MedicBMC Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 Hey everyone! My name is Brice I live in So. Cal. I've owned a couple freshwater tanks, but have never got the courage to start SW. So finally I decided to with help from my girlfriend who upgraded her tank and gave me here BC14 for $50. Since then, I've been running through this forum gaining as much knowledge and advice. Being on a budget it took me a while, but I've finally got it up and running and have started the cycling process. I'm starting this thread for any helpful advice and also just to journal my tanks progress. Equipment Biocube 14 LED lighting LR 20lbs cured fiji LS Carib-sea Oolite Hydor Koralia Nano Stealth 50w Heater Maxi-jet 900 InTank media rack w/ 5w submersible light Livestock: Fish 2 Ocellaris clown fish Black clown goby Inverts Cleaner shrimp 2 turbo snails 2 margharita snails nassarius snail conch Corals Sunset Monti Watermelon chalice 15 ricordea zoanthids -Darth mauls -Rainbow Palys -Nuke Greens -Whammin' watermelon -Radioactive Dragon eyes -Gorilla Nips GSP Rainbow acans Xenia SPS coral ORA Borealis Cali Tort FTS as of 12/4/09 Link to comment
Surfzup2k4 Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 I'd skip on the hermits for now (Or forever) they aren't as much of a work horse as the snails will be. So get a few more snails for now. If they do good, add a couple more. I personally like the "fancy" nassarius snails and the mexican turbos. I like the margaritas as well. Link to comment
MedicBMC Posted September 2, 2009 Author Share Posted September 2, 2009 Thanks Surfzup I'm only going to pick up 3 hermits just cause I like how they look. I'll start off with 1 Astrea and add if needed. Today I picked up another piece of LR. It took me a while to fit it in, but I'm very happy. All I need is one more medium sized piece to fill in the back. Not sure if cycle is done or what. I noticed the sand is turning brown so I'm guessing it's the diatom bloom. Did a water test pH- 8.2 Ammonia- 0 Nitrite-0 Nitrate 10 I'm going to wait and see if this piece of LR changes anything because I'm not sure if its cured of not. Link to comment
MedicBMC Posted September 5, 2009 Author Share Posted September 5, 2009 Ok so I picked up the beginning of my CUC. I got 1 Nassarius snail 1 margharita snail 1 electril blue hermit 2 scarlet hermits So I fragged a little piece of zoas from my gf's tank and super glued them to a rock. This morning I get off a 24 and the scarlet hermit is eating them. The frag had some hair algae on them. I am wondering whether he is eating the zoas for food or eating them because there was some algae on them from my gf's tank? Everything I've read says they are reef safe. Should I keep them? Anyways other than that all is good. Going to the coral reef farmers market tomorrow. I'm going to scout some corals. Link to comment
Surfzup2k4 Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 That is part of the reason I said not to get the hermits... nothing but potential problems. They will kill snails for their shells, and eat very little. They are nothing but potential problems. I will say they are cooler to watch than snails though. Link to comment
MedicBMC Posted September 7, 2009 Author Share Posted September 7, 2009 Well I should have listened to you, but I really really like hermit crabs (especially my electric blue). Update 9/7/09 Day 8 - 4 lb piece of LR - 1 turbo snail - neon green trumpet coral - blue/green ricordea I went to the coral farmers market yesterday and wanted to buy everything. So far so good I did my first water change which was about 2 gallons. Heres a FTS picture from my cell I will update when I get home with a better one. Ricordea is in the front. trumpet coral in the back right Link to comment
MedicBMC Posted September 29, 2009 Author Share Posted September 29, 2009 So my tank is about 5 weeks old now and I finally added my first fish on wednesday. I went to my LFS looking to get a diamond goby but before I made my way to their tank my gf spotted a tank with juvenile oscellaris clown fish. I've always wanted a mated pair so I picked up 2 in hopes they become mates. I also picked up a small cleaner shrimp. In addition I got a few zoa frags and have a green birdsnest and a blue trumpet coral frag coming in the mail tonight. So here is my tank now. Link to comment
MedicBMC Posted October 21, 2009 Author Share Posted October 21, 2009 So it's week 8 and everything chuggin along. I picked up the most beautiful firefish I've ever seen and along with that I got a nice piece of ORA birdsnest which adds some maturity to my tank since everything else is just a little frag. All my params are within normal limits. The only thing bothering me is the diatom/cyano bloom I've got going on, but I know with time it will go away. I will be going to Reef-A-Palooza on Saturday and will be buying something nice. Anyways here are some new pics let me know what you think. Link to comment
MedicBMC Posted October 27, 2009 Author Share Posted October 27, 2009 I have now finished my LED build for my BC14. I did a lot of research over the past month and now have an understanding for LED's and how they work. I got most of the information from: (Evilc66, waterproof, Maddevil1, and autopro) Thanks guys! Here is my build list. (1) 8.5x 5" Heatsink from Heatsinkusa.com $27.20 (2) 1000ma Wired Buckpucks w/ pots $44.98 Project box, DC plugs/jacks, solder from radioshack $25.45 (6) Cree XR-E Royal Blues @ $6.29ea (6) Cree XRE-WG-Q5 @ $6.29ea (12) Thermal pads @ $0.49ea..... $94.97 (2) MPJA 24v @ 6.5A Protrans power supplies $40.56 Weller 40w soldering iron $19.76 Silenx 80mm fan, grill, power cord (Fry's) $18.45 Total: $271.16 These numbers above are exact and include tax, shipping etc. My plan for the heatsink was to use nanotuners.com thermal pads instead of drilling/tapping my heatsink. this was the way to go because it's cheaper and only took me about 15 minutes to mount my LED's Nanotuner's thermal pads on heatsink LED's layed out on thermal pads LED's soldered in series Inside of my project box Project box all finished Top mounted Silenx 80mm fan blowing in LET THERE BE LIGHT! Link to comment
MedicBMC Posted December 5, 2009 Author Share Posted December 5, 2009 LED's are now installed and running! All I can say is WOW! The shimmer and glow is beautiful. I had a great time building this and just want to say thanks to Evilc66, autopro, Maddevil1, and crs2k for all your help..thanks guys! So I'm going to have full tank shots up soon using my gf's really nice camera (mine just doesn't do justice). Anyways here's a pic (before i put my LED's in) of my small zoa garden I'm starting. Link to comment
autopro Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 Brice: Awesome job for your first saltwater setup, you are doing well!!! I am glad that someone was able to use my template for the LED's. What is the size of that Silenx 80mm fan? is it a 10mm or 15mm? If it's the regular 15 mm did you have any problems fitting it? I still have my stock fans in my hood, they seem to be working well since I have noticed a decrease in heat. Link to comment
MedicBMC Posted December 7, 2009 Author Share Posted December 7, 2009 Brice: Awesome job for your first saltwater setup, you are doing well!!! I am glad that someone was able to use my template for the LED's. What is the size of that Silenx 80mm fan? is it a 10mm or 15mm? If it's the regular 15 mm did you have any problems fitting it? I still have my stock fans in my hood, they seem to be working well since I have noticed a decrease in heat. Thanks your template helped out a lot! The Silenx fan is a 10mm... I didn't have any problems. As for the fans I kept one of the stock fans and wired them in series to my PS so they turn on when my whites do. I had to pull one out and change it though, and when I touched the heat sink it was cold. I was very surprised I'm guessing these thermal pads are just a good as tapping and mounting Link to comment
spencers Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 How'd you go about wiring the fans to the power supply? Link to comment
MedicBMC Posted December 7, 2009 Author Share Posted December 7, 2009 I wired them in series +-+- and just hooked it up to the terminals on the PS. Both fans are 12v I top mounted the silenx and just kept one stock fan. How'd you go about wiring the fans to the power supply? Link to comment
vresor Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 I'd skip on the hermits for now (Or forever) they aren't as much of a work horse as the snails will be.So get a few more snails for now. If they do good, add a couple more. I personally like the "fancy" nassarius snails and the mexican turbos. I like the margaritas as well. I like margaritas too. Seriously though, amen on skipping the hermits. I found Ceriths to do a better job of sand sifting than Nassarius (Nassarii?). Link to comment
MedicBMC Posted December 18, 2009 Author Share Posted December 18, 2009 I like margaritas too. Seriously though, amen on skipping the hermits. I found Ceriths to do a better job of sand sifting than Nassarius (Nassarii?). You live and you learn I should have listened to him all along. I currently only have 1 margarita 2 turbos and a conch. My emerald passed away which is due to a lack of food. My tank was too clean for him and I don't think he had anything to eat. P.S. I'm starting to get the itch for a bigger tank. Link to comment
MedicBMC Posted January 14, 2010 Author Share Posted January 14, 2010 Just ordered my InTank media basket and the 5w single underwater light! Cant wait to get it! New pics will be up soon of some new frags and my new black clown goby! Link to comment
KsquarE Posted February 28, 2010 Share Posted February 28, 2010 Hey Medic, I'm just wondering how did you mount the heatsink into the hood of BC14. Link to comment
disbjohn Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 does the 80mm fan do better blowing in or pulling out in terms of cooling? Link to comment
Maddevil1 Posted March 2, 2010 Share Posted March 2, 2010 does the 80mm fan do better blowing in or pulling out in terms of cooling? IME and the way I have it, blowing out works better. Otherwise you might just be blowing around warm air. Link to comment
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