Pickle010 Posted December 18, 2008 Share Posted December 18, 2008 Right now my salinity is about 1.026-1.027. I wanna bring it down to about 1.024. 1.026 is what I keep my tank at. It's perfect for me. Link to comment
WhiteShark Posted December 18, 2008 Author Share Posted December 18, 2008 Yes, but I'd rather have some play either way with my salinity so if it drops alittle the tank will still be okay and if it goes up alittle the tank will also still be okay...Its my OCD side....lol Link to comment
WhiteShark Posted December 28, 2008 Author Share Posted December 28, 2008 Okay so update time. Finally got my lights (and bulbs) from hellolights.com (awsome deal). I mounted the legs and put everything on today. Here are some pics: Lights on: Lights off: Drilled holes: bolted the legs: Ta-Da! I am however now having some trouble with my temp (now keep in mind I've only had the light running like 2 hours). Had to turn on my cooling fan and that seems to be helping some. Still running in the lower 80's though (seem to fluctuate in the 81 degree range). I'm toying with the idea of getting another cooling fan to put ontop of the tank. I also got my RO/DI unit. Still testing that out but I will post pic's shortly. Link to comment
vangvace Posted December 28, 2008 Share Posted December 28, 2008 Nice leg work. Do you have a second thermometer or just the corallife? I had three "drift" on me in a bad way. I recommend picking up an old school $2 glass one to verify. Link to comment
WhiteShark Posted December 28, 2008 Author Share Posted December 28, 2008 I may do that...It was drifting from 81.1 to 81.9 up and down for about 2 hours...I do have one of those sticky thermometer that's on the side of the tank (that came with it). I don't trust it to much though...it was saying my temp was like 85 or something. Link to comment
MitchReef Posted December 28, 2008 Share Posted December 28, 2008 Just a recommendation, but you should peel that sticky thermometer off and throw it away...it just tells you how hot or cool the outside of the glass is, not the water inside....Glass has pretty poor thermal conduction properties..... Link to comment
WhiteShark Posted December 29, 2008 Author Share Posted December 29, 2008 Yeah I don't really pay much attention to the sticky thermometer... Okay got some pic's of my RO/DI unit. Had the water tested and it had a TDS of 2. I think its going to go down over time though since I just got the unit: It was becoming a major pain to have to take my sink apart every time I needed some RO/DI water so my (very inventive) maintenance man told me one day, "Why don't you just run the water from your laundry room faucet?". I thought this was brilliant so it was off to Ace Hardware after this. I bought a 4 foot extention hose (in order to distance the splitter from the nosel itself...didn't feel comfortable with the seal I had), got a splitter and split one line to my laundry machine and the other line to my RO/DI unit. Whenever I need fresh water I just cut the water off to my laundry machine and turn the water on to my RO/DI unit, MAKEING SURE not to forget I'm filling my RO/DI water jug (again) since its out of the way at this point. Link to comment
WhiteShark Posted December 29, 2008 Author Share Posted December 29, 2008 It also appears that my cycle may have started (or an error with the testing kit). I was testing my water today (after 2-3 weeks of the tank being up and running) and I got an amonia of .25? My nitrites were still zero and my nitrates had gone back up to 20 (from 15). I find this slightly bizzar but okay I guess. Could this possibly be b/c I finally got a light going ontop of my tank? Link to comment
vangvace Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 Does your RO filter have an Auto shut-off valve? I have this waterjug and I have both openings over the open basin of my washing machine. I'd rather not say how many floods I had before I figured it out though. Link to comment
jamesnmandy Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 nice thread, i am moving my 75 gallon hex into a standard 75 myself, its been a FW tank for a while, not reef ready so... ordered this 1500gph overflow kit http://www.glass-holes.com/product.sc?cate...amp;productId=7 drilling two 1.5" holes in the back upper corners for the return bulkheads and locline picked up the 4x54W 48" hellolights fixture myself, missed the 8x54W sale by a day or so, should be fine though already had most of the rock and sand but ordered another 50 lbs of non-live white marine sand from fijisandman on ebay to deepen the sandbed all in all it looks like it will be fun, should be drilling by this weekend and moving it in the apartment Link to comment
WhiteShark Posted December 29, 2008 Author Share Posted December 29, 2008 Does your RO filter have an Auto shut-off valve? I have this waterjug and I have both openings over the open basin of my washing machine. I'd rather not say how many floods I had before I figured it out though. The only shut off valve I have for it, is at the splitter. I caused 1 minor flood when (about a gallon or so) the first time I used it but it was pretty easy to clean it up. I just have to make sure to keep my laundry room door open now so I remember that I'm making RO/DI water and don't cause another flood. Forgot to mention in my last post that I drain the waist water through my washing machine. Just hit the spin cycle for a minute or 2 and the water is gone. I'm sure my water bill is going to go up next month though along with my electric bill...lol Link to comment
vangvace Posted December 29, 2008 Share Posted December 29, 2008 oh, you can use the waste water for laundry too btw. Link to comment
WhiteShark Posted December 30, 2008 Author Share Posted December 30, 2008 Really?...hhmm...now there's a thought that could save me some money.... Link to comment
cuz Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 What did you pay for your lights if you don't mind me asking? I'm looking for a good deal right now! Link to comment
WhiteShark Posted January 1, 2009 Author Share Posted January 1, 2009 $200.00 shipped from hellolights.com That light fixture is not avalible anymore though (they sold out of it)...The 4 bulb combo is still avalible though... Link to comment
WhiteShark Posted January 5, 2009 Author Share Posted January 5, 2009 Okay so update time. After running my lights for 2 weeks I tested my nitrates today and they were 0 (woohoo! cycled finished). I've also noticed a diatom bloom so my plan is to go this friday/saturday (after I get paid) and get a CUC. Any suggestions? I was thinking maybe 5 red legged hermit crabs, 5 blue, a couple of turbo snails, and a pair of nassarious snails, and a emerald crab and possibly a sally lightfoot crab? Here are some updated pics: I added my wooden top back on the aquarium b/c the light was so blinding it was giving me a headache when I sat on my couch next to it watching TV. I then moved my fan up to the top of the aquarium in order to get better air circulation. I think that and toying with my heater (lowering it mainly) helped to control my temp issue. Its now holding at around 77 degrees. I also chose to go with a glass thermometer to double check the digital I have. I also plan on getting a second fan for the other side of the tank for summer time Close up...Ah algea!!! Link to comment
WhiteShark Posted January 10, 2009 Author Share Posted January 10, 2009 Okay so update time. Since all my parameters (ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate) were reading 0.00 I decided to put life into my tank finally. I went to my LFS and picted up a CUC and two fish. The CUC consists of 2 red legged hermit crabs 2 astria snails 2 nassarius snails I plan getting alittle bigger CUC but I wanted to start small at first b/c I'd rather get to little and have to add more than get 2 much. I'm also thinking I may either add a sally lightfoot crab or an emerald crab (or both) to combat my hair algea problem that is beginning to grow. I also picked up a false percula clown (that I swear has ADHD...wont sit still for 1 second) and a firefish clown goby. Now for pics. Acclimation time: Firefish Goby: False Percula Clown (this was the best pic I could get seeing as how he hasn't stopped darting around since he's been in the tank): Link to comment
WhiteShark Posted January 10, 2009 Author Share Posted January 10, 2009 Any thoughts anyone (Am I completely screwing up or still going along well)? Link to comment
jsleep Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I think you're doing fine. One turbo would help clean that large a tank. I also think it's coral time. Link to comment
WhiteShark Posted January 10, 2009 Author Share Posted January 10, 2009 Really? Coral time already? Its only been 1 month I thought you were supposed to wait like 6 or something? I'm also planning on adding a few more things to my CUC. I'm thinking a Sally Light foot Crab, and an Emerald Crab (probably both). And maybe 1 or 2 more snails. Link to comment
jSully Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 I had corals in mine within 3 weeks of startup. My tank soft cycled in 5 days and I added CUC + 2 clowns and a small midas blenny. A week later I added 2 shrimp, pom pom xenia and a torch euphyllia. I think yours looks great, but you'll need a larger CUC. I would highly advise AGAINST blue leg hermits if you choose to go with nassarius snails. I HAD 5 nassarius snails that were AWESOME at keeping the sand clean of detritus and food and then I added 5 blue leg hermits because I read they eat cyano. Now all my nass snails are dead and my blue leg hermits are wearing their shells.. ####ers.. I have a rather large CUC in my 20H. I've got 10 scarlet reef hermits, 8 astrea snails, 2 trochus snails, 2cerith snails, 5 blue leg hermits and 5 nassarius snails. I still get a good green film on my glass, but for the most part everything stays clean and I run skimmerless. I've also got 3 koralia1's for some really good flow for the clowns and blenny. The emerald crab is fun to watch, but I've heard the red mitrhax is better for algea and just as personable. I was re-arranging my father-in-laws rockwork today (because he just bout 40lbs of LR and just threw it in there forcing all the fish to the left side of the tank in his 55).. I pulled out a piece of rock and after a few mins realized the emerald was on it. I let him crawl in my hand and he crawled around for a little bit before I put him back into the tank. It was pretty entertaining. You're lights are awefully high above the tank, can you adjust the legs so they're lower and you have less spillover into the room and more into the tank? Link to comment
Sac_State Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 you're doing great, and the tank is looking good! but, it's no where near coral time. you need to wait a bit to ensure STABLE parameters. this might take another 2 or so months. note; putting coral in a tank at the 3 or 4 month mark is still half of what most people would advise, but it's still doable. I just wouldn't rush into it if I were you. nice progress though. keep it up! Link to comment
WhiteShark Posted January 10, 2009 Author Share Posted January 10, 2009 I didn't know that about blue leg hermit crabs. I guess I'll stick to red. I'm planning on adding a few more snails and crabs. Whats best for the hair algea I have growing like crazy right now (both green and brown)? I can adjust the lights (I'm only running 4 of the 8 bubls right now since I don't have any corals) but I was told to keep the light 6-8 inches off the water? So I'm confused now. Any advise on how I can get my firefish goby to start eating (I know its only been 2 days but I haven't seen him eat and I kinda feel bad for him). Right now I'm feeding them Prime Reef Flakes but I'm thinking I may need to switch over to mysis shrimp since thats what they were fed at the LFS and they may not know what flakes are (the clown eats the flakes but doesn't seem to enthused about it). I'm thinking it also may be that they were just put into the tank. Link to comment
jsleep Posted January 10, 2009 Share Posted January 10, 2009 you're doing great, and the tank is looking good! but, it's no where near coral time. you need to wait a bit to ensure STABLE parameters. this might take another 2 or so months. note; putting coral in a tank at the 3 or 4 month mark is still half of what most people would advise, but it's still doable. I just wouldn't rush into it if I were you. nice progress though. keep it up! I added corals a month before I added fish. Fish waste and improper feeding will disrupt the stability of a tank much more than corals will. Now, I wouldn't go the SPS or anemone route, but I think softies would be fine at this point. Link to comment
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