Slinger's 25 gal Cube

[GunslingerGirl]

Spray painted the aspen boards I got to cover the two tables...

 

LFS had no water today so I may just got get 25 gallon jugs from up at the wmart. Good to have a couple extra for the next WC.

 

Going to play around with the scape after I wash all this spray paint off my hands...

[GunslingerGirl]

Messed with the dry rock some more today... Keep in mind I have like 10 more lbs of rock to add in but I didn't feel like kicking up the detritus to add it to the dry run only to put it back into the little tank..

 

To keep the height in mind... the 5 gallon next to the scape is included for size reference. The tank is about 12 in tall. Remember these things will get stilted a little more to be optimally 13-15 inches tall.

 

Scape 1:

 

Scape 2:

 

 

Scape 3:

 

 

 

I tried to leave flat spots and places to add frag plugs. Luckily I know from experience that this rock has plenty of holes that are perfect for frag plugs.

 

The rock I have to add is not as holy/open, its pretty dense. It's also pretty gross so I need to scrub it up a bit.

[Snow_Phoenix]

I think once you anchor it down with epoxy/glue, then it should be fine. I actually like the openness of the scape. Tank is coming along really well.

[Orangutran]

I like scape 2 or 3! But the verticals on scape 3 will have less space for corals… (I learned this the hard way), unless you add the additional 10lbs of LR.

[GunslingerGirl]

I like scape 2 or 3! But the verticals on scape 3 will have less space for corals… (I learned this the hard way), unless you add the additional 10lbs of LR.

 

Oh yea no the LR is going to be added... I just can't have it out then put it back only to take it out again. I can't set up the tank for awhile.

[GunslingerGirl]

Hey all! So the tank is wet! Milo has been moved (due to spacial and outlet concerns we couldn't wait for the cycle to do it's thing).

 

The scape... ugh the scape... so I had the perfect scape and the guy goes "Weren't you putting the foam mat under that?" UGH. So carefully... but not carefully enough we tried to pick the tank up. Guy slips...boom rock everywhere. Luckily the tank survived.

 

Then in went the water and the Milo floated in a cutoff water jug for awhile to adjust to the relatively cold water (76 vs his normal 80) and to drip acclimate.

 

Light is subpar (oh the puns), and once I find my bulb socket I will obviously be upgrading that.

 

So watching the tank for signs of bad juju. Testing was flat last night of course.

 

Without further ado this pictures:

 

(Ignore the low water line I could only carry about 17 gallons in my baby car. Going to get more soon-ish)

 

 

 

 

Eating a pellet and chilling in his cave.

 

 

 

 

Harry says "There's no algae in here... so I ate a big nassarius last night" Little shi*. Never even looked at any other creature before... I just bought that guy too.

 

 

[teenyreef]

Yikes, I'm glad the tank survived the falling rock! I really hate it when I have the perfect scape and I can't put the rocks back together the right way again.

[GunslingerGirl]

Yikes, I'm glad the tank survived the falling rock! I really hate it when I have the perfect scape and I can't put the rocks back together the right way again.

 

 

 

Eh I'll get it back to something I like soon enough. I didn't cement all the pieces yet. Trying to be positive lol

[Snow_Phoenix]

That's a brown legged hermit, right? Mine were jerks. The larger one used to rule the tank with an iron pincer and shove all the smaller ones away until he claimed the peak of Mt. Live Rock.

[GunslingerGirl]

That's a brown legged hermit, right? Mine were jerks. The larger one used to rule the tank with an iron pincer and shove all the smaller ones away until he claimed the peak of Mt. Live Rock.

 

Its actually a thin striped. He was a model citizen until now... so I was letting him stay... but I may end up taking him to the LFS for their display tanks.

 

He eats all the junk off the floor though so that's useful.

[GunslingerGirl]

Quick update:

 

Diatoms have arrived in small numbers. I think it was due to me having to rescape and leaving the rock out for so long. Bacteria are holding steady and no detectable anything as of right now.. maybe like 5 ppm nitrate if you squint really hard.

 

I want the nitrate to stay between 5-10 for the coral's sake.

 

Found a chip in the glass.. going to watch it for now. I don't have the money for another tank. Le sigh. Always something popping up ... oh well. If it holds for another few weeks I will start adding fish.

 

The clown is being a little twerp so I am probably going to have to rescape when I add another fish. I was thinking adding the firefish first. Then the shrimp/goby and finally a wrasse. (If not all of them then firefish and wrasse... depends on how the tank looks..if it's crowded or not)

[Snow_Phoenix]

Sorry to hear about the chip!

 

Is it possible to get a refund/replacement for the tank? I know it might seem like a lot of work transferring everyone out of the tank again, but at least you won't have to worry about the aquarium breaking open when you're not around.

[GunslingerGirl]

Sorry to hear about the chip!

 

Is it possible to get a refund/replacement for the tank? I know it might seem like a lot of work transferring everyone out of the tank again, but at least you won't have to worry about the aquarium breaking open when you're not around.

 

 

Unfortunately not. I will be getting another tank if this one lasts until Christmas. The warranty was never registered (because I didn't receive it..apparently the tank didn't come with one) and the store wouldn't credit me for something they can easily argue I did..

[Snow_Phoenix]

 

 

Unfortunately not. I will be getting another tank if this one lasts until Christmas. The warranty was never registered (because I didn't receive it..apparently the tank didn't come with one) and the store wouldn't credit me for something they can easily argue I did..

 

Ack. Very sorry to hear about this. I hope the tank can pull through a little while longer until you secure a new one.

[GunslingerGirl]

Hey everyone! Grad school has been rough on my internet time... luckily the tank hasn't suffered much other than an algae bloom when the snails all were eaten by the hermit.

 

In other news.... I got a new CUC, the tank is holding. Crack has not progressed. So I pulled the trigger and got these two!

 

 

 

The candy pistol took off into an old purple barnacle and started pushing the hermit out to start the burrow. The watchman was like "Nah i feel like getting stung by that hammer coral all the waaaaaaaayy up there!" Still has yet to regroup with the pistol. I'll give them a few days and then push them together again if the watchman is too dumb. lol

[GunslingerGirl]

Watchman has been staying in the opposite corner of the tank. Lol I have a feeling he's going to be not the brightest. Got him to eat frozen brine today though! The clown was so excited to see the brine shrimp. I forgot how much she liked them lol but more nutritious foods are a must. Trying mysis and cut up bloodworms tomorrow.

 

Did not see the pistol come out for food. But his burrow is covered by a giant shell from FL. It's easily 3 in by 1.5 in. And he's the size of a pencil eraser...Count me impressed. I will try to lure the two together in a day or so since the shrimp is so small I don't want him to starve.

 

Also everybody meet Furgus!

 

[GunslingerGirl]

Ell.... still no sign of the pistol. I haven't heard anything coming from the tank. But it's next to my kitchen and we have a loud refrigerator. The ywg is weird. He likes to sleep floating ingne corner of the tank behind the heater and powerhead. As he falls asleep he kinda sinks down. But he has now eaten bloodworms, pellets, and bbs. He is already starting to fatten up.

 

I have been trying to feed two or three times a day while maintaining only a daily feeding for the clown. She generally needs occupied with "the stick of doom", aka the chopstick. Lol

 

I'm not sure where the burrow is anymore. The pistol seems to have closed the original entrance. As in shoveled it back in. So hopefully the ywg find some him. Oh well.

 

Looking for suggestions on what to add to my tank next month for my birthday! The boy is getting me a shopping spree

[teenyreef]

It was about three months before I saw my shrimp!

[GunslingerGirl]

It was about three months before I saw my shrimp!

Good to know! Yea he is so tiny I figured it would be awhile. Lol

[GunslingerGirl]

Picked up an awesome yuma rock today! Something like 20 shrooms on it, from adults to babies.

 

Brilliant orange tentacles and blue highlights. Got it for a steal! Pics to follow tomorrow when they open back up (and light is off for the night to help them adjust)

 

Super excited... and here I was thinking I was going in for Rod's.... I knew I shouldn't have gone in with my credit card lol. Should've just carried small cash. Oh well. lol I wanted rics anyway

[GunslingerGirl]

Photo dump! Please ignore the fish food particles in the tank and the algae on the glass. It was both feeding and cleaning time (and my mag float was chewed by my dog so I was credit carding the glass. ugh)

 

 

The new yumas! This is how they look in daylight. Under blues they practically shine.

 

 

 

The YWG, chilling after scarfing some Rod's and mysis

 

 

Boy did these come out poopy with the cell phone. But feeding time!

[GunslingerGirl]

Hey all- life update

 

Ok so I had had a really rough time since I have last logged on/posted.

 

I lost my grandfather to stroke. Roughest thing I have ever had to witness. Worst thing in the world to watch a strong, intelligent, albeit deaf man turned into a helpless, paralyzed, mute man overnight.

 

My grandmother took it very poorly. An aunt of mine was drugging her with my grandfathers old vertigo pills (with no dosage cut) so she turned into a vegetable. Luckily my mom caught on, stopped that, and she is returned to relatively normal. But she is completely without life. She lost her cat a week before my grandfather, and when we tried to get her a new cat ... it bit her. Spent months in and out of hospital with abscesses and issues. She is back home. But we think for not much longer. She is getting my family's old cat. They adore each other. And he is the sweetest thing ever, with no likelihood of biting. Seriously was trapped under a child for like a hour without any biting (obviously didn't notice or it wouldn't have happened). So it'll be a good fit.

 

I also have had school, which has been... rough. Passed, but damn did I work for that grade. A friend of mine almost didn't pass. It was horrible. She was depressed... I was depressed. Ugly stuff.

 

Good life news- I am getting married on the 23rd. So I have been super busy with that. It was pretty much my summer.

 

TANK news!

Good news- it's still running. Fish are well and fat. Harry is still a terror to algae and stray fish food.

 

Bad news- lost the candy cane shrimp. Not sure if it was negligence (bi-monthly WC not supplying enough iodine?), picked on by Harry, or just age (thing was full grown when I bought him and I think he was a wild caught (found out after the fact)).

I found a rock crab... pink.. white tips.. itty bitty. Spent three hours tearing him from a rock and banishing him to the AC. Think he is still in there. Who knows.

Algae bloom- bought several urchins which died even after a 3 hours drip.. annoying. Went to LFS and bought a larger pencil urchin.. still kicking. I know he won't eat as much algae as say a pincushion... but they kept dying. So that is what it is.

Yumas- eaten by Harry. As was all the other coral... sooo this will be a FOWLR- esque approach with inverts and macros.

 

So that's the update. Sorry about the disappearance. I needed some me time to figure out my life and calm it down.

 

Second year of vet school.. first week is in the books. And it's already rough. But it's expected at this point.

 

TLDR- Hello, life was rough, I am back.

[teenyreef]

Welcome back and congratulations on your upcoming marriage! I hope things are a little easier in the next year! 

[GunslingerGirl]

2 hours ago, teenyreef said:

Welcome back and congratulations on your upcoming marriage! I hope things are a little easier in the next year! 

Thanks Teeny! I hope so. No more deaths anyway would be nice.

[Lula_Mae]

8 hours ago, GunslingerGirl said:

Hey all- life update

 

Ok so I had had a really rough time since I have last logged on/posted.

 

I lost my grandfather to stroke. Roughest thing I have ever had to witness. Worst thing in the world to watch a strong, intelligent, albeit deaf man turned into a helpless, paralyzed, mute man overnight.

 

My grandmother took it very poorly. An aunt of mine was drugging her with my grandfathers old vertigo pills (with no dosage cut) so she turned into a vegetable. Luckily my mom caught on, stopped that, and she is returned to relatively normal. But she is completely without life. She lost her cat a week before my grandfather, and when we tried to get her a new cat ... it bit her. Spent months in and out of hospital with abscesses and issues. She is back home. But we think for not much longer. She is getting my family's old cat. They adore each other. And he is the sweetest thing ever, with no likelihood of biting. Seriously was trapped under a child for like a hour without any biting (obviously didn't notice or it wouldn't have happened). So it'll be a good fit.

 

I also have had school, which has been... rough. Passed, but damn did I work for that grade. A friend of mine almost didn't pass. It was horrible. She was depressed... I was depressed. Ugly stuff.

 

Good life news- I am getting married on the 23rd. So I have been super busy with that. It was pretty much my summer.

 

TANK news!

Good news- it's still running. Fish are well and fat. Harry is still a terror to algae and stray fish food.

 

Bad news- lost the candy cane shrimp. Not sure if it was negligence (bi-monthly WC not supplying enough iodine?), picked on by Harry, or just age (thing was full grown when I bought him and I think he was a wild caught (found out after the fact)).

I found a rock crab... pink.. white tips.. itty bitty. Spent three hours tearing him from a rock and banishing him to the AC. Think he is still in there. Who knows.

Algae bloom- bought several urchins which died even after a 3 hours drip.. annoying. Went to LFS and bought a larger pencil urchin.. still kicking. I know he won't eat as much algae as say a pincushion... but they kept dying. So that is what it is.

Yumas- eaten by Harry. As was all the other coral... sooo this will be a FOWLR- esque approach with inverts and macros.

 

So that's the update. Sorry about the disappearance. I needed some me time to figure out my life and calm it down.

 

Second year of vet school.. first week is in the books. And it's already rough. But it's expected at this point.

 

TLDR- Hello, life was rough, I am back.

Sorry life has been so rough.  Both my grandfathers have rapidly progressing Alzheimer's so I know what you mean about watching intelligent men turn into someone you don't recognize.  Hope your cat is a great comfort to your granny, and I hope your wedding is all you want it to be, congratulations!

 

Also, vet school?  Wow!  If it's anything at all like med school, you have all my sympathies for the upcoming butt-kicking.  One day at a time!