Joe Dirt Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 Current FTS 06/12/12 05/16/12 05/03/12 02/28/12 12/02/11 My camera isn't the best so forgive the pics until I can score a DSLR. My LPS feeding video Link to comment
JoelRHale Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 Great looking start, you're going to love that sympodium, I love mine. Link to comment
Joe Dirt Posted August 21, 2011 Author Share Posted August 21, 2011 In the beginning... I'm pretty new to the saltwater tank but I've been doing a lot of research over the last few months and I started my first tank on 07/07/11. The wife and I have wanted a saltwater tank for years now. So when my kids started asking or a dog, Nemo served as a great distraction. I scored a brand new 28G JBJ Nano Cube CF with the unassembled stand on Craigslist for $300. This is what started this addiction; corals are what have sealed the deal. I cycled the tank with LR from various locations (never doing that again), 30 pounds of Caribsea Fiji Pink, and 5 gallons of SW from an established and trusted tank. The remainder of the SW was new. The tank cycled really fast in about a week. I then added my CUC and they were quite happy. I had an impulse buy, against my better judgement, and bought a Six Line Wrasse a little prematurely. The fish is doing well and the tank is really coming along nicely. Last weekend I went and drove to meet Pickle010 and bought a pair of Black Ice Snowflake Clownfish. They are about 4 months old and are absolutely beautiful! They are currently in my quarantine tank for observation. I also bought some corals which are also in the quarantine tank. I plan to have mostly LPS, but I hope to get some SPS in the future once I get this dosing stuff down. I am also going to convert my hood over to the Nanotuners LED kit before I put my corals in there. I am really enjoying this hobby more than any other I've ever had. I find it very rewarding and therapeutic almost. I welcome people's help along the ways as well as constructive criticism. Thanks to everyone that has helped so far and I'm glad to be part of this great community. Display Tank Equipment JBJ 28G Nano Cube CF Quad (converted to DIY LED) Ecotech Vortech MP10w ES Jager 100W Heater in Tank Media Basket with BRS GFO and ROX 0.8 Aquamaxx HOB-1 Skimmer 28 Pound of Fiji LR 30 Pounds of Caribsea Fiji Pink LS Livestock Black Ice Snowflake Clownfish pair ( Chris and Megan ) Six Line Wrasse ( Nikki Sixx ) Inverts 2x Astrea Snails 5x Nassarius Snails ( The Snorks ) 2x Turbo Snails ( Turbo ) 1x Fire Shrimp ( McQueen ) 3x Nerite Snails 1x Dwarf Blue Legged Hermit Crab 2x Dwarf Red Legged Hermit Crab Electric Blue Hermit Crab (just died one day ) 2x Cerith Snails 2x Fighting Conchs 1x Trocus Snail 1x Hairy Crab ( Cousin IT , passed on ) 1x Red Sea Star ( Fromia milleporella ) CoralsSPSScreaming Green Birdsnest ORA Tricolor Valida Acropora Tyree Ponape Birdsnest ORA Orange Montipora Digitata ORA Red Planet Table ORA Hawkins Blue Echinata Aussie Highlighter Acropora Blue Hoeksemai Acropora Vivid's Glowstick Acropora (let's try this again) Northern Lights Granulosa Purple Montipora Capricornis Green Montipora Capricornis ORA Pearlberry Blue Staghorn Strawberry Shortcake Acropora Superman Millepora LPS and Softies Candy Apple Red Zoanthid Candy Apple Pink Zoanthid Sunny D Zoanthid Nuclear Green Zoanthid Candyland Acan Green Frogspawn Pride of the Sphinx Acan Big Blue Sympodium Utter Chaos Zoanthid Captain America Palythoa Orange and Green Ricordea Darth Maul Zoanthid King Midas Zoanthid Armor of God Zoanthid Red and Green Blastomussa Wellsi Blond Blue Eyed B@#$&*s Zoanthid Cornbred Trash Mummy Eye Chalice Rasta Zoanthid Paradise Zoanthid Thanks for Looking! Link to comment
JoelRHale Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 Is that what you also feed your acan? Right now since I don't have any SPS or LPS I just overfeed the tank so my softies and macro can grow faster (nitrates and phosphates still stay at 0ppm) so I don't specifically feed them but I know when I get a LPS or SPS I'll have to change my regiment around. Link to comment
Joe Dirt Posted August 21, 2011 Author Share Posted August 21, 2011 Is that what you also feed your acan? Right now since I don't have any SPS or LPS I just overfeed the tank so my softies and macro can grow faster (nitrates and phosphates still stay at 0ppm) so I don't specifically feed them but I know when I get a LPS or SPS I'll have to change my regiment around. I turn off the pumps and feed the Acans and the Frogspawn Reef Caviar through a eye dropper. The Acans gobble them up like crazy. The frogspawn will eat the cyclopeeze and the Reef Caviar. I feed the zoas the cyclopeeze. Some eat, some don't. Because I use the eye dropper, I'm not needlessly dumping food in the tank to foul it up. Link to comment
nickjqz Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 Looks like you are doing everything perfectly! Following along. Link to comment
Joe Dirt Posted August 21, 2011 Author Share Posted August 21, 2011 Looks like you are doing everything perfectly!Following along. Thanks. I really want to succeed in this. I've read too many horror stories of lost livestock and people having problems from being too cheap. I'm just trying to take it slow and make it thrive. BTW, my wife just named the clowns...meet Kahl Drogo and Daenerys! I think the names are very appropriate for the relationship. Link to comment
Calvinorc Posted August 21, 2011 Share Posted August 21, 2011 Thanks. I really want to succeed in this. I've read too many horror stories of lost livestock and people having problems from being too cheap. I'm just trying to take it slow and make it thrive. BTW, my wife just named the clowns...meet Kahl Drogo and Daenerys! I think the names are very appropriate for the relationship. Excellent names!!!! I hope your male clown has a lot better luck than Drogo did in the book/mini-series... although if Dani is anything like my clown, she'll definitely be Queen of your tank!! Link to comment
Joe Dirt Posted August 21, 2011 Author Share Posted August 21, 2011 Excellent names!!!! I hope your male clown has a lot better luck than Drogo did in the book/mini-series... although if Dani is anything like my clown, she'll definitely be Queen of your tank!! Thanks! They are still too young for me to really tell for certain. But I will say that the one with the more irregular banding on the stripe near his/her face is definitely started to show the other who the boss is in that tank. Link to comment
Pickle010 Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Looks like things are coming along nicely for you! Pretty Snows!!! Keep up the good work - you're already way ahead of the game just by taking your time and being patient with the system. Link to comment
Joe Dirt Posted August 22, 2011 Author Share Posted August 22, 2011 Looks like things are coming along nicely for you! Pretty Snows!!! Keep up the good work - you're already way ahead of the game just by taking your time and being patient with the system. Thanks! Yeah, the thought of losing livestock because of impatience and vanity just doesn't sit well. On a side note everyone, these Astrea Starfish multiply like rabbits! I must have pulled like ten tiny ones out so far. I think they keep splitting in half and multiplying to piss me off or something. Link to comment
Addinali Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Gonna look good once everything gets put together Link to comment
Joe Dirt Posted August 22, 2011 Author Share Posted August 22, 2011 Gonna look good once everything gets put together Thanks! I went with frags to save money. Besides, what do you do when its all filled up and grown out right off the bat anyways? Besides getting a bigger tank, that is. LOL Does anyone have experience with this skimmer? I did some research and decided to go with this skimmer based on the fact that I won't really have to modify my tank to get it to work. The reviews and the things I've read on the net say its pretty good. Link to comment
Paigee Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Looking really nice! Can't wait to see it grow Link to comment
Joe Dirt Posted August 24, 2011 Author Share Posted August 24, 2011 I'm thinking of getting a blue spotted jawfish as my last fish. Anyone with experience with this little guy please chime in. I have Fiji Pink sand so I would have to make a condo or remove the sand, right? What do you guys think of removing 1/3 or 10 lbs of the Fiji Pink and adding back 10 of the Bimini Pink on top and some small pieces of live rock rubble? To be honest, I've wanted to add some larger grained sand anyways. Link to comment
Joe Dirt Posted September 5, 2011 Author Share Posted September 5, 2011 Well I added my snowflakes to the DT on Saturday and they are doing quite well. When I set my QT up, I was doing daily WC because of the fish. Now that its just coral in there, the tank is starting to cycle. Both the ammonia and nitrite are pretty low (5.0 ppm, and .25 ppm). Since I'm not feeding the tank anymore and the fish are out, do you guys think the corals can hang in there with the cycle? Link to comment
Joe Dirt Posted September 8, 2011 Author Share Posted September 8, 2011 Well I ordered an Aquamaxx HOB-1 Skimmer this weekend and I got it in today. I must say that I was very impressed with the overall quality of the skimmer. The acrylic is flawless and it just feels like a very quality product. Big thumbs up so far. I was also very pleased to see that it comes with an Italian made pump. I sort of understand the big price tag on this thing now. I did modify it very slightly so that I could open the hood more. I used a dremel to cut off 3/8" off the large outlet and 1/4" off the smaller outlet. I can open the hood up to the first notch which is just fine with me. The "T" fitting on the return outlet is a little loud but not aggravating. It's still quieter than the penguin on the frag tank. Next step is Nanotuners LED conversion!!! Link to comment
FlCandy Posted September 8, 2011 Share Posted September 8, 2011 Looks great I am now following along. Your QT setup is like a surgery suite, I keep expecting to see a little shrimp with a white coat in there. I may have to steal your design.... Link to comment
Joe Dirt Posted September 8, 2011 Author Share Posted September 8, 2011 Looks great I am now following along. Your QT setup is like a surgery suite, I keep expecting to see a little shrimp with a white coat in there. I may have to steal your design.... Thank. Feel free to copy anything. I did a ton of research before designing and purchasing equipment for the QT. I got some really good advice from some knowledgeable people on here. Especially on the lighting. I tend to take my time with things, especially when money is at stake. I'm a true believer in doing it right the first time. Link to comment
Joe Dirt Posted September 11, 2011 Author Share Posted September 11, 2011 What is this and why are my rocks fuzzy? BTW, the skimmer has been running for a week now. I did my weekly WC and tested the water. My PO4 is finally down to zero. Maybe this is the issue. Link to comment
FlCandy Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Kind of looks like GHA, I have some in mine to working on the PO4 as well. I am no expert so I hope someone else is more sure. Go to reefcleaners.org and check the algae id page, really awesome information on there. Link to comment
Joe Dirt Posted September 11, 2011 Author Share Posted September 11, 2011 I looked and it could be a couple different ones. Either way the remedy is to starve it out. I just got the skimmer and the GFO will be here on Monday. Looks like time will take of it. Link to comment
FlCandy Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 I looked and it could be a couple different ones. Either way the remedy is to starve it out. I just got the skimmer and the GFO will be here on Monday. Looks like time will take of it. Same thing I am doing/going through. Good luck! Link to comment
ShaneFromFlorida Posted September 11, 2011 Share Posted September 11, 2011 Got the same jagermeister shot glasses Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.