25g cube, Awesome rose bta pic!

[pntbll687]

Set up the new cube last night. 1) 40lbs of sand 2) 30lbs of dry rock from reefcleaners 3) Marineland C220 canister filter going Couple pics of the initial scape

 

The filters are really easy to clean in my opinion. As far as media, gonna cycle the tank with the what came with the tank, except there were the white ceramic things I didn't like. I ditched them for some extra live rock we had on hand. Gonna swap out the carbon bags that came with it with some chemipure once it cycles. Inside the filter from top down goes 1) Live rock rubble 2) bio-balls with small filter pad 3) foam 4) two bags carbon.

 

As far as keeping the scape clear its gonna be hard. Still gotta put in a heater, skimmer, and probably a fan. I think I can put the heater in the far corner behind the rock so it will be out of the way for the most part. Skimmer is an extra coralife biocube 29 skimmer that I have on hand.

 

Intro

 

Just a guy who never wanted a tank. Then the wife got a free 25g cube and we got hooked. She plans trade shows for a large pet/pond/equine/farm distribution company and gets some freebies (got the first tank, stand, filter, heater, and fish) every now and then (and no, I cannot get anybody anything). Currently have 3 tanks, and starting this one. I try to keep things as simple as possible and don't want to messing with stuff all the time. The only things I test in my tanks are temperature and salinity. I use tap water treated with Seachem prime for water changes (GASP!!!) because we live on a college campus and cannot hook up an RO unit, and I'm not buying pre mixed from a store.

 

Plans for this one....

1) cycle the tank

2) Get lights (hopefully for free, keeping the fingers crossed)

3) Transfer my snowflake and misbar from 8g tanks to the new one

4) zoas, pom pom xenia, maybe some birdsnest, gsp???

5) Fish are planned to be the two clowns mentioned above, cleaner wrasse, maybe a corris wrasse and something else

6) make my two 8g tanks into frag tanks with coral and inverts only

[Mr. Microscope]

Good luck! Welcome aboard.

[HarryPotter]

Cool scape! What are you using to light it up?

[12_egg_Omelette]

Can I ask why you decided to use a canister filter?

[pntbll687]

lighting will be two marineland led reef lights, 18in. We have them on our other cube and they grow everything from zoas to birdsnest. The birds nest grows slow, but it works for me and the wife.

 

Went with the canister filter because we have a c160 on our other cube and have 0 problems with it, and the filter media is the same. Didn't want to have to be buying two different things.

 

Oh, and my wife works for a distribution company and the canister was free, the tank, stand, lighting, and heater will bought through employee purchase program.

 

Here's another pic from the other side

[Markburns43]

Looks cooo, imlike the clean look with the just the the two pipes , I did a quick look at the c220 looks like if you keep on topnof it its not bad to service it has 4 trays I'd ditch all the media that came with it run more poly and foam and then fillthe top part with a good phosphate remover and some other good media, of your choice, if you haven't all ready thought or done it, or until its cycled. I guess I'd be worried about it becoming a nitrate factory though, I change my poly a lot so a hob or sump would be easier to maintain for me, but it definetly keeps your display nice and open, when you get a chance intro your self and your plans veryninterested.

[HarryPotter]

 

The filters are really easy to clean in my opinion. As far as media, gonna cycle the tank with the what came with the tank, except there were the white ceramic things I didn't like. I ditched them for some extra live rock we had on hand. Gonna swap out the carbon bags that came with it with some chemipure once it cycles. Inside the filter from top down goes 1) Live rock rubble 2) bio-balls with small filter pad 3) foam 4) two bags carbon.

 

As far as keeping the scape clear its gonna be hard. Still gotta put in a heater, skimmer, and probably a fan. I think I can put the heater in the far corner behind the rock so it will be out of the way for the most part. Skimmer is an extra coralife biocube 29 skimmer that I have on hand.

 

Intro

 

Just a guy who never wanted a tank. Then the wife got a free 25g cube and we got hooked. She plans trade shows for a large pet/pond/equine/farm distribution company and gets some freebies (got the first tank, stand, filter, heater, and fish) every now and then (and no, I cannot get anybody anything). Currently have 3 tanks, and starting this one. I try to keep things as simple as possible and don't want to messing with stuff all the time. The only things I test in my tanks are temperature and salinity. I use tap water treated with Seachem prime for water changes (GASP!!!) because we live on a college campus and cannot hook up an RO unit, and I'm not buying pre mixed from a store.

 

Plans for this one....

1) cycle the tank

2) Get lights (hopefully for free, keeping the fingers crossed)

3) Transfer my snowflake and misbar from 8g tanks to the new one

4) zoas, pom pom xenia, maybe some birdsnest, gsp???

5) Fish are planned to be the two clowns mentioned above, cleaner wrasse, maybe a corris wrasse and something else

6) make my two 8g tanks into frag tanks with coral and inverts only

 

I'll take some pics of the other tanks and post them later.

 

Add that to your first post! (Copy, click edit, and then paste)

[pntbll687]

 

Add that to your first post! (Copy, click edit, and then paste)

done!

[pntbll687]

 

Both small 8g tanks. The left one has a misbar clown, cleaner shrimp, emerald crab, mini carpet and some pom pom xenia. Tank on the right has a snowflake clown, peppermint shrimp, a bright green mushroom, some random zoas, pom pom, and a rose bubble tip

[pntbll687]

Update,

 

Tank has been cycling for a while now. Put in about 10-15 hermits and 5-10 snails about 2 weeks ago. Everything is going well, had some diatoms show up with just the natural light the tank is getting from the window.

 

The wife has been away running a trade show for the last week and will be home today with some goodies. She got a 24in marineland light to hold us over until the ones we want come in. And she will be stopping at a fish distributor and picking up the first fish for the tank. I told her to get some fire fish, but apparently there's a black and gold cleaning wrasse she wants, so i'll just have to be happy with whatever she gets. Lets hope they survive the drive from NJ to PA.

 

On a side note, I had been a little lax on my cleaning of the smaller tanks and now I think ive lost my small rose bta. I did a water change the pump did not turn back on, took it out and cleaned it, and cleaned out the rear chamber of the tank, and I was shocked at all the detritus and build up that came out. The rose bta is deflated and foot is barely hanging on, not very hopeful. It went downhill quick, maybe 2 weeks from looking great to probably dead when I go home on lunch.

 

Other tanks are doing great, the old 25g is holding steady and growing coral nicely, I may have to frag my Duncan, hammer, and torch coral soon they are getting almost too big for the tank. The other 8g is doing well, mini carpet nem has grown to about 6in across now, hopefully is doesn't get too much larger.

 

Let's all hope the wife picks out some nice ones today!!!

[pntbll687]

here we go, got some texts about whats on its way....

 

1 yellow watchman goby

1 ugly white goby that goes on the sand <-- her words, not mine

1 yellow assessor

1 gramma

1 pistol shrimp

a piece of Duncan, a rose bta, and a jedi coral. Pretty sure she means a jedi mind trick montipora

2 anthias

1 line cromis

 

My plan is to put the assessor, gramma, and watchman in the new cube. maybe with the new rose bta depending on how big it is. Duncan and jedi in one of the smaller tanks until our lights for the larger tank come in. Up in the air about the pistol shrimp.

 

The rest will go to my in laws who have a 120g bowfront and a 200g tank.

[pntbll687]

Its been almost three days now, the assessor, watchman goby, and the white/tan goby are all doing well. They hid for pretty much the first day or so, but did nibble on some shrimp yesterday which was a good sign. The wife also got a black and yellow cleaner wrasse that did not make it, stress from being moved multiple times in a week was too much for him.

 

The rose bta she got found its spot already, in the back corner of the tank so no one can see it.

 

Duncan and Jedi montipora were put in the smaller tanks after a fresh water dip. Hopefully after a few weeks we'll move them over to the larger tank.

 

The anthias and lime coris went into the 200g my in-laws have, and they were swimming and eating as soon as they went into the tank.

 

I'll try to get some good pictures later today. And the white/tan goby kinda looks like a moth and the wife has named him already.....mothman.

[Newstead]

Looking forward to the pics!

[pntbll687]

Here's some pics... The montipora didn't look so hot on lunch today, we'll see how it goes. If someone could identify the white/tan fish that would be awesome. Couldn't get a pic of the assessor or the watchman since they would hide every time I got close to the tank.

 

Also I have a 24in marineland light diagonal across the top until the lights we have ordered come in.

[pntbll687]

and DISASTER strikes!!

So, went to Pittsburgh this weekend to see my aunt who is not doing well. Made sure everything was set with the tanks, fed the fish, made sure tanks were topped off. Left Friday night, got back sunday around 7pm and.....

The circuit the old 25g cube was on had been tripped, so no power for who knows how long. I turn the circuit on, and immediately see two dead fish, our female stubby clown (who we have had almost 3yrs) and yellow assessor which we've had 6 months or so. I do an immediate water change of about 8g. The tank is freezing cold, and STINKS like no other. Some dead snails, cleaner shrimp, and the other fish are not looking good, corals looked terrible.

I then clean out the filter, and the seal for the motor is cracked when I take it off, and leaks when I put it back together.

SO....

The remaining fish and coral were transferred to the new 25g cube. I don't know what I would have done if I didn't have the other tank set up. Stubby clown, citron goby, cleaner wrasse, and dart fish were transferred. Trumpet coral, Duncan, frogspawn, gold walling torch, hammer, candy cane, and large rose bta were transferred as well. Everything is doing well this morning, my wife is actually on vaca for the week so she can keep an eye on everything.

at work searching for a battery back up as we speak

[pntbll687]

here is the new tank with everything transferred

 

I'll try to get some more pics up later. The wife got 3 marineland 18-24in reef lights for the tank. I'll take a look at the box and put the specs up later

[vlangel]

I am so sorry about the circuit tripping. As a lfs service tech I saw that happen to multiple tanks so I always have battery backup on my tanks when I go away. Fish and corals can live without the heater but they definitely need oxygenated.

 

Where are you in PA? I live just north of Pittsburgh.

[holy carp]

Oh man, sorry to hear about this. Sounds like you were able to save a lot of it. Hopefully it all recovers.

 

What kind of battery backup setups do people recommend? I don't have one myself, but now I'm more interested than ever. Seems like if it happens while away for the weekend, even the battery backups would run out of juice, unless it's just running some bubbles.

[pntbll687]

I am so sorry about the circuit tripping. As a lfs service tech I saw that happen to multiple tanks so I always have battery backup on my tanks when I go away. Fish and corals can live without the heater but they definitely need oxygenated.

 

Where are you in PA? I live just north of Pittsburgh.

 

I live in Wilkes Barre, other side of the state from you. I was actually in Irwin visiting family this weekend when it happened.

 

 

Oh man, sorry to hear about this. Sounds like you were able to save a lot of it. Hopefully it all recovers.

 

What kind of battery backup setups do people recommend? I don't have one myself, but now I'm more interested than ever. Seems like if it happens while away for the weekend, even the battery backups would run out of juice, unless it's just running some bubbles.

 

I'm actually surprised how much made it. Everyone that was saved are swimming around like normal in the new tank. The only loss im sad over is the stubby clown, had the pair for almost three years and losing one of them is tough. I did lose a lot of pom pom xenia, but I know that will grow back unexpected. I don't know if I can put another clown in with the one that survived, don't know if I wanna try either.

 

I'm looking for a battery back up as we speak. Looking for one to run air bubbles and fan, don't know how long it would run a filter for. I guess this thread is going to turn into a dual build thread since I will be rebuilding the other tank as things go on.

[vlangel]

I live in Wilkes Barre, other side of the state from you. I was actually in Irwin visiting family this weekend when it happened.

 

I have a sister in law that lives in Saylorsburg. Even a battery backup with the air stone that plugs in and only turns on if the power goes off are good. They only cost about $15 and would have saved all your animals and coral.

[pntbll687]

Here's some more pics

 

Pics of the Gold Torch, Duncan, Trumpet, and some of the fish.

 

Hopefully the gsp recovers, there's a few polyps trying to extend.

 

If anyone could id the fish to the right of the frogspawn, that would be awesome. He's perched on the rock, and almost blends in.

[holy carp]

I'm not an expert, but it looks like a horned blenny to me...

 

[pntbll687]

I'm not an expert, but it looks like a horned blenny to me...

 

p-90075-horned-blenny.jpg

 

 

That is it !! Thanks so much.

 

so far it is a pretty cool fish, good personality, doesn't hide from other fish or run away when someone gets close to the glass. The wife has named him Mothman since she thinks his face looks like a moth.

[holy carp]

Looks like a great little fish, but I just have to ask...

 

How did you end up with a fish not knowing what it was?

 

And what is the gray, black, and blue little dude? He looks cool, too.

[pntbll687]

Well its been about two weeks and the fish are doing well. The wife and I are planning on cleaning out the other cube and getting it going again. Right now it has a hob marineland filter going on it, with just hermits, snails, and peppermint shrimp in it with a mass of rocks in the center.

 

I really want to get rid of the two 8g cubes we have, they are all scratched from cleaning the acrylic, and they are much harder to keep than the larger cubes. Trying to convince my wife to let me start a frag tank to put in their place.

 

Looks like a great little fish, but I just have to ask...

 

How did you end up with a fish not knowing what it was?

 

And what is the gray, black, and blue little dude? He looks cool, too.

 

My wife plans trade shows for a living and they get some tanks set up, and they always work out deals to get some fish or corals after the shows are over. She went to the store to pick out some fish, and she thought he was cool.

 

The blue/grey/black one is a cleaner wrasse. They are listed as hard fish to keep, but ours has been a breeze. He eats shrimp and flakes, as well as picks at the other fish.