From planted to Reef a 1st timers Jouney with Pics (updated 3/19/08)

[Roc!]

Ok, 1st off let me introduce myself to the forum with a little background.

 

I have been keeping planted tanks for a number of years. For about the last 9 months all of my planted tanks have been pretty hi-tech (pressurized CO2, over 5.5 watts per gallon, ferts etc) I have always wanted to have a reef tank but I was scared away from it by some other planted tanks users (stories of crashes which claimed thousands of dollars worth of livestock), however after doing some poking around on my own (after all that’s how I got into planted tanks from the fake plants, castles etc) I have decided to jump into the world of a nano reef.

 

I found a good deal on a small 7 gallon cube, which was purchased with the intent of making that the intro to reefing, the main issue for me was the lighting that came with it was very low (18 watts over 7 gal). I started to think about the fact I had a 20 gal planted tank which had 5.5 watts per gal and although was scaped pretty nice was basically housing cherry red shrimp (this was due to moving the neon tetras into my 55 gal planted for some pics and deciding they were much happier there).

 

So I start thinking why not set up the 7 gal as a low light planted tank, and start out with a reef tank that was a little larger. In fact as the days pasted along and I read more and more it seemed like my chances of having a reef tank which survived actually increased by having a larger set-up (this is something I read, so forgive me if this is not true).

 

This will be my journey from planted tank to reef.

 

1st off this is the way the tank looked before I took it down.

 

 

*I won't cover the whole process of removing everything as that will be handled on a separate forum and be about setting up the 7 gal

 

So I get the tank cleaned out (I used vinegar and water then rinsed very well) and set back up on its stand.

 

 

I always like backgrounds on my tanks as they are in a room with horrible blinds which leak sunlight everywhere and basically just look trashy (see above pic), I usually go with Black but as this reefing is new to me I decide to go with a deep blue.

 

 

Before I started this project I had picked up a couple of things: Live sand, filter floss for the HOB filter, power head. I had also found a fellow reef tank owner online who was willing to part with 30 lbs of live rock already with lots of coraline already on it, and was available any time of the day that I was ready (the rock was transported to my house in a bucket of R/O water with pre added salt mix)

 

So I add a layer of live sand from the guy I got the rock from

 

 

The next step to design my Reef, but I wanted to do this in such a way that the live rock was not out of the water for very long. I studied the pieces trying to keep in mind, holes in the reef for flow and hiding places and giving myself places for future some soft corals.

 

The final design was

 

 

Now I added my R/O water with Salt that I got from the local salt water fish store 9this guy is great, only place I found that won't sell fish unless you bring in water so he can test it, the guy is a hobbyist as well as owner)

 

So when adding the water I tried to be careful to poor the water directly on the rock so the sand wouldn't get to disturbed (as you can see from the pic I wasn't completely successful)

 

 

 

But by morning the tank was clear.

 

So this is the tank as it stands now

 

20 gal

24X12X16

2 X 55 watt CF (1 10000k, 1 Actinic)

380 gph HOB filter (filter floss, small amount of LR in filter chamber)

Rio 180 power head

30lbs of live rock

20lbs of live sand

Saltiny - 29ppt

Specific Gravity - 1.022

PH - (I need to go get another AP test kit chart as mine seems to be missing for Saltwater, but the liquid is this color

Ammonia - 0

Nitrite - 0

Nitrate - 0

 

It's crazy but the levels are like those of a cycled tank? Could that be?

 

 

So now I have a couple of questions:

 

1.What time cycle should I light on? (I have to turn on both bulbs at the same time)

2. If my nitrates drop and ammonia and nitrites don't rise in aweek, is it possible my tank had a super quick cycle?

3. What should be added 1st some coralsor a clean up crew? some ideas were: Actinodiscus sp., Pachyclavularia sp., Zoanthid sp, Xenia sp

4. CUC ~ I know I want a skunk cleaner, what others would you add and how many of each? some ideas were: Clibanarius tricolor, Paguristes cadenati, Astraea tecta, Nassarius vibex

 

Also I seem to have gotten a couple hitchhikers can anyone tell me what this are and are they OK? (it looks like a starfish but I understand there are lots of types)

 

 

Thats it for now, please any advice or comments are welcome.

[Toomin]

1.I not sure about lights.But most of the time I dont cycle with my lights on.I only on the lights to check it out from time to time.

2.Even if it does not rise, endure for a month before adding anything.A quick cycle is possible.

3.Zoas and Xenia are starter corals.I recommend green star polyps too.

4.They always say 1-2 gallon per cuc.

[Roc!]

1.I not sure about lights.But most of the time I dont cycle with my lights on.I only on the lights to check it out from time to time.

2.Even if it does not rise, endure for a month before adding anything.A quick cycle is possible.

3.Zoas and Xenia are starter corals.I recommend green star polyps too.

4.They always say 1-2 gallon per cuc.

 

So you say a month before adding anything or before adding CUC and or Fish?

 

Once the tank is running what type of light cycle do you use, is it like a fresh water in that you keep it on as long as you can without causing issues?

[c est ma]

!

 

RE photoperiod. No, not like what you describe. The books explain that, as these are tropical reefs, they don't get much more than 12 hrs of light per day in the wild, pretty constantly year round. Most reefers, I think, do not exceed this and may tend to go with shorter daylengths, maybe around 10 hours. Some go even shorter to avoid encouraging algal growth or to deal with unwanted outbreaks they already have.

 

Without plants or corals, yet, you do not need much light but it will encourage the growth of the desirable coralline algae.

 

With live sand and already cured rock it is possible that you won't have much of an initial cycle, if any. Toomin's advice on waiting is very good, but chances are that will seem like an eternity to you and I am pretty confident you could get away with adding some of your CUC members w/in a week or so. IME, hermits are very hardy. Snails can be touchier about water chemistry, but if you go slow and acclimate I think you could try a few.

 

I prefer to add CUC members slowly. After all, at this stage you don't have much to "clean up." This also encourages you to study each new addition as it is added, and you will find that even these humble creatures are fascinating in their own right.

 

All of the spp you mention are very good for beginners (and everyone else as well!).

 

The little hitcher stars are genus Asterina. Like many other aspects of this hobby, there is a small debate on their relative desirability. Here are a couple of links that cover both sides:

 

http://www.wetwebmedia.com/asterinafaqs.htm

 

http://www.garf.org/STAR/starfish.html

 

(If it were me, I'd definitely keep them unless and until I observed them causing any harm...)

 

Nice start--I predict you're gonna love this hobby. While you're waiting you could do worse than read through these forums...after a while you will begin to pick up a wealth of info.

 

Good luck!

 

--Diane

[Toomin]

for me, i on about 8hours per day.

and, once in every 25 days i will have 2 days of no-lights.

[Roc!]

Thanks for all the advice.

 

I need to get a high range PH test kit as the one I have is just for freshwater.

 

I changed the light cycle today to 12 hours

 

the starfish can stay, but when I get corals if they are showing signs of being eating it will have to go.

 

I think if all my levels are still the same after a week I will add some hermits maybe the 3-4 Paguristes cadenati 1st, followed by 3-4 Clibanarius tricolor a week later

[Roc!]

Ok well I have an issue

 

Stats look good

PH 8.2

Ammonia - 0

Nitrite - 0

Nitrate - 0

 

But the temp is outta control

 

91.5......................................

 

I didn't think I would need a chiller in a tank this size with these lights but now I think I do. Anyone have any ideas about a low cost chiller?

 

I obviously cannot add a CUC until I get the temp under control no matter how fast it cycled.

 

Tomorrow I am going to have the lights off allday to see what they really add, I also am removing the heater tonight to see what happens there.

[phases]

Ok well I have an issue

 

Stats look good

PH 8.2

Ammonia - 0

Nitrite - 0

Nitrate - 0

 

But the temp is outta control

 

91.5......................................

 

I didn't think I would need a chiller in a tank this size with these lights but now I think I do. Anyone have any ideas about a low cost chiller?

 

I obviously cannot add a CUC until I get the temp under control no matter how fast it cycled.

 

Tomorrow I am going to have the lights off allday to see what they really add, I also am removing the heater tonight to see what happens there.

 

Get a fan to blow over the water. This will lower the temp considerably. Just be sure to keep up with top offs as the fan causes extra evap.

[Roc!]

Right now I have a glass top on there you think I should remove that?

[c est ma]

A lot of people go with open tops but personally, I'd leave the glass top on and elevate your light fixture an inch or so (then you can blow a fan under it). There is SO much less evaporation with a top, plus you don't have to worry about jumping fish...

 

--Diane

[Roc!]

Well I removed the heater last night, the light was also off of course. I checked this morning and the temp was 82.2, so to check what the light is doing I turned that back on. I am still early in the cycling so I have a little time to figure out what is going on. I will look into rasing the light and pick this apart piece by piece meaning if it is hot tonight when I get home I will work on rasing the light, give that a day and see what happens, if it is still high then I will look onto a fan.

 

Where is the best place to take the temp from meaning bottom on the tank, middle or top. I had the sensor at the top yesterday and realized that right under the light might give a flase reading, however I figured that hotest place in the tank was important to know.

 

I also threw a small amount of frozen bloodworms in to test the cycle.

[Roc!]

So I have a question about the cycle and temp.

 

After removing the heater, rasing the lights and having a fan blow on the lights the temp is between 79-82 is it ok to have that amount of swing?

 

Cycle question, I added live sand (both new and from an established tank) and live rock from an established tank. I have thrown in some frozen blood worms to test the cycle I have the same readings I always have using API test kits

 

PH - 8.2

Ammonia - 0

Nitrite - 0

Nitrate - 0

 

From everything I read it sounds like I could begin adding my clean up crew, what does everyone think.

[c est ma]

Well, IMO, that temp range is acceptable. There is certainly the school of thought that temp should stay absolutely invariant. But surely organisms in shallower areas of the ocean, even in the tropics, experience differential temperatures due to solar cycles...

 

My tank can easily swing 2 - 3 degrees over the course of a day, and I've observed no negative effects. And as you have alluded to, there is always a top-to-bottom temp difference--even in my 5.5g.

 

Also IMO, I agree that you could add a few cleaners at this time. But I think I've said that before!

 

--Diane

[Roc!]

Thanks Diane,

 

I actualy experenced my ammonia spike yesterday. from 0 to .50 so I am going to wait a couple of days to see if I get Nitrite spike as well and if it then brings up the Nitrates and the ammonia and nitrites drop back down to 0. Since I have had nothing but 0's the whole time this has been set up this is really the 1st test of the cycle.

[Roc!]

Well I got 3 Paguriste scadenati today, they will be the start of my CUC

 

[c est ma]

Aw, cute!

 

Don't you love how busy they are?

 

--D

[Roc!]

They are fun to watch mainly watching them haul those shells up the side of the LR

[c est ma]

They are very strong for their size. But you will see them tumble, once in a while.

 

--Diane

[Roc!]

What would be a good time peroid to wait until the next members of the CUC are added?

 

What should I add next a skunk cleaner shrimp or some snails?

[c est ma]

Well, that's sort of up to you. You could easily add either creature now. Your goal is to have the CUC you need to keep your undesirable algae, diatoms, organic films, animal waste, and leftover food in check. Sometimes beginning tanks are so "clean" that they don't really need much of a CUC at first and adding too many can actually result in starvation. (This is particularly true of Nassarius snails, which are not grazers but scavengers and must have some kind of meaty food...)

 

This may also be true of an active shrimp. If you get one and it doesn't seem to prosper, you may need to add a flake or two of prepared food from time to time.

 

Otherwise, experiment with various spp of snails, and see which ones take care of any "problems" that crop up in your tank--diatoms, etc. You may find that as you eventually add other creatures--corals or fish--that what comes in on the rock with the coral and what you feed your corals/fish will increase your need for CUC members.

 

In short--go slow, get a variety of spp, and watch to make sure they're getting enough to eat.

 

--Diane

[travisurfer]

since your tank is only a few days old, i would give it at least a bit longer until you add any livestock.

[lil'wrasse cool]

ya a nitrate spike could kill snails also..

[Roc!]

Well I got a great deal on some corals and added a skunk cleaner shrimp. I thought I would post the pics here as well as my corals thread becuase I need to get them ID

 

Skunk cleaner and his CUC buddy

 

 

These are the corals I need ID: All pics are of different pieces but please let me know if mualitable ones are the same so I can place them near each other.

 

1.

 

 

2.

 

 

3.

 

 

4.

 

 

5.

 

 

6.

 

 

7.

 

 

8.

 

[c est ma]

Nice additions!

 

(I'm assuming by now you got some ID's wherever else you posted these.)

 

Sweet rics--one of my all-time favorites!

 

--Diane

[Roc!]

I went to club Zoa and they gave me the following ID's

 

1&2-Ricordia yuma

3-Favia speciosa (Christmas Favia)

4-Pink zoas and button polyps (protopalys)

5-Green PE (not true GPE)

6-Mean Greens and Isaurus tuberulcata (snake polyps)

7-looks like yuma or frogspawn baby...

8-Not sure of name, but cool zoas