Terry's 15gal column office desktop tank

[no694terry]

Just ordered a little 210gph drop in filter with sponge and carbon box for $10 on ebay. I want something to put in the tank after water changes when i turkey blast all the rocks to try and pull debris out of the water.

 

Can carbon be repeatedly dropped into water used for 20 minutes or so then dry out a week and used again? I planned on rinsing the filter out after each use

[no694terry]

to follow up on this 100w aqueon preset heater. I still really like it. It's held the tank rock steady at 78 since i installed it. Then this morning when i did the water change the temp dropped down around 75, since then the heater has been warming up to 78, not just full blast, it runs a little bit then turn off to take temp, then runs a little gradually warming it back up to 78.

 

plus its half the size of the Eheim Jager 50w and the all black blends in nicely with my painted background

[no694terry]

rocks are starting to color up nicely, there even seems to be a patch of blue coralline spreading on the bigger base rock on the right

 

[no694terry]

with my new found wifi led love on my 90g, I'm tempted to replace my PAR38 bulb on the 15 with this

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/XT-Nano-WiFi-LED-Reef-Light-iOS-Android-Controllable-w-Tank-Mount-by-Coral-Box-/262238757221?hash=item3d0ea5e165:g:XV0AAOSwaA5Wlvqi

 

[no694terry]

came in today to what i beleive are florida cerith eggs. Feel free to correct me.

 

I have Ceriths, dwarf ceriths, nerites and nassarius and a couple hermits. No fish yet

 

[no694terry]

my in tank 160lph filter idea during water change was a FAIL. just made a sand storm. I'm going to just stick to getting my arm wet and manually vacuuming whatever detritus i can spot. These snails are dirt balls

[vlangel]

Just ordered a little 210gph drop in filter with sponge and carbon box for $10 on ebay. I want something to put in the tank after water changes when i turkey blast all the rocks to try and pull debris out of the water.

 

Can carbon be repeatedly dropped into water used for 20 minutes or so then dry out a week and used again? I planned on rinsing the filter out after each use

I had missed this post terry but the answer is no, once carbon has been used its done. It has pores and they clog after a week or of use. As a result it is best to use a little carbon and change often rather than a lot and not change much. Rox is the best carbon but if you buy the cheaper pellet type it can still be very effective at removing ammonia, toxins given off by coral and tanins that build up in the water. Even your lighting will be more effective with the yellowing that happens in a tank is removed.

[no694terry]

I had missed this post terry but the answer is no, once carbon has been used its done. It has pores and they clog after a week or of use. As a result it is best to use a little carbon and change often rather than a lot and not change much. Rox is the best carbon but if you buy the cheaper pellet type it can still be very effective at removing ammonia, toxins given off by coral and tanins that build up in the water. Even your lighting will be more effective with the yellowing that happens in a tank is removed.

 

I'm almost out of carbon i got a while back

 

 

this filter too big and loud to leave in tank, i wonder if i can just hang a bag behind my power heads

[vlangel]

I'm almost out of carbon i got a while back

 

 

this filter too big and loud to leave in tank, i wonder if i can just hang a bag behind my power heads

Yep, hanging a bag of carbon anywhere where there is some flow through it works fine. That is the same brand of carbon I use.

[no694terry]

I got egg bombed again last night, if these all hatch I'm gonna be in the snail business soon.

[no694terry]

I think i may have some bryopsis algae going on. It thought it was GHA but it's feathery and hard to pull off.

[no694terry]

I'm going to have to remove and bake this rock or something. I think its bryopsis. This rock was sitting around my father in laws house a while. I've only used distilled or RODI water so far, and no fish yet. I pulled some off frida nd today its back, I dont know whats feeding it. I have light turned down too

 

[no694terry]

turned pumps off to do water change. I have 3 jelly fish now!

[no694terry]

Well i removed that rock, its at home in bleach and probably going to go back on a shelf. I need to order more rock, like a 50lb box from RC. So i'll pick a couple new peices for the 15 and the rest goes in the 90.

 

Heres my lone mushroom

 

 

And some tube like spongy stuff that has been growing, no idea what it is

 

[no694terry]

I have ID'd my jellyfish as medusa Hydroids, what now?

[no694terry]

quite the popular corner this morning

 

[no694terry]

big day for the 15. its been a couple months but i added a fish and some $5 frags today.

 

i hate frag plugs, hoping after they have a week or so to settle in, i can remove some of the plugs

 

(1) Tricolor Percula

(1) Acro SPS i think

(1) Hammer

(1) orange thing, monti maybe, or a candy cap i dunno

(1) other thing, torch maybe

(1) zoa frag

(1) green mushroom

(1) star polyp with zoa hitch hiker

(1) lps

 

-

-

-

-

-

-

[Sharbuckle]

Coming along great wouldnt you say? I also share your hatred for frag plugs. I try to buy frags that are mounted on rubble rock. Keep up the good work.

[vlangel]

I will throw my hat in the ring of 'frag plug' haters as well. Its good to see coral in the tank. I had to look pretty hard to see the percula down in the right hand corner. Good luck with the new inhabitants!

[no694terry]

everything seems to be doing good so far. The clown took a couple pellets i threw in, all the corals are extended again like i saw them at the store. The acro has orange polyps, took me the drive home to forget that, and it was a nice "surprise" again.

 

Lights are at about 20%, i plan to turn them up a little each day, and maybe move the hammer down lower.

 

I cant tell what the "torch" is, it looks like a torch, but its growing out of a carpet like zoa polyps. It almost looks like a "tooth coral" I'll have to bring the dslr back in tomorrow

[no694terry]

couple random pictures, i cant for the life of me get the monti in focus correctly. 40 yr old lens plus cheap aqueon tank glass no the best for macros

 

-

-

-

-

 

[no694terry]

i want to add a shrimp, any suggestions? i like my banded coral at home but the one of those with its antennas would over power my 15. Maybe a blood red fire shrimp?

[vlangel]

Yes, I think a blood shrimp would be nice. I like my peppermints but they can be very elusive in most tanks, at least until they get brave.

[cloakerpoked]

For the acros at least, as long as you find a good place for the plug, once they encrust over the base, you don't see them anyway. I use the 2-part reef epoxy and if you totally encapsulate the plug with that stuff, it also will give a more natural look. You just have to commit to a spot and wait a few months and they visually go away due to growth and/or coraline..

 

Personally, I always found the best corals at the club meetings. Not sure how active they are these days, but 5 years ago, the members were the absolute best to get corals and frags from.

i want to add a shrimp, any suggestions? i like my banded coral at home but the one of those with its antennas would over power my 15. Maybe a blood red fire shrimp?

 

A pistol shrimp/watchman goby pair would be kinda cool.

[no694terry]

came in this morning, snails did a number on my frags lol. my zoas were upside down in the sand, my orange polyp acro isnt looking to good, the heater fell off the glass and was laying on my monti, and the GSP has pretty much already shown signs of a total takeover. I'm really excited about this monti. Its a beautiful bright florescent pinkish orange and is already starting to encrust over the sides from Friday.

Yes, I think a blood shrimp would be nice. I like my peppermints but they can be very elusive in most tanks, at least until they get brave.

 

I had peppermints in my first tank, they were nice and friendly but i think they ate all my little feather worms and stomatellas so ive had a sour taste for them since then...This tank has a 18k LED on it, color pop is the name of the game, hints my attration to the blood red.

 

How's Eve?

 

For the acros at least, as long as you find a good place for the plug, once they encrust over the base, you don't see them anyway. I use the 2-part reef epoxy and if you totally encapsulate the plug with that stuff, it also will give a more natural look. You just have to commit to a spot and wait a few months and they visually go away due to growth and/or coraline..

 

Personally, I always found the best corals at the club meetings. Not sure how active they are these days, but 5 years ago, the members were the absolute best to get corals and frags from.

 

A pistol shrimp/watchman goby pair would be kinda cool.

 

I have a YWG and a pistol at home, they are very good of friends, just kinda quiet neighbors. I was thinking of a small goby though, any ideas? pistols are hard to find around here. They only one i could find for my 90 was a anemone pistol and hes a scrouge