OMFG's "NOT another aquapod!" converting to 34g Solana!

[oh my fraggin gosh!]

So I started my aquapod up today and got my rock from Sealifeinc. Ken was great to work with and just a shout out to even Jason who was also helpful as heck from premium aquatics. I was going back and forth between them and was considering between the two of them as if it was rocket science!

 

Just a side note if you're thinking of ever ordering from premium aquatics, make sure to ask abou the zone you are in and how many days it may take if you were to do ground shipping. I found out I was in the 2 day zone, and would get my rocks in 2 days! That's like 20 bucks for 2 days vs. 95 dollars for 2 days air! Jason was great enough to notify me of this so that's another reason why people say premiumaquatics rocks.

 

Anyway I went to sealifeinc because I wanted the overnight shipping. Here are the specs:

 

Aquapod 24g

25lbs LR

25-26lbs LS

Maxijet 1200

Koralia 1

14k Pheonix MH in Sunpod

 

I got the liverock in GREAT packaging.

 

 

Wanna talk to me about how awesome Ken and the guys are at sli, they suprised me with a free bag of live sand, about a good 5 lbs!

 

 

Quick find on a hitcher! I think it's a bristleworm.

 

There was another one floating around

 

Here's a great capture of one of the worms

 

FTS under Phoenix:

 

two side views:

 

I also saw a featherduster just now on the bottom left rock! I saw something that was like a small feathery plate, and just when i was doubting it was a featherduster, I see it contract and disappear into the rock!

 

It's really exciting and I can't wait to find more scavangers. I KNOW for a fact that there is either an amphipod or a zoanthid spider I hope it's the first one. I know this because as I was peeling off the newspaper I saw something crawl very fast into the pores of the rock as if I caught it naked but it was VERY fast. That's the only reason why I believe it was an amphibod since I know spiders are slow, but it sure looked like a spider.

 

My only worry I have for this setup is the sand bed. It's about 3-4 to maybe even 5 inches deep in certain areas. I'm wondering if this will be okay because I hope it will. My 6-stage from the ebay place comes Friday so I'll be looking foward to making some 0ppm water.

 

Also come to think of it, since I was kinda low on RO/DI water, I bought distilled water from Poland spring. Took my TDS meter, and measured it at ZERO. So I can say IME that poland distilled is good to go.

 

Thanks for looking -omfg

 

EDIT: Quick question, is that featherduster giong to make it? I'll be sad to see him go. Never had one as a hitch hiker. Come to think of it... are all my hitch hikers going to make it? If not, I'll probably soft cycle it.

[spanko]

Whoa baby! you are cruising now.............................

[Gerber77]

Tank and rocks looks good. The sandbed will be fine some fish prefer a deeper sand bed.

[oh my fraggin gosh!]

Thanks a lot. I've been scoping out the tank with the lights out now, and I've found 3 feather dusters. Two of them on a nice piece the rock and they all have tubes which I think are neat. I probably won't be getting any sleep tonight.

 

I am still wondering if they're hardy enough to make it during the cycle, or is a soft in check?

[supreme_spork]

Thanks a lot. I've been scoping out the tank with the lights out now, and I've found 3 feather dusters. Two of them on a nice piece the rock and they all have tubes which I think are neat. I probably won't be getting any sleep tonight.

 

I am still wondering if they're hardy enough to make it during the cycle, or is a soft in check?

 

well, i think you should soft-cycle because even though it takes a bit longer it's a lot better for everything in your tank.

 

as for the feather dusters making it -- they have a good chance, they're tough little buggers.

[oh my fraggin gosh!]

I had an interesting turn of events today. I caught it by luck but apparently one of my rocks were "smoking". I later found out it was probably a spawning of some sort of hitch hiker. I specifically saw where it was coming from too but I couldn't see any thing moving. Anything from clams to worms to snails release this sort of "smoke" when stressed out, and it fits in my situation since my rock is still cycling. I plan on following through with a soft cycle so will be doing a small water change tomorrow.

 

I also see random tentacles "spider-web-like" strings flowing in the water attached to a rock. What can these be?

 

EDIT: These "strings" are very thin and flow with the current. If they detach from the rock they literally break into pieces and eventually disintegrates. It looks similar to the tentalces that candy canes release to catch food (Best way I can describe it). Definitely not a vermatid snail because I know what their "webs" look like.

[oh my fraggin gosh!]

My ammonia is at 1.0ppm as of this moment with specific gravity still at 1.023 after today's top off.

 

This morning I found a featherdusters cap floating around so I'm assuming it was a goner. I'm still unsure of if I should soft cycle or not. Would really appreciate some suggestions. I have at least about 10+ featherdusters in there with other unknown hith hikers that are still yet to be UN-ID'd.

 

If I were to soft cycle how high should I let the ammonia go up to before I WC it? Please help haha

 

EDIT: Also just put an order for medium CPR Aquafuge to cultivate some Macro. Hope that does well also. Will post pics when that comes in over the coming week.

[schwaz]

You definitely have spaghetti worms in your rocks. The tentacles you see are it's feeders and the "smoke" you see is it taking a crap ;-)

[oh my fraggin gosh!]

Thanks for the reply, edit on the aquafuge, I ended up changing it to the aquafuge 2 ps. Bump on the idea of soft cycling or do you think they will make it through the cycle? I tested for ammonia today and it was at 1ppm.

 

The rock was cured from sealifeinc.

 

Thanks for the click!

[oh my fraggin gosh!]

So things have been coming along, and i've been diong some deep searching throughout these forums and google and other reef forums about reemoving my false wall.

 

Decision:

 

I will be removing it!!! I'm going to razor the silicon out under water since I have concluded that the silicon will do minimal affect to the water if not any. This way I will remove my maxijet 1200 and probably use it to mix salt, and run a koralia 1 along with an additional koralia nano on both corners of the tank. I don't really use the false wall and all it does is build gunk back there that I can't reach to. My aquafuge pc will be a HOB fuge with the protein skimmer. I will have rubble along with some chaeto and the submersible light. I will get more surface area, more swimming area for the live stock, and better flow. I can even get the actual 24g+ the 3gallons that comes in the aquafuge. Not many have done it and told about it, so hopefully this will be of some help to several people.

 

My cycle has been coming along.

 

Before:

 

ammonia: 1.0ppm

trites: 0

trates: 0

 

5 minutes ago:

 

ammonia: .25ppm

trites .01

trates >5ppm

 

This friday shoudl be the day. I haven't seen any diatom spikes yet but I should expect the numbers to be about right. I've been dark cyclign for the most part with about 3-4 hours of photo period. Hopefully this weekend there will be a diatom spike and with the aquafuge here, I can get things going. I also expect to have the false wall out by this weekend as well. Keep checking back for pictures of the finished product.

 

EDIT: I've recently discovered a hitch hiker that is probably a pistol or mantis shrimp. I'm assuming it's a pistol shrimp as I saw a molt that was floating off one of the live rock pieces. I took a turkey baster and blew it off and for what little time I had in identifying it, it looked clear to be a pistol shrimp molt. I've yet to see it in person but I hear the clicks from time to time. Any tips on luring him out besides a trap? Maybe some food?

[FyrFighter2004]

So things have been coming along, and i've been diong some deep searching throughout these forums and google and other reef forums about reemoving my false wall.

 

Decision:

 

I will be removing it!!! I'm going to razor the silicon out under water since I have concluded that the silicon will do minimal affect to the water if not any. This way I will remove my maxijet 1200 and probably use it to mix salt, and run a koralia 1 along with an additional koralia nano on both corners of the tank. I don't really use the false wall and all it does is build gunk back there that I can't reach to. My aquafuge pc will be a HOB fuge with the protein skimmer. I will have rubble along with some chaeto and the submersible light. I will get more surface area, more swimming area for the live stock, and better flow. I can even get the actual 24g+ the 3gallons that comes in the aquafuge. Not many have done it and told about it, so hopefully this will be of some help to several people.

 

My cycle has been coming along.

 

Before:

 

ammonia: 1.0ppm

trites: 0

trates: 0

 

5 minutes ago:

 

ammonia: .25ppm

trites .01

trates >5ppm

 

This friday shoudl be the day. I haven't seen any diatom spikes yet but I should expect the numbers to be about right. I've been dark cyclign for the most part with about 3-4 hours of photo period. Hopefully this weekend there will be a diatom spike and with the aquafuge here, I can get things going. I also expect to have the false wall out by this weekend as well. Keep checking back for pictures of the finished product.

 

EDIT: I've recently discovered a hitch hiker that is probably a pistol or mantis shrimp. I'm assuming it's a pistol shrimp as I saw a molt that was floating off one of the live rock pieces. I took a turkey baster and blew it off and for what little time I had in identifying it, it looked clear to be a pistol shrimp molt. I've yet to see it in person but I hear the clicks from time to time. Any tips on luring him out besides a trap? Maybe some food?

 

 

You may have addressed this but I didn't see it. What are you going to do as far as mechanical filtration goes? As for the pistol I have no idea, search the forums for a DIY trap made out of a coke bottle and food, or something like that.

[oh my fraggin gosh!]

I will probably have a HOT magnum running on it 2-3 days a week while I'm at work (got that tip from another member). I'll also be relying on the CPR protein skimmer mod in the fuge to get much of the gunk out as well.

 

As far as getting rid of main detritus, as of now even with the back wall and the maxijet, if you really think about it in essence, it really isn't mechanical filtration. In a sense it still is "natural" because the flow of water has to strong enough to pick up the detritus causing it to fall into the floss.

 

I believe true mechanical filtration goes through the good old turkey baster along with a water change will get most of the dust out of there.

 

As to catching the shrimp, Im' not really looking to trap him and take him out. Just wanna see him =P

[Smurf]

Lucky you with the extra 5lbs. Did yuo have to pay extra shipping?

[oh my fraggin gosh!]

Lucky you with the extra 5lbs. Did yuo have to pay extra shipping?

 

 

No, Ken actually refunded me 6 dollars in shipping lol. He's great to work with. I'm going to be picking up a CUC from him within the week.

[dshnarw]

Nice looking start! Have you decided on the direction it takes - corals, fish, etc?

[oh my fraggin gosh!]

Nice looking start! Have you decided on the direction it takes - corals, fish, etc?

 

To be honest I really haven't. Work has been really busy, busy enough to keep my mind off my tank until I get home. I guess it's a blessing in disguise to help me take things slow.

 

I haven't really done my research on corals, but was hoping I could get a mixture of things based on their light requirements and flow (bottom being the lowest flow to the top being of highest flow and same for the light)

 

I'm probably looking some shrooms and zoas on the bottom layer. Maybe a torch as well. Then maybe some lps's in the mix, and if I can get an SPS or 2 in the long run on the top layer of my rock where it has the most flow, and I guess fill in the holes from there. Definitely base my coral selections on hardy LPS and Softies with one or two SPS

 

I don't even know if that is compatible either. Just throwing it out there.

 

Live stock I will probably get one or two fish. Definitely a blue spot jawfish somewhere in the mix. Those things are just the greatest guys in the world.

 

EDIT: I definitley want to get a clam. Some of those guys are beautiful.

[dshnarw]

To be honest I really haven't. Work has been really busy, busy enough to keep my mind off my tank until I get home. I guess it's a blessing in disguise to help me take things slow.

 

I haven't really done my research on corals, but was hoping I could get a mixture of things based on their light requirements and flow (bottom being the lowest flow to the top being of highest flow and same for the light)

 

I'm probably looking some shrooms and zoas on the bottom layer. Maybe a torch as well. Then maybe some lps's in the mix, and if I can get an SPS or 2 in the long run on the top layer of my rock where it has the most flow, and I guess fill in the holes from there. Definitely base my coral selections on hardy LPS and Softies with one or two SPS

 

I don't even know if that is compatible either. Just throwing it out there.

 

Live stock I will probably get one or two fish. Definitely a blue spot jawfish somewhere in the mix. Those things are just the greatest guys in the world.

 

EDIT: I definitley want to get a clam. Some of those guys are beautiful.

 

ah, the joys of new tanks..it's like a kid in a candystore all over again! Good luck choosing!

[oh my fraggin gosh!]

Hey guys, just wanted to update on the cycle.

 

It seems complete and I put one of my turbo snails in there just to let him be the tester =D.

 

It's currently at:

 

Ammonia: 0

Nitrites: 0

Nitrates: 10<

 

I have no diatom blooms yet. I know I will eventually. Can I go ahead and do a 10% WC and add CUC? Looking at about a combination of 18~ snails. I will also be taking out my false wall tomorrow when I get my Aquafuge ps and I'll probably hang a very small HOB aquaclear and mod it for surface skimming.

 

I'll mainly be focusing on the PS for any sort of mechanical filtration, the aquaclear for surface skimming, and good old kitchen gloves + turkey baster + vacuum for weekly cleans to keep my tank hopefully crystal clean.

 

Any suggestions/criticism on this plan?

 

Thanks

[oh my fraggin gosh!]

The lack of diatoms I've concluded is from my high flow (Maxijett and korlia 1). Tomorrow I will be removing the wall. I still have a 5% chance that I will probably not do it but as of now I don't see why not. I also have a CUC coming wednesday along with some corals. Here's what I have coming.

 

10x Astrea Snails

Blue Ricordea Polyp (with single mouth)

Blue Zoanthid, Nano Cluster

Lime Green Warty Corallimorph

Orange Ricordea (single mouth)

5x Stocky Cerith Snail

 

I'll try to keep posted. Back to work tomorrow and now it's time for some sleep.

[oh my fraggin gosh!]

Hey, got the false wall removed. Did a 30% water change, and got my aquafuge ps in the mail greatly packaged along with the submersible LED lights.

 

Here are some pics:

 

Here is the tank wall less:

 

Here is how BIG the bloody thing is. At first when I had just saw it in the box, I thought I got the wrong item and thought they sent me the Pro instead of the HOB but when I took it out, it was smaller than it seemed, but still HUGE! lol:

 

 

 

The protein skimmer is nice and I like the design. Very nice on the eyes. I will have nothing in the fuge but chaeto and lights. Check back after Wednesday for a new update on livestock!

[oh my fraggin gosh!]

Been a while since I've been able to post something but I have been taking pictures. I got my livestock last week. Everyone arrived in great condition and greatly packed. 15 snails ordered and Ken was nice enough to add 5 more snails to my CUC from sealifeinc.net. Great service.

 

Here are some pics:

 

First my torch I got from an LFS:

 

Red shrooms and candycane (Not as close as they seem):

 

A REALLY great buy from the LFS. This small piece of rock has 4 different colors of polyps. It's like its own mini zoa garden. My favorite piece:

 

And it's other side:

Pictures don't do justice to this piece. I love it

 

Here are blue rics, orange rics, and a neon green warty corallimorph. The ngwc is awesome because when looking into the tank it's blue, but when looking down through the water it's green!

 

Light blue and dark blue zoas!!!! On a clam shell, and it also has green ones on the side that can't be seen!

 

Another starter colony of dark blue zoas

 

And finally.... and FTS!

 

I've been really keeping my eye out for a nice yellow leather or a very nice devil's hand. I may give back toe torch to the LFS if it gets aggressive. But then again I do have a lot of room to spread them around. I'll just have to wait and see. I have diatom outbreaks FINALLY out of no where, but since my CUC is composed of 10+ astreas, 5+ neriths, 1 black turbo, and 1 mexican turbo, I should throw in some nassarius to work on that bed.

 

I'm going to be leaving the tank on autopilot in the meantime with bi-weekly to monthly water changes.

[oh my fraggin gosh!]

No one likes my pictures?

[tallulah]

that "mini zoa garden" rock is pretty sweet. what a good find. my lfs at most only seems to have 2 colors on a rock ever.

[oh my fraggin gosh!]

Just came from the LFS and picked up about 4 pieces of goodies! I also took some more SS's of what I already had. Hope you like the shots!

 

A better pic of the Ric's together. I can't seem to get enough of these guys!

 

On the left is a new zoa frag I picked up at the LFS. Large button with small zoa's with green skirts! Love them!

 

These two also caught my eye FAST! Two sexy frags good to go home with me!

 

Here's another look at the clam shell I put together. Has light blue and dark blue zoas:

 

I think this was my most interesting pick up as of yet. I originally asked for another patch of blue shrooms and saw this one in particular. Very small shrooms about 5-6 so that was what I was exactly looking for. At first this was how I got my red shroom patch, so I hope this turns out as big as the red shrooms now. The best part about it, is that it came with something! Looks like zoas but I don't know what they are, anyone ahve ID's? They actually hide in the rock when touched, but come out like zoas:

 

I'm still looking for a nice yellow finger leather, or a nice yellow devil's hand. If anyone know where I could find one, or if you have frags you are looking to sell, please let me know!

 

Please feel free to comment!

[oh my fraggin gosh!]

Update on some new acquisitions. I've been waiting for pieces like these for a long time. Last time I was at my local LFS, I was just hanging around till I heard there was a new shipment of stuff literally at that moment!

 

My mouth waters... and the anticipation arises... and what do they have!? Leathers!!!!!!!!!

 

Devil's hand and yellow toadstool

 

Recap on my zoo's. I just want to keep track of how these guys progress through the postings...

 

 

of course an FTS:

 

I also added 8 nassarius snails recently. For now my CUC consists of 15+ astreas, 5+ ceriths, 8 nassarius, 1 Mexican turbo, and 1 black turbo that SOMEHOW ended up in my aquafuge... HOW? I have no idea...

 

I have been looking for some actual fish to finally add. It's been about a month and a half so I'll start looking around for some ideas. Anyone have any suggestions? I would greatly appreciate it. I considered just getting a dwarf lion fish. I know it's 30gallons, but I think I could get away with it and have that as my only fish. Would definetly look cool. I do have the full 24gallon ever since I remoeved the false wall...

 

Also, I put in an order for H.O.T. marineland magnum canister to clear up the water if need be. The skimmer has been working great, but I want that water CRYSTAL clear.

 

Thanks for looking.

 

-t