AA's 20H Saltwater Tank

[AABatteries]

Well, I finally got the okay. More than likely I'll be picking up and ordering stuff tomorrow. So anyways I'll put the plans up that I will be starting with. I'll get some pics of the empty tank sometime soon after posting this thread.

Tank: 20 gallon high
L/R: 20-30lbs
Substrate: Aragonite
Flow: Penguin 550
Heater: 100w
Thermometer: Marina Aqua-Minder (digital)
Lighting: 15w fluorescent

CUC Still need help with deciding on the CUC.
?? turbos
?? nas
?? cerith
?? blue legged hermits

Stocking
2 ocellaris clowns(tank-raised)
1 yellow clown goby
1 purple fire fish

[AABatteries]

Just realized the suction cup on the Penguin is toast and could not stick even if its life depended on it, not that it has a life. And forget to put I may have an AC70 modded as a fuge. I can get it one for $39.99, all Whisper and AC power filters are on sale.

[AABatteries]

Okay, I'll be going out and getting the supplies and equipment and such. Just have a question. I'll be mixing the salt in the tank for the first time. So, should I put my substrate in before or after mixing the salt?

[Rue]

Have fun shopping!

I've now done it both ways. Both worked (since the tank is empty).

The first time I filled the tank and mixed the salt in the tank. Then I added the rinsed substrate, and removed the water it displaced.

The 2nd time I added the rinsed substrate first. Mixed the salt in the buckets as I added it to the tank (in 3 gallon intervals). Took maybe 10 minutes more. But I didn't have to waste any saltwater (not that it's a big deal with 20 gallons, but still).

Had less clouding with the 2nd method, but not by much.

[AABatteries]

Okay, its just pretty much a personal preference. And I'll definitely have fun shopping.

[Miltonic]

the way I did it was mixed the salt then after is aged added the rocks to place firmly on the glass and then I added the sand which I didn't rinse(huge mistake) but it only took my tank like 4 days to clear up and I did cover al my pump with filter socks.

Edit: yeah, shopping for fish stuff is the best lol

[AABatteries]

Okay, I won't be getting my rock till sometime next week. And shopping for fish stuff is the best. Especially during sales, you get more stuff for less. Right now I'm pretty sure I can get a 50g mix of Instant Ocean fro $11.99, a koralia nano for under $30, aragonite(15lbs or 10lbs) $8.99 a bag.

[AABatteries]

Okay. Everything is set-up and running. Haven't done any rock work inside the tank. I bought some dead rock and I'm going to be buying a few pounds of LR to seed it to cut back on costs. I have the rock work set-up outside of the tank right now, I'll get picks of that. I'm going to order the test kit and koralia nano tonight. And I'll get pics of the rockwork outside the tank.

[AABatteries]

Okay, here are some pics... Sorry for crappy quality, phone pics.

http://img516.imageshack.us/img516/3473/022809195100.jpg
^ FTS

http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/853/022809195000.jpg
^ Rock Work

[coachfraley]

How much rock it that?

[AABatteries]

Right there is only 12lbs, but I plan on getting 10lbs of fuge ruble from Drs. F & S to seed it.

[coachfraley]

Do you have an LFS where you could buy the rock locally?

Generally, the cycling time is much less if you can pick the rock up yourself. If your LFS has some that is cycled, you can take a bucket of SW with you...buy some...submerge it...then shoot home and put it in your tank. If you do it this way, the rock has almost no exposure to the air, and can cycle VERY fast. I would do it this way, even if you had to pay a little more.

I would also suggest getting a few large pieces of LR. Good stuff (nitrification) happens inside the big pieces of rock.

[AABatteries]

I would've loved to buy all L/R, but I'm running low on cash. I have an LFS I could buy it from, just haven't seen any pieces that looked small/light enough to fit my budget for L/R($50).

[coachfraley]

If your LFS has pieces that you can afford, but they are big. Just buy one piece and bust it up.

[AABatteries]

Okay. I'm going tomorrow right after church. Guess I'll have to keep the bucket in the car for a couple hours. Its 2.5g bucket, so if the rock doesn't fit in it, its probably to expensive. :hmm3grin2orange:

[AABatteries]

Okay, FTS... It was cleared up till I put the rock in and it got stirred up a little.

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/3112/030109133500.jpg
^ FTS

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/8931/030109134000.jpg
^ Hitchhiker Its sorta hard to see, but it looks just like a centipede. Its the darker half moon thingy in the middle. Would love an ID, or at least know if I have to remove it or not.

[AABatteries]

Looked at the LR and I found that one has a polyp on it, or at least that's what I think/hope it is. Sorta looks like an aiptasia, but with out the, stem, I guess you could call it.

[labnjab]

Okay, FTS... It was cleared up till I put the rock in and it got stirred up a little.

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/3112/030109133500.jpg
^ FTS

http://img87.imageshack.us/img87/8931/030109134000.jpg
^ Hitchhiker Its sorta hard to see, but it looks just like a centipede. Its the darker half moon thingy in the middle. Would love an ID, or at least know if I have to remove it or not.

Looks like a bristle worm, which are beneficial and great detravoirs (sp?)

[AABatteries]

I know its not a bristle worm. It looks like a potato bug on a diet. Its about 1cm long and sorta transparent.

[AABatteries]

Found a great deal on a CPR, but it would be overkill for the tank. Here it is. (http://cleveland.craigslist.org/for/1035945563.html)

[kaybee]

Any chance it's some sort of amphipod?

[AABatteries]

Don't think so. It also has long antennas.

[AABatteries]

Actually, the more I look at it, that's the closet resemblence yet.

[AABatteries]

Well, my mystery coral thingy moved, which coral doesn't do to my knowledge. I can see it better now, it doesn't have the stem like an aiptasia and it isn't multiplying. The top resembles aiptasia, and that's it. I can't get any pics of it, the color of the rock makes it nearly invisible when you take a pic of it.

[AABatteries]

Yay! Got my test kit today! Just waiting for the test results(the 5 minute wait). I'll post the results as soon as they're ready.

EDIT: The results are in...
pH - 7.8(I know, I need to raise it)
ammonia - .5
nitrite - 0
nitrate - 5
SG - 1.023

[AABatteries]

Okay, making some progress(equipment wise). Just bid on 2x65w current PC fixture, used but almost new. If I can get it for $80 without shipping I'll be happy. I know t5 would be better, but if I can get it for under $100 w/shipping, I'll be statisfied.

[Cameron]

looks cool i keep watch on this thread

[AABatteries]

Okay. Just noticed you're from NE Ohio. Maybe you could come over and see it some day. I doubt it will be any where near great though.

[coachfraley]

I don't know if you have seen it, but I bought my light here. (http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/currentusa_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZQQ_so pZ12)
I got a refurbished 4x24watt T5HO for $89

[Cameron]

Okay. Just noticed you're from NE Ohio. Maybe you could come over and see it some day. I doubt it will be any where near great though.

who knows, i doubt my parents would let me but yeah im in the medina area

[AABatteries]

who knows, i doubt my parents would let me but yeah im in the medina area

Aha. Yeah, I doubt my parents would let me do the same.

And as for the refurbs now that I see there's a fixture I'm bidding on with 2hrs to go, if it goes for less than what I'm getting mine, I'll be kicking myself for not looking around.

[AABatteries]

Yay got the fixture I was bidding on without any competition! $85.95 shipped. :D

Anyways, question time!

I have some hair algae starting to show up on my rocks. Diatoms, I think, if they are brown/tan, growing on my rocks. And some green algae that looks just like diatoms.

Anyways, to the point, what would be good options to start my CUC right now with those types of algae growing? I know hermits for the hair, but what for the diatoms?

[Miltonic]

I started putting blue/red legged hermits as soon as the green algae started showing up, also get some astrea snails. I would get like 2 hermits and two snails to start out with. The algae grows super fast so you shouldn't worry about them running out of food.

btw, which fixture did you get?

[AABatteries]

I got a 2x65w current PC fixture, I would've liked to go t5, but I couldn't pass the deal up. Okay, thank goodness I can get the astrea and blue legs for $1 and the red for $2. So I don't have to spend a fortune this weekend.

[Miltonic]

yeah the deal you got is awesome, I wish mine would of cost that little, im still in debt to my parents for mine D:

getting CUC is incredibly cheap so that leaves you money to save up for the more expensive stuff later. :hmm3grin2orange:

What I did was get 5 hermits and 5 snails each week that way I increased the CUC slowly for a big tank. What you could do is get 2 snail/hermits every two weeks or as you see necessary depending on how much algae you see growing.

[AABatteries]

I'm currently in debt at about $100 with my parents. I'll be able to pay it off soon, that is as long as I get straight A's which I should. And I might be getting a moped for free or $50 soon, that will require some work, so I'm sorta in a money crunch right now. Wish I had acess to my bank account, think I have almost $4000 in there. I'd be set if I did.

[AABatteries]

Question! Will it be okay to start getting my CUC even if I have .50ppm ammonia?

[travie]

Wait till its 0. Invertabrates are always the most sensitive. Patience.

[AABatteries]

Oh kay, they're sure going to have a big job ahead of them.

[AABatteries]

Yay! Got my light! Its a 30" though, oh well. I just need to get a glass canopy now.

[AABatteries]

Going to be taking a trip to a FS today, not LFS cause its an 1hr 30mins. away. If the LR is cheap I'll get some, if not I'm going to start my CUC. I'll go take a pic with actinics and with daylight and actinics.

[AABatteries]

Yay! I made it! I picked up a pound of LR. 2 astrea snails, 2 scarlet hermits, and 2 blue leg hermits.

The store is amazing! While we were there some guy bought a $400 clam. O.O The clam looked AMAZING though. They had too much coral. xD I could've spent hours there. I was going to buy a used tunze nano for $50, but it was broken. l: If it wasn't broken, I would've bought it in a heart beat.

EDIT: Here is are FTS without the new LR.
http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/3193/031409115200.jpg

http://img6.imageshack.us/img6/4783/031409115300.jpg
Sorry for crappy quality, phone pics.

[Ellen4God]

Nice!! I'm sure you're very excited. :) Good luck with it! Can't wait to see how it goes!!! thumbs2:

[AABatteries]

Thanks. I just saw a little baby serpant star fish floating around. I had to turn off the powerhead so he would stop floating around and not get sucked up. Hopefully I can re-locate him soon.

[AABatteries]

Saw the star again, then he dis-appeared again. Ammonia is down between .50-.25. It was at .50. Hopefully I'll be able to get my firefish next weekend.

I just took a pic of the daylight/actinic. Almost time for actinic only. After that I'll post a FTS.

And I spotted some SPS!!!! I put my hand in the tank and felt them and they were hard, so more than likely they're SPS. And they seem to have little branchs growing out. [=

[AABatteries]

Okay. Latest pics.

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/1865/031409220100.jpg

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/8730/031409220200.jpg

[AABatteries]

Sorta forgot about this thread. :11:

Well, anyways, I've got 2 astrea snails, 2 blue leg hermits, 2 scarlet hermits, and a serpent star that came as a hitchhiker; its no more than an inch across from the tip of the arms. Sadly I have a majano anemone, as soon as I can get a hold of some pickling lime or kalkwasser it'll be outta there. I might have some SPS that came as a hitchhiker. [: Just waiting for an ID on it.

Cycling is almost done. The ammonia is at 0. Nitrites were 1.0, last time I check which was 2 days ago, gotta check those today. Nitrates were 0. Hopefully the Ites have gone down and turned into Ates since then. My pH is up to 8.2, used to be at 7.8. S.G. is 1.024 (+/- .0005)

Either on Friday or Saturday I'll be getting the rest of my CUC. Then probably a week from then, I'll be getting my Firefish. Then a week or so after that my 2 Ocellaris Clowns. Then my birthday comes, I get an RO/DI unit, protein skimmer, refractometer, API Reef Master Test Kit and some additional fundings. :hmm3grin2orange: Then a few days after then I'll get my yellow watchman goby to finish up the fish. Then sometime after then I'll start
buying coral.


Oh, and here's the latest FTS and a pic of a scarlet. Yeah, I know, I need to clean the glass. But, I'm too lazy.

http://img518.imageshack.us/img518/2666/ss851997.jpg

http://i44.tinypic.com/2po8mm0.jpg

[Sharon]

It looks great!!!thumbs2:

[Cameron]

very nice, i gotta stop looking at this or i'm going to go crazy before i can get my stuff together!! lol Is that just 1 Koralia 1 for powerheads? Or is it the nano?

[travie]

very nice, i gotta stop looking at this or i'm going to go crazy before i can get my stuff together!! lol Is that just 1 Koralia 1 for powerheads? Or is it the nano?
Looks like a Koralia 1.

AA you should probably add Firefish, Watchman Goby, and then the Clowns in that order. You also would be better off waiting at least two weeks in between fish additions.

[AABatteries]

Okay, thanks for the input travie, you obviously know better than me. And yes, it is a Koralia 1, and I plan on getting another one for the other side of the tank. I can get them cheap around here, $27. :ssmile: Off to test the water.

[travie]

Okay, thanks for the input travie, you obviously know better than me. And yes, it is a Koralia 1, and I plan on getting another one for the other side of the tank. I can get them cheap around here, $27. :ssmile: Off to test the water.

I wouldn't say I obviously know better than you. I just know that it can take fish longer then a week to fully adjust/settle into a new tank, and it will allow the tank more time to stablize between new fish additions.

[AABatteries]

Got some more of my CUC. 2 nassarius snails and 3 cerith snails. I'll be finishing up the CUC on Saturday.

[AABatteries]

Yay! Back from the LFS. Great trip, as usual.

I picked up 4 more lbs. of LR. Both chunks are loaded with life. I'll be making an ID thread soon. I got an emerald crab, 3 astrea snails, and 3 blue leg hermits. I also got a hitch hiker crab, looks sorta like a baby sally lightfoot. >.<

[AABatteries]

Picture time!

http://img21.imageshack.us/img21/4108/ss852056.jpg

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/8610/ss852057.jpg

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/8556/ss852060.jpg

http://img16.imageshack.us/img16/9960/ss852061.jpg

[kaybee]

http://i44.tinypic.com/2po8mm0.jpg

I looks like there's a filter-feeding invert (micro-featherduster?) hitch-hiking on the hermit's shell!

[Cameron]

Looks really nice, hows your cycle going?

[AABatteries]

I looks like there's a filter-feeding invert (micro-featherduster?) hitch-hiking on the hermit's shell!

Yes, I noticed that and made a thread about it a week or so ago. And the cycle is over, but my pH is through the roof (8.8). :help: It went from low (7.6) to high (8.8). :fish2:

[AABatteries]

Haven't posted about my tank really at all.

Update #1: I bought my first coral! Got some "Green Lanterns", going by CoralPedia.com (http://www.coralpedia.com/).

This (http://www.zoaid.com/index.php?module=Gallery2&g2_itemId=3484), looks almost identical to my colony, even the orange. :hmm3grin2orange:

Update #2: My RO/DI unit will soon be hooked up semi-permanently, running a line straight to it, then draining waste water into the utility sink below.

Update #3: Should be setting up my QT soon. I'll be happy once I get it set-up. I'll finally be able to get another firefish. I love that I can get fish so cheap now from a shop by me. I think the firefish is the only one I'm getting from their though. I have $70 in gift certificates to my usual LFS, may as well use them.

Update #4: Hair algae is attacking worse than any I had during the first month. :14:

Update #5: A FTS will be posted soon. thumbs2:

[Cameron]

sounds cool, AA hope to see those pics soon!!

Good Luck!thumbs2:

[AABatteries]

Okay. It's been almost a month since an update. I actually have pictures for this one. :ssmile:

Still haven't got the RO/DI unit hooked up, my dad has been busy lately.

No QT yet. Might be taking a trip to the LFS today and/or tomorrow.

I should be getting 2 boxes of aquarium stuff that I found on Craigslist soon. Only $25 for both and if everything works I'm getting $100-$150 worth of stuff that would probably be $300-ish new.

And pictures!

http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/4825/ss852650.jpg
Actinic FTS, wow that came out bluer than I thought.
http://img197.imageshack.us/img197/9909/ss852651.jpg
Regular FTS, sorry for the dirty glass. At least you can see into the tank now. And the camera was crooked when I took the pic! >:l OCD!
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/5351/ss852652.jpg
Zoa Colony, all closed up because they lights are off all day today, except for this pic. And I relocated them.

[MonkeyPox]

Get yourself one of those magnets for cleaning your algae. Or increase the size of your cleanup crew :)

[AABatteries]

I don't wanna buy a Mag Float, I need to get my QT set up before any luxuries. And my CUC does just fine IMO. Although they never ever touch hair algae. :ssad: I always have to manually remove it.

I just have a stick thingy with a roughish green pad and a yellow sponge. I use the green side. Its also sorta hard to put enough presure on with the light covering so much of the top.

[Miltonic]

looking good, except for the algae hopefully your dad will get the RO/DI installed soon so you can get rid of your algae sooner.

how old is your tank now btw?

[AABatteries]

Yeah, I can't wait to get the RO/DI unit installed.

My tank is about 3 and 1/2 months old now. Won't have any fish until at least 4 and 1/2 months if I get my QT set up within the next few days.

[coachfraley]

You could always just use a credit card or an old gift card as a scraper. They work great on glass.

[AABatteries]

The cleaner thing has an edge you can scrape with. I just didn't want all the algae floating around at the time.

Might be able to hook up the RO/DI unit tomorrow. And get the QT set up since I'll be getting $85. And I have $70 in gift certificates to a LFS.

[AABatteries]

Nothing new, yet. More than likely ordering stuff for the QT today. Which means I need to get the RO/DI unit set up.

I've found quite a few little helpful critters in my rocks and substrate lately.

Tons of decapods, half a dozen or so bristleworms no longer tan an inch, and an isopod. =D And I have some coraline starting to grow.