Brooklyngal's 29g biocube thread

[Brooklyngal]

current FTS 5/1/10

 

my recent 75g is making way for a smaller, sleeker biocube, and I am going to be updating this build tread frequently, both for myself to see how my tank has progressed and for others to learn from my mistakes and experiences.

 

I figure I might as well give a short background on my experience in the hobby. I started early '07, when when I was 11, with a 29 which quickly turned to a 20g with 20g sump, and when I was 12 upgraded to my current 75g, which until recently had a 30g sump. last weekend, the bottom panel of my sump cracked, causing it to leak water all over the bottom of my stand. for the last week it has been running disconected, just with powerheads running for curculation. unfortionatly, this browned out most of my SPS, and stressed all my other corals.

 

so, my dad and I (mostly me) who are in charge of the tank, decided that we needed a new stand. that lead to me thinking about downgrading, which is a thought that has been nagging me a while. and so, with a trip to our local LFS, the downgrade begins. I brought home a biocube 29 after the LFS guy told me that I'd need a chiller for the aquapod HQI (Ive been thinking about going softy only for a while now anyways). I'll be selling my old tank, light, skimmer, a few misc items, and finally all my SPS (except a frag of monti cap, going to see how it does) and my favorite fish, my lamarck's angel, since she gets too big for a 29g.

 

I will be using a 24" T5 fixture I had laying around until I can get a replacement for my missing balest on wed or thurs, and find new homes for my high light corals. I'll be left with an assortment of LPS, softies, leathers, mushrooms, zoas/palys, and a few misc things. I'm also moving a Fuggly, my LMB and Gobi, my YWG, into the tank, along with a fairly good sized CUC, 2 serpent stars, and a cleaner shrimp.

 

and so begins the epic journey of the downgrade! I'l update after i move everything in and aquascape, ect.

[jejenkins]

Keep us updated and it is refreshing to see a 13 year old with apparent knowledge and resposibility to care for a reef tank.

[JonathanS]

Do you get your coral in Brooklyn?

 

and jejenkins you shouldnt say anything until you see pics and hear the whole story

[majtek862]

Sorry to hear about your 75G meltdown. I really like my 29. It's about the perfect size IMO. Good luck with your new set up!!!

[jejenkins]

Do you get your coral in Brooklyn?

 

and jejenkins you shouldnt say anything until you see pics and hear the whole story

 

You are correct Just trying to use power of suggestion..... But if you notice I did use the word "apparent knowledge" just CMA

[Phixion]

Good luck and welcome to NR! get some pics up of your setup when you're able to!

[JonathanS]

You are correct Just trying to use power of suggestion..... But if you notice I did use the word "apparent knowledge" just CMA

 

[Brooklyngal]

thanks. I was a bit lazy with my 75g when I first set it up, and without help from my parents was only able to do monthly water changes which led to some issues, than the sump needed to have baffles because the skimmer wasnt working without its own section, than we had to redo the plumbing a few times, it was all just too much. all my coral is crammed into the tank, barely fits. trying to sell off most of it, and have to re-scape a bit now, but other than that. I'll upload some pics after the re-scape.

[Brooklyngal]

well, I have some updated pictures. first, one of my old 75g, before I added sand.

 

now, here is what it looked like the morning after it was setup.

 

and, here is what it looked like last night right after I finished the re-aquascape (I need to get a better pic, I know).

[JonathanS]

[Phixion]

Not bad at all!

[Brooklyngal]

I havnt updated this for a while, so I figure now is as good a time as any. I lost the cord to upload pictures on my camera, but once I find that I can get more pics up.

 

tomorrow Im planning to head to the LFS and get either a clown or a yellow clown goby, a veriety of corals, and possibly, if I have enough, a pair or trio of sexy shrimps!

[Rockfish]

I havnt updated this for a while, so I figure now is as good a time as any. I lost the cord to upload pictures on my camera, but once I find that I can get more pics up.

 

tomorrow Im planning to head to the LFS and get either a clown or a yellow clown goby, a veriety of corals, and possibly, if I have enough, a pair or trio of sexy shrimps!

 

 

 

hey what part of blkyn you in?? I have a couple of LFS that will totally hook you up (especially if you're a student) good friends of mine!!

 

and keep up the good work!!! learn as much as you can abou this hobby as often as you can. I've been doing this 15 years and i still learn something every day

[Brooklyngal]

wow, its been a while since I updated. a lot has happened... first, I lost Fuggly (which was heartbreaking, in the few months Id had that fish Id grown very attached, my dad too, and even my mom. he was like a dog the way he'd beg for food.) this leaves me with Gobi, all alone in his tank.

I sold off most of my coral, including the huge 6+" toadstool that took up most of my tank. I also lost the frogspawn I had, which sucked, since it was a big, impressive colony. here are some out-of-date FTS's. uploading recent ones now, will be putting them up hopefully soon...

 

one from 4/9

 

one from 4/23 (after a re-scape, aparently)

 

one from 5/2 (after another re-scape)

[Brooklyngal]

one from 6/1

 

closeup...

 

one from 6/27(actinic only)

 

so, after that I left for sleep away camp, and wasnt home for 7 weeks strait. my dad took care of the reef for the whole time, a feat for someone who knows little about SW.

 

here is the most recent FTS I have, from 8/19

 

and finally, a shot of the growth on my star polyp/ anthelia rock. from the day before I left for camp, on 6/27

 

and almost exactly two months later, on 8/19

 

and finally, I just had to share these views with someone; while at camp we went on a three day appilacion (sp?) hike, where we hiked 20miles of the long trail. this was the top of a mountain (well, it was really a hill, I think elevation was like 3075 of something) in a clearing...

 

and also, these are from the grand prix at the jumping show that I went to at the same camp with the riding insructors (6'0" jumping class, I think, though it might be 5'something"). riding is my other hobby, been doing it since I was seven (not competitively, only ever been to like, six or so shows in my life).

 

oh, and two closeups I really love, my green bubble coral and my green apple (I think thats the name...) zoas...

 

forgot, the veiw from outside my bunk at sunset...

 

and my FULL stocklist in my tank now...

several small colonies of various zoas/ palys

a 4 headed branching hammer

a 12+ headed pink/green candycane

4+" green/blue/red open brain

small (1.5/2") red traphy brain

2" green/blue favia colony

2" colony of white daisy polyps

2.5"ish green bubble coral

2 2-3" kenya trees

1ish" toadstool leather

2-3" purple photosynthetic gorg

2" yellow ribbon gorg

2.5-3" small rock of BSP/ green anthelia

1 YWG who I've had for more than a year (Gobi)

1 ~4" harlequen serpent star who Ive had for several years

1 big ~8-12" red serpent star who Ive had for more than a year (Red)

various snails/ hermits

many, many pods and a few asterina stars

[Brooklyngal]

and an FTS from today, a few hours ago

[Ando]

Great looking piece of the ocean you have there!

[Brooklyngal]

thanks! Im hoping to add a few fish in the next week, and maybe sell a few corals.

[Brooklyngal]

wow, been awhile since I updated this.

 

the tank had a minor setback, while I was really busy, my dad stepped in to take care of the tank, and my father was using SW to top it off (I had no idea, just figured the coral wanted a water change). the SG was 0.035, and I got it down a bit, tomorrow will bring it down a bit more. Many of my coral are pi**ed off, some LPS are receeding, and most of my other corals are closed up and pouting at me. also, added some things, and moved others to my NC downstairs.

 

and my FULL stocklist in my tank now...

purpleish zoas with orange mouths (the others have been moved to my other tank)

rock covered in neon green antheila and some zoas of varying colors

cream and grey branching hammer

12+ headed pink/green candycane

green hairy mushroom

green/blue/red open brain

red traphy brain

green/blue favia colony

green bubble coral (im worried it might not make it through, its all closed up and been going downhill awhile)

1 kenya tree (the other was moved to my downstairs tank)

red w/ green dges and mouth ric

blue/green ric

bright green ric

two polyps of yellow w/ green edge rics

harlequen serpent star

red serpent star

various snails/ hermits

many, many pods and a few asterina stars

 

 

and what Ive added:

green w/ blue mouth/inner part trachy brain

small piece of what I am pretty sure is an acan. ice blue/silvery w/ gold mouths

 

ill try to get pics up tomorrow, oh, and im hoping i can get a fish or two as well tomorrow.

[Brooklyngal]

well, I finally added some fish to this thing!!!

 

sunday 11/22, I ran to the LFS hoping to find some decent fish and maybe a coral or two. came home with a biocolor blenny, a wiggly little true perc, and a 3-3.5" mini-colony of zoas, mint green with light brown skirts. now... some pics!

 

an updated FTS

 

side shot

 

angled shot

 

and some closeups...

 

my blue/green ric

 

my ric collection (red/green, yellow/green, green/ blue/green) and my harlequen serpent star

 

my blue/green/red open brain with my red serpent star showing his arms

 

and my new additions, the zoas (they're the ones between the pink colony and the bright red brain)

 

the bicolor blenny

 

and the clown (hard to get a decent pic of him, he never stops wiggling)

[Lawnman]

Where they out of glass scrapers? LOL

[Brooklyngal]

yeah, I havent had time to scrape the glass properly, but I was bored, so I took some pics lol. but soon im gonna scrape it better, also been using an old credit card as a scraper. have to buy a new scraper...

[Lawnman]

I use my grocery store value card it works great.

[Brooklyngal]

did a good scraping of the tank recently and took a new FTS:

 

some new updates to the tank, I lost my Bi-color Blenny, unfortionately. he just disapeared the one day. found now remains, not in back chambers, thinking one of my serpent stars just ate his body after he died. sucks, that fish was one of the favorites Ive had, right up there with my LMB Fuggly and my old genicanthus angels. my favorite shot of him:

 

my clown, however, has been doing very well. her black is beginning to fill in a bit with blotches here and there, and shes nice and chubby from picking at the 'pods that are all over the glass and back. also, I moved all of my corals from my NC24 back into the BC, as well as the YWG who was down there. Gobi (not the most original name, I know, but my dad named her, lol) has been slowly transitioning from male to female, and from her coloration I'd guess that she has completed the transition. Ive been trying to get a shot of her, but cant find any old ones, and she'd quick to run away when I approach the tank.

 

also, Im planning to do a tear-down-re-setup type of deal, switching out the sandbed and re-aquascaping, and will be moving all hard corals in the tank to my new tank, and trying to limit the corals in here to softies, zoas and mushies.

[Brooklyngal]

was bored, so snapped some pics of fish and corals:

Gobi, taken today

 

and one of Gobi from 2/11/09 (noticed the dramatic color change)

 

and my little clownfish buddy

 

and my coral pics:

 

and one of my harlequen star, who was out chillin in the light today...