tibbsy07 5.5 pico reef

[tibbsy07]

I'm jealous. I really want to start up a pico aain but I gave my 3 gal bow front to my sister in law to use for her betta

Get a used one!

 

I had to use a pillow case once to rinse my sand in a pinch. Funny thing it actually worked pretty good! Give it a try you never know. Hope that helps out some.like the build btw. Can't wait to see it progress.

Hmmm this sounds like a good idea! I noticed this morning when I removed the water from the tank and stirred the sand up a bit, it wasn't as cloudy as before. Hopefully I got more than I though. In the future I'm going to use crushed coral. Fine sand is way too fine, and this coarse aragonite is still too fine, for me, at least.

 

Oh lawd. You're like me and can't catch a break

Tell me about it... Ugh.

[tibbsy07]

I think it's the AC70 that is leaking. I emptied most of the tank today into a 5g bucket, leaving about a gallon or so in the tank. I dumped out the AC70 and let it dry on a towel. After I got home from work, there is no more water all over, so I think it must not be the tank, but the AC70. I think it's dripping from the motor? It was hard to tell - I'll tinker a bit tonight. In some ways, it would have been better if it was the tank, because the tank is only 15 bucks. If I have to replace the AC70, it'll be closer to 55. I might be able to just caulk it. We'll see.

[AWillroth]

Great, thanks! I was thinking a couple of mexican turbos, an emerald or porcelain crab, a yellow clown goby and then coral. I was going to order from John at Reefcleaners, but I'm afraid he'll blow up my tank with too many CUC inverts.

 

 

On a side note - there is so much dang sand dust in my tank. If I touch the sandbed, it kicks up like crazy and it is covering everything. I try and blow it around so the filter floss picks it up but it still ends up covering everything. I think a good sand vac and a few filter floss changes will help out.

I have 2 mexican turbos in my 20 gallon and wouldnt really feel comfotable putting one in a smaller tank. Theyre already all over everything even with this amount of space. I can only imagine they'd tear your 5.5 apart.

[tibbsy07]

I have 2 mexican turbos in my 20 gallon and wouldnt really feel comfotable putting one in a smaller tank. Theyre already all over everything even with this amount of space. I can only imagine they'd tear your 5.5 apart.

Gotcha. Good to know! I'll just stick with Reef Cleaners, then, and ask John to PLEASE stick to the numbers, lol.

[jedimasterben]

I would not get any nerites, though. I pulled all the ones in my tank out. They are out of the tank more than they are in. Since doing that, I've been seeing my FL ceriths out and ALL over the place, especially at night. Maybe my nerites had formed a street gang and were having a turf war with the ceriths.

[tibbsy07]

I would not get any nerites, though. I pulled all the ones in my tank out. They are out of the tank more than they are in. Since doing that, I've been seeing my FL ceriths out and ALL over the place, especially at night. Maybe my nerites had formed a street gang and were having a turf war with the ceriths.

Whoa! Crazy! I'll keep that in mind. Thanks Ben!

 

Now to figure out my leak issue

[AWillroth]

For what it's worth, I've had no problem with nerites. They stay in my tank. That doesn't seem to be anyone else's experience, though.

[tibbsy07]

For what it's worth, I've had no problem with nerites. They stay in my tank. That doesn't seem to be anyone else's experience, though.

I had no problems in my 12g with the nerites, but I've been reading more stories about them and it seems it is common for them to flee.

 

 

Side note: This is an incredible read! I wanted to do a write up like this, but have just been way too busy. This is better than I could have ever done - by a long shot.

http://www.advancedaquarist.com/2013/12/aafeature

[tibbsy07]

A special santa sent me something...

 

 

Thanks, Kat! What a fantastic gift This stuff will last forever, too.

[tibbsy07]

Sorry for the lack of updates - I was away from a decent connection for most of the break and since returning on the 31st, I've been quite sick. Hopefully I'll get it figured out - I'm starting to worry. But, on to better things!

 

I got some great stuff for Christmas.

 

My grandparents got me the inTank AC70 mediabasket - this one has a removable shelf (hence the tape). It's perfect - I just need to get a new AC70, lol. Funny little story - when I opened the shipping box, I found the sticker with the mediabasket, but no swedish fish. I mentioned it to my Grandma and she said "Oh, yeah, I ate it." lolololol

 

My parents got me the test kits and the aquarium book. My in-laws got me the superglue as a stocking stuffer.

 

I can't wait to get everything going. It's all still in a 5g bucket. I've been too sick to really mess with it much since I got back.

[Sunar357]

Nice scores, man! LOL Grandma isn't a fool!

[metrokat]

If you still have that sand left over in a bag, I would contact the company and send them pictures of your cloudy tank and detail your frustration. I know yoi said you didn't rinse it well the first time but you have since then and the problem has not been resolved.

 

You are on a budget and this is not acceptable. It could have caused strain on the filter and popped a seam or enlarged a hairline crack in the acrylic, who knows. See if the company will refund you or replace it with a small bag of a larger particle size substrate.

[tibbsy07]

If you still have that sand left over in a bag, I would contact the company and send them pictures of your cloudy tank and detail your frustration. I know yoi said you didn't rinse it well the first time but you have since then and the problem has not been resolved.

 

You are on a budget and this is not acceptable. It could have caused strain on the filter and popped a seam or enlarged a hairline crack in the acrylic, who knows. See if the company will refund you or replace it with a small bag of a larger particle size substrate.

I hadn't thought of that, Kat. Great idea! I got rid of the sand, though. I'm thinking that I might just order some sand from some place online... It'll cost a pretty penny, though.

 

I've got a list of things to order:

 

AC70

AC30 impeller

Purigen 100ml (x2, for rotating)

Chemi-pure elite

Phosguard (after my last tank, I'm hestitant to go without it)

Coral Compulsion 14w 18K bulb with 90 degree lenses

Some kind of light fixture... I like the CC gooseneck, but I'm not sure that 45 bucks for it is worth it. I wish I could find a decent little desk lamp with a removable shroud... Any ideas?

[tibbsy07]

I just sent KP Aquatics a request for a quote for 5lbs of live sand and 5lbs of their uncured liverock. I expect it will be like 70 bucks. Some folks in the biological filtration thread I made (http://www.nano-reef.com/topic/339231-live-sand/) have suggested varying sand kinds. I really like the idea of the Tropic Eden stuff, but I don't need 30lbs of it. The fiji pink looks to be the cheapest option right now and people seem to really like it.

[tibbsy07]

So, no go on KP aquatics. For 5lbs of uncured rock and 5lbs of sand, it's $76 for shipping alone. Adding the rest, I'm looking at $100 for rock and sand. That isn't happening right now. Maybe in the future for another tank...

 

Looks like I'll be ordering the fiji pink sand. Does anyone have a site they like to order their sand from? I may just try and get it on amazon with the rest of the stuff I have waiting to order.

[evanski]

File this one under "It's a small world".

 

You just showed up on my twitter feed in the form of a re tween from Jonathan Eisen about an odd editorial decision on one of your peer review pubs.

 

How weird is that's?!?

[tibbsy07]

I replied to you and followed! How do you know Jonathan Eisen?

[evanski]

He's a local, and I used to work at the JGI where he is a faculty member. Don't know him

Well but like his work....especially on OA issues.

[tibbsy07]

He's a local, and I used to work at the JGI where he is a faculty member. Don't know him

Well but like his work....especially on OA issues.

He's top-notch, for sure. I really like his stuff.

[specore]

How much sand do you need? I have a few lbs of Tropic Eden Reef Flakes leftover and wouldn't mind shipping you some.

[tibbsy07]

How much sand do you need? I have a few lbs of Tropic Eden Reef Flakes leftover and wouldn't mind shipping you some.

I'd say 5lbs at most? I think I actually used like 3 pounds initially. If you've got extra, I don't mind paying for it!

 

 

I just placed my order for a new AC70 and an AC30 impeller. I sent Dan and Gulf Live Rock an email, per Kat's suggestion and am awaiting his reply on rock (my rock is dumb). When I know if I'm getting anything from him or not, I'm going to then place an order with Marine Depot to get my filtration media. I've also sent an email to coral compulsion to ask about swapping optics in their 14w 18k bulb to either 90 or 120. Hopefully I'll have a ton of goodies soon and can start stocking this thing!

[tibbsy07]

Just ordered the CC 14W 18k vibrance bulb with 90 degree optics and the black gooseneck from them. Only a couple of other things and I'll be set!

 

filtration media

sand/rock (still working on the details of this)

[jedimasterben]

Well doc, if I would have seen that you were ordering an AC70 and the AC30 impeller, I would have just traded you for my AC30 impeller so you wouldn't have had to spend the extra :/

[gena]

Just ordered the CC 14W 18k vibrance bulb with 90 degree optics and the black gooseneck from them. Only a couple of other things and I'll be set!

 

filtration media

sand/rock (still working on the details of this)

Yay for lights . Are you changing out all your rock and sand?

[tibbsy07]

Well doc, if I would have seen that you were ordering an AC70 and the AC30 impeller, I would have just traded you for my AC30 impeller so you wouldn't have had to spend the extra :/

Aw man! I wish I had known - I spent 12 bucks on that thing, lol. Oh well

 

Yay for lights . Are you changing out all your rock and sand?

Possibly. The sand is just so nasty - if I touch it, it clouds the tank. I rinsed it for a couple of hours, too. The rock, I'm not sure. I kind of like my two little islands, but I'm wondering if one chunk in the middle would be better for this tank? Rockscaping is always something I'm unsure of, and I'm not thrilled with the rock I've got - but maybe once I have coral I'll feel differently? My wife probably will not want me changing rocks. Specore has some extra Tropical Eden Flake sand that he said I could buy from him for whatever shipping cost, so probably 10-15 bucks. Swapping out the sand might just be what I need to do to make myself happy here.

 

I just bought my filtration media - 2 bags of purigen for swapping out, a 6.5 chemi-pure elite, and a 500ml phosguard bottle with a media bag. Should get here at the same time as the AC70 and impeller. I expect the light will get here Wednesday or Thursday.