G Han Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 Here's a pic of my tank today. Two and a half weeks since conception. Star polyps, buttons, mushrooms, and leather coral just opening up for the day. Green chromis doing what he does. Emerald crab hiding below the leather. Feather duster always strutting his stuff. Sometimes I feel I am rushing things. My tank is now starting to move from a lovely poo brown algae color to a slightly less nauseating bright green algae. Then coraline algae, here we come! Any suggestions? Link to comment
G Han Posted August 23, 2003 Author Share Posted August 23, 2003 Please feel free to put me down, chew me up, and spit me out. I AM looking for criticisms.... Link to comment
ELGORDOINAVW Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 hey man looks good how about posting your tank specs, size, maintenance schedule? Link to comment
G Han Posted August 23, 2003 Author Share Posted August 23, 2003 right on... It's a 12 gallon nanocube by JBL (It actually holds just shy of 10 gallons -- explain that to me if you can) So far, I'm maintaining my calcium levels with supplement as needed. A bit of phytoplankton every couple of days. I'm monitoring the nitrogen cycle levels as well as calcium and pH. The rest of my cleanup crew beyond the emerald crab is 5 blue leg hermits and a turbo snail. The snail hangs out at the water line mainly; is this indicative of anything wrong in the tank? My plans from here include an elegance coral once I'm sure my calcium levels are stable. I'd like to keep the bio load relatively low, so once everything is quite stable, I'll switch out the green chromis for something a little more interesting. Here's a better pic of my leather and emerald crab. Any photo suggestions on how to get a better pic of such a light colored coral? It's pale pink/almost white with flourescent green polyps. I've found it tricky to shoot a good pic of. Anything I forgot to add? Feel free to tell me. Link to comment
G Han Posted August 23, 2003 Author Share Posted August 23, 2003 Here's a link to more complete specs... http://www.jbjlighting.com/sys_nanocube.html Link to comment
JLTRUK Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 well, you have sand in there and lots of rock, that displaces the water. I have the same tank you do, and after adding in all my stuff it took just about 10 gals... Link to comment
JLTRUK Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 I noticed you are blocking one of your intakes to your filter...you may want to remove one of those rocks in the corner...or bring it forward a little I cant tell if its touching the wall or not from the pic, if it is, just bring it forward a bit Link to comment
G Han Posted August 23, 2003 Author Share Posted August 23, 2003 The thing is, I started with simply water. Unless gallon jugs of distilled water are not accurate, I don't know what's up... I'm still quite happy with the tank though. Link to comment
JLTRUK Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 if you put 9 gals of water then added all those rocks and sand and the water level stayed the same...that would be imposible. If you were to remove all that rock and sand, trust me, youd get somewhere around 12 gals also, is that a heater I see on the back wall...take it out and place it in the back with the filter...it will clean up the look inside your tank... place it where the bioballs are...by the pump Link to comment
jdsabin1 Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 Parts of that rock wall look pretty steep. In other words, how do you plan on mounting corals on parts of the the rock exactly? Also, some of your rock is right along the sides of the tank. That may seem cool now but trust me, it's a PITA when you are trying to keep things semi-clean and the algae and stuff is growing in there and you can't get to it. This is especially bad if you find out you have some dead spots in those areas and problem algae starts to grow. Just some observations is all. Otherwise, looking fine! Link to comment
G Han Posted August 23, 2003 Author Share Posted August 23, 2003 Thanks for looking closely. I definitely value all advice I've received in my short time posting on nano-reef. The rock is just below the top filter and there is plenty of room for the lower filter below. It might allow inverts to "walk" right up to the intake though... Might be worth moving... I'll monitor it for a bit first. Link to comment
G Han Posted August 23, 2003 Author Share Posted August 23, 2003 jdsabin1 and jltruk, many thanks! I'll do some rearranging soon. Or should I say aquascaping... No heater in there... Room temp and the mechanics incorporated keep the temp comfortable. Link to comment
G Han Posted August 23, 2003 Author Share Posted August 23, 2003 Looking closely, its a reflection... sorry bout that It does bear a resemblance to a heater though...Actually, it's my bathroom. (TMI?) Link to comment
Sltwtr4lfe Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 theres this thing called displacement g-han. if the water level is at lets say a inch below the top,then you add 15 lbs of live rock the water level is gonna go up, so you have to subtract some water...... you get it...... in scence if something goes in somethings got to come out in return... i have the same tank as you and your looking like your off to a pretty good start. how long has the tank been up? 2 and a half weeks if im correct?! thats really really early for putting some corals in! you should ove waited for everything to set up and stabalize! just a thought........ Link to comment
JLTRUK Posted August 23, 2003 Share Posted August 23, 2003 LOL bathroom reflection...my bad Link to comment
G Han Posted August 24, 2003 Author Share Posted August 24, 2003 Sltwtr4lfe, I of course know about displacement... I'm a scientist. I'm just messing, it doesn't make sense to me. Maybe with a bowed front and if the dimensions are used to calculate the volume, that could account for some of it. Anyway, I'm hoping I am not rushing things too much. My tank cycled in a matter of days and the nitrogen cycle levels are stable. I'm monitoring calcium levels and supplementing as needed. I'm seeing plenty of copapods. I felt confident, but like you I think I might be rushings things. So far nothing expensive in there though. Link to comment
scubafitz Posted August 24, 2003 Share Posted August 24, 2003 alright...so this is my first thing to ever say on this...but I just gotta get in on this tank size debate...we all understand about displacement...but I also have the same tank...and it WILL NOT hold 12 Gallons....well unless you make it bigger Link to comment
G Han Posted August 27, 2003 Author Share Posted August 27, 2003 Rearranged a bit. My corals aren't opening up, so now was as good a time as any. I tried to position my star polyps in a stronger current and better light in hopes that would help. So far no luck. My nitrogen cycle levels, pH, etc. all check out, so I'm at a loss as to what's going on. My favorite LFS reccomended some better phytoplankton today, so I'm trying a sample in hopes that will help. Any suggestions? Any common reasons for corals to clam up I might have missed? I'm a little over three weeks in having it set up, so maybe simply not enough time? Thanks in advance. Link to comment
JLTRUK Posted August 27, 2003 Share Posted August 27, 2003 the new arrangement is great! I love it. Ok, in my tank I have found a GREAT place for the polys and this may work for you as well. You see the feather duster...ok draw an imaginary line up and down. Now you are on the sand with this imaginary line...now draw a line to the right about 3-4 inches. Right there on the sand I would place the polyps. The current from the power head goes around the rocks and makes a slight current as it rounds the bend there and I have found this to be the best place (at least in my tank) for the Polyps. HTH! your tank looks great! EDIT, here is a pic. Mine are not star polyps but its worth a shot to just try out the location with yours Link to comment
G Han Posted August 27, 2003 Author Share Posted August 27, 2003 Thanks, JLTruk!!!!! Voila! Enjoying your nanocube, too? It's been said before, but your avator rocks! The encrusting coral is a little more prominent now and I'm not sure how I feel about it, but it might grow on me (or at least the rockX) ) Link to comment
JLTRUK Posted August 27, 2003 Share Posted August 27, 2003 sweet!!! I hope it works out there well! Thanks, I thought the Avatar was pretty neat, I was hoping it wouldnt annoy anyone but everyone seems to like it so thats cool! and yes, I am really enjoying the Nano Cube alot Link to comment
G Han Posted August 27, 2003 Author Share Posted August 27, 2003 How long have you had your's set up Truk? BTW, great current for them down there. Great suggestion Link to comment
JLTRUK Posted August 27, 2003 Share Posted August 27, 2003 a little over a month now...I stole some bio balls from an established tank and also some sand... the current down there is pretty good huh, sweet! I hope they open up really nicely for you. Link to comment
G Han Posted August 27, 2003 Author Share Posted August 27, 2003 Staying closed is likely another problem. My star polyps are purple, but I had a few green hitchikers which are opening up well. I dunno. The bioballs move was good! I'm learning patience. Perhaps half my problem is the tank is 3.5 weeks since birth. It cycled quickly, but reaching established is probably another story. Link to comment
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