A tale of two tanks.

September 10, 2016

I took a 2 year hiatus from keeping up a tank and just recently got a new job and moved and feel like its time to start again!

All I had in supplies that made the last two moves with me was an 9.5 gallon national geographic tank and some random mechanical equipment that fit inside it. I have the perfect spot for a 20-30 gallon cube but couldn't wait to get started so have set up the little tank as a nano. It has been just under a week.

Here it is 5 days into a cycle. (tomorrow I will top off and do a water change)

I got some live (ish) sand and rock. Actually WAAAAAAY more than I need for both this and the 24 gallon all in one I ordered today!

The sand and rock came from an unlucky craigslister who had a tank leak. It had been out of the tank for a week or so in a tub of saltwater in the garage. Hence the "liveish" designation.

I took the easy way out and bought some real seawater and nitrafying bacteria to get started. Rock, sand, water, 50 watt heater, Hydor Koralia 425 nano pump, and away we go!

Here are the test results 24 hours in. 0,0,0

I decided to add some shrimp and there were some huge tiger shrimp on sale so I grabbed a half a pound for my dinner and trimmed off two tails with some flesh and added those to my tank.

Day Two's results looked like this.

Ammonia between .25-.5, Nitrite .5, Nitrate 5

Day 3

Ammonia .25, Nitrite 2, Nitrate 15

Day 4

Ammonia between .25-.5, Nitrite .75, Nitrate 20

I removed one of the shrimp tails as it seemed like a lot in such a small tank and things seem to be rolling along.

Day 5 (today, the day of the first tank photo)

Ammonia between 0-.25, Nitrite 1.5, Nitrate 20.

Tomorrow I shall top off the tank then change like a gallon of water.

I'm debating if I should remove the shrimp in the next few days and feed the tank drops of ammonia instead. It would give me something to fuss over while I wait for my new tank to arrive...

Future plan for this tank is to put a finnex hob refugium on the back with some cheato and use it for some sexy shrimp, some interesting snails, and mabey a clown goby.

I haven't decided what to do for lighting. I will probably take the hood off though.

September 10, 2016

This is the tank I ordered today.

It's an Aqua Japan AJ-60. 22-24 gallon all in one. Super affordable! Cost shipped was $140. Let's hope it gets here in one piece.

Goals for this tank include easy corals, a pair of pink skunk clowns, and a cleaner shrimp.

I think I will continue my budget theme and get one of the chinese leds for this tank. I have a lovely spot on a big solid wood bookcase where this tank will fit perfectly and I can hang lights on eye hooks from the shelf above.

Of course, I've been obsessing, plotting, planning, and web browsing up a storm and am currently really wanting a lot of soft corals and in pink, blues and yellows. I'd like to avoid greens but I REALLY love the ripple of star polyps in the current...

September 10, 2016

Topped off then changed out 2 gallons. Removed stinky shrimp.

Day six

October 16, 2016

Cycle went as expected culminating in a lovely diatom outbreak, followed by some algae, and now a snowstorm of copepods!

I added Finnex hob refugium with carbon, phosban, filter floss, and a ball of cheato. Not very pretty, now I'm wishing I had painted the back of the tank!

Diatoms cleared up pretty quickly. I've been doing aggressive weekly water changes for the last month.

Added some hardy frags, a couple money cowries, a few tapestry nerite snails, a pair of porcelain crabs, a couple of vibex snails.

Friday I got my CUC for the second tank which has now been up for around a month. They are currently cleaning up the algae that followed the diatoms in the little tank and then will be moved into the AJ-60. More snails, and a tiger conch.

Also a nice orange acan, a 3 head orange dendro and a little purple sea whip. It's all settling in well, though the dendro heads haven't opened up yet.

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And here is the AJ-60 tonight.