Martin's nano in China

[Martin in China]

I'd prefer the shrimp to roach if I were a nem.

He seemed hungry enough...lol

[Martin in China]

Full few of my tank.

 

This is the few we see most of the time.

[Martin in China]

Help! my Nitrates and Phosphates are to high

 

PO4 0.25

NO2 0

NO3 20

NH4 0

 

pH 7.7

Mg 1410

KH 7.7

Ca 430

 

Salinity 1.025

Temp. 26 Celcius

[righttirefire]

Water change... that will help nitrates. I don't test phosphates. You'll aways have phosphate. The algae will consume it and you'll get a 0 reading. From my research I refuse to bother with it. I run chemi-pure elite. And do weekly cleaning and water changes. I ran a minimum clean up crew and just re-enforced it today.

[Martin in China]

Water change... that will help nitrates. I don't test phosphates. You'll aways have phosphate. The algae will consume it and you'll get a 0 reading. From my research I refuse to bother with it. I run chemi-pure elite. And do weekly cleaning and water changes. I ran a minimum clean up crew and just re-enforced it today.

I just did a water change 2 days ago, I have no fish, there is a bag of clear FX Pro in the filter and even Purigen, so it kinda feels strange. The testers are new and the exp. date is still far away. What else can I do, cause algae are growing more and more....?

[Martin in China]

Someone out here got any idea where those Phosphates come from? I got no fish and I'm not feeding.
Also would like my pH higher (8.1 - 8.4)

[atrox]

What salt mix are you using? I agree ph is on low side and needs to come up. This could be remedied with a reef focused salt mix or a buffer. Don't over think the phosphate levels a little is better than none. It's easy to fall into the "what other chemical can I add to make (pristine) water camp". You want algae, it will consume the phosphates, and help with overall water quality. In time the algae will consume available nutrients and slowly starve itself out.

[Martin in China]

This is my filter now.... I am thinking of going for my original plan and put some Chaeto in the middle compartment with some floss to filter the bigger parts out of the water and take out all the other ceramic and foam stuff....

Would that be better?

[righttirefire]

It seems popular to run your chaeto before your skimmer. But I don't run a skimmer so hopefully someone more informed can weigh in for you.

[Martin in China]

@ atrox; I am using a reef salt for my tank (Blue Treasure which is also used in Ocean Park Hong Kong), anyway, I ditched the media rack and going to replace it with Cheato and a submersed light, cover the top so hopefully little to no light will come out.

[Martin in China]

My red debelius shrimp keeps hiding in his cave, which he is sharing with the urchin. Will he ever come out to show himself?

[Martin in China]

My tank seems to be doing OK as far as I can tell, algae are turning brown and seem to have stopped growing.

I want to take some pictures, but don't have a fancy camera, does anyone know how to take a decent picture with a cell or my Sony Cybershot? Probably need to turn of those blue lights.....

[amphipod]

Cool hitchhikers you been getting

[Martin in China]

If you are referring to my shrimp, that one I bought, but all the others are cool indeed.

[amphipod]

That's why I like the most lively rock there is sold because it assures a fun time lol.

[Martin in China]

My scarlet shrimp died, I think he got bullied by the dotty back while molding as they lived on (or should I say "in") the same rock pile.

It's still difficult to get any CUC here, I hope I will be able to find some somewhere.

[amphipod]

My scarlet shrimp died, I think he got bullied by the dotty back while molding as they lived on (or should I say "in") the same rock pile.[/size]It's still difficult to get any CUC here, I hope I will be able to find some somewhere.[/size]

I've known arthropods in general to occasionally die during a moult just from some seemingly small complications. Your live rock may be your best bet for the cuc, and these ones you don't have to buy separately, do you got a ton of worms yet?

[Martin in China]

I've known arthropods in general to occasionally die during a moult just from some seemingly small complications. Your live rock may be your best bet for the cuc, and these ones you don't have to buy separately, do you got a ton of worms yet?

I was more thinking of some good snails and small hermit crabs, to get that fuzzy hairy stuff from the rocks.

[amphipod]

You do live quite close to the ocean, why not take a trip to some boat pier with a jar and find some snails, you just make sure to pick the snails during low tide and half a meter beneath the waters surface and you have it made.

Hermit crabs often can be found in the similar zone as the snails also.

[Martin in China]

I have done that, but all snails died, maybe it is to hot for them in my tank..???

[CronicReefer]

I have done that, but all snails died, maybe it is to hot for them in my tank..???

Possibly since the China sea is not a tropical region. I doubt your dottyback killed the shrimp unless he is not getting enough to eat. Dottybacks eat primarily worms and copepods. Failed molts are generally the cause of most crustacean deaths that have no clear aggression.

[12_egg_Omelette]

I've really enjoyed watching this tank come together.

[Martin in China]

I've really enjoyed watching this tank come together.

Thanks, I am enjoying it too.

[Martin in China]

Installed a chiller (Hailea 100-A) cause I don't think I can keep the temperature low enough now the days are really heating up (already 30 celcius and above).

 

Made some pictures too.

The filter as it is now (floss looking thicker than it is, it's been folded up around the edges), Chaeto has already doubled in size after 10 days)

 

 

My wife calls this "bald man's head", as this was how it looked like when I got it the first day.

 

A Dutch without some orange wouldn't be a real Dutch

 

Simply love the green of this one (picture doesn't do it justice)

[amphipod]

I have done that, but all snails died, maybe it is to hot for them in my tank..???

what species did you find, the nerites from the intertidal zone never will make it. Similar niche snails have those issues because they require the dry time not suppliable in normal home aquariums. Relatively few snails where you are should have the temperature problems but for some it may be possible.