Enigma's 10 Gallon Reef

[aqure591]

That's great to hear!. One thing that I did to cycle my tank when I started was to use raw shrimp/cocktail shrimp method. Through my research I found this way more humane then dumping chromis or other hardy fish into the tank to help cycle the tank.

Originally Posted by Enigma

(all tests but nitrate test are API tests . . . My nitrate has never been high enough in this tank to even register on the API test)

pH: 8
Ammonia: 0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0.5 (ELOS test . . . Not totally colorless but not as pink as 1)
Phosphate: 0
dkh: 11
Calcium: 460
Magnesium: didn't test this morning
Temp: 77
SG: 1.025

I started with fully cured live rock rubble. I did go through a very minor cycle, which made me very nervous after I added some livestock. None of the levels of anything became high enough to be stressful for the livestock, and I did a 10% water change a day for a week during the mini cycle. I did have a very minor diatom bloom when the cycle completed.

Considering the very bad advice I recieved when I started this (found the forums after this was all on the go) things have gone much better than they should have. I've been very fortunate. I think I've been able to remedy most of the issues.

I test ammonia, nitrites, and nitrates every day.

I do have a second tank that I'm working on. I'm taking everything I've learned so far and am doing that one "the right way." I'm doing a fishless cycle with no live rock with that one. It is close to being cycled.

[Enigma]

Originally Posted by aqure591

That's great to hear!. One thing that I did to cycle my tank when I started was to use raw shrimp/cocktail shrimp method. Through my research I found this way more humane then dumping chromis or other hardy fish into the tank to help cycle the tank.

I'm now using frozen brine shrimp in my other one. It is processing a cube a day.

I was furious when I learned how mislead I had been at the LFS. I worked very diligently to gain control of the situation. I just checked my notes. The highest ammonia became was 0.25, and nitrites never got above 0.25. Nitrates topped out at 2. We all got through it okay.

My plans now are to add a couple of cerith snails, and then add a little frag every two weeks. No more fish will be added until the chromis reduce their numbers.

[aqure591]

Ya Number 1 rule do not trust anything that comes of the mouths of your LFS staff members lol. I'm not saying all LFS have staff that don't know what they are talking about, but majority of them are clueless.

The best advice as a novice in this hobby is to do your own research and stick to 1 forum (can reef) for advice from members that have been in the hobby for a long time, or members who have been through the same situation before to learn from them. Good Luck with your tanks!

[Enigma]

I'm slowly figuring out who I can trust. I listen closely to what other customers are being told, in addition to what I'm being told. Some of what i hear is disturbing. I think I'll mostly stick to Red Coral in the future, but in the event I venture elsewhere I'll be very cautious.

I'm also on one other forum, but that one is nano specific. Most of the users here seem to have much larger systems.

[aqure591]

Yeah!, Red Coral does know their stuff. That's a reason they are a sponsered member on here.

[Duker]

Originally Posted by aqure591

to cycle my tank when I started was to use raw shrimp/cocktail shrimp method. this way more humane then dumping chromis or other hardy fish into the tank to help cycle the tank.

YES YES YES, why don't more people do it this way.....And it works so much better!!!!
Yay aqure591

[Enigma]

One Mexican Turbo and four Nass have been moved out of this tank and into my other tank.

EDIT: Oh, and I've switched out my Kent carbon with Seachem carbon and did a 20% water change. And, I fed my blasto some Acan Plus. Holy smokes did they greedily eat it up!

Originally Posted by Aquaria

If he lives u should just keep him there very entertaining and since he's in the refuge what harm can he really do? There not aggresive and he won't go after stuff that wasn't dead or dieing already

It isn't so much about any harm he may do it this point . . . it's more about the fact that I don't particularly enjoy him: and I know there are many who would.

[Snaz]

Your rocks have great shape. Any updates?

[Enigma]

I'm so terrible at keeping these things updated!

I had just had my hands in the tank when this photo was taken, so some things don't look very happy (though they perked up quickly afterwards).



This tank now has a Neptune Apex, an SWC 120 cone skimmer, an Arctica 1/5hp chiller, more rock in the sump, two fluid reactors, and a few more things that I'm sure I've missed. The livestock from my NC12 has been moved into it (NC12 was overheating).

It will be moved into a 40 breeder soon. The new display has been drilled by Kevin at Red Coral here in town, and I think I've got everything needed for the move: except more rock and more sand, and new t5 bulbs.

I'm working on setting up a 33 gallon hospital tank for the fish this moment (every single one of them has a health issue that needs addressed). The corals and inverts will go straight to the new display, while the fish will hang out in the hospital tank for 6, or so, weeks.

[Enigma]

Well, here is the last (crummy) FTS of this tank:



I had to move all of the softies out of this tank and into the NC12 to make room for the LPS I picked up from Reefwars (the Kenya tree has since been moved, too).

The two torch corals I got from him are doing very well. One of the three frogspawn (a purple one) quickly lost a head, but otherwise they are all doing very well. The frogspawn that lost the head to brown jelly is in the NC12 right now, so it doesn't make any other LPS sick. Its remaining head looks very good and shows no signs of disease. The hammer and the duncan look great. This photo was taken around twelve hours after the LPS were introduced.

Our new display tank is drilled, PAINTED, and I'll be doing the plumbing this weekend. More dry rock has been picked up, more sand, new T5 bulbs, and I picked up two MP10s last night. This display tank will be retired within a couple of weeks.