stunner
11-06-2007, 10:10 PM
Here's my setup:
Tank: 10 gallon
Water: RO water
SG: 1.023
Circulation: AC30 HOB, AC30 PH, Maxijet 600. I have another MJ 600 I can toss in if need be...but I think It would be too crowded.
LR: 10LB somewhat uncured from LFS
LS: 10lb aragonite
Lighting: 80watts 50/50 coralife incandescent screw in type PCs
Heater: 50watt jager at 81F
Okay, well I put in the LR and LS in the tank on Sunday. Realized that I forgot to scrub the dead/dying grunge off and so proceeded to do that on Monday. Normally when I get a bucket of water for my tanks, the first thing I do is drop in the dechlorinator. Well I forgot to put in the dechlorinator into the scrub water for the LR and realized after I dropped in my last big piece into the bucket!! So I threw in dechlorinator and a powerhead to churn it up and hoped for the best:S. Anyways, I did the scrubbing, siphoned crud off the sand in tank, did a 40% water change, and rearranged my tank. Anywyas, the LR didn't smell too bad actually. Smelt a little rotty but not awful. So here are my questions:
1. Did the brief period in chlorinated SW kill off most of the bacteria? I did have some small pieces of LR that were not put in the chlorinated water, so if worst comes to worst, they will seed the possibly dead rock I hope. I've since noticed a small clam like animal, about 4 feather dusters, a bunch of copepods, a few bristle worms, some kind of tube worm, and two button polyps. All these animals are doing fine it seems and show no ill effects from the brief dousing of chlorinated water. I'm thinking at least some of the bacteria deeper in the rock pores should be okay.
2. I plan on doing another one or two 30% water changes + siphons by this sunday. The reason being to cut back on the big ammonia spike that occurs during the first week of LR curing. Then I plan on NOT doing anymore until the cycle is complete. Does this sound okay?
3. I leave the lights on for three hours a day, from 6 to 9pm. Does this sound okay, or should I cut the lights all together as some sites suggest?
4. Any stocking suggestions? I'm thinking of putting in some corals (frogspawn and zoanthids) in a few months. I don't think I want fish in it, but I'm still undecided on that. I'd also like to put in hermit crabs but I don't want to over do it. So maybe 2? Also I'd be getting snails. I don't think I want any shrimp, but we'll see. I'd really love to keep a brittle starfish, but I've read they don't do well in smaller tanks and they must ONLy be introduced into a mature tank. Any thoughts for starfish in smaller tanks?
Whew, that was long. i think that's all the questions for now. I'll post up some pics once I get some of these blasted school assignments out of the way ahha. Probably also a thread on a cost break down of buying everything locally. Thanks for reading!
Tank: 10 gallon
Water: RO water
SG: 1.023
Circulation: AC30 HOB, AC30 PH, Maxijet 600. I have another MJ 600 I can toss in if need be...but I think It would be too crowded.
LR: 10LB somewhat uncured from LFS
LS: 10lb aragonite
Lighting: 80watts 50/50 coralife incandescent screw in type PCs
Heater: 50watt jager at 81F
Okay, well I put in the LR and LS in the tank on Sunday. Realized that I forgot to scrub the dead/dying grunge off and so proceeded to do that on Monday. Normally when I get a bucket of water for my tanks, the first thing I do is drop in the dechlorinator. Well I forgot to put in the dechlorinator into the scrub water for the LR and realized after I dropped in my last big piece into the bucket!! So I threw in dechlorinator and a powerhead to churn it up and hoped for the best:S. Anyways, I did the scrubbing, siphoned crud off the sand in tank, did a 40% water change, and rearranged my tank. Anywyas, the LR didn't smell too bad actually. Smelt a little rotty but not awful. So here are my questions:
1. Did the brief period in chlorinated SW kill off most of the bacteria? I did have some small pieces of LR that were not put in the chlorinated water, so if worst comes to worst, they will seed the possibly dead rock I hope. I've since noticed a small clam like animal, about 4 feather dusters, a bunch of copepods, a few bristle worms, some kind of tube worm, and two button polyps. All these animals are doing fine it seems and show no ill effects from the brief dousing of chlorinated water. I'm thinking at least some of the bacteria deeper in the rock pores should be okay.
2. I plan on doing another one or two 30% water changes + siphons by this sunday. The reason being to cut back on the big ammonia spike that occurs during the first week of LR curing. Then I plan on NOT doing anymore until the cycle is complete. Does this sound okay?
3. I leave the lights on for three hours a day, from 6 to 9pm. Does this sound okay, or should I cut the lights all together as some sites suggest?
4. Any stocking suggestions? I'm thinking of putting in some corals (frogspawn and zoanthids) in a few months. I don't think I want fish in it, but I'm still undecided on that. I'd also like to put in hermit crabs but I don't want to over do it. So maybe 2? Also I'd be getting snails. I don't think I want any shrimp, but we'll see. I'd really love to keep a brittle starfish, but I've read they don't do well in smaller tanks and they must ONLy be introduced into a mature tank. Any thoughts for starfish in smaller tanks?
Whew, that was long. i think that's all the questions for now. I'll post up some pics once I get some of these blasted school assignments out of the way ahha. Probably also a thread on a cost break down of buying everything locally. Thanks for reading!