zoafan627 Posted August 13, 2019 Share Posted August 13, 2019 This is the journal of my 5.5 I’m building and it’s going to be called the “the lesser barrier reef” a play on words of the gargantuan Australian reef of course. Starting out my goals with this is a place holder until I can do my dream tank after college. When the time comes I want to have a 12 in cube reef, one for freshwater, and one for a tropical vivarium that way I can have a cubic foot of the ocean, a river and a rainforest. But nevertheless my goal is to use rock to cover on side and most of the back wall and have zoanthids and euphyllia as well as one montipora after I become somewhat more confident in myself. In the sand bed I plan to use macros to make a sort of kelp forest while also keeping the nitrates and ammonia down. I used to have a small hobby of setting up vivariums and selling them so getting out of my comfort zone for this reef is quite exciting! As this is still the planning phase I’m thinking it all through and trying to find a macro that has a jungle Val look to it. Equipment: I bought a wave maker, light, surface skimmer and heater from @superdave and I am looking forward to having most of the equipment I will want to start the tank. I am going to make an ATO and I am eventually going to add a HOB that holds just chaeto. Planned inhabitants Vertebrates : Looking for ideas on livestock, looking for something that is comfortable in my tank but I am not looking for anything crazy or large groups and if I decide no fish that is okay too. I like fire fish and yashas and miss my watchman’s goby when I had my last tank. But i am open to ideas because the animals life is more important than my enjoyment. Mobile invertebrates: Rock flower anemone Small shrimp or crab (a sexy shrimp or maybe a Pom Pom crab) Corals: Sunny D zoanthids Hammer coral Recordia Eventually a montipora Nothing crazy expensive as I don’t think I want to put tons of money in before I am incredibly confident. CUC: One scarlet hermit One Trocus snail Several Cerith snails I’ll keep everyone updated on this as often as I can current inhabitants: asterina stars x 3 honey damsel x1 scarlet hermit x1 blue dwarf hermit x1 nerite x1 turbo x1 micro brittle star x1 4 Quote Link to comment
debbeach13 Posted August 13, 2019 Share Posted August 13, 2019 Welcome to NR. We are here to hep if you need it. Is the tank a standard 5.5? Which light did you get? Quote Link to comment
zoafan627 Posted August 13, 2019 Author Share Posted August 13, 2019 12 hours ago, debbeach13 said: Welcome to NR. We are here to hep if you need it. Is the tank a standard 5.5? Which light did you get? It’s a beams work 1300 2 Quote Link to comment
zoafan627 Posted August 16, 2019 Author Share Posted August 16, 2019 Update Aug 15: Today I picked up the actual tank and found some of my old rock I broke it up and found that it was hollow and artificial. Doesn’t surprise me because it was free from a friend and he had a mix between real rock and artificial. Will that be toxic? I am painting one side and the back black tonight as well as working on the rock scape. Will post pics tonight. Quote Link to comment
zoafan627 Posted August 19, 2019 Author Share Posted August 19, 2019 Tank is finally wet 2 Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted August 23, 2019 Share Posted August 23, 2019 Gorgeous rockwork and really like the scape. I love the openness as well as the wall, what is that a skeleton of do you know? 2 Quote Link to comment
zoafan627 Posted August 24, 2019 Author Share Posted August 24, 2019 12 hours ago, Ratvan said: Gorgeous rockwork and really like the scape. I love the openness as well as the wall, what is that a skeleton of do you know? Thanks! I wanted to leave it open as I am putting graciliara on the side by the skimmer and wanted to leave open room to watch hermits move around because the invertebrates really interest me. Used imagitarium bacteria to seed the tank and adding two hermits on Monday. Seeing little algae growth but on the skeleton I’m seeing what just looking like a thin beige film as well as small amounts of purple on the main rock work. Going to order coralline algae, red macro sampler, one zoa and one ricordia as soon as all of these are in stock. What kind of snails should I get and how many? Part of me wants to get a damsel for this but I also want to focus on zoanthids and inverts. Open to any ideas but I love how it is shaping up 2 Quote Link to comment
Wonderboy Posted August 24, 2019 Share Posted August 24, 2019 Love the title - tagging along - I agree, nice rock-work in such a little area. Great start! On 8/15/2019 at 5:35 PM, zoafan627 said: Will that be toxic? No I wouldn't think so I like the stocking plan - only thing I worry about is that the watchman and yasha may scuffle and one could jump - recommend a lid and maybe a very low island with cavern in the sand if you're set on them. 1 1 Quote Link to comment
zoafan627 Posted August 24, 2019 Author Share Posted August 24, 2019 18 hours ago, Ratvan said: Gorgeous rockwork and really like the scape. I love the openness as well as the wall, what is that a skeleton of do you know? Been researching and thinking maybe it was Favia 3 Quote Link to comment
zoafan627 Posted August 24, 2019 Author Share Posted August 24, 2019 4 hours ago, Wonderboy said: Love the title - tagging along - I agree, nice rock-work in such a little area. Great start! No I wouldn't think so I like the stocking plan - only thing I worry about is that the watchman and yasha may scuffle and one could jump - recommend a lid and maybe a very low island with cavern in the sand if you're set on them. Still very much in the deciding phase and would only get one goby if I go in that direction. I am trying to do more of a zoa and mushroom garden with semi low maintenance and the fish and designer inverts being second to that. Getting some hermits on Monday and plan to add a couple zoa polyps shortly after. 1 Quote Link to comment
zoafan627 Posted August 24, 2019 Author Share Posted August 24, 2019 Picked up some macro, a hermit and a nerite today. Also have one small polyp of a zoa that was cut off the glass and I just put it in a rock crevice so we will see if anything comes of that. 3 Quote Link to comment
zoafan627 Posted August 27, 2019 Author Share Posted August 27, 2019 Update, today I went back to the fish store and picked up more macro and a scarlet hermit crab. Also I received a free brittle star and picked up a sunset honey damsel. Happy with how it’s filling In. On a somber note, the zoa was missing today and I think the original hermit ate it, everything else is going quite steady. 3 Quote Link to comment
zoafan627 Posted August 29, 2019 Author Share Posted August 29, 2019 Everything is settling in great! Gonna wait a bit longer to add the corals. The macro is a little mad at me as the heater was accidentally unplugged but other than that it has been smooth sailing. The damsel May have ich but if it does I’m going to treat in tank as he is the only fish I plan on having. Any suggestions? 2 Quote Link to comment
Wonderboy Posted August 30, 2019 Share Posted August 30, 2019 Looking good - I would raise the temp to just over 85 for a few days - should handle the ich thing Quote Link to comment
zoafan627 Posted September 4, 2019 Author Share Posted September 4, 2019 Ich is gone thankfully, picked up three small starfish and a turbo snail. Waiting for the storm to pass so I can order from GCE. And I am also on the lookout for cheap montipora to mount on my rock work 1 Quote Link to comment
Tired Posted September 5, 2019 Share Posted September 5, 2019 Love the setup, and such a cute fish! If you didn't do anything to get rid of the ich and it just seemed to go away on its own, keep a close eye out- it might just be in hiding, basically. What are you feeding? Some flake foods have too many fillers to be all that good for your critters. What kind of starfish? Most don't work in tanks that small. Asterinas? Quote Link to comment
zoafan627 Posted September 6, 2019 Author Share Posted September 6, 2019 I’m feeding a mix of flakes and NLS pellets and they are asterinas. 1 Quote Link to comment
zoafan627 Posted September 7, 2019 Author Share Posted September 7, 2019 Today I bought a Purple Heart zoa and a hammer coral frag. Great price for both and looking good. Already open and they seem to be happy with me 2 Quote Link to comment
zoafan627 Posted September 8, 2019 Author Share Posted September 8, 2019 8 hours ago, zoafan627 said: Today I bought a Purple Heart zoa and a hammer coral frag. Great price for both and looking good. Already open and they seem to be happy with me I have got to say the hammer is about three times the size it was in these pics and I am loving it 1 Quote Link to comment
Tired Posted September 8, 2019 Share Posted September 8, 2019 Oo, nice! What are those black ones? Quote Link to comment
zoafan627 Posted September 17, 2019 Author Share Posted September 17, 2019 Had a bad algae bloom but it’s subsided now happily corals are still closed after the bloom may move them to see if it’ll help Quote Link to comment
Superdave Posted October 7, 2019 Share Posted October 7, 2019 Things are looking great man--love to see my old equipment making it happen for someone! Really like the super natural look of your rock work and macro algae! Quote Link to comment
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