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Innovative Marine Aquariums

The Stanktastic Tank


BlackSumbel

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Sometimes setting up a nano-reef is difficult. You can't get ahold of just one or two pounds of sand without resorting to scraping the bottom of the LR tank at the local reef place. And that, my fellows, is what I did.

 

The sand is a sickly color, the water not unlike the shade exhibited by wet Khaki. It crawls with life... and fireworms. It smells. It smells bad. Really bad. Stanky. Thus, this tank is Stanktastic.

The rock a 50/50 mix of dead base and new rock that appears to be lovely Kaelini.

 

About half an hour after adding the sand the water cleared enough for me to scream "WHAT THE **** IS THAT?!" loudly. It could be ... well, maybe a mangrove pod... but decidedly something green and growing.

 

Other totals: Five turbo snail operculums/trapdoors. The tail of what was formerly a live shrimp of some kind... it looks like a mantis.

 

Pics: hex.jpg

 

Plans: Let nature do it's juju for a time, when the tank has cycled I'll add a small CUC, and a wild guppy or two to keep the bioload heavy. After that only time will tell. NO planned stocking as of yet. Lighting, for a while, will be one 50/50 coralife bulb (as soon as I find what I did with it... I bought it tonight and it vanished into thin air).

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Well, this is certainly off to an interesting start.

I think I'll stick around on this one, if for no other reason than your interesting conversational posting style and turn of phrase.

B)

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Updated with a pic. The light's yellow because I've lost the fricken coralife bulb. That's just a good ol' Home Depot special for occasional viewing.

 

The rock has begun emitting snot for no apparent reason. I'm going to assume something is angry deep within it's folds.

 

Giant turd-thing is crawling with micro-stars. I would pitch it, but I wish to observe it's habits.

 

P.S. My camera is still complete crap, yes. Thank you for noticing.

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I happened upon the sudden realization that I'm cycling a tank and have no idea what has become of my test kit. I search for it, squealing with delight when I discover the box... only to find that all of the reagents are there... sans instructions.

 

I then look up the instructions, rush back to my kit, begin to add drops of reagent... and realize two of the ammonia reagents are empty. Bloody, lubeless, ****. I can test for General Hardness.... and that's it.

 

I guess I know what's going on my post-xmas-shopping-list.

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wait do you have a nitrate test kit... if so you may not need an ammonia one (assuming that you have done this befor)... i dont even use ammonia, after a few weeks (yes you have to wait a long time) you will notice your nitrate go up and then go down once it reaches zero its safe to assume your cycle is at an end and your ammonia is all been converted and pulled out/reduced with water changes

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haha, ive totally done this before... only for rubble rock for frag plugs...

 

grossed the old lady out with pulling up a 5 inch bristle worm eeks, i freaked too i wont lie. :D

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I've got a Nitrite test, possibly. There -might- be reagent left. Once the turkey sleeps wear off I'll do that, otherwise someone gave me a gift-card and i can just pick up a new test kit with that.

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Displeased with an ultra-shallow sandbed I picked up another pound or more of cured display-tank-sand at the LFS for a song and a tip of my jaunty hat. The sandbed is now about 1/2" - 1" (depending upon the area), it looks ever so much nicer.

 

I swapped out the old Tetra HOB for a Regent HOB which holds more rubble, has a tight-fitting lid, and sets on the tank more securely. Subsequently, re-arranged rockwork to fit different U-tube.

 

The Reef Turd has begun growing new, green, sprouts which resemble Chaeto.

 

Params show promise:

Nitrates: 20ppm

KH: approximately 200 (so says the test, which lists this as 'ideal')

pH: 8.4

 

We picked up a new camera tonight, so hopefully pictures will follow.

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Had to remove the upper rim of the tank due to the ENERGETIC AKSHUN of the pump forcing water up under it and that water then leaking EVERYWHERE. Disliking the rimless look, may silicone the rim on so that it can't leak... or somethin'. Paint a fake rim, maybe.

 

pico1.jpg

This saucy 2gl pico likes Industrial Trance, blue LEDs, and guys with big PPEs.

Full tank upskirt with hardcore New Camera Action.

 

And now for something a little different:

reefturd.jpg

The Reef-Turd. I still don't know what it is beyond "A plant of some kind". It routinely grows fresh, green, sprouts which resemble caulerpa stems with chaeto growing from them. These then die back after a few days... and the cycle repeats itself.

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Nitrates: 10-15ppm

KH: approximately 300ppm

pH: 8.4

Nitrites: 0ppm

 

I'm curious as to whether I should do a quick water change before I pick up my CUC tomorrow. It's been too long since I cycled a tank (survey says? 2002).

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New CUC and a few tiny frags. May run back tomorrow to obtain one or two more little bits.

 

fragubator_1_08.jpg

Blue tonga shroom

 

grumpyzoas_1_08.jpg

$2 frag tub grumpy, green, zoanthids

 

fts_1_11_08.jpg

FTS with new light.

 

Last, but certainly not least... well, do I even need to say it? $2 from a frag tub. I would call this an epic pwn, but that would be hubris. No. No. Instead I will call it a gift from the reef gods. The Great Bearded Clownfish bestowed upon me a gift. A tiny, shiny, gift.

gwpzoo_1_08.jpg

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Post-script to earlier post: CUC added consisted of two nerites and two nassarius snails.

Nerites are regularly visible. Nass vanished into the sand and rarely emerge.

 

A goby the size of a tic-tac haunts my dreams.

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NEW SHOT OF MORE-OPENED GREEN-AND-PURPLE POLYP OR ELSE I SMITE YOU

 

ALSO I RECOMMEND PURCHASING THAT GOBY. CITRON FTW!

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Two new frags purchased for pocket change.

 

"Peanut butter cups"

newzoaor_1_18_08.jpg

Skirts turn black with actinics on, mouths glow neon orange. A few of the polyps show speckling around the mouth. The frag fell apart a little (rubble held together by the mat itself), so there's about three hunks spaced onto one rock now.

 

"Green Zoa That Kinda Looks Like A Green Lantern That Unexpectedly Burned Out"

newzoag_1_18_08.jpg

Glows brilliantly under actinic, and chain-smokes while doing so.

 

Frag tank w/eggcrate + Turkey baster x Determination = Nearly Free Pico Frags for all.

The phrase "If I can get it outta there without disturbing anything else, how much would it be?" seems to work wonders for me.

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No pics for this update.

 

Added a 50/50 10w coralife in with the 10,000K 10w. Tank looks much better, but the DIY hood warped all to hell during the cutting process (weird grain angles) and will eventually have to be torn apart and redone.

 

I noticed that before I turn the lights on in the morning, my blue tonga rhodactis is leaning way to the side. I've now determined that he's facing himself at the LED light/s on the front of my computer tower about four feet away. I may have to locate and install a blue moonlight LED to prevent this.

 

Growth: The Radioactive Dragon Eyes have put on about two new polyps (which have just opened). Still waiting for the PHE and the other green zoa to just freaking attach. Had to remove the two smaller bits of Peanut Butter frags from the rockwork, as the thing they're on (feels like a gorgonian) started to decay. The larger hunk is already on rock besides the skeleton they're on, so I'm not too worried. Mounting up the two scraps to some tiny rubble in the frag box where they'll grow out for a while until they attach to the rubble itself. Then they'll go back into the display.

 

Algae: Red diatoms have broken out. It's not cyano, thank god, but it has turned my dead base rock peices a brilliant magenta-crimson. Plans are already under way to establish a frag tank/refugium for this thing once I move.

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