Simulated Fish Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 Current FTS 11/14/17 Click spoiler to show old FTS FTS 4/15/17 FTS 3/11/16 Current 2/26/16 FTS 2/9/16 Tank is holding strong! Added Henry from the Biocube and he and the new Blood Orange Clown became friends in no time All the coral are extending and very happy to be under the new lights. I am almost done building my DIY moonlights and will update with a quick walkthrough once I finish, currently looking for a way to mount them to the razor. I want the tank to keep its sexy clean look. Ammonia, nitrites, nitrates holding at 0, 0, 15-20 ppm. P04 is down to 0.0 - 0.01 The GFO reactor is doing wonders. So no far I am having zero issues with Pukani not being cured and only cleaned. Time will tell if this experiment is a success. Tank Equipment List - updated 4/27/17 Maxspect R420R 120W 16,000k LED RW-8 wave maker powerhead Hydor 240 powerhead Hydor 50W heater Two 100W Aquatop Glass Submersible Heaters Two One SP-1000 (266 GPH) High Efficiency pumps, stock return pumps - One has a broken impeller Two stock JBJ media baskets funning Floss and ceramic for bactiral population BRS Mini Reactor & MJ-12000 running BRS Bulk GFO and ROX 0.8 Carbon Tunze Nano Glass Scraper Current Livestock Pair of Ocellaris Clowns: A Mocha and Halloween - Mocha and Henry Dwarf Lionfish - Mufasa! Got in a fight with my first RBTA and lost Sixline Wrass: Tom the Sly Assortment of snails from John at ReefCleaners Unknown tiny red and white crab MIA for a few months now, i think the Six line got him! Green BTA Rose/Rainbow BTA Peppermint shrimp Corals Frogspawn Pulsing Xenia GSP Yellow Toadstool Mushroom Purple/green Yuma Purple/orange Yuma Macros - Took over the tank faster then I though, would not have added them in hinsight but to late now Caulerpa Red Palm Red/Blue dictoya Hayi Future Stocking plans Goby / Pistol shrimp pair Pom Pom Crab MORE LPS! MORE NEMS! ::::: Original Post::::: It's that time folks! I have been edger to start this aquarium tread for awhile now and it is finally time! I started my little Biocube 8g a few months back with the support of everyone here at nano-reef and I learned a TON, heck I'm STILL learning a TON! Now that i got the basics down I am getting my dream tank started. A simple AIO JBJ RL 45. Now i know it's not everyone's dream, but hey it has the dimensions I love and it's a beautiful rimless tank! I started this endeavor by building my own stand, thread on the process can be found here. Click "spoiler" for photo! Tank? Check! Custom stand? Check! Dry rock? Check! I thought long and hard about what dry rock to use. I almost went with reefcleaners but I REALLY love the look of Pukani. after thinking it over for a few weeks I decided to cash in a rebate I got from buying my tank with MD for some Pukani. Although I got a bad batch I made the best out of the situation and could not be happier with my scape! Again, click spoiler tag to show photos! But it needed some work, the rock was to close to the glass! I have that issue with my biocube and it drives me CRAZY not being able to get to the glass easily! So after some trimming I ended up with this..... Then the next day my wife points out something awesome about my aquascaping work...... did you see it? Awesome Skull Face! Okay so tank, stand, dry rock and sand all check! now to fill this bad boy up. one problem.... I don't have RO/DI and I don't trust using chems to clean my water. for my 8g i was just getting saltwater from my LFS 5g at a time. Solution? buy another 5g bucket! that's right I made 4 trips back and forth to my LFS to get premixed water! 2 hours later and 40 gallons of water heavier I had the tank filled and 5g left for a water change! Past few days I have been dosing Aquivertia Seed and getting this tank cycled. I did do a vinegar bath and scrub/rinse/repeat on the rocks but I did NOT do a long cure of P04 removal. I know most people would frown at this but i just couldn't find any solid info with tank progression of someone who did what I did, so i have decided to play guinea pig. So far that is all I have! Tank was cloudy for 2 days with a funky smell but that has cleared up and ammonia levels are dropping, nitrates and nitrites are on the rise! I will be seeding the tank with some LR from my current tank soon to help with the cycle as well as get the coralline algae that is exploding in there started in this tank. 4 Quote Link to comment
Sunstar Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 Just starting! what a treat. I can't wait to see this develop! 1 Quote Link to comment
Simulated Fish Posted January 14, 2016 Author Share Posted January 14, 2016 Just starting! what a treat. I can't wait to see this develop! Thanks, there is more I'm adding now... I may or maynot have it "submit" instead of "preview Post" Quote Link to comment
Sunstar Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 Yeah I spotted that awesome skull face myself... very nice. 1 Quote Link to comment
CronicReefer Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 Great looking start so far, following along. 1 Quote Link to comment
Simulated Fish Posted January 14, 2016 Author Share Posted January 14, 2016 Yeah I spotted that awesome skull face myself... very nice. Total accident too, would have never noticed if not for my wife pointing it out! Quote Link to comment
vlangel Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 Wow, I love the scape but that scull face is creepy, ha ha! 1 Quote Link to comment
HarryPotter Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 Get some macros or a gorgonian growing out of the skulls eyes! 2 Quote Link to comment
vlangel Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 That will just add to the creepy factor! No, you need something soft and fuzzy under his chin, like maybe gsp. Of course it would be cover his face eventually.LOL 1 Quote Link to comment
ReefWeeds Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 Looking great so far! ha! Dawn. GSP beard. 1 Quote Link to comment
Simulated Fish Posted January 14, 2016 Author Share Posted January 14, 2016 Get some macros or a gorgonian growing out of the skulls eyes! Oh I like that idea! +1 creep factor! I am really hoping that my snowflake makes a home there That will just add to the creepy factor! No, you need something soft and fuzzy under his chin, like maybe gsp. Of course it would be cover his face eventually.LOL Ha-ha nice! I'd like to do a GSP wall on the back, but maybe a GSP soul patch 1 Quote Link to comment
vlangel Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 Ha-ha nice! I'd like to do a GSP wall on the back, but maybe a GSP soul patch :-) Quote Link to comment
Marc.The.Shark Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 Lol, nice skull, luv it! Wire up a couple underwater red led's in the eyes & make them flash, hahaha! Jk. I have a creepy face in my new rock scape, but nothing like the skull!! Coming together nicely 3 Quote Link to comment
Simulated Fish Posted January 14, 2016 Author Share Posted January 14, 2016 Lol, nice skull, luv it! Wire up a couple underwater red led's in the eyes & make them flash, hahaha! Jk. I have a creepy face in my new rock scape, but nothing like the skull!! Coming together nicely Your scape + returns looks like the cookie monster! Tested prams looking good. Ammonia: 1ppm Nitrates: 0.5ppm - up .25 Nitrates: 5ppm Ph holding at 8.0 1 Quote Link to comment
Marc.The.Shark Posted January 14, 2016 Share Posted January 14, 2016 Your scape + returns looks like the cookie monster! Hahaha, I see it! My original plan was to have rockwork out of the water in the center & returns would be hidden from view, but after much deliberation & fish stocking plans (jumpers), I had to alter those plans & am left with the Sesame Street scape you see now! Hahaha. My 1 yr old will be ecstatic! Quote Link to comment
Simulated Fish Posted January 18, 2016 Author Share Posted January 18, 2016 Just a quick update, had a bac bloom a couple days ago. It cleared within 48 hrs. What I couldn't clean out of the rock is clearly decomposing, which is a good-o-natural ammonia source! Ammonia has been climbing slowly hopefully the seachem seed bac starts working overtime and gets it into check. Current levels are: Ph: 8.0 Ammonia: 3-4ppm Nitrite: 2ppm Nitrates: ~5ppm Next on my list to get is a P04 test kit. I'm thinking the Hannah checker, not the ULR since I would like to know if my P04 is higher than 0.2ppm. Thanks for checking in! 1 Quote Link to comment
Sunstar Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 this 3D mosaic has LED flashing eyes that change colour. the stones around the eye sockets are black fresh water pearls.... 3 Quote Link to comment
Simulated Fish Posted January 18, 2016 Author Share Posted January 18, 2016 this 3D mosaic has LED flashing eyes that change colour. the stones around the eye sockets are black fresh water pearls.... Awesome! Love it, very "Dia de los Muertos" !!! Quote Link to comment
Sunstar Posted January 18, 2016 Share Posted January 18, 2016 That was the intention when my mum made it. My wedding ani is day of the dead. 1 Quote Link to comment
Simulated Fish Posted January 23, 2016 Author Share Posted January 23, 2016 Quick update! Ammonia was a little higher then I liked, around 6, and my nitrite was maxed out today so I did a 20% water change. Nitrates are starting to rise also so everything is in motion! Now I just need to get the extra ammonia out and we will be good to go. 1 Quote Link to comment
HarryPotter Posted January 26, 2016 Share Posted January 26, 2016 How's it going? Quote Link to comment
Simulated Fish Posted January 27, 2016 Author Share Posted January 27, 2016 How's it going? Ammonia (6-8+ppm) and nitrite(5+ppm) are still higher then I would like with me still reading little to no nitrates so I did a 20% water change. A couple days later levels were right back up. This is my first dry rock/sand tank and it has me antsy since my biocube with LR was ready to go at this point. Per some advice I picked up some MicroBacter7, I ran out of the aquavitro seed from the biocube 4 days ago, and two 100W heaters for safety. Got them in the tank late last night. Woke up today and they are holding at 84 degrees, tank was a stable 77-78 before with the small 25w running almost 24/7 so that is a nice change. Hopefully the new bacterial additive and warmer tank temps help speed up getting the cycle in check! My BRS order arrived today, thanks again guys! I got the mini reactor and ROX 0.8 carbon & bulk GFO. Can't wait to set this up but should I wait for my cycle to finish? My birthday is in a couple weeks and I should be getting a 9004 from the wife, or so that's what a little bird told me Quote Link to comment
Simulated Fish Posted January 29, 2016 Author Share Posted January 29, 2016 Just a quick update! I am happy to report that nitrates are FINALLY on the rise and ammonia is starting to come down just a little. Nitrite is still off the charts at over 5ppm Heaters + microbact7 seems to be doing the trick 1 Quote Link to comment
vlangel Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 It wont be long now! 2 Quote Link to comment
Simulated Fish Posted January 31, 2016 Author Share Posted January 31, 2016 It wont be long now! You were correct! Ammonia is zeroed out nitrite is still 5ppm+ and nitrates are up to 40ppm-80ppm. Should I do a large WC or let it ride for a bit longer? 1 Quote Link to comment
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