Cubby's 5.5

[Cubby23]

Razor blade, but that sucks. Magfloat = win.

 

OK, I just ordered my Nimble

[Mr. Fosi]

Nimble's are nice. I have one and it works even on my 20L which has thicker glass.

[Cubby23]

Tomorrow I'm going to get my CUC . I'm also going to pick up a couple more pounds of live rock. Two days ago I did a 1 gallon water change with great results. All of my parameters are A+.

 

The mushrooms and zoas look great. I can't believe how much the mushrooms are growing. They have tripled their size since I got them.

 

There is going to be a big update tomorrow with lots of PICS.

 

The nimble is not going to be shipped til tomorrow.

[SaltWaterNewb]

Just don't over do it with the CUC. In such a small tank it won't take long for things to get cleaned up then you will have starving snails and hermits. If what you have is doing good, I would only add a couple more snails and see how that does. Also, make sure the new rock is cured be fore adding it to the tank so you don't kick off a new cycle. Everything is looking good though.

[Cubby23]

Here is the long awaited and overdue update:

 

Purchased:

 

1 1/4lbs of cure LR

1 Small Cleaner Shrimp

3 Red Hermits

1 Purple Hermit (His whole body is purple with a totally covered coralline shell, pretty cool)

2 Cerith Snails

 

total for the day= $56.67

 

Oh my nimble nano came in. (Here comes the honest to truth plug) ITS AMAZING, thanks CJerome

 

Now for some pictures. I obviously had to re do some aquascaping w/ the new rock, I like how it turned out alot. I was able to maintain some nice arches.

 

Again I'm sorry for the crappy pictures, what I see in the view finder looks amazing then once I take the picture it comes out awful. Here are my best shots.

 

The tank was topped off 5 mins after these pictures.

 

 

 

Here is the purple hermit. Any positive ID?

 

 

 

 

 

[NotGumbelWV]

Great looking start!

 

Is your screen name a Ryne Sandberg reference?

[fiction101]

So that coralife fixture fits fine on the tank? I always thought even with the legs it wasn't a perfect fit?

[Cubby23]

Great looking start!

 

Is your screen name a Ryne Sandberg reference?

 

Sandberg was an incredible Cubs player for sure. But I was born in Chicago with a Cubs loving family hence the nickname Cubby which everyone calls me (parents, teachers, friends). I was also born on the 23th hence the 23.

 

So that coralife fixture fits fine on the tank? I always thought even with the legs it wasn't a perfect fit?

It fits fine with the legs, No custom fitting at all.

 

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod...mp;pcatid=13733

 

 

I also wanted to mention, I do plan on getting a few nass snails but my LFS didn't have any.

 

Here is my custom, patent pending, no spill slow fill (yeah it rhymes) top off system.

 

[fiction101]

Have you seen anyone else on here with that same light over their 5.5g tank? I'm wondering how good it works.

[Cubby23]

Have you seen anyone else on here with that same light over their 5.5g tank? I'm wondering how good it works.

In my little reef experience so far I think it's doing well. It was recommended to me by someone on this board. 6.5 WPG is pretty good and it has 50/50 bulbs. I have thought about upgrading to a 70w MH fixture eventually.

[NotGumbelWV]

Sandberg was an incredible Cubs player for sure. But I was born in Chicago with a Cubs loving family hence the nickname Cubby which everyone calls me (parents, teachers, friends). I was also born on the 23th hence the 23.

 

I have an autographed Sandberg baseball on a shelf here in the LR ... alongside one of the "immortal" Joe Charboneau

[Mr. Fosi]

That looks better than my 5.5g did when I started.

[debbeach13]

Looking good. I see a power head for flow. Are you not going to use any filter at all?

You may want to cover the back. Solid black or blue seems to make the corals show up better. Of course a year from now the back will be covered with coraline so then it will not matter.

[Cubby23]

Looking good. I see a power head for flow. Are you not going to use any filter at all?

You may want to cover the back. Solid black or blue seems to make the corals show up better. Of course a year from now the back will be covered with coraline so then it will not matter.

 

When the funds are in (buy my shoes & rack everyone) I would like to make one of the HOB conversion refugiums and cover the back black. What is the best way to cover the back? The glossy black aquarium paper?

 

NotGumbelWV it is nice to hear about Cubs stuff. I have a fly ball from wrigley on my bday last year.

 

Thank you to everyone for the replies! Lets keep this thread going!

[Sctn4Elk]

I got a couple gallons of distilled water today. From now on I am strictly using distilled. I topped it off and my salinity is 1.0255. The ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate are all still zero.

 

Any answers to my questions above? Does that CUC seem right?

 

1 to 2 cleaners per gallon is what I have always used..and I try to maintain that level. I started my 5 gallon bowfront with 6 reef hermits and 3 cerith snails, that is all I have right now until the tank finishes cycling. What did you finally end up with...I think I missed that post....

 

5 gal bowfront

[Cubby23]

1 to 2 cleaners per gallon is what I have always used..and I try to maintain that level. I started my 5 gallon bowfront with 6 reef hermits and 3 cerith snails, that is all I have right now until the tank finishes cycling. What did you finally end up with...I think I missed that post....

 

5 gal bowfront

 

1 Small Cleaner Shrimp

3 Red Hermits

1 Purple Hermit (His whole body is purple with a totally covered coralline shell, pretty cool)

2 Cerith Snails

 

 

I would like to add one more hermit, one more cerith, and two nass snails when I can find them.

[Cubby23]

Small update:

 

My stomatellas have been becoming increasingly more active during the day. They have also grown alot since I first got them as hitchhikers. I witnessed something very strange about them today. Two larger ones were out and both making these movements like they were sneezing, small little jerks downwards on their head side. Then I see them secreting some white stuff over and over again during these "sneezes". What is this white stuff? It seems like a liquid, it would be whispy then disappear after a few seconds. Why are they doing this?

 

This Sunday I'm hoping to pick up my one fish resident, one false percula clown and hopefully a frag or two.

 

 

Thanks everyone.

[Cubby23]

Went to LFS today. Stupid me didn't call ahead to see if they had any ocellaris and guess what they didn't. So the many reason for the trip that cost ~$22 in gas was not there. BUT, I made some nice purchases too.

 

1 Nassarius snail, hes big 1" $3.99

 

1 Really really cool blue legged hermit $1.99 His shell is this high contrast vividly colored black and white. His claws are really intense orange and black. Its one beautiful hermit.

 

I BOUGHT CORAL!!!

 

(I know this is stupid without pictures, they will be up tomorrow)

 

1-1.5" orange and purple ricordea $30 not psyched on the price but whatever. It is a really great piece.

 

6 polyp/head trumpet coral, purple w/ green center. $20 I thought that was a AWESOME price.

 

 

And, what the hell were my stomatellas doing yesterday?

[Cubby23]

Pics are here.

 

I am so glad to finally have some real corals.

The ricordea seems to have attached itself nicely.

 

I wish I could take good pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

The new hermit

 

 

 

Thanks for the input!!!

[Cubby23]

The stomatellas are breeding, http://www.reefcorner.com/SpecimenSheets/s...tella_varia.htm

 

"Breeding has been observed during the daytime with all individuals climbing up to high points on the live rock and simultaneously releasing their eggs and sperm into the water. This can cause the tank water to look milky for a short time, but is nothing to worry about. The filter feeders get to eat well when this occurs."

[Cubby23]

Damn, no love on the boards? I really thought my trumpet coral was a steal.

[Cubby23]

My skunk cleaner shrimp molted last night. It is good to know the little guy is growing. The corals seem to be doing great, plump and colorful!!! Anyone else like them?

[midna]

lookin great! keep up the good work! I have a 5.5g as well with a skunk cleaner and some snails. After a while my snails starting dying off one by one. So feed that shrimp! lol After I started feeding more my shrimp stopped attacking my snails.

 

Also, if you start having any algea issues I highly recommend cerith snails. Excellent cleaners and they don't need to be righted if they fall.

[Cubby23]

Just picked up a 1" true perc and nice frag of frog spawn. They are acclimating now, pics will be up soon.

 

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cubby23]

Here is the big update everyone. I have come along way since the last post. For the first time about a half hour ago my perc finally started host the frogspawn!!! Other reat recent news includes three acan frags picked right up off our livestock section. In other coral news my ricordea split and has been growing rapidly since I got it. Recently I have been having some cyano popping up but me and my CUC have been handling it. I also have added a nass snail and he has been a help.

 

I want to hear everyone's input!

 

The only thing that hasnt improved are my photography skills but here are some new pics regardless.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

THANKS!!!