag of purigen and a media bag full of kent reef carbon. and in the intake chaimber I use LR rubble. I have about 15lbs in there.

 

It looks like you are getting close to the end of your cycle!!

 

The crab is turning brown and is most likely getting ready to molt. My porcelain crab would start to turn brown and then molt.

 

Like rippin said you might have the flow constricted and that is making the water flow over the top.

 

 

Where are you located in indy? I am on stop 12 right by the greenwood mall.

[dopamine]

awesome! thanks for all the confirmations. I am starting to get a hang of it (atleast until we see new problems or creatures)

 

I want to get a large bag of purigen, but I hear I dont need it during cycle. So I will stick to the floss and LR for now.

 

Great to hear that he might be molting and not dying from algae.

 

**I live up in Castleton on 82 & Allisonville, across from the fox & hound. I just moved here 2 years ago for work and it looked like a nice place to be for not knowing anyone! Traffic is a pain though! I frequent The Reef on Keystone and 54th. Where do you shop?**

[Prowland]

I work on 79th and zionsville rd.

 

I mainly shop at premium aquatics and sometimes at uncle bills. I have not had the best luck with stuff from uncle bills though.

 

To me the reef is way over priced.

 

I got a yuma rock with 5 full grown yumas and about 5-6 babies on it from premium aquatics for $19 and I think they are around 30-40 each at the reef. It is not that bad of a selection but in price they can get borderline outragious.

[dopamine]

sweet, I have a couple of customers over that way.

 

I just googled premium aquatics and saw they are down on hanna ave. I will definately have to stop in there. I checked out your tank too...looks awesome!! hope mine turns out that way.

[Prowland]

Thanks.

 

Premiums walk in hours are fri 2:30-5 and Sat 12-3

 

They sell it much cheaper because there is no real storefront overhead.

[dopamine]

DAY: 12

 

oh bummer, i wanted to go after work today.

 

I took some snips to my entery from chamber 1 to 2 and it dramatically increased the flow! see how the water level is down and only entering chamber 1? PICS FOLLOW:

 

 

I want to get a heater cause my temp is a little low and winter is coming and I need to increase my flow...dont know what pump to upgrade to and if I should get an extra one for the side? I dont know any names or gph to get for the 14g.

 

(I dont know who was asking about the particals yesterday but I have started to experience this since I removed all bioballs and the water is actually making noise when falling through the filter floss on the top of chamber 2 into the live rock in chamber 2.

 

 

Here is a little shot of a blue legged hermit going to work...camera phone only, sorry

 

and the porclein molted! the hermit and porclein will eat the shell?

[dopamine]

MANY thanks to Prowland and TUDIZZLE for introducing me to premium aquatics and Dizzle for help with modding my tank.

 

I purchased the mj900 and locline to make the Y channel into my tank. I will be purchasing a light and chaeto tonight to finish modding the back. Everything is running perfect!

_________________________

CHAMBER 1: bag-o-purigen

CHAMBER 2: 1.5 lb of live rock (adding chaeto and light mod tonight)

CHAMBER 3: mj900

 

ANYTHING ELSE I SHOULD ADD OR BE AWARE OF?!

_________________________

 

AMMONIA: 0

ALK: 300

PH: 8.4

NITRITE: 0

NITRATE: 0

TEMP: 78

 

I purchased a ricordia and it seems healthy, although sometimes in the morning I find him shrunkin' up to about half the size and other times he is all stretched out with 2 folds in the center.

 

 

 

Here is a funny shot, I saw this coming and caught it at the perfect moment. Giving the hermit a good rap on the head.

 

When should I do my first water change? (when my water params start going wacky?) When should I start adding corals?!

 

I will take new FTS and write in what corals I think I want to put places and would LOVE to get input and suggestions if something would look better in certain places.

[mparker]

thats an awesome ric

[dopamine]

Thank you! I am starting to get all excited again now that I am almost done with my first mod and water params are all in check!

 

I think I got ripped on the ric though 35$, luckily I had 20$ store credit so it didnt hurt as much.

[dopamine]

Again, sorry about the camera phone...I figure I will need a better camera when the corals start growing and the fish start moving! It seems that all of my cerrith snails commit suicide (not literally). They climb the walls then let go when they make it to the top. kinda funny!

 

FTS

 

FUGE

chamber 1: purigen w/ wider opening into chamber 2

chamber 2: LF / chaeto & sword plant / exterior azoo palm light 5w 6500k

chamber 3: mj900

Y locline

 

cleaner shrimp (left side of tank)

 

lights coming on (77-78f)

 

left side shot

 

front shot

 

right side shot

 

Here is where I am thinking about placing corals. Please suggest if it would be bad placement or you have any other good ideas.

 

I really want couple of corals I have to fully grow out and cover the rocks they are placed on. I have no idea how long it would take rics/zoa/ and neon GSP to cover a rock under stock lighting.

 

edit: water params in post above.

[Prowland]

That ric is nice... i think it is the yuma type.

 

The yumas at PA are $8 a pop and $14 for FL rics if i remember right.

 

As far as coral growing out... depends on the coral. I have some zoas that are growing fast and others that are taking forever to grow.

[dopamine]

I wish I could get down to PA more. work hours screw me. hopefully I can stay in Indy this weekend and make it down there.

 

is it ok to just super glue the ric and yumas to the rocks? what if they arent attached already to a little piece of rock? still super glue their bare bottoms?

 

can I super glue under water?

[Atomic081]

ive superglued all mine and havent had a problem.

[Prowland]

Superglue will not work well if there is nothing attached to the ric.

 

I would set them in a container in the bottom of your tank with some substrate, then when they have attached to that you should be able to glue them no problem.

 

I just had two float away on me and my frogspawn had lunch with one.

[Rippin]

Tank's coming along nicely! From my experience GSP needs good flow and lighting to spread quickly. Be careful. GSP can overgrow and smother other corals such as zoas. I put GSP in my main tank and now I'm kind of regretting it. If you have a solitary rock with GSP away from the main live rocks, that would prevent it from spreading over your other corals.

Feather dusters need to be fed if you want them to stay alive. It's likely that when you bring one home the crown of feathers will fall off from stress and starvation. Don't panic, it's most probably still alive. Rotifers, phytoplankton and all of the fine particles and juices from your regular fish feedings (mysis, bloodworms, brine etc) should nurture it back to health. If you plan on feeding heavily then the feather duster will have little problems. But considering it's a nano, I'm sure your feedings will be small so supplementing with the foods mentioned above may be necessary.

 

If you're planning on getting frogspawn and torch corals, try to get the short stubby sweeper types. The long stringy ones may reach far enough to sting your other corals. Good luck!

[Rippin]

is it ok to just super glue the ric and yumas to the rocks? what if they arent attached already to a little piece of rock? still super glue their bare bottoms?

 

can I super glue under water?

 

It is not recommended to superglue the corals' tissue directly. But as Atomic081 stated some people don't have problems.

A safe way to attach free rics and mushrooms to a small piece of rock is to get a small piece of fishnet stocking or fabric and wrap it around the ric and the rock. The netting prevents the ric from floating away while allowing light penetration and room for some expansion. The ric should attach within a couple of days. Now you have a small rock base to superglue or wedge in to your main live rock pieces.