BeefyReefy Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 (edited) Hi Peeps! New to the reefing hobby - Recently cycled my 54L/14USGAL reef aquarium and started out with a couple of clowns. Next step is a CUC consiting of 1 Hermit and 1 Fire Shrimp and then in a couple months some softies. My tank stats/parameters are as follows. • 54 Litre • RO/DI Water 0ppm • 5kg 2 Year Matured Live Rock • Tetra Marine Salt SG 1.025 • 2" Arag-Alive Live Fiji Sand • 7w Arcadia Blade Marine Lamp • 1 x 1600 l/ph Koralia Nano • 1 x 900 l/ph Koralia Nano • Interpet 3 in 1 filter system • PH - 7.8 (bit low I know) • KH - 11dkh • CAL - 480ppm (bit high...) • Ammonia 0ppm • Nitrite 0ppm • Nitrate 0-5ppm • Phosphates 0ppm • Temp 26°c / 78.8°f • 20% WC weekly Light Cycle Blue and White 10 hours Blue 8 hours Lights out 6 hours Still trying out different foods on the clowns, Hikari Marine S pellets and Frozen Mysis. Would be great to get some advice on my tank stats. I am trying to do this properly and want to get off a good start so any advice is welcome! Happy reefing! ?? Edited January 17, 2018 by BeefyReefy Changed sand bed measurement. Quote Link to comment
Oldsalt01 Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 That's a pretty deep sand bed for a 14g tank. Make sure you stir it well just prior water changes to avoid dead spots. And ya might want to consider some snails added to your CUC. Nerites, Nassarius, Ceriths and Dwarf Ceriths, Turbos all come to mind. Maybe a couple of small Brittle Stars to help clean up. You can probably add one more fish (maybe two, if they're smallish like a Tail-spot Blenny or a Clown Goby. Your stats, overall, look ok. You seem to be on top of what they need to be so I won't comment....yet. Some other recommendations: pics, as the tank matures (you'll be glad you did later), a paper tank parameter record (again, you'll be glad you did) that lists everything you do to the tank. I say paper because I lost over a year's records due to a computer crash, so now I record everything, and I DO mean everything that happens both in my DT and my permanent QT, on paper. Welcome to the forum, and to the obsession. Keep us updated. Quote Link to comment
Clown79 Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 Welcome I agree. 3-4" is getting close to dsb. We try to shoot for 1-1.5" as it is easier to maintain and comes with less issues. I wouldn't overly worry about your ph. It fluctuates all day, effected by photosynthesis and works with alk. Are your lights on 18hrs? Quote Link to comment
BeefyReefy Posted January 17, 2018 Author Share Posted January 17, 2018 12 hours ago, Oldsalt01 said: That's a pretty deep sand bed for a 14g tank. Make sure you stir it well just prior water changes to avoid dead spots. And ya might want to consider some snails added to your CUC. Nerites, Nassarius, Ceriths and Dwarf Ceriths, Turbos all come to mind. Maybe a couple of small Brittle Stars to help clean up. You can probably add one more fish (maybe two, if they're smallish like a Tail-spot Blenny or a Clown Goby. Your stats, overall, look ok. You seem to be on top of what they need to be so I won't comment....yet. Some other recommendations: pics, as the tank matures (you'll be glad you did later), a paper tank parameter record (again, you'll be glad you did) that lists everything you do to the tank. I say paper because I lost over a year's records due to a computer crash, so now I record everything, and I DO mean everything that happens both in my DT and my permanent QT, on paper. Welcome to the forum, and to the obsession. Keep us updated. Hi @Oldsalt01 I've just measured the sand bed and it's more like 2" - Just looks deeper due to the shape of my tank lol. Definitely going to get a couple of snails - Today I am picking up the Fire Shrimp and the Hermit Crab, will upload some photos later of my setup. Thanks for the advice on keeping paper records, good idea! Although, I keep a lot of files in the cloud so may just do it digitally and save it to the cloud. Quote Link to comment
BeefyReefy Posted January 17, 2018 Author Share Posted January 17, 2018 6 hours ago, Clown79 said: Welcome I agree. 3-4" is getting close to dsb. We try to shoot for 1-1.5" as it is easier to maintain and comes with less issues. I wouldn't overly worry about your ph. It fluctuates all day, effected by photosynthesis and works with alk. Are your lights on 18hrs? Hi @Clown79 Yeah, I re-measured the sand bed, it's more 2" lol. Yes, seen a lot of advice on not to worry about PH too much if other parameters are good. The lights on my tank do run 18 hours - White and blue come on at 8am then turn off at 6pm - Blue lights from 6pm to 2am then there is a 6 hour period of no lights which was recommended in another forum. Quote Link to comment
Oldsalt01 Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 17 minutes ago, BeefyReefy said: Hi @Oldsalt01 I've just measured the sand bed and it's more like 2" - Just looks deeper due to the shape of my tank lol. Definitely going to get a couple of snails - Today I am picking up the Fire Shrimp and the Hermit Crab, will upload some photos later of my setup. Thanks for the advice on keeping paper records, good idea! Although, I keep a lot of files in the cloud so may just do it digitally and save it to the cloud. Oh yah. "The Cloud"! Us old farts don't necessarily consider, or even trust, all this new fangled technology. If we can't hold it, it doesn't exist, lol. Quote Link to comment
BeefyReefy Posted January 17, 2018 Author Share Posted January 17, 2018 Here's a quick snap of the tank! Quote Link to comment
BeefyReefy Posted January 17, 2018 Author Share Posted January 17, 2018 6 minutes ago, Oldsalt01 said: Oh yah. "The Cloud"! Us old farts don't necessarily consider, or even trust, all this new fangled technology. If we can't hold it, it doesn't exist, lol. Haha!! It is pretty reliable, I've had it 5 years and no problems yet... YET... Quote Link to comment
Oldsalt01 Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 Pretty. Hope you glued that rock together, lol. What kind of filter is that on the back? I don't recall ever seeing one like it in 45 years of saltwater keeping. Quote Link to comment
BeefyReefy Posted January 17, 2018 Author Share Posted January 17, 2018 3 minutes ago, Oldsalt01 said: Pretty. Hope you glued that rock together, lol. What kind of filter is that on the back? I don't recall ever seeing one like it in 45 years of saltwater keeping. Thanks! :-) I haven't glued the rock together, it's pretty stable, I can knock it and it won't fall so didn't bother with glueing. Although the top plates may need glueing to the rock prior to adding coral to them - I also read from other threads that coralline will eventually keep the rocks more stable over-time as they act as a glue? I think I will avoid turbo snails as they are like mini bulldozers apparently! The filter is just a 3 in 1 - Mechanical, Bio and Carbon. I added it to clear up the water from sand particles and also to add some extra surface agitation. Quote Link to comment
Clown79 Posted January 17, 2018 Share Posted January 17, 2018 I don't know why it's been recommended for 18hrs for lights. That's too long of a photo period 12hrs max that's with a ramp up and ramp down ability otherwise 8-10 hrs. Then there is moonlighting but that's far less light. 1 Quote Link to comment
BeefyReefy Posted January 17, 2018 Author Share Posted January 17, 2018 3 minutes ago, Clown79 said: I don't know why it's been recommended for 18hrs for lights. That's too long of a photo period 12hrs max that's with a ramp up and ramp down ability otherwise 8-10 hrs. Then there is moonlighting but that's far less light. Sorry - I have 2 lights in my tank. 1 x Marine White 7w Arcadia Blade (Has intense white and blue LEDs) - runs for 10 hours 8am - 6pm 1 x Blue moonlight submersible LED bar for night viewing - runs for 8 hours from 6pm - 2am Then no lights at all from 2am - 8am Sorry for the confusion. Quote Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.