My 20g Journal "Pic Warning" (now a 29g!)
- Thread starter IDunnoWhy
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Hey Cumminz, although your questions are good ones, and should be answered, please start your own "125g tank questions" thread or whatever you'd like to call it (I personally love watching peoples tank builds from the ground up). This particular thread is in regards to my 20g Nano build, I'd hate for folks to get confused as they try to read through it.
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Update 8/8/07 Added more rock
OK, I got this rock from a friend yesterday, it's mostly Fiji (I think) I has been "dry" for at least 1 1/2 years. I scrubbed it good, and let it sit in water overnight (in hopes that the remaining "loose" material would come off). I placed it in the tank this morning, it took me 45 mins to get it where I want it (Still not sure I like how it looks....I'm a little OCD about this stuff). Overall though, I think it looks nice...Now the waiting game begins *thumbsups
Here is a pic of a little Kenya Tree, IMO my tank is NO WHERE NEAR ready for this thing yet, but let me tell you how I came by it....
I was at a friends house who has a Beautiful 120g reef, I just so happened to be there the night she was doing her "fragging" and tank maint. "chores" anyway we got to looking at her tank, and she said "you want some of this Kenya Tree?" I said my tank wasn't ready yet, she said "Well I'm going to toss most of this out, I have too much" so I said OK Gimme just a little piece.....The way I figure, It's either going to die in her trash can or my tank, so we'll see, maybe it will make it (Besides, gives me something to look at while I cycle my tank I guess
)
She also gave me approx 2 cups of "Live Sand" from her refugium, apparently the sand has "pods" although I haven't gotten out the magnifying glass to confirn this
I'm hoping between the 12lbs of cured LR I had, and the addition of the live sand, I'll be able to kick start this new "dead" rock, all in all I was hoping to begin stocking with inverts & fish sometime by the end of October.
Also I checked my pH & SG today, the pH came back as 7.8 doesn't that seem low for a marine tank?
The SG came in at 1.024
OK, I got this rock from a friend yesterday, it's mostly Fiji (I think) I has been "dry" for at least 1 1/2 years. I scrubbed it good, and let it sit in water overnight (in hopes that the remaining "loose" material would come off). I placed it in the tank this morning, it took me 45 mins to get it where I want it (Still not sure I like how it looks....I'm a little OCD about this stuff). Overall though, I think it looks nice...Now the waiting game begins *thumbsups
Here is a pic of a little Kenya Tree, IMO my tank is NO WHERE NEAR ready for this thing yet, but let me tell you how I came by it....
I was at a friends house who has a Beautiful 120g reef, I just so happened to be there the night she was doing her "fragging" and tank maint. "chores" anyway we got to looking at her tank, and she said "you want some of this Kenya Tree?" I said my tank wasn't ready yet, she said "Well I'm going to toss most of this out, I have too much" so I said OK Gimme just a little piece.....The way I figure, It's either going to die in her trash can or my tank, so we'll see, maybe it will make it (Besides, gives me something to look at while I cycle my tank I guess
)
She also gave me approx 2 cups of "Live Sand" from her refugium, apparently the sand has "pods" although I haven't gotten out the magnifying glass to confirn this
I'm hoping between the 12lbs of cured LR I had, and the addition of the live sand, I'll be able to kick start this new "dead" rock, all in all I was hoping to begin stocking with inverts & fish sometime by the end of October.
Also I checked my pH & SG today, the pH came back as 7.8 doesn't that seem low for a marine tank?
The SG came in at 1.024
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the live sand you added should help out ... the kenya will most likly die... and the tank is coming along great ..... just a suggestion or reminder on the sides of the tank where you have the rock all the way up to the glass is guna make it hard to clean the glass so personally i leave room for the magna float to get through on the 3 viewable sides
..... just a suggestion or reminder on the sides of the tank where you have the rock all the way up to the glass is guna make it hard to clean the glass so personally i leave room for the magna float to get through on the 3 viewable sides
the live sand you added should help out ... the kenya will most likly die... and the tank is coming along great ..... just a suggestion or reminder on the sides of the tank where you have the rock all the way up to the glass is guna make it hard to clean the glass so personally i leave room for the magna float to get through on the 3 viewable sides
..... just a suggestion or reminder on the sides of the tank where you have the rock all the way up to the glass is guna make it hard to clean the glass so personally i leave room for the magna float to get through on the 3 viewable sides
Yea I'm not expecting the Kenya to make it, but we'll see. I totally spaced out the Mag-Float concept.....duh.
Problem I see now is, I really like all those pieces of rock, and I'm not sure I can fit them all if I pull away from the sides......oh well, I'll keep working with it until I get it right (not like I have any fish or inverts to get crushed at the moment, while I bumble around
)
8/11/07....Let the Diatoms begin
OK, I got the first signs of Diatoms starting today (even though I use RO/DI water). Man I hate diatoms, they make everything look so yucky (not even going to post pics of it).
Sooooo, here's a question, the diatoms seem to be focusing on just the 3 pieces of cured LR I have, the remaining uncured pieces, show no signs yet.
Is this common? I'm sure the diatoms will eventually spread tankwide for a while, but why start on the cured stuff?
Any thoughts? Anything I should be watching for?
OK, I got the first signs of Diatoms starting today (even though I use RO/DI water). Man I hate diatoms, they make everything look so yucky (not even going to post pics of it).
Sooooo, here's a question, the diatoms seem to be focusing on just the 3 pieces of cured LR I have, the remaining uncured pieces, show no signs yet.
Is this common? I'm sure the diatoms will eventually spread tankwide for a while, but why start on the cured stuff?
Any thoughts? Anything I should be watching for?
Well, from what I understand, brown algae is just a fact of life, it's fairly common in "new" aquariums, and should disappear on it's own fairly quickly, as Jim said it was only 2-3 days in his case, where I had it for approaching a month in one of my FW tanks a while back.
As far as the other types of algae, there is definately a science to it, some are considered good (a sign of a quality eco-system) and some are considered "pests" I honestly don't know enough about the assorted varieties of algae to give you a fair answer.
Check out our profiles section, under algae, there is some real basic stuff there, but it will at least get you an idea.
As far as the other types of algae, there is definately a science to it, some are considered good (a sign of a quality eco-system) and some are considered "pests" I honestly don't know enough about the assorted varieties of algae to give you a fair answer.
Check out our profiles section, under algae, there is some real basic stuff there, but it will at least get you an idea.
8/20/07 Quick Update
Well, Good bye Diatoms, Hello Hair Algae
The diatoms have started to clear up, not completely gone, but just about, they have been replaced by hair algae, grrrrrr. I can only assume that it would be worse if I didn't have some chaeto in the fuge.
I reworked the rock pile (per TRe's suggestion ) and I think I might actually like how it looks now.....but maybe not *laughingc It certainly gives me a few more "flat spots" to position future corals purchases.
Here's a few pics:
Different Angles (Please excuse the hardware, with 20g it's tough to hide it)
The Kenya tree seems to be "hanging in there" and actually seems to have almost doubled in size. This pic was taken today, just before I moved everything around.
I bought 2 timers for my "main" lighting (still need to grab 1 more for the fuge light, I'm trying to stagger it so the fuge is lit when the DT is dark (was told that was the best bet).
My Refractometer showed up....WOW was was my hydrometer way off, it was reading 1.025, when in actuality the refractometer came up with 1.021 (I'll be gradually increasing the SG over the next 48 hours.)
My Remora showed up from MarineDepot and was broken in the box (apparently in freight) so I contacted them right away and emailed a picture of it over to them, they said they would send me a RA to return it for replacement, sucks that I have to wait another couple of weeks, but their customer service dept. was great to deal with. *thumbsups
I guess that's it for now.
Well, Good bye Diatoms, Hello Hair Algae
The diatoms have started to clear up, not completely gone, but just about, they have been replaced by hair algae, grrrrrr. I can only assume that it would be worse if I didn't have some chaeto in the fuge.
I reworked the rock pile (per TRe's suggestion
) and I think I might actually like how it looks now.....but maybe not *laughingc It certainly gives me a few more "flat spots" to position future corals purchases. Here's a few pics:
Different Angles (Please excuse the hardware, with 20g it's tough to hide it)
The Kenya tree seems to be "hanging in there" and actually seems to have almost doubled in size. This pic was taken today, just before I moved everything around.
I bought 2 timers for my "main" lighting (still need to grab 1 more for the fuge light, I'm trying to stagger it so the fuge is lit when the DT is dark (was told that was the best bet).
My Refractometer showed up....WOW was was my hydrometer way off, it was reading 1.025, when in actuality the refractometer came up with 1.021 (I'll be gradually increasing the SG over the next 48 hours.)
My Remora showed up from MarineDepot and was broken in the box (apparently in freight) so I contacted them right away and emailed a picture of it over to them, they said they would send me a RA to return it for replacement, sucks that I have to wait another couple of weeks, but their customer service dept. was great to deal with. *thumbsups
I guess that's it for now.
No update....Just Questions
Hi All!
As I sit here waiting for my tanks cycle to complete (It's like watching water boil....never seems to happen Although I have some beautiful hair algae to admire now.) I find my thoughts wandering to stocking ideas......
Now here is what I've been thinking about, Please feel free to make suggestions on alternates if some of the ones mentioned are a "no go" in this tank.
Also, please note your suggested order of introduction (example fish, then invert, then coral etc.)
_______________________________
Fish (Obviously not ALL of these, but 2 or 3 would be cool)
Clown Fish (This is a must, my daughter REALLY wants Nemo....)
6 Line Wrasse
Fire Fish (Purple...If it matters)
Clown Goby
Watchmen Goby
________________________________
Inverts
Blue Legged Hermits (This is a must, My wife REALLY wants them)
Astria (sp?) Snails
Cleaner Shrimp or Peppermint Shrimp (Not both, just one or the other)
If all are do-able, how many of each?
________________________________
Corals
Kenya Tree (Already Have it)
Zoas
Shrooms
Any other suggestions on low light demanding, nice colored corals?
Thanks
Hi All!
As I sit here waiting for my tanks cycle to complete (It's like watching water boil....never seems to happen
Although I have some beautiful hair algae to admire now.) I find my thoughts wandering to stocking ideas......Now here is what I've been thinking about, Please feel free to make suggestions on alternates if some of the ones mentioned are a "no go" in this tank.
Also, please note your suggested order of introduction (example fish, then invert, then coral etc.)
_______________________________
Fish (Obviously not ALL of these, but 2 or 3 would be cool)
Clown Fish (This is a must, my daughter REALLY wants Nemo....)
6 Line Wrasse
Fire Fish (Purple...If it matters)
Clown Goby
Watchmen Goby
________________________________
Inverts
Blue Legged Hermits (This is a must, My wife REALLY wants them)
Astria (sp?) Snails
Cleaner Shrimp or Peppermint Shrimp (Not both, just one or the other)
If all are do-able, how many of each?
________________________________
Corals
Kenya Tree (Already Have it)
Zoas
Shrooms
Any other suggestions on low light demanding, nice colored corals?
Thanks
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