World's slowest custom 85g system. ...and there was coral. (p.18)

[Rollermonkey]

I should also have an order from Diver's Den coming on Friday next week, too.

 

 

They changed my shipping date from yesterday, so I got to move it to a day more my choosing, thus the more than two day delay.

 

I can add to it if something pops up between now and Wednesday that I want.

 

Other items:

 

I also have a Finnex FugeRay Planted+ LED light for the refuium from Amazon on the way. Only catch Is that I need to figure out how I'm going to mount it.

[FlowerMama]

It will feel like Christmas when your package of coral comes.

[Rollermonkey]

The LA/DD package will come on the same day, so I'm going to be busier than a one-legged man in an @$$ kicking contest on Friday.

 

Right now, the other package is a Central America Red Eared Blenny and a radioactive dragon eyes zoa colony rock. I'm hoping a strawberry crab shows up so I can add it to the order.

[Rollermonkey]

In preparation for this week's deliveries, tonight's 10ml dose of ammonia will be the last.

 

Happy happy.

 

40G water changes tomorrow and Sunday, not so happy.

[Rollermonkey]

Since I can see some very fine algae starting to form on areas of the base rock, I've ordered the initial CUC from Reef Cleaners.

 

I definitely asked John for the 'no extras' package, with all that base rock, there's not a lot of algae just yet. Heck, the snails will probably bring the tank almost as much as is already there.

 

Got some macros, too. I'm hoping to stay in front of the nuisance algae this time and start out-competing it immediately. Pods because 86 pounds of base rock and one pound of seed rock needs some help to get started.

 

1 Ulva (Small)

 

1 Red Gracilaria

 

2 Chaeto

 

1 1 Penny Macro Algae

 

1 Pods+

 

50 Dwarf Cerith

 

16 Nassarius Vibex

 

26 Florida Cerith

 

18 Nerite Snails

 

1 Scarlet Hermit Crab*

 

1 Blue Leg Hermit Crab*

 

Oh, neat. I didn't intend for those to be links, but he's a sponsor, so it's all good.

[specore]

I definitely asked John for the 'no extras' package, with all that base rock, there's not a lot of algae just yet. Heck, the snails will probably bring the tank almost as much as is already there.

 

Interested to see how this works out

[Rollermonkey]

Well... Got all the stuff to make the sight glass for my RODI/topoff jug. I was just tired of climbing up to look inside, so I got two 1/2" bulkheads, two 1/2" slip-MPT elbows, and 24" of clear PVC pipe. I was having a hard time finding something for the float that could fit inside the pipe but couldn't turn the corner and exit the pipe when the water level was very low or very high. Tried a few things like round legos and small plastic balls, but everything was either small enough to turn the corner or too big to fit into the pipe until I found these on Amazon:

They are 1.3cm x 3.3cm plastic worm gears. Had to get 10 of them, but it was only $5 and free shipping. Fits perfectly, can't go through the elbow, floats well in fresh or salt and is easily visible through the PVC pipe.

 

For my fuge light, I got a14" Finnex FugeRay Planted+. I could probably have been fine with the 12" but it should work great.

 

John shipped my snails today, and they will be here Thursday.

 

Movin' on up.

[ElmoC]

Pictures when you get those site glasses installed. What diameter PVC did you get?

[Rollermonkey]

I'm only doing one sight glass. I can see into the bottom jug without having to climb a stepladder.

 

I'm using 1/2" clear PVC pipe.... Thought that'd be kind of obvious with all them 1/2" PVC fittings!

 

Well, I stand corrected. I definitely could not have made do with the 12" fuge light. The 14" just barely reaches between the baffles, and a 16" would have been a bit too long, as the legs would have ended up under the lights themselves. Got it on the timer, so tomorrow's chaeto can go straight in the sump.

[ElmoC]

Yeah. After I posted that I figured it out. I had my plans in mind where a LFS has several diameters of clear piping and I have a 1/2" to 3/8" barbed fitting. Post a picture when you have it installed. Where did you get the clear PVC from?

[Rollermonkey]

Got the PVC from the LFS that made my tank, sump and reactors.

[Rollermonkey]

Surprise delivery!

 

My ReefCleaners order was supposed to get here tomorrow, based on USPS's service commitment, but surprise, surprise, a government agency that performed better than it was required to!

 

I'm not going to post pictures of the algae, but here's the snail piles:

 

"18" Nerites:

http://s179.photobucket.com/user/rollermonkey/media/P1000904_zpse2d7b282.jpg.html'>

(Actual quantity: 51, DOAs? Probably zero, most are already upright and open within ten minutes of opening the bag.)

 

"26" Florida Ceriths:

http://s179.photobucket.com/user/rollermonkey/media/P1000901_zps8ed32294.jpg.html'>

(Actual quantity: 32, unless any grew legs and metamorphosed into hermits, DOAs unknown, these do tend to wake up a little slower.)

 

"16" Nassarius:

http://s179.photobucket.com/user/rollermonkey/media/P1000902_zpsc0889826.jpg.html'>

(Actual quantity: 20 DOAs: unknown)

 

"50" Dwarf Ceriths

http://s179.photobucket.com/user/rollermonkey/media/P1000903_zps7b94041e.jpg.html'>

(Actual quantity: 185-ish based on an estimate using snails per square inch in the bag, DOAs: unknown, but many are already moving and they were the last ones into the tank)

 

Not shown:

1 electric-blue hermit, 1 scarlet hermit and two striped leg hermits. These were the first bag I opened, and had already catapulted themselves off the rock tower I placed them on so I could ID the species as they woke up, AND run clear across the whole tank in every direction, before I was even done opening bags.

1 emerald crab. It scurried into a crack within seconds of touching down.

2 clumps of Chaeto, one clump of Red Gracilaria, about 8 Ulva rhizomes and a quart bag of pods.

[Rollermonkey]

Forgot to mention, but I ordered some more macros last night. I'm serious about staying in front of the nuisance algae this time.

[Rollermonkey]

One Central American Red-eared Blenny, from Diver's Den





My 4-year-old daughter has decided that since the fish has 'eyelashes' that it must be a girl.


I didn't realize that the red 'ears' are actually more like eyelids. Weird. Good news is I dropped an herbivore pellet in there and she immediately started picking at it.

I'll check and see if the zoa colony has opened up and get a picture if it has...

[Rollermonkey]

Oops! I accidentally ordered two plates: one purple, one pink, from Blue Zoo Aquatics.

 

Still want a blue one, though. Found a mariculture facility that seems to produce them, just need to get one here through a middleman.

[Rollermonkey]

OK, I gotta agree with the blenny fans: This is one, funny/cool fish with more personality in that 1.5" body than the rest of my fish combined.

 

I just spent at least 20 minutes watching 'her' play with the food, reflection, etc.

 

Also: Was completely unaware that blennies can color-shift: The stripes in the pictures above come and go... Neat.

[FlowerMama]

My tailspot would get stripes when the lights would turn on because it was shocked, or if she was in an unfamiliar situation or just otherwise scared. So for mine it was a stress reaction.

Picture time!

[Rollermonkey]

Thanks, that's pretty cool to learn. It's also weird having a fish that clearly doesn't have neutral buoyancy.

 

Not a lot to see in pictures. Some small algae growth, snails are working, and the blenny is in QT...

 

Since somebody forgot to send my corals on Thursday, they aren't here... yeah...

[MyLiquidBlue29BC]

Why are there no coral pics yet? I have been waiting so patiently!

[Rollermonkey]

Thanks, that's pretty cool to learn. It's also weird having a fish that clearly doesn't have neutral buoyancy.

 

Not a lot to see in pictures. Some small algae growth, snails are working, and the blenny is in QT...

 

Since somebody forgot to send my corals on Thursday, they aren't here... yeah...

 

There's the problem with kids today: three sentences = TL:DR

 

 

Why are there no coral pics yet? I have been waiting so patiently!

 

[MyLiquidBlue29BC]

There's the problem with kids today: three sentences = TL:DR:P

Totally read...I happen to be a reading teacher, of all things. I can do a little math too. Thursday was SIX days ago! Ship on Monday, get corals on Tuesday or Wednesday, put pictures of corals online same day they arrive.

 

I'm positive that is how it works

[Rollermonkey]

Nope. I need Friday deliveries, so missed shipment on Thursday means one week wait for delivery.

Also: just added some more macros.

 

2 quarts of caulerpa prolifera, 2 quarts of gracilara and 2 quarts of ulva and a large cluster of branching coralline that I may crush up.

[MyLiquidBlue29BC]

Ahh well...I'm sure they will be worth the wait.

[Rollermonkey]

Knowing that herbivores rarely stop eating and experiencing it are definitely two different things.

[Rollermonkey]

I'm going to post a four word teaser:

 

LOTS of corals arrived

 

18 frags/corals in total, to be more specific.

 

Still dipping, but I'm getting closer to finished.

 

Yes, I will take pictures.