20g High Start Up

[Weetabix7]

1 minute ago, cvest100 said:

Sounds like a plan!  How did anyone do this before the internet!?!?!?!  ?  You guys rock!!!

 

I did this before the internet. 

I learned by stalking obviously knowldegeable LFS employees and then ambushing them with endless questions whilst they were in the midst of WC's. 

Then basically taking that, pushing the limits by starting Nano Tanks (which were believed impossible then), and trial and error. 

Glad we can help!!

[cvest100]

2 minutes ago, Weetabix7 said:

 

I did this before the internet. 

I learned by stalking obviously knowldegeable LFS employees and then ambushing them with endless questions whilst they were in the midst of WC's. 

Then basically taking that, pushing the limits by starting Nano Tanks (which were believed impossible then), and trial and error. 

Glad we can help!!

Thank god we can quietly stalk people on here now!!! Lol! ??

[Lula_Mae]

54 minutes ago, Weetabix7 said:

 

I did this before the internet. 

I learned by stalking obviously knowldegeable LFS employees and then ambushing them with endless questions whilst they were in the midst of WC's. 

Then basically taking that, pushing the limits by starting Nano Tanks (which were believed impossible then), and trial and error. 

Glad we can help!!

  It was the internet that led me to the world of nano reefs.  I'd always thought you needed at least a 50 gallon tank to be successful--and while reading on the forum where I'd learned about freshwater, I discovered you didn't need a large tank but could, in fact, do it with a small one, and someone posted a link that led me here...and the rest was history!  I read for almost a year, I think, before I plucked up the courage to join...took a while longer before I ever started posting. 

[cvest100]

Tested again today.  Here are the results.  Nitrates don't look quite as bad as they did, but still going to do another 5 gallon water change this afternoon.  Lights have been off since Friday.  Still see a lot of GHA on the one rock.  Hopefully my snails will be a little more active today/tonight...

[cvest100]

Flipped the lights on for a couple of minutes this morning to see where I'm at.  The GHA is now see through but nothing has touched it yet...  Did my water change yesterday.  Waiting until tomorrow to test again and maybe do another WC.  Looking to the future, I want to keep a pair of clowns but not sure what kind of anemone to get for them.  I don't want something distructive to the tank, and have never kept them before.  Thoughts?

[Lula_Mae]

1 hour ago, cvest100 said:

Flipped the lights on for a couple of minutes this morning to see where I'm at.  The GHA is now see through but nothing has touched it yet...  Did my water change yesterday.  Waiting until tomorrow to test again and maybe do another WC.  Looking to the future, I want to keep a pair of clowns but not sure what kind of anemone to get for them.  I don't want something distructive to the tank, and have never kept them before.  Thoughts?

Clowns don't actually need an anemone--they will host a number of objects.  Many clowns take well to euphyllia species.  Most of the commercially available anemones seem like they'd be a pain to care for lol.  Plus a lot get pretty big.  I'd get a nice torch or hammer if you want something with a high likelihood of hosting clowns, but the clowns may not choose it, and they will be fine with nothing to host.

[cvest100]

2 hours ago, Lula_Mae said:

Clowns don't actually need an anemone--they will host a number of objects.  Many clowns take well to euphyllia species.  Most of the commercially available anemones seem like they'd be a pain to care for lol.  Plus a lot get pretty big.  I'd get a nice torch or hammer if you want something with a high likelihood of hosting clowns, but the clowns may not choose it, and they will be fine with nothing to host.

Awesome!  Will my AI Prime HD be sufficient lighting for a torch or hammer?

[cvest100]

So I had a weird thing happen today.  Someone I haven't talked to in a long time messaged me and asked if I still had my tank up (from years ago).  I told them no, but that I had started a smaller one a couple weeks ago.  He told me a co-worker of his was moving and had two fish left from his setup that he tore down and sold and they needed a home. After some poking he was able to tell me that they were tomato clowns and were being housed in a five gallon bucket....?.  I promptly asked for an address and went and picked them up!  Not what I wanted, but I couldn't let them suffer!  He told my friend he was going to dispose of them if they weren't gone by the end of the week!  Sorry for the cloudy water. I added a couple of pieces of live rock and rescaped this morning before these two went into the tank! 

 

Edited May 1, 2017 by cvest100
Changed pic. Didn't like the scape so I re-did it....again.....

[Lula_Mae]

3 hours ago, cvest100 said:

So I had a weird thing happen today.  Someone I haven't talked to in a long time messaged me and asked if I still had my tank up (from years ago).  I told them no, but that I had started a smaller one a couple weeks ago.  He told me a co-worker of his was moving and had two fish left from his setup that he tore down and sold and they needed a home. After some poking he was able to tell me that they were tomato clowns and were being housed in a five gallon bucket....?.  I promptly asked for an address and went and picked them up!  Not what I wanted, but I couldn't let them suffer!  He told my friend he was going to dispose of them if they weren't gone by the end of the week!  Sorry for the cloudy water. I added a couple of pieces of live rock and rescaped this morning before these two went into the tank! 

 

Oh my gosh, DISPOSE of them?!?  Geez!  I am glad you rescued them, they are super cute!

 

I'm not super familiar with the Prime but I am pretty sure it will grow euphyllia species with no problem.

[Weetabix7]

1 minute ago, Lula_Mae said:

Oh my gosh, DISPOSE of them?!?  Geez!  I am glad you rescued them, they are super cute!

 

I'm not super familiar with the Prime but I am pretty sure it will grow euphyllia species with no problem.

 

Yes, agreed on all counts!!!

[cvest100]

12 minutes ago, Lula_Mae said:

Oh my gosh, DISPOSE of them?!?  Geez!  I am glad you rescued them, they are super cute!

 

I'm not super familiar with the Prime but I am pretty sure it will grow euphyllia species with no problem.

Right! I've never thought of "disposing" of anything living from one of my tanks!  I've had a few things I gave to my LFS when I couldn't sell it, but never disposed of...

 

11 minutes ago, Weetabix7 said:

 

Yes, agreed on all counts!!!

Thanks Weetie!

[Lula_Mae]

8 minutes ago, cvest100 said:

Right! I've never thought of "disposing" of anything living from one of my tanks!  I've had a few things I gave to my LFS when I couldn't sell it, but never disposed of...

 

Thanks Weetie!

For real, I don't have anything nice to say about people who can "dispose" of living things like that.  Heck, my zebra hermit I hated just got relegated to solitary confinement (a 1-gallon with a rock in it) after I got tired of his shenanigans--I couldn't bring myself to just kill him or throw him out!

[cvest100]

Big update day!  New light and skimmer is out for delivery!!  Finished my scape last night.  Kicked some crap up while doing my scape, so I think that's why my params are all out of whack.  Time for a WC. Clowns seem to be doing well.  I was reading last night that Tomatos can be really aggressive in smaller tanks, especially if they're the first in it...  Might not be keeping these guys.  May have to give them to my LFS.  Also ordered an inTank media basket yesterday with some chem pure.  Going to try my hand at growing some chaeto in my AC70.  Any recommendations on a cheap submersible light?  More to come later!!!

[Lula_Mae]

Even if they go back to the LFS, at least they weren't "disposed" of!

[Weetabix7]

I think you have a cool 'scape. 

 

Hooray for new stuff!!!

 

Cheap submersible light: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X84LMHK/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_12?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3EQCIM9V5D8KS

 

Also, I have heard that about Tomato Clowns as well. 

[cvest100]

Ok, everything is installed!!!  I downloaded someone's settings off of the AI Prime Facebook group.  He has an IM20, which has a similar foot print to my 20H.  He has mainly softies and LPS, but also has a couple SPS.  He said he has good algae control as well.  Since I don't have any coral's yet, I don't think I really need to worry about an acclimation period right now.  I'll probably turn it on for my first corals when I get there, and only if there is an issue with the lighting they came from being not as intense.  It's so weird not hearing the CRAZY loud noise from my SeaClone skimmer, but this Aquamaxx is quiet!!!  Start the photo bomb!!

[Type-H20]

11 minutes ago, cvest100 said:

Ok, everything is installed!!!  I downloaded someone's settings off of the AI Prime Facebook group.  He has an IM20, which has a similar foot print to my 20H.  He has mainly softies and LPS, but also has a couple SPS.  He said he has good algae control as well.  Since I don't have any coral's yet, I don't think I really need to worry about an acclimation period right now.  I'll probably turn it on for my first corals when I get there, and only if there is an issue with the lighting they came from being not as intense.  It's so weird not hearing the CRAZY loud noise from my SeaClone skimmer, but this Aquamaxx is quiet!!!  Start the photo bomb!!

That's exciting.  Your rock work looks great and it looks like the AI Prime HD, is covering the entire tank perfectly.  Noticed you got the 1.5 version of the Aquamaxx, let us know how it works out for you.  

 

Can you show a side view, I'm curious how far back you had to adjust the Prime mount.

[cvest100]

11 minutes ago, Type-H20 said:

That's exciting.  Your rock work looks great and it looks like the AI Prime HD, is covering the entire tank perfectly.  Noticed you got the 1.5 version of the Aquamaxx, let us know how it works out for you.  

 

Can you show a side view, I'm curious how far back you had to adjust the Prime mount.

Thanks Type!  I need to get the micro-bubble stopper for the Aquamaxx....TONS of them, but it has only been about an hour....  

 

I had to move the Prime mount almost all of the way back to get it centered on my rock and with the depth of the tank, I have the light about 6 inches above the water.  Here is the side pic you asked for!

[Type-H20]

2 minutes ago, cvest100 said:

Thanks Type!  I need to get the micro-bubble stopper for the Aquamaxx....TONS of them, but it has only been about an hour....  

 

I had to move the Prime mount almost all of the way back to get it centered on my rock and with the depth of the tank, I have the light about 6 inches above the water.  Here is the side pic you asked for!

Thanks, I'm considering this light/mount over a standard 10 I'm setting up and that photo helps a lot.  (Started out looking at the Kessils then realized how much other new tech I've missed out on over the past couple of years and now its going to be either the AI Prime HD or the Nanobox Tide)

[cvest100]

23 minutes ago, Type-H20 said:

Thanks, I'm considering this light/mount over a standard 10 I'm setting up and that photo helps a lot.  (Started out looking at the Kessils then realized how much other new tech I've missed out on over the past couple of years and now its going to be either the AI Prime HD or the Nanobox Tide)

I went back and forth with a number of lights, but the built in wifi and controllability sold me on this one.  It also allows me to get a second if I end up doing SPS down the line.  I could probably keep a couple front and center from what little I've been able to gather from par readings under water with one light. I figured with most mounting the light at 8 inches, if I kept it at 6 then I can get a better par through out the tank.  Still trying to figure out what the best settings will be, but doubt I'll be able to do much without corals in there to judge how things will do!

[cvest100]

3 hours ago, Weetabix7 said:

I think you have a cool 'scape. 

 

Hooray for new stuff!!!

 

Cheap submersible light: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X84LMHK/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_12?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A3EQCIM9V5D8KS

 

Also, I have heard that about Tomato Clowns as well. 

Thanks!  That light would be great, but I have to have one smaller.  The AC70 is only about 6 inches wide.  I've been struggling with this for a while!

 

 

[Type-H20]

1 hour ago, cvest100 said:

I went back and forth with a number of lights, but the built in wifi and controllability sold me on this one.  It also allows me to get a second if I end up doing SPS down the line.  I could probably keep a couple front and center from what little I've been able to gather from par readings under water with one light. I figured with most mounting the light at 8 inches, if I kept it at 6 then I can get a better par through out the tank.  Still trying to figure out what the best settings will be, but doubt I'll be able to do much without corals in there to judge how things will do!

Yes, you need to get some corals stat! 

[cvest100]

5 minutes ago, Type-H20 said:

Yes, you need to get some corals stat! 

Agreed!  Just need to get my water params in check first!!  Hoping that later this week I can ease a couple in, but we all know how things change on a dime in this hobby!

[Type-H20]

Patience, the hardest part of reefing.

[cvest100]

So the GHA made a come back last night....