College 3-Gallon Reef Tank!

[Wiilio]

Maybe so, maybe so. NH₃/NO₂/NO₃ are all 0 (NO₃ might be like, 1).

[Wiilio]

So I just wanted to pop in and say that the tank has been... maturing. I haven't touched it; no pruning, no algae scraping, no aiptasia control... The caulerpa (both kinds) are growing quite well, which was to be expected. The C. taxifolia has made a wonderful comeback and is looking very nice. I like having both greens in the tank (the C. prolifera is darker). The bryothamnion is growing very slowly (if it's growing at all). The blue ochtodes on the left got washed away with the current of the AC70 coupled with the constant motion of a bristleworm that had taken up shop under it. The bunch on the right is growing (slowly).

 

I think the tiny white dots on the right side of my tank are aiptasia, and they've taken over big time.

I ordered a JBJ 3 gallon picotope and auto top off system, and they have arrived at my house. When I get home tomorrow, I will be transferring as much as I can over to it. The 10 gallon will most likely become a tarantula tank.

I want to make sure no aiptasia get into this tank. Could you all please give me some methods to wash off the sand and rock? Freshwater dip/soak?

For now, the neon goby will go to the 3 gallon, and the firefish will go back to the store (provided he's still alive when I get back; he disappeared a few days before I left). I'd like to turn it into a mantis tank, but if I can't find a shrimp small enough, the neon goby sits fine with me.

[Wiilio]

And now for the reveal:

 

This picture really doesn't do it justice, I'm afraid. It looks very cool.

No idea where my ochtodes went off to. My guess is that after the large clump came off and floated away into the abyss, the hermit crabs acquired a taste for it (as they have done for the brown macro I used to have). Then they proceeded to consume the small clump I had going. So I'll have to order more. Also, my caulerpa (both kinds) is melting, but hopefully it will bounce back on its own. If it doesn't, oh well; it's not very expensive. Needless to say, the hermit crabs are gone.

The firefish was missing, as was the pistol shrimp. Both fish had been using the pistol's holes, so I'm guessing he got sick of it and capped (ha) the firefish and the neon goby wised up and stayed out. Then sometime between firefish death and my arrival back home (never trust parents to take care of tanks), the pistol shrimp died.

 

Before anyone asks, yes I checked params, and yes everything was normal (unless NO₃s at 1 is deadly, which it's not).

The neon goby, on the other hand, is doing quite well in this tank. All I have to do is come into the room, pull up my chair, and sit down in front of the tank; and he darts out of the rock and plops himself down, looking at me. He's so cute!

Future plans for the tank:
- Get more ochtodes (priority one here; I really want to get it growing on the top of the rocks around the bryothamnion)

- Get a PAR30 or PAR38 (3 white/2 blue. I LOVE the blue in the lights. It makes the bryothamnion pop)

- Get inverts (sexy shrimp most likely, other suggestions more than welcome)
- Get more caulerpa if necessary

 

Some pics from delivery of tank up to setup:

 

 

 

 

 

[gena]

Well, you've been busy!!!!

 

New tank is awesome!!!! Did you end up cleaning the sand and rock?

[Wiilio]

Look who's talking! Your tank is coming along VERY well

I did clean them, but I went to extremes... washed them all in chlorinated fresh water and let the rocks dry :/ I was hoping I could clean them without killing everything, but I really didn't know what to do, and I didn't want the aiptasia coming back. You should've seen all of the baby ones on the right side of the 10...

 

But the rock in the front with two bryothamnion pieces wasn't touched, so at least I have something to seed with. And the filter wasn't touched either.

Thanks for popping back in! I'm sorry it's been so long.

 

Also, how would I go about updating the title of this thread to be more accurate?

[gena]

Look who's talking! Your tank is coming along VERY well

 

I did clean them, but I went to extremes... washed them all in chlorinated fresh water and let the rocks dry :/ I was hoping I could clean them without killing everything, but I really didn't know what to do, and I didn't want the aiptasia coming back. You should've seen all of the baby ones on the right side of the 10...

 

But the rock in the front with two bryothamnion pieces wasn't touched, so at least I have something to seed with. And the filter wasn't touched either.

 

Thanks for popping back in! I'm sorry it's been so long.

 

Also, how would I go about updating the title of this thread to be more accurate?

Hah...thanks! I'm finally starting to be able to sit back and relax with the whole thing. It's stressful to change tanks LOL.

 

Sounds like you made the right move with cleaning but leaving one rock and the filter alone. Did you end up using new sand?

 

I THINK if you go to your first post, you can edit the title there. Not for sure though since I haven't had to do that yet.

[ccapasso]

Nice new setup.

 

And yes, to change the title you edit the first post. Make sure you use the full editor and not the quick edit.

[Wiilio]

Hah...thanks! I'm finally starting to be able to sit back and relax with the whole thing. It's stressful to change tanks LOL.

 

Sounds like you made the right move with cleaning but leaving one rock and the filter alone. Did you end up using new sand?

 

I THINK if you go to your first post, you can edit the title there. Not for sure though since I haven't had to do that yet.

 

I didn't; I just rinsed it with tap water for awhile. Got pricked in the finger by a bristle worm too... not the most fun experience. Slightly less annoying than dealing with urticating hairs from tarantulas.

 

Nice new setup. And yes, to change the title you edit the first post. Make sure you use the full editor and not the quick edit.

 

Thank you! I wasn't using the full editor before, but now I have it fixed.

 

-----------------

 

I'd like to dedicate this post to my neon goby. When he was in the 10 gallon, he would just stick to the back of the tank most of the time and I would rarely see him. Now that he's been moved into the 3 gallon, he is the cutest fish I've ever seen! I usually don't name fish, but this one just might need one. He acts so much like a little puppy!

 

He hangs out in the rockwork when he's by himself. If I come in and pull up my chair/tap on the table, he'll come out like this:

 

 

If I wiggle my fingers in front of him, he'll sometimes start rooting around on the rock. It reminds me of when dogs put their noses to the ground when they have a scent and get a lot of sniffs in.

 

This is his other favorite hangout once he knows I'm in there for awhile:

 

I was trying to get a picture of him hanging out in the back of the tank, but he got curious:

 

This is the shot I was going for:

 

I'm just so glad that he seems to be very happy in there. Swimming through all of the rockwork, using the tunnels that formed under the rocks, bopping around on top of the rocks, utilizing the sandbed once in awhile, even swimming in the open water above the rocks... it's just really great to see that he's happy

 

So enough about that. Thanks for reading!

[Wiilio]

I think the coral bug is starting to bite

 

I was just giving the tank a close look, and I noticed how perfect it would be for corals. So many flat (or close to flat) surfaces, some large, some small. I would only do easy softies (zoas, mushrooms and/or rics, a xenia or two in the back), but... it's starting to look veeeery appealing...

 

And I've discovered these baby tentacled specs that keep appearing on the side of the tank are just hydroids. Huge relief.

[Giga]

Nice goby

[Wiilio]

Hello again, everyone.

After a long summer of work in the field, I have finally moved back into college. And with my housing changes came tank changes!

Since I was able to, I invested in a BoostLED PAR30 3 blue/2 white bulb, so I will be switching over to corals... tomorrow! Last day before classes and I'll be getting corals in the mail. Just some rics and zoas for now, but I would absolutely love to hear any and all suggestions.

And since I'm going with corals, the bryothamnion (which seems to have all but stopped growing) is in the way. So I got an emerald crab to mow that down, and he's slowly but surely working on it.

Some Seachem Purigen and Phosguard are also on the way here, so that'll just be some more filter goodness.

I have the RO/DI filter and JBJ ATO functional as well. Thank goodness for no more pouring water into the tank twice a day!

And here are the goodies:

 

Tank with light:

 

Fish:

 

Crab:



Sorry about these all being iPhone pics, but my friend actually has an even better camera than the one I was using before, and he said he would be happy to take pictures for me. Maybe tomorrow when the corals get in.

Also, I apologize for being gone so long! Please, tell me how your tanks have been going!

Thanks for reading!

[Wiilio]

Picture dump time!

First, an alternative angle for the FTS that shows a little of the tunnel system created by the rockwork (that the neon goby LOVES):

 

Now for more focus on the new arrivals:

 

 

There are FIVE mouths on this guy (these guys?):

 

...and updated FTS on the first page.

Sorry these aren't the best pictures; once my friend and I figure out different settings on his camera, I'll see about posting some better ones.

Thanks for reading!

[Wiilio]

The guy who sent the corals asked for a couple of shots for how they were doing, so I figured I'd upload them here too:

 

[Wiilio]

"Draw me like one of your French girls."

I was wondering why those zoas were closed up a little, and I believe I have found the culprit.

 

Also, my new duncan