violinist Posted February 8, 2010 Author Share Posted February 8, 2010 Man this tank is off to a rough start... I just picked up the third heater for this guy. The 100w fluval can't seem to keep the heat above 77.5 or so when the halide isn't running. I knew my basement was chilly, but damn. So I have a 150w I'll be installing this evening. I also bought a pack of GFO to eat the phosphates (thanks for the tip imcosmokramer), and I'll drop that in the AC. Right now, lights out, the tank looks pleasantly clear. 30 minutes till Swamp Thing awakes. Link to comment
violinist Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 Well 150 watts seems to be the magic bullet. This morning the tank temp was 80.1. At the end of the light cycle I'm getting a top-of-tank temp reading of 82. I don't know if I can trust this because I saw the heater blink on briefly around the same time. The vortech is on reef crest with the dial at max, so I would not think there would be a huge temp variation throughout the tank. I would prefer to have no temp swing at all (most I have seen on the 20L is 0.3 degrees), but this might be as good as it gets. 5 hours till the return of Swamp Thing. Tank is so good looking and clear when the lights are off lol. Link to comment
Markushka Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Do you have any filtration besides the HOB I see in the pic? and how are you liking that mp10 on the hex, I'm sorta thinking of getting one when I find the cash, does it mix the tank well? Link to comment
violinist Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 No other filtration. MP10 is great, of course. I have mine blasting at the back of the rocks, slightly above mid tank. Since I have had clouds of algae floating around, I can see exactly what the flow patterns are lol. No dead spots at all. Link to comment
andru24 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 Shouldn't be a cycle. Nothing on the rock to die off, and live rock from a reef twenty feet away transferred in to seed the dead rock. I added that damsel after a couple days and as of this morning I had 0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, and nitrate around 1 or so (little darker than the 0 color, nowhere near the 5 color). Screwy thing is that phosphates also tested 0... I can only assume that's because the algae is burning it up. Here's a pic of Swamp Thing. Believe it or not, this is an improvement... Considering going lights out on the tank for a day or two. That sure is a purdy green tank of pea soup you got there... Link to comment
violinist Posted February 9, 2010 Author Share Posted February 9, 2010 It's a very advanced experiment in phytoplankton cultivation which you won't understand. That's going to be what I tell visitors... Link to comment
andru24 Posted February 9, 2010 Share Posted February 9, 2010 It's a very advanced experiment in phytoplankton cultivation which you won't understand. That's going to be what I tell visitors... Nice, they'll probably believe you too. Link to comment
falln_star Posted February 10, 2010 Share Posted February 10, 2010 Couldn't you add some live copepods to take care of the phytoplankton? EDIT 1: There should be some on the live rock you added, but maybe a few more might be of some help. EDIT 2: Check this guys farm out(Garrett's Acropolis) under his picture section, he had the same thing happen with the phytoplankton. Link to comment
violinist Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 So I cut the lights down to a few hours yesterday and today, things are looking better. So far over the last 1.5 hour, no bloom. Before, the water would be green within 45 minutes... Reduced light, gfo - maybe there's an end in sight. Couldn't you add some live copepods to take care of the phytoplankton? EDIT 1: There should be some on the live rock you added, but maybe a few more might be of some help. EDIT 2: Check this guys farm out(Garrett's Acropolis) under his picture section, he had the same thing happen with the phytoplankton. It's cool how the guy lights his tank with the sun lol. I don't know about the pods. Seems like another bottle full of gimmick, though I admit I haven't really read heavily on them or people's experiences with them. I'll check it out though. Link to comment
violinist Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 1 hour till lights out and still no algae bloom. Fingers crossed... Link to comment
SpringFever Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 Seems like another bottle full of gimmick Isn't that the f-ing truth... Sometimes I feel like i'm stepping into a used car lot when the LFS guy starts talking to me about some bottle of crap. Link to comment
violinist Posted February 11, 2010 Author Share Posted February 11, 2010 Just got home to a nice clear tank, woooooo! I stopped by midwest coral farm to pick up a bucket of salt, and Sissy was nice enough to give me some of the pods they've been growing there. A source I trust, so why not. In the hex they went. Tried to distract the damsel with some flake, so hopefully he doesn't wipe them all out before they can hide. Link to comment
Kittysnax Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 Just got home to a nice clear tank, woooooo! I stopped by midwest coral farm to pick up a bucket of salt, and Sissy was nice enough to give me some of the pods they've been growing there. A source I trust, so why not. In the hex they went. Tried to distract the damsel with some flake, so hopefully he doesn't wipe them all out before they can hide. Pix or it didnt happen! Link to comment
pismo_reefer Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 This tank is unique.... not many good hexes around. Link to comment
violinist Posted February 12, 2010 Author Share Posted February 12, 2010 Pix or it didnt happen! Ok, ok. Link to comment
violinist Posted February 12, 2010 Author Share Posted February 12, 2010 Here we go. Little bit of green here and there, but things have certainly taken a turn for the better. Lights are on a full 8 hours today. There are half a dozen margaritas, 8 turbos and 6 or 7 nass running around in there. Plus the abnormally large hermit I took out of the 20L. Here's a really ####ty pic of the damsel, but I'm not getting off this couch again so forgive it for now. He's very bold now, no more hiding. As far as he's concerned the tank is his. I'm guessing this is going to be an issue when I move the clowns into this tank. I might have to toss this guy upstairs into the 20L if things get violent. My wife thinks the fire shrimp is pretty. She thinks the harlequin shrimp is gross. I like them both, but harlequin's look gross? Come on... Maybe she's just bitter that the harlequin will be eating this guy next week: Here's a not-so-funny story for ya. This morning my wife said 'hey, someone is giving away a 50 gallon tank on freecycle. Comes with iron stand, filters, cichlids, lights. the guy says everything goes'. I told her that's cool but it's not as big as I want and big enough that getting it setup is going to cost a fair chunk of dough so I'll take a pass on it. Got enough tanks for now. Come home this evening and she says 'wow that tank was snapped up within an hour. I think you're right though, it's probably too big to find a spot for' So I told her a 50 gallon was sizeable, but not gigantic and she says... "Proof that you never listen to me. I said ONE FIFTY, not FIFTY". F M L Link to comment
pismo_reefer Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 thats a huuuge difference! Link to comment
Arkayology Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 That sucks dude. You should listen to your wife Link to comment
Markushka Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 Damn that sucks, I missed out on a free 200g a while back. Link to comment
Kittysnax Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 Tank looks INSANELY better! ^_^ Good things! Link to comment
violinist Posted February 12, 2010 Author Share Posted February 12, 2010 Tank looks INSANELY better! ^_^ Good things! Sure does! WC tonight or in the morning and I'm moving the clowns in this weekend. Debating on whether or not to move the 4 stripe to the 20L right away. The clowns have seniority here, and while I think they are retards I don't want them getting roughed up by the newest fish on the block. Plus I'd be going from a 1 fish to 2 fish bioload instead of 1 to 3. Probably the smarter move... Link to comment
captainbastard Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 Wow that tank looks awesome. Love the look on the damsels face Link to comment
Kittysnax Posted February 12, 2010 Share Posted February 12, 2010 Sure does! WC tonight or in the morning and I'm moving the clowns in this weekend. Debating on whether or not to move the 4 stripe to the 20L right away. The clowns have seniority here, and while I think they are retards I don't want them getting roughed up by the newest fish on the block. Plus I'd be going from a 1 fish to 2 fish bioload instead of 1 to 3. Probably the smarter move... well cause I hate damsels with a passion.....Id move him LOL! (A domino damsel killed my love for them years ago!) Link to comment
violinist Posted February 13, 2010 Author Share Posted February 13, 2010 Did the hex's WC this evening. Also was COMPLETELY OVERRULED in regard to moving the 4 stripe to the 20L. Whose tank is it anyways??? Apparently this tank is 'ours' Everyone is getting along so far. I warned that the 4 stripe is leaving at the first sign of aggression. I'll have to keep an eye on the params and make sure I don't get an ammonia spike. In other news, something has been munching the chips off the chocolate chip star. It's laying in back on the live rock and hasn't moved since I got home this afternoon. If it's still there in the morning I'm going to grab it, see if there is any sign of life and, if so, the harlequin is getting an early meal. I just fed it yesterday and saw it eat the food so I don't think it's dead, but I don't need to be stressing over what is, in the end, shrimp food. Also moved the vortech a bit higher for no other reason that increasing the shimmer from the MH. This weekend I am going to put the modded ac70 on the tank and get the ghetto fuge going. Link to comment
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