MrsPeet15 Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Hi everyone, Haven't stumbled across an introductions thread so thought I'd say hi! We've just set up our first tank - TMC Aqua habitats 15l. Our best friend is a marine queen with all sorts of enourmous and fabulous reef tanks and from the second her first live rock began to seed many years ago I've been fascinated. Anyways after two - yes two! Years of deliberating, changing my mind, procrastinating, deliberating a bit more and after looking after her huge reef tank for the fortnight she was away I've finally taken the plunge and..... started as small as possible! Our intention is to move up in terms of size in about a years time but Our friend set us up with this little tank and I figured it would be a great place to start. I enjoy watching all the little critters, cleanup crew and inverts so I'm really happy with this set up for the time being untill I feel brave and knowledgeable enough to upgrade to something bigger. We've had a wealth of knowledge and help from the bestie with a little bit of seed rock chucked in and got our first stock this weekend - a lovely little emerald crab, 2 sexy shrimp and 2 nosarius snails. Not sure how to post pics on an iPhone so any advice would be hugely appreciated and I'll share some images for anyone who might be interested. Anyways after moseying in here on a number of occasions I'm pleased to be a member at last and just wanted to say hi to everyone! Link to comment
Astinus Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Hi There! and to NR! Great people and great "Enablers"....lol! Glad to have ya on board Link to comment
Pjanssen Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 welcome. And to post pics you will need to use a photo sight such as photobucket, imgur, flicker...copy and paste the bbcode. We all love pictures. Link to comment
Newstead Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Welcome! Sounds like you have a great background to start with! Link to comment
Hammerstone Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Hi!! That's cool that you have a reefer friend!! Nice to meet you, have fun!! ?? Link to comment
MrsPeet15 Posted May 31, 2016 Author Share Posted May 31, 2016 Hi all thanks for the warm welcome and the pic advice! I'll get st up on an image host site and get posting! Link to comment
Clown79 Posted May 31, 2016 Share Posted May 31, 2016 Welcome! Great place here, everyone is really great!! To do pics easiest way I found was: You can scroll down pg and click full version, then click more options, click choose a file, choose your pic from your gallery, and attach- sometimes you have to resize. Link to comment
ReeferBrian Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 I've only been in the reefing hobby for about 8 months,I started with a 10 gallon and just enough info to get me into trouble,lol now we just set up my wife's 14 gallon biocube! WELCOME to the forum! Link to comment
thomas8man Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 I welcome you to the best form there is we all in this together to help in any problems Link to comment
MrsPeet15 Posted June 1, 2016 Author Share Posted June 1, 2016 Hello again! Hopefully the few pictures I have taken so far will show below? Tank set up - we were limited in our rock size due to the size but I'm actually pretty happy with it! We are looking to upgrade the light to a TMC Aqua ray 400 led tile so hopefully can get some softies in eventually too: http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee376/MrsPeet15/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsgssznc0r.jpeg Here is our emerald crab. He's by no means shy, very roamy and active http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee376/MrsPeet15/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps8duufi05.jpeg Here he is again with one of the sexy shrimp which I absolutely love - they're like little aliens I could keep a whole tank full lol http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee376/MrsPeet15/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsfcn9l3w6.jpeg So that's it for now. Suspect some tubeworms may have hitchhiked in, we have some tiny coil shaped tubes appearing on the rock? The plan is to get the parameters and water quality super stable, upgrade the light and maybe get some pretty corals in! Link to comment
xAyanex Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 Hello again! Hopefully the few pictures I have taken so far will show below? Tank set up - we were limited in our rock size due to the size but I'm actually pretty happy with it! We are looking to upgrade the light to a TMC Aqua ray 400 led tile so hopefully can get some softies in eventually too: http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee376/MrsPeet15/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsgssznc0r.jpeg Here is our emerald crab. He's by no means shy, very roamy and active http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee376/MrsPeet15/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps8duufi05.jpeg Here he is again with one of the sexy shrimp which I absolutely love - they're like little aliens I could keep a whole tank full lol http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee376/MrsPeet15/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsfcn9l3w6.jpeg So that's it for now. Suspect some tubeworms may have hitchhiked in, we have some tiny coil shaped tubes appearing on the rock? The plan is to get the parameters and water quality super stable, upgrade the light and maybe get some pretty corals in! Hello, and welcome to Nano-Reef! The tank looks very pretty. Your pictures turned out quite well. They don't show up below but if you click the link you can see them. Link to comment
ml86743 Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 Cool little tank you have there! Link to comment
jimmyree Posted June 1, 2016 Share Posted June 1, 2016 Hello again! Hopefully the few pictures I have taken so far will show below? Tank set up - we were limited in our rock size due to the size but I'm actually pretty happy with it! We are looking to upgrade the light to a TMC Aqua ray 400 led tile so hopefully can get some softies in eventually too: http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee376/MrsPeet15/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsgssznc0r.jpeg Here is our emerald crab. He's by no means shy, very roamy and active http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee376/MrsPeet15/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zps8duufi05.jpeg Here he is again with one of the sexy shrimp which I absolutely love - they're like little aliens I could keep a whole tank full lol http://i1224.photobucket.com/albums/ee376/MrsPeet15/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsfcn9l3w6.jpeg So that's it for now. Suspect some tubeworms may have hitchhiked in, we have some tiny coil shaped tubes appearing on the rock? The plan is to get the parameters and water quality super stable, upgrade the light and maybe get some pretty corals in! On the photobucket site when you are looking at a picture on the right there is a box with a bunch of labels. Just mouse over the one that says "IMG" and click it (that will copy a link). Then on your post here right click and then paste, then whala: Link to comment
MrsPeet15 Posted June 2, 2016 Author Share Posted June 2, 2016 Brilliant thanks for the image help! And thanks for the positive feedback, I'm quite happy with the little thing for now. Hubby is itching for a bigger one as he loves fish but I'm quite happy watching critters untill we know a little more! Had to adjust the water flow yesterday as the surface of the water was getting scummy like a stagnant pond does but it's all moving much nicer now and we have a nice shimmer when the light is on. Thanks to everyone for your lovely welcome, any advice is always welcome so thanks again for the picture help ? Link to comment
Clown79 Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Tank looks good. Nice colouring on the rocks. When you upgrade the light you can add corals which will look super nice...do you have any in particular you want? Fyi: you could do a small fish in that tank. Clown gobies are pretty cool and stay small. How many gallons is the tank? Link to comment
Anden Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 Welcome to N-R and hope you will enjoy as much as i do. Link to comment
MrsPeet15 Posted June 8, 2016 Author Share Posted June 8, 2016 Hi guys sorry for the radio silence, been super busy at work! Clown79 I'd really like some corals, though unsure what yet. Our reef friend has ordered some drag plugs so we can have a delve in her tank if we fancy any of hers. I'm thinking of upgrading to an aqua beam 400 mini led tile, I would hazard a guess this is a much better light for corals? The tank is 3.3 imperial gallons, 15l. It's funny you should mention gobies clown79. I thought that maybe this tank would be too small for any fish at all, but guy in our LFS seems content one of their green clown gobies would be fine and reef friend agrees? We've added in a fan work and 2 mushrooms from her tank since I last posted and the sexy shrimp have taken a real liking to the bigger one. I've just woken up this morning to find a few tiny flea like critters dashing around on the glass. I'm inclined to believe they are a parasite of some sort, SURELY they cannot be shrimp babies? I'll get some pics of the mushrooms uploaded shortly Link to comment
Pjanssen Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 flea like creatures on glass in morning is most likely pods. A good thing. If allowed to establish themselves they will become a natural source of food Link to comment
Clown79 Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 You certainly can have corals in the tank, people do it in vases now. I would definitely do research on corals, specifically the ones you want. Liveaquaria.com is a great site for info on specific species of corals, inverts, and fish. Good corals to start with are: zoanthids, xenia, mushrooms, frogspawn, hammer, or a small leather. Xenia can be weeds, keep them on their own seperate rock (these are also very easy to remove/frag) Green Star polyps are beautiful but they spread very quickly and take over - you may want to avoid these in a small tank. I was trying to look up the info on the light you mentioned but I can' seem to find it. So I can't say if it's enough to support corals. You want a light that has good par readings(most companies have it on a graph), 80 degree optics are best Full spectrum is best, most ppl like 14k-20k 10k-12k is good it seems that a ratio of 3:1 blue to white led is what most suggest, blue brings out a nice colour in corals There are a few other options for lighting, is there any chance you will be upgrading tank size sooner than later because if so, I would choose a light you can grow with - it costs less in the end. Ai Prime - some are using this up to 29g cube, so you can grow with this light and it's highly recommended. Nanobox - highly recommended lights - I can't recall the maximum spread for the smallest light There is also for more affordable options: Coral Compulsion par 38 full spectrum dimmable - these are great lights and screw into any light fixture - You can use this now and 1 will do to about 20g standard/cube Aquamaxx nemo light - this is relatively new but its getting a lot of good reviews for nano tanks that aren't deep, its also full spectrum, controllable, various sizes available Marine Orbit - I have seen ppl have great success with these, not sure what the maximum size is. Spend a lot of time on choosing a light. It gets really expensive changing this as you grow. This is a hobby where your chances of upgrading is greater than not and changing coral choices is the same. lol Hopefully some others can chime in and offer a few other options available. FYI: little critters on the glass are most likely pods. Under the lighting forum there are 2 great threads written by Evil. These are highly informative threads on LED. Helped me so much! Link to comment
MrsPeet15 Posted June 8, 2016 Author Share Posted June 8, 2016 Thanks pjanssen good to know, I like the idea of a natural food source they must have hitchhiked in, if so they're the first hikers I've seen so pleased to see them! Wow clown79 brilliant reply very helpful, thanks for this! I plan to research lights over the next two weeks and get a new one once I'm certain I've found the right one for our needs. Once I've had really stable parameters for month or so I'll start investigating corals. My friend has some beautiful green mushrooms which I really like and think would contrast beautifully with the pinky/purple rock? I definitely want to start with softies, the bestie has warned me profusely of the disappointment to be had when folk rush in and buy hard or high maintenance corals only to lose them. She did mention Xenia to me too so thanks for the heads up on keeping these separate - such a small tank could soon become over run I bet! Once all the corals are settled, and the parameters have stayed well for a while then I'll possibly start to consider a goby. Hubby is desperate for fish but we have vowed there'll be no tank upgrade untill we get back from Malaysia at the end of next summer so we will get at least a year out of whichever light we go for. I'm not one for rushing when it comes to things like this so can hopefully control myself untill then So much reading up to do now, he'll be pleased he can play FIFA in peace and quiet whilst I research! Thanks so much to everyone who's replied, had great advice and nuggets of wisdom already - much appreciated! Link to comment
MrsPeet15 Posted June 8, 2016 Author Share Posted June 8, 2016 Here's some pics of the mushroom. We have another white one but I chose to share this one because...... Our sexy shrimp seem to have moved in! Need to get a decent pic when the light is back on but they've been nestling up in it the last two days so maybe it is hosting them? Not sure it such things happen with mushrooms but they seem to like it on there either way! Link to comment
Pjanssen Posted June 8, 2016 Share Posted June 8, 2016 that looks more like a leather of some type than a mushroom. Maybe a toadstool or umbrella Link to comment
MrsPeet15 Posted June 9, 2016 Author Share Posted June 9, 2016 Sorry my bad you're right. Would help if I used the correct names for things right?! Link to comment
Pjanssen Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Sorry my bad you're right. Would help if I used the correct names for things right?! It's just a name, really, but it helps to know what you have in case of issues that you may need help with. Link to comment
MrsPeet15 Posted June 9, 2016 Author Share Posted June 9, 2016 Best practise for research too really - don't want to end up with the wrong thing in my tank right! Link to comment
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