Jofiel Posted September 10, 2016 Share Posted September 10, 2016 I took a 2 year hiatus from keeping up a tank and just recently got a new job and moved and feel like its time to start again! All I had in supplies that made the last two moves with me was an 9.5 gallon national geographic tank and some random mechanical equipment that fit inside it. I have the perfect spot for a 20-30 gallon cube but couldn't wait to get started so have set up the little tank as a nano. It has been just under a week. Here it is 5 days into a cycle. (tomorrow I will top off and do a water change) I got some live (ish) sand and rock. Actually WAAAAAAY more than I need for both this and the 24 gallon all in one I ordered today! The sand and rock came from an unlucky craigslister who had a tank leak. It had been out of the tank for a week or so in a tub of saltwater in the garage. Hence the "liveish" designation. I took the easy way out and bought some real seawater and nitrafying bacteria to get started. Rock, sand, water, 50 watt heater, Hydor Koralia 425 nano pump, and away we go! Here are the test results 24 hours in. 0,0,0 I decided to add some shrimp and there were some huge tiger shrimp on sale so I grabbed a half a pound for my dinner and trimmed off two tails with some flesh and added those to my tank. Day Two's results looked like this. Ammonia between .25-.5, Nitrite .5, Nitrate 5 Day 3 Ammonia .25, Nitrite 2, Nitrate 15 Day 4 Ammonia between .25-.5, Nitrite .75, Nitrate 20 I removed one of the shrimp tails as it seemed like a lot in such a small tank and things seem to be rolling along. Day 5 (today, the day of the first tank photo) Ammonia between 0-.25, Nitrite 1.5, Nitrate 20. Tomorrow I shall top off the tank then change like a gallon of water. I'm debating if I should remove the shrimp in the next few days and feed the tank drops of ammonia instead. It would give me something to fuss over while I wait for my new tank to arrive... Future plan for this tank is to put a finnex hob refugium on the back with some cheato and use it for some sexy shrimp, some interesting snails, and mabey a clown goby. I haven't decided what to do for lighting. I will probably take the hood off though. Link to comment
Jofiel Posted September 10, 2016 Author Share Posted September 10, 2016 This is the tank I ordered today. It's an Aqua Japan AJ-60. 22-24 gallon all in one. Super affordable! Cost shipped was $140. Let's hope it gets here in one piece. Goals for this tank include easy corals, a pair of pink skunk clowns, and a cleaner shrimp. I think I will continue my budget theme and get one of the chinese leds for this tank. I have a lovely spot on a big solid wood bookcase where this tank will fit perfectly and I can hang lights on eye hooks from the shelf above. Of course, I've been obsessing, plotting, planning, and web browsing up a storm and am currently really wanting a lot of soft corals and in pink, blues and yellows. I'd like to avoid greens but I REALLY love the ripple of star polyps in the current... Link to comment
Jofiel Posted September 10, 2016 Author Share Posted September 10, 2016 Topped off then changed out 2 gallons. Removed stinky shrimp. Day six Link to comment
Jofiel Posted October 16, 2016 Author Share Posted October 16, 2016 Cycle went as expected culminating in a lovely diatom outbreak, followed by some algae, and now a snowstorm of copepods! I added Finnex hob refugium with carbon, phosban, filter floss, and a ball of cheato. Not very pretty, now I'm wishing I had painted the back of the tank! Diatoms cleared up pretty quickly. I've been doing aggressive weekly water changes for the last month. Added some hardy frags, a couple money cowries, a few tapestry nerite snails, a pair of porcelain crabs, a couple of vibex snails. Friday I got my CUC for the second tank which has now been up for around a month. They are currently cleaning up the algae that followed the diatoms in the little tank and then will be moved into the AJ-60. More snails, and a tiger conch. Also a nice orange acan, a 3 head orange dendro and a little purple sea whip. It's all settling in well, though the dendro heads haven't opened up yet. [/url ] And here is the AJ-60 tonight. Next week I will be putting up the light for it and adding the CUC. If it goes well I will move a pair of sunkist skunk clown in there the following week. I am getting a pair of neon gobies for the small tank. 9.5 Gallon national geographic bow front: Currently just using the LED from the AJ-60 on this tank because I haven't decided what to use. May just go with a par38 bulb or chinese box LED Finnex hob fuge with cheato, phosban, carbon, filter floss Hydor Koralia 425 powerhead Hydor 50 watt heater 12 pounds like rock 10 pounds live sand Livestock: Pair of porcelain crabs 2 money cowrie 3 Tapestry Nerite 1 Vibex adding 2 neon gobies next week adding a small group of sexy shrimp in the future AJ-60 24 Gallon all in one: Wellpar 165 watt dimmable timer control led reef light Rio 180 return Jebao RW4 wavemaker Eheim 100 watt heater phosban, carbon, filter sponge considering adding Brightwell aquatic media plate instead .of cheato Livestock: adding CUC next week (currently camping in the small tank) Tiger conch Speckled Nassarius 10 tapestry nerite 2 vibex Pair of sustainable aquatics sunkist skunk clowns Maybe a yellow or blue assesor I intend to mainly stock LPS and soft coral with just a little sps. Must haves include a yellow fiji leather and something resembling a pink hammer that will hopefully host the clowns. Link to comment
jnguyen5820 Posted January 21, 2017 Share Posted January 21, 2017 Hi, do you have any updates on this tank? I'm thinking about getting the AJ-50 one. How do you like the size of the rear chambers, easy to work with? Link to comment
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