Billdemart's Inhuman Creation Station (20 High)

[Billdemart]

Just tested my water again

 

80.5 degrees

1.025 salinity

Ammonia - 0

Nitrite - 0

Nitrate - 5-10 ppm

 

Interesting... Maybe the guy who sold me the LR was right? I don't want to rush it though. I might add some chaeto and a couple of snails and see how they do for a while.

[geidky]

I too have recently started a 20H. I really enjoy mine so far. I got my Live Rock from my closest LFS and it spent less than an hour outside of water after being in his tanks for months and it still cycled. It did however cycle really fast in about 2 weeks all was well after a water change. I have also only recently started getting coraline growth. Its still not growing on my dry base rocks though but it has spread on some of my rock that had less coraline and it is growing on my koralia but i've noticed the majority of it is growing on the filter sock in my sump which is now starting to look very colorful with purples maroons and dark greens. I added my CUC and chaeto and mangroves at about 2 and a half to 3 weeks and a few coral frags too. All of my stuff has been doing fantastic my chaeto has really grown quickly and all of my coral has shown noticeable growth. My tank thread really isn't up to date so I'll try and update it tonight after work so you can see how awesome yours can look in just another month. Good luck with it!

[Weetabix7]

You could always just get some cheap Mushrooms and see how they do.

Or GSP, something like that.

[Billdemart]

I too have recently started a 20H. I really enjoy mine so far. I got my Live Rock from my closest LFS and it spent less than an hour outside of water after being in his tanks for months and it still cycled. It did however cycle really fast in about 2 weeks all was well after a water change. I have also only recently started getting coraline growth. Its still not growing on my dry base rocks though but it has spread on some of my rock that had less coraline and it is growing on my koralia but i've noticed the majority of it is growing on the filter sock in my sump which is now starting to look very colorful with purples maroons and dark greens. I added my CUC and chaeto and mangroves at about 2 and a half to 3 weeks and a few coral frags too. All of my stuff has been doing fantastic my chaeto has really grown quickly and all of my coral has shown noticeable growth. My tank thread really isn't up to date so I'll try and update it tonight after work so you can see how awesome yours can look in just another month. Good luck with it!

 

Looks great. I'll be following that thread. Great start.

 

You could always just get some cheap Mushrooms and see how they do.

Or GSP, something like that.

 

I got 2 crabs and 2 snails a while ago and they are constantly running around eating. Fun to watch. I tested the water for the past 3 or 4 days and the nitrates went from around 2 to 5ppm. I did a water change and got a GSP frag and it opened almost immediately. I put it in the bottom right corner to let it adjust to the light (I drip acclimated yesterday) but I'm not sure it's getting enough flow light.

 

I bought another Koralia 1 and put it on the bottom right back of the tank, behind the LR shooting to the left of the tank. The first Koralia 1 I put on the back left wall shooting towards the right/front/top of the tank. I hope this flow is good enough. I'll take some pics later.

 

I'm going to see how this GSP does for a while and maybe add some other small frags in a few weeks.

 

Right now I have a list of things to research/buy

 

Auto Top Off

Refractometer

Light Timer

 

Going out of town for 4 days next week and I'm concerned.....

[Billdemart]

I've got an email into support @ autotopoff.com. Hopefully I can get that here and working before I leave.

 

That just leaves me with the lighting problem. I imagine I can find a timer switch at Home Depot or something.

 

Here are some pics. The GSP seems pretty awesome. One of my red legged hermits walked all over it and it didn't even retract at all. The only thing I'm worried about with it is flow. It's not getting much at all where I put it.

 

I'm thinking about either moving the 2nd Koralia pump or moving the GSP but I wanted it down there to spread onto the sand.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Weetabix7]

Do any of the the pumps/powerheads point toward the front glass?

If so, the water would hit the front pane and move downward toward the sand.

Do you see any movement on the GSP polyps?

It looks happy enough.

[Billdemart]

That pump in the 2nd picture from the top is pointed towards the front glass but I have it angled up to hit the surface for gas exchange.

 

The only movement is on the far right side but it's not much. I'll post a video and see what you think.

[Billdemart]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MJ86CRYq35w

 

The video is still processing so it's really blurry, but you can see the lack of flow over there.

[Billdemart]

Realized that in that corner it wasn't even really underneath the hood much at all. Moved it to the middle of the tank and the flow is still gentle but it's moving almost all of the polyps now.

 

Is there a way to adjust the flow of the Koralia 1's? I put my hand in front of the new one and could barely feel it at all.

[Billdemart]

I re-aimed the original Koralia 1 down shooting straight at the front glass and it definitely helped.

 

There is still so much junk in my tank swirling around in the water. I wish I could figure out a way to run floss and chemi pure purigen, etc. in this setup.

[Billdemart]

I also want to get a moon light.

[Billdemart]

that's a tough one...

looks like your only option would be to DIY some kind of media rack that would fit in that first compartment... and then cut off the down tube that the pump is feeding so the water showers down on top of the media???

 

or add-on something like this:

http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.com/prod...mp;pcatid=16742

 

I'm thinking I'm going to have to try that canister since I can't do anything DIY, and certainly am not going to cut that pipe inside the fuge.

[Billdemart]

Finally time for an update:

 

Tank is doing great. Inverts still running around. I've added a coupld of Zoa frags and what I believe is a chalice and some type of Paly. They were given to me free by one of the Atlanta Reef Club members who gave me my Chaeto. He has an amazing frag tank. Couldn't believe how many different types of corals he had. Will have to take pics next time.

 

Anyhow I drip acclimated the one Zoa colony but didn't have time to do the rest so I balanced temp and threw them in. The one I drip acclimated has been the slowest to come around. The rest opened almost immediately and have been looking happy. I got a starfish hitchiker on one but I can't find him now. He was walking all over the glass for several days but I don't see him anymore

 

He was awesome.

 

Did another water change today ~15-20% or so. GSP seems to be growing. Hard to tell. Maybe in a few more weeks it will be easier to tell.

 

The one I drip acclimated had a TON of bubble algae and red hair algae on it. I pulled it and scraped it all off with a razor blade.

 

Here are some pics:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Chaeto has this red, slimy, film on a lot of it, mostly near the top. Not sure what this is but it's pretty nasty.

 

It seems to be growing. Any ideas?

 

[violinist]

GSP won't grow on to the sand. At least mine doesn't, which is why I put it there surrounded by sand, and this is also what I've read.

[Billdemart]

We have to go out of town on winter break this week, I'll be gone for 3 days. I don't have an ATO yet or a light timer.

 

I'm thinking I'd rather not mess with those before we leave (and I probably won't have time), so I think I'll just leave the lights off for those 3 days and hope not much water evaporates.

 

When I get back I'm going to order:

 

T5 hood 4x24 with 2 lunar leds

Auto topoff controller

Refractometer

Cannister filter (floss, chemi, purigen)

 

 

GSP won't grow on to the sand. At least mine doesn't, which is why I put it there surrounded by sand, and this is also what I've read.

 

Yeah I've read it won't grow off of the rock, onto the sand. I moved two smaller rocks next to it and was hoping it would grow out to those. If it doesn't I'll move it onto a bigger piece of LR.

[nanoreef-R]

I would stay away from canister filters. I made the mistake of running one and changing media is a pain and if not done weekly the filter becomes a nitrate nest.

 

This is an alternative if you want to run carbon + purigen.

[Billdemart]

I would stay away from canister filters. I made the mistake of running one and changing media is a pain and if not done weekly the filter becomes a nitrate nest.

 

This is an alternative if you want to run carbon + purigen.

 

Good to know. I'll check into that. Thanks.

[Billdemart]

Do I need to do something about that nasty red stuff on my Chaeto?

[nanoreef-R]

It's Cyano. You might want to run carbon, and also look into this.

[Billdemart]

It's Cyano. You might want to run carbon, and also look into this.

 

That's what I was afraid of. It came with my Chaeto I guess. Ugh.

 

I'll be running everything as soon as I get back from vacation.

 

It's only on the Chaeto... Should I just remove it and get some more?

[Billdemart]

I think I'll take the chaeto out tomorrow and rinse it and cut off the part that has the red slime algae. If that doesn't work I'll just get some more from somewhere.

[Degener8]

Hey figured I would check out your thread. I like what ya have done here so far.. and thinking everything through is great. Hopefully the cyano and buble algae mentioned will not take hold in your tank .

 

Just dont introduce any unnecessary food or waste and I dont think it will.

 

Its looking good man .. be careful what you wish for with GSP tho.. its a weed unless you just love the stuff.. I have heard stories of it over running other corals.

I love the look but am going with encrusting gorgonias.. (got 2 types on the way this week think he is shipping tomorrow actually)

 

But great tank.. I am taggin along you were right we are real similar in where we are on our tanks.

[Billdemart]

Hey figured I would check out your thread. I like what ya have done here so far.. and thinking everything through is great. Hopefully the cyano and buble algae mentioned will not take hold in your tank .

 

Just dont introduce any unnecessary food or waste and I dont think it will.

 

Its looking good man .. be careful what you wish for with GSP tho.. its a weed unless you just love the stuff.. I have heard stories of it over running other corals.

I love the look but am going with encrusting gorgonias.. (got 2 types on the way this week think he is shipping tomorrow actually)

 

But great tank.. I am taggin along you were right we are real similar in where we are on our tanks.

 

Yeah I shouldn't have any unnecessary waste. No fish atm, not feeding anything. RO/DI water, weekly 15-20% water changes.

 

I need a CUC, my sand is being overrun with dirty algae. I have so many things to order but this vacation is messing me up. I think I'll order everything right before we leave.

 

I might try and siphon the slime algae today.

 

As far as the GSP, yeah I've heard the stories. Should be interesting to see what happens. It hasn't grown as fast as I thought it would.

 

I'm wondering if my PC lights just aren't strong enough for this tall tank (part of the reason I'm about to order the T5 hood).

[harpua02]

You're an Atlanta Reef Club member too? That's cool. I don't post on that board too much but it's a great club. Did you make it to the frag meeting last week?

[Billdemart]

You're an Atlanta Reef Club member too? That's cool. I don't post on that board too much but it's a great club. Did you make it to the frag meeting last week?

 

I just joined the message board actually and I'm waiting on my paypal account to get funded from my bank so I can join the club. I'll be joining as soon as my account is confirmed (haven't used paypal in forever and I'm adding new bank accounts to it).

 

I didn't make the frag meeting. I will probably go to the next one.

 

I got my little frags from a member though named Rit. Real nice guy.

 

 

Updating my list of things I need:

 

T5 Fixture

Clean up Crew

Reactor/Cannister Filter

Auto Topoff

Koralia Nano for Fuge flow

Chemi-Pure

Purigen

 

Livestock:

 

2 tank raised percs

Goby and Pistol pair

Acans

Duncans

Ricordias

More Zoas

Frogspawn

Favia