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Kat's Ol' Max


metrokat

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Thanks for stopping by. This tank is currently being upgraded to a CADlights 50L Artisan.

The new thread
http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/353478-kats-fabulous-upgrade-party/
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Merry Christmas! How Santa got the RSM to me is a mystery, since my apartment does not have a chimney. I started my salty adventures this past summer and in 6 months have upgraded from a BioCube 14 to a 2.5 times larger Red Sea MAX 130D, 34 gallon. I'm very excited about this tank, and can see that this tank will be plenty for a long time to come. The trick is not to go to any more frag swaps with my friend KG. ;)

Welcome to my RSM thread. :)

FTS April 2014
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FTS December 2013
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FTS June 2013
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FTS December 2012
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Thanks for following. (My thread is rather long and it becomes a party at some point, use the index below to get you to the (mostly) serious stuff.)

Thread Index Edited by metrokat
  • Like 20
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As always, the aquascape causes me sleepless nights. I have in the past with the BC and continue with the RSM, to wake up in the middle of the night to stare at that tank and re position the loose rocks in my head. The pictures below are the obligatory start of this tank from a few days ago.

IMG_20111220_152938.jpgIMG_20111222_144831.jpgIMG_20111223_111526.jpgIMG_20111223_190026.jpgIMG_20111224_104021.jpg

 

In the grand scheme of things, I suppose having sky high ammonia on day 2 during a nitrogen cycle is hardly something to fret about. Especially with the massive die off from this rock which is known to trigger a hard cycle. But it is worrying me no end. I have already done a 10 gallon water change in 2 days. Planning on another 5 later today. I've got zeolite crystals running, added seachem Prime. Nothing seems to be making a difference!

 

I need this cycle to be soft so I can preserve whatever life came on my Florida rocks. :tears:

Edited by metrokat
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It has gotten dark green, I'm too unhappy to repeat the #. I did a 5 gallon change right now, went down to 1.0ppm. Still very very high for a soft cycle. Needs to be no more than 0.5ppm. I have 15 more gallons on the ready. I'm wondering if I should take 5 from the BC to add here beneficial bacteria and all.

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more than the water i would try to move something that the bacteria could have colonized. filter floss or something that they may have set up on. but then again i am still new to all this. i'm just not sure how much free floating bacteria there is since we all need rock for it to colonize.

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Thanks, that is a great idea

 

Congrats kat!

Thanks!

Nice! Moving the Ecoxotic lights over?

Probably. The stock T5's are good till I cycle. But they are very stark white for me.

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surgicalsense
You know I waited 3 months before adding my first fish to the BC? I wanted the tank to mature, not just be ready. Now I can over feed, I am over stocked, and I know the tank can handle it.

 

I'm going to take the fish load in here just that slow. I don't know if I will even move everything over from the BC to here before March. At which time (April) is probably the new fish time. I can move corals earlier but I will be away all of February and TS will be here..... :)

 

I would, I had my clown and damsel during my first month of cycling. But, I did not add the CUC until my 2.5 - 3rd month depending how quick the diatoms and cyno came in. It was still gradual of course and due to my budget.

 

Slow move ... no rush, in due time all will be relocated to the new condo :happy:

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If you can wait....waiting is a smart move. Especially if you have delicate fish that sustain themselves on live foods in your tank. I'm so glad I waited to add my green banded gobies until my tank was very mature. They've been eating a lot of "free" food.

 

Have you decided what fish you will add?

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The trick is not to go to any more frag swaps with my friend KG. ;)

 

Next time we will both be on the setup crew, and you will not be so late that I spend half my money unsupervised.

 

You best be ready for another upgrade in six months. Your papa said 48" tank... We're gunna keep working on you.

Edited by kgoldy
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One thing I did before I did my transfer kat was run the zeolite on the old tank for a month so it was populated with bacteria. My cycle lasted 8 hours or so(my rock had been sun curing in buckets for 2 months) andwere only outta water for 20 minutes though, but preseeded filtration helps move it along quick. Either way the new max looks goodagainst yellow :P

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The all important Aquascape begins with an obsession and is always a work in progress. For my biocube, I was re-scaping well into the 3rd month of setup.

 

IMG_20110711_143522.jpgIMG_20110711_141455.jpgIMG_20110712_130838.jpgIMG_20110806_223031.jpgIMG_20110807_130923.jpgIMG_20110925_115226.jpgIMG_20110927_155645.jpgIMG_20111025_115502.jpgIMG_3384.JPGIMG_3433.JPGIMG_3434.JPG

Edited by metrokat
  • Like 2
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Nice upgrade! Can't wait to see what you do with it.

 

If you are worried about your ammonia levels, maybe you should look into getting a bottle of Dr. Tim's one and only bacteria. I have read good things about it.

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@Gena I was thinking of a wrasse, either a flasher or twin spot.

Barnacle blenny

GF for Charlie so another Yasha

Midas Blenny or Twin spot blenny, or both :D

School of 3 orange stripe cardinal fish

twin spot coris? I think those get like 2 feet long lol, IMO flashers should have 36 inches of horizontal swimming room.
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