Ratvan Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 So I may as well join in the fun, I left the 365 Day Challenge tank in the office, the RSM is there and my Clowns are getting annoyed with me having my hands in the tank constantly. I also went ahead and purchased some corals that i have been watching for a long time now and noticed that the store has a Covid19 Sale I jumped on the sale. (Who doesnt like 25% off corals?) So I decided to have a play around with what i have at home and set up with spares. Tank: 5 Gallon L40xW20xH26 (15.75x7.75x1025) Light: undecided Heater: 25W Adjustable Flow: Hydor Pico Evo-Mag 180 with RFG Nozzle Themes: Euphylliadae Corals and Floating Reefscape Rock: 5 lbs Dry Baserock Sand: 10 lbs Samoa Pink So I painted the back black on this one, hopefully increasing the contrast with the corals that i will place in here, nice not to see any/much light spill as well The internal filter is in the shot to try and remove as much cloudiness from the water as possible 5 Quote Link to comment
SliceGolfer Posted April 5, 2020 Share Posted April 5, 2020 I’m motivated to try a floating scape in the future. Did you silicone the pieces to the back or magnets? 1 Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted April 5, 2020 Author Share Posted April 5, 2020 2 minutes ago, SliceGolfer said: I’m motivated to try a floating scape in the future. Did you silicone the pieces to the back or magnets? Silicone, plus crushed coral and superglue "disguise" of the seem 7 Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted April 6, 2020 Author Share Posted April 6, 2020 Still cloudy this afternoon (the tank as well as my head) Will sort out the sandbed once I can see what is going on 10 Quote Link to comment
Gourami Swami Posted April 6, 2020 Share Posted April 6, 2020 floating scape looks cool and euphyllia are my favorite corals, I bet this turns out really nice. good luck 1 Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted April 6, 2020 Author Share Posted April 6, 2020 6 minutes ago, Gourami Swami said: floating scape looks cool and euphyllia are my favorite corals, I bet this turns out really nice. good luck Thanks, hopefully this is my chance to slow down and actually nail something. I was going to do straight Euphyllia but decided to open out to the family Euphyllidae to include Elegance, Fox and Smooth Bubble corals as well as torch, hammers and frogspawn. Plus the tank is a smaller version of my 15G FW that I will eventually convert to a reef when my immortal Betta decides to move on.. so a good chance to practise on a smaller scale 1 Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted April 6, 2020 Author Share Posted April 6, 2020 So coral order is booked in for the 16th. Delivery company is only offering Pre 1m two days a week and I missed out on this week's slot. They've refunded me the delivery costs so now the Cataphyllia I ordered is basically free. 😁 1 Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted April 7, 2020 Author Share Posted April 7, 2020 We have clarity, nearly. Sandbed is pretty level already but will sort that out today, the Macro algae is glued into bio media rings. I am using this at the moment to test the flow in the tank. Also a little dusty with sediment at the moment 2 Quote Link to comment
debbeach13 Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 I think this is the one. Creative scape. Awesome corals coming. Wishing you and the tank great success. Of course following. 1 Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted April 7, 2020 Author Share Posted April 7, 2020 3 minutes ago, debbeach13 said: I think this is the one. Creative scape. Awesome corals coming. Wishing you and the tank great success. Of course following. Thanks. I got no excuses for this one do I? Lol. I have been testing as well. Ammonia had a slight spike after adding the sand, this has now dropped to 0. Nitrates are at 40+ at the moment. Will do a large water change tomorrow when the salt arrives. I plan on introducing the Corals to the tank assoon as possible and add the clowns later on once the corals have settled in some. Might have too much sand in here, but better to remove than to add Lights on now and still a little cloudy but I am finally happy with my scape 5 Quote Link to comment
aclman88 Posted April 7, 2020 Share Posted April 7, 2020 Love the floating rock work. This tank is going to be great once you get some coral in there! 1 Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted April 8, 2020 Author Share Posted April 8, 2020 Still not crystal clear but getting there, salt arrived this morning so looking at mixing up my first batch at home. Will water change probably tomorrow depending on the mix. Need to dust the silt/sediment off the macro algae and have a play with the flow on the Hydor pump to see what movement I can get at what levels and areas of the tank. Currently have it barely moving to allow for settlement. 5 Quote Link to comment
MainelyReefer Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 Never seen tetra sea salt is that readily used in the U.K.? Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted April 8, 2020 Author Share Posted April 8, 2020 3 minutes ago, GraniteReefer said: Never seen tetra sea salt is that readily used in the U.K.? No idea saw the mixing parameters were close to what I currently use (Premix from LFS) and was fairly cheap so thought it was worth a punt Quote Link to comment
EfrainChicagoDeepdish Posted April 8, 2020 Share Posted April 8, 2020 Fox corals?! Yes!!! Rock work looks great. Damn floating island tanks are really messing with my multiple tank addiction. 1 Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted April 9, 2020 Author Share Posted April 9, 2020 So I decided that I would move the macro back to the cube for the time being, all the dust and silt was just settling and looking ugly on them. Today is also the day that I do the first water change on the reef. Good thing the Mrs is out otherwise I'd be in trouble for all the wires. 4 2 Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted April 9, 2020 Author Share Posted April 9, 2020 Right so water change done, decided to see what the mix was Salinity 1.024PH 8Alk 11 DKHNH3 0NO2 0NO3 1PO4 0.2Calcium 410Mag 1310 Only change I see is my Alk at 11 compared to previous salt at 8. Calcium 10 higher, Mag 10 higher. Cost about 75% less. PH up to 8 as opposed to 7.8 but not overly bothered about that. 5 Quote Link to comment
debbeach13 Posted April 9, 2020 Share Posted April 9, 2020 Seems like a pretty good salt mix. That PH number is actually better isn't it? 1 Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted April 9, 2020 Author Share Posted April 9, 2020 14 minutes ago, debbeach13 said: Seems like a pretty good salt mix. That PH number is actually better isn't it? It is but I tested about 4 hours later in the day then I do usually, so 🤷♂️ It does mix very fast which is nice, only took a couple of minutes to dissolve. Easy to work out how much you need as well as comes with gallons and litres charts. For 1.024 I use 34g per litre 2 Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted April 10, 2020 Author Share Posted April 10, 2020 Spotted this tiny fan worm this morning 7 Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted April 10, 2020 Author Share Posted April 10, 2020 So seeing as I have some fuzzies on the rock I decided to move in my blue Legged hermit. Not doing too bad a job, has even pulled some of those Spirorbid worms off and they're now free floating around the tank. 3 Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted April 11, 2020 Author Share Posted April 11, 2020 So today is evaluation day for my Blue Legs. So yesterday And today Yesterday Today Not bad, B+ 2 3 Quote Link to comment
debbeach13 Posted April 11, 2020 Share Posted April 11, 2020 Looks like they are munching away. Definitely see a difference 1 Quote Link to comment
Ratvan Posted April 11, 2020 Author Share Posted April 11, 2020 20 minutes ago, debbeach13 said: Looks like they are munching away. Definitely see a difference Oh 100% change, less algae more Hermit crab poop 1 3 Quote Link to comment
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