gena Posted February 25, 2012 Share Posted February 25, 2012 Tank has changed a little bit., puffer is doing well, growth is great, scape has changed yet again. I love the biocube, but as everything grows out, I just don't have the footprint I need for the look I want. I'm thinking about upgrading.... I'll get some pics up if I scrape the glass today, its covered in coraline. I've been simplifying my set up, and in this spirit I did something I never thought I would do. I removed the skimmer. 7 fish in a BC29(one of them is a messy puffer) and no skimmer should equal excess nutes, but I haven't had any water problems at all, even when I missed water changes for 3 weeks. I'm quickly becoming convinced that the whole zeo thing is snake oil. Every additive is got to be 80% vinegar, at least that's what they all smell like, and my corals look so much better without it. I was dosing 6 things a day, and finally realized that I want this cube to relax me, not be more work. I thought I might have to kiss my sps goodbye and go all softy for simplicity's sake, but I decided to give it a try. I stopped carbon and zeo additive dosing, took the zeo lites off line and put a ball of cheato in the display. Corals looked great. Waited for the algea to show up, and it didn't. I then got the itch to not have to empty my skimer cup, and had been reading about alll the beneficial things that get taken out by the skimmer, like pod larvae, eggs, coraline spores etc. Pod population exploded, worms all over the place( little ones, not big predatory ones) coraline off the charts and my sps took off. I dose cal/alk manually now, but just need to finish building my doser and that will be automated. I can't remember the last time I tested anything, ( bad I know) but everything is doing quite well. And I still feed heavily, the puffer eats a lot, but its been over a month and no algae to speak of. Pics to follow. This is great! I feel more relaxed now after reading it You need to post a new FTS Link to comment
Mhayes462 Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Is the snowflake in the biocube also? Link to comment
TheNordCelt Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 Is the snowflake in the biocube also? Yes it is, and I know it seems like a ton of fish, but everybody has their own space in the tank and it works. I'm also getting religious about weekly, sometimes twice weekly water changes, which is all I've needed to control algea. I haven't tested a single parameter in 6 months (escept salinity of course), but I watch my tank like a hawk, I can tell if alk is getting a little low by watching my sps, and edjust accordingly. Same with calcium basically, just growth slows. I was really nervous about my sps when I went skimmerless, but so far they look even better than before. New FTS Enjoy! Link to comment
TheNordCelt Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 Anybody know what this is? Link to comment
Mhayes462 Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 How big is the snowflake now? Link to comment
Euphyllia Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Ah fudgepops, that's naice! Link to comment
metrokat Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Very cute picture of the hand fed puffer. Does he have a name? Link to comment
TheNordCelt Posted February 28, 2012 Author Share Posted February 28, 2012 I'm not a namer, you'd have to ask my wife Ah fudgepops, that's naice! Thanks! Link to comment
metrokat Posted February 28, 2012 Share Posted February 28, 2012 Okay, can you show her this message: Hello wife, what's that puffers name? Link to comment
Shallow Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 How's the puffer. I really like him, has he been pesky at all? I'm trying to look for some showpiece fish canidates Link to comment
drewbold Posted February 29, 2012 Share Posted February 29, 2012 My LFS has 2 of these GSP already acclimated to full salt they only want $12 each! I almost impulse bought 1 but I didn't know anything about them yet. Now, I'm thinking of getting one but I just got an order from reefcleaners last week so I'm sure the GSP would tear them up. The LFS said they would probably try to nip my corals, but I only have a little xenia and 1 tiny frag of zoas so finding your thread was awesome info for me! Your tank is looking great! I'll be watching this one! Link to comment
TheNordCelt Posted February 29, 2012 Author Share Posted February 29, 2012 Okay, can you show her this message: Hello wife, what's that puffers name? Kat, she tells me he goes by Jose during the week, and Josephina on the weekends. Link to comment
TheNordCelt Posted March 1, 2012 Author Share Posted March 1, 2012 How's the puffer. I really like him, has he been pesky at all? I'm trying to look for some showpiece fish canidates He's great, has never nipped at anything in the tank. Very well mannered.d My LFS has 2 of these GSP already acclimated to full salt they only want $12 each! I almost impulse bought 1 but I didn't know anything about them yet. Now, I'm thinking of getting one but I just got an order from reefcleaners last week so I'm sure the GSP would tear them up. The LFS said they would probably try to nip my corals, but I only have a little xenia and 1 tiny frag of zoas so finding your thread was awesome info for me! Your tank is looking great! I'll be watching this one! Mine doesn't go to crazy about snails, so you should be good. Link to comment
TheNordCelt Posted March 3, 2012 Author Share Posted March 3, 2012 Skimmerless update: Sponge growth is off the charts, which I think is contributing to water clarity. Link to comment
TheNordCelt Posted March 8, 2012 Author Share Posted March 8, 2012 Anybody else hate how the AIO threads are burried! Link to comment
ScubaEthan Posted March 9, 2012 Share Posted March 9, 2012 Hi! I love that photo with your cat on your tank I just saw the 13 in the title and assumed you had a 13g tank. I was trying to figure out how in the world you had so many fish in a 13g PG 13? Why haven't I seen this thread before?! Nice tank. I want a puffer and a snowflake eel one day. I have a tank in storage waiting for me to have the room and money to set it up. I do believe I will be modeling some after you. Link to comment
TheNordCelt Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share Posted March 10, 2012 Hi! I love that photo with your cat on your tank I just saw the 13 in the title and assumed you had a 13g tank. I was trying to figure out how in the world you had so many fish in a 13g PG 13? Why haven't I seen this thread before?! Nice tank. I want a puffer and a snowflake eel one day. I have a tank in storage waiting for me to have the room and money to set it up. I do believe I will be modeling some after you. LOL, I guess I should update that title! I would definitely be overstocked with 13g! Thanks! Link to comment
n2tanks Posted March 10, 2012 Share Posted March 10, 2012 i think the natural thing is cool i thought to get a skimmer but i think ill try the natural way. thanks for the info and nice tank! Link to comment
TheNordCelt Posted March 10, 2012 Author Share Posted March 10, 2012 i think the natural thing is cool i thought to get a skimmer but i think ill try the natural way. thanks for the info and nice tank! Thanks man, in a tank this size it works very well. I have not had luck with keeping cheato in the back, so I just keep it in the display Link to comment
TheNordCelt Posted March 11, 2012 Author Share Posted March 11, 2012 I thought that the biocube would be pretty escape proof for the eel, but last night I forgot to clost the feeding lid. Got up this morning and noticed the dog sniffing an oddly shaped pile of lint/cat hair or something. Closer inspection showed that it was infact eel jerky. He was pretty dried out. But being an optimist I tossed him back in the tank. After about 5 minutes his gills and mouth started pumping, I hope he fully recovers. Link to comment
metrokat Posted March 11, 2012 Share Posted March 11, 2012 are you serious?! Anybody else hate how the AIO threads are burried! I asked Chris Marks to move mine to members section Link to comment
TheNordCelt Posted March 11, 2012 Author Share Posted March 11, 2012 Yeah he is looking almost 100% already! Its pretty amazing. Link to comment
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