stshy Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 Hey everybody, I've been a member here for a little while and I love reading about all you tanks so I figured why not make my own. My tank isn't setup yet, probably only next weekend. Right now I'm in the process of getting everything ready, getting everything I need in equipment. Today I got my dry rock and sand from "eco-reefer.com". I put together an aquascape that I like so tell me what you think. Theres an arch at the top left and a cave in the bottom right. I also bought a saltwater master test kit, digital thermometer, instant ocean salt, and a coralife hydrometer for my tank. A BIG THANKS TO Poodges for sending me over two koralia nanos, another hydor pump, some mag floats, and a few other things. Helped a lot! Last week I build a diy stand with my father but it still needs to get painted. Thats why I'm only setting up the tank next week. My stock plans: 1 clownfish (don't know which one yet) 1 firefish Maybe a goby/shrimp pair Link to comment
paneubert Posted January 8, 2011 Share Posted January 8, 2011 I think it looks good. Just keep in mind that you will have to either glue corals to that rock or expect the aquascape to change when you add corals that are already attached to their own rock. Just something to keep in mind. But I do really like that shape. Link to comment
Poodges Posted January 9, 2011 Share Posted January 9, 2011 Aquascape looks cool. If you are considering a goby/shrimp pair, you will definitely want to put your rocks in first, then put the sand in. That way it will be more stable because the shrimp will constantly rearrange the sand. Link to comment
Rem Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Looking good! Can't wait to see everything put together. Link to comment
Deano Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Nice Job on the scape, looks natural and will be awesome when it gets covered with coraline and other critters. Link to comment
stshy Posted January 10, 2011 Author Share Posted January 10, 2011 Alright just a quick update. I have been cleaning my rock and sand today. I went to the store to buy a 5 gallon jug of RO water and washed all of my rocks in a container. Then I dump my sand in a container and filled it with water. I dumped the dirty water out but didn't have enough water to rinse the sand again. I guess I'll have to go get some more tomorow The tank should and hopefully will get setup this weekend. I'm awaiting on my stand that my dad is painting for me. I'm excited! Link to comment
Poodges Posted January 14, 2011 Share Posted January 14, 2011 When this bad boy gonna be up and running? Link to comment
stshy Posted January 18, 2011 Author Share Posted January 18, 2011 Hopefully by this weekend. My stand Has finally gotten painted. The powerheads are on the way down ! I should get them and the stand on Thursday. Link to comment
stshy Posted January 22, 2011 Author Share Posted January 22, 2011 Alright so I got my stand and my powerheads on Thursday =) Now I'm just waiting for my hydrometer to get everything started. Anyway, here are a few pictures. Any ideas on a CUC and when I should add them? Link to comment
flick Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Looks great so far! For my cuc (in my 10g) I got 4 blue legged hermit crabs (demolished bubble, green hair, and diatoms in sand and rock) and 4 margarita snails (for green hair and diatom algae on glass/equip). Works out great edit: on second glance, I'd recommend pointing one of the koralias towards the water surface for more oxygen exchange Link to comment
Poodges Posted January 22, 2011 Share Posted January 22, 2011 Dude... your stand, rock scape and tank look awesome! Looks like you have lots of shelves for corals and the scape looks very stable. Awesome job. Link to comment
Poodges Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Any updates? Do we have water yet? Link to comment
bps7772000 Posted February 1, 2011 Share Posted February 1, 2011 Now I'm just waiting for my hydrometer to get everything started Please get a refractometer. Hydrometers are NOT accurate. Link to comment
stshy Posted February 3, 2011 Author Share Posted February 3, 2011 Alright, the water is in. The live rock is in and everything is going. The LFS said that a coral MIGHT be able to survive so he gave me a ricordea to try it out. I checked all the parameters today and here they are. Ammonia: 0.50 ppm Nitrite: 0 ppm Nitrate: 0 ppm pH: 8.0 From what I remember seeing, the pH is supposed to be higher. How can I raise it? I have pH increaser that I had for my old freshwater tank. Here is a Fish Tank Shot. Link to comment
Poodges Posted February 3, 2011 Share Posted February 3, 2011 Tank looks awesome. Your pH is fine. It will swing a little bit with your light cycle and will be highest just before your lights turn off. You don't want to go chasing the perfect pH because you can throw some other parameters out of whack. 7.8-8.4 are generally acceptable pH readings. Link to comment
stshy Posted February 3, 2011 Author Share Posted February 3, 2011 That coraline covered rock isn't staying there btw. I just put it there thinking maybe it would seed all the rocks evenly faster then if I had it on the far right side So the LFS said I would probably get a really short cycle because nothing ever died from the rock. I transported the rock from his store to here in a container filled with water. Do the parameters look okay for the second day? Link to comment
stshy Posted February 8, 2011 Author Share Posted February 8, 2011 Day 8: I haven't really had the time to check the parameters all that much. I wish I would have had the time but unfortunately was gone all weekend. Anyway, here are the parameters for day number 8. Ammonia: 0.25 ppm Nitrite: 0.25 ppm Nitrate: 5.0 ppm pH: 7.8 Salinity: 1.023 I'm starting to see little brown dots on the sand. Could this be the diatom bloom? Link to comment
Poodges Posted February 9, 2011 Share Posted February 9, 2011 Day 8: I haven't really had the time to check the parameters all that much. I wish I would have had the time but unfortunately was gone all weekend. Anyway, here are the parameters for day number 8. Ammonia: 0.25 ppm Nitrite: 0.25 ppm Nitrate: 5.0 ppm pH: 7.8 Salinity: 1.023 I'm starting to see little brown dots on the sand. Could this be the diatom bloom? Yep, that's probably the beginning of diatoms. When your ammonia/nitrites read zero and your nitrates settle, your cycle will be done. Looks like you'll have a pretty quick cycle. Link to comment
stshy Posted February 10, 2011 Author Share Posted February 10, 2011 Yep, that's probably the beginning of diatoms. When your ammonia/nitrites read zero and your nitrates settle, your cycle will be done. Looks like you'll have a pretty quick cycle. What should I do about the diatoms? Link to comment
Poodges Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 no need to do anything...they're part of the cycle and will eventually go away. Link to comment
stshy Posted February 14, 2011 Author Share Posted February 14, 2011 So this is day number 13 of the all exciting nano reef Anyway, here are the parameters today: Ammonia: 0.50 ppm Nitrite: 0 ppm Nitrate: 0 ppm pH: 8.0 Salinity: 1.023 Does this make sense? The ammonia going back up... I haven't touched anything at all. I discovered lots of life in the tank. A lot of worms and what seem to look like tiny snails :S The rocks and sand bed are COVERED in diatoms and are all a brownish orange color. Heres a picture: Tell me what you think... How its going and if anything should be done. Thanks Link to comment
SbCaes Posted February 14, 2011 Share Posted February 14, 2011 So this is day number 13 of the all exciting nano reef Anyway, here are the parameters today: Ammonia: 0.50 ppm Nitrite: 0 ppm Nitrate: 0 ppm pH: 8.0 Salinity: 1.023 Does this make sense? The ammonia going back up... I haven't touched anything at all. I discovered lots of life in the tank. A lot of worms and what seem to look like tiny snails :S The rocks and sand bed are COVERED in diatoms and are all a brownish orange color. Heres a picture: Tell me what you think... How its going and if anything should be done. Thanks check it again in a few wks. it should be ready by then. =) Link to comment
stshy Posted February 15, 2011 Author Share Posted February 15, 2011 Also when I check the nitrites, it says to shake the tube vigorously for 1 minute. When i'm done, half of it has leaked out of the tube. Can this affect anything? Link to comment
javisaman Posted April 9, 2011 Share Posted April 9, 2011 Dude, nice work! I'm really really diggin the aquascape!!! Are you using API test kits? I think you're shaking a bit too hard if you're losing 1/2 of the solution! Capping the tube and inverting back and forth is better than shaking it up and down. Link to comment
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