DarthPaul's 24g Aquapod Nano-- first SW tank

[DarthPaul]

Hello all..

 

New to WAMAS and figured I would share my first time attempt at a Aquapod 24g and update as necessary as it evolves from initial set-up and then of course updates as progress goes on Some things on the tank:

 

Fill and start date (02/09/08)

24g Aquapod/2 chamber

Stock lighting (32w Aci, 32w daylight, 2 led moon lights)--plan to upgrade to 150HQI

21pds live cured "premium" fiji rock, 20pds live sand , approx 3in bed

Maxijet 1200 pump upgrade

Koralia Nano

Modded overflow to include Fuge with LR rubble/Cheato(still need to hook up light in back)

Stealth Heater in 2nd chamber

 

I think starting off with such good rock really helped "turbo" cycle my tank....I have been in the freshwater hobby for many years and have loads of experience on the nitrate cycle in general and after only 2 weeks I do believe my tank has initially cycled. I have heard some pushback on this and have seen many recommendations to wait 6 weeks at least before adding anything live to the tank, while I have also heard that using good cured rock, live sand, and a fuge only helping the process and you can cycle in a few weeks...I honestly think I have cycled in two weeks time based off all test readings I am getting. I have seen all the normal progressions in Amm, Nitrate etc... and they have all fallen to 0 for the most part.

With that being said ...on to my critters as of 2/25/08.

 

Params:

Amm=0

Nitirite=0

Nitrate=.5

Ph= 8.1

Phos=.5

KH=12dkh/214ppm/6.5meq/L

Calc=300 mg/L(just dosed with Seachem Reef Calcium to boost a little)

Salinity= 1.024

 

CUC:

1 red tip hermit

1 yellow tip hermit

3 zebra legged hermit

1 Turbo Snail

1 nassisius Snail?

3 astrea Snail?

 

Fish:

1 Hi-Fin Red Banded Goby

1 "Tiger" pistol Shrimp (Symbiosis with Goby)

 

Corals:

Small Yellow Star Polyp Frag (aprox 15 polyps)

Small White/Green Clove Polyp frag ( In TLC recovey...it was knocked down behind a large rock in the LFS coral display tank and had not had good light or flow..still lots of polyps that will look great once it mends..I have only had a day in my tank and many of the polyps are going strong

 

Thats about it...I will update as it goes.....now on to the pics

Week 1 shot

 

My Yellow Polyps

 

My Clove Polyps (In Recovery)

 

Full tank (2/25/08)

 

Fuge mod

 

Thats all for now!! Updates to come in a few weeks

[HowardofNOVA]

Looking good!

If your in the Falls Church area some evening, give me a call? 703-899-6209.

Will have a few additions for you!

[lancer99]

Nice tank!

 

And yes, you can certainly cycle a new tank in a few weeks, if you start with cured LR & sand....and from the looks of your params, you have. You might want to go slow for a couple of weeks to let the critters in the sand bed get better established.

 

And just wanted to point out that your Clove Polyps are almost certainly Pipe Organ instead.....

 

-R

[DarthPaul]

Lancer beat me to my own correction....My newest coral is indeed a Pipe Organ/Organ Pipe coral.

 

One distinct thing that made me look deeper into the coral in terms of info on it was the fact that it did have a "Skeleton" of hard tubes....My research has been telling me that true polyps do not have a hard shells and they are directly attached to the rock in a single form...

 

Needless to say .... the mis-ID has worked out in my favor I think ! Apparently they look very similar to Clove polyps (what I really like about them is they look like a true flower) but they do not spread like polyps.

 

Tank update:

 

I got a few extra hermy shells for my crabs to swap around last night, put them in, and one already took the liberty to change it up. I guess its current digs was not roomy enough for him

 

Also, My goby has been hiding out since I put him in with the pistol shrimp and he has been tucked under a rock in the back corner of the rock until yesterday..I broke out the flashlight last night and searched for him in the corner to be sure he was still alive....no sign of him..

 

Well I wake up this morning and check on the tank....and notice my pistol shrimp has gone to town over night and has taken refuge under my main big rock.....had little escape hatches dug out around the base.

I break out a little bit of Mysis and drop it into the tank, it will give a good snack to the hermys/snails and I believe the corals will eat some too. Well as soon as the shrimp hit the water I see a flash behind my main rock. My goby!

 

My goby is healthy and has paired up with the pistol shrimp and have hosted each other! YEAH I can see the little hole the goby and the shrimp are sharing but barely because it is right in the middle of the back of the tank. Hoping they will move around to new spots so I will at least get to see their antics up close. I saw the goby leading the shrimp out of the hole so it could grab some shrimpys too...so coool.

 

Anyways...till next time

[zotzer]

I do believe my tank has initially cycled. I have heard some pushback on this and have seen many recommendations to wait 6 weeks at least before adding anything live to the tank,

 

Sounds like you've been hanging over at Reef Central. Watch out for some dude named Demon who recommends that anything less than two Koralia 4's will be inadequate flow for your tank. ROFL

 

Love the rock and the nice open aquascape, and I bet the goby/shrimp will be lots of fun to watch.

 

Welcome, and just remember to have fun and enjoy!!

 

Tracy

[Highland Reefer]

Nice to see another guy from my area join. Your tank looks great.

[treesprite]

tank is looking great so far

[DarthPaul]

Updates in pics... My shrimpy ("Ruger") and my Goby (Taylor...RIP#21 :( )

 

 

[jason the filter freak]

Awesome cool to see another shrimp/shrimp goby pair!

[DarthPaul]

Figured it was about time for an update....

 

Several new editions to the tank....found some nice little pieces that I really put some thought into and I am really happy with my choices so far. Def picked out things I will have for the long haul, no "renting" for me. (you know....when you buy a fish/coral /anything and then trade it in 3 months later cause your tired of it) I fell into that trap early into my freshwater endeavors, alot of money lost when you really think about it too.

 

Anyways....New Editions:

 

Short Tentacle Purple Plate Coral

 

Green Torch Coral

 

Purple/Orange/Green Ric...not sure what "name" it would go by(single polyp) real sweet looking

 

1 Maroon Yellow Stripe Clown

 

And the true prize....An intense "Fire & IcE" Zoa colony, WOW...how could I pass this one up?

 

Full Tank

 

Hope u enjoy the pics

[jamesbuf]

Looking good.

[jason the filter freak]

The ric looks sweet indeed

[DarthPaul]

Tank update 5/9/08

 

Just wanted to drop in and update this post a little since it has been some time. Everything has been going great so far....

 

I have added several corals to the tank and also one fish since the last update.

 

Fish:

 

1 Yellow Stripe Maroon Clown

1 Six Line Wrasse

1 Red banded High fin goby & Tiger pistol shrimp

 

Corals:

 

1 Chocolate mint Goniopora

1 Yellow Star Polyp Colony

1 White/Green Pipe Organ

1 Coco Worm

1 Short Tentacle Purple Plate

1 Green Torch Coral

1 Ultra Frogspawn

1 Tri-Color Florida Ricordea

1 Orange Yuma Ricordea

1 Blue/Green/Purple Yuma Ricordea

1 Fire & Ice Zoa Colony

1 Pink/purple cotton Candy Zoa Frag

1 Mean Green Zoa Frag

1 "Darth Maul" Zoa Frag

1 Toadstool Leather Frag

1 Finger Leather Frag

1 Purple/Green mushroom Frag

 

Now Some pics:

Full Tank

Darth Maul Zoa Frag

Mean Green Zoa Frag

Ultra Frogspawn

Green Torch Coral

Purple/Green/Blue Yuma Ricordea

Fire & Ice Zoa Colony

Chocolate Mint Goniopora

Cotton Candy Zoa Frag

Orange Yuma Ricordea Rock

Purple Plate

Another full tnak shot: Shown with frag tray on left side (Florida Ric, Finger Leather, mushroom & toadstool

A quick Acitnic shot

 

Thats it for now...will update soon!

[Almon]

Very nice, it's looks great.