i had no noticeable cycle, and began to add lil inhabitants to my tank. had a bit of an algae bloom once i started feeding the tank. excess nutrients in the water (from uneaten food) plus direct sunlight from the front room window, and possibly needing a few new bulbs in my lighting setup i believe all contributed.
As my new babies began to devour food put before them i cut back feedings to a more sensible level. The algae began to subside (xcept for a small spot of cyano right in the front of the tank grr...) With the exception of a few heads of hydroids and aptasia everything seemed to be going grandly! The fish were happy and eating well, even following me at the front of the glass whenever i came by.
the problem with fishtanks is some of us are in so much of a hurry we forget to do the sensible things which make our lives easier. for example water testing new tanks. Tanks can get jostled in transportation, even in cleaning out sand from an old tank, silicone can get nicked. and little leaks happen.
So the tank has a small leak in the bottom left front corner... ive noticed the wood on the stand has water marks on the bottom and along the inside, and saltcreep is apearing along the edge of the glass on the front and bottom.
rather than temporarily moving my fish to another tank i decided that i would buy another tank and begin upgrading the system (its an addiction, i swear!)
i bought a 90g with metal stand and wooden surround from another calgary reefer. it is currently in my basement doing a water test (like i shoulda done with my original one)
the plan is to transfer all equipment, and livestock to the 90g. take the 60g and repair the silicone, remove the overflow box, plug the bulkhead, baffle it and make a sump/refugeum. install the new sump, and turn the 25g sump into a hospital/quarantine tank (another one of those things those of us in a hurry often overlook.)
along the way i also have plans to modify my return lines from locklines to manifold along top of the tank ( i love the way it looks, and seeing so many projects has inspired me).
the springtime project includes making a hood with metal halide/ PC combo setup, and designing a new surround/stand.
here are a few pics of the current setup as promised in my first post... my camera isnt that great tho, so bare with me
before the feedings began the algae bloom
Algae bloom in progress plus micro bubble issue and my sweet clowns
taken today...
almost forgot to add a pic of new tank...
so as it stands, current inhabitants include:
pair of occelaris clowns
coral beauty
bicolor blenny
2 cleaner shrimp
various snails and crabs
star polyps galore