David-Vella's 16g - Victory Calls

[David-Vella]

Current FTS:

To my first ever reef tank build, although this will be my first shot at a reef tank I have experience in freshwater and planted tanks together with a paludarium, so it was time to mess with something new.

My 16g Planted Tank

(Yea, yea I know you might think I have a fetish for 16 gallons.)

Display: Ocean Free Nano marine 63l

Sump: Built in

Biological Filtration: 9 lbs of live rock and 3 bags of Ceramic Rings

Lighting: 26.16 W stock light
Protein Skimmer: Air Driven

ATO: DIY

Water Quality: RO-di Unit (0 ppm)

Livestock:

1. Black & White Ocellaris Clownfish
2. Normal Ocellaris Clownfish
3. Yellow Clown Goby
4. Banded Coral Shrimp

CUC: Yet to decide

Lets cut the crap shall we now. This is how it's going so far:

Day 1- Setting Up (27/09/16):

Day 2 - Readings (30/09/16) :

Ammonia: 0 ppm

Nitrite: 0 ppm

Nitrate: 10 - 25 ppm

Phosphates: 0 - 0.03 ppm

Day 3 - Live Rock & Aquascape (31/09/16):

Day 4 - Clear Waters (01/10/16):

Thanks for stopping by Though being my first ever reef, my goal for this reef is that someday it will be published on the Featured Nano Reef Aquariums

[Sharbuckle]

I really like your aquascape. Welcome to NR. What are your plans for coral?

[jack1978]

Cool scape......you should post a top down view as well.

Welcome to NR!

[David-Vella]

Cool scape......you should post a top down view as well.

Welcome to NR!

Cheers man

 

Left Side View:

 

Right Side View:

 

Top Side View:

I really like your aquascape. Welcome to NR. What are your plans for coral?

Thanks man appreciate it

Coral wise I haven't decided yet to be quite honest, but I would really love to create some type of zoa garden and I really love the hammer coral as well. But for now since I'm just starting up my first coral pieces will definitely be some type of soft corals.

[Sharbuckle]

Cheers man

 

Left Side View:

 

Right Side View:

 

Top Side View:

 

Thanks man appreciate it

Coral wise I haven't decided yet to be quite honest, but I would really love to create some type of zoa garden and I really love the hammer coral as well. But for now since I'm just starting up my first coral pieces will definitely be some type of soft corals.

Smart to start off with softies. Softies are fantastic anyway.

[David-Vella]

After researching quite a bit about cuc, I was thinking maybe you guys could lead me to the right direction. And when would it be best to introduce them. Thanks

[David-Vella]

Tests Done Day 7 (04/10/16)

 

Ammonia <0.25 ppm

Nitrite 0 ppm

Nitrate 25 ppm

PH 7.7 - 8.0

[vlangel]

Hi David, I love the scape. It looks good from every angle. When your ammonia goes to 0, I would do a water change and test the nitrates again. A lot of the cuc are sensitive to trates so you want those down a bit before you add any snails, crabs or shrimp.

[David-Vella]

Hi David, I love the scape. It looks good from every angle. When your ammonia goes to 0, I would do a water change and test the nitrates again. A lot of the cuc are sensitive to trates so you want those down a bit before you add any snails, crabs or shrimp.

Thanks for your input

[David-Vella]

Tests Done Day 11 (08/10/16)

Ammonia <0.25 ppm (Can't say because on salifer test kit, its white, and no reading for 0 ppm)

Nitrite 0.1 ppm

Nitrate 65 ppm

Phosphate 0.03 - 0.1 ppm

PH 7.7 - 8.0 ppm

Tomorrow I shall be doing my first water change, since I had a diatom bloom after deciding to cycle my tank with frozen shrimp and black mussels.

Current FTS:

[David-Vella]

Day 13: Water Change & CUC (10/10/16)

 

Yesterday I made a visit to a nearby sea area went during low tide and picked up around 10 hermits and 4 snails. So far they scavenged the green algae on the rocks and hoping they clear the little that's on the glass very soon.

 

[David-Vella]

Day 15: Testing (12/10/16)

Ammonia: 0 - 0.25 ppm (undetectable since no colour on chart)
Nitrite: 0 ppm
Nitrate: 25 ppm

 

Tonight I'll do another water change to reduce as much as possible the nitrates so hopefully in the coming days I'll introduce a clown to the system.

[David-Vella]

Day 17: Testing & First Inhabitant!

 

Ammonia: 0 ppm

Nitrite: 0 ppm

Nitrates: 7 ppm

 

While surfing through fb I stumbled upon the new consignment of fish my lfs had just gotten and I didn't want to miss the opportunity to get a clownfish. So since that morning I had just tested the tank and seemed that the cycle was over, I decided to have a short trip and introduce my new buddy ''Nemo'' to the tank. So far he's looking cool and I couldn't stop staring at him all night long yesterday with the moonlights on.

 

Nemo amongst the other clowns at the LFS:

 

 

On the way home:

 

In the tank:

[David-Vella]

Day 20 - New Coral

 

[David-Vella]

Okay so today biggest disaster ever!! The clown got fungus and I panicked and went ahead and dosed my display tank with copper. Thank god I had removed the inverts from before but i still effected my sand and live rock, Now hoping for the best that maybe SOMEDAY when i test for copper it will be negligible.

[David-Vella]

Haven't updated in awhile for those few following Long story short I've got 2 new members a black and white ocellaris and a new regular ocellaris, after the previous one decided to jump out

 

Nemo & Emo

[David-Vella]

Ok so I haven't uploaded in awhile ... been a little bit too busy. Here's an update