Crazy Tarzan's BC 29 (pic heavy)

[crazy tarzan]

Just thought I would throw up some pics and hopeful plans for my newest tank.

 

It's a Oceanic BioCube 29 that I picked up used from a lfs he had it set up an running in the store, even came with the stand (which $5 later has two shelves). It's in great shape, has all original parts.

 

I'm loving the moonlights, inadequate as they may be.

 

Purchased Aug 1, set up Aug 3rd. Came with 6 hermits or so, 1 turbo a few apatasia.

 

3.80 lbs live rock purchased on Aug 5 from a couple local reefers.

8.75 lbs live rock purchased on Aug 7 from the same lfs that sold me the tank. (all rock is supposedly 'cured' and was in water until I bought it and made the 1/2 hr trip home, hopefully the cycle will be minimal)

 

Already growing green (or is it brown?) algae on the glass and the hermits are working over the rocks.

 

Future plans and live stock:

 

Add more rock--up to 10 lbs, but probably only 6 or 7 (don't want it too full)

Add more sand--probably another inch at least

re-vamp the filtration and pump system--install a StevieT or similar style fish guard, media chamber, and fuge. I'm trying to figure out if I can work a skimmer in as well though this is doubtful....

 

Install a new return pump--suggestions? I'm thinking either a maxijet 1200, or a rio 6 hf. Also considering adding a koralia nano to the tank, too much flow?

 

LED upgrade--I'll probably blatantly copy C Jerome's setup (mimicry is the highest form of flattery isn't it?)

 

Stocking list:

12 mixed snails, 12 mixed hermits

small sea cuke or two or three from florida (sand sifting type)

Peppermint shrimp

Cleaner shrimp

3-5 sexy shrimp

Maybe an emerald or pom pom crab

Porcelain crab

Pair of clowns--probably one black, on orange (per my daughters request)

Pair of mated Pearly Jawfish

Tail spot blenny

Spotted Mandarin (yes I know they take special care)

 

Mixed corals--zoas and shrooms until light upgrade, then I'll work on a few choice sps, and add a clam.

 

Now for a few pics, and I'll update anytime something interesting is happening.

 

[Formula462]

all those fish in the 29 huh. and a mandarin at that. that sounds....pretty impossible i dont know man.

[crazy tarzan]

some new pics of the rock work:

FTS

Left Side

Right Side

Back Left

Back Right

[crazy tarzan]

quick update, with pics tomorrow.

 

Now have a peppermint shrimp, and no more apitasia. Added a 3 cerith snails, a flourescent yellow/green candy cane (small only two heads, and not in great shape but it was cheap) and a couple nerite snails.

 

Added my first fish yesterday--a tail spot blenny. He has claimed a hole in the rocks at the very top as his home.

 

Mods--pulled out the false floor in the first chamber, swapped out the return pump for a maxijet 1200, and added a koralia nano on the right side.

 

Tomorrow I'm going to work on a media chamber, fuge and 'fish saver' like stevieT sells--I'd just buy his but I'm short on cash, and got a bunch of .25" acrylic scrap free at my local lowe's by asking about it, which really helps stretch the fish budget out.

[crazy tarzan]

Pics--at last.

 

I've added about 1/2 gal of sand to the bottom, though you can't see it due to the lights.

 

FTS

 

Peppermint Shrimp

 

Tailspot Blenny (cleans the glass almost as well as the snails and really likes formula II)

 

Clown Fish--it's decided it can host the mushrooms

 

Tailspot and Clown hanging out

 

Candy Cane

 

Zoas

[MGDMIRAGE]

Sounds ok except i would ditch the mandarin plan, even if you meet their special care it will probably overpolute your overstocked tank.

[crazy tarzan]

I'm more worried about the jaw fish than I am the mandarin. I only buy spotted mandarins that are already eating frozen food, and have actually had great experiences with them--I had one in a 26 gal bowfront that did great until he went down the overflow and got stuck in the exit pipe in the sump. Fortunately no overflow pipes in this tank. The mandarin was easier to feed than the jaw fish were.

[crazy tarzan]

Got some new rock on friday (the 4th of Sept), 2.5lbs of Tahiti rock. rescaped the tank ( I like it better now). Also have two clowns, two frogspawns (different color variations) and a few new zoas. Enjoy the pics.

 

FTS

 

Left Side

 

Right Side

[crazy tarzan]

Some quick updates, with some pics to follow soon:

 

Found some nice large, captive breed clowns. One black, one orange. Found out the others (3 over a period of 6 months--the oldest lasted 6 months before developing an infection in it's mouth) that I was getting from a particular store were wild caught--which helps explain the not eating and wasting away. Needless to say I've decided not to buy anymore fish from that store.

 

Tailspot is doing great, and happy as can be.

 

I've picked up a few coral frags as well:

 

a blue/purple tip green acro, a green acro, an orange monti plate, some new zoos, a red mushroom, a green frogspawn, a purple orchid acro (ora?-I'll have to ask), a green ora birdsnest, a red mille, a red monti plate, and a purple polyped green birdsnest.

 

Unfortunately my awesome nuclear green candy cane died in the space of 3 days. It began 'flaking' off around the base, and was gone within 2 mornings. I also had most the corals bleach out in my tank--though they are recovering now. I think it might have been from the purigen I regenerated--I'm going to have to soak it longer in de-chlorinator next time.

 

I'm currently beginning to assemble an led array for the tank, following CJerome's build, but adding in the pmw circuitry since I bought the meanwell P version. I'm waiting on the heat sink, and CW crees to show up. I'll be taking before and after pics of both the tank and corals for comparison and to help compare growth rates.

 

FTS: Normal Lights

 

FTS: Actinic

 

Growth Comparison Jan 5 to March 5

 

Random coral shots

[crazy tarzan]

More random pics:

 

Decorator Arrow Crab (with anemone?on it's back)