96 replies to this topic

[Blakey]

Completely stock standard Red Sea Max 130D No idea what type of snail or shell fish that is on the rock. If anyone can ID please do! Currently in the cycling process so not a whole lot going on just watching and water testing. Just to get it started here is some pictures. Will update more details late  ImageUploadedByTapatalk1410235899.583050.jpg   289.76KB   15 downloads  ImageUploadedByTapatalk1410235914.098916.jpg   368.13KB   15 downloads [attachment=24491:ImageUploadedByTapatalk1410235928.149835.

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Edited by Blakey, 09 September 2014 - 02:54 PM.

[Jules]

nice one man.

where'd you get the live rock from, nice shapes and they look like quality pieces.

 

I miss my old RSM tank. I upgraded the skimmer to Tunze 9002 and added a Steve in tank media rack, made a huge different to the tank.

Id add an additional pump for in tank movement if you can (I used an MP20 - was awesome, but an MP10 would be more suitable to id say).

 

enjoy reef keeping, its a beautiful hobby that can be very rewarding. One day ill jump back on board.

[MrLeifBeaver]

Nice! Looking forward to the development of this tank!

[Blakey]

nice one man.
where'd you get the live rock from, nice shapes and they look like quality pieces.
 
I miss my old RSM tank. I upgraded the skimmer to Tunze 9002 and added a Steve in tank media rack, made a huge different to the tank.
Id add an additional pump for in tank movement if you can (I used an MP20 - was awesome, but an MP10 would be more suitable to id say).
 
enjoy reef keeping, its a beautiful hobby that can be very rewarding. One day ill jump back on board.

Thanks Jules!!
Where can I find all the stuff listed above?
I think once I get my head around it all I will start upgrading things but I have jumped in with both feet right now and struggling to wrap my head around it all.

I will do some research on those items you mentioned.

Rocks came from oceanreef aquariums in Wangara

[Blakey]

So water parameters so far each day are as follows.

Day 1
Temp - 24'C
Salinity - 1027
PH - 8.4

Day 2
Temp 25'C
Salinity 1024
PH 8.4
Ammonia - 0.25
Nitrite - 0.2
Nitrate - 3

Day 3
Temp 26
Salinity 1024
PH - 8.0
Alk - 3.2 ~
Ammonia - 1ppm
Nitrate - 10ppm
Nitrite - 2ppm

Some of those measurements are getting a bit high but I am running off the Red Sea setup guide and no water change is scheduled and they are only slightly higher than expected.

Will keep measuring and hope it doesn't spike any further. I can really notice a bit of cloudiness today so I'm hoping by Friday it should all have settled and I can go CUC shopping.

[MrLeifBeaver]

Cloudyness is just that 'new tank syndrome' thingy with the water. should turn Crystal Clear by tomorrow or the next day.

[Redevilz]

Nice tank Blakey! Cool scape.

[Jules]

I bought my skimmer on ebay (was a score)

and the steve in tank media rack came from America, I found it through the nano reef website advertisement.

the vortech wavemaker came from vebas I think (either way, they supply them here in WA)

[Blakey]

Day 5
Tank is in full cycle mode now and starting to see more and more activity in the tank. Even noticed a baby abalone or nautilus crawling around!!!
Also found out I have a mantis shrimp 100% and found his location.. Should I remove him now? He is about 1.5" long.
Little feathery things poking out of holes, more shell fish type things opening up and filtering water and some bits of coral stuff starting to show a bit of activity and look 'cleaner'.
Some white fluffy type of algae is growing which to me looks good.. As far as I have read green is bad everything else is good.
Some brown algae starting to appear on the gravel too but the snails that came on the coral get it pretty quick.
Finally I have stabilised the temperature - the lights and hood enclosure really play havok and the heater is completely inaccurate.
All will be upgraded eventually but I actually move house in a week so won't be upgrading until then.

Having big issues with the reservoir running dry when the twin pumps are due to lack of water flow. Another problem problem I will fix when I move by lowering the pumps in the reservoir and changing the way the filter media is.
I would love to upgrade the protein skimmer like Jules said but the 9002 is obsolete and seems to be more expensive now production has stopped.
I can't justify $200 yet until I learn to wrap my head around the stock one I think this setup will do.
Water flow definitely needs to be increased (upgraded pumps) and I will add a wave maker today I think as there are some obvious dead spots that I need to get some water flow to.

Parameters at the moment

Salinity 1024
PH 8.2
ALK 3.2
AMM 0.5ppm
Nitrite 0.4ppm
Nitrate 10ppm

First water change (5-10%) will be Saturday morning and after that we should see those number drop drastically.. I even suspect them to me much lower tomorrow.

Photos


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[MrLeifBeaver]

Your live rock sounds like it is teaming with interesting life.

Little feathery things are a worm I think, they filter feed.

 

Mantis Shrimp can be a problem in eating your fish at night, that is why you remove them, but sometimes they can be fine with fish too.

So you need to make the descision if you want it or not (do that sooner rather than later). I am pretty sure people on the MASA forum want them, so you could sell it there.

 

You might need to do some alterations to the sump section of the tank to increase your water flow.

 

Maybe on the weekend get a couple more snails (clean up crew) to manage this initial algae outbreak.

Also, there is some super cheap coral ($6 each). Get 1 of them so you can monitor if the Coral lives or dies, it will be a great indicator of water quality and how it is going.

[Blakey]

Your live rock sounds like it is teaming with interesting life.
Little feathery things are a worm I think, they filter feed.
 
Mantis Shrimp can be a problem in eating your fish at night, that is why you remove them, but sometimes they can be fine with fish too.
So you need to make the descision if you want it or not (do that sooner rather than later). I am pretty sure people on the MASA forum want them, so you could sell it there.
 
You might need to do some alterations to the sump section of the tank to increase your water flow.
 
Maybe on the weekend get a couple more snails (clean up crew) to manage this initial algae outbreak.
Also, there is some super cheap coral ($6 each). Get 1 of them so you can monitor if the Coral lives or dies, it will be a great indicator of water quality and how it is going.

Thanks for the reply!

It really is teaming with life it's pretty exciting.

I think the mantis shrimp I might catch and lock him in a plastic cage when I move and decide.

Roger that on the extra snails! Where abouts have you seen this $6 coral?
I need to get a drip feed to introduce new animals, might have to do it the dodgy way to start off.

What about hermit crabs? Their is a smorgasbord available for some small crabs and I seen some for about $4 the other day.

Hey so corals I see LPS SPS ETC ETC.
What's what and what's easy and what's hard?

Also tonight I took about 5 litres out just to remove some of the floating sediment from the dead spots. I'm assuming it's only going to spike the nitrates and phosphates and only encourage a more severe algae bloom. It is literally growing hourly at the moment more of the brown type of algae on the aragonite bed particularly where detritus is holding. (Thus the small clean)

I'm super super interested to see how much it effects the water parameters.

[MrLeifBeaver]

Yeah lock that shrimp up when you do the move.

 

I got my clean-up crew at Pet Magic Cannington - Included in the Clean-up crew type animals are snails, hermit crabs, small psined sea-urchins.

The $6 Coral was basically this 'lipped' looking coral, it was the cheapest I saw.

 

So yes get a hermit crab, should be really cool to see walking around

 

I have no idea what LPS or SPS means, but I think SPS Corals are easier to keep.

[Blakey]

So me and the missus came home from dinner last night and the light was off and moon lights glowing.
Heard her yelling saying there was a spider in the tank and to my surprise it actually did look like spider legs.
This thing looked stuck under a rock and eventually came out to reveal a brittle star.

Tank parameters are stable at the moment
Salt is 1024
PH 8.1
ALK 3.0meq
Ammonia 0.25
Nitrates 10ppm

Will do another small water change again tomorrow and get some more gunk out.
Water is looking cleaner and clearer today.

Found someone who is selling 2 snails a hermit crab a starfish and 3 Chromis for $30 might just give it a go I think.

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[MrLeifBeaver]

Wow that is so cool! I think I need to upgrade my live rock, yours is extrememly interesting!

 

That cleanup crew deal sounds excellent.

[Blakey]

Jump out to Ocean Reef Aquariums in Wangara!! By far the best marine retail outlet in Perth.
Dedicated only to Marine.

[Blakey]

I have added love stock now all beit a little early but they seem to be loving life! And it will keep the missus happy.

Tank now has
3 x Chromis
4 x Snails
1 x Hermit Crab
1 x Bivalve

Also got a FRICKEN HUGE starfish ( my girlfriend picked up a tub of bits and piece from a lady for $40 ) I need to get rid of it. It's a Green Bristle Star. It's just too big for my tank.

Also found a crab in the rocks - he blends in so well you can hardly see him. Looks like the actual rocks.

Pretty sure I saw a little baby green nudibranch today on the glass as well.

Photos to come but the tank will go unchanged for the next 4-6 weeks

[Blakey]

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[Dazzab]

Inwould stick with lps and soft corals first sps are the hard ones to keep like acropora and millipora I would also be careful with the mantis this guyvi know had a 6 inch mantis kill all his fish he ended up tearing the tank down also if he sees the hermits and snails you will kiss them good bye

[Blakey]

Mantis is about 1.5" long right now - he will be close to impossible to catch as he navigated his way through the interior of the live rock.
How quick do they grow? I will try to find him before I add anymore live animals but at the moment he is smaller than anything in there.

[Blakey]

Been monitoring my water very closely and it is in the final stages of it's full cycle.
Water has come crystal clear and the sediment on the coral and gunk laying about is all gone and looking awesome.
Ammonia is still a little high surprisingly but I will monitor.
I have someone who offered a bunch of little corals for cheap ($70)
Morph, torch, trachy, palythoa, Xenia and acan frags.
All quite small and apparently their tank is a little rough around the edges (though mature).
Going to grab them Thursday I think as the water is perfect for corals right now (except the Nitrate levels) but that should be completely gone by Thursday.
Exciting times.