xilez Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Hi all! Been on the forums for a few years now. It's about 2 years since I had a tank up and running, but finally ready to get more active on here. My first tank was a Fluval Edge that I made rimless...That's when I fell in love with rimless tanks. I learned a lot with that tank, 2 moves, number of pests, outbreaks, good and bad corals etc. I always knew my next tank would be a Mr Aqua 12long (inspired by a lot of tanks from this forum of course), so much so I purchased it 3 years ago. Currently in Day 5 of my cycle, and I am ready to share! Equipment Tank: Mr Aqua 12long Sump: Oceanbox Designs POB Sump/Refugium w/ Refugium Light Lightning: Orbit Marine LED sitting on Oceanbox Designs Lightmaxx Risers Pump: Eheim Compact 600 Circ: Jebao RW-4 ATO: AutoAqua Smart ATO Micro Heater: Jaeger 75W Filtration: ReefCleaners rock with Fiji Pink live sand Was able to get a custom stand built by a local in the Atlanta area, quality is top notch. Here was the tank during setup View of the OB Sump... I gotta say the quality of this thing is INSANEEEEE! Phuong of OceanBox has been extremely helpful over the past couple of months during my tank planning, and customer service for the product was top notch. He has earned a customer for life. Inside of the cabinet: Milk Crates from container store make great shelves. And here she stands as of yesterday! (pics under white lights) Here is a video of the setup (water was still a little cloudy), but it should show how everything is connected to my UPS https://vimeo.com/179661733 Currently going with the Dr TIms One and Only and Ammonia dosing for my cycle. Today will be day 5, as of last night I had yet to see my nitrates spike. Waiting game continues! 7 Quote Link to comment
Jruberti Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 That POB Sump is neat and it gives you all that room in the stand for the RO Reservoir / drygoods. Interested to see how this turns out! Quote Link to comment
Oceanbox Designs Posted August 25, 2016 Share Posted August 25, 2016 Wow you put everything together nicely, love the custom stand! Can't wait to see this tank rocking with livestock I really appreciate the kind words! I love what I do and try to perfect it every time. Quote Link to comment
xilez Posted August 26, 2016 Author Share Posted August 26, 2016 Tested water tonight (Day 5), starting to see some Nitrites so I know the cycle is doing its thing. I have no problem takings slow this time around. Question: I plan on doing Chemipure Blue and Filter Floss eventually. When do I add this? Once my tank cycles, should I do water change > add chempure/floss > CuC? Quote Link to comment
Passaggper Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 Nice! I'll follow along here. Tested water tonight (Day 5), starting to see some Nitrites so I know the cycle is doing its thing. I have no problem takings slow this time around. Question: I plan on doing Chemipure Blue and Filter Floss eventually. When do I add this? Once my tank cycles, should I do water change > add chempure/floss > CuC? I'm no expert but once your cycle is complete and you get diatoms you could go ahead and add your cleanup crew. I got a large crew for a small tank right off the bat and fed the hermit crabs a lot before I ever started using anything but floss. Of course, I don't have a sump/fuge in my AIO but I started with dry rock too so I wanted to have a good bacteria base going before I started adding too much after that. Quote Link to comment
xilez Posted August 26, 2016 Author Share Posted August 26, 2016 Thanks for following Passaggper. Yes once my cycle is complete I will be adding a CuC for at least a week before adding fish/coral. I was just curious at what point to be people start adding Chemipure and Filter Floss. It's possible I don't need either for a while, I just remember I loved how clear the water was using chemipure in my last tank. Quote Link to comment
cruiZe Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 one of my favorite display tanks ever, i love the super long look. That fuge is a work of art as well. I had something similar years ago, but yours is highly refined. It's great having a surface skimmer and no worry of flood due to siphon loss. Best setup without drilling cuz gravity works! Are you going to add any fresh live rock? Or just wait it out with the bottled bac? 1 Quote Link to comment
xilez Posted August 26, 2016 Author Share Posted August 26, 2016 I plan to just wait it out. I want to control everything that goes into this system and want to reduce the amount of hitchhikers and unwanted pests that could possibly get introduced. While I know the benefits of live rock, the graphic designer in me enjoys starting from scratch and build it up over time. Plus the ReefCleaners rock is so awesome. Most results I've seen using the Dr Tims method has the tank cycled in 2-4 weeks. I have a frag swap in mid-october, so as long as I am cycled by then I feel no need to rush. Quote Link to comment
xilez Posted August 26, 2016 Author Share Posted August 26, 2016 Currently planning out fish for when that day comes... Currently I know i want: 2x Snowflake or Black Ice Clownfish 1x Midas Blenny I'd like to add one more fish, what you guys recommend? Wrasses to me seem kind of bleh (never owned one though). I love Coral Beauties, but even if I put a SMALL one in it might out grow the tank too quickly. What do you guys recommend? Quote Link to comment
xilez Posted August 26, 2016 Author Share Posted August 26, 2016 Tested parameters again today, ammonia and nitrite present, its low though. Starting to see a little nitrates. Continuing the Dr Tims plans and dosed 2ppm again and from here on out its a daily test and dose if need be sort of thing. Comforting to the know the cycle is actually in motion! I have been doing the cycle with lights off, so no algae or diatom bloom. Will I eventually see a diatom bloom with the lights off? (some sunlight bleeds into the room as well) Quote Link to comment
SantaMonicaHelp Posted August 26, 2016 Share Posted August 26, 2016 Currently planning out fish for when that day comes... Currently I know i want: 2x Snowflake or Black Ice Clownfish 1x Midas Blenny I'd like to add one more fish, what you guys recommend? Wrasses to me seem kind of bleh (never owned one though). I love Coral Beauties, but even if I put a SMALL one in it might out grow the tank too quickly. What do you guys recommend? If your thinking about clowns, I personally like the Black Ocellaris and Picassos- although I don't know if you plan on breeding them. In your case a Snowflake and a Black Ice could breed quite well, because they are both of the A. Ocellaris species. If you are planning on breeding, a Snowflake and a Black Ice will make a Snow Onyx. - C. Smith 1 Quote Link to comment
xilez Posted August 26, 2016 Author Share Posted August 26, 2016 Not too much concerned about them breeding. If it happens cool but otherwise not really a concern. Orange seems to be a harder color to introduce into aquariums which is why I'm not a huge fan of the onyx I'm like 50/50 on whether I like snowflake or black ice more, and picasso would be behind that. Quote Link to comment
xilez Posted August 29, 2016 Author Share Posted August 29, 2016 Tested again last night (Day 8 of my cycle): Ammonia and Nitries both present (above .5 - 1ppm) with a little bit on Nitrate. Going to test over the next two days and once Nitrite/Ammonia drop below .5ppm I will dose another 2ppm ammonia. Does anyone trust any brand of test strips compared to the regular API kit? Quote Link to comment
SantaMonicaHelp Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Orange seems to be a harder color to introduce into aquariums which is why I'm not a huge fan of the onyx I'm like 50/50 on whether I like snowflake or black ice more, and picasso would be behind that. I think Onyx clolwnfish are usually just as orange as Snowflakes. It obviously depends fish-to-fish, but Ocellaris' tend to darken as they mature. Just something you may want to keep in mind - C. Smith Quote Link to comment
vlangel Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 That is a super sleek setup you have. I really like how clean and professional it looks. Everything I have seen done by Oceanbox Designs is nice and I am sure you are going to love it. 1 Quote Link to comment
Jaysushi Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Very nice setup you got going on. Keep up the good work! Quote Link to comment
Oceanbox Designs Posted August 31, 2016 Share Posted August 31, 2016 Currently planning out fish for when that day comes... Currently I know i want: 2x Snowflake or Black Ice Clownfish 1x Midas Blenny I'd like to add one more fish, what you guys recommend? Wrasses to me seem kind of bleh (never owned one though). I love Coral Beauties, but even if I put a SMALL one in it might out grow the tank too quickly. What do you guys recommend? Pygmy angel...mine jumped out but would get him again in a heart beat. Sixline wrasse, although there are horror stories, mine has been behaving well with others and doesn't bother any corals. That is a super sleek setup you have. I really like how clean and professional it looks. Everything I have seen done by Oceanbox Designs is nice and I am sure you are going to love it. I really appreciate the kind words! 1 Quote Link to comment
xilez Posted September 6, 2016 Author Share Posted September 6, 2016 Tank still cycling.. Found that my 5g jug for ATO lasts a little over 2 weeks, good to know as it helps me plan my trips to the LFS. I keep taking the girlfriend along with me every time I go to the LFS. She wants to put massive Tangs and Angels into the thank, but I have to explain to her its too small for them! She also thinks serpent starfish are incredibly scary, but little does she know I will definitely be buying one! Quote Link to comment
xilez Posted September 9, 2016 Author Share Posted September 9, 2016 Update: Tank still cycling. Had a question about CuC... Since this is not only the first time I've done a dry rock cycle, but also the first time I have done it with the lights out. So I am not sure if would ever a see a diatom bloom... Would I still need to add a clean up crew? Or should I run the tank with a light cycle for a weak, and then add CuC? Quote Link to comment
Passaggper Posted September 11, 2016 Share Posted September 11, 2016 Does the tank get ANY light? I started with a bunch of big hermits, I think and fed them a lot. I enjoyed watching something move in the tank. What they didn't eat, went to waste and helped establish a system that would tolerate some bio load. Just keep reading and asking questions and you'll get a lot of different opinions. Many of which, won't be wrong. I can tell you the best things are done slowly. Quote Link to comment
xilez Posted September 12, 2016 Author Share Posted September 12, 2016 Tank gets some light since there are a few windows that provide light during the day, still don't see anything on the rocks/sand though could be because my cycle is still continuting Quote Link to comment
xilez Posted September 14, 2016 Author Share Posted September 14, 2016 Noob question - how do i change my thread title? Quote Link to comment
gulfofmexico Posted September 14, 2016 Share Posted September 14, 2016 Click Edit, then use Full Editor. 1 Quote Link to comment
xilez Posted September 19, 2016 Author Share Posted September 19, 2016 Added some livestock this weekend! Got 2 snowflake clowns, and a couple small frags. Video below, I was playing around with some orange gel filters trying to see which one would make a good video https://vimeo.com/183242460 3 Quote Link to comment
xilez Posted September 20, 2016 Author Share Posted September 20, 2016 Clowns seem to be doing well. Been monitoring parameters all week and havn't seen a big spike yet. How long do you guys think it takes for Dry Rock to start seeing some algae bloom? Currently on the hunt for a Midas Blenny, things are damn near impossible to find in Atlanta. Quote Link to comment
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