Ranjib Posted April 18, 2016 Share Posted April 18, 2016 Hello, This is my very first salt water tank. Thanks for having such rich content on the forum. I thoroughly enjoyed reading through a lot of folks journey. Specs: Coralife Biocube 29G Filtration: floss + chemipure elite + purigen, - bioballs ,Lighting: stock LR + Dry Rock + live sand (CaribSea) Stock pump 100w heater (aqueon pro). Im cycling the tank for past 1 week. I can see some tiny coraline and green/yellowish patches on the dry rock. Current water parameters are Ammonia: 0.25, Nitrite: 0, Nitrate: 0. I'm planning to upgrade the tank as time progress (1 koralia nano, aquatic life 115 skimmer, 2 Quote Link to comment
seabass Posted April 18, 2016 Share Posted April 18, 2016 Welcome to N-R.com! When using live rock (or even when starting with dry rock), this will be your biological filter and you don't need (or want) additional bio-filters in your back chambers. Other bio-media is less likely to contain denitrifying bacteria and can potentially trap detritus (resulting in higher nitrate levels). Bio-balls are primarily for aquariums without a natural biological filter. 4 Quote Link to comment
william_payne1 Posted April 18, 2016 Share Posted April 18, 2016 Welcome to N-R.com! When using live rock (or even when starting with dry rock), this will be your biological filter and you don't need (or want) additional bio-filters in your back chambers. Other bio-media is less likely to contain denitrifying bacteria and can potentially trap detritus (resulting in higher nitrate levels). Bio-balls are primarily for aquariums without a natural biological filter. +1 1 Quote Link to comment
Ranjib Posted April 18, 2016 Author Share Posted April 18, 2016 I forgot to mention. I have removed all the bioballs as most folks here mentioned. I read a post saying the filtration media needs its own mini cycle, and recommended to set it up as part of the cylcing. Do you think I should remove them? I have kept the pump on, and 6-8 hrs of lighting using the stock lights. thanks for the kind responses Quote Link to comment
william_payne1 Posted April 18, 2016 Share Posted April 18, 2016 I would keep filtration for now, but you may want to add a bit more LR if you don't keep filtration, it looks to only be about 10-15 lbs of LR in there, I would suggest 1-1.5 lbs LR per gallon for natural filtration. 2 Quote Link to comment
seabass Posted April 18, 2016 Share Posted April 18, 2016 Oops, I didn't see that - sign next to the bio-balls. I read a post saying the filtration media needs its own mini cycle, and recommended to set it up as part of the cylcing. Do you think I should remove them? I'm not sure I know what you mean by that. The chemical filtration shouldn't be left in without being rinsed/replaced long enough to become a biological filter. The bacteria should be allowed to become established on the live rock. Most people don't use expensive chemical media while establishing the cycle (and add it when they add livestock). This usually has more to do with saving money than with any effect it might have on the cycle. 1 Quote Link to comment
Ranjib Posted May 1, 2016 Author Share Posted May 1, 2016 Got some diatomacious algae I think. Lots of mysis shrimp like creatures. Few tiny snail like creatures (white, size like orange seed). and a few of something with tentacles (tube or some kinda worms ?). Rest is going well :-) Quote Link to comment
Ranjib Posted May 9, 2016 Author Share Posted May 9, 2016 Cycling is over, for last 1 week, tried ghost feeding with tiny bits of frozen mysis shrimp every day. No visible fluctuation in ammonia (hovered between 0-0.25), nitrite (0) or nitrate (0-5). Added CuC yesterday. Five hermit crabs, 5 astrae snails, 5 nassarius snail. And a clown to check if adding bioload increases ammonia spike or not. Almost a day over now, water parameters looking same. Added few equipment as well, a hydor coralia 475 gph recirculation pump. Couple of timers to control halide and 10K lamps (7-9 AM halide, 9 AM -5 PM 10K, 5PM- 7 PM halide). Got a ATC refractometer as well, an additional pump, 100 watt heater and digital thermometer for weekly water change. And a small quarantine tank + drip acclamation kit. Im wondering how much I should feed the clown? I am giving 1/4th of a cube of frozen mysis shrimp every day. I have the "new life spectrum" pellet food as well, but no clue how much how often I should use. Still reading about these.. Quote Link to comment
seabass Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 Clownfish are pigs. I'm sure she'll eat all that and beg for more. However, you could probably feed half that and she'd be fine. Does she accept the pellets yet? A variety of food is good. If she doesn't accept the pellets now, keep trying (after they get comfortable, they aren't all that picky about food). 2 Quote Link to comment
msparklym13 Posted May 9, 2016 Share Posted May 9, 2016 HI! Yay and Welcome! Seabass is right- Clowns are total pigs- Love it! Mine will eat pellets from my hand and try to jump for more. They also love the frozen 'good stuff'. I have read to feed twice a day, once a day etc. I am honestly still not sure. I just don't suggest over feeding. FANTASTIC job setting up a QT. I wish I would have known about this prior to delving in. Also I really like what you have done with your scaping. It is different and so pretty- I envision Zoas having a blast! Keep up the great work! 1 Quote Link to comment
Clown79 Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Welcome. Seabass gives great advice! Clowns are piggies, they will continuously eat if fed-like cats. Try mixing up the food source. Its good for their health. Try feeding enough thats gone within a minute, left over food leads to high nutrient levels(especially frozen). 3 Quote Link to comment
Ranjib Posted May 23, 2016 Author Share Posted May 23, 2016 have added my first two corals. Neon green star polyp and another coral i cant recall its name (i had asked for xenia, but my LFS didnt had it, and he offered this one, with rather large name). Everything is doing great till now, GSP is opening up its polyp, the xenia like coral looks alright, but not opening up its polyp yet. All hermit crabs, snails, and the sole clow fish are great too. I'm planning to add pistol shrimp + yellow watchman goby along side couple of zoas, after a week or so. Quote Link to comment
seabass Posted May 23, 2016 Share Posted May 23, 2016 ... i cant recall its name (i had asked for xenia, but my LFS didnt had it, and he offered this one, with rather large name).Cespitularia? 1 Quote Link to comment
Ranjib Posted May 24, 2016 Author Share Posted May 24, 2016 Yes, I think he said 'vargas cespitularia'. Thanks for ID'ing that seabass. I am planning to do my next upgrade, and I am thinking for lighting. I plan to get skimmer, ATP/Doser later, and I hope I am right here, let me know if this is not the case, as I am total newbie and reading/learning on the way. I want to keep mostly LPS /softies initially. Things like mushroom, leather, zoa, xenia, sun burst etc. From my initial readings, I am getting a mixed opinion that stock lighting may be sufficient for most softies, but I they may not get better coloration. I am planning to add couple of coral per two week or so, and may be 3-4 fish at max. I have a clown, I'll get a yellow watch man goby+ pistol shrimp pair next. For lighting, I am thinking about a Kessil 160we and a controller. Not sure whether to go for the blue fish controller or the kessil controller. I am planning to read about that this week. Any input on it will be very helpful. Quote Link to comment
Ranjib Posted May 26, 2016 Author Share Posted May 26, 2016 I have added couple of zoas, and noticed a tiny starfish (I guess its asterina). I can not spot any damages to corals. But as I read in the forum, I am getting all negative to mixed feedback about them. Should I get rid of it? Quote Link to comment
seabass Posted May 26, 2016 Share Posted May 26, 2016 ... noticed a tiny starfish (I guess its asterina). I can not spot any damages to corals. But as I read in the forum, I am getting all negative to mixed feedback about them. Should I get rid of it?I believe that most people don't have any problems with them. Although, like you, I've read that some species are not 100% reef safe. I wouldn't freak out about it. You could remove it now (which should be easy to do, before you have lots of them), or just let it be (which is what more people do). 1 Quote Link to comment
Pjanssen Posted May 26, 2016 Share Posted May 26, 2016 I go through phases with the little starfish. That is, sometimes I have tons. Then they go away for awhile where I don't see any at all. Then I'll see one or two for awhile. Nothing. a ton...I believe something must be eating them and keeping them in check. I've never noticed any damage to any of my corals from them. I think they are pretty cool/cute little creatures. 2 Quote Link to comment
xhavok Posted May 27, 2016 Share Posted May 27, 2016 I have added couple of zoas, and noticed a tiny starfish (I guess its asterina). I can not spot any damages to corals. But as I read in the forum, I am getting all negative to mixed feedback about them. Should I get rid of it? I have asterinas as well, they don't seem to do much, mine don't even seem to travel very much from day to day, and they stay away from my zoos so I let them be 1 Quote Link to comment
Ranjib Posted May 27, 2016 Author Share Posted May 27, 2016 I noticed another pest on that same zoa frag today, its camouflaged. I dont know what it is, but i have removed it with turkey baster, it looks very similar to an individual polyp. Quote Link to comment
Ranjib Posted July 3, 2016 Author Share Posted July 3, 2016 Finally got some time to update my build thread. Tank is doing fine (I think). No major issues, no fatality yet. I have introduced a lot of corals and couple of fishes since then. Current livestock: - 1 6 line wrasse (new) - 1 clown (oldest dude) - 1 Pistol shrimp + 1 yellow watchman goby (new) - 1 cleaner shrimp (new) Corals: - 1 vargas cespitularia (oldest one, now has grown 3x of its own size, and looks majestic) - 1 GSP (oldest one) - 3 zoas (two of them had 3 heads when introduced, now both has 5, and one relatively new big green zoa colony) - 1 green center, larger clove colony - 1 bubble coral (was 3rd introduction to the tank, almost 2 month old now) - 1 branching hammer colony (was 4th introduction, 1.5 months back) - 1 red gonipora Water condition was always stable, I am doing weekly 5G water change, + chemipure/purigen/filter floss. Still no skimmer. Upgraded my light to kessil 360 tuna blue. Got rid of the hood, temperature control was getting harder with the closed top. Also got the kessil controller. 2 Quote Link to comment
Ranjib Posted July 3, 2016 Author Share Posted July 3, 2016 1MB upload limit, so posting the other pics in a separate reply. Cespitularia looks awesome at night (reminds me of Lord of the rings :-) ). I noticed couple of new type of critters. Tiny feather dusters (I think so, not sure, pics attached)within the zoa colony and some really small snail like creature. One of the nuisance I have is some red spots that is not coraline algae. Those are either red slime algae, or flat worms. They are not easy to siphon out from the live rock. I have introduced the 6 line wrasse recently, that might help, we'll see. Currently I siphon those off during WC, that kept them to a limit Quote Link to comment
fishfreak0114 Posted July 3, 2016 Share Posted July 3, 2016 Looking great! That hammer looks so nice . Not sure on the ID, sorry 1 Quote Link to comment
Ranjib Posted July 25, 2016 Author Share Posted July 25, 2016 Added a few more corals in past 1 month, an open brain, liam's clove, couple of ricordia and another one i cant recall name. Also changed some of the older coral's location. Tank is doing good parameter wise. The pistol shrimp turned out to be a predator. Killed 3 smaller hermit crabs. Injured the YWG (after staying as pair for almost 2 weeks), couple of snails as well. It took me some time to realize the clack noise from aquarium was made by pistol, each time it attacked something. Added a 6 line wrasse, as well. Both clown and wrasse doing good. Vergas cesipitularia, aka blue xenia has grown more than double of its original size. Planning to bring it down from rock scape to sand. Zoa's also doing good. One of them, i had bought with 2 tiny polyps, now has more than 7 polyp. Pretty happy about those. Today in setup intank media basket (poly fiber + purigen + chemipre elite), and Aquatic Life 115 Skimmer. Skimmer is still not doing much other than generating wife froth (no yellow of dark yellow stuff yet). I have not done the airline mod for the skimmer, I'll see how it runs for next two days, then decide. Till now I'm not terribly annoyed by its noise. Its somewhat quiet I cant recall the name of this coral, it looks bit puffier due to feeding (i am giving oyster paste). ID please : Quote Link to comment
Ranjib Posted February 10, 2017 Author Share Posted February 10, 2017 Lots of updates: Since last time.. lot more corals: Several SPS on top of the aquascape , around the hammer... added some more live rock in front.. Liams clove on right side, went wild.. had to frag most of it. Pink goniopora now sits next to it... The other clove polyp on left has also grown thrice.. i have moved the torch to below thse clove polyps... they have formed a small GSP like savana there. 3 of the original zoas (bright green one, light pink one [can be paly], and dark blue/yellow polyp zoas grew almost 3 fold. I have several frags of them now, in other picos. Vergas cestpitularia has grown so much that now I am worried what to do next. I have fragged it several times.. almost 12, all the child colonies are now bigger than the original mother colony. I have given some, kept few. Next I have to think :-/. GSP had a close call due to red slime algea, three months back.. but after a manual cleaning and more rigorous WC it came back and now i have two other frags, and the original mother conoly, which is covered the entire host rock. I was forced to move the galaxea to a seperate pico. It had grown 8" long sweeper tentacle..was stinging everyone around. I'll start a separate thread on the picos. This tank now has an MP10 (Thanks to Ultimate Aquariums raffle :-) ). Maintenance remained same: Weekly 5G. Same filtration (chemi pure elite, purigen, floss). 1 Quote Link to comment
Okinawa_Reefer Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 Looking great! 1 Quote Link to comment
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