Nanny's 29 Biocube

[Nanny]

This is our first experience with a saltwater tank. After much research and mostly due to this forum we decided to go with the Biocube. I'll post updates as they happen in our tank and would appreciate any constructive criticism. Our goal is fish and coral. We are clueless newbies and are learning as we go. 9/23/11- 29 gallon Biocube, salt, bagged live sand, and reversed osmosis water purchased from LFS. - We set up the tank with no alterations as of yet and added the salt water.9/24/11- Live sand added. - Purchased live rock which has been cycled 1 month from LFS. Also purchased Aqua Light power strip timer, chemi pure, Fluval foam, and theo heater.- Added live rock mid day.- One nice size feather duster and one teeny tiny one popped out later in the day. Was grateful and happy to see life so soon! This is pretty much it for now. Posting two pictures and will update as things move along.

 

Front view of our tank.

 

 

 

Our first feather duster to appear

 

[Nanny]

A close up of our first feather duster.

 

[JoelRHale]

Nice start

[Nanny]

Nice start

 

 

Thanks!

[JoelRHale]

What do you want to put in it?

[Nanny]

What do you want to put in it?

 

Misread your question so I'll try this again.

Coral and fish. Not sure of the exacts yet. Was kind of reading around to see what was suitable. I'm adding crabs and snails hopefully on Wed. Any suggestions for my first coral? Also kind of depends on what the LFS has in stock.

[JoelRHale]

I didn't see what you wrote first, was it horribly embarrassing?

 

For a first coral you can't go wrong with a soft coral. They are usually pretty cheap, widely available, and, unlike stony coral, do well in higher nitrate levels. Green star polyps are very good and almost impossible to kill, zoas are colorful and usually hardy, Xenia add some good water movement, mushrooms are nice too.

 

My vote is always for green stars, I don't care if I have an all sps reef with tyree, garf, and ora coral... I will always have some gsp in the tank. They grow really fast in a lot of conditions so it's rewarding early on.

[Nanny]

This is the second feather duster that popped up. It's teeny tiny. If I have identified this wrong please let me know.

 

 

 

Ps. does anybody know how to embed video directly to the board? The two codes I tried failed.

[JoelRHale]

You can't embed sadly.

 

If you're getting this excited about feather dusters, I hope you picked up a few other hitchhikers you haven't found like brittle stars I have always loved the little things you don't pay for that show up.

[Nanny]

I didn't see what you wrote first, was it horribly embarrassing?

 

For a first coral you can't go wrong with a soft coral. They are usually pretty cheap, widely available, and, unlike stony coral, do well in higher nitrate levels. Green star polyps are very good and almost impossible to kill, zoas are colorful and usually hardy, Xenia add some good water movement, mushrooms are nice too.

 

My vote is always for green stars, I don't care if I have an all sps reef with tyree, garf, and ora coral... I will always have some gsp in the tank. They grow really fast in a lot of conditions so it's rewarding early on.

 

The Zoas and Xenia are pretty! I think I'll look for a green star and one of those for my first try. Thanks for the tip!

[Nanny]

You can't embed sadly.

 

If you're getting this excited about feather dusters, I hope you picked up a few other hitchhikers you haven't found like brittle stars I have always loved the little things you don't pay for that show up.

 

 

I was just so excited to have life in the tank so soon. I was told it would take a lot longer for things to start showing up.

[Nanny]

Last night something new showed up! Hoping some one can identify. Inserting two pictures because one shows the orange thing better and one shows the little creature living below it better. Or they might be part of the same creature.

 

This is the orange creature and look right below it there is a little worm looking creature.

 

 

This is the orange creature but the little thing below it is closed.

 

[JoelRHale]

Looks like a sea squirt to me. I have two on a zoa rock

[Nanny]

Looks like a sea squirt to me. I have two on a zoa rock

 

Is that a good or bad thing? And what about the little worm looking thing below it? I googled the image after reading your post and found one something that looked a little like it but no worm attached.

 

thanks for the help!!!

[Nanny]

Due to some good advice I decided to move the center top rock to straddle the two top rocks to make it funner for the fish when we get them. But now the feather duster that sprouted on that rock two days ago doesn't stay out as much. Hopefully he'll adjust!

 

[JoelRHale]

They are indifferent, they are like sponges, they pop up and do well when you're doing something right

 

The thing below it is some form of tube worm/feather duster. It was so small I didn't even see it!

 

Caves are good for all sorts of fish, my sixline is a mad man when it comes to zipping around caves, idk if you've checked out any of my videos but the last two tank updates and the video devoted to him you can see him just weaving all around.

[Nanny]

They are indifferent, they are like sponges, they pop up and do well when you're doing something right

 

The thing below it is some form of tube worm/feather duster. It was so small I didn't even see it!

 

Caves are good for all sorts of fish, my sixline is a mad man when it comes to zipping around caves, idk if you've checked out any of my videos but the last two tank updates and the video devoted to him you can see him just weaving all around.

 

I actually didn't see it either till I took a picture of the sea squirt. But it was a cool bonus! I didn't see your video but will go check it out in a bit! Thanks for being so helpful!!!

[Nanny]

9/27/11

- Read somewhere that you had to feed feather dusters? So off to the fish store I went.

- Purchased 1 star polyp, 1 clown fish, 1 turbo snail, 4 bumble bee snails, 2 red tipped hermit crabs, 2 blue leg crabs. Water checked out perfect! Also purchased some Phyco Pure and some Hikari Frozen Mysis Shrimp. Placed all of the stuff in the tank but the blue leg crab wouldn't stay upright no matter how many times I turned him over! See video!

 

 

 

Our very first SW fish!

 

 

2 of our bumble bees. They haven't moved since I put them in the tank and yes they are still alive!

 

 

The snail and the crab were instant buds! Awwwhhh so cute!

 

 

My very first coral!!! You people have nooooo idea how long I've waited for this!!! Only to 20 years to get the hubby on board! LOL

 

 

9/28/11

- Our sand turned color today! Yea!

 

9/29/11

- Decided to ditch the one little crab who wasn't doing that well. I tell you it was the saddest little thing lying there for two whole days upside down wiggling it's little legs. My hubby was a little upset I didn't try to save it. But he didn't have to stare at it all day long! I saw a frag sale at a LFS so I decided to venture out!

- First LFS purchased one candy cane, one palythoa, one ricordea and one mushroom. Store owner gave me this really cool piece of live rock for free!!! Has all kind of neat tiny feather dusters hanging out of it! Feels like I won the million dollar lotto! Also had my water tested again and perfect!

- Since I have no self control since buying this tank. Visited second LFS and purchased 2 pink stripped feather dusters, one emerald crab, one horseshoe crab, 2 trochus snails, one sandsifting cucumber. (I'm leery about the cucumber)

- Got home added it all to the tank then started to panic about having the cucumber in there but by then it had disappeared. So much for getting him back out! The horseshoe crab had also pulled a vanishing act!

 

 

the live rock with the really cool feather dusters

 

 

 

 

Palythoa

 

 

Ricordea

 

 

Mushroom

 

 

Candy Cane (not the best shot cause of the lighting)

 

 

Emerald Crab

 

 

One of the Trochus snails

 

 

One of the 2 feather dusters. They are still not open and haven't set up home yet. Keeping my fingers crossed! Any advice?

 

 

Updated over all tank picture

 

 

I have decided that all this is very addicting and I may need a 12 step program pretty soon!!!

[mmcguffi]

looking great! Id just be a little wary and slow down a little. that's a LOT of stuff to add in 4 days.

 

it also takes a lot of the fun out of FINALLY being able to get that one coral/fish you wanted after waiting for what feels like forever

 

really looking good though, those feather dusters on the LR are awesome!

[Nanny]

looking great! Id just be a little wary and slow down a little. that's a LOT of stuff to add in 4 days.

 

it also takes a lot of the fun out of FINALLY being able to get that one coral/fish you wanted after waiting for what feels like forever

 

really looking good though, those feather dusters on the LR are awesome!

 

Thanks mmcguffi! I will take your advice! It's much appreciated. The encouragement of the LFS didn't help any lol. I will stay away from them for awhile.

Isn't that live rock awesome. Wasn't to sure if the thing on the top was a feather duster. So thanks for that also. I never imagined things growing out of rocks could make me so elated at my age but there I go feeling like I'm 10 and I just got my first English Racer!