Nano reef diary - continued

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Latest post 3-13-2008 10:38 by fd1972uk. 32 replies.

2-1-2008 19:33

Wayne Rowley
Joined on 4-18-2006
UK
Posts 313

Nano reef diary - continued

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Thought I would move my nano reef diary here...

New lights arrived today - 4x24w T5 Arcadia from eBay.

Tank continues to cycle. I have a small diatom bloom at the moment. Plenty of life on the rocks. As well as the crab I have quite a few fanworms, other worms and have spotted several pods.

A bit dissappointed with the skimmer - is not doing a great job at the moment, but the tank is new and so is the skimmer - both need to bed in - so will give it more time.

Wayne

Tank1: 125L Tropical. 1 male betta, 4 scissortail rasboras, 3 neon tetras, 4 glowlight danios, 1 candy stripe loach, 1 female bristlenose, 6 amano shrimp.Tank 2: 65L Nano reef. 6kg live rock, 96w T5 lighting, 3 x turbo snails, 5 x red-legged hermits, 1 x peppermint shrimp, 1 small pistol shrimp (hitch-hiker), two percula clowns, 1 neon goby, 1 sun coral, 1 clove coral & 1 tree coral

2-1-2008 21:13 In reply to

imustbedreamin
Joined on 8-7-2002
Drakes Broughton, Worcestershire, England.
Posts 4,756

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looks very nice wayne.

look forward to more pics banana

stupid is as stupid does

2-1-2008 22:33 In reply to

Bluedave
Joined on 7-3-2007
Dartford
Posts 2,616

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Looking Good Yes

I like the Arcadia unit - nice and neat and plenty of light.

Just remember - if you do anything - even move a rock half a millimetre - we want a pic cucumber Beer

1xTrigon 190
3 Clown Loaches,14 Cardinal Tetras,8 Rummynose Tetras,6 Cory Trileneatus,6 Hatchetfish,4 otocinclus,1 SAE,1 Bristlenose,, 10 amano Shrimp, 1 pair Apisto Agazzizi. 3 Blue Discus
Anubius Barteri,Crinum thianum,Limnophilia sessiflora,Rotala rotundifolia, Echinodorus Blehri, Ech. Parviflorus,Ech. cordifolius, Ech. Tenellus, nymphaea lotus, Hygrophilia polysperma, Microsorum pteropus,Lilaeopsis brasiliensis

1xRekord 60
Blue Lobster, Flash plec
2 Anubias Barteri, 1 Microsorum pteropus 12 litre tank - 3 Glass shrimp, 4 japonica shrimp 1 Anubias Barteri, Riccia, Eleocharis acicularis Coming Soon - Bluedave's 5' Bullnose Marine Divider (Watch this space!)

2-2-2008 21:53 In reply to

stingrays4
Joined on 9-18-2006
newbury berkshire
Posts 2,217

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Hi thats a good sign the protein skimmer isn't taking out much Yes

You usually get some muck once you start adding the fish?

By the way cracking looking set up - makes me want to set - up with marines again Yes

Hi thought about time i updated this! Tank no 1 = 3 retic rays,1aro,2 ompuk cats,8 angels,1 syd greshoffi{19 years old},1 syd unkown,1 stripped dora,1 plec,1 silver dat,1 pim and a soribum lima! Tank no2 = 6 auralis barbs,2 needle gars,1 molly,1 dat microlepis,1 trye track eel and 8 bristlenoses! Tank no 3 = 2 goldfish{on holiday}1 flag tail thingy{over twenty years old},4 silver dats,1 pim and a plec!

2-4-2008 9:58 In reply to

fd1972uk
Joined on 1-22-2003
x1|Glasgow|Scotland|europe|169|179|
Posts 11,744

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Good one mate.

2-4-2008 20:18 In reply to

swampy
Joined on 9-8-2002
Worcester, UK
Posts 2,640

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Wheres the rest of the diary gone? Did you find out what your crab was Wayne?

F.C.Babe

2-4-2008 21:01 In reply to

Wayne Rowley
Joined on 4-18-2006
UK
Posts 313

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Hi there,

The crab has wondered off for the time being. I think it was one of these:

The tank is doing well I think. It is really coming to life! There are fan worms, snails, I have seen a little starfish, and loads of pods! Each day I see something new. There are also some strange things that only come out at night!

The tank continues to cycle but am having trouble reading some of the levels. No nitrite. Nitrate around 5 mg/l at the moment but there still seems to be a slight ammonia reading (0.1 mg/l). The tank is also blooming in diatoms and maybe a bit of cyno.

Am not convinced the skimmer is doing much good. The skim produced is very wet, and there are loads of micro bubbles. I am beginning to wonder if skimmers need to be a certain size to be effective and these 'nano' ones just do not have it.

I will see how the tank does this week. If I think the cycle is doing well I will perform a water change this weekend and give it another week. Then I might think about adding a cleanup crew.

Wayne

2-4-2008 21:19 In reply to

stingrays4
Joined on 9-18-2006
newbury berkshire
Posts 2,217

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Hi Wayne the tank is looking great Cool and great foto of the crab Yes

I have only ever used air driven skimmers but the principle is the same,its only once the bubbles start to stop 'bursting' so easily that a skimmer will start to work properly?

If my memory serves me right i think i read in pfk that a protein skimmer will not take out too much for the first few months?{mine never did in any of my tanks?}

The cup will collect the muck which should be the colour of tea? the lighter the colour,means the skimmer is working too fast?

Perhaps some one could confirm this?or put me right on it?? Smile

2-4-2008 21:32 In reply to

Wayne Rowley
Joined on 4-18-2006
UK
Posts 313

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Hi James,

I did not take the picture of the crab - just one I found on the net that looks as close to the one I have as far as I can tell.

There is not much to adjust on the skimmer other than the output level, which I have set according to the manual. It is skimming - very weak green tea in consistency with some scum around the lid.

Just found out that one of the strange things that comes out after dark is a bristleworm!

Wayne

2-5-2008 22:25 In reply to

swampy
Joined on 9-8-2002
Worcester, UK
Posts 2,640

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Excellent, it's great to see things starting to happen! Bristleworms make my skin crawl! Eww!

F.C.Babe

2-20-2008 20:30 In reply to

Wayne Rowley
Joined on 4-18-2006
UK
Posts 313

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While I have been plagued with chicken pox - my wife went shopping!!

We have added the following clean-up crew:

3 x turbo snails

3 x red leg hermits

1 x sand sifting star

1 x peppermint shrimp

We got the peppermint as we spotted a bit of aiptaisia lurking on one of the rocks. It looks nibbled already! I might get a couple more instead of cleaner shrimp as they are really funny and will breed apparently. The snails are all over the place and the hermits are very funny! One in particular is completely daft. It spent over a day at the back of the tank looking at itself in the glass. Nicky my wife moved it to see if it was okay. Then it went rock climbing and fell on its back and had to be righted! She is quite fond of it!!

The tank is coming along quite well but with a few concerns. I am pretty sure we have a pistol shrimp in one of the rocks as we hear regular clicking and my wife has even seen something shoot out of a hole when a hermit crab got too close. Haven't been able to see it to identify it yet though.

Starting to get some bubble algea so may look out for an emerald mithrix crab. Need to start the water changes this weekend - meant to do it last weekend but the chicken pox stopped me. Water parameters are fine though. I am planning on changing 7 litres (~10%) a week.

Got a refractometer as I got fed up with the hydrometer. They are expensive - quite cool though and simple to use once callibrated.

That's my update for now - want to try to suss out this clicking shrimp!!

Wayne

2-20-2008 20:37 In reply to

imustbedreamin
Joined on 8-7-2002
Drakes Broughton, Worcestershire, England.
Posts 4,756

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the tank is coming on really well wayne........really nice mate.

i am convinced i have a pistol shrimp.....i hear cliking all the time but i have never seen him..........its either a pistol or a mantis.

stupid is as stupid does

2-20-2008 20:40 In reply to

Bluedave
Joined on 7-3-2007
Dartford
Posts 2,616

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Coming on great Wayne Yes

Keep the pics coming mate, and good to see you can't keep a good man down!

2-20-2008 22:43 In reply to

Richy
Joined on 11-14-2004
Newcastle, England
Posts 4,622

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Nice coraline algae forming now Smile Livestock sounds fine but beware with the sandsifter as there's probably not enough food for it so bury food in the sand to suppliment it otherwise it will starve Sad EDIT* stick some veggie(seaweed/nori) in there and it will help but personally i would of waited a good 6months or more first

When i first setup i also heard a clicking noise and foundit to be a small green mantis. I eventually found it in a hole and caught it with my tweezers Big Smile Unfortunatley I squeezed a little too hard and mantis no more Embarrassed

Getting a refractormeter is a great move, you wont look back Wink

2-21-2008 19:39 In reply to

Wayne Rowley
Joined on 4-18-2006
UK
Posts 313

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Well, still not sure what is making the clicking noise. Nicky said she saw something come out, click and go back in. It is either a pistol or mantis but only time will tell. I would have thought a mantis would only click when attacking something. I would not have expected my hitch-hiker crab to survive this long with a mantis.

Could blame Nicky for the starfish but that would be cruel. ;-) The truth is that the LFS recommended it as part of the CUC and said it would be fine, and if necessary to feed it with some chopped shrimp and place the starfish over the top. It is only very small at the moment but will keep an eye on it and feed it as required.

Wayne

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