Spec V fluval tank new to the Pico / Nano Family

[Johnin714]

2 minutes ago, Lula_Mae said:

Maybe--I dunno much about blennies lol

LOL no worries Blennies are pretty cool to they like to sit around on their fins like a dog waiting to go play. They also like to hide in rocks with only their heads looking out. ill have to weight the options with food they eat and consider the load they (Goby, Blennies)  produce. The biggest factor is who has one in stock for the ones im looking for

[Lula_Mae]

Yeah the pics I've seen they are pretty cute!  And barring special orders, yes, it totally depends on what's in stock locally or when you order online.

[Johnin714]

1 hour ago, Lula_Mae said:

Yeah the pics I've seen they are pretty cute!  And barring special orders, yes, it totally depends on what's in stock locally or when you order online.

True i am going to keep my options open as well. Never know when i take a trip to LFS or even Petco for that matter who knows what might happen. 

 

How is your Mini Tank coming along ?

 

 

[Lula_Mae]

Looking good, I posted an update last night, but I will be packing it up to move later this evening.

[Johnin714]

1 minute ago, Lula_Mae said:

Looking good, I posted an update last night, but I will be packing it up to move later this evening.

Im curious what are you using for Filtration? 

[Johnin714]

UPDATE:

New Tank light finally came in. A little smaller than i had hoped however, it fit with a little room to expand it also has a good spectrum of RGB, White and Good Lumens and so far the coral seem to really like it. My Anemone seem to stretch out more, Polyps started to open more, Zoas majority opened up. I put a Pulsing Xenia frag to also test the conditions and it opened right away and looks happy. All from about 3hrs of use. The light creates a really good shimmer white and blow and even has a Marine setting which i will be testing all day today. I'm still learning the controls with the remote but i will play around with it more tonight (PST). 

 

 

 

[Lula_Mae]

On 4/24/2017 at 5:06 PM, Johnin714 said:

Im curious what are you using for Filtration? 

I have an AquaClear 20 on there with sponge and carbon, but probably will switch sponge out with filter floss and maybe add some ChemiPure as I have never tried it but have read good things about it.

[Johnin714]

5 hours ago, Lula_Mae said:

I have an AquaClear 20 on there with sponge and carbon, but probably will switch sponge out with filter floss and maybe add some ChemiPure as I have never tried it but have read good things about it.

Yea i would get rid of the the sponge filter. In my Main tank i use a Filter Sock (same material as filter floss) then into my Skimmer then Refuge then to the return pump that i have my Chemi Pure Elite. 

 

My Pico tank Im using a type of Filter Floss but mine is treated media already in it to help control nitrates. Below that it drains into Ultramaxx bag. ChemiPure copied Ultramaxx as far as their media. I like the Ultramaxx for the small tank as you can add the amount of  media into a media bag as chemipure is already in a bag. No need to put a 75gallon worth of Chemipure in a 5 gallon tank or less when you can add maybe 10Tbls of Ultramaxx and still have a ton for future use.

 

They both cost around the same so i would pick based on your needs but essentially they do exactly the same thing. 

 

UPDATE:

 

The new light seems to be working well. So far however i know Zoas can take a little time to open. Since i put the light i have noticed more of them opening. Not at 100 percent open but i would say around 80 percent. I will keep using the light in the mean time and will eventually replace it with a Current Orbit Marine at a later date. 

[Lula_Mae]

Yep was using the sponge mostly as I hadn't gotten any filter floss haha.  I think sponges can be major nitrate factories over time in a salt tank.  My big goal is to hopefully get the tank set back up tonight as right now everything is in the cooler with air bubbler and heater lol.

[Johnin714]

1 hour ago, Lula_Mae said:

Yep was using the sponge mostly as I hadn't gotten any filter floss haha.  I think sponges can be major nitrate factories over time in a salt tank.  My big goal is to hopefully get the tank set back up tonight as right now everything is in the cooler with air bubbler and heater lol.

Good luck im sure its gonna look great when you get it setup again! Im looking forward to seeing it

[Johnin714]

So this weekend i plan on getting a Goby or a Blennie for my tank. Also maybe a shrimp coral bandit or peppermint. I wanted to wait a week after the tank has been good to go with the water and its stable. The new $30 light seems to be working better than expected. I plan on putting in a Kryptonite Coral and some Acans this weekend and who knows what else will catch my eye. I will also be taking a ton of new updated pics and everything i have updated. 

 

I was also thinking of adding a small Refuge with a Breeder box i just order from eBay and put some cheato. Im also plan on making a small stand that i could possibly put a small mini 1 gallon mini sump under neath in my new stand if the breeder box doesnt work the way i hope. 

[Lula_Mae]

21 hours ago, Johnin714 said:

Good luck im sure its gonna look great when you get it setup again! Im looking forward to seeing it

Thanks, it's up again but everything looks suuuuuuper pissed.

[Johnin714]

2 hours ago, Lula_Mae said:

Thanks, it's up again but everything looks suuuuuuper pissed.

Ouch! I would be too if i didnt have coffee lol 

[Lula_Mae]

29 minutes ago, Johnin714 said:

Ouch! I would be too if i didnt have coffee lol 

Haha, I wish that were the reason!

[Johnin714]

UPDATE: Went to my LFS last night. 

 

Added Neon Brain Coral 

Added TailSpot Blenny (love this guy found a home in the live rock and Zoas)

Added Neon Toadstool 

Added Small Hermit Crabs (Clean up Crew)

 

Large tank:

Added Monti Frag

Added Red Flame Hawk 

 

Picture heavy inbound. If anyone wants to see my large tank ill add a few pics as well

[money88]

Following along, have a small fluval evo myself, awesome little tanks.

 

Yours is looking great so far!

[Johnin714]

1 hour ago, money88 said:

Following along, have a small fluval evo myself, awesome little tanks.

 

Yours is looking great so far!

Thanks for following along @money88 Hows yours Spec V doing? 

 

Some new pics to show some progress and my new friend the little Tail Spot Blenny popping out of the live rock. This little guy is so much charisma and always looks like hes smiling. 

 

Neon Brain Coral

Pulsing Xenia

Toad Stool 

Zoas

Polyps 

Feather Dusters

Candy Cane Kyrpotnite Coral

Emerald Crab

Purple Anemone (who cant stay still!) LOL

 

I plan on doing a 2 Gallon Water change tonight seams my levels are starting to rise a little. Salinity is on the mark but everything else not a zero. 

[Lula_Mae]

Looking very nice!  Is that pink pom pom xenia?

[Johnin714]

14 minutes ago, Lula_Mae said:

Looking very nice!  Is that pink pom pom xenia?

Actually its just the regular white/brown one. I got it for $10 at my LFS so it was an easy way to test my tank to make sure it was good to go. They are pretty hardy so i knew if it didn't do well in my Small tank i could always put it in my Coral Container in my Main to recover. So i leave it in there as a beacon to verify my tank is still thriving. How is your tank coming along @Lula_Mae ?

[money88]

58 minutes ago, Johnin714 said:

Thanks for following along @money88 Hows yours Spec V doing? 

My spec is doing well I see you saw my thread thanks for checking it out!

 

I am really liking your new corals. I wish the coral prices around here were what you all keep saying you pay. I keep reading in threads people paying $5-$10 for corals the cheapest I can get locally is $15 for a tiny ric and $25 for a tiny lps frag. And that is the cheaper location, other places are like $80 for a zoa colony with like 5 polyps lol. Well I'll have to call my buddy up and drive a bit further because he knows someone pretty close that allows him to bargain. Or I need to try bargaining at the current shop I am going to.

 

What light are you using? The one from ebay still?

[Johnin714]

1 minute ago, money88 said:

My spec is doing well I see you saw my thread thanks for checking it out!

 

I am really liking your new corals. I wish the coral prices around here were what you all keep saying you pay. I keep reading in threads people paying $5-$10 for corals the cheapest I can get locally is $15 for a tiny ric and $25 for a tiny lps frag. And that is the cheaper location, other places are like $80 for a zoa colony with like 5 polyps lol. Well I'll have to call my buddy up and drive a bit further because he knows someone pretty close that allows him to bargain. Or I need to try bargaining at the current shop I am going to.

 

What light are you using? The one from ebay still?

Im not sure where you are exactly City etc. But when i first got into the hobby and was bitten by the coral and saltwater bug. I actually checked out Craigslist (searched for Frags or Coral). Sometimes local Aquarist like ourselves start their own frag setup. I tend to take a peak now and then sometimes i can find a whole Zoa colony for $2 dollars per polyp even less depending if they need space and they are more likely to bargain with you. If you keep going back to them even like LFS they sometimes remember you and give you deeper discounts. For me my LFS i been going to for the past year and he always gives me discounts, free stuff, remembers me by name and even asks me to help him out keeping some extra frags of coral that he knows will be in good hands. Its a love hate relationship. I love going there as much as possible i hate when i cant go LOL...

[Johnin714]

Sorry for the slow updates on this. I am in the process of upgrading my main tank from a 75 Gallon to 120. So its a lot of prep work and getting things for my new one with no down time in between. Today is the day to get the new one in place drain the old one and get the new one setup. Its like Christmas all over again

[Lula_Mae]

7 hours ago, Johnin714 said:

Sorry for the slow updates on this. I am in the process of upgrading my main tank from a 75 Gallon to 120. So its a lot of prep work and getting things for my new one with no down time in between. Today is the day to get the new one in place drain the old one and get the new one setup. Its like Christmas all over again

It's like moving except not quite!  Have fun with that lol.

PS you should make a thread for your big tank!  Others have their big tank threads on here

[Johnin714]

16 hours ago, Lula_Mae said:

It's like moving except not quite!  Have fun with that lol.

PS you should make a thread for your big tank!  Others have their big tank threads on here

Ohh never thought about that. Hmmm now where do i start the thread lol

[Lula_Mae]

Either the Aquarium Journals forum, or under "Special Interests" is a "Large Reefs" forum.