Singlefin's BC29

[Singlefin]

Pretty new to saltwater tanks. Picked up and Aiptasia infested BC14 off craigslist about a year ago (didn't know it was bad), then bought a pretty new empty BC29 off craigslist a few months ago for $400 with the stand and some extras. Finally put 3" of LS, hermit crabs and seawater in about a week ago while my LR was curing. Added the LR last night. First aquascape ever. Pretty happy how it came out with the random pieces i picked up while diving. Waiting to transfer two coral banded shrimps, a small potters angel and raccoon butterfly when its finished cycling. Found 4 tiny Aiptasia. Hit them with aiptasia-x. seemed to work well in my BC14. Lots of holes and caves for them to play. Tried to copy what I've seen in the wild. We'll see how it goes. Any suggestions or constructive criticism welcomed. thank you

 

Current:

UV light

Maxijet 1200

Silenx Fans

2- MP10w's

inTank Media basket

inTank Fuge

Tunze 9002

Panorama pro LEDs: 2- blue/white & 1- blue/magenta.

 

Feesh:

1 Potters angel

convict tang

Onyx Ocellaris pair

 

Inverts:

1 Money Cowry

1 Turbo snail

1 Black rock-boring urchin (Echinometra oblonga)

1 Pale rock-boring urchin (Echinometra mathaei)

1 Reticulated Cowry (Cypraea maculifera)

[castiel]

Looks great, nice scape with the bridge. Some really interesting inverts you have there, I had fun Google Imagine those.

[pschom]

Are you experimenting with a deep sand bed, or are my eyes going? Looks like a 5 inch sand bed!

[Singlefin]

Haha. I think it's a 3" bed. I guess I should measure it. It's kind of good I guess. Most of big LR are buried pretty good. Pretty solid base. That might have raised the level a little.

 

 

http://www.marinelifephotography.com/

 

This is where I got my invert id. A lot of photos of out local Critters which is what im going to use. Whatever I can take my 3yo daughter to the beach and catch. This tank is totally for her benefit, you know to learn.

[Singlefin]

So I'm thinking my cycle is done. Two weeks of testing:

Ammonia 0

Nitrate 0

Nitrite 0

Ph 8-8.2

 

1st chamber Oceanic skimmer. 2nd chamber inTank media basket with filter floss, chemi-pure, and purigen and inTank fuge with chaeto and underwater light. 3rd chamber a maxijet 1200 return pump.

 

Critters:

1- potters angel 2"

1- convict tang 1.5"

2- coral banded shrimp

1- feather duster

2- Mulberry drupes (Drupa morum)

1- Black rock-boring urchin (Echinometra oblonga)

1- Pale rock-boring urchin (Echinometra mathaei)

1- Reticulated Cowry (Cypraea maculifera)

[JoelRHale]

I'm going to say this nicely before the tang police hang you, that tang should not be a tank this size and you should take it back to the store.

 

...unless I misread your post and that is your proposed stocking list, if that's the case, for the above reasons, you shouldn't get the tang.

[Singlefin]

I hear you. I caught him in a tidepool to help cycle the tank. He's tiny and once he starts growing, I'm going to release him. When I bought my BC14 off craigslist the lady I got it from had a 4" yellow tang, 3 green chromis, and an aiptasia forrest. After finding this forum, Ive learned a lot, and released the yellow tang in the ocean. He was tiny when I caught him. Almost transparent. When these convict tangs get full grown, they usually end up in a frying pan. thanks for the heads up.

[JoelRHale]

Now that is plan I can be okay with. Too many times you see people saying they are going to upgrade or rehome it, but so many times those plans just fall through and you end up with a huge, unhappy fish and an unmanageable bioload. But since you live in Hawaii you can just drive a ways and put him right back where you found him, you should be okay.

 

Tangs are really cool though

[Singlefin]

He's there to pretty much keep the potters company. Once we get something else, he's going back. I am less than a mile from the beach and am constantly in the ocean. We see these tangs everywhere while diving and I never thought they were very nice till I got it in my tank. Definitely have a new appreciation for them.

[Singlefin]

Been slacking on the tank since the newborn boy arrived on Halloween. Things have been mellowing out so i can put more time into the tank. Released the convict tang. he got pretty big fast. was a pain to try catch him. he would eat out of my hand but once i tried putting a net in the tank, he got skiddish. made a trap out of a water bottle. that worked pretty good. Picked up an MP10 and chiller. the chiller is nice. my tank used to top out at about 86 degrees. boiling. now its set at 75 and the critters look a lot happier. the MP10 is unreal just like everyone claims. the silt it blew off my rocks was incredible. Have to decide what other fish we want to put in there. Wife is super stoked with the tank. always a good sign.

[GIRLGONEAQUA]

I demand new updated photos, I like the layout you have so far.

[Singlefin]

Sorry, a lot going on with the tank. Adjusting the tunze skimmer. Picked up some zoas and palys. Added onyx clown pair. Banished the coral banded shrimp and hermits to my BC14. Curing more live rock. Just recieved my Ecoxotic LEDs. Just unboxed them and trying to figure out the install. Nothing really to take pictures of. Should be adding more rock soon. Lots happening. Behind the scenes of course.

[GIRLGONEAQUA]

Cant wait to see it when you get it all figured out!

[Singlefin]

Panorama pro's installed. Two blue/whites and a blue/magenta. Kept the moon lights. I must say I really like the color. A little shimmer going on also. I'm not sure what percent I'm running them at. There isn't a gauge on the dimmer but it looks close to the stock bulbs in brightness. Once thing get acclimated I can start bumping up the power. Tunze is getting dialed in. I'm getting a tea colored skimmate but nothing like the videos on YouTube. I noticed when I stir things up and clean the glass and change water the skinner gets really dirty with chunks and bits of stuff.

[ZephNYC]

Been slacking on the tank since the newborn boy arrived on Halloween. Things have been mellowing out so i can put more time into the tank. Released the convict tang. he got pretty big fast. was a pain to try catch him. he would eat out of my hand but once i tried putting a net in the tank, he got skiddish. made a trap out of a water bottle. that worked pretty good. Picked up an MP10 and chiller. the chiller is nice. my tank used to top out at about 86 degrees. boiling. now its set at 75 and the critters look a lot happier. the MP10 is unreal just like everyone claims. the silt it blew off my rocks was incredible. Have to decide what other fish we want to put in there. Wife is super stoked with the tank. always a good sign.

 

congrats on the new born. Any clams in this reef ??

[d'Espresso]

can't wait to see your 40B up..

[Singlefin]

Me too. Been waiting two months for my makersLed Heatsink and lights. Any day now. Thanks.

[Singlefin]

I'm pretty disappointed with my Ecoxotic LEDs. I got my hands on a par meter and took some initial tests. My sandbed is 50. Mid tanks 150 and a couple inches from the surface 200. Granted the three pros are running parallel to the front and the rock structure probably blocks out half the light, but even a couple inches from the surface @ 200 isn't that great. I was worried about bleaching stuff on the sandbed. Hope this helps other people decide on their lighting and lean more to DIY. On another note, my 40b par ratings with my DIY light is @ 225 on the sandbed and 400 at the top of my rock structure.

[gaberosenfield]

It's all about the DIY. I spent $200 on all the supplies for my DIY leds over my 20 gallon and I have to keep the whites dimmed down to 55% and the blues down at 25-30%. I would've been happy, in retrospect, with half the number of leds that I have.

[Singlefin]

Well.... The tank started leaking. Woke up in the morning to a little puddle in front of the tank. I notice a crack in the bottom of the 2nd chamber a few months ago. I thought I was seeing things but I guess it was real. Cleaned everything out and moved it to the 40b. Blessing in disguise. Moved the chiller and mp10 to the 40b which it desperately needed. Will probably sell the panorama pros or keep them for a frag tank. There was a lot of detritus in the back chambers. Over the AIO setup. The 40b is so much easier to maintain and clean. Everything's been growing well in the 40b. Last shot before it was broken down.

[d'Espresso]

Sorry to hear about your tank leaked but wow this tank looks nice with that FTS u took!