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LarryMoeCurly's 20g Long


LarryMoeCurly

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LarryMoeCurly

I just tested the water again.

 

Nitrates:basically 0

Nitrites:0

Ammonia:0-.25

 

I really don't know how to interpret this. From what I've read, an ammonia spike from a full blown cycle is around .5-1 or perhaps more. I can barely tell that there is any ammonia at all. (The test is really hard to read. I tested my established 10g, and the 20g, and its really hard to tell the difference, although the 20g is very slightly darker.)

 

Should I have nitrites by now? Since I added the water, rock and filter straight form the 10g, I don't understand why there would be a cycle. And if its a minicyle, why hasn't the ammonia been converted to nitrites or nitrates by now?

 

I hate to say this, but I don't really have the setup for a full blown cycle, since I wasn't expecting one, the equipment is sort of being shared between the tanks. Its probably going to come down to me doing a large water change later in the week and adding the remaining stuff from the 10g, in an attept to circumvent the cycle (if it actually is a cycle).

 

Any help is appreciated!

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LarryMoeCurly

Can anyone offer a little insight on this?

I know it seems like I'm just an impatent beginner (because I am), but I don't see why there would be a cycle with this upgrade. Nor do I see why the little ammonia that is present hasn't been converted yet.

 

I'll test agian tonight.

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LarryMoeCurly

Tested again:

 

no nitrites

 

ammonia seems to be less (I can barely tell the difference between 10g and 20g tests)

I don't know how the ammonia could go away, but the nitrite remain 0.

 

I found a small mushroom on one of the rocks I put in the 20g. It was expanded and looking fine (besides being bleached, of course) Don't know how much ammonia shrooms can tolerate.

 

I am going to test tomorrow and maybe do a small water change and transfer the livestock, we'll see how the test are first.

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If you are unsure about whether or not your tank has cycled just take it slow. Transfering a few guys from the CUC of your other tank might be a good way to "test the waters."

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LarryMoeCurly

About 30 min ago I dropped in snail and my smallest frag of zoas. The snail has since buried itself (as usual), and the zoas are already fully opened.

 

I'm not sure how long it would take for these things to die if there were ammonia. I read that ammonia is more toxic to fish than to corals, but I believe I read the opposite before so I don't know which to believe.

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LarryMoeCurly

I just transferred everything into th 20g. The zoas are all opened up already, the snails are moving around, and the fish looks fine.

 

We'll see if everything survives the night...

 

I'll post some pics later tonight.

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LarryMoeCurly

Everything looks good so far...

(the final scape will most likely not include most of the rocks form the 10g)

fts51011.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...
LarryMoeCurly

Yeah, I'm thinking I need more light, hopefully I can get a used one for cheap.

 

Also an update, I got a shipment of frags a few days ago (thanks Tanya): some kind of soft tree coral, frogspawn, toadstool leather, xenia (may be dead by the time I post pics), and gsp. I will eventually post pics.

 

I'm thinking of changing my scape to make more room for coral. Most of the lighted space is on the top, too near the water surface for my liking, especially when the light is more intense from the added par38.

 

I also may go fish shopping within the next few weeks, I'm hoping to get a maroon clown and a six lined wrasse.

 

And I am seeing an aglae outbreak. Its not too bad, but currently I have a very small CUC, so I'll probably be ordering the 20 long quick crew from reefcleaners next week.

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LarryMoeCurly

I just ordered the 20g long quick crew.

I ordered an AC70 from amazon.com.

I have an 11 head candycane coral coming on Thursday.

Par38 is pending.

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Patrizio_g

Very nice tank

 

you posted on Kam's 10 Gallon, that you may be interested on using an aquaclear 70 for refuge.

Well i use a 110, a friend of mine was using a 70 and changed for a 110 because you get lot more space in there.

 

here are some pictures of mine 110.

 

post-66530-1306595962_thumb.jpg

 

post-66530-1306596012_thumb.jpg

 

my turbo snail was out there lol.

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LarryMoeCurly

I already ordered the AC70, it's in transit now.

Thanks for the pics! What sort of light are you using?

 

I have never owned and aquaclear, so I'm not quite sure about the machanics of it. Also, I haven't really researched how to modify it yet. Eventually I may turn it into a fuge, but probably not as soon a I get it.

 

Edit: As I was typing, the mail lady was dropping off the ac70. The tracking said it would be delivered on June 1 :D

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LarryMoeCurly

I just bought a cheap glass thermometer from petsmart.

 

The glass thermometer (the one I just bought for $2.89): 88

The digital thermometer (the one I have been using and trusting for years): 78

 

omgomgomg

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LarryMoeCurly

The ac70 is installed and running, and it is LOUD! Also, I now have three par38s, the middle one is 20k and 60* optics.

 

New FTS:

fts53111.jpg

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joesmoe517

looks good man, you have me considering a 20L for my wife's seahorse tank once the new house is up and running. And how about those trumpets?!

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LarryMoeCurly

Yeah, I should have skipped the 10g and upgraded straight to the 20g. It seems like the perfect dimensions for a nano. I actually thought about a seahorse for this tank, but the feeding requirements aren't really suited to my situation (leaving the tank in my parents care for weeks at a time while I'm at school).

 

The trumpets are doing great! I fed them again tonight and I think every head ate at least a little mysis.

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joesmoe517

yeah, they're monsters. once they're really happy, you will be able to feed them a TON. They always put out feeders and come back for seconds a few minutes later. This is a reason why i have many stalks with multiple heads on them...they had plenty of sustenance to make new tissue, but the calcification processfor building skeleton is much slower.

 

About your PAR38 bulbs... where did you get them from, what optics are they, and what are those sockets they're plugged into?

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LarryMoeCurly
About your PAR38 bulbs... where did you get them from, what optics are they, and what are those sockets they're plugged into?

 

I got them all from members on NR. All of them are evil's par38s. The two on the ends are 12,000 and 80* optics. The one in the center is 60* optics and 20,000, but I really can't see a diffence in color. The sockets are from the cheap clip-on work lights from home depot (or any other store). I simply removed the large metal reflector and the clip, and just used the socket. I used electrical tape to secure them to the pvc fixture. It doesn't look pretty, but it works.

 

Also a few updates:

It seems he ac70 has quieted down a bit.

The large snails are escaping on a daily basis, one was on the carpet for the whole day. I put it back in the tank and it was moving in minutes.

The small remaining piece of the toadstool has disappeared/desintagrated.

I moved one of the trumpet frags to where the toadstool rock was.

 

I contacted an LFS and they want more than $50 for a gold-stripe maroon clown. I contacted another one and they say around $30. I trust the first store more than the second, but I'll probably go with the cheapest price.

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joesmoe517

Cool. Are you using the 10 as a QT now or what? You could probably go see the cheaper goldstripe in person and if he's eating, just ask them to dip him in some anti-parasitic solution like formalin and you're good to go. Also, hopefully he's the last fish you want to have in the tank because they can be pretty aggressive, especially if they don't have a nem to host in :)

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