Davids New 30gallon

[davjbeas]

I started this tank up about 3 weeks ago.

Equipment -

30 gallon tank not drilled

Deltec MCE600 Hang on back skimmer

heater

Nova extreme light fixture 4 bulb T5 setup with moonlights.

Sand

Live rock from Roozens

1 power head

 

First the rockwork was assembled over the aquarium bottom

I used D&D epoxy putty to hold the rocks together

 

Sand was added after the rockwork for the rockwork base to be more stable then if it was on the sand

 

Here is the deltec skimmer going to work. Producing moslty clear skimmate.

 

THe skimmer is finally dialed in to produce dense dark skimmate

 

Here it is running- pic is about 2 weeks old

 

Here are all the bubbles in the tank from the deltec outlet

 

Here is my bubble reducing mod

Basically filter padding and 2 rubber bands

 

Here are my new fish as of tuesday

 

More to come

 

Thanks for viewing

 

David B.

[zoozilla]

Nice setup, Dave.

Edited April 16, 2008 by zoozilla

[stevearlen]

Nice job!

[onux20]

Looks good. Good luck and keep the pics coming.

Ron

[vaironman]

Very nice rock work, Dave.

[davjbeas]

The rockwork on this tank is by far the best I've done. The last tank I put up which is still running is a 75gallon tank. There is a thead on that tank here as well. I stacked the rocks after the sand, and put one over another. No epoxy. This time I wanted arches, caves, lots of spacing between the rocks. I used the D&D epoxy brand. I am satisfied whith this product. It takes hours to completely harden solid unlike all other

epoxies I've used. It is also very sticky. When assembling the rock work I would see how the next piece would fit then drying the contact points with a paper towel. Then placeing a piece of the mixed epoxy at the contact point. Then squeezing the piece of rock in place. and finally using fingers to sculpt the putty into the rocks crevices and smooth it out. I used the purple colored version of the epoxy which you can see the purple contact points in the pics above. Coraline growth will blend in with the epoxy down the road.

I plan to add only small creatures that are coral safe as well as shrimp/fish safe.

Wish list so far -

Skunk cleaner shrimp

clean up crew

2-3 more fish

 

I plan to not do more than 1 addition per week.

 

David B.

[jamesbuf]

It looks like you're using the optional media box inside the skimmer. I would try using the skimmer without it to see if it will help with your outflow problems.

 

Looking good by the way. I really like the aquascaping.

[Larry Grenier]

Very nice, especially on the aquascaping!

[davjbeas]

I did remove the media chamber and had the same bubble problems. the force of the water coming out of the skimmer makes all the bubbles. There may be a output mod available that would work. For now the pad is working wonders with no bubbles.

 

David

[jamesbuf]

I did remove the media chamber and had the same bubble problems. the force of the water coming out of the skimmer makes all the bubbles. There may be a output mod available that would work. For now the pad is working wonders with no bubbles.

 

David

 

 

Ok. I just wanted to pass on some advice that worked for me. I got mine used, and it came with the extra media chamber, so I used it from the start. I had horrible problems dialing the skimmer at first. I had to have the air valve about 80% blocked off for the skimmer cup to not fill up withing half a day. I did have the cup all the way up too. With the air valve dialed back this far, that meant the pump pulled in more water and the outflow was greatly increased, causing alot more commotion when the water re-entered the tank. The media box also put enough back pressure that the bubble column rose a couple inches. I did have the media box a little more than half way filled with carbon though, so I plan on trying again with less carbon, and maybe even the larger particle carbon that will offer less resistance to the water passing through.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Tagging along to see the the updates to your tank........

[davjbeas]

Yes, I went through the same process with the skimmer. It is now producing dry foam. The collection cup is at the lowest height possible and the air valve is full open. The difficult part is over with the skimmer.

 

 

It looks as if salt water ich or oodinium might have come in with the live rock from roozens.

One of my purple firefish has 2 white spots on one side i noticed last night. This is very disappointing.

I am going to stop by the new store in reston today and get a skunk cleaner shrimp. I hope that will

solve the problem. I won't be adding anything else till this is figured out and solved.

 

David B.

[davjbeas]

I brought home a skunk cleaner shrimp today. I was told the purple firefish might not let the shrimp give service at a cleaning station as would a yellow tang. I tried to get some pics of the 2 white spots.

 

Here is a false percula

 

There is a pair of firefish. Heres the other one

 

Also added a cleaning crew today. 5 margarita snails and 10 hermits. I really love the new

store that opened in reston. I've got my eye on a bicolor angel there.

 

David B.

Edited April 21, 2008 by davjbeas

[fishcam]

I brought home a skunk cleaner shrimp today. I was told the purple firefish might not let the shrimp give service at a cleaning station as would a yellow tang. I tried to get some pics of the 2 white spots.

 

 

Hey, I have similar spots on my red firefish, and I'm fairly certain its not ich or anything. I've also got a cleaner and he hasnt done anything with them in 3 months.. I think it might be part of their skin?

[tbittner]

Those are beautiful fish. I'm not sure about the spots either. I'd just keep an eye on them.

[davjbeas]

Here's the update

I added the shrimp, but it was killed within 3 days. Not sure by what.

The false percula went carpet surfing.

I am waiting to see what happens.

The 2 purple firefish are doing fine. I feed mysis and prime reef.

The skimmer is producing dry foam. I clean the collection cup every week.

I am seeing some algae but not excessive.

I have 2 shrooms in the tank. 1 Purple, 1 green.

Kind of like the canary in the coal mine.

If the shrooms are fine then the water quality has to be ok.

I am doing 20-30% water changes every 2 weeks just like I do on my

75 gallon reef.

 

The filter pad I use for bubble reduction has a lot of water passing through

And being right under the light I get algae growth throughout the pad.

When It gets dark with algae growth I throw it out and put a new one\

kind of like having a tiny refugium.

 

I am considering putting up eggcrate barrier to prevent jumping fish from dying.

I feel that eggcrate would be unsightly. So I'm on the fence with this idea.

 

I get a lot of evaporation so I top off every 2-3 days.

This is still a sumpless setup.

The deltec MCe600 is producing dry foam. The air valve is wide open and collection cup

at the lowest position. Producing dry smelly nog.

 

I will be maintaining the tank without any new additions until it matures more.

I would like to know what got my shrimp because I planned to keep 2 shrimp

in this tank from the planning stages.

 

I did add a whisper 30 filter for more surface agitation. There was a film developing on the water surface. I

want the skimmer to skim that out. So the whisper filters output mixes the film on the surface

back into the water for the skimmer to remove. It also removes particulate matter. And putting carbon in the filter bag

provides chemical filtration as well. I change the filter bag 1x/week.

 

 

Thanks for Viewing,

 

David B.

Edited May 2, 2008 by davjbeas

[MLazar]

Dave,

 

I really like your rock work, well done. I hope you'll share some updated pictures soon.

 

Maureen

[Guest MikeInFredVA]

Dave,

 

I really like your rock work, well done. I hope you'll share some updated pictures soon.

 

Maureen

Looking good can't wait too see it in a year.

 

Mike

[davjbeas]

Theres not too much new. Both firefish are doing well and healthy.

 

The full tanks shot shows the new tank alage condition.

 

I continue to skim with mechanical filtration and carbon

 

I'm not adding anything else till the tank matures more.

The purple shroom is still healthy so condintions appear good.

 

Thanks for viewing

 

David B.

[tbittner]

That is the coolest aquascaping I've ever seen! What are you doing tomorrow? Care to come out and redo mine for me?

 

Good choice for waiting and letting it mature more before adding anything else. Patience really pays off in this hobby.

[davjbeas]

If I had to do it again I would not have gone to roozens for the rock.

I went by their website and wanted a Box of just delivered rock(hoping for lots of biodiversity). When I got there the guy said If I wanted that I would have to pick up from the airport. I should have called and asked

questions before I drove out there.

Well, I got there and the selection was not what I was hoping for. I paid $6.00 per pound. I got the best pieces I could find.

And had the tank up and running the same day.

My process for aquascape;

2 packages of D&D purple aqua stick epoxy putty

1 tube super glue gel

1 empty tank

 

Fit the pieces together

Thoroghly dry the contact points where the pieces touch. I used paper towels.

mix enough putty by hand for 1 cotact point. squeez it into a shape that when pressing the rock pieces together the putty wil be forced into crevices. Apply super glue gell to both sides of the epoxy you just mixed

put putty between the contact points force the rocks together which will make the putty squeez out a little bit.

by hand press in the epoxy around the contact area and smooth it out.

 

Wait 2 hours, add sand. add water.

* this type of expoxy cures slowly so it is important that when adding sand and water you do not make the rocks move at all. If they do then water could get between all the contact points and you wont have as strong or stable rockwork.

 

 

David B.

[davjbeas]

The white spots on the fish are gone now.

I have added a banded pipefish that is really neat but he wouldn't come out for a pic.

I have added a bubble coral as well.

 

The pipe fish is only eating pods right now. I am told that is its preferred food.

When the pods level come down I hope to adapt him to frozen foods.

 

Thanks for viewing,

 

 

David B.

[davjbeas]

Well, as of today the tank is got serious problems.

1) Both purple firefish disapeared within 2 weeks of each other.

2) THe pipe fish has gone missing.

I am thinking there is some predator that came in with the rock.

I have been unable to spot anything.

Something Is lurking in the rockwork,

There have been no bodies.

I am hoping to starve it into coming out. There will be no fishes added. There are still some snails and hermits. I hope they will be fine.

Here are some pics of the tank

 

Full tank shot

 

Green frogspawn

 

Purple gorgonia

 

Bubble coral

 

 

Any advice would be appreciated regarding the possible lurking predator.

 

 

Thanks,

 

David B.

[DDiver]

i hope the culprit shows its face..nice job on the tank

[Coral Hind]

Have you done any night recon? I spot most of my hitchhikers at night while the lights are off. I use a little mag light and check the tank. That's when I spot them out in the open and completely remove the rock they run into. Have you heard any popping sounds in the tank?

[jason the filter freak]

Maybe a mantis? I had fish disappear for no reason occasionally and I don't know why either.