moblues Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 After almost ten years, I thought "maybe I'l get a little cichlid tank, it will be easy and cheap"...then I found a really good deal on the 28g HQI... One week after adding this: 30 lbs. live sand 25 lbs. live rock 10 lbs. dry rock I added this today: 6 nassarius 6 nerites a bit of caulerpa And I'm here: Link to comment
moblues Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 Oh, I should mention I'm trying to do this "sustainably" mostly since it seems to be much easier these days; and going tiny, my previous smallest was 75g. Also trying to get close some of the parameters I saw working like crazy at the Wakiki Aquarium a few years ago ie. Salinity 1.026-28, Temp 80-84, dKh 12-14, pH 8.4-8.6, Ca 500ish ppm... not anywhere near there yet and doubt I will get there w/o a reactor and controllers. (Nor do I want to until I've got this little dude figured out.) Any suggestions for good aquacultured invert/coral suppliers would be appreciated. Link to comment
Dasani Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Nice tank but those levels seem off by a lot. IMO they should be... sg- 1.023-1.025 temp- 77-82 dKh- 7-10 p.h- 7.9-8.4 Ca- 400-480 Link to comment
moblues Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 Nice tank but those levels seem off by a lot.IMO they should be... sg- 1.023-1.025 temp- 77-82 dKh- 7-10 p.h- 7.9-8.4 Ca- 400-480 Appreciate the input, those are the numbers I've followed for previous tanks (and am currently sitting on.) For this one I really wanted MH for SPS but didn't want to deal with a chiller in the summer. Then I remembered the numbers (which I couldn't belive either) that I saw working really well and figured what the heck, I won't know if I don't try. It will be a "seasonal" ramping up heading into summer and tapering off in fall. Granted, the wild collected individuals from near shore reefs are probably more adapted to it that the individuals that have been selected for success in an aquarium. But the best part is that it is a tiny system so slapping on a chiller is no big deal and stepwise adjustment will be easy over a week or so if anything starts to look stressed. Link to comment
jaharr01 Posted March 7, 2011 Share Posted March 7, 2011 Appreciate the input, those are the numbers I've followed for previous tanks (and am currently sitting on.) For this one I really wanted MH for SPS but didn't want to deal with a chiller in the summer. Then I remembered the numbers (which I couldn't belive either) that I saw working really well and figured what the heck, I won't know if I don't try. It will be a "seasonal" ramping up heading into summer and tapering off in fall. Granted, the wild collected individuals from near shore reefs are probably more adapted to it that the individuals that have been selected for success in an aquarium. But the best part is that it is a tiny system so slapping on a chiller is no big deal and stepwise adjustment will be easy over a week or so if anything starts to look stressed. I had a lot of fluctuation like that in my 65gal ( 77 to 84)and I put a reekeeper light on there and it stays 78.5-79.I thought the mh were heating it up but it was a poor performing heater.the rkl saved me 300-400 for a chiller Link to comment
moblues Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 I had a lot of fluctuation like that in my 65gal ( 77 to 84)and I put a reekeeper light on there and it stays 78.5-79.I thought the mh were heating it up but it was a poor performing heater.the rkl saved me 300-400 for a chiller Not a bad idea (actually waiting on getting a new heater as mine wouldn't go above 76) but its absolutely the light; it runs about 80 with the heater off when the ambient temp. is around 68. I usually set the air to 78 (and going full tilt it gets to 80 some days) in the summer, so I'm guessing even with raising the lid a few inches and adding a fan or two it'll still be toasty. I'm not suggesting a wide daily range, but rather a slow seasonal shift to account for the higher ambient temp. My initial idea was to mimic the other conditions found in near-shore pacific reefs over the summer as well, hence the other parameters being high. No clue if it'll be good bad or indifferent. Link to comment
moblues Posted March 20, 2011 Author Share Posted March 20, 2011 So my camera died, I'm using an el cheapo pos at the moment. Also waiting on getting a bigger better filter basket so I've some floaters...sorry about the pics. The past few weeks have been interesting. Added 6 ceriths, a couple zoas, a couple rics, an ora jeremy's montipora, an ora pink and green damicornis, and an ocellaris last week. The snails have been getting eaten by a mystery critter :happy:so yesterday was water change and freshwater dip for the live rock. No luck, just have fewer stars and pods and a slightly different rock formation to help with a low flow spot. Otherwise everyone is fat and happy. Link to comment
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