GalaThoun's 10g

[GalaThoun]

FTS 12/28/12

 

FTS 10/8/12


FTS 9/2/12


FTS 7/9/12


Specs

Tank
Standard 10 gallon

Lights
BoostLed par30 bulb/fixture
3RB,1CW,1NW

Filtration
AC50/ Filterfloss, Chemipure
Liverock/Livesand

Heater
Eheim Jager 50w

Rock & Sand
Approx. 8lb Fiji Liverock
18lb Pink Aragonite Livesand

Salt
Instant Ocean
Distilled water

Circulation
Hydor Koralia 240

Live Stock

Fish
2 Ocellaris Clownfish

Clean Up Crew
1 Red tip hermit
1 Blue leg hermit
4 Cerith snails

Corals
Red/Orange Monti Cap
Rastas
Tubbs blue
Eagle Eye Zoas
Radioactive Dragon Eye Zoas
Brown Zoas (Yellow mouth)
Blue ice Zoas
Mean green Zoas
Xenia
Various Florida Rics
Green Star Polyps
Kryptonite Candy Canes
Duncan
Frogspawn
Torch coral
Hammers

Maintenance Routine

1 Gallon water change weekly
Top off 2x per day
Feed fish 2x a per day
Clean glass when I'm bored

Standard 10g


Some equipment


I love packages


BoostLed Par 30








Great packaging. Also, the light was light as hell, I thought they forgot to send me the fixture. LOL










Neocube in a Nano




FIlled with salt water


About 8lbs of liverock. Lfs didn't have too much on hand. Probably gonna add more in the future.




20lbs Livesand


Just LR in the tank.




I know... I only have two visible sides but hopefully the fts will be the money shot.


Underwater sandstorm! yeahhh


Lights on.


Finally got the salinity right.


Water cleared up after a few hours. Just filter floss.


I'll check the water parameters in the morning. Any advice or changes you think i should make. Please let me know. Also do you guys think my sand bed is too deep? I didn't even use the hole bag. Haha, thanks for looking.

Galathoun

[Aquanist]

Tank looks fine. I wouldn't add more sand nor rock in there. Scape looks nice as well.

 

Great start!

[GalaThoun]

Water cleared up a bit more.

 

I know...the glass is so dirty.

 

1st test. Does everything look ok?

[tigg62]

Water cleared up a bit more.

 

I know...the glass is so dirty.

 

1st test. Does everything look ok?

 

Looks like plenty of rock to me!

One of the first tanks I set up had too much rock, no bottom space. The coral you put in your tank will grow. Give yourself plenty of time to figure out what corals grow best for you and where they like to be placed in the tank.

Just think of this as a learning experience for the next, larger tank!

[GalaThoun]

Thanks, its been exciting these past couple of days setting this tank up. My friends and family thinks im crazy because its the only thing I talk about. Haha. Can't wait until I can finally add some livestock. Even a cuc would be great to look at right now.

[venturalvn]

The tank looks great so far! I like the rocks how they are, I wouldn't add any more. There's plenty of sand space for any crawlers you'll get. The depth of the sand looks good too. I even have a little more than that in my 10g.

 

My friends and family thinks im crazy because its the only thing I talk about. Haha.

You're not alone! Do what the rest of us do -- make friends with people who have tanks. Lol.

 

I knew a few guys growing up that had saltwater tanks and i thought this hobby was very expensive and difficult but really I think it's more of a challenge to your commitment. So with my past experience of never finishing 99% of anything i start...here we go. Lol.

The most expensive part is setting it up. The equipment, rocks, and initial shot of livestock/coral are the expensive part. As for the commitment, once you eventually get the tank where you want it you really don't have to do much! Occasional water changes, feeding, and that's about it. The work comes first and then there's years of having a beautiful piece to look at.

[thehobdenmarina]

looking good so far

If you decide to add more LR just toss rubble in the filter, thats what I did in my old 16g nano. aquaclears are great for having so much space for stuff, I was even able to fit my heater in it

 

also for salinity, a hydrometer is ok to start but, after a few weeks/months it will deteriorate and become more and more inaccurate. I would invest in a refractometer, they are only about $25 and extremely reliable, and can be calibrated

[TOURING]

Tank looks strait!!! also starting mine up so ill be hitting you up if i have any questions lol. your gonna be a few days ahead of me. lets see what the results will be between the 2. im gonna bypass the cycle with this new product and see how it works out.

[afxtwin]

the cheapest refractometer is worth many times more than an expensive hydrometer. nice build, best of luck!

[GalaThoun]

The tank looks great so far! I like the rocks how they are, I wouldn't add any more. There's plenty of sand space for any crawlers you'll get. The depth of the sand looks good too. I even have a little more than that in my 10g.

 

 

You're not alone! Do what the rest of us do -- make friends with people who have tanks. Lol.

 

 

The most expensive part is setting it up. The equipment, rocks, and initial shot of livestock/coral are the expensive part. As for the commitment, once you eventually get the tank where you want it you really don't have to do much! Occasional water changes, feeding, and that's about it. The work comes first and then there's years of having a beautiful piece to look at.

 

Yea I'm pretty much good with the equiptment I have besides a few things I need for maintenance/water changes. I see that you have 2 knano 240s? Is it too much flow? I have one and I might pick up another if need be.

 

looking good so far

If you decide to add more LR just toss rubble in the filter, thats what I did in my old 16g nano. aquaclears are great for having so much space for stuff, I was even able to fit my heater in it

 

also for salinity, a hydrometer is ok to start but, after a few weeks/months it will deteriorate and become more and more inaccurate. I would invest in a refractometer, they are only about $25 and extremely reliable, and can be calibrated

 

Refractometrer is definitely on my next purchase list. $25? Where are you looking, eBay?

[GalaThoun]

Tank looks strait!!! also starting mine up so ill be hitting you up if i have any questions lol. your gonna be a few days ahead of me. lets see what the results will be between the 2. im gonna bypass the cycle with this new product and see how it works out.

 

Definitely hit me up for any questions...but I kinda have no experience at all on sw tanks just product reviews I guess, haha. This is a learning experience though, hopefully after I get this thing striving I can help a lot more people out just like the members on this forum did. What product are you using to bypass the cycle? And do I smell a 10g competition? Lol j/k

[GalaThoun]

the cheapest refractometer is worth many times more than an expensive hydrometer. nice build, best of luck!

 

Thanks, I will be getting on soon.

[GalaThoun]

A couple new pics after I cleaned the glass a bit.

 

I'm gonna keep this scape. I like it. Gonna turn the small liverock on the right into a zoa garden.

 

Top down

 

Ammonia went up a little so I guess its going in the right direction.

[Tinola]

Good start. Best of luck with your setup!

[venturalvn]

Yea I'm pretty much good with the equiptment I have besides a few things I need for maintenance/water changes. I see that you have 2 knano 240s? Is it too much flow? I have one and I might pick up another if need be.

I don't think 2 nanos are too much in my tank, but I attribute this largely to the way I scaped my rock. It's pretty full, and most of it is from one large, flat center piece that I HAD to have. By doing so, I've effectively separated my tank down the middle. So I use one nano in front, and one in the rear to keep the current moving and to not have any buildup in the rear. Here's a diagram to show what I mean.

 

 

With a more open scape I'm not sure that you would need a second one. I was told by the LFS that I wouldn't even need one 240, and that the smallest 100gph powerhead should be fine. However, from what I've seen on multiple forums, 240gph for a 10 gallon does the job. I wanted to be able to keep any coral I wanted, no matter the fickleness, so I opted for high light and an abundance of current.

 

This is my first saltwater tank, so I'm sure others with more experience will chime in.

[Paigee]

Hi we have vey similar 10g set ups, I've had mine up since last July so I'll give you my insight. You will probably want another koralia, I have one of the 425s in my tank and still wish I had a little more oomph.

 

I also have the boost LEDs, you might consider picking up a second one in the future because you run into dark spots at the edges. That small rock you wanted zoas on might be too shaded.

 

I think everything else is great just don't get lazy with water changes, cuz that's where things go down hill fast!

[GalaThoun]

Hi we have vey similar 10g set ups, I've had mine up since last July so I'll give you my insight. You will probably want another koralia, I have one of the 425s in my tank and still wish I had a little more oomph.

 

I also have the boost LEDs, you might consider picking up a second one in the future because you run into dark spots at the edges. That small rock you wanted zoas on might be too shaded.

 

I think everything else is great just don't get lazy with water changes, cuz that's where things go down hill fast!

 

thanks, yea it is kinda shaded on the right side a little. I can always move the rock a little more to the center of the light. We'll see how it goes when the time comes.

 

 

Just checked my parameters today. I think we're getting somewhere.

 

5/23

ph-8.0

Ammonia-0.25

Nitrite-5.0 whoa!

Nitrate-20-40

 

I'll guess i'll just let it run it's course and check again after a few days.

[thehobdenmarina]

Yea I'm pretty much good with the equiptment I have besides a few things I need for maintenance/water changes. I see that you have 2 knano 240s? Is it too much flow? I have one and I might pick up another if need be.

 

 

 

Refractometrer is definitely on my next purchase list. $25? Where are you looking, eBay?

Canada lol keep an eye out for used ones too, I actually scored a free one with a light built in a while back on a canadian reef forum, great thing about refractometers, is as long as the lense is in good shape, its worth its weight in gold cause they can always be calibrated

[Duncmac]

hey just my $0.02

 

one par 30 won't be sufficient for much more than softies. also, they are designed as spotlights, so you probably would want another. i have a par 38 from aquamedic. 5RB and 7nw. this bulb has higher usable light values and a wider spread, and still looks a little awkward over my 10g with about 18" space.

 

the good thing? that's easy to upgrade. just get another bulb and position the two accordingly (that would support sps, easy. in the center of my tank i have an ORA green birdnest and a monti cap and they're doing fine)

 

turn that aquaclear into a HOB fuge. dont bother with the mechanical filtration. i built a DIY acrylic fuge for my tank allowing a taller slimmer profile. i power it with a line off a maxijet4. i've seen a significant difference from when i had a HOB carbon filter. just run a filtersock of purigen/phosban.

[GalaThoun]

hey just my $0.02

 

one par 30 won't be sufficient for much more than softies. also, they are designed as spotlights, so you probably would want another. i have a par 38 from aquamedic. 5RB and 7nw. this bulb has higher usable light values and a wider spread, and still looks a little awkward over my 10g with about 18" space.

 

the good thing? that's easy to upgrade. just get another bulb and position the two accordingly (that would support sps, easy. in the center of my tank i have an ORA green birdnest and a monti cap and they're doing fine)

 

turn that aquaclear into a HOB fuge. dont bother with the mechanical filtration. i built a DIY acrylic fuge for my tank allowing a taller slimmer profile. i power it with a line off a maxijet4. i've seen a significant difference from when i had a HOB carbon filter. just run a filtersock of purigen/phosban.

 

You're right about the lighting info. For now all I do want is softies and a couple clowns. But I hate it when I'm restricted from things so I might pick up another bulb/fixture after my cycle. I do plan on turning the hob into a fuge after the cycle, floss for now just to pick up the debris while moving the scape into the position I like. I'm guessing floss, chemipure, and chaeto would do the trick. Didn't really look into purigen yet.

[Felicia]

Refractometrer is definitely on my next purchase list. $25? Where are you looking, eBay?

Yep, ebay is the best place to get a refractometer. They're only like $25-$30 for a nice one. They are soooo much better than a hydrometer and they're really not expensive, so I'd highly recommend getting one.

 

I like your scape and it looks like your cycle is coming along nicely. Keep up the good work

[GalaThoun]

Yep, ebay is the best place to get a refractometer. They're only like $25-$30 for a nice one. They are soooo much better than a hydrometer and they're really not expensive, so I'd highly recommend getting one.

 

I like your scape and it looks like your cycle is coming along nicely. Keep up the good work

 

 

Thanks, your tanks are amazing. I just checked my parameters and everything is looking good! Had a good ammonia spike and nitrite, nitrate skyrocketed. I'll check again everyday this week then I'll prob take a trip to the lfs next week.

[GalaThoun]

just got my camera back so i'm just testing out a few pictures. I spotted a few snails! So, something is alive and moving in the tank. lol. I also found something else on the glass. Can anyone id it for me? its real small and moves kinda like a slug. Just want to know if i should be worried about it. Thanks.

 

here it is. just under the snail, to the left.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[GalaThoun]

I've been checking my parameters for the past week and everything is at a steady zero. Do I have to wait longer for a diatom bloom before I can add a cuc?

[Felicia]

I've been checking my parameters for the past week and everything is at a steady zero. Do I have to wait longer for a diatom bloom before I can add a cuc?

Did your parameters ever spike? If not you need to wait longer and maybe try adding some frozen shrimp or flake fish food to produce some ammonia. The cycle needs to have an ammonia peak, followed by nitrites and then nitrates before everything goes to zero. That means you've got your nitrifying bacteria in place to handle the bioload when you start adding things.

 

If you did have a peak and now everything is zero, then you can probably consider adding the CUC. I'm surprised you don't have a diatom bloom though.