Ken's Coralife 29 Build!

[Idaho ken]

Sorry guys, been out of town for a week and havn't had anything to update! Hey LongDoggy, do you have any pictures of your ATO setup or, would you mind taking a few to share?

 

Thanks all!

[LongDoggy]

Sorry guys, been out of town for a week and havn't had anything to update! Hey LongDoggy, do you have any pictures of your ATO setup or, would you mind taking a few to share?

 

Thanks all!

 

Yea man, no problem. Let me take some pics and I will post up later on.

[LongDoggy]

Here you go. A few photos of my setup:

 

First photo is of chamber 3. I know there is a lot going on back there. The black tube in the foreground is the pump output where the water comes out from.

Down lower where you see a circular object that looks like a mini hockey puck, thats the sensor for the level. It is magnetic so there is another part on the back of the tank which holds it in place. To adjust the water level, I simply slide the rear puck on the outside of the tank. Each side has rubber feet so you won't crack the glass if it slips out of your hands. The magnets are very strong. The entire unit is and has been very precise. I have not counted, but my ATO kicks on for a few seconds many times per day and has been spot on.

 

 

Here is my cabinet setup. The ATO jug is the cereal container on the bottom right. Please excuse the mess.

[Idaho ken]

Greetings all! So I'm at day 17. Here is a pic of the tank with the final rock and landscaping done. Half of the rock came from my 10 gallon established tank, the other 12 from my lfs. I tested my water last Sunday and have:

 

PH 8.2

Ammoinia 0

Nitrites 0

Nitrates I want to say 10 ish.....

 

So my tank has cycled, of course with half the water and rock coming from my established tank, it doesn't surprise me.

 

I used my reef test kit for the fist time, and wow, what a pain in the....."add a drop at a time until".....really? That's the easiest way to measure Calc, KH, etc? So, this will take practice for sure but I think they read:

 

Phos - .25

Cal - 400ish

KH - 12+

 

I may have to do some research on those readings and testing tricks.

 

I'll test on a weekly basis. I've added my cleaning crew as well. Hermits, snails, procelin crab (2), A Black Sea urchant, a brittle star, I had a coral banded shrimp that didn't make the shipping, I'll have to find me one later. I've also noticed for the first time a couple small bristle worms.....from the rock my lfs had. They are small, and come out in the evenings with the lights on, so I'll watch them, and remove them when they get big or become a hastle.

 

 

[Idaho ken]

Well time for a little update. Tank has been up for 4 weeks now. Just did a 20 percent water change (6 gallons). Before I did my water change, my Nitrates were at 20ish. Using pre-made salt water from my LFS, it's made using Instant Ocean Reef Chrystal's. 1.025 salinity. I've got all my equipment installed other than an additional Jeabow RW-4 that I want to add. I've already got one, I think one more on opposite ends, low and slow behind the rockscape will be good. Installed my Hydor ATO last week and man it's nice! First time using an ATO, and I can just hit myself for not using one sooner!

 

So, to top off what I've got:

 

Coralife Biocube 29 with Stock lighting.

 

Chamber 1 (Right to Left looking at Front)

Biocube Skimmer

100 W Heater

Chamber 2 (Mid Chamber)

inTank media basket with:

Top: Filter Floss

Mid: Puregin Bag

Bot: Chemipure Bag

Chamber 3

Hydor Sensor

Pump with UV Sterilizer (running for 2 weeks)

 

Single Jaebo RW-4 Wavemaker

 

Miscellaneous Hermits and Snails

Black Sea Urchent

Feather Duster (from 10 gal)

Zoa (not sure what kind, from 10 gal)

Purple Mushroom (From 10 gal)

Sexy Shrimp (From 10 Gal)

Green Emrald Crab (From 10 gal)

2 Porcelin Crabs

Green Bristle Star

Perc Clown thats almost 2 years old, from 10 gal (Gracie)

Black Perc clown (George)

 

What I'm thinking about adding fish wise:

 

2 to 3 Purple Fire Fish Gobies

Orange Spot Gobie with Pistol Shrimp

6 line wrasse or yellow wrasse or twin spot wrasse....not sure which one I want, guess it depends on what kinds of beginner corals I get?

 

Thoughts or suggestions?

 

Pics:

[LongDoggy]

How do you like the RW-4?

[Idaho ken]

LongDoggy,

 

I really like it. I want to get another and slave them together (they are supposed to have that capability). I'd buy it again if I had to. I'ts got alot of power, almost to much at max!

[Nor_Cal_Cuber]

Sixline may harass the filefish. Filefish do best when they are the big fish of the tank. IME.

[Idaho ken]

Good Day all! Thought I'd post a few pics and a little update on how the cube doing.

 

So, we're at about week 8 now, and all is running great. My best add-on so far is my hydor ATO unit, wow, what a great little tool! I'm not adding any additives. Solely using my weekly water changes of 10 to 15 percent as my way to "re-fresh" my system. I added a green mushroom and a few pulsing Xenia (were on the same rock as the shroom) over the weekend. Here are a few pictures:

 

 

[Idaho ken]

Greetings all,

 

Wanted to give an update on the tank. As of 27 March, the tank is 3 months old (Started 27 Dec). About 2 weeks ago, I tried to add a new fish, a Purple Fire Fish. Within 3 days, it passed. No signs of stress, ate like a champ, but on the morning of the 3rd day, I found it dead. The tail fins were a little chomped on, so I am guessing my clowns may have stressed it out. All my water parameters that would have stressed it, passed with flying colors. My Shrooms, Zoas, and little bit of xenias, are all doing great. My CUC and clowns are also thriving. I guess I'll wait another month, and try something else....something that won't back down to the all mighty clowns lol.

 

Nothing new equipment wise, although I found out that the Ocieanic 5w UV isn't made to be on 24/7 for long, so I bought a new bulb and am running it on a timer, 3 hours every 24 hour cycle. We'll see how long it lasts.

 

So far I'm loving this tank, it's very easy to maintain, and a pleasure to own.

 

My Future upgrades are to change out the lighting, but for now, I'm happy!

[ReefWeeds]

Looks great! I also have a coralife BC 29 and love it!

[reefernanoman]

Here you go. A few photos of my setup:

 

First photo is of chamber 3. I know there is a lot going on back there. The black tube in the foreground is the pump output where the water comes out from.

Down lower where you see a circular object that looks like a mini hockey puck, thats the sensor for the level. It is magnetic so there is another part on the back of the tank which holds it in place. To adjust the water level, I simply slide the rear puck on the outside of the tank. Each side has rubber feet so you won't crack the glass if it slips out of your hands. The magnets are very strong. The entire unit is and has been very precise. I have not counted, but my ATO kicks on for a few seconds many times per day and has been spot on.

 

 

Here is my cabinet setup. The ATO jug is the cereal container on the bottom right. Please excuse the mess.

I wish I was that organized! I wouldn't even dare take a picture of how my bottom cabinet looks inside my tank. That would be scary. Nice set up.

[Idaho ken]

Here's an FTS that I just took, lil update. My clown's were playing "camera shy"....must be having a "bad fin day" lol.

 

 

[Idaho ken]

Got me a new critter last week, and it's finally opened up. LFS sold this as a Hammer, I kinda wonder if its a Frogspawn? It's tiny, 5 bucks lol, and sorry for the crappy pic quality.....

[jamescstein]

looks like a hammer to me, the anvil shaped tips.

[Benny314]

First glance I'd say hammer, but leave it settle in and see if it changes shape/extends more, but those are very hammer looking anvil shaped tentacles. Frog spawns have more nobbly uneven tips.

[Idaho ken]

Much appreciated all!

[Idaho ken]

Greetings all! Just a little update on how things are progressing. As I approach month 5, the anticipated growth of unwanted algae is starting up. The dreaded green hair algae.....yuk. I was anticipating this, as, with all new sw tanks I've started, it's happened. It seems that it doesn't matter that I do frequent water changes, vacuum the rock, try to control lighting and water temps....but when your on the road allot, and the wife feeds the tank enough "they just seem starting".....well, what do I expect lol. So, I'm going to try running the lights about 4 hours a day, and feed the two fish every other day for a week, and see how things are. Some places in my rock I just cant get at to get the algae off.....and I'm just not wanting to tear the rock scape apart and mess with the small amounts of corals I have....call me stubborn lol!

 

I don't want to start adding "additives" to get rid of it...I've got a handful of crabs (emerald, sally, hermits) and some snails....but so far they won't touch it, because I think they get enough of the food that hits the bottom of the tank. Any other advice out there?

 

Thanks all!

[aquageek]

Green hair algae is stubborn and typically always shows up at some point pretty aggressively in a new tank. Your rock could be leaching phosphates into the water column or it could just be from over feeding. Try to get your feedings under control. Show your wife how much you should feed the fish and tell her the importance of not over feeding. Stay on top of your water changes. Monitor your phosphate, this is probably what is causing your green hair algae.

 

1) Reduce feedings

2) Stay on top of water changes and other maintenance (keep equipment and filters clean)

3) When doing maintenance, manually pull out as much algae as possible

4) Make sure you are using good water for changes and top off. (Should be distilled or RO/DI with no additives (typically for drinking water for taste))

5) Eventually your phosphate levels should start to drop and your algae will start to go away. How long this takes depends on things such as maintenance, feedings, and how much phosphate has built up in your rock/sand

6) You can quicken the process by running GFO in a reactor (the easiest and probably most effective method), or by vodka dosing (google for vodka dosing), bio-pellets seem like another good choice. Pellets and vodka seem to be more effective at reducing nitrate than phosphate from the research that I have done.

 

Good luck!

[Idaho ken]

Greetings all,

 

Well it's been to long without an update, and, it's not a good one. The end of June I had an ATO mishap that made me have to tear my tank down to tear up carpet. Unfortunately it was the night before I was to go on a two week work trip. I was fortunate to find someone to take my critters, but, couldn't set anything back up knowing I'd be gone.

 

So, I tore her down, and stored everything in the garage until my schedule evened out to start things back up.

 

Right now my tank is running full of water and 4 parts bleach. I'll run her for 24 hours, clean everything out including the rock, and let her air dry for a couple of weeks. Then it's time to start things up again.

 

What will I do different this time?

 

1. Remove the hood and go with a decent light. Thinking about the AI Hydra (found a nice used one for 250), or go with a less expensive, but still good, Aqua Mars 165w.

 

2. Go with a larger skimmer once things are established.

 

3. Different live stock, look for a pair of Gold Flake Maroons, and a pair of B. Cardnals....or one Angler!

 

4. No more brittle stars. An Urchan, snails.....one or two hermits....maybe. Snails seem to do more, and hermits just end up killing them off. Crabs......probably not. Shrimp? Well, I had a peppermint, and it did great

 

5. Permanently secure the ATO tube into the back of the tank. This was my first issue, the tube coming loose and falling behind the tank, only to drain 5 gallons of water at 1:30am, and me finally waking up to the alarm at 3am. Blah!

 

6. Placement of tank. Kitchen/Dining Room on lanoliem floor lol.

 

7. Use current clean rock, with a starter rock from my local lfs, with live sand, black again....loved it.

 

Other than that, I loved my cube....very easy to maintain!