YHSublime December 26, 2012 Share December 26, 2012 So on 11/12/12, I started my adventures with my Oceanic Biocube 14. Like many others, I've been in freshwater for years, and always been in awe of saltwater tanks, but due to my thoughts of not enough money, time, or knowledge, I always shyed away. Well, after my friend successively killed all of his fish in the Biocube running freshwater, he put it in his attic for another year or so. I was helping him clean up and found it, and "voila!" a tank was born. I ordered new lights, cleaned it up, and started cycling with two bags of argonite "live sand" and about 6lbs of live rock. Didn't like that, so I changed it around: I added a Clean Up Crew on 11/29/12 5 crabs 5 snails Bought more live rock Tank completely cycled, got a stand yesterday, and aquascaped again: More to come! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimlin December 26, 2012 Share December 26, 2012 what kind of light did you order? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef December 26, 2012 Share December 26, 2012 Lookin good so far! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BubbleHead December 26, 2012 Share December 26, 2012 Welcome to the addiction meetings are twice a week. I recently got back into the Hobby, These are my previous tanks in order 40, 65, 75, 180, 2.5, 2 year break 75, 150 10 year break. I now have a 14 bio cube, 5.5 pico and and 90 cube awaiting all the add ons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind December 27, 2012 Share December 27, 2012 It looks much better on the stand. Did you add more live rock too? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime December 27, 2012 Author Share December 27, 2012 I did, I've only got my camera phone. Nabbed some corals from a forum member, and the are doing great, really opened up overnight, pics to come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime December 28, 2012 Author Share December 28, 2012 (edited) Thank you all for your kind words! Let the addiction begin. I waited for the miss to go to sleep before I wet out and worked on the tank tonight. what kind of light did you order? I'm using the standard 24W 10K daylights, and the 24W actinic blues. It looks much better on the stand. Did you add more live rock too? I did, it fils it up nicely. I snagged some corals off a forum member and have added them into my tank. It's my first time dealing with corals, the two part epoxy, and superglue all in one tank. I find putting them back quite like I had them after I attach the corals is... impossible. They were pretty beat from being transported, but after I put them into my tank they all spruced up, looking great in a matter of 8 hours. After my hermits rode all over them in the tank today, I finally glued them in tonight. Last night the Wavespring Neon Toadie and Wavespring Neon Sinularia were glowing in my moonlight bulbs, it was fantastic thing to see, especially as a beginner. The Sinularia is just a little frag, so I hope it grows, very cool looking. I took out my Rock Anemone to glue it to some rock, it was already in a crevace, and it "spat" out water and shriveled up. It seemed pretty attached already, and I couldn't pull it off, so I let it be. When I put it back in the tank again, it opened up. Such a cool thing to watch. Hoping for tips and tricks to help keep them alive! I'm not feeding in the tank, sans a pinch of brine shrimp every now and then for the crabs. Recommendations on anything other than light for the corals? I'm going to work on getting a camera, I apologize for all the crappy cell phone photos. Edited December 28, 2012 by YHSublime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime December 28, 2012 Author Share December 28, 2012 (edited) Maybe the video is better quality? And sideways, sorry, rookie status. Edited December 28, 2012 by YHSublime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind December 28, 2012 Share December 28, 2012 I waited for the miss to go to sleep before I wet out and worked on the tank tonight. Yeah, you're addicted already. Next you'll be sneaking in the house with bagged corals hidden in your jacket and throwing away receipts so she doesn't see how much money is going into the tank. I think your lens needs a cleaning, the pics look blurry on one side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime December 28, 2012 Author Share December 28, 2012 I'll give it the good ol' college try and wipe it down before my next batch of pictures. Can anybody give me some information on what to feed my SPS? I've read a lot of contradictory information, some saying they just need light, others saying they do require food. Any direction on this matter would be fantastic. Also, my rock anemone sprouts it's neck out when the lights go off, and as soon as they go on in the morning, it recoils down flat. Do you think I have it to high up, and close to the light? It looks so glorious, and then... bam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coral Hind December 28, 2012 Share December 28, 2012 I didn't see the rock anemone in the pics but it sounds like it might be getting too much light. Try moving it down some and see what happens. I never target feed my SPS and in a tank that small you might have to watch you don't pollute the water by trying to feed the corals. The corals really only grab onto a very small amount of the food when you try to target feed them. I just don't the benefits are worth it. Just my opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime December 28, 2012 Author Share December 28, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime December 30, 2012 Author Share December 30, 2012 Sorry about the missing links, I edited my Photobucket a bit, and I think I shot them all. Here are some pictures I took today with a decent camera. FTS: Rock Anemone Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime December 30, 2012 Author Share December 30, 2012 Also, there are some red zoas next to the Ricordeas in the 3rd picture. They came out in full the first day, and now they have been reclused since them.... thoughts? Also the Wavespring Neon Toadie has been holding back about 20% of the first day as well. Overall, They are doing well, I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimlin December 30, 2012 Share December 30, 2012 nice pics. i fed my sps reef roids and they do well. softies in my experience does better with frozen food probably because it gets the water a little dirty, but it also encouraged algae growth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime December 31, 2012 Author Share December 31, 2012 nice pics. i fed my sps reef roids and they do well. softies in my experience does better with frozen food probably because it gets the water a little dirty, but it also encouraged algae growth. Thanks Jimlin! Still have yet to see the Red Zoas come out again, maybe will move them on my next water change. I'd like to also apologize for my spelling since I started the build here. I will go in and try and fix my broken links as well. Added two Percula Clownfish, bought from Steve & Vince over at QuantumReefs. I've gotta' say, joining WAMAS is the greatest thing I've ever done. Vince was great with figuring out exactly what I was looking for (which honestly was everything, unfortunately my wallet says otherwise.) This was my first time adding a saltwater species to an aquarium, so all my experience was freshwater. I had read about drip acclimation, but Vince not only patiently walked me through it, he threw in some tubing with a small drip release valve! I also ended up leaving with a refractometer, first order of business, chuck the hydrometer. I wish aquarium stores/pet stores didn't even sell em'. Second order of business, figure out what pellets I should feed. Steve sold me on the pellets they carry, and Vince showed me how much to feed for two. Next on my list is one of their Blood Shrimps, which looked fantastic, but I figured I would spread my tank load out. I've already loaded in twelve SPS's, and two clowns in one week, would like to give the tank some time to figure out what's happening. They ate within the first hour of being put in the tank. I've posted some of my favorite pictures below for your viewing. So here is what I'm currently sitting with: 15lbs of live rock 20lbs of Aragonite live sand (live now!) Percula Clowns (2) Ricordeas (2) JPB Cobalt Shrooms (4) Liams Cloves (2" sq) Wavespring Neon Toadie Wavespring Neon Sinularia Green Star Polyps Rock Anemone Red Zoas I think I'm getting ready to sell my 55 freshwater, and buy a 40 gallon breeder to start growing some SPS, give me a chance to start messing around with lighting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef December 31, 2012 Share December 31, 2012 Nano looking good! As for sps....I can't keep it alive so don't freak out if you kill your first few while your getting used to a new setup... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime January 4, 2013 Author Share January 4, 2013 the sps is looking great, except for the Zoas. I just picked up a reef testing kit to see if I could figure it out. My other corals are doing great, they have not bloomed since their first day in the tank (when they came out in all their glory.) I noticed I had some red stuff building up in my sand, round about the same place I got my diatom bloom. I tested my water last night, and my no2 was 0, but no3 is back up around 80. My ammonia levels were also at .25. I JUST did a partial water change and then tested, would that have anything to do with my readings? I threw out the bio balls, and am just replacing filter floss every couple days or so, I'm not keeping anything else in the back, except for the oceanic carbon pads that slide in there. I'm only using those because I still have some left over before I started the tank. Should I be keeping anything different? Should I be dosing anything? I'll post my reef testings tonight when I get home from work. I don't know if they are in sps parameters, but like mentioned, other than my zoas, everything is looking great. This morning I did a quick tank inspection, was down a Clown. Found it wedged in-between my pump and "sump" wall. luckily still alive, and eating as soon as it was put back into the tank. I don't quite know how it got in there, but hopefully this wont be consistent. OH! Also new addition, peppermint shrimp. I drip acclimated it yesterday for about 45 minutes, threw it in the tank right before lights out. Saw it this morning, and the colors were significantly brighter. Yesterday it was pretty much just all white, and the red stripes really were coming out this morning. Anybody know if this guy will be alright with a blood shrimp. Done some moving about of corals as well, I've never had so much super glue on my hands in my life. Hopefully this will get better with time and practice! I'm rambling now, will post pics up tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnkeys January 4, 2013 Share January 4, 2013 very nice you got o long way in two month's .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jimlin January 4, 2013 Share January 4, 2013 what kind of sps do you have in your tank? I cant seem to find any from your pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime January 4, 2013 Author Share January 4, 2013 very nice you got o long way in two month's .... Thanks, WAMAS made it easy! what kind of sps do you have in your tank? I cant seem to find any from your pictures. Ricordeas JPB Cobalt Shrooms Liams Cloves Wavespring Neon Toadie Wavespring Neon Sinularia Green Star Polyps Rock Anemone Red Zoas and a recently added Purple Montipora Digitata So here are my numbers: Salinity: 1.026 PH: 8.2 Ammonia: .25 No2: 0 No3: inbetween 10-80ppm Calcium: Is about 450ppm KH: 196.9 Phosphates: .25 (maybe to .5) (Sorry, last 3 were my first reads.) How my numbers looking? Anything I need to change or do? Suggestions? Is there an easier way to get all these reads besides test tubes and shaking and mixing bottles? I don't feel like I need to make any huge changes, because everything looks good. Also, as promised, here are some pictures: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime January 14, 2013 Author Share January 14, 2013 Picked up a new Hammerhead Frogspawn tonight. Also realized my rock anemone is having some trouble walking all over the place. Put it on a rack and it looks like it's fallen through. But it's opened again, which it wasn't for a while. I'll set it free tomorrow when the lights come on again. Some pictures of how my tank is looking now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef January 14, 2013 Share January 14, 2013 what kind of sps do you have in your tank? I cant seem to find any from your pictures. Ricordeas JPB Cobalt Shrooms Liams Cloves Wavespring Neon Toadie Wavespring Neon Sinularia Green Star Polyps Rock Anemone Red Zoas and a recently added Purple Montipora Digitata SPS stand for Short Polyp Stony corals and the only one of your list is the montipora,, alot of your other corals are LPS (Long PolypStonys) Everything is good though so your keeping up on it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YHSublime January 14, 2013 Author Share January 14, 2013 SPS stand for Short Polyp Stony corals and the only one of your list is the montipora,, alot of your other corals are LPS (Long PolypStonys) Everything is good though so your keeping up on it! Oh how embarrassing! Well, thanks for setting me straight! I'm still learning as I go! Thanks for encouraging! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smallreef January 14, 2013 Share January 14, 2013 I dont know if you have alot of books yet, but check out Michael Scotts different books, he has a reef fish, a invert, and a saltwater fish book that gives explanations on most of the common things available in this hobby....and lost of the acronyms are in the back,lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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