copper1974 Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 I've been up for about 6 weeks, so far everything seems to be doing well, except my checking account:blush: Stock JBJ Nanocube 20 lbs live rock live sand False Percula Clownfish Yellow Clown Goby Emerald Crab 2 Scarlet Reef Hermit Crabs 5 Dwarf Red Hermit Crabs 1 Turbo Snail 10 Nassarius Snails 2 Cerith Snails 2 Sexy Shrimp 1 Hawaiian Feather Duster Xenia Red Mushroom Green Mushrooms Green Star Polyps Sponges Open Brain Kenya Tree Frog Spawn Give me any feedback you can. Link to comment
skylsdale Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 All that in only 6 weeks? You might want to slow down a bit... Link to comment
copper1974 Posted May 4, 2004 Author Share Posted May 4, 2004 Everything was live when I started, I added the fish about 2 weeks apart to let the system adjust to them and I do water changes weekly, I haven't seen any water quality issues, what would slowing down do? Link to comment
Hwarang Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 Well I'd guess he's cautioning you because your tank's water and substrate are still in an early stage of life where something could spike as part of the water cycle. Additionally, upping the bioload before the various bacteria cultures (filter, water column, substrate) are ready could also cause a spike. Generally a spike isn't a problem unless you've already stocked a buncha corals and fish. Spiking then is costly. I think he was just trying to save you money. Then again ... we all push it and move too fast. Well, most of us ... Link to comment
copper1974 Posted May 4, 2004 Author Share Posted May 4, 2004 I appreciate the sentiment. How long usually before you can be "safe" from a detrimental spike? Link to comment
DitchPlains Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 Copper, Emerald crabs, and frogspawn so soon...hmmmm Well I'll give you a piece of advice Emerald crabs will eat your coraline algae if you don't supliment there food, thats a fact, they love coraline. Your tank is really new, only a month an half, you could experience a Nitrate spike because your cycle may not be completed. Did you buy your live rock cured or uncured? I am assuming by your early start date it was cured. Either way however the anaerobic bacteria may need more time to grow and develop, to handle your Nitrates (Nitrate cycle = protein> amonia>nitrite>nitrate) Don't add anything else man, let your tank have time to adjust to your new bioload, in all actuality you should wait 2 weeks or more between adding new livestock to all the tank to adjust. Plus why do you have Sexy Anenmone Shrimp?? They are not going to clean your tank like a Skunk Cleaner.....I duhno who sold you those, but without an annenmone their not really suited for your tank....and Do not get an Anenmone!! Your tank is way too new. Hey, I'm not knocking your tank or you personally, just saying this hobby is at best about patience, you need to have some here, take your time or you will be killing corals, and fish . Let your current corals establish themselves before adding new one, soft corals produce a toxin thats adversive to other corals when ther are put through the stress of moving and shipping. Plus make sure to qurratine your corals first. Ok good luck and take care. Link to comment
copper1974 Posted May 4, 2004 Author Share Posted May 4, 2004 The emerald crab I agree likes the coraline, but he's been eating silversides and flake as well. The rock was cured, came from a friend's establised tank, along with the sand. I did wait 2 weeks between adding my fish which are the bioload sources, the corals I am told really do not contribute to the load. I got the sexy anemone shrimp because I wanted them, something more suitable for the 12 gal scale, not to clean up anything. A fellow hobbyist who runs a LFS told me they would "host" in other things and do not require an anemone and so far they like to hang out in the frogspawn and kenya tree. He had them in his Via Aqua without an anemone. I appreciate the feedback. Link to comment
DitchPlains Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 Well Corals don't attribute to the bioload, but they will consume elements, and they will exude toxins to keep their own territory. Sexy Anenmone(Thor amboinensis) shrimp can host in other things, but they are prone to eat polyps and other corals. I would have gone with the Skunk Cleaner or a Florida Condy Shrimp they will host without eating your corals. Link to comment
copper1974 Posted May 4, 2004 Author Share Posted May 4, 2004 Thanks for the heads up on the sexy shrimp, I'll keep an eye on them, so far they don't seem to be bothering anything. I do weekly water changes, so hopefully my trace elements will be maintained. Link to comment
Noonan Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 Don't feather dusters need extremely well established tanks to survive? Link to comment
DitchPlains Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 No not in my experience usually they are one of the first things you see after your cycle has completed, sprouting from your live rock if your lucky. Link to comment
Hwarang Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 Yeah they're small but hardy little buggers. For me as well, they were some of the first things I saw popping up. Link to comment
Noonan Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 I have always thought they did but I am seeing more and more of them on the forums in peoples tanks right after the cycle. Link to comment
Noonan Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 Originally posted by Hwarang Yeah they're small but hardy little buggers. For me as well, they were some of the first things I saw popping up. Well i was talking about the big ones. Link to comment
quandary_23 Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 It may just be me, but his rock is looking great. I think for the most part you won't have a major problem with that tank. If you started with live sand and fully cured LR from an established system or from a reputable place. Where did you get that rock by the way, maybe this will diffuse some of the questions. Otherwise, beautiful tank. I wish I had left more room in mine, sigh, It looks overcrowded to me. But I will see what you guys/girls have to say about that in another month when I post it. Nice tank Well done and all that jazz later Link to comment
copper1974 Posted May 4, 2004 Author Share Posted May 4, 2004 Originally the rock came from Aqua Touch, an LFS in Phoenix. As far as the big Hawaiin Feather Duster, I was just told that he needs DTs, so I feed that a couple times a week. Link to comment
DitchPlains Posted May 4, 2004 Share Posted May 4, 2004 Hey if I didn't say it, it does look good! Just head the patience thing and your set, don't over stock with any more fish, and watch those sexy shrimp. Good luck, yeah quandry nice to have space, my tank is filled to the rim with brim....no space left for a darn thing, my RBTA is finding that out. Link to comment
copper1974 Posted May 4, 2004 Author Share Posted May 4, 2004 Thanks, I'll try to slow down, mayve I need to buy another tank so I can give this one a temporary break? I want to get a royal gramma eventually, but I promise I'll wait. Link to comment
Tballa Posted July 9, 2004 Share Posted July 9, 2004 is everything in your tank stock? Filtration? How do you get rid of the film on top of the water? Link to comment
Whitten Posted July 9, 2004 Share Posted July 9, 2004 I for one love your tank and think you are doing a great job. Link to comment
copper1974 Posted July 9, 2004 Author Share Posted July 9, 2004 Thanks, it's been 5 months now and everything is still doing great, feather duster included. The tank is stock, but I did recently add a Rio50 that I hide behind the rock to get some surface agitation, that scum layer is pretty gross. Link to comment
xien2000corp Posted July 9, 2004 Share Posted July 9, 2004 hey copper, there isnt any need to wait for any sort of cycling if you have taken the sand and rock along with the water from another source. they have all gone through their major cycles and are fine to start up a new system with IF you have ALL 3 from the SAME source(not yelling just emphasis). ive set up a 5 gallon from my 30 with some sand, rock, and water and have had fish living in it from day 1(now about day 180) so you get the idea. fantastic looking start!!! it has a huge amount of potential to become one of the best especially considering your rockwork; gorgeous! -steve Link to comment
just dave Posted July 11, 2004 Share Posted July 11, 2004 Nice tank and rock work. Way to go thinking outside of the box ( or cube as it where.) Link to comment
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