13.5g dreamer tank!

[fenderchamp]

I have a trochus snail in each of my tanks.  They seem to be able to shake and and outmaneuver the hermit crabs.  One of the snails is more active than the other.  I also have a Nassarius in one of my tanks too, it is a volunteer.  My LFS staff recommended the trochus over the other varieties of snails for whatever reason. I like to watch them scooting around the rocks and the glass. 

[RaymondNoodles]

Cool concept! Following along.

 

I agree that blue would provide great contrast against the pink. The pink palys are one of my favorite corals…they grow pretty quickly and seem hardy. 

 

Is this your first reef tank? I would recommend waiting a while before adding more corals. Allow the tank to stabilize and the ugly stage to clear. Get a good feel for your maintenance regimen and CUC. A little algae is ok. Don’t drive down your nutrients too much.

 

I like the aquascape and agree it looks much bigger than is. 

[Theshallows]

11 hours ago, BubbleTrouble said:

I'm not sure sorry! Believe it was pool sand from Canadian Tire

This could be a issue for you as silica based sand will promote algae growth due to it's chemistry and is not good for sand dwelling invertebrates as it's very sharp. I would recomend getting reef sand and replacing it.

[Tired]

Nassarius snails eat leftover food, not algae. You'll definitely want some algae-eating snails. I second the recommendation of a money cowrie; they're interesting, and make good algae-eaters. Other cowries are often carnivorous, but money cowries are reef-safe. 

[BubbleTrouble]

On 7/15/2022 at 3:12 AM, M. Tournesol said:

Nassarius snails are carnivores. They will eat the non eaten fish food but won't touch your algae. 

You should add some herbivorous snail like Cerithium sp or money cowrie 😍(Monetaria annulus).

 

 

Look at this guide to see the pro and con of common reef snails https://aquariumbreeder.com/saltwater-aquarium-snails-pros-and-cons/ 

 

Don't hesitate to add different species  😉 (attention! adding hermit crab may doom some of them).

 

I got some algae eating snails from the local store but they haven't moved, suspected dead. Algae hasn't increased however since starting.jjst blue light!

[Murphs_Reef]

I wouldn't worry about the algae.. most definitely part of the process in a tank the age yours is. I find that it's more frustrating to try and rid it from the tank than just leaving it be, at this point nits going to win. Absolutely get a few snails if each type, Cerith, Astrea, Trochus. Turbos maybe but you'll end up having to get rid of them in a nano as they get big quick.  

 

If it's silica, it'll burn out... You'll see a lot of pineapple sponge if it is by the way..

 

Keep filter media clean, leave some Phosphate around 0.05ppm and nitrate 5-10ppm in the tank.. water change or don't, personally I don't see the benefit in water changes unless there is a specific thing you want out without chemicals.... but make sure and top off with RO either way.. 

Run lights only on blue for 8 hrs a day (or less) until you have a need for stronger light, but when I had an Evo it grow hammers, Acan fine under blue only... 

 

Scape looks good 👍🏼

[Tired]

It's normal for new snails to not really move around for awhile. To check if they're dead, just pick them up and sniff them. A live snail will smell like an aquarium, a dead snail will STINK. You will notice immediately that the snail is dead. 

[BubbleTrouble]

On 7/23/2022 at 8:38 AM, Tired said:

It's normal for new snails to not really move around for awhile. To check if they're dead, just pick them up and sniff them. A live snail will smell like an aquarium, a dead snail will STINK. You will notice immediately that the snail is dead. 

Snails have since started to vacuum up a rock! They just needed a week to wake up I guess!

[BubbleTrouble]

Update today 🙂 (Light on for past hour)

 

Hammer didn't super love having the light off for a few days while I camped, but it is expanded to about 25% of it's typical full size currently.

Frogspawn seems a little mad too.

Mushroom - bottom right - is clenched up but seems like normal.

Acro has been released from the clutches of hair algae after the few days without light, I think the no light and snail combo cleaned him right up!

 

Rocks are much cleaner of algae so I am happy, although we have had one hermit casualty. The other hermits are active and are routinely seen cleaning up bits and bobs from within the rocks.

 

[DevilDuck]

Looking great!

Do you have your lights on a timer?

 

[BubbleTrouble]

7 minutes ago, DevilDuck said:

Looking great!

Do you have your lights on a timer?

 

No unfortunately the stock light for Fluval 13.5 doesn't work well with a timer, so I'm going to put some money into replacing the lid and the light one of these days 

 

Also thank you!

[Ratvan]

10 hours ago, BubbleTrouble said:

No unfortunately the stock light for Fluval 13.5 doesn't work well with a timer, so I'm going to put some money into replacing the lid and the light one of these days 

 

Also thank you!

If you want a ramp up and down ability https://www.amazon.co.uk/NICREW-Digital-Dimmer-Aquarium-Channel/dp/B07K6H6CB5/ref=asc_df_B07K6H6CB5/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=309829045138&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2232661603871886384&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006553&hvtargid=pla-581688326370&psc=1 works well, however you cannot control the blues and whites separately. You could also got for the dual controller type and get a separate set of blue lights. I have this on my Fluval so the lights automatically ramp up from 10am to 2pm when it hits peak, then at 6pm to 10pm they ramp down to off. 

 

Just an option 

[BubbleTrouble]

Update! Some macro algae thrown in as a gift from LFS and a banggai cardinalfish, as well as blue tuxedo Urchin who has called this home for a bit. A hair algae bloom right now that I plan to clean up

[BubbleTrouble]

Cleaned up a lot of the hair algae and swapped out one of the banggai cardinals and I think they are properly sexed this time so cross fingers no bullying

[Looselyhuman]

Looking good!

 

Are you prepared to have a breeding pair? I raised a couple broods. The biggest problem I had was that the male started losing weight and getting bullied by female to mate too often. The males can't eat while holding larvae.. I ended up separating them.

 

Hope your experience is better!

 

Edit: keep in mind this isn't usually a problem until they're full size

[BubbleTrouble]

On 10/12/2022 at 9:16 PM, Looselyhuman said:

Looking good!

 

Are you prepared to have a breeding pair? I raised a couple broods. The biggest problem I had was that the male started losing weight and getting bullied by female to mate too often. The males can't eat while holding larvae.. I ended up separating them.

 

Hope your experience is better!

 

Edit: keep in mind this isn't usually a problem until they're full size

If this becomes a problem I think my LFS would take back one, they do swaps sometimes.

 

I have noticed that the male does not eat nearly as much, but his chin doesn't look expanded with eggs - I hope he isnt sick ahh

[Bagabaga]

I have this exact tank, My recommendation for light is the Fluval SEA marine light. After the light that came stock on the tank took a crap I got this one after some research and it's well worth the money. I set it up on my phone and I can make my own schedule for the blues, purple, white and red spectrums. I looked at PAR meter readings of this led before I made the commitment as well and it has enough PAR to keep easy to keep SPS species. Right now I have a couple montipora, a bird's nest sps and blue stylophora that I just added and they seem to have easily settled in. I am also able to keep my stock lid and back chamber cover on with the new light. 

[BubbleTrouble]

On 11/9/2022 at 6:45 PM, Bagabaga said:

I have this exact tank, My recommendation for light is the Fluval SEA marine light. After the light that came stock on the tank took a crap I got this one after some research and it's well worth the money. I set it up on my phone and I can make my own schedule for the blues, purple, white and red spectrums. I looked at PAR meter readings of this led before I made the commitment as well and it has enough PAR to keep easy to keep SPS species. Right now I have a couple montipora, a bird's nest sps and blue stylophora that I just added and they seem to have easily settled in. I am also able to keep my stock lid and back chamber cover on with the new light. 

Good to note!!!!! I'd love to customize the color

First bristle worm sighting 😭 I can take any big, creepy crawly - except these guys. Gross me right out

[BubbleTrouble]

Updates

 

one of the two banggai cardinalfish has past of what I think was a bacterial infection. The other one is hungry and feisty as ever

 

gsp and pulsing xenia are happy!

 

Hammer goes through spurts of growth and the next day shrinks?

 

Urchin is my favorite tank critter, he is loving the macro algae snacks

[BubbleTrouble]

Update on 2023/01/21

 

Tank is bright and active! The acropora grew the little finger filters back, I have been diligent with water changes hoping it's bounce back!!

[BubbleTrouble]

Todays update!

 

Swapped the bangai cardinalfish for candy cane corals and a small cluster of frogspawn heads. Currently just have clean up crew and no fish now, so going to let it lay fallow for a week or two before thinking of any other fish for it. I am thinking maybe ill try a clown again but put mesh in any holes in the lid so I dont have a jumper again!

 

[BubbleTrouble]

Spotted brand new clownfish sleeping in the pile of hermit shells

[BubbleTrouble]

Got one single male guppy for the tank, see how this goes for a couple weeks and then maybe get him a couple females!

Just now, BubbleTrouble said:

Got one single male guppy for the tank, see how this goes for a couple weeks and then maybe get him a couple females!

 

[BubbleTrouble]

The battle for the snacks, and not seen in this picture is a bristle worm that woke up with all the tasty smells 

[BubbleTrouble]

Yellow Watchman Goby put in tank on 2023/06/27