First reef: 10 Gallon AGA: Major update!

[aquarium]

So I did a 4 gallon water change today. I didn't do the full algae scrub because I didn't want to disturb the tank too much. I did scrape the glass and I replaced the small pump on my HOB fuge with a Rio 50, so I get much more flow over my media now.

 

Thanks!

[Halo_003]

Looks great so far. Honestly I can't imagine doing it at 13. I started at 20 after making a bet while watching Finding Nemo lol. Making said bet after a few drinks of course, this was a horrible idea as its consumed a lot of time and money but I love it so far.

 

Keep it coming, this is pretty cool, reminds me of when I was setting up my first 10G on my desk at school.

[aquarium]

Looks great so far. Honestly I can't imagine doing it at 13. I started at 20 after making a bet while watching Finding Nemo lol. Making said bet after a few drinks of course, this was a horrible idea as its consumed a lot of time and money but I love it so far.

Keep it coming, this is pretty cool, reminds me of when I was setting up my first 10G on my desk at school.

Thanks a lot!

Its amazing the affect finding nemo had on the hobby of aquarium keeping. I was very young when it came out but I had it on DVD. I remember looking up nemo and dori and finding out that a hippo tang is much larger than a clownfish.

 

I'm off to the frag farmers market this morning!

[aquarium]

Well, I got back from the Frag Farmer's Market yesterday, and I might have gotten a little carried away. Like a kid in a coral store, the fish food money disappeared.

 

So here's what I got:

 

Toadstool leather coral: $20

 

Birds nest coral: $10

The polyps are blue! but you can't see it in the picture.

 

Pulsing Xenia: $5

It is very beautiful, but I hope it doesn't take over!

 

5 headed Lord Acan: $25

 

Thats All I got, But the tank looks great now!

Thanks for reading!

[aquarium]

I have a question for you all:

The leather I bought is over 3 inches wide, and the polyps are around 1" long. I think that a clownfish would really enjoy it. As damsels are territorial, would I be able to add a clown to this tank with my Talbot's damselfish?

 

Thanks!

[aquarium]

Here's a quick video I made of the new stock I got!

Sorry about the shaky camera (made with a phone)

[aquarium]

The video should be working now, sorry

[aquarium]

Hello,

I seem to be winning the battle with hair algae, it is not growing back when removed, and appears to be receding.

However, I have cyano growing! I tested the water and parameters are as follows: nitrates, 0(or close to 0), nitrites, 0, ammonia, 0, pH, 8. So, where is the cyano coming from!!??

 

Thanks

[aquarium]

Tomorrow is the day I hear back from secondary schools!

But who cares!, I heard from Tabor academy today!

Tabor was my top choice for high schools because of the excellent marine science program. They have a marine science building, an oyster farm, and a schooner. I'm even allowed to have an aquarium in my dorm room! (with permission)

I have been accepted into tabor!

But... I haven't heard back from the financial aid department, money is important in these things.

[myarmolich]

Tomorrow is the day I hear back from secondary schools!

But who cares!, I heard from Tabor academy today!

Tabor was my top choice for high schools because of the excellent marine science program. They have a marine science building, an oyster farm, and a schooner. I'm even allowed to have an aquarium in my dorm room! (with permission)

I have been accepted into tabor!

But... I haven't heard back from the financial aid department, money is important in these things.

 

congrats man, just wait until youre waiting for college acceptances! thats when the real fun/excitement begins

[Markburns43]

Hey i figured id stop in to see how you made out at the farmer market. Oh it was awsome huh? I like what you picked out and i think for being how old you are and what money you do have to spend on this hobby your doing a great job and it seems you work for everything of your own and not handed things. Youll come a long way in this world. Thank your parents when you can. alright man keep us updated on your corals. And for fish damsels can be nasty little things. Check out live aquaria just to get a look possum wrasses are cool and like people said gobies blennys. But if you go with a clown probably one to keep the bio load down.

[aquarium]

Hey i figured id stop in to see how you made out at the farmer market. Oh it was awsome huh? I like what you picked out and i think for being how old you are and what money you do have to spend on this hobby your doing a great job and it seems you work for everything of your own and not handed things. Youll come a long way in this world. Thank your parents when you can. alright man keep us updated on your corals. And for fish damsels can be nasty little things. Check out live aquaria just to get a look possum wrasses are cool and like people said gobies blennys. But if you go with a clown probably one to keep the bio load down.

Thanks a lot!

The frag market was awesome and I attended the talk on reef chemistry. I use live aquaria as a resource to

look fish up. I'll probably ditch the damsel this summer.

 

Looks like you made out alright at the market!

[Markburns43]

Ya I wish I got more though but I'm happy and small additons are good lets me see how much an impact on minerals and things are in the tank. I'd like to get some sps but ill wait and see what my tank looks like at the 3 month mark.

[aquarium]

Ya I wish I got more though but I'm happy and small additons are good lets me see how much an impact on minerals and things are in the tank. I'd like to get some sps but ill wait and see what my tank looks like at the 3 month mark.

The salesman somehow managed to get me to buy an SPS, But it looks good. The interesting thing about buying at the show is that the corals have just been moved and are stressed out. I bought a leather coral, which looked normal but was labeled "super long polyp" After a few days in my tank, I got polyp extension of over 1.5"!

[aquarium]

What black magic powers Cyanobacteria !? I have been having some explosive growth of cyano, but all of my water tests show levels to be fine, better than fine actually. My corals have never looked happier. So I did my water change/sand vacuuming today, and I went for an hours snowshoeing. When I got back, I had cyano growing on the glass and rocks that I had just cleaned. What sorcery is fueling it!!!??

[Markburns43]

Are you running a carbon media ? Or still a fuge. If your doing your water changes using good water then id think you have a nutrient problem you cant read on that type of tester or theres been reports of using carbon and it fuels an outbreak by leaching phosphates.

Also cpuld hve came on a coral piece? An the conditions were right for it to grow

[aquarium]

Are you running a carbon media ? Or still a fuge. If your doing your water changes using good water then id think you have a nutrient problem you cant read on that type of tester or theres been reports of using carbon and it fuels an outbreak by leaching phosphates. Also cpuld hve came on a coral piece? An the conditions were right for it to grow

I am running carbon, and the research I've done inicated my aging fluorescent bulbs may be the problem. They emit red light which facilitates growth. I don't know where the nutrients are coming from though.

Also, how much is too much for feeding? I put in half a cube of brine or mysis every day, and a couple drops of plankton suspension.

[aquarium]

So, I had a large piece of dry rock I was meaning to put into the tank, but it was inconveniently large to do anything without radically changing the shape. So I broke it up using a precise method (a big dropped rock) and put the pieces in the tank.

 

FTS: (sorry for streaky glass)

 

The rock was mined so it (hopefully) won't cause a mini-cycle.

 

I also got a picture of the goby and the shrimp's left claw, which is the best picture I've got of the shrimp yet!

 

Oh, another question:

When was Nano-Reef.com started? from what I've seen, NR and I are almost the same age, but I have no firm dates.

[Markburns43]

That looks natural the added height provides more effect in a huge way! I like alot. Well to answer your question do you see your fish consume the mysis? I try and spot feed and i try to do it once a day . Doesnt seem like too much though especially if your doing water changes and vacuuming detritus when you can. Feed what you want. Most definitely if you have old bulbs change them. Oh wait your waiting on the led build! Hows that going? Any more progress? And i like the pairing pf the shrimp and goby thats fascinating.

[aquarium]

That looks natural the added height provides more effect in a huge way! I like alot. Well to answer your question do you see your fish consume the mysis? I try and spot feed and i try to do it once a day . Doesnt seem like too much though especially if your doing water changes and vacuuming detritus when you can. Feed what you want. Most definitely if you have old bulbs change them. Oh wait your waiting on the led build! Hows that going? Any more progress? And i like the pairing pf the shrimp and goby thats fascinating.

Thanks! I like the new scape also, it gives a much more open feeling. My fish eats some, but alot goes on the sandbed for the CUC. If I tried to spot-feed, My fish would hide. Even dumping the food in the tank scares the goby and he misses feeding sometimes!

I see the shrimp building often, but whenever I take out a camera he runs . Its funny because when the shrimp comes out of the burrow the goby acts as a sheild, keeping himself between the shrimp and me. But today I was watching the shrimp "brick up" an old burrow entrance with shells. First, He went to the pile of small shells I made for him, then, he went through the burrow and carefully placed the shell in his wall. The LED build is going sloooowlyyyy, probably because my dad is really busy.

 

We have

• leds
• drivers
• power supplies
• design for fixture

We need

• dimmers!
• physical fixture

[aquarium]

Hi there, slight update with some new stock:

I was at the pet store when I saw a percula clown on sale for 15 dollars, one of them had very beautiful banding and I had to have it. I have a damsel in the tank, but he never bothered my goby, so I decided to take a gamble. Well so far things are ok, My damsel seems to be behaving itself, and If not, I can take the damsel out.

I also got 2 astrea snails

 

Oh, and I really wish someone responded to my question about names for the fish. My mom has now named the damsel "pokey" and the clown "clunky".

 

Thats all for now.

[Halo_003]

Hi there, slight update with some new stock:

I was at the pet store when I saw a percula clown on sale for 15 dollars, one of them had very beautiful banding and I had to have it. I have a damsel in the tank, but he never bothered my goby, so I decided to take a gamble. Well so far things are ok, My damsel seems to be behaving itself, and If not, I can take the damsel out.

I also got 2 astrea snails

 

Oh, and I really wish someone responded to my question about names for the fish. My mom has now named the damsel "pokey" and the clown "clunky".

 

Thats all for now.

 

Don't name anything. I named my red scooter dragonet and not a month later it jumped.

 

But hey dude tank is looking great, everything looks happy.

[aquarium]

Don't name anything. I named my red scooter dragonet and not a month later it jumped.

But hey dude tank is looking great, everything looks happy.

Thanks! I didn't want to name them either, but my mom said "they're so cute, you have to name them" so the matter was taken out of my hands.

 

Do you have a thread for your tank?

[Halo_003]

Thanks! I didn't want to name them either, but my mom said "they're so cute, you have to name them" so the matter was taken out of my hands.

 

Do you have a thread for your tank?

Indeed I do: http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/357384-12-gallon-long-suspension/

 

Though I admit, what you have now is light years ahead of where I started. I started last year on a $300 budget and had I think 5 corals from March-August when I got set up on a budget for the tank.

[aquarium]

Well, the damsel has been being very damselish. He has been charging the clown, not very often though. I tried to catch him, but I don't want to take all the rocks out. When the damsel charges the clown, he never touches him, just charges and stops. Will this still hurt the clown?

 

Thanks