29 Gal Build Log : My First SW Tank

di0nysus

Large Fish
Sep 9, 2007
260
0
0
sunnyside of california
haha you can see a reflection off the tank of your t.v.. you were watching code monkeys werent you?
just the daylights for 9 hours. unfortunatly i dont have a fuge just yet im still thinking of what i want to do
 

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Lorna

Elite Fish
Mar 3, 2005
3,082
4
0
NE Indiana
I would get 5 ceriths and 3 turbos or trochus. The astreas are good but they do tend to fall over and if upside down they can't right themselves and they die.

You need my tang in there for a couple days and he would decimate that algae between him and my foxface.....

Another option is to get a bicolor blennie they love algae as one of your fish. Cute, full of personality and great little fish.
 

TRe

Elite Fish
Feb 20, 2005
3,645
1
0
ft. lauderdale
just pull as much of the hair algae off by hand as u could.... another option is to take a new toothbrush and put the rock in a second conitainer full of saltwater and scrub it off (still remove as much by hand first as you can)
btw now is defintily the time to start planing out your stocking since it looks like youll be ready to get started with fish in just a few short weeks
 

spllouder

Large Fish
Aug 19, 2007
223
0
0
Springfield MO
Cuc Update !

just pull as much of the hair algae off by hand as u could.... another option is to take a new toothbrush and put the rock in a second conitainer full of saltwater and scrub it off (still remove as much by hand first as you can)
btw now is defintily the time to start planing out your stocking since it looks like youll be ready to get started with fish in just a few short weeks
What Would You Suggest ?



CUC Added :

I went down to the LFS and Bought 3 Turbo Snails for $3 Each , And two of there Small reef hermits . I got one Blue legged , and other looks like a red legged . Right away The hermits and the turbo snails went to action . the turbo can really mow some algae down *BOUNCINGS . The blue leg crab eats all the left over green algae hair roots out of the rock . *BOUNCINGS

Here are some Pics :

Super Turbo Snail , The large one on the bottom was carying both the others on his back .




 

spllouder

Large Fish
Aug 19, 2007
223
0
0
Springfield MO
AquaClear 500 Fuge Light Update !

I Modded the top to my AquaClear 500 . I installed a normal clip on Incandecent light reflector. And useing a 20W Sprial Flourecents Bulb . ( I dont Know the Color Output ? ) . I bought it at walmart , said soft white , Anyone know what color this is ? Should i buy a better light ? They where like 6.87 for 3 pack at wal mart .

Here;s some pics of the Fuge Light




 

IDunnoWhy

Superstar Fish
Nov 16, 2006
1,058
2
38
53
Deerfield, WI
The CUC looks good, I'd keep an eye on the red legged crab, I've read they are a little more aggressive. Do you know if it's a red legged or a Scarlet Reef Hermit?

I like your light design, the only fear I would have, would be water getting in contact with the bulb, will you have some sort of clear cover for the bulb? Do you have a pic with it mounted to the refugium? (I'd like to see how it all goes together :D )
 

spllouder

Large Fish
Aug 19, 2007
223
0
0
Springfield MO
The CUC looks good, I'd keep an eye on the red legged crab, I've read they are a little more aggressive. Do you know if it's a red legged or a Scarlet Reef Hermit?

I like your light design, the only fear I would have, would be water getting in contact with the bulb, will you have some sort of clear cover for the bulb? Do you have a pic with it mounted to the refugium? (I'd like to see how it all goes together :D )

He does not have a yellow face so i dont think he is a scarlett. its mostly red with black . Yes i have to design something to stop water from getting up there . Ill show a pic of what i did for now . and the light shade .

NIGHT SHADE SO LIGHT DONT GO IN MAIN TANK AT NIGHT .


SIDE SHOT .


FULL SIDE SHOT LIGHT ON




Looking like things are coming together :)

If you can, get a "daylight" bulb for the refugium. The soft white has less of the usable spectrum. The soft white bulbs will be fine for use around the house, though, so you haven't wasted any money.

Where can i get a daylight bulb from locally ? like do home depot sell grow lights / day lights ? or will i have to order one ?
 

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TRe

Elite Fish
Feb 20, 2005
3,645
1
0
ft. lauderdale
the flood lights from home depot work best ill try and find u a link (they even have a reflector built in)
on the crabs i hope you put some extra shells in there for them to go in...they like to trade there shells often and if they cant find one theyll start killing snails and taking the shells ;)
 

Lorna

Elite Fish
Mar 3, 2005
3,082
4
0
NE Indiana
no you should be able to get one at home depot or something. I would also wonder about heat if you seal the light in with a plastic cover. otherwise looks good. Oh and the hermit is a red legged hermit not a scarlet which are totally bright red. These ones can be mean little beggars. I relegated a couple to the dungeon just the other day for shell jacking.
 

spllouder

Large Fish
Aug 19, 2007
223
0
0
Springfield MO
Ya i wont get any more red ones. I didnot not ask so they just gave me one blue and one red . I will only get 3 more and they will be blue legged one i will ask for and have them order me some true scarlets .

LIVE STOCK ???

I am thinking '

CLOWN (what type is best ? )

GOBY (what kind should i get ? i want a sand shifter type )

BI-COLOR BENNY


What else should i get ? Wrasse ?



What wattage Flood light and type ? Thanks
 

Lorna

Elite Fish
Mar 3, 2005
3,082
4
0
NE Indiana
Personally I like the different clowns such as a clarkiis or skunk clowns.....tomato is cool too......I also have had great luck with my pygmy angel, she is one of my favorite fish....always out swimming around with great color. I have a bi-color blenny in my 75 and he is a great little fish too. I like the watchman gobies for this size tank or a wheelers gobie. These are not sand sifters but are watchman/shrimp gobies. They guard their burrows. If you want a sand sifter look at a jawfish as most of the sand sifting gobies get too big for a 29. This is what I have in my 29

clarkii clown
pygmy angel
citron gobie
wheeler gobie/pistol shrimp pair

I did have an elusive wrasse in there but he decided to carpet surf....much to my dismay. I prefer the flasher/fairy wrasses over a 6 line....(I have one in my 75 and he is a mean beggar who has eaten just about every pod in the place)
 

TRe

Elite Fish
Feb 20, 2005
3,645
1
0
ft. lauderdale
my watchman goby actualy sifts sand only he doesnt leave his burrough on the clown my personal favorite is the true perc..most people have false percs... if you get a wrasse just make sure you research it first since most wrasse arnt invert safe ...just be sure to stock the fish little at a time and start with the least aggressive fish and end with the most aggressive
 

spllouder

Large Fish
Aug 19, 2007
223
0
0
Springfield MO
Tank Update

I have some current full tank shots and some questions ? I have not added anything else yet . and now iam getting green algae growing everywhere now ? what is this ? You can see it on the back glass . Also iam going to get some more live stock soon . more snails and some more hermits . Becuase the three turbo snails are slow and have not cleaned alot ( you can see where they cleaned the rock Its all white and clean ) . And i cant find any other snail local . besides reef hermits . What should i do ? Also i got all my marcoalgae and they set extra . My aquaclear is stuffed with marco alage . is this good or bad ? what happens when nitrates hit zero ? Thanks and sorry for all the questions now heres the pics .




Full Tank Shot











AquaClear 500 with over 2 ounce of marco alage

 

IDunnoWhy

Superstar Fish
Nov 16, 2006
1,058
2
38
53
Deerfield, WI
and now iam getting green algae growing everywhere now ? what is this ? You can see it on the back glass
You may have mentioned it, but are you using RO or RO/DI water for your WC's?

I had a brief encounter with hair algae (it appears you have some on your rocks, but the back glass I can't say for sure), even though I use RO/DI water, what I ended up doing was change my lighting schedule, I had the lights turn on 1 hour later & off one hour earlier. You may be encountering the same thing, try trimming your lighting, 8 hrs. daylight per day works for me.

Also iam going to get some more live stock soon . more snails and some more hermits . Becuase the three turbo snails are slow and have not cleaned alot ( you can see where they cleaned the rock Its all white and clean ) . And i cant find any other snail local . besides reef hermits . What should i do ?
You could try Aquarium Fish: Tropical Freshwater Fish and Saltwater Fish for Home Aquariums There was one other place that Lorna gave me a link to, I'll try to dig it up and post it here for ya too. :)

Also i got all my marcoalgae and they set extra . My aquaclear is stuffed with marco alage . is this good or bad ?
My fuge is always packed full of Chaeto, I pull off baseball sized chunks and post it on my local reef clubs web page all the time, (or I'll just toss it if nobody wants it.)

So, having a fuge packed full is probably OK, so long as it doesn't interfere with the flow in or out, or interfere with the impeller assembly.

EDIT: Here's that other link I mentioned.

Invertebrates / Cleaners - Snails
 

TRe

Elite Fish
Feb 20, 2005
3,645
1
0
ft. lauderdale
0 nitrates is what your aiming for ..... if you cant get any other type of snail locally just get a few more turbos or ask your lfs if they can order you some (mine always take special orders) i wouldnt add many more crabs if any... and on the chaeto you dont want it too stuffed but it looks fine from the pic...your guna go through a number of differant types of algae outbreaks over the next few months this is normal in a tank this age ;)
 

spllouder

Large Fish
Aug 19, 2007
223
0
0
Springfield MO
Thanks for all the info , really . I always use Ro/Di . and i did notice the green algae start in the fuge first . I will buy 3 more turbo snail and ask them to order som cerith snails . and ill be set ? Will the cerith snails clean my sand ? The turbos wont touch the sand they only stay on the rocks and glass .