My precious little Jebo

1st Month:Jebo overhaul

1st day cycling:

:love: I got a 9g Jebo for Xmas from the boyfriend and I couldn't be more happy with it when I first got it. Sitting all pretty and shiny in it's box. Then I decided the way to go with it is to make it into a nano reef. Little did I know the expenses that goes along with making a nano reef, the jargon, and what not. Took me a while to figure out LR is Live rock, LFS is local fish store, and etc etc.

::Hardware::

-Gift! Jebo R338 15x10x15 built in 18 watt fluorescent hagen power glow 12" Trickle Power Filter

-$20 Supernaturals-Tahitian Moon Sand (inspired by Acoustics' setup)

-$90 13lb LR

-$.90 2" PVC Pipe

I wanted the PVC pipe under there because I read that I should have some circulation under the LR so it can filter better. I'm planning to plant some sun coral in the little "cave" and since I cleared up more room for the sand bed then I can probably put in a plate coral, preferably Orange Plate Coral because I love yellow hues in nano tanks.

This is the biggest sps on the LR, size of a quarter. I found it on the rock when were were looking for a good LR and I couldn't pass up the opportunity to buy it. We got our 13lb LR from our LFS 'Aquadome', they're very nice people. The rock came with some small sps all over it. Hoping that they survive the tank cycling.

Finding the perfect lighting is still a hassle for me. After the tank cycles I don't really want to put anything in there till I get a good light. Maybe a cleanup crew will do for now and some zoos or shrooms.

::Wishlist::

1st 6 month

(these were termed "Easy" and for beginners, correct me if I'm wrong):

-Torch Coral

-Star Polyps

-Zoos (green skirt orange/lavender rings)

-Fuzzy or Hairy Mushrooms (purple tongas

-Ricordea(pink or orange ricordea)

-Orange Plate Coral

-Sun Polyps

-FrogSpawn

-Candy Canes

-Red or Blue Brain

-Yellow Fiji

I don't know what else I'd get, hopefuly I'd get an anemone in the future and a cute clownfish pair:D

In the end, I'll probably have to use just the tank itself, buy new lighting and etc, and scrap the stock lighting and filter...which makes me very sad because my bf got it for me as a gift.:*(

::Lighting Ideas::

-Cold Cathode Ray Tube for 'shimmering' moonlighting effecs

-Current USA Orbit 20" 2 x 40 Watt Power Compact Strip Light W/Lunar Light :-* It's this or something extreme.

-70w MH retrofit Kit <--too hot and too much for a 9gallon?

-LED Setup, I've seen people do it and saw it work really well. If I could make a tray and fit it into my 15" purple canopy then that would be great. I just have to figure out what amount of LED lights is good enough for corals. I saw DGA's LED Setup and I think my boyfriend wants to give it a shot.

doesnt suprise me that it's pink lolz jk. You're off to a good start but it seems like you paid alot for your LR which i also did. biggest mistake ever!!!

lol. yeah the LR is a bit much for the tank. Didn't know it'll take up so much room in the tank and yeah it was expensive!

Which LFS did you end up buying your uuber expensive LR from? Just trying to take notes on where not to buy LR in Austin... lol

lol i got it from aquadome but they do a deal where it's $6.99 for 10-15(20?)lbs bought and $5.99 after that. It's $7.99 otherwise and that's the same price offered at Aquatech but the rocks there are big and too bulky and they offer smaller and "cooler looking" ones at Aquadome.

cool looking JEBO...i got the 40 gallon. I'm in corpus...getting my saltwater business setup so i'll be hitting the dealer scene pretty soon so look out for Reef One. Keep up the good work.

I'm in Austin, too. I have never seen nice rock at Aquadome or Aquatek. Austin Aquariums has nice live rock, with really good color. It is expensive ($7.99/lb) but worth it. I bought mine a year ago, but they gloated about their rock, so I imagine they still have good stuff.

Never been to Austin Aquariums..actually never even heard of it! I MUST GO AND VISIT! I like the rock I got but that's my opinion. Yeah I must go to Austin Aquariums! I just citysearched it and it's 6.2 miles away. lol

They are having a huge 50% off sale this weekend on fish, coral, plus oceanic tanks are going to be onsale for $1 over invoice. I buy my rock and water there. I've never showed up during their big sales before, so I don't know how busy they'll be. They used to have a really great manager who helped me out a whole lot, especially when I first started. He seems to have dissappeared though.

Btw, it's just around the corner from Aquatek.

::My DYI lighting Project::

I figured out that I love my Jebo's purple hood too much to replace it with 20" mounted fixture so me and the bf are going try to put in a 2x32 SunPaq retrofit kit that I got from Marinedepot.com and put in two 10w T5 actinics. Hopefully it'll all squeeze in there.

Retro comes with:

-Dual Daylight - 10000K White / 6700K White PowerCompact Bulb

-Dual Actinic - 7100K Blue / Actinic 03 PowerCompact Bulb

Anyone recommend a better combination?

My tank is 15" wide and I have to seal off the lid so that I could utilize the whopping 7 inches *sarcasm* after I get rid of the stock lighting and knock off the plastic wall separating the light from the lid.

Have to add 2 cpu fans somewhere...cuz this thing will probably run hot. I think I'll have one on either side, one blowing in and the other out.

I read in the forums that a cold cathode ray tube would make a really great shimmery moonlight and I saw some good prices at Fry's today but I don't know if I even have room for that anymore.:*(

Hey thats cool to see more nano-reefers in the austin area. I like Austin aquariums and Aquatek...but...Aquadome is much cheaper for alot of things, especially coral. They also usually have nice shipments, just go there on Tuesdays. I got my fist-sized red blasto for 39.99. Also got a rock with 5 polyps of blue ricordia for 25.99. Good stuff.

Btw, nice little Jebo. Did you buy that rock the other day? Looks familiar.

Just another word of advice...show up to the austin aquariums sale before they open. They get EXTREMLY busy. Last time I went you had to get a number to view/purchase coral.

Lace Coral?

I found this

http://www.arkive.org/coral/Coral/stylasteridae_id.html

at a site while I was trying to identify the mysterious orange coral on my LR. Do you think that's it?

This looks like a lot like it

and also

anyone wanna verify? I can get a closer picture of the mystery coral if yall want.

By the way,my tank's been cycling since Tuesday but will probably get Turbo Fritz to help it finish.

Anyone know what to feed the coral? It'll probably die since I'm not giving it any special attention

I'd let it cycle naturally rather than adding anything extra to it.

Yeah guess it is a lace coral. Check out this website: http://waquarium.mic.hawaii.edu/MLP/root/h...LaceCorals.html

Its non-photosynthetic and is a plankton feeder, so I guess try using marine snow or some type of planktonic food. Good luck!

Hey seem like you're using the build in filter. If you cut off the built in filter and get a plastic sheet for that. it'll expensive your work area for lighting. Other wise it'll be a pretty tight squeeze to get those two lamps in there. I have a ViaAqua and the hood design is the same as the Jebo. Good Luck wit your tank, keep us updated and glad to see another female on the reefing scene.

I really like the jebos curvature. but the top is jus not very functional. I hope ur retro goes well and keep me posted. i just got rid of my jebo cuz i upgraded to a 15. the jebo was my first sw tank and i will enver forget it.. but i gotta move on! haha great tank by teh way and i love the pvc thing.. i sorta wana do that now. but ummm sorry for u overpriced lr

BLah. :*( I thought my tank was completely cycled but after a 'professional' water test it's almost there. I guess I'm still a noob at figuring out what the home water test kit is trying to tell me. Turbo Fritz is working though but I can't expect a big turnaround for my tank's cycling in such a short time.

First thing I'm getting. Pink/lavender hairy shrooms!

the only thing you need to test for when you're cycling is ammonia. as soon as your ammonia levels disappear, you're good to go. there is no way your tank would cycle this quickly if you used new water, 'cured' lr, and new sand. give it another week or so and try to find a local reefer that can give you a chunk of their lr to help seed you sand and your lr.

other than that...you tank should be ok...

it's good to see you and your bf enjoy reefing together. my gf always gets stares whenever we go to the lfs cuz i'm pretty sure the guys there never really talk to girls.

Lol, thats funny because the only thing I ever test for is nitrite when cycling a tank. I don't even own an ammonia test kit.

BTW, thats a really cool hitchiker you've got there! I think that's probably the best looking piece of live rock I've ever seen.

lol, thanks guys for the info. I tested my nitrite, it's 0 and the ammonia I'm not too sure about..I could never figure if it's light yellow or light green. I think it's still at 0.1.

Here's an update on my tank cycling:

I woke up this morning and noticed my precious LR was lightly covered in rust colored algae. Diatom I suspect. And I looked at the little lace coral that hitched a ride on my LR and noticed that it's covered in little black specks. At first I thought it was the carbon from the chemipure I put in yesterday clinging to it but now I think it's algae.

Before:

Now:

What to do what to do? Is all lost for my little lace coral?

BTW, my tanks has been cycling since last tuesday and added turbo fritz and 50% water change on friday.X)

My parameters from Sunday, test done by LFS:

Ammonia: 0.1

Ph: 7.9

Nitrite: 0.3

Nitrate 10

Last Tuesday

Today, Wednesday

So what should I do? Is the little coral salvageable? Well, I never really expected it to live since I'm cycling my tank, I don't even know if it's alive right now! Maybe it's been dead and the algae is there as a sign that it's been dead.

Does the Diatom mean that my tank is finishing up it's cycling? X)

Well babycakes, i wouldnt worry too much about ur lace coral. Sure it was a nice hitch hiker but if it doesn survive its alrite right? it was a freebie anyways. Lets jus hope he survives the cycle. Now as for ur cycle, its going to take a while longer before it is completely cycled because u do not have live sand. Ur in the diatom stage righ now.. ur almost there, jus chillax keep lookin at ur tank! o yea.. and keep askin questions~

damn.

I had a moment of insanity the other day. :teehee:

I bought:

4 different zoo frags

Small bubble coral

2 tone blue shrooms

green tonga shroom

Colt leather starter

one purple green cynarina

I don't even want to say how much money I spent....or wasted once the things start to die off due to my utter stupidity.

I broke one of the major rules of cycling...buying coral when it's not even finished cycling.:*( I got these corals because I heard they were easy and hardy..but I shouldn't have bought them in the first place.

Can you say..screwed?

Shhhhh....don't tell my bf! He's been keeping a sharp eye on me and my lil Jebo and after seeing how much I've already spent on just the equipment he's already said to me "I regret buying you that Jebo" (nicely)

Anyways..They're coming in from farmsofthesea and justcoral this Friday. I'll have to break the "surprise coral" to my boyfriend gently because I'm sure I'll get scolded. hehehe

I'll show pics of my disaster later. Pray for me!

Anyways, got my retrofit sunpaq 2x32 kit and the maxijet600 powerhead. Installed the powerhead and boyfriend is doing the retrofit for me.

the zoos should survive!