bryanthelp Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 EquipmentAqueon 20 Gallon Long Tankx2 AC70's 1: Refugium with rubble rock, chaetomorpha, and 6500k clip on. 2: GAC, Phosguard, Purigen, and Filter floss.Reef Octopus bh1000Aqueon 50w Adjustable Heaterx2 Mars Aqua 165wTop Fin Powerhead 30MP10QD10 Pounds of Live Rock from LFS15 Pounds of Dead Rock from Reef Cleaners16 Pounds of CaribSea Arag-Alive Natural Reef Substrate20 Pounds of Generic Crushed Coral SubstrateMy JourneyLike many people in this hobby my experience began with freshwater. I kept goldfish, bettas, hermit crabs, and as I got older I transitioned into planted community tanks. All of the LFS's in my area were freshwater only. After seeing a saltwater tank for the first time 5 years ago, while out of town, I was blown away. The beautiful creatures, with colors I found hard believing were real. It was official, I knew I wanted a small piece of the ocean for myself. So next came the research. Purchased a few books, and talked to the owner of a Fish Store about a 1 1/2 from my home. I made my first purchase spending $550 on a 75G Tank/Stand. After my partner heard how much I was going to have to spend on this project. I quickly had to make the choice of keeping a happy home. So for nearly 3 years, this empty tank sat in my home, a crushed dream.Fast forward after a divorce, and rebuilding my own life. I decided it was time to revisit my dream. October 2015 after looking at tanks for months, I decided I wanted a nano tank. During my research on saltwater tanks. I stumbled across http://www.nano-reef.com. After viewing the Featured Aquariums, I saw Veng's 20 Long. I knew instantly this was the tank I wanted, and it was the perfect size for my budget. Although I loved the Rimless look of Veng's, I felt like I didn't have the skill to remove mine.I struggled with my aquascape, wasn't exactly happy but for the time being it worked. Tank was doing great, upgraded lighting about a month in. The Marineland wasn't enough par for the mixed reef I had planned. gulfsurfer101 recommended the Blackbox led's and they have been amazing. This light allows me to have no limitations on stocking, and everything looks beautiful.All Photo's Taken with Iphone 6sStockFish: 2 Blk Ocellaris Clownfish.Invertebrates: BTA, 8 Astrea snails, brittle star, and a fire shrimp.CoralZoa/Paly:Green button polypsEagle EyesGreen Bay packersRadioactiveKedd RedsKing MidasRastasBlu/red ZoaDate NightsPurple HornetsLA LakersCandy Apple RedsBam BamsReverse MandarinsBlue HornetsFT Tequila SunriseInfaredsUnk Bright Orange ZoaUnk Blu/Grn Zoa Unk Blu ZoaUnk Red PalyLPS:Red/blue chaliceRadioactive HammerTeal Tip HammerPurple/blue hammerGreen/Purple two tone hammerGreen/purple frogspawnBlue tip frogspawnPurple OctospawnGold hammerWhite tip purple torchPink TrachyPurple/neon blastoRed AcansTeal faviaOrange/Red/Green Fungia PlateNeon green Helmet PlateDuncanOrange Fungia PlateMushrooms:Orange YumaIronman 2Rainbow RhodactusSuperman DiscosomaGreen MushroomUltra Blue/Orange YumaSPS:Red digi2 Green Monti CapGreen/Blue BirdsnestTubbs Purple Polyp BNSeasons Greeting MontiGreen AcroCali TortNPS:Black Sun CoralPink/Yellow Sun CoralOrange Polyp GorgonianSofty:Pink Kenya treeGSP Link to comment
TFish77 Posted November 19, 2015 Share Posted November 19, 2015 Looking good so far. Any particular fish plans? Link to comment
bryanthelp Posted November 30, 2015 Author Share Posted November 30, 2015 ADDED: Kenya Tree 2 Star Button Polyps 2 Red Leg Hermit Crabs 2 Astraea Snails 2 Nerite Snails Link to comment
bryanthelp Posted December 7, 2015 Author Share Posted December 7, 2015 I would like to get some opinions on changing my light setup. Currently I am using Marineland Reef LED 24". Although this light is ok, I understand that it limits my coral additions. I need a light that can support mostly LPS (Hammers, Favias), with a few SPS (Stylophoras). Also in the future after the tank has matured I would like to add a Maxima Clam. I was looking at T5HO, but I have read that it doesn't provide adequate lighting for Clams. So is my only option High Powered LEDs? Any recommendations and experience would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment
gavinsepanik Posted December 7, 2015 Share Posted December 7, 2015 check out the 165 watt leds on ebay made by mars aqua Link to comment
bryanthelp Posted December 7, 2015 Author Share Posted December 7, 2015 Do you have experience with these lights? Link to comment
bryanthelp Posted December 7, 2015 Author Share Posted December 7, 2015 Okay so ordered two of the MarsAqua 165w. Will post update as soon as they arrive. Link to comment
bryanthelp Posted December 9, 2015 Author Share Posted December 9, 2015 Kenya Tree started leaking mucus or some cloudy substance yesterday. Today appears normal, added new carbon filter to help cleanup. The more I read about theses Kenya tree corals the more I'm considering getting rid of it. Link to comment
HarryPotter Posted December 9, 2015 Share Posted December 9, 2015 Kenya Tree started leaking mucus or some cloudy substance yesterday. Today appears normal, added new carbon filter to help cleanup. The more I read about theses Kenya tree corals the more I'm considering getting rid of it. Trash it!!!! Well you don't have to. But if its unhappy it has annoying chemicals and if its happy it takes over the tank lol- lose lose situation! Link to comment
bryanthelp Posted December 12, 2015 Author Share Posted December 12, 2015 Update Added Two Clownfish, and Aquaclear 70. Link to comment
bryanthelp Posted December 12, 2015 Author Share Posted December 12, 2015 I want to confirm this is Coralline Algae growing on my crushed coral, right?Rocks from John are looking good!MoonlightsDayGreen Mandarin eating Formula One pellets (Only caught him eating last few) http://vid650.photobucket.com/albums/uu224/christopher_bryant5/2015_12_11_IMG_0014_zpseyh6ygfc.mp4 Link to comment
bryanthelp Posted December 13, 2015 Author Share Posted December 13, 2015 Spirorbis covering my live rock. Link to comment
PieMan2k Posted December 13, 2015 Share Posted December 13, 2015 That algea on your crushed coral is most likely just red algae. your tank hasn't been up long enough i would think to have coraline on it. The only way i can see your tank having coraline is if the rocks were bought cured and with coraline on the. Link to comment
bryanthelp Posted December 14, 2015 Author Share Posted December 14, 2015 That algea on your crushed coral is most likely just red algae. your tank hasn't been up long enough i would think to have coraline on it. The only way i can see your tank having coraline is if the rocks were bought cured and with coraline on the.You might be right but I have a large piece of live rock covered in coralline seeding the tank. I will add a photo later, very nice piece.Also added chemipure blue today just in case. It's only been 4 days since my last waterchange (25%). Might as well do another one tomorrow. Link to comment
PieMan2k Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 What are your parameters? In my dad's tank right now we are battling low nutrient levels so we do every other week water changes because when we first set up we did too many water changes and ran too many chemicals early on. Just make sure your not pulling too much out at one time because that is what caused our low nutrient problem. Link to comment
Elizabeth94 Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Definitely not coralline. Coralline appears as round patches, and doesn't look like red dusting. Even if you added a rock covered with coralline it won't spread until the tank breaks in and become stable. What you see is red algae, which is perfectly normal for new tanks. Just keep up with maintenance. Link to comment
bryanthelp Posted December 14, 2015 Author Share Posted December 14, 2015 Amm 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrate 20 PH 9.0 Calcium 470 Alk 3.5 Salinity 1.025 Temp 89 Link to comment
PieMan2k Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 If your temp is 89 that's REALLY high. Might be why the Kenya tree is pissed off Link to comment
HarryPotter Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 89 is WAY to high!!! Link to comment
heifinator Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Lets discuss that PH also. Way high. Link to comment
HarryPotter Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 And that alk is WAY low. Figure out that temperature issue and start doing water changes to correct the off balance parameters Link to comment
heifinator Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 I am betting the alk reading and ph reading are bad readings. I am pretty sure a ph of 9 would kill everything. Link to comment
bryanthelp Posted December 14, 2015 Author Share Posted December 14, 2015 Sorry everyone was on the road, thanks for the concern but my numbers were way off. I thought Alk was ok between 2.5-4? Amm 0 Nitrite 0 Nitrate 20 PH 8.0 Calcium 470 Alk 3.5 Salinity 1.025 Temp 79 Link to comment
tk3445 Posted December 14, 2015 Share Posted December 14, 2015 Ocean water alk is around 7 typically and my guess is most people shoot to keep alk in the 7-10 range Link to comment
bryanthelp Posted December 14, 2015 Author Share Posted December 14, 2015 I think the difference was I was using the meq/L not dKH. 9.9 is dKH. Using Salifert Test btw. Link to comment
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