Poodges' Biocube 29 - 2 Years and Counting

[Poodges]

Hmmmm....I guess it is about time for another update. Well, I've had a minor GHA problem. Stupid hermits don't seem to be interested so I get to pluck it and siphon it out during water changes. Hopefully it will run its course soon. I added some chaeto in the back and since then i haven't been able to measure any nitrates (mine never got above 10 without it). Fish and corals seem happy. I bought a Mighty Mite RODI unit and it has been working great. Takes about 2 hours to make 5 gallons. Well anyways...here's some new pics.

 

FTS

 

 

Side-view

 

 

Ric city

 

 

Zoa Mountain

 

[nanoreef-R]

Interesting scape. I like it!

[Poodges]

Hey thanks....my pistol shrimp is plotting to destroy it as I type this reply.

[200mfromocean]

Hey Poodges,

 

Looks like your tank is coming along. Your LPS and fish look healthy and awesome under the Led's.

 

If the GHA already has a good foothold, you may want to consider replacing the affected liverock and placing the GHA LR in the garage to die off in the dark for a few months and introduce some feather calerpa to compete with any remnants of the GHA. I have been down this road before and have had little success loading up on a bunch of snails and hermits. They may just die and could lead to a crash in your system.

Your nitrates are testing zero B/C the GHA is removing them from the system.

 

Have a good weekend,

 

SB

[Poodges]

So it's way overdue for an update. The tank has been up for about 8 months now and it's really cool to look back at the old pics and see the progress.

 

I've added a few new corals, most notably a rainbow encrusting monti. I added a few mexican turbos and they munched through my GHA in a matter of days.

 

Every now and then I find a mean crab or have some algae pop up, but the reef has been pretty stable and uneventful in a good way.

 

I gave away my citron goby and my McCosker's wrasse has dissapeared. He wasn't looking too good the other day and I'm guessing he's a goner. The other 3 fish are doing great and eating like pigs (clown, randall goby/shrimp and yellow assessor).

 

I'm thinking about adding a tailspot blenny or sixline wrasse. I know the sixline can be a pain, but I'm a fan. Any other fish suggestions?

 

Now for the pics:

 

FTS

 

 

zoa mountain

 

 

rics, zoas & favia

 

[Poodges]

a few more pics:

 

acan

 

 

welso brain

 

 

my favorite zoas/palys...from 3 polyps

 

 

pink zoas...didn't want to spread at first and then one day starting seeing baby polyps everywhere

 

 

Thanks for looking...don't forget I need fish suggestions and if you see a perfect spot for a particular coral let me know.

[Poodges]

My tank has been running hot (81-82) so I decided to put the stock pump back in. Hopefully that will cool the tank down a bit. I don't know if it's the new tubing or recently cleaned pump, but the flow from chamber 1 to my media rack seems stronger than before w/ the mj1200. I think the stock pump is adequate if you remove the elbow from the bulkhead.

 

Does anyone know what the wattage is for the stock oceanic pump? Couldn't find it anywhere but I remember it being lower than the mj1200.

 

Now if i could just get these damn microbubbles to go away, I'd be completely happy with the setup.

[Poodges]

Tank temp is definitely better with the stock pump. It's now steady at 79*. My nitrates have gone up to around 10, so I'm guessing my McCosker's wrasse is slowly being take care of by the CUC.

 

I replaced my silenx fans with another set of the same. They didn't last too long, but I was happy enough with their performance to buy another set.

 

I think I'm set on adding a cryptic sixline wrasse (not the same as regular sixline). My LFS is going to order me one when they place another large order. I will post pics when I get him.

[amored]

this is a nice tank! sorry to hear about the wrasse, but a 29 is a little small for a flasher and they don't flash unless there's a harem, so it's probably best that way. i work at an LFS and we call cryptic six-lines "cracked-out" wrasses because, well, they look cracked out, haha. they're good fish and good to have around as they eat flatworms and a few other pests. i had a tailspot blenny in my 29 and LOVED him, such a danged cute little fish.

[Poodges]

Thanks for the comments. My wrasse is coming in tomorrow and I'll probably pick him up later this week. They do look tweaked out haha. Thanks again for the info.

[Poodges]

My Cryptic sixline wrasse is awesome. He was really shy for the first few days but has come out more and more each day. I've had him in there for about 3 weeks now.

 

Tank is doing well. I just setup a 40 breeder so it's taking up most of my spare time. I don't plan to transfer anything from this tank to it, but you never know.

 

Updated FTS today (just did a water change a few hrs ago so some corals are not real happy)

 

[Poodges]

Not too much to report. I "borrowed" a couple of rocks to seed my 40. I think I opened up enough space for a clam. Might be adding one soon, but that's about it. Tank is over 10 months old now.

 

FTS

 

[Tinytank]

That brain looks awesome! I have a green one but that red is sweet.

[Poodges]

Thanks, that brain is probably my favorite coral.

 

Time for an update. Everything is doing well. I've noticed a lot of growth on my Rainbow Monti. I really like the Duncan I picked up a while back. I feed it every now and then and it's been sprouting lots of new heads.

 

I'm just keeping it simple and keeping up with my water changes. I change out about 5 gallons a week and don't dose anything (reef crystals). I think the chaeto in the back is doing a good job keeping my nitrates in check. Right now I'm feeding flake food every other day and Rod's food twice a week.

 

The tank will be a year old in about a month and I think I might get a Derasa clam. Any clam experts feel free to chime in. I would put it where the rics are now.

 

Here's some pics:

 

Current FTS

 

[Poodges]

I added a couple of SPS frags the other day and did a little rearranging to fit them toward the top. Moved my monti cap down a bit and now my clown is hanging out under the shade all the time. I also added another Koralia nano evo (240 gph) blowing behind the rocks for some additional movement. I really like those little powerheads and I think 2 of those is better than just 1 bigger one.

 

My splash guard was in really rough shape so I contacted Oceanic to see how to get a replacement. I received an email a day later letting me know that one was on the way. Pretty cool if you ask me. Thanks Oceanic.

 

It's almost been a year since setting this bad boy up and I'm proud of what it's become. I decided buy some Salifert test kits and discovered my ALK is low at 7-8ish (faint pink at 7, solid pink at 8). I'm thinking about starting to dose some brand of 2-part, but don't want to fiddle with my levels if they're good enough. Calc was 420 and ph ranges from 7.8-8.2 depending on the time of day. Nitrates were less than 2.5. I'm going to keep an eye on the levels and see where they are at the end of the week.

 

Messed with my camera a little and I think I got some pretty good shots:

 

 

New SPS: pink birdsnest, ORA bird of paradise and red planet

 

 

Cryptic Sixline and rainbow monti:

 

[msujeff]

Love the rics!

[Poodges]

Love the rics!

 

Hey thanks. I'm thinking about covering that ledge above them with more rics. I think it'd look pretty cool. I just have to find some that aren't on frag plugs or big rocks.

[gutterguy]

Tank looks great poodges, its no 40, but looks great.

[Poodges]

I have the opportunity to buy a new Vortech MP10 es for $185 shipped. Thinking about putting it on the center of the right side of my tank. Anyone have one in their tank? Good buy or no?

[gutterguy]

Yep, it's no 40 but I'll take 5 gallon water changes over 10 gallons any day of the week.

 

By the way, do you know the only team to beat the Steelers twice at their house in the same season? That's right, the Jacksonville Jaguars....boom!

 

 

Just look at my avatar.

 

PS buy the vortec

[B.C.]

Nice little setup you got there Poodges.

Looks great.

[Poodges]

Nice little setup you got there Poodges.

Looks great.

 

Hey, thanks. Your 40b is coming along nicely. I'm really getting back into this tank after taking down the 40. Just ordered an MP10 es. I'm thinking about adding 2 more LED strips to get a little better coverage and up my blue to white ratio.

[Squared]

Nice tank. really like your LPS. If you don't mind me asking, how much was your cryptic sixline wrasse?

[Poodges]

Thanks. I don't remember exactly, but the cryptic sixline was between $39-$45. I had my LFS order him for me. Probably my favorite fish and it eats pests including red flatworms. Not cheap, but a really interesting and beneficial member of the tank.

[Squared]

Sounds nice, but too bad it's so expensive (at least to me it is).