|
Lol!
We have water going in the tank!!!! |
|
wohoo!!
|
Looking good
Always nice to see new start |
Yaaaaaahoooooo!!!!!!
|
So I'm sure to everyone's chagrin, I'm starting this baby up totally wrong, lol. All dry Marco rock, dead shrimp and all :D
3 frozen prawns were chucked in there Wed. They are at the point now of falling apart and disintegrating. Checked ammonia levels with an out of date crappy Hagen kit. Says it's somewhere around .3. Nitrite and nitrate are both 0 still. For giggles I checked PO4, Thurs it was at .06 ppm so I put in roughly 30 drops of Phozdown. Yesterday checked it again and it was at .1 ppm. Looks like PO4 is leaching from the dry rock and sand. So I dosed another 30-40 drops. No lights or anything yet on the tank so I figure what can it hurt. I'll try and get the PO4 down before I do much with it. |
Really nice looking setup and I am sure all will be good.
|
It's all looking very impressive Dom! Have you finalized your stocking plans?
|
Quote:
- a yellow tang - a flame angel - a Starry blennie - a pink spotted goby - a single Ocellaris clown (his mate died, pretty sure the tang was the killer) - bi-colour pseudo-chromis (Been trying to catch this sucker to give away for a couple months now) he is NOT going in the 210 - a RBTA - a clam - no idea what kind - came in as a rescue In my 20 gal cube I have: - a yellow watchman Goby and pistol shrimp combo - 2 blue/green chromis - several maxi-mini anemone's In my 50 gal rescue tank I have: - another blue/green chromis - a mated pair of True Percula clowns - a purple dottyback - a skunk cleaner shrimp - a banded coral shrimp - another maxi-mini anemone I'm pretty open to moving all those into the 210. Although there has been some bad blood in the past between certain fish - hence the multiple tanks, lol. The YWG doesn't get along with the Starry blenny - although he didn't have the pistol shrimp with him at the time. The pink spotty goby stole the YWG's pistol shrimp, leaving him out in the cold. And the bi-colour pseudochromis will kill my shrimp. So he's gone - not even a question. I love the shrimp - I'd have several more in my tank if I can. Wish list: I know my tank is really pushing it but I would like both a sail fin tang and a blonde Naso. Any thoughts as to long term success with these two with the current list would be appreciated. There's NOT a lot of rock in my DT - so a fair bit of swimming room. I would also like to add 5 or 7 Lyretail anthias. Now I'm not entirely certain this was the one I wanted. I have to do a bit more research. I was in J&L once last summer and saw the anthias I wanted. The scales were clearly visible, almost crosshatch looking. Anyway, that's about it. Thoughts and comments always welcome |
Pretty stoked right now :D
I finally got my lights finished, Jarduino controller finished and lights hung :party: As mentioned a while back, I went with pocket door rails and wheels. That allows me to push the lights back on the rails to work in the tank. http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/...psdqmsh8fm.jpg http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/...ps4i4z3fr7.jpg One fixture up: http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/...ps8isbughr.jpg http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/...psnauxnfjg.jpg |
So right now that puts my lights around 12" off the water. I do have some short pieces of ready rod and couplers to drop the lights if I need/want to.
3 fixtures up: http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/...ps5neq7444.jpg |
And drum roll please: :drum: (I know that's not a drum roll, but it was the closest I could find,lol)
|
LET THERE BE LIGHT!!!!!!!
http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/...psrdiumgcq.jpg http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/...psoilhmevm.jpg End view: http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/...psihi8z5n1.jpg And with the doors open: http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/...pslzm2corz.jpg http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/...psqbcujzed.jpg Pretty happy with the results thus far :) |
Nice!
|
Stunning!
|
Thanks guys! I'm pretty stoked with how it's come out.
Cycle seems to be slow, lol. 3 full size frozen prawns were put in there on April 29th. They are all but gone. I've ghost fed the tank a couple times as well with Mysis. Here's the parameters so far: NH3 - is down to zero - API test - it has been up to .6 NO2 - is zero - API test - has never read anything NO3 - is zero - API test - has never read anything PO4 - continues to be present - Hanna checker - I've had it down to as little as .06ppm but typically sits around .1 - .12 ppm despite dosing roughly 30-40 drops of Fozdown per day. 100% dry rock so I pretty much expected this. I may increase fozdown dosing to 30 drops 2X a day. I've also kept my lights off to help prevent anything from taking hold in the first place. I had also noted when filling my tank that one of my pumps isn't working correctly. I am using 2 Wavelike DC1200 pumps. Many moons ago, I bought these pumps for this build. It was soon discovered by others that the controller would burn out so RLSS sent me and FragitDan new controllers. I've not had a chance to test any of them out till now. Well I stuck one of the old controllers on one pump (seeing how it was brand new) and a new controller on the other. Well, the older controller out performed the new by at least 2-3X the volume. I was barely getting anything out of the new controller controlled pump. I switch through all the new controllers and they were all the same. I'm pushing almost 14' of head so a weak pump for me might as well be a dead pump. I contacted RLSS and they got back to me within a few days and said to send them the serial numbers of the controllers and my shipping address. They contacted me again and said new controllers were on their way. So I'm pretty happy about that. I've read of guys using Microbacter7 and similar products. Does that work effectively? If I dumped a bottle in there, would that speed up the cycling process? Any other recommendations? |
Small cycle update.
PO4 has started to really drop. The last week it's been declining steadily with a .04 ppm reading this morning. I'll continue dosing Fozdown at 30 drops every 12 hours for now. NH3 continues to be at undetectable levels. I added another couple frozen silversides 3 days ago and it has remained unchanged - that's a good sign I'd say NO3 and NO2 levels have also remained at zero - so Hmmmmm - not sure what's going on there... I'm not running a skimmer on the new tank yet, no lights, no filter socks, no water changes. |
Well I either have a dud test kit or API sucks, lol. I have a Salifert NO3 test kit but had lost the colour reference chart so I hadn't tried it. API has always said 0.
So a question for you other API testers: Do you look through the vial top down or through the side???? I also found a ELOS NO3 kit tucked in behind a bunch of other stuff as I was setting up my QT for my wrasses coming in tonight. And it turned out I was using the back of the Salifert colour chart for my Hanna phosphate reagent funnel :D Both the Elos and Salifert tested around 100ppm NO3 in my cycling 210 gal tank. API (looking through the side of the vial) still says 0 :( So, water change is going to happen today or tomorrow and we'll see where we stand... |
1 male and 2 female Carpenters Wrasses officially in QT and doing good so far...
I didn't realize though how dog gone small the females would be. |
Quote:
I bought a Male full size and the female is only about 1.5 inches. Next day she was dead. Good luck with your critters. |
Ya, I imagine they're pretty delicate when that small. Looks like I lost one over night. The smallest of them. I doubt she was barely an inch long. RIP
The other 2 look ok so far... |
Wow that's tiny!
|
Ya, almost unbelievably tiny. Came home tonight after work and the other female had also succumbed to the rigours it probably has gone through over the last couple weeks. :(
The male however seems to be doing great. He's been fed 3x today and has eaten like a pig. |
I'd be ****ed if they sent me fish that small without warning. I warned you about buying wrasses unseen. It sucks that you probably don't have another option.
|
Unfortunately, living where I do, 90% of my fish are bought unseen.
I've been in J&L while a new person was being trained and I discreetly shadowed them a bit as they were talking in the isle. And it's actually one of the things that kind of impressed me with their on line sales. The one girl mentioned to the newbie that because the people who are ordering either over the phone or online can't see the exact fish they're buying, to be sure to take the time to catch and give the best specimens that they currently have in stock. People who come to the store can either choose to purchase or refuse any particular fish, but not online sales. If that's how they're teaching new employees to treat online sales, I'm good. I would have liked to have been notified they were THAT small, but I can understand how that detail might slip through some cracks. I did contact them via e-mail as soon as I got home and found the second deceased fish (so roughly 24 hrs) and they contacted me back within an hour or so apologizing and saying if I e-mailed them a pic of the dead fish they'll credit my account. While it still sucks for the fish :( , as a customer they still have my business. And it's also educated me a bit to maybe ask a few more questions before I get them to bag and ship livestock for me. |
Well, I think tonight's the night things are going to get started moved over. I've done several large water changes over the last couple days, NO3 is down to 1 ppm. How many fish do ya'll think I can move over safely into 300 gallons of water that has finished cycling and has had MB7 dosed everyday and ghost fed for almost a week now...?
|
I don't know your total load Dom so can't say myself, but with that volume of water I'd say you could go with the standard 'a bunch' and watch the params for 3-5 days. Then if all is good after 2 weeks do another 'bunch'.
Or you could just toss 'em all in at once and spend the next month testing the primary 3, major WCs/dosing MB7 etc. Depends on how much time you want to spend controlling NH3 and so on. And as I said I don't know your current load awaiting release. A plus to adding everyone at once will of course be the lessening of squabbles. |
I have 3 tanks running (not including QT's, lol) and I'd like to shut 2 down over the next week. The small cube only has a yellow watchman goby/ pistol shrimp combo and 2 green chromis.
The other tank I'd like to shut down has 2 true percula clowns, a green chromis and a purple dotty back. Also in there is a skunk cleaner and coral banded shrimp. That's it. So that would ba a total of 7 small fish and 3 shrimp. My main tank is going to wait till I get a few other fish through QT and they'll all go together. A bunch of tangs and such. But that'll be a couple months down the road. |
I'd have no concerns adding all those at once. Have 50g new water made just in case, but should be ok
|
If it were me, I'd toss all those aforementioned fish into the 300 right now so I could shut those tanks down, but I'd transfer the shrimps to another 'holding tank/s' until the NH3 is gone. Shrimps won't take any NH3 like fish will.
I wouldn't expect to see any NH3 in a system of your size, but no problem being safe, ya ? The # of fish you listed is a drop in the bucket for your tank size. But, keep up with your MB7 and testing. If you forget 'cause it's been awhile, Ammo can sneak up on you fast. It'll burn critters within hours so be very diligent. If you're nervous, extra aeration helps the fish, and lots of testing is a must :surprise: I use an Ammo Alert in my QT and it's helped tons while I'm running hypo. Each time I see NH3 trying to climb I add a bit of Seachem AmGuard ('cause I already own it) and it works wonders. This allows me time to setup a WC and test NO2/NO3. I say dump those fish in and enjoy ! And don't forget to snap some pics !! |
Thanks guys. I pretty much figure it was negligible fish load for the volume. I definitely keep an eye on the nitrate and Ammonia. I've got 100 gallons of water made and waiting and I have a big bottle of Amquel.
Here's the wrasse in QT. I'm doing the TTM and he's on round 3. Eating great and already looking at me through the glass saying "what you looking at!?" Crappy phone pics http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/...psccqu3rza.jpg http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/...pssy0ajca8.jpg http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/...psdtzehigh.jpg http://i1177.photobucket.com/albums/...ps1zjix0au.jpg |
Are they in the tank yet ? :biggrin:
|
Yup, everyone's in there. Half are hiding, lol. I had a bugger of a time with the purple dotty dottyback and the Chromis. I'll see if I can getter better pics tomorrow when the lights aren't so blue.
|
Yeah !!!
Happy critters in your new tank day Dom !!! :mrgreen: PS: Love your Carpenters, we have one too (for now):biggrin: |
|
I hate to always be that guy, pointing out the obvious, but for this to a be a reef tank, you kinda need corals...
hehehe |
Quote:
|
Quote:
Quote:
|
Quote:
|
Oh, sorry. It is by Huma-Huma and the song is called Eureka. It's under the Ambient category.
|
| All times are GMT. The time now is 07:20 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.7.3
Copyright ©2000 - 2025, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.