Dadoboy Posted April 16, 2008 Share Posted April 16, 2008 I also am going to try the power ATO. My pump should arrive on Friday. Let me know how it goes. Keep up the good work! Dave A. Link to comment
Dadoboy Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 Uhhh... Need update here.. I see you got a Xenia, what else? Thanks- Dave A. Link to comment
mwieczorek43 Posted May 2, 2008 Share Posted May 2, 2008 After checking out the web-cam i noticed your tank is running a bit hot. Got up to 80 degrees when i was watching... looks fantastic though! Link to comment
hcsceo Posted May 2, 2008 Author Share Posted May 2, 2008 HAHA yes someone is still checking out my cam. OK quick update and photo op. I've added a Xenia, Kenya Tree, and a couple of zoa's (no idea what type yet) yesterday. The LFS had the zoa's about 6" away from what looked like a 250w MH pendant. They were closed up tighter than snot and not attached to anything. He sold me everything you see for $15 so I figured I couldn't go wrong. I attached both zoa's to rock rubble and they are starting to open up now. One appears to be a standard green but the other looks like a ring of fire. I should know for sure by monday. I'm having a green hair algea problem right now. I'm using water from our company RO system which is maintained by Culligan. I suspect our water company adds phosphates to the water so I'm going to start bringing RO water from my house starting next week. I know that water is free of phosphates. I've also added two Astrea Snails to help with cleanup as the Nerites just weren't working fast enough for me I did build the new ATO as previously mentioned and it works perfectly and keeps the level within 1/8 inch and can go a week without filling up the fresh water tank. I'm very pleased with my tank now. I'm debating on adding an aftermarket floating type surface skimmer to my Rio Nano Skimmer, but my tank is starting to look like a hardware store with everything attached to it so we will see. As for temp, my temp does reach 80 on a rare occasion. Temps seems to hover from 78.5-80. I think it's the thermostat in my stealth heater cause 10 minutes later it'll be at 79.4 and stay that way till the next heat cycle. Hope you guys enjoy the pics. Steve Link to comment
hcsceo Posted May 21, 2008 Author Share Posted May 21, 2008 ok I added a few more frags (Candy Cane, Toadstool, Radioactive Dragon Eyes, Green Star Polyps, Devils Hand Leather) I also added my Yellow Clown Goby now that the tank has reached the 2 month mark. Everything seems to be going well. Looks like my Green Hair algae problem is under control. Now that I've isolated the cause of it the algae has been turning brown and dying. I've been taking it out by hand as this happens. There is still a little bit left to go but no more is turning up so that is a good sign. I had a bloom of isopods and added the yellow clown at the same time. He really went nuts eating those things. I'll post pics tomorrow. Link to comment
Dadoboy Posted May 27, 2008 Share Posted May 27, 2008 As for temp, my temp does reach 80 on a rare occasion. Temps seems to hover from 78.5-80. I think it's the thermostat in my stealth heater cause 10 minutes later it'll be at 79.4 and stay that way till the next heat cycle. Hope you guys enjoy the pics.Steve Steve... invest in a 3 dollar old school thermometer.. the kind that is glass w/ mercury (or whatever that is now a days)... They are much more accurate that the digital... My temps were ALL over the place.. one got one of glass things cuz I heard digi are screw-ups... I now know that 79-80 degrees on my digi is actually 75-76... Thanks- Dave A. Link to comment
hcsceo Posted May 27, 2008 Author Share Posted May 27, 2008 Steve... invest in a 3 dollar old school thermometer.. the kind that is glass w/ mercury (or whatever that is now a days)... They are much more accurate that the digital... My temps were ALL over the place.. one got one of glass things cuz I heard digi are screw-ups... I now know that 79-80 degrees on my digi is actually 75-76... Thanks- Dave A. hey thanks dado I've been wondering about this on both my tanks. I'm going to go get a couple tonight or so and verify. Steve Link to comment
hcsceo Posted May 27, 2008 Author Share Posted May 27, 2008 Well looks like my phosphate source has been found. The green hair algae is slowly dying off. To help clean it up I've added a one clawed Emerald Crab and he is already mowing the stuff down. Once he gets it cleaned I might move him to my larger tank. Check out the webcam the crab has been staying on that side of the tank in plain view for a day now. Steve Link to comment
Dadoboy Posted June 4, 2008 Share Posted June 4, 2008 Is that the Devils Hand Leather your goby is protecting (or the the other way around)?.. I love how it snuggles up to it... then darts out.. then right back into it.. Looks really good! Thanks- Dave A. Link to comment
hcsceo Posted June 5, 2008 Author Share Posted June 5, 2008 Is that the Devils Hand Leather your goby is protecting (or the the other way around)?.. I love how it snuggles up to it... then darts out.. then right back into it.. Looks really good! Thanks- Dave A. Yea that is the toadstool leather. He has really taken a liking to it. He will sit there and dart out then return. Really cool to watch him during the day. I've been having problems with the devils hand attaching to anything so it's been kind of floating around the tank. I finally rubberbanded him down to a piece of rubble today, as I've already tried superglue gel. We will see if he stay's put and attaches. I've also added a small 1 head neon green frogspawn today. You can't see him or the candy cane from the webcam but I'll post pics soon. I have to say this tank is growing like mad. I don't know if it is the lighting or what but it is really growing well. I put in two single polyp zoa's about a six weeks ago and today there are 8 large heads. My candy cane was one head and in three weeks it is now two. The only thing I haven't had success with was GSP. I'm sure this was a flow issue as I had it in a low flow area. Anyway thanks for looking. Steve Steve Link to comment
Dadoboy Posted June 5, 2008 Share Posted June 5, 2008 Yea that is the toadstool leather. He has really taken a liking to it. He will sit there and dart out then return. Really cool to watch him during the day. I've been having problems with the devils hand attaching to anything so it's been kind of floating around the tank. I finally rubberbanded him down to a piece of rubble today, as I've already tried superglue gel. We will see if he stay's put and attaches. I've also added a small 1 head neon green frogspawn today. You can't see him or the candy cane from the webcam but I'll post pics soon. I have to say this tank is growing like mad. I don't know if it is the lighting or what but it is really growing well. I put in two single polyp zoa's about a six weeks ago and today there are 8 large heads. My candy cane was one head and in three weeks it is now two. The only thing I haven't had success with was GSP. I'm sure this was a flow issue as I had it in a low flow area. Anyway thanks for looking. Steve Steve Wow! I guess I am going to have to upgrade my lights... nothing is really growing... just existing.. I had hard luck w/ superglue before. I just recently read that if you put your blob of superglue (on whatever) but dip it in the tank and pull it out before you put it back to glue it to the rock. It forms a seal and when you place it back into your tank and press it against the rock - it breaks the seal, and in like 15 secs, it sets... I haven't tried it yet, but I hear that is the 'trick' to Superglue gel... Also, I read that you could do frag-superglue-aquamend-superglue-rock... I have the thread saved at home if you need it. Can't wait to see the photos! Dave A. Link to comment
PBUEHH Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 all i got to see was darkness... Link to comment
hcsceo Posted June 6, 2008 Author Share Posted June 6, 2008 all i got to see was darkness... haha yeah lights off at 8pm. The lights are on in the tank from like 8am-8pm. Link to comment
stratosphere Posted June 6, 2008 Share Posted June 6, 2008 Your little goby is such a character--I didn't realize the YCGs were so active. I love how he darts around and seems to have such an attitude. My YWG is so shy I hardly ever see him, and I have to target feed him like a mandarin. He's too shy to compete with the clown and the cleaner shrimp! I am going to have to get a little YCG for my pico when I finally get it (a little drama, but my order from Drs F&S with my pico and everything else for the setup, including, sand, heater, timers, Oceanic 2x18w lighting and AC70 upgrades, was stolen off my front steps yesterday!) Oh, and can you post a pic of your ATO setup? I am not terribly confident in doing these mods myself and pics help so much in visualizing how the setup is supposed to work, and where folks are putting the float and the freshwater reservoir, etc. Link to comment
Bonsai Posted June 7, 2008 Share Posted June 7, 2008 Oh, and can you post a pic of your ATO setup? I am not terribly confident in doing these mods myself and pics help so much in visualizing how the setup is supposed to work, and where folks are putting the float and the freshwater reservoir, etc. He posted a few pictures of the ATO here. Link to comment
hcsceo Posted June 9, 2008 Author Share Posted June 9, 2008 Well I almost bit the big one today with this tank. I decided it was time to do a real good cleaning so I took everything apart and cleaned and scrubbed. I decided to do something a little different and put my activated carbon directly into my rio nano skimmer without the media bag cause my bag was ripped anyway. Well when I turned everything on ALL the carbon came out of the HOB Rio and into the tank. There was carbon everywhere. Three two hours later I had it all cleaned up but couldn't remember where all the rocks went so now I have a new aquascape. IDK WTF I was thinking but what a PITA. My fish and crab are really confused but everything is opening back up only after an hour. I won't be making the same mistake twice. I'll upload a new FTS after everything clears up. Steve Link to comment
hcsceo Posted June 11, 2008 Author Share Posted June 11, 2008 Well looks like everything turned out ok with my tank. Xenia is pumping away and my frogspawn has never been as extended as it is right now. Here's a current FTS. This was from my phone so don't get scared. Link to comment
Bonsai Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Well looks like everything turned out ok with my tank. Xenia is pumping away and my frogspawn has never been as extended as it is right now. Here's a current FTS. This was from my phone so don't get scared. Your Picotope looks fantastic. I'm in the process of engineering the same ATO that you have ... where did you find your rigid J-hose? Link to comment
jrronimo Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Just wanted to say that I *love* the tank itself -- that nearly non-existent base is really slick! Also, props for the webcam. I was thinking about doing something like that myself, heh. Link to comment
clownfish1124 Posted June 12, 2008 Share Posted June 12, 2008 hey hcsceo what is that stuff on the surface of your tank, or is it just bubbles? also, what d you do when your toadstool leather molts? Link to comment
hcsceo Posted June 13, 2008 Author Share Posted June 13, 2008 Your Picotope looks fantastic. I'm in the process of engineering the same ATO that you have ... where did you find your rigid J-hose? That ridgid j hose was a peice of acrylic hard tubing from the petstore. I boiled some water and put the end of it in and formed it to the J, then cut off what I needed and added it to my ato. Your Picotope looks fantastic. I'm in the process of engineering the same ATO that you have ... where did you find your rigid J-hose? Thanks so much I've had a ton of fun with this tank. Everyone in the office keeps coming in to look at it. Three more people have purchased them so it's become a picotope central at my office. hey hcsceo what is that stuff on the surface of your tank, or is it just bubbles? also, what d you do when your toadstool leather molts? Most of what you see in that picture is that protein scum that forms on the top. Normally I use a paper towl and lay it across the top to suck it up. I'm going to add a surface skimming attachment to my Rio Nano Skimmer to get that crap. At that angle the light is really reflecting on it but it is there. As far as the toadstool, it hasn't molted yet. I'm in front of that tank 40+ hours a week so hopefully I'll catch it when it happens. Steve Link to comment
clownfish1124 Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 hey! whats up with the flowerpot infront of the webcam??? Link to comment
Dadoboy Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 hey! whats up with the flowerpot infront of the webcam??? Its a Styrofoam coffee cup.. probably rum and coke? Link to comment
hcsceo Posted June 13, 2008 Author Share Posted June 13, 2008 dude, move the cup... HAHA oops. Cup is moved now. Link to comment
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