Vicki's Biocube 14

[phoenix91]

Tanks is coming along, everything seems happy.

 

My new favourite is doing great, i spot fed it last night.

 

Just after it had been added to the tank (12.11.11)

 

Today:

 

Is the placement okay? It's near the bottom front of the tank. I only have stock lights, i was thinking of maybe moving it onto a higher rock closer to the light. Also not sure if there's too much flow or if it's just about right.

 

Moved the mushroom right to the back rock, it seems happier.

[sublunary]

ooh nice frogspawn! Euphylia in generally like moderate light and moderate flow, so I think you can probably move it higher under pcs.

[phoenix91]

Thanks, i was a little unsure when i got it if i did the right thing but so far so good. I'll move it once i buy more glue, i think it would like a higher shelf. How quickly does frogspawn grow? and is mysis a good diet for spot feeding? What else do they like?

[phoenix91]

I am currently planning which fish to get to stock my tank, i really wanted clowns but now am not so sure, i really like the look of the yellow watchman goby. If i went with a goby, could i have more than one?

 

Also checking out different shrimp options, my lfs has lots of sexy shrimp but i don't think my tank is established enough for them yet; or perhaps any shrimp yet. I'm just looking at my options right now.

 

As for the tank, the RC rock is taking off. I've either got really nice coralline algae growing over most of the rock or cyano covering everything. Right now it's hard to tell.

[sublunary]

I am currently planning which fish to get to stock my tank, i really wanted clowns but now am not so sure, i really like the look of the yellow watchman goby. If i went with a goby, could i have more than one?

 

Also checking out different shrimp options, my lfs has lots of sexy shrimp but i don't think my tank is established enough for them yet; or perhaps any shrimp yet. I'm just looking at my options right now.

 

As for the tank, the RC rock is taking off. I've either got really nice coralline algae growing over most of the rock or cyano covering everything. Right now it's hard to tell.

 

 

You can definitely get more than one goby - either a pair of watchmen or one watchman and one or two other species. There are plenty of species of gobies that are perchers or free-swimmers who would not compete with the watchman for bottom territory.

 

I think you should be ok adding shrimp if everything's been stable. But waiting a little longer never hurts. Sexy shrimp seem to be fairly common, so I'm sure your LFS will get more soon if these sell.

 

I hope it's coraline and not cyano! I'm dealing with cyano right now and it sucks. The easiest way to tell is use a turkey baster to blow on it. If it comes off the rock at all, it's cyano.

 

Any new pics? It's been a while since you've posted a fts.

[phoenix91]

Thanks. I'll have a look around and see what other type of goby i could get. I could do the watchman and then get a pair of free swimmers to keep them separate.

 

I'm going to wait until the new year before getting fish/shrimp. Let the holidays get over and finished then i'll have more time to browse and plan when/where to get my fish from.

 

I'll try that. Pretty sure it's stuck to the rock though, plus it has large patches of green. I had cyano in the 5 G because of the idiotic shape.

 

I updated the fts on the first page and i did take a few more shots today but i have to re-size them before i can post them. I'll try and update with pics soon.

[sublunary]

Looks good! Do you have a plan for what's going to go on that platform in the top left? Looks like a great pedestal for something cool.

[phoenix91]

Thanks. It's a nice platform but i haven't' decided yet. I'm open for suggestions though. I'm going to try and get some nice zoas and space them out on the big rock on the left so something colourful should go on the platform.

[msscha]

The scape makes your tank look so big! Very cool. I just received my koralia hydor 240 today -- will be putting it in tomorrow -- hoping that it takes care of the cyano problem I'm having. Looking forward to seeing how you choose to stock! There are some really cool gobies -- I've been checking out the rainfordii (court jester goby) or hector's goby.

[phoenix91]

The scape makes your tank look so big! Very cool. I just received my koralia hydor 240 today -- will be putting it in tomorrow -- hoping that it takes care of the cyano problem I'm having. Looking forward to seeing how you choose to stock! There are some really cool gobies -- I've been checking out the rainfordii (court jester goby) or hector's goby.

 

Thank you! I've had to move mine around a bit to find the best spot for it, too near the back and the frogspawn & gsp were being whipped around. I think i've managed to get it in a good place for now, i still might move it again.

 

I've decided to go with a yellow watchman goby and accompanying shrimp buddy. My lfs has 2 ywg in stock and i'm waiting to hear if they have the pistol shrimp to go with it.

[phoenix91]

Photos

 

 

cloves recovering slowly.

 

 

I got Titan the turbo to eat the hair algae in the 5 gallon, now he's growing it on his shell. Good look for him i think. He's also getting some nice colouring from the coralline which is quickly taking over the whole tank.

 

Everything in the tank seems happy and is showing new growth/budding new heads.

 

Found 1 quite large aiptasia lurking out of sight so tonight or tomorrow i'll go on a killing spree and deal with those majanos while i'm at it.

[msscha]

Found 1 quite large aiptasia lurking out of sight so tonight or tomorrow i'll go on a killing spree and deal with those majanos while i'm at it.

I've done that many times...cannot figure out why I can't get aiptasia x to work quite right, but at least the proliferation is down! Yours are looking particularly lovely . Not sure if I like the water pump or not. May take a look at a smaller one by eco-something or other. It looks half the size of the koralia 240 -- and I really dislike how much visual real estate it takes up.

[phoenix91]

I've done that many times...cannot figure out why I can't get aiptasia x to work quite right, but at least the proliferation is down! Yours are looking particularly lovely . Not sure if I like the water pump or not. May take a look at a smaller one by eco-something or other. It looks half the size of the koralia 240 -- and I really dislike how much visual real estate it takes up.

 

Been so busy that i haven't been able to nuke the aiptasia, will tonight though.

 

Last time i used it i switched off all pumps, covered the offending aiptasia in the aiptasia x and left it sitting for like 20 mins, then i sucked off the excess with a turkey baster and switched the pumps back on. Killed that one dead. This new one is larger and might take a few goes to kill it. We'll see. Those yellow things, not aiptasia, those are yellow plays that hitch hiked in. The aiptasia is snugly sitting on the back rock quite out of sight.

 

I'm finding that too. I liked the PH at the back and i liked the flow it produced there but then i added the frogspawn and it as getting shipped around so i moved the PH forward and it's sticking out like a sore thumb right now. I was thinking i might try it on the back wall and see if aiming it at the rocks would brake up the flow a little bit.

[msscha]

Those yellow things, not aiptasia, those are yellow plays that hitch hiked in.

Oops! I still am soooo bad at identifying stuff. I have my pump pushing water against the rock, too, which has worked so far. We'll see when I get back to the office. I'll send along the info on the other one I'm looking at when I get it! Merry Merry!

[phoenix91]

I am too to be honest and when i first saw them i did wonder what they were. They're pushing out new heads which is nice.

 

Yes, please do.

 

Happy Holidays!

[phoenix91]

I went on a killing spree yesterday and nuked 1 large aiptasia and 2 majano.

 

Frogspawn got mysis for it's xmas lunch and looks great today

 

 

Getting a touch of cyano on the rocks so i've got more water mixing up for a partial wc and i'm going to scrub the rocks with a toothbrush and suck out as much as i can. I asked for a timer for my lights off my parents but my mam said she had no idea what i was looking fr so i'll try and pick one up this week.

[RedStang]

Little late to the party but a word of warning on the yellow watchman goby. Mine turned gray because it's a female. It's also the least visible of all my fish. So with only being able to get a couple fish in a 14gal I'd suggest, with my very limited experience , researching more goby species and finding one that is less prone to hiding or going with different fish.

[phoenix91]

Thanks for the advice. I was going to head to the lfs this weekend and have a quick look around and see what they have in stock. I also might have just spent my fish money on corals :/ ooops. So the fish stocking might be pushed back until next month. My dad is campaigning for clowns at this stage. I'll keep doing research. I'm also sure my lfs doesn't have any pistols and isn't it better to introduce pistols and their goby counterparts at the same time?

[cuboy]

Hey, how long did you cycle your new tank for??

[phoenix91]

I didn't. I did a tank transfer. I got dry liverock and used new sand so i didn't start off a mini cycle moving the old sand, then i moved the old rock with corals and equipment over to this tank. I added about 3-4 gallons of old water to the tank too and just kept an eye on it. Didn't see even a mini cycle and tests have been fine since. That was all done almost a moth ago.

 

Everything moved over really nicely except the mushroom which had to be relocated several times until it was happy.

[RedStang]

Thanks for the advice. I was going to head to the lfs this weekend and have a quick look around and see what they have in stock. I also might have just spent my fish money on corals :/ ooops. So the fish stocking might be pushed back until next month. My dad is campaigning for clowns at this stage. I'll keep doing research. I'm also sure my lfs doesn't have any pistols and isn't it better to introduce pistols and their goby counterparts at the same time?

 

We love our clowns. Very colorful, moderately active, and always visible. You could also look at a firefish and/or tailspot blenny. Not sure about the blenny in a 14 so look into it. We like our blenny and as a bonus he seems to eat algae that grows on rocks. Maybe I'm just lucky?

 

Just keep in mind that fish that are visible in the fish store may not be the same in your tank where they have more places to hide. If it were me the clowns would be it but we each have our own tastes!!!!!

[msscha]

We love our clowns. Very colorful, moderately active, and always visible. You could also look at a firefish and/or tailspot blenny. Not sure about the blenny in a 14 so look into it. We like our blenny and as a bonus he seems to eat algae that grows on rocks. Maybe I'm just lucky?

 

Just keep in mind that fish that are visible in the fish store may not be the same in your tank where they have more places to hide. If it were me the clowns would be it but we each have our own tastes!!!!!

+1 on the clowns -- or a fish with similar behavior. While it is really fun having some fish hang out on the rocks (have you ever seen a barnacle blenny? These are really colorful, super cute fish that hang out in the rock. It was my favorite fish -- it got eaten by something in the tank that has eaten all my rock dwellers! Since you didn't start with freshly harvested rock, you probably won't face that problem), it's also really nice to have at least one that enjoys hanging out in the water. If you do clowns, I"d follow everyone else's advice and introduce two of somewhat different sizes at the same time -- if you want a pair. I tried introducing one later and my first-and-only clown beat the living tar out of it. I took the second back, where it actually paired in the LFS tank with a new buddy. I feel good about that given what a nasty experience it had in my tank.

 

I think for some blennies/gobies, the decision has to be partly made on available sand bed. I don't have much exposed sand, so have stayed away from some of the really cool sand-sifting choices.

[phoenix91]

Redstang, my original plan was for clowns but i wasn't sure that 14g would be enough for 2, you know? i like to err on the side of caution, i have 1 dwarf puffer in a 20g tank (his buddy died). I'll take a look at the clowns while when i go to the store, probably tomorrow. I was looking at the ywg because i have lots of nice caves/places to hide in and under the rock and thought i'd put them to some good use.

 

msscha, i do like clowns and they would be fun to watch so i'll reconsider them. I'll also look at the barnacle blenny. I have about 5 lbs of LR that did come with hitchhikers and i do have a very large bristle worm somewhere plus about 1 billion brittle stars (and what looks like a chiton which i doubt would harm anything).

 

I'll take the size of each fish into consideration if and when i get them, i'd rather not have huge battles in the tank i it can be helped, and if i do get clowns i'd like for them to pair if at all possible. Sorry you had problems with your fish beating up the other one, glad it all worked out well in the end though.

 

I have some exposed sand and the bed is about 1-2inches deep, i was concerned that wouldn't be deep enough for a good burrow.

[RedStang]

Redstang, my original plan was for clowns but i wasn't sure that 14g would be enough for 2, you know? i like to err on the side of caution, i have 1 dwarf puffer in a 20g tank (his buddy died). I'll take a look at the clowns while when i go to the store, probably tomorrow. I was looking at the ywg because i have lots of nice caves/places to hide in and under the rock and thought i'd put them to some good use.

 

msscha, i do like clowns and they would be fun to watch so i'll reconsider them. I'll also look at the barnacle blenny. I have about 5 lbs of LR that did come with hitchhikers and i do have a very large bristle worm somewhere plus about 1 billion brittle stars (and what looks like a chiton which i doubt would harm anything).

 

I'll take the size of each fish into consideration if and when i get them, i'd rather not have huge battles in the tank i it can be helped, and if i do get clowns i'd like for them to pair if at all possible. Sorry you had problems with your fish beating up the other one, glad it all worked out well in the end though.

 

I have some exposed sand and the bed is about 1-2inches deep, i was concerned that wouldn't be deep enough for a good burrow.

 

Understand. Pretty sure you'll be ok with 2 clowns in a 14 but I don't know for certain. Maybe some shrimp to take advantage of the hiding places? There's also neon gobies. Small and I don't believe they burrow.

 

My big clown used to pick on the little but it was just a dominance dance. They never actually nipped each other. That has almost completely gone by the way side now and most of the time they're buds. One is nearly twice as big as the other now so pretty sure that ones turned female.

[Orangutran]

I went on a killing spree yesterday and nuked 1 large aiptasia and 2 majano.

 

Frogspawn got mysis for it's xmas lunch and looks great today

 

I thought I was the only one that gave a special meal to my tank inhabitants on Christmas! lol

 

Btw, how are you killing the aiptasia? I'm using aiptasiaX but they don't die completely, just gets smaller.