5.5 Gallon Mixed Reef

[JoeR]

5 minutes ago, Weetabix7 said:

 

Thanks!!

That was probably my favorite tank out of all the ones I've done, and it actually got published in a Reef Aquarium book by Alf Nilsen as well. 

I don't believe the Blue Scroll was hard to keep, pretty sure it likes high flow. 

I really loved the Hairy Chiton too. You can find one for sale here: http://www.kpaquatics.com/product/hairy-chitons/

 

Sorry for thread hijack, LK!!

I saw that you said it was published, very cool! Yeah sorry for the hijack, I promise this is my last off topic post!

[Lorekeeper]

No problem Joe!

 

This thread is just as much for me as it is for anyone else. 

 

You can learn a lot by lurking on a thread and reading, but you can learn so much more by asking a simple question. 

[Lula_Mae]

4 hours ago, JoeR said:

Where did you get your blue scroll from? And what tank is it/do you have pictures?

I got mine from LA Reefs and they sent a nice sized piece this time (when I ordered from them a few years ago I got very small clippings lol).  Sadly mine has lost the blue sheen, hopefully when I upgrade lights it'll regain it.

[Lorekeeper]

Can anyone identify the white thing in the center of the pic?

[Weetabix7]

I see a small white featherduster and what looks like a barnacle shell above and to the left of the featherduster. 

[Lorekeeper]

That's a featherduster? Thanks lol, had no clue!

 

There's no movement, is that normal?

[Weetabix7]

They'll pop in and out every once in a while and the feathery fronds will move in the current but that's about it. 

[Lorekeeper]

Alright, thanks!

[Weetabix7]

'Course, if you used Potato Power on them they might do something extra special, I've never tried that. 

[Lorekeeper]

Lol, maybe if I fed the tank betta food they'll do something EXTRA special...

[HammerLover]

On April 3, 2017 at 7:34 AM, Lorekeeper said:

Thanks for the input!

 

I'm leaning towards the CFL at the moment due to money issues (I'm 15 and can't legally have another job for a month), as well as hanging the ABI bulb would be difficult given the layout of my room. It'd also give a ton of splash light to my planted tanks, which probably wouldn't do very much good.

 

I'm going to get the jar up to 1.023 tomorrow, and from there we'll see how everything goes.

What a young aquarist

 

i was 10 when I started keeping mollies and amazon sword plants in a 20 gal cube with a sponge filter. Though Im 19 I know how hard to have cash is as a student. At times I need to do extra chores in the house if I ever need some cash haha. 

 

You could totally ditch the pump and filter and use an airline instead (just a suggestion). Shrimps have almost no bioload so the bio filtration will do a good job with it. Since your sticking with fairly easy corals, 100% wc isnt that necessary though you can do it if you want.

 

for macros, definetely go with Dragon's breath and Halimeda aside from Chaeto. Some caulerpa are also not invasive. Keep us posted, and hope your shrimps pull through.

 

 

[Lorekeeper]

1 minute ago, HammerLover said:

What a young aquarist

 

i was 10 when I started keeping mollies and amazon sword plants in a 20 gal cube with a sponge filter. Though Im 19 I know how hard to have cash is as a student. At times I need to do extra chores in the house if I ever need some cash haha. 

 

You could totally ditch the pump and filter and use an airline instead (just a suggestion). Shrimps have almost no bioload so the bio filtration will do a good job with it. Since your sticking with fairly easy corals, 100% wc isnt that necessary though you can do it if you want.

 

for macros, definetely go with Dragon's breath and Halimeda aside from Chaeto. Some caulerpa are also not invasive. Keep us posted, and hope your shrimps pull through.

 

 

The shrimp actually died, have a new stocking list now.

 

I'm not doing an airline because every air pump I've tried has proven to be extremely noisy. The tank is just a few feet away from my bed, so noise isn't really ideal. The filter allows me the option of carbon/chemicure/purigen in the future, so I think I'll stick with it. 

 

Yeah, I've decided against the chaeto, but the macros I listed in the stocking list will eventually be in the tank.

[HammerLover]

4 minutes ago, Lorekeeper said:

The shrimp actually died, have a new stocking list now.

 

I'm not doing an airline because every air pump I've tried has proven to be extremely noisy. The tank is just a few feet away from my bed, so noise isn't really ideal. The filter allows me the option of carbon/chemicure/purigen in the future, so I think I'll stick with it. 

 

Yeah, I've decided against the chaeto, but the macros I listed in the stocking list will eventually be in the tank.

Oh. I know how noisy airpumps are, you can opt for the whisper pumps and place it on top of a sponge to further reduce the noise, but I think the filter suits you for now, plus having medias is a great advantage.

 

for shrimps, I found sexies and glass anemone shrimp to be very interesting. I also had a saron shrimp but many said they arent reef safe (mine is always hidden so I barely see it. IME it didnt touch any coral though)

 

you can also try a porcelain crab. They are very beautiful and peaceful creatures that can add variety. For snails, I like turbos and nassarius though its up to your personal choice. 

 

Keep up the good work!

[Lula_Mae]

1 hour ago, Lorekeeper said:

Can anyone identify the white thing in the center of the pic?

Feather duster!

[Lorekeeper]

Just now, Lula_Mae said:

Feather duster!

Thanks!

 

Really hope Shelby comes through. 

[Lula_Mae]

Me too

[Lorekeeper]

You actually have me considering a Pom Pom or something similar instead of the shrimp! 

 

Any more movement since the pellet?

[Lula_Mae]

A little leg twitching but she's too weak to even right herself.

[Lorekeeper]

Just now, Lula_Mae said:

A little leg twitching but she's too weak to even right herself.

I guess every tank has its' losses

 

Still sad to see her in such bad shape. 

[Lula_Mae]

16 minutes ago, Lorekeeper said:

I guess every tank has its' losses

 

Still sad to see her in such bad shape. 

Yeah I hate seeing a critter look so bad.  Though...I was looking at the crab and my old vid of Shelby and realized...I don't think I have the same crab as in the video...

[Lorekeeper]

Yeah, I saw that post... It's so confusing!

 

I wonder if your LFS still has Shelby?

[Lula_Mae]

Dunno, it's an hour away to that store so we probably won't be returning.  An LFS 20 min or so from here carries pom poms, and is where I first got Shelby.  Truth be told, I wouldn't want to have a crab that I had to worry about tackling and killing other crabs so I probably wouldn't try to get her back, much as I liked her.

[Lorekeeper]

Just now, Lula_Mae said:

Dunno, it's an hour away to that store so we probably won't be returning.  An LFS 20 min or so from here carries pom poms, and is where I first got Shelby.  Truth be told, I wouldn't want to have a crab that I had to worry about tackling and killing other crabs so I probably wouldn't try to get her back, much as I liked her.

Ah, probably a good choice.

 

If Shirley doesn't make it, will you be getting another Pom Pom or are you going to try out something else?

[Lorekeeper]

So, the cycle has apparently gone insane sense I put the rock in.

 

Ammonia:2 ppm

Nitrite: 2-3 ppm

Nitrate:80-160 ppm

 

Should I do a WC to get rid of some Nitrate? 

[Weetabix7]

I'd probably do a 50% WC.