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Cultivated Reef

Phoenix's 5 G hex


phoenix91

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FTS: 23/19/11

 

 

 

Bit of a wonky tank shot, hex's are hard to take good photos of.

 

Tank details:

 

5 G Hex

4+ lbs Live rock

Custom lid

HOB filter w/ activated carbon & filter floss

Light -Finnex clip on, 26W day & night light

 

CUC:

 

Brittle starfish

Bristle worm approx 3 inches

Feather dusters (are feather dusters cuc?)

1 Blue leg hermit crab.

Dwarf Ceriths approx 25 +

5 Nassarius

4 or 5 Florida Ceriths

4 Small Nerites

1 turbo snail

 

Corals:

 

Zoas

Green implosion palys

Blue palys

Blue/purple mushroom

GSP

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I have a spare 5 G hex with a broken light laying around. It's been used for all sorts, it was originally set up as a dwarf puffer tank but i relocated the puffer to his very own 20 G, It was also used as a hospital tank when one of the puffers was on his last fins (poor boy). Now it's just wasting space in my closet under the stairs. So i decided to give SW a try.

 

Today i bought my RO water from the lfs and it's currently sitting waiting to have salt mixed in. The tank needs a rinse out and i think i've found the perfect spot for it in my living room.

 

I don't like the filter this tank has and went to look for a different HOB filter but couldn't decided which one would fit better, so i'll get that tomorrow. Overall i'm scrapping the stock hood/light/filter. I'll be making a new lid out of plastic at work, i did it for my 20 g and it works great.

 

I'm going to pick out live rock tomorrow, probably 5 or 6 lbs and then let it cycle. I don't have a light yet because i'm waiting for a gift card from my bank rewards program so i can put the giftcard towards it.

 

With this tank i was thinking of keeping it pretty simple, maybe doing a garden of zoas. I'm not too sure on sticking of cuc yet, i'm open to suggestions.

 

 

I love my puffer, he's called Button, i seriously have to stop myself buying more since i don't have the room for them. I'd love a dogface puffer one day. They really are just like dogs. :)

 

 

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Update: 10/16/11

 

Went out this morning and bought some premium LR from lfs, got 1 larger piece and 2 smaller pieces. I picked what i thought were both interesting and less lively LR and didn't go for the full 5lbs i need. I'm going this afternoon to a diff lfs to pick out some less quality rock so i don't over load my new tank with too much life.

 

Thinking i had some less than lively LR i still have actual life, i am both excited and nervous about this as i don't want the little fella to die. I have what i think is a brittle star, correct me if i'm wrong. as soon as i put the rock into the tank out he popped. Now i'm not sure if i want to keep it or catch it and take it with me this afternoon to the lfs so they can put it in their tank to sell. Not sure if he'll survive the cycling process. What do these little guys eat?

 

 

 

I also have what i think is a feather duster, i caught a glimpse of it swaying in the flow before it popped back into it's little tube. Very cute and pink it is too. Didn't get a photo of that one but i'll keep my eyes peeled.

 

My tank so far:

 

5 G hex

No lighting yet

Filter: HOB with activated carbon.

Substrate: Sand to be put in once i get more rock and decide on placement.

SG: 1.023

 

 

 

It looks a bit like crap right now and no doubt probably won't get much better looking. It's mostly a tank so i can get a feel for SW and corals and that kind of thing.

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I have a little over 4 lbs of rock i believe. Not sure if i'm happy with the arrangement but i'm going to leave it overnight and see how i feel about it in the morning.

 

Added the sand which is why the water is cloudy, the filter is running so it should clear up by tomorrow.

 

 

 

Better photo of the star, very cool colouring on it's legs. It's back in hiding since i moved the rock.

 

If i can find a nice piece of rock to build up the back a bit more i'll add a little more rock, if not well it can stay low for now.

 

A successful first day i'd say.

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Had to change the rocks around a bit this morning, the flow was too much for the feather duster and the polyps on one of the rocks.

 

 

 

Managed to get a photo of the red feather duster which is very pretty (even if my photo skills aren't).

 

 

 

After moving the rock with the 2 polyps on out of the strong flow, one of them opened up. I think once it grows a bit and i get some light for it it'll be nice looking. It's in a good spot too.

 

 

 

There's also this:

 

 

Bit of a blurry photo but it's soft (i touched it accidentally yesterday), not sure what it is. I think if i can get a better pic i'll get it i.d-ed.

 

Other than that and the far too strong flow all in one spot, tank looks good. There are about 5 or 6 tiny white feather dusters scattered around the place.

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Until i get my lights, which should be soon as my rewards card should be here tomorrow, i added a strip of LED's over the tank. One polyp opened up and the other looks like it's seriously considering it :)

 

 

 

I must be doing something right as i can't see anything that's died yet. I should also be getting testing kits soon, most likely when i order a light.

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Ammonia 0

Nitrate 20 (ish, API test so ballpark figure)

Didn't test for Nitrite, i will after posting though.

 

Rewards card didn't come, fingers crossed for tomorrow. I'm pretty decided on the finnex clip on and i'm going to get an upgraded light bulb for it from the start. Once i get the light and see where it's going i can make a proper lid of the tank with parts cut out for equipment on the sides of the tank.

 

Water change planned for tomorrow to keep the nitrate in check, first water change so wish me luck.

 

Going to let the tank sit for another week while watching the parameters and then think about more CUC.

 

 

 

^^ front rock rotated to ease the flow on the two polyps.

 

 

 

^^ Doing incredibly well considering i didn't even notice them at first. Love their colour.

 

Yes i am one of those newbies who is incredibly excited with my first coral. Please let me bask in this moment of joy. I'm taking photos so i can track their growth and changes.

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10/26/11

 

Ammonia: 0.25

Nitrite: 0

Nitrate: 20

 

SG: 1.025

 

Water change: 1 1/2 gallons.

 

Found a few more small brittle stars and some kind of filter feeding worm.

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11/01/11

 

Ammonia 0

Nitrate <10

 

Getting new test kits this week in the group buy.

 

I'm pretty sure the diatom bloom is underway, everything looks brown and gross, plus the tank had an explosion of what i think are copepods, they're all over the sides. I'm taking this as a good sign.

 

This weekend i'm going to add to the cuc, hermit the crab isn't doing much other than eating the cool looking little plants that came on the rock and causing havoc everywhere he goes. Not sure what to get but i'll do a bit research before i go the the store.

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Made my tanks custom lid on Friday, fits like a glove. I've got a little hanging over the edges because my cat likes to rub her face on everything and tends to knock things into tanks if they're too snug.

 

 

 

 

 

Made from a plastic called Northplex; i work in prosthetic fabrication so we have very good quality plastic everywhere and my boss (my dad) graciously lets me make use of off cuts.

 

Also ordered the 5.5G quick clean up crew from reefcleaners, it'll ship tomorrow so should be with me soon to help get rid of all the diatoms and other algae that is emerging.

 

Ordered my first corals too from a forum member who has very kindly agreed to hold off on shipping until the 15th to let the cuc do their thing.

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CUC from reefcleaners was delivered today; i ordered the 5.5 g quick crew thinking that i'd get a few snails to keep the algae in check, i'm now inundated with snails!! John certainly didn't scrimp on the livestock :)

 

 

 

 

 

They are everywhere, eating and wandering and generally getting on poor Hermit's nerves. I thought he was going to have an epic battle with one of the bigger ceriths when i added them to the tank but luckily they both backed down.

 

I also got the 1penny Macro added to the order and it's lovely.

 

 

 

Got it wedged down the back of the rock until it acclimates to the light better, that's the only place in the tank in the shade really. I'll have to look up how to properly care for it and keep it nice and red.

 

Next up... Corals!

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I thought i might get a few more but man, way more snails than i imagined.

 

Thanks. I've got some corals on order, palys and a mushroom which should come next week so i'll be able to update then with fun stuff.

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My first corals arrived today, thank you to Newman for holding onto them for me for a while.

 

Beautiful blue mushroom that started out looking like this:

 

 

and ended up looking like this:

 

 

I'm assuming too much flow, too much light? i am new at this so it'll take a few tries to work out the kinks. I moved it to a less flowy/more shaded place and it seems a lot happier.

 

The monti cap's not looking so hot either, it arrived a very light pink and now looks a little white. I'm hoping this is just while it's settling in but i don't know.

 

 

 

Also got some green implosion palys and blue palys but they're not open yet so no pics.

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Went along to the local saltwater place this morning to get some aiptasia x and ended up spending over $200.

 

Came out with long plastic grabber type thing (so i don't have to put my horribly cut up hands into the tank for a while), 3 frags of coral: green star polyp, some nice zoas and clove polyps.

 

Also i am the proud new owner of a 14g biocube and stand, they are used but new to me. It's already been mod-ed for a fuge and the lights work and all that good stuff. That's going to be my upgrade tank but i'm not going to start it up until after Christmas, probably Jan at this point. I'm waiting to get my RO/DI system so i can do everything right from the start. I'll most likely move everything from the 5g into the new 14 once it's up and running. Also means i can get some clowns.

 

I'll post photos later once everything has settled down and hopefully opened. Lights are off for now but timed to come on at 4pm so maybe by then everything will feel more at home.

 

Finally got reef testing kit yesterday and everything is within normal levels (can't remember exactly what everything measured at) except calcium. It was low, maybe 380. I've just switched to reef crystals so i'll give it a week and then if it's still lose start dosing.

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I like it. Before i just had a strip of LEDs (while the tank was cycling) and the hitchhiker polyps didn't like that much. Had the finnex about 3-4 weeks and the zoas are pushing out new heads. I think it's a good light for up to 5 Gs. Oh and i 'm not using the bulb it came with, i bought a 50/50 bulb. This is the one i bought:

http://www.amazon.com/Finnex-White-Energy-...1919&sr=8-3

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That's the bulb I ordered too. I was a little worried it wouldnt be enough light (Im using it on a 2.5 g) but it's good to hear that your zoas are pushing out new heads on your 5 gal

 

How is the LED moonlight working out? Can you turn it off and on independently from the bulb?

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No not really, there's a switch on the back of the light that either turns the full light on or the 2 moon light LED's. I think if they were separate it would be better but it just means that once it gets to a certain time of night i have to switch it over.

 

Yes, the light is strong enough i think, my new mushroom coloured up lovely and has expanded since i got it.

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