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First reef: 10 Gallon AGA: Major update!


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If your tank is on a normal tank stand chances are its open underneath meaning you can look at the bottom of the tank from underneath. Take a peek you should be able to see the shrimps tunnels and possibly the shrimp.

 

They'll get to know when food is in the tank. I had a long pair of tweesers with food at the end I would put in front of my pistol shrimps burrow and he would come out, grab the tweesers, rip the food off and go back in his hole.

yeah, that would be really neat. Unfortunatley, the tank is on a small table, so thats not an option. Its a brand-new burrow, so I suspect there will be alot of buldozing/digging tomorrow. hopefully I can get a good look or maybe a pic!

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  • 2 months later...
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Well hello again everyone!

So, its been almost three months since I last posted, and I figured that you deserved an update. I'm not at home right now, so I can't post pics at the moment, but I will as soon as I can

 

I have made many changes since the last update, and I've been very busy so I didn't post. I'll start with hardware changes.

My HOB filter started making worrying noises, and since it was almost six years old, It was time to replace it. I purchased a finnex HOB refugium with a volume of one gallon, and a 40 GPH pump to drive it. It still has purigen and filter floss, but I also added some chaeto and a small light to help it grow. The only drawback is that the small pump doesn't agitate the surface as much as the filter had, so I am thinking of buying another power head to help with oxygenation.

As per the DIY LED fixture, I haven't done much. My dad is a very good engineer, but it takes a lot of prodding to get him to do anything. We did make a solid works design, and because my parents own a small company, I can get the parts custom-made with the next machine shop order. But once we get all the parts, we will finish quickly.

 

Now for the livestock.

While not really livestock, I added four pounds of dry-rock to my scape. I think it started a mini cycle (which it wasn't supposed to do), but ammonia and nitrates didn't get to scary levels. My emerald crab died recently, I don't know why, but he was very large and possibly old. The goby and shrimp are happy as ever, and now I see them often. However, I am a little worried about the goby not getting enough to eat because when I walk over to the tank to feed, he goes into his burrow and doesn't come out until the food has settled.

I also got some new stock!

A while ago I purchased a head of frogspawn and it has been doing well and shown some signs of growth.

Yesterday my tank welcomed a new fish! Last night I bougt a Talbot's Damselfish and he has moved right in. I wanted a fish that swam around and added some life to my tank, and I read that Talbot's are fairly peaceful.

 

That's all for now folks, But I'll get some pics soon.

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Hello again! so I've had time to take some pics for my last update, and here they are:

This is my first time using PhotoBucket, so let me know if it doesn't work!

 

FTS with levels:

IMG_20150301_143741248_zps3yctevdj.jpg

I am a little worried about the ammonia, but everything else looks good.

 

Palys with Damsel

IMG_20150301_143717148_zpsxekviwyx.jpg

 

Frogspawn

IMG_20150301_143607923_zpsh8drqb2o.jpg

 

This is a link to a video I made a while ago featuring the Shrimp and Goby. Things have been moved around and added since then

 

Thanks!

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Hello again!

I have some hitchhiker questions to ask in this post, but first I'd like to announce my declaration of war agains hair algae. I let it accumulate for too long so now it's really ugly, the goal is total eradication.

 

Recently, I found tons of translucent white tubes growing out of the bottom of my rocks. They are squishy and I think that they're tunicates, but I'm not sure. They aren't harmful right? They're very widespread but as long as they stay on the bottom of my rocks it's fine with me.

 

My second question is about spaghetti worms. These I can easily identify, and I know they are harmless, but I have so many they are beginning to be an eyesore. Is there anyway to reduce their population? If not, I can live with it.

 

Thanks everyone!

And if you have something to say, say it! I like hearing from people, even if it's criticism.

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Hello,

I realize that this tank is not very fancy, or nice looking, but here are my goals for the future:

  1. fininsh LED build
  2. Eliminate nuisance algae
  3. remove pvc pipe (long story)
  4. get rid of the dirty look (algae, detritus, whatever.
  5. get a nice camera
  6. make a lid

Once these goals are complete I will create a new thread and give this tank a snazzy name it deserves.

 

On an unrelated note,

This winter I have been applying to secondary schools. My top choice is Tabor Academy. It is right on the ocean and has an excellent marine science program with it's own building. They have an oyster farm and a pretty nice reef tank too. I hear back on my application a week from today... fingerscrossed

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I have some news related to my list.

First I removed the PVC pipe. I had originally intended his tank to be a mantis shrimp tank, so I put the pipe in. I had to move the rocks to get the pipe out, so I rescaped while I was at it.

I think I disturbed that I disturbed my Goby's burrow, so I Think he is mad at me.

 

New scape:

IMG_20150303_183755722_zpsiz56p4ty.jpg

Also I began work on a DIY skimmer based off of this http://reefbuilders.com/2011/11/26/diy-mame-nanp-skimmer/

IMG_20150303_183657018_zpskj1gjo4k.jpg

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This is just a quick questionnaire.

So I have been taking care of my neighbour’s rabbits for a week and I now have $70 in my fish food fund! My tank has been run from day one on a precarious budget, so it isn't gold plated (yet! :D ). so what piece of equipment do you think I need most? I will finish the leds soon (I hope), so lighting will be fixed.

 

My second question:

I have not been in the habit of naming fish. But I like my salt-water fish so much that I think I'll name them.

What names should I give them?

 

Accepting names for:

  1. Yellow Watchman Goby
  2. Candy Pistol Shrimp
  3. Talbot’s damsel
  4. Peppermint shrimp
  5. Every single cerith (just kidding)

 

Thanks for your responsed (if there are any!)

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My dad agreed to take me to the New England Frag Farmer's Market this Saturday! I will attend the talk on reef chemistry, and might pick up some corals. I'll post an update afterwards.

 

Thanks for reading!

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Great start on your tank! If I were you, I'd consider a stiffer cleanup crew. Following along!

Thanks!

 

But, Stiffer? If you mean more stuff, I do have a lot of cerith snails (I didn't bother talking about them) and also a margarita snail.

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Steensj2004

I believe margarita snails are poor choices in out average tanks, to warm I've hears. Not sure. But some More variety would be good for the algae I see. Some small turbos, Trochus snails, and so on.

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OK, I'll do that then. One good thing about the algae, is that now when I remove it it doesn't grow back!

It's also an improvement over some earlier pictures, which I'd rather not share.

 

.

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This is a good little start so far !!!

 

If you're still using that HOB fuge,I would personally switch it out for a HOB filter. People are always selling them on here. There is actually a AC70 for sale in the Hardware Section. Run GAC (activated carbon) and a pinch of GFO or get a bag of ChemiPure Elite. Scrub everything down and do a hefty water change.

 

What kind of light are you building and what're you trying to keep ? If you're not wanting to go balls out and keep tons of sps,why not just get a Par38 bulb and put it on a timer and you're set.

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Thanks!

Where is that filter, could you post a link please?

I intend to keep mostly lps/softies with maybe some sps. The light design has 12 luxeon LEDs (RB/NW) it is also kind of a fun project with my dad. I found that a nice par 38 + a fixture costs almost as much as my build.

 

As for maintenance, I do a 20 or 30% water change weekly. I will scrub everything this weekend.

 

Goodnight for now! I'll be back in the morning.

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For the light,I'd break it up into 2 clusters consisting of and bump the quality up by a few:

 

2x Royal Blue's

2x Warm Whites

1x Hyper Violets

2x True Cool Blue's

 

Or

 

1x Luxeon M 4k

4x Royal Blue's

2x Hyper Violets

 

Give me a moment and I'll try and find it for you. Honestly,try doing a few 50% water changes. Yeah it's just a pricey,but if youre looking to have full control over the light,I'd say screw it and just go Par38. Just my .02.

 

Filter:

http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/358369-aquaclear-70/#entry4971453

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OK, thanks!

I'll do a larger water change this weekend.

 

As per the light, we have already ordered most of the parts. So I'll see if I can add some more variety later.

 

I think that the filter is a good idea. I may buy that one or I might look around some more.

 

Thanks a lot!

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Wow, credit off to this kid. I wish mhy parents would have let me have a taqnk when i was 13.

 

Thanks a lot,

I really appreciate it. I don't know how I got into the hobby, but Its what I love doing. And i be convinced my parents that I could take care of it on my own.

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Awesome start at 13! I would do a 5g water change and scrub all your rock out in the waste water bucket. You can get rid of a lot of algae that way. If the issue that started the growth is gone then once it's scrubbed off it wont come back. Also I would look into reefcleaners they have cheap CUC that you can spend a bit of that fish food money on. other then that maybe try to clean up your rocks a little bit and create more sand space available.

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Awesome start at 13! I would do a 5g water change and scrub all your rock out in the waste water bucket. You can get rid of a lot of algae that way. If the issue that started the growth is gone then once it's scrubbed off it wont come back. Also I would look into reefcleaners they have cheap CUC that you can spend a bit of that fish food money on. other then that maybe try to clean up your rocks a little bit and create more sand space available.

Alright!

This weekend (or maybe tonight) I'll do some "spring cleaning" (we still have 2.5 feet of snow) I'll take the rocks and equipment out one at a time and scrub them clean. I'll buy a cuc as well. I'm excited already, we'll get this tank into good shape!

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Great start there :)

about to set up and start my own tank

 

Thanks,

If you start a thread, I'll follow along with your tank.

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