magik's 29 oceanic Biocube

[Proteus]

Right on. You got Alot more patience than I. Lol
If your looking for a light hanger talk to the grizz he builds hangers and I just got mine and live it. Here's a crappy pic
It's adjustable for height and under 100 bucks

[magikof7]

I am not a patient person lol this has been a real test for me but, now that I have the tank up and running Im ok with going slow and taking my time.

Thanks for the pic! I will have to keep that in mind. I would prefer to keep the hood. but I think I can live without it if I can make a set of covers for the overflow chamber. My Issue is always dog hair and dander. I want to keep as much out as I can.

I am mostly happy with my rock arrangement. I worked on it for 3 days! I would move it around and it would cloud so bad I had to wait until it cleared again.
I pulled out my test kits today and found my nitrite kit expired in 2010! lol I phoned Golds and they said they will exchange it for me.

Ammonia is at 0.1
Nitrate are at 25.
I have not seen much for hitchhikers, a few Asterina starfish, a tiny snail or 2 and a small brittlestar (I saw him once while scaping). Lots of Coraline especially purple, the camera doesn't pick it up well.

I have some ok pics, I used my Daughters camera as mine is missing both the charger and the battery! so I am going to do some research and get a good camera. any suggestions are most welcome!
The cave in the center goes right through to the back of the tank.






The rock on the bottom left I like and don't like. it is rather solid but it has a great surface for placing corals and creates another cave area, I am going to bury it a bit more and hopefully it would make a good watchman/shrimp cave. (if I don't bust it up and/or get a different piece)


If anyone has suggestions thoughts or Opinions. Please speak up.

[Proteus]

I like the scape. Lots of caves. Have u been testing water since filling. Just wondering if no3 is on the rise or going down

[magikof7]

thank you.
no I haven't. I was messing with it so much and it was so cloudy.
The trates are maxed on the test. I will test it again tomorrow and see what it reads. I am going to pick up a new nitrite test tomorrow as well.

[magikof7]

I went to trade in my Trite test kit and ended up having to take an API he was out of the Elos and salifert was expired in 09! lol

Im going to Order an Elos test kit online. for now the API will have to do.

tested at 8 pm tonight. Day 6
Ammonia - 0
Nitrate is falling. It measures between 10 - 25 ppm. It is a lot lighter than yesterday.
Nitrite is between 0 - 0.25 The blue is about the color of a blue freezie lol.

[magikof7]

I found a little muscle or clam. it appeared out of nowhere on the sandbed.
and something else I don't know what it is its hairy so I am guessing it is a filter feeder. I thought it was dead when I saw it but in the last week it has increased in size.

I am seeing Brown algea and maybe the start of green hair algea. Lots of little tube worms and macro algeas.



I can not get a good pic of this thing. the camera just wont take a good close up.

[Coralgurl]

LOVE this tank! Great job on the scaping! Looks like its coming to life, very exciting!

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by magikof7

I went to trade in my Trite test kit and ended up having to take an API he was out of the Elos and salifert was expired in 09! lol

Im going to Order an Elos test kit online. for now the API will have to do.

tested at 8 pm tonight. Day 6
Ammonia - 0
Nitrate is falling. It measures between 10 - 25 ppm. It is a lot lighter than yesterday.
Nitrite is between 0 - 0.25 The blue is about the color of a blue freezie lol.

for nitrate and amonia ....api is prefered by alot of reefers, the amonia test for api is one the best you can really be using, and nitrate tests all around are all kind the same quality so go for the cheapy cheapy lol :P:P

i use elos for the rest

[magikof7]

I have not been doing anything for filtration, as I understood you didn't want to have any media or the skimmer going while cycling.

I am having trouble with the fit of my skimmer and the media basket, I need to raise the water level in the back chamber to accomodate them. Or forget the media basket.

I had to forgo the Fuge when I was setting up because of the tank twisting. I had intended to have another one ordered by now but my son has been pretty sick and now I have it lol. Figures. Think Ill try to get out tomorrow and get it ordered.

ok, I am getting mixed reviews on test kits. I asked in the forum and most said Elos or Salifert. I went with Elos. I understood that API was not very accurate. the only API I have is the Trite test.

No I havent tested po4 but I do have the test kit. I will do that.

Using gfo do I need a reactor?

Thank you Coralgurl. I will go out and see what I can find for a CUC.

I appreciate all of your help!