Warehouse's 20L Tank (w/ new pics 2-13

[Warehouse41Ant]

digging both your tanks..very nice..im anxious to get mine going...not known for my patience, rather the lackthereof so hopefully this hobby will be a nice calm relaxing onem unlike my skydiving or mtb racing..

 

Thanks man, I appreciate that. I'm also not known for my patience. Luckily my budget is my bottleneck, and so I'm forced to take things slow.

 

im diggin the rock formation on the sw tank !!

 

Thanks! Hadn't gotten many replies on it, and I was really proud of it.

 

I added a frag, so in like 5 min I'll have a post up with that. Had to post the pic in the ID forum first to verify what all I had.

 

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Alright, so maybe not quite 5 minutes. This is the frag that I picked up. First corals! Been in the tank for a week now and seems to be doing well. I see signs of growth (at least that's what I tell myself). But either way, the corals really opened up and I've noticed a couple new polyps of GSP.

 

The Kenya Tree and GSP came on the piece of LR for $15.00. Probably 7-10 polyps and a nice frag of Kenya tree that should grow up to look really nice.

 

Sorry for pic quality, just had my actinics on. Camera doesn't much like tank shots!

 

[MGDMIRAGE]

Cool tanks, both of them! African cichlid tank was what i gave up to get back into this hobby

[Warehouse41Ant]

Cool tanks, both of them! African cichlid tank was what i gave up to get back into this hobby

 

 

Cichlids are about as good as it gets for freshwater. They have (IMO) the best personalities. It's just amazing the difference between FW and SW on that aspect, though. The fish are very different.

 

My plan right now is to one day sell the 55g Cichlid tank and use the money toward a 75/90or125g SW tank. Ever since I started I'm hooked.

 

Speaking of my SW tank, the 20L is waiting on a water change that's a day late. Suppose I should get on that tomorrow.

[DrCooper]

i like that cichlid tank alot!

best luck with the SW

[Warehouse41Ant]

Just wanted to throw a couple new pictures in here. Spent a good 3 hours cleaning my two tanks today. I'll try to stop posting FW pics after this, but since I got a few compliments, I figured I'd post an updated pic after cleaning and re-scaping today. One thing I love about FW is that I can rip the rocks out whenever I want and re-scape it.

 

Updated today after cleaning. Still a bit cloudy, but I'm liking the new rock-scape:

 

 

And then here a couple tonight with just the lunar lights on the SW tank. Sorry they're grainy. It's all I can do with my camera until I get a dslr. Doesn't do well with the long exposures:

 

And straight on:

[Warehouse41Ant]

Alright, need some help with CUC addition suggestions. I've got the perc clown in there and as of now, 3 astrea snails, 3 red hermits, and 1 emerald crab. I hoped this would be a good start, but I have huge algae problems. Tons of hair algae, and what I believe to be bubble algae, either that or the hair algae is growing bubbles. I have red, green, and brown (diatom) blooms. I'm out of ideas as to what to do, I do a water change and it looks decent after stirring up the sand a bit, and within 3 or 4 days it's back to completely covered again. I'm getting these weird green patches of buildup in the sand too that look awful, not sure how to get rid of them.

 

Any suggestions are welcome.

 

I was thining of adding some (maybe 10?) nass snails, 2 or 3 more astrea, possibly some cerith, some zig zags, and potentially some blue legged hermits and another emerald. It's a lot, but I'm sure the tank can handle it at this point and there is more than enough there for them to eat.

 

Will any of these do work on the hair algae? I've heard emeralds will help with bubble algae.

 

TIA

[asting]

nassarius snails are foragers and pick up leftover food that reaches the bottom. They do not graze on algae/diatoms

[latteslave]

Look at bumping up the snail population. The Ceriths do a pretty good job in my tank, and I also keep one turbo (they can be bulldozers)

 

My current CUC is about 5 Nas snails, 5 ceriths, 1 turbo, 4 electric blue hermits (very small) and one scarlett hermit. I also have to bumblebee snails, but i have heard they are not really reef safe. I watch them, and they seem well behaved.

[Warehouse41Ant]

nassarius snails are foragers and pick up leftover food that reaches the bottom. They do not graze on algae/diatoms

 

Didn't realize this, thanks. Either way, I would like to get some to help stir the sand bed, I've heard they're diggers.

 

Look at bumping up the snail population. The Ceriths do a pretty good job in my tank, and I also keep one turbo (they can be bulldozers)

 

My current CUC is about 5 Nas snails, 5 ceriths, 1 turbo, 4 electric blue hermits (very small) and one scarlett hermit. I also have to bumblebee snails, but i have heard they are not really reef safe. I watch them, and they seem well behaved.

 

 

I really like the astrea snails, they do well. Maybe I'll add another 3 of them (total of 6), and then put in 10 nass, 10 cerith, and another emerald crab. Would this be sufficient? Are blue legged hermits reef safe?

[Eole00]

red and green diatomes sounds like cyano. i'd try to reduce your light schedule, get a few more snails for the hair algae, and try to feed a bit less, with a few extra waterchanges.

[asting]

Didn't realize this, thanks. Either way, I would like to get some to help stir the sand bed, I've heard they're diggers.

Yep, good sand bed stirring is good. They do pick up detritus and waste, so they do help.

[clownfish617]

that FW tank is one of the best ive seen, i love how there are 2 huge plants on either side!

 

in my SW (15g)for a CUC is

1-2 red leg hermits

2-3 astrea snails

1 emrald crab

many many random snails that formed for my lr.

 

 

please keep posting pics of both tank!

 

ps. you should get a clownfish!

[straydog]

I had a beautiful green out of algie on every thing. One trip to LFS for a konch which is reef safe and in my opinon the best sand cleaner. The other thing I bought is the mexican turbo snail . It cleaned glass of tank first then went onto the hair algie. Less than $10?

[Warehouse41Ant]

red and green diatomes sounds like cyano. i'd try to reduce your light schedule, get a few more snails for the hair algae, and try to feed a bit less, with a few extra waterchanges.

 

My feeding is really minimal right now, only feeding maybe once every 3 days, but I will look at reducing the light schedule. Does anyone know how low I can take my schedule and still provide enough light for my Kenya Tree and GSP?

 

that FW tank is one of the best ive seen, i love how there are 2 huge plants on either side!

 

in my SW (15g)for a CUC is

1-2 red leg hermits

2-3 astrea snails

1 emrald crab

many many random snails that formed for my lr.

 

 

please keep posting pics of both tank!

 

ps. you should get a clownfish!

 

Thanks, I appreciate that! I'm pretty proud of both of my tanks, but I really need to get my SW cleaned up.

 

I just placed an order with reefcleaners. Got plenty of snails on the way that should really help clear up the tank!

 

And I do have one clown right now, although I don't think I've posted a pic of him. I plan to get another ASAP, hopefully a smaller one (I believe this is the way to do when introducing a new one?) But that'll be my fish stocking, just the two clowns. Maybe a yellow watchman goby at some point. Those guys are cool!

 

I had a beautiful green out of algie on every thing. One trip to LFS for a konch which is reef safe and in my opinon the best sand cleaner. The other thing I bought is the mexican turbo snail . It cleaned glass of tank first then went onto the hair algie. Less than $10?

 

I may have to look into a konch. Not familiar with them or their requirements. I'll see how the recent reefcleaners order does, give the tank a couple weeks and go from there. I am going to do a water change today, so should be able to clean up much of it. I just hope the new snails will go after the (what another said was) cyano. No idea how else I'll get that stuff out of there!

[c_k_kuehne]

It's just amazing the difference between FW and SW on that aspect, though. The fish are very different.

 

A SW fish I feel has the best personality is the Long Nose Hawkfish. Once settled in they will follow you around from one side of the tank to the other and always come out to say Hi Plus from time to time you can feed them a very small feeder Guppy. Once they get use to that idea they will charge from across the tank and nail the little Guppy faster then the speed of light (well almost anyway). Plus they are reef safe.

 

Only major drawback is they are jumpers. If you have an open top tank eventually they'll try carpet surfing

[Warehouse41Ant]

New additions today. Got my CUC situation figured out. Added some snails a few days ago and did a 30% water change. Everything is looking much better.

 

Went to LFS today and they had this Frogspawn for $30. Thought it was in too high of flow at first, but it's been about 3 hours since I got it situated in the tank and it's opened up quite nicely. I also picked up my 2nd clown today. They're getting along great and swimming around together. They're also swimming through the FS. Really looks like they're going to take to it soon.

 

Some pics for your viewing pleasure:

 

New FS under full lighting:

 

Actinics only:

 

And a pic of my (newer) clown getting a bit nosy as to what I'm doing near his new home:

 

 

 

I'm certainly liking how the FS has opened so quickly. I've read stories of it taking days for them to expand. Looks like he's happy in the new home!

[Warehouse41Ant]

Not much is new since the last addition of the FS and second clown. My clowns are swimming together. No idea if that means anything or if they are paired or will, but they tend to stick together and I haven't seen them be aggressive toward each other at all. They could just be too young for any of that.

 

Corals are growing nicely. Kenya Tree and GSP are getting big. Still hoping the GSP will transfer from the frag rock it came on to my main display rock.

 

Also, the zoas that I purchased awhile back have started to open and are a really nice bright green. Still not fully open, but I expect that they'll keep coming along nicely.

[Warehouse41Ant]

Just some updated pics! I'm still battling a huge algae problem. Working on reducing my lighting cycle. Of these pictures were taken under 20k actinics.

 

 

Pic of my frogspawn showing great expansion. Seems to be doing really well

 

 

These are the zoas that I bought from a member awhile back. Thought they were dead, but 3 of the polyps pulled through and seem to be doing pretty good

 

 

And a shot of my kenya tree and gsp. Both showing good expansion but the GSP doesn't seem to be growing very quickly and doesn't really have a defined mat going yet. Not sure about that. Had it about 2.5 months.

 

 

And an updated FTS. Again, ignore the massive algae problem. I'm workin on it!

[cbachman]

Hey man I just saw your post on my thread. I havent checked it or added to it in a while. I try and find my camera and update things soon. Its good to finally seen another NE reefer on here. I really like your rockscape and I too used to have cichlids before moving to saltwater. My hammer coral is doing great. I do some spot feeding when I feed the fish. When I first got it had three heads but already split into four and two heads are starting to split again! The red monti has probably tripled in size and im getting coraline algae too. What coral are you planning to add? I really need more live rock and I just ordered a K2 to help with flow. Any ways nice to meet ya.

[cbachman]

Yea man that would be cool. I really need to get more growth first tho. I have a frogspawn that is splitting all the time and is up to like seven heads. It stems from two seperate branches so fragging it might be easy but I have no experience in that. Id really like to add some more zoas and start fragging them. Im pretty broke right now with xmas and a trip to cali for new years. I got a K2 for my tank for my bday and the extra flow really seems to be helping. I need to find my camera and get some updated pics on there. I really need to upgrade my light thing. Its only a 30 inch long MH on a 48 inch long tank so it looks kinda ghetto and kinda limits how big my rockscape is. Just gotta make that money.

[Warehouse41Ant]

Best idea ever: When your parents (who know nothing about the hobby) ask what you want for Christmas, provide them a (preferably 'no preference') list of things you want, including links to online stores that provide them. This strategy netted me:

 

Reefkeeper Lite: L1

Saltwater test kit (to supplement my reef master test kit and allow me to test pH)

Frag plugs

A happy Christmas

 

I got the Reefkeeper all setup. The lighting timer is 10x better than the previous setup I had (home depot digital timer strip), and I love the added comfort of knowing that my heater has a small chance of nuking my aquarium.

 

My plans are to add the NET module, and also get the module which allows me to put in pH probe. Once I buy a house (hopefully next August) and get settled in, I'm planning to turn my 20L into a (probably) 40B. Upgrading the RKL won't be a huge priority until that point. I for sure at that point will do a lighting upgrade (T5HO or better, no MH) and add some of the LED moonlight pods and switch offered by DA. I will also likely upgrade to the RKE at some point.

 

Anyway, just wanted to share my sweet XMas story.

 

Tank updates:

Nasty green algae is mostly gone, battling a huge cyano problem.

Still need to buy an RO/DI system.

Fish and corals all seem to be doing well, may make my first venture into fragging soon (Kenya tree...I just think it may still be too small to frag...we'll see)

[cruzH20polo]

I just did a quick read through

Lookin good so far

are you still running the stock filter media in our ac70?

your aquascape is pretty friggin sweet too

[Warehouse41Ant]

I just did a quick read through

Lookin good so far

are you still running the stock filter media in our ac70?

your aquascape is pretty friggin sweet too

 

 

Thanks, I appreciate that. I took a lot of time to get the scape just right!

 

The AC70 is stock, but is just running the foam (changed weekly) and carbon.

[cruzH20polo]

Thanks, I appreciate that. I took a lot of time to get the scape just right!

 

The AC70 is stock, but is just running the foam (changed weekly) and carbon.

 

You can tell you put time into that ... kinda makes me rethink my scape

 

You should look into moding that ac70 into a fuge

adding a refugium completely changed my tank

hows that reefkeeper treating you

[Warehouse41Ant]

You can tell you put time into that ... kinda makes me rethink my scape

 

You should look into moding that ac70 into a fuge

adding a refugium completely changed my tank

hows that reefkeeper treating you

 

I had some chaeto running for awhile, ended up tossing it, suppose I could actually mod the thing and let it go, would probably have to get a light for it.

 

So far the RKL is amazing. Time will tell as I add more to it.