Ellas 24g NC-dx (lots of pics!)

[zippykat]

My first saltwater tank:

 

Supplies:

24g JBJ Nano-cube DX ($239.99 from drsfostersmith.com-free stand included)

Maxi-jet 900 ($14.99)

Hydor Koralia Nano ($26.19)

API saltwater and reef test kits ($35.18)

Instant Ocean Hydrometer ($8.49)-will be getting a refractometer soon

Coral Life Digital Themometer ($6.99)

AZOO titanium 100W heater ($28.99)

Instant Ocean 5g bucket ($29.59)-will be switching to Reef Crystals when this is gone

x2-5g buckets with lids ($7.96)

mag-float small ($6.79)

fish net ($2.99)

27lbs Live Figi Rock ($125)

20lbs Live Figi Sand ($26.99)

Purigen ($6.99)

Chemi-pure Elite ($10.79)

Filter Floss ($3.99)

Extra 100W heater and thermometer ($20)-to mix saltwater for H2O changes

Seachem reef buffer-dont have it yet, but will be getting when I order from drsfostersmith next

 

I pretty much got everything from drsfostersmith.com, except the Live Rock-I got that from a local seller.

 

Tank setup:

Chamber 1: stock sponge, filter floss, purigen, filter floss, chemi-pure elite, with a thin layer of filter floss on the top (listed bottom to top)

Chamber 2: Live rock rubble---had one rock that wouldn't fit in the aquascaping so I chopped it up and put it here (heard mixed reviews of doing this, but heard it is benificial-at least at first)

Chamber 3: heater, maxi-jet 900

Place the Koralia in the left corner near the intake. Also placed the themometer probe on the left side. I found it was not taking correct temperatures when placed in chamber 2 or 3.

 

(note: have not yet placed the purigen or chemi-pure elite in the tank, I am waiting for it to cycle first)

 

My Aquascaping:

 

 

 

Tested the water 3days after set up:

Temp 77

pH 8.2

Salinity 1.023

Ammonia 0

Nitrite 0.25

Nitrate 0

 

All levels have stayed the same since then. I am currently on day 10 and will be testing later today. I am definitly getting the start of a diatom algae bloom. So my tank is getting closer to being cycled. I am going to be going later this week to pick up a CUC. I plan on getting some scarlett hermits and an Emerald crab to start.

[davidr2340]

Looks great!!!

I love your aquascaping... VERY NICE!!!

 

I'll be watching this one, as I have the same tank!

[BytheSea]

Great start... The rock work is very nice!

[NoMSG]

Looks great!!!

I love your aquascaping... VERY NICE!!!

 

I'll be watching this one, as I have the same tank!

 

I'll be watching this one, too. I just bought the 24g NC DLX and all I've done is assemble the stand. Still reading some books I bought (with the advice of nano-reef.com vets) and reading the forums here. Looks great so far!

[zippykat]

Tested my water today and my ammonia, nitrate, and nitrite levels were at zero. So I picked up a couple CUC guys.

 

5-blue leg hermits ($0.50ea)

5-scarlett hermits ($0.50ea)

1-emerald crab ($6ea)

 

caught him out of his hole for a few moments

these guys seem to be doing laps around the tank

you can see my cycle is almost over-starting to get the little tree green algae signifying the last stage in the cycle.

 

I am also picking up an RO/DI unit with the 4g resevoir. Once my tank is completely cycled I will start adding some fish and corals.

[zippykat]

So my tank is pretty much cycled now. I added the purigen in back a couple days ago and just got my first fish last night. I picked up 2-true percula clown fish (~1.5" long) and a sand star. Gonna go this weekend and maybe get a couple zoas and ricordea.(have holding tank till my tank is ready-if I find anything I like)

I also picked up a refractometer only to find that my hydrometer is right on the spot, but at least it is more convenient to use.

 

 

True Percula Clowns

 

Sand Star-just before he buried himself

[Michael_Angelo76]

i am a newbie but with all the reading i have been doing one thing that is repeated over and over is to go slow. you seem to be going fast on adding things to your tank. your tank isnt even 1 month old and your already adding couple zoas and ricordeas? read around but thats just my thoughts......

 

 

btw your tank looks nice, nice aquascape!!! i like the way you did your rocks

[zippykat]

So here is what I have been up to since my last post. Everything is thriving and doing very well.

[kooolaid]

Nice Rock Work! I got the same tank as well and I recently upgraded it to Metal Halides. The corals are looking even better now!

[zippykat]

New zoa frags from altisreef.com

I ordered the 10frag pack and recieved 12frags! Every single frag if VERY brightly colored. Here are a few pics

[intheb0x]

Wow,

tank looks great.

i love the zoas, ill definitly be checking them out.

i was at bobs tonight, picked up a birdsnest and some cheato for my fuge.

my emerald crabs had babies yesterday but i think the clowns ate em.

next time i think im going to try to catch them and maybe see if i can raise them.

them zoa sticks you got from bob, i allmost bought those awhile back, i didnt for some reason thou, probably because i spent so much on other stuff lol.

im happy you found me on here, good to know someone with similar tanks.

Alex-

[zippykat]

So I decided to rearrange my aquascaping just a little bit today. Basically moved the top 4 rocks more towards the back of the tank and they now lean on the back wall. So now I have a bunch more cool coral spots!

 

(note:all of my coral is not yet in place....want to give them a few days to re-coup from re-aquascaping.)

 

Here it is...

 

 

 

 

My new frogspawn!

 

Green Star Polyps frag

 

 

 

So this brings the current contents of my tank to:

2-tank raised true percula clowns

1-small neon green bubble tip anemone

 

16-zoa frags (varity of very bright colors)

1-small frogspawn

1-green star polyp frag

 

4-dwarf blue hermits

5-scarlett hermits

3-astrea snails

1-trochus snail

5-nassarius snails (2-med, 3-tiny)

1-black turbo snail

1-fighting conch (I think...recieved by accident)

1-sand star

1-emerald crab

[intheb0x]

Looks good!

did you get the frogspawn from bob? if so i allmost bought that friday at his house. i didnt buy it because they have the long sweeping tenticals that come out to sting corals and there very aggressive, kinda crazy! but they look cool! i hope yours doesnt sting and stays kind.

im having problems with my anemone, he hates staying stuck to a spot and i find him hiding behind rocks and stuff and the clowns go crazy looking for it.

Also he stung the hell out of my kenya tree!! its all shrivled up and looks sad, luckily one side where the kenya rooted itself it started a whole new branch and it didnt sting that so thats all perky and good.

im thinking of getting rid of my tang, sad to say.

[zippykat]

I got a few new additions to my tank this past week. First I picked up a super colored neon green birdsnest frag. It looks great under my lights.

 

I also recieved a 'firecracker' nano denitrator. Perfect for my 24g JBJ NC-DX. See how small it is! It is from www.4aAquarium.com

 

Also caught a good pic of my clowns now hosting both my BTA and frogspawn

[intheb0x]

love the frog spawn.

clowns look good to.

it seems like it takes forever for the denitrator to start doing its job. i got mine awhile back and it doesnt seem to be working so much as of yet.

guess i have to wait...

[zippykat]

Takes 5-6 weeks to 'cycle' itself into functioning at capacity. Also make sure that you have your flow set up properly. If it is flowing too fast or too slow it won't work very well.

[intheb0x]

i think its been about that long. maybe not.

i think i got the flow set perfect, i seen how bobs flow is.

[intheb0x]

well as of tomarrow it has been 4 weeks

lets see if it starts kickin soon.

when i shine a flashlight on it i see tons of little white bugs in there.

bob said thats a really good sign.

[zippykat]

Update 3-23-08

 

New lighting hood. 132w pc with r2 moonlights and increased flow from nanocustoms (x2-36w 50/50, x1-36w actinic, x1-24w actinic)

 

My tank looks great! The new lights add a nice subtle blue hue to the tank and really make some colors pop! The green colors in particular. Check out my new pics below.

 

a little timer happy with the new lights

 

Pics all lights on:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tank pics actinics only:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thought I would put together a few shots to show the progression of my tank.

 

 

 

 

[dahliaheartsyou]

your tank looks soooo good! i really like the progression shots- like sitting in a photobooth! you really have a good eye for just the right spot on coral placement! I hope mine looks as good as this!

[Weetabix7]

I like the look of this, overall.

I really like the look of the birdsnest, but they usually need MH light to do well.

It looked like you had it at the bottom, you might want to move it as close to the light as you can and make sure it has plenty of flow.

[zippykat]

my birdsnest is actually at the very top of my tank in the most direct light possible. It is about 4" from the surface. Thank you for the postive comments!

[intheb0x]

new light looks good.

ill be doing my hood mod once i figure out if i want to do the 70w MH build into the hood or do the nanocustoms 144w diy.

hows the frog spawn? my birdnest is doing great as well. it allmost looks just like yours.

 

the tank without the anemone is different, maybe ill get another but maybe i wont ill have to see what i figure out to do.

[zippykat]

my frogspawn is doing great...it is now fully opening up during the day.....about the size of my two fists put together (girl hands)...thinking about doing a bit of coral movement tomorrow after my waterchange. so I will post new picks if I decide to move things.

[intheb0x]

great sound good.

i just rearrange my aquascape too as you seen. i think im pretty good with liverock for sometime now.

i think im going to focus on protien skimmer and corals.