Jump to content
Cultivated Reef

Otaku's Tank - My first saltwater tank


otaku521

Recommended Posts

Dear all

 

I am new here! Just wanted to say hi and please do give me some comments and advise! As it would really help me as I am quite new to Saltwater tanks...

 

Started with this 2 year old 24" x 12" x 14" fresh water tank:

i-Nmcvgxz-M.jpg

 

used the entire night throwing away plants, packing balance fishes for a friend... now becomes like this:

 

i-GVqxs8d-M.jpg

 

Rinsed and wiped clean... added about 1 bag of sand (rinsed with tap water) and 2 rocks (not rinsed - used to be live when brought, but I hold it in my car trunk the entire day - I think it is dead now @.@ )

 

cleaned out my eheim 2217 canister and washed all media and sponges with tap water. (starting new)

removed all bio rings, kept the eheim substratpro, filled the rest of the half empty canister with seachem matrix, and place a small bag of seachem purigen on the top blue sponge

(from bottom up: water inlet > blue sponge > substrate pro > blue sponge > seachem matrix > seachem purigen > blue sponge>water out)

 

Prep the water:

i-nNpPxj2-M.jpg

Fill the tank with salt water in my bucket with salt and mix by hand (yes everyone is now chewing me out) using my home drinking water filter (non-RODI) and measure with my reflectormeter till it reads 1.025 then finally add seachem prime for declorinfication

 

and slowly pour in the water till it is 75% full

 

hook up my canister to my cooler and in&outs to the tank along with a wave maker to make sure all the water moves and mixes well (yes beginner mistakes)

 

then turn on my canister:

 

i-wqv8cFk-M.jpg

 

 

Fill new salt water till it is full and install the new light: WaveRunner 4x45W light marine (blue and pink T5HO)

 

i-g2M47xf-M.jpg

 

kept this running for 2 weeks (adding some fish food for it to rot and ammonia build up)

and dose Seachem stablity (half bottom cap) everyday for 2 weeks

 

Lights turn on with time for 6 hours a day

Link to comment

Week 3:

First Change of water @ 30%

Added a protein skimmer (Aqua One G216) Hang back for oxigenating water (nothing to skim anyways)

Added an additional Live Rock to make it like a triangle (this time dropped in immediately from LFS)

Added 2 Corals (Dont know the name in english - can anyone help?)

Added a Red Sea Star

Added a Cleaner Shrimp

 

i-9k88Xkr-M.jpg

(Any one knows these 2 corals in english? Chinese translation is Pork Meat & Buttons)

 

i-z5mVp25-M.jpg

(with my WaveRunner 4x45W light marine (blue and pink T5HO) Turned on)

 

i-pHMMnDS-M.jpg

 

Pics on my cleaner shrimp

 

Lights modified to turn on with timer 8 hours per day

PH 8.0

Link to comment

Those starfish generally slowly starve to death in nano tanks, especially young ones. Just a heads up so you don't waste your $ on a new one when it perishes. Usually takes a few months though.. they have specific diets the small amount of live rock in a nano can't provide.

 

The zoa's on the right look like dragon's eyes under the blue light and the left might be an elegance? Need some closer pics for a better ID.

Link to comment

Week 4:

1) Check NO3 - with Nutrafin Kit shows 80ppm

2) Noticed the rocks beginning to have brown Algea (Diatom?)

3) Changed Protein Skimmer due to over flow issue it drenched by entire living room after I left for breakfast and came back (even at lowest setting)

(From Aqua One G216 to Aqua Macro M-60)

(I thought these should break in 72 hours?!)

Since the leak have drenched 50% of my water I considered this a "big water change" (in the MOST worst way) I removed the protein skimmer off the tank and filled it back up with new salt water

4) Check NO3 again after running a full day shows 40ppm

5) Added a Yellow Tail Damsel Fish and a Yellow Fish (Dont know what is english name)

 

(This week all the headache from the flood forgot to take photos)

Link to comment
skyscraper2290

Your NO3 is still quite high, I would keep doing WC's to work on getting it closer to 10 ppm. The tank is looking really good though, what are the dimensions of it?

Link to comment

Week 5:

 

1) Check NO3 - 40ppm

2) Added a HOB filter with a DIY LED light attached on the transparent cover to make a mini refugium - added sea grapes in the tank (added flow as well)

3) Added a red legged hermit crab

4) Added 3 corals 2 x (chinese: red fire cracker flowers (english name??) 1 flower pot (english name??)

i-qZ8C8BQ-M.jpg

i-knnhgDT-M.jpg

i-QsM2f8v-M.jpg

 

Death reports:

 

a) Starfish died

Link to comment

Week 6: (This week)

 

1) After Water Change - NO3 somewhere 20-40 ppm (inbetween color)

2) Added 3 Clown Fish (2 Clown Fish & 1 Black Clown Fish)

Yellow Tail Damsel seems to get territoral with it in the beginning but next day they are ok

But 2 days later the Black Clown Fish died - I went home and saw my cleaner shrimp is nibbling on it - I removed it immediately

 

i-J5PpPZv-M.jpg

i-z9Gwj9S-M.jpg

i-7BPBmhJ-M.jpg

i-fqpVk8p-M.jpg

i-SGxzfbN-M.jpg

 

Death Reports:

1 x Black Clown Fish



Those starfish generally slowly starve to death in nano tanks, especially young ones. Just a heads up so you don't waste your $ on a new one when it perishes. Usually takes a few months though.. they have specific diets the small amount of live rock in a nano can't provide.

 

The zoa's on the right look like dragon's eyes under the blue light and the left might be an elegance? Need some closer pics for a better ID.

 

Thanks! I didn't get a new one... and will get some better pics tomorrow



Your NO3 is still quite high, I would keep doing WC's to work on getting it closer to 10 ppm. The tank is looking really good though, what are the dimensions of it?

 

Will keep doing WC or should I get those chemical stuff like red sea no3-po4-x??

Link to comment

Your NO3 is still quite high, I would keep doing WC's to work on getting it closer to 10 ppm. The tank is looking really good though, what are the dimensions of it?

The size of the tank is 24" x 12" x 14"

Link to comment

I would stop adding livestock until you can get the nitrates stable at 5-10 before a WC. Everything may seem fine and dandy but elevated nitrates do damage over time. it inhibits calcification and can brown/dull out colors in some corals. You may end up kicking yourself in the arse 6 months to a year down the road.

 

Nothing good happens fast in salt water and often we don't see the effects right away. A simple parameter swing may stunt growth and you won't know it till much later.

Link to comment

Also any good clean up crew recommendation?



I would stop adding livestock until you can get the nitrates stable at 5-10 before a WC. Everything may seem fine and dandy but elevated nitrates do damage over time. it inhibits calcification and can brown/dull out colors in some corals. You may end up kicking yourself in the arse 6 months down the road.

 

Noted with thanks! So I will STOP adding anything and just let it run its course... kept doing WC and test the water till it is stablizes 5-10ppm

 

So chemical solution is a no go?

Link to comment

Also any good clean up crew recommendation?

 

 

Noted with thanks! So I will STOP adding anything and just let it run its course... kept doing WC and test the water till it is stablizes 5-10ppm

 

So chemical solution is a no go?

 

Nah, I would skip the chemicals. Carbon dosing can lower nitrates but it requires a powerful skimmer and an overdose or going to quickly would crash the tank. Not recommended for beginners. It can actually kill corals by starving them to death if you're not careful or suffocate fish with a bacterial bloom.

 

Reef Cleaners (sponser here) could hook you up with a good CUC.

 

How many gallons is the tank?

Link to comment
skyscraper2290

Will keep doing WC or should I get those chemical stuff like red sea no3-po4-x??

 

You should be good with doing WC's, I would imagine if you do a couple more water changes you will quickly get down to around 10 ppm NO3. Check out reeflcleaners.org for a CUC as they have good packages based on tank sizes, they are a really great company and they always send some extra snails. I am just about positive they have packages for the dimensions of your tank or at least something really similar. Just remember patience is key when it comes to a SW tanks, you will really learn more and have greater success if you take it nice and slow.

Link to comment

I agree with Tamberav. You need to stop adding livestock and let the tank further mature and get the nutrients down.

Link to comment

 

Nah, I would skip the chemicals. Carbon dosing can lower nitrates but it requires a powerful skimmer and an overdose or going to quickly would crash the tank. Not recommended for beginners. It can actually kill corals by starving them to death if you're not careful or suffocate fish with a bacterial bloom.

 

Reef Cleaners (sponser here) could hook you up with a good CUC.

 

How many gallons is the tank?

Noted will no go the chemical route

Its a 17 gallon or 66 liter tank

 

Dude

is your duncan bleached?

After googling i believed it is not a duncan - what is it called in english? Elegence?
Link to comment

Noted will no go the chemical route

Its a 17 gallon or 66 liter tank

 

 

After googling i believed it is not a duncan - what is it called in english?

 

Does it look like elegances?

 

I would say 4 fish is pretty well stocked. Clowns poop a lot and the wrasse gets large. Fish also tend to get more aggressive as they age and small spaces increase their attitudes. BTW, clownfish should only be in bonded pairs in small tanks. They are aggressive and would have most likely killed the 3rd outcast. I would start researching before you buy so you don't throw money away :)

 

Those zoa's are definitely dragon eyes. That gorg is non-photosynthetic and will need feedings (i would prob do twice a day) of small foods like reef-roids, coral frenzy, sea-fan, ect.

Link to comment

Does it look like elegances?

 

I would say 4 fish is pretty well stocked. Clowns poop a lot and the wrasse gets large. Fish also tend to get more aggressive as they age and small spaces increase their attitudes. BTW, clownfish should only be in bonded pairs in small tanks. They are aggressive and would have most likely killed the 3rd outcast. I would start researching before you buy so you don't throw money away :)

 

Those zoa's are definitely dragon eyes. That gorg is non-photosynthetic and will need feedings (i would prob do twice a day) of small foods like reef-roids, coral frenzy, sea-fan, ect.

 

ok just googled zoa and appears to be so... so I need to feed it with a needle / baster everyday... I will look into some reef food tonight

thanks!

 

Noted that the fish amounts would be enough.. and thanks for telling me that it is a yellow wrasse... so no more fish till maybe bigger tank later on

Link to comment

Week 6 update:

Did a big water change 50%

No3 down to 20 ppm or so

Will make another round of WC tomorrow and i just noticed that i am going to used up my first bucket if salt 15ibs (7kg)

 

Going back to LFS to get another bucket

o_O

Link to comment

Week 7

 

  • Water Changed: 20%
  • NO3: 10 ppm (YEAHHH!!!)
  • Clear out the Eheim 2217 Canister: removed all SubstratPro (2L) and replace with Seachem Matrix (2L); Now total 3L of Matrix running in the canister
  • Macro Aqua M60 Kept over flowing and behaving erratically so I return and replace it with a Bubble Magus Q3
  • Added One Coral
  • Added one firefish (yes I know I know.... )
  • Added 4 Sea Hare (1-2cm each) (Gift from my friend)

i-ZWwBgPR-L.jpg

some brown diatom on sand - should I vaccum these off??

 

i-wSz7vVC-L.jpg

Bubble Magus BM Q3 - super quiet!!

 

i-6vbPLk9-L.jpg

 

My Clownfish found the cave...now they sleep inside!

 

i-j4gkKgC-L.jpg

Sea hare...

i-ZFzmfM8-L.jpg

Sea Hare 2...

i-74qZb5w-L.jpg

Sea Hare 3 & 4

i-KdCqk6R-L.jpg

The New Coral... looks sweet!!

Death Report: NONE... (YEAH!!)

Link to comment

Brave man w those nudis. Tank looks awesome!

Why brave?? so far they dont touch the corals and stuff... some ppl say they eat algea... some say sponge...

my frd kept them for like 3 months prior...

Link to comment

They will probably die due to having very specific diets so keep an eye out. They take awhile to starve.

 

Vacuuming diatoms won't do anything. They will come right back until water quality is under control. The rock looks to be covered in it too?

Link to comment

They will probably die due to having very specific diets so keep an eye out. They take awhile to starve.

 

Vacuuming diatoms won't do anything. They will come right back until water quality is under control. The rock looks to be covered in it too?

 

yes - rocks are covered with it... looking for some CUC to take care of it.. any good advise?

snails? or goby?

Link to comment

yes - rocks are covered with it... looking for some CUC to take care of it.. any good advise?

snails? or goby?

 

Certain snails but they will it will grow faster than they can eat it. You can literally vac it up and within hours it is all back.

 

Just noticed, you don't use RODI? It could be the water you use is high in silicates and feeding the diatoms. Otherwise, too many fish too fast... too many nutrients (high phos/nitrates and dissolved organic compounds). It won't harm corals unless it continues for a long periods. I have noticed it will start to cover zoa's, ect and they will stop opening.

 

I would definitely change the water if you are still using tap/drinking water and go from there. You can buy distilled for like .90c a gallon. Tap water is one of those things... you just don't do :) Can lead to lots of headaches.

Link to comment

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recommended Discussions

×
×
  • Create New...