Militant Jurist Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 Here's my tank: Current Hardware: 10 gallon glass tank 10 gallon HOB (90gph) 2x 15 watt fluorescent 18000K bulb 2x 15 watt fluorescent actinic bulb 50 watt submersible heater Current Livestock 1x Scarlet Reef Hermit Crab 1x White Knuckled Hermit Crabs 3x Nassarius Snails 2x Cerith Snails (haven't seen them in a long time... no ammonia spikes or empty shells though) 2x Astrea Snails (including 1 Ninja Star Astrea) Several Feather Duster hitchhikers Red Mushroom (Actinodiscus sp. ?) Zoanthids - Radioactive Dragoneyes (?), and 2 other unknown types Parazoanthus gracilis - Yellow Polyps Button Polyps (not sure what kind) Starting photo: Link to comment
chaostactics Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 lets gets some pics of this ghetto dream? Link to comment
CSoli921 Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 wow... isnt 40lbs already a DSB? and 10 gallon tanks are 20"... just adding my .02 Link to comment
Militant Jurist Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 Parameters after roughly 48 hours: Ammonia - roughly 1 pH - 7.6 (has been ranging between this and 8.4) Alkalinity - around 300 Nitrite - .75 Nitrate - 10/20 wow... isnt 40lbs already a DSB? and 10 gallon tanks are 20"... just adding my .02 I'm going for a DSB, so I need 4"+, and I'm only at 3 / 3.5" lets gets some pics of this ghetto dream? Lol "ghetto dream?" I'll get some pics up once the bacteria, etc precipitate. Right now, they are suspended in the water column. Link to comment
Militant Jurist Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 After 72 hours: Ammonia - roughly 1 pH - 8 (has been ranging between this and 8.4) Alkalinity - around 300 Nitrite - 3 Nitrate - 20/30 Looks like I'm into the Nitrite/Nitrate phase! I saw an ad for Premium Aquatics. Has anyone had experiences (positive or negative) with them? Link to comment
Matty1124 Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 is this your first tank? what is your reasoning behind the DSB? 60lbs of sand seems like a lot in a 10g Link to comment
lilredneckman Posted January 24, 2008 Share Posted January 24, 2008 +1 on that being to much sand IMO. Link to comment
Militant Jurist Posted January 24, 2008 Author Share Posted January 24, 2008 The bags have said that it's 40 lbs thus far, but I think I got jipped. The "40 lbs" I currently have don't even give me 3 inches. According to the calculator I've seen floating around here, 47 lbs should give me 4", but I doubt that the missing 7 would make much of a difference. I'm using Fiji pink sand, and I think that it's compacted quite a bit. This is the first salt tank I've personally been solely responsible for, but I did have one for a while with my old gf. I've been doing freshwater tanks for about 8 years. I have a background in the natural sciences (even though I'm currently involved in a legal career) and the reason for the desire to have a DSB it two-fold. First, I have always done "natural" aquariums. In freshwater, they were heavily planted ecosystems with low maintenance requirements. Second, aside from the natural aspects, costs plays a feature. I've seen a number of successful DSBs that eliminate the need for expensive skimmers. ----- After the cut: I know that 60 lbs sounds like a lot, but I'm just quoting the labeling on the sand. I seriously doubt that I actually have the volume that 40lbs of sand should be giving. I don't know if I have super-fine LS, or if they just lied to me on the packaging, but I seriously have 2.75/3" inches of sand currently with 2x 20lbs bags of Fiji pink LS. ----- EDIT Well, it seems that although the site has an article up in support of nano DSBs, I'm forced to reconsider. I suppose that I'll end up keeping the 2.75"/3" of LS currently in the system, and get an HOB. I'm thinking a 10 gal filter will work fine, considering that I already have 160 gph current at the moment, as well as more than enough biological filtration in conjunction with an HOB, and the low planned bio-load. Link to comment
Militant Jurist Posted January 25, 2008 Author Share Posted January 25, 2008 After 96 hours: Well, I've got a 10 gallon HOB filter now, and I'll stick with the almost 3" of LS (I know that it settles/wears down rather quick, and eventually I'll maintain it at 2"). Parameters: Ammonia - 3 - 4 pH - 8 (has been ranging between this and 8.4) Alkalinity - around 300 Nitrite - 2 - 3 Nitrate - 20/30 A friend of mine had a FO SW tank, which he is getting rid of. I know it's early, but I was gifted a scarlet reef hermit and a margarita (I believe) snail. Once the digital camera is recharged, pictures will come. Link to comment
ir0n_ma1den Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 need pics!!! i don't care if it looks crappy, i want to see it! Link to comment
Militant Jurist Posted January 26, 2008 Author Share Posted January 26, 2008 By popular demand there's a picture back up in the original post. Link to comment
Roc! Posted January 26, 2008 Share Posted January 26, 2008 Just my 02 cents but that sandbed looks a lot more like 4.5 - 5 inches Link to comment
Militant Jurist Posted January 26, 2008 Author Share Posted January 26, 2008 Just my 02 cents but that sandbed looks a lot more like 4.5 - 5 inches I've taken multiple architectural tools to it... it is 2.5 - 3", whether you measure if externally or internally. I wish it was 4"+, so I'd have the DSB I initially desired. Link to comment
Militant Jurist Posted January 27, 2008 Author Share Posted January 27, 2008 Day 5 Parameters: Ammonia - 3 pH - 8.4 Alk - 300 Nitrite - 5 Nitrate - 40 Link to comment
Militant Jurist Posted January 29, 2008 Author Share Posted January 29, 2008 Day 7 Parameters: Ammonia - .5 pH - 8.4 Alk - 300 Nitrite - 3 Nitrate - 30 It looks like it's on the downhill part of the cycle! Link to comment
Militant Jurist Posted January 30, 2008 Author Share Posted January 30, 2008 Day 9 Last night, I did a 10% (1 gallon) water change. Also, I added an under cabinet fluorescent strip, and put in an actinic bulb. This will need some DIY, because it's incredibly ghetto at the moment. I'm thinking about adding some tin foil to get more light reflected into the water. This morning, Nitrates are down to 15 ppm and it looks like some brown diatoms have taken up residence on the substrate. Link to comment
Militant Jurist Posted February 1, 2008 Author Share Posted February 1, 2008 Day 11 - Another day of consistent parameters (which according to LFS are right at 0) Here's a picture with some of the CUC cruising around: Link to comment
Militant Jurist Posted February 6, 2008 Author Share Posted February 6, 2008 New picture with new LR! Link to comment
Militant Jurist Posted February 9, 2008 Author Share Posted February 9, 2008 Got my first piece of coral... a $5 mushroom frag. Here's a close up: Link to comment
herranton Posted February 10, 2008 Share Posted February 10, 2008 Got my first piece of coral... a $5 mushroom frag. Here's a close up: I wish I could get $5 mushroom frags. The last one got was $15. Have you thought about putting a background on the tank. Most people spray paint the back but with water in there it might be kinda hard. Maybe try some plastic film Limo tint from Walmart. I think you should upgrade the lights Seriously though, You are off to a good start. Link to comment
Militant Jurist Posted February 11, 2008 Author Share Posted February 11, 2008 Thanks for the encouragement Yeah, I'm going to be doing a background for it. My dad own an auto-body shop, so I'm waiting until I can get my hands on a nice piece of material (window tint, black plastic, something). What I'm going to do as far as lighting goes for now is rig together 4 fluorescent tubes, which would get me up to 60 watts (6 watts/gal). I believe that should be enough for the softies I plan to keep? This week's update: Aquarium Adventure had a huge sale this week (still on going) and I got a Neon Goby for $11, and an $11 good size frag of zoanthids. It's probably about a 2" wad of zoanthus, with 30 - 40 heads. It's got bright green tentacles, and is pretty cool looking. The frag didn't have a base rock though, so I'm in the process of trying to find a nice home for it in the tank, and trying to glue it there. I'll try to get photos of the goby and the zoa up tomorrow! Link to comment
Militant Jurist Posted February 12, 2008 Author Share Posted February 12, 2008 My tank is 21! (days old, that is ) Here, have a picture! It's just the zoa, tank shots to come. The neon is very camera shy right now... Link to comment
Militant Jurist Posted March 1, 2008 Author Share Posted March 1, 2008 UPDATE: Temp - 81F pH - 8.2/8.4 NH3/NH4 - 0 NO2 - 0 NO3 - 10/20 (pre-WC) Ca2+ - 400 dKH - 9 (161ppm) PO3-4 - 0 Link to comment
SaltWaterNewb Posted March 1, 2008 Share Posted March 1, 2008 and the reason for the desire to have a DSB it two-fold. First, I have always done "natural" aquariums. In freshwater, they were heavily planted ecosystems with low maintenance requirements. Second, aside from the natural aspects, costs plays a feature. I've seen a number of successful DSBs that eliminate the need for expensive skimmers. Just FYI, with proper maintenance and an appropriate bio-load, nanos generally do not require "expensive skimmers". If you are keeping livestock that requires pristine water that is a different story but for most, weekly water changes and general tank husbandry is all that is required. Link to comment
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