[DEWAYNE]

nice looking tank, you are off to a good start, hopefully I will not be too far behind you, just don't have the right lighting for the reef I would like to build. looks great

[dinor2]

Originally Posted by aquasalt

Dana everything is looking fantastic from here! The coralline is really starting to take-off. I love those fishes! What are all those white spots on the back glass? If you look closely the may be little spiral worms. I forget what they are called, but if they are it may indicate over-feeding. Not the end-of the world, just something you may want to consider.

Thanks guys for the nice compliments! I was overfeeding at the start but have cut back to once a day or once every other day and I think that's what is helping the green algae to stop growing so fast. I wanted to nip that stuff in the bud before it REALLY took over everything!

I stopped at my lfs and got some cheato too, about the size of a base ball worth and stuck it in my overflow box/refugium where I have lr rubble and a lot of pods swimming around. I'm hoping the cheato will do two things, 1. give those pods a nice place to make lots of baby pods and help keep their numbers more consistent in the dt and 2. compete the other algae for nutrients and thus helping limit that algae even more. Although, the suctioning it out and less feeding seems to be helping that problem pretty well too.

I'm trying to find a good looking fish (besides a 6 line wrasse) to add to my tank soon that eats bristle worms, or, at least I think that's what they are.... they're pretty small and white with faint dark lines across their bodies. They like the hair algae and the lr and I'm starting to see them grow a little bigger than I'm comfortable with. Anyone have a suggestion for a fish that eats these? I'm thinking there's a pseudochromis or wrasse that will but, still trying to find the ones that are known for eating those worms.

Thanks again!

[dinor2]

Now, we're on month 8 (had the time off a little!).

I've added some fish and corals and started dosing kalkwasser at night as slow drip. Water is stabile as it can be now, all levels are great! Here are some pics I took yesterday. Like all the corraline, hate all the bubble algae! Can't seem to harvest it enough at each water change, will this stuff EVER go away?! If this is the worst problem I have though, I feel I'm doing pretty well!

Enjoy the pics! Please feel free to post comments/suggestions! Still learning! Lights are brighter than they appear in the photos, still learning how to take better pics of the tank too! LOVE my new nova extreme pro t5 lights, almost 5watts per gallon and individual reflectors, my tank shimmers now!





At first, all the fish fought, except the blenny! Now, they all have an understanding and the new female false perc seems to be pairing with my little false perc.




carpet anemone will be going to a new and much larger home soon to a fellow reebuilder here! It's done well but would rather not push it in my lil 55 gallon!

[dinor2]

More pics...

female perc is definitly the head honcho around here...


even the cherub angel didn't like the two new percs first day but, they all like eachother fine now.


anemone wanting to split or grow larger? it's eating well still and not expelling anything and staying open, not sure what it's up to.


LOVE my new frogspawn! Can't wait till it gets larger!






Thanks for looking/commenting!
Do you all think I'd have enough room for a few more corals (3 or 4 and then no more! Hey, I made a rhyme! "No more rhymes and I mean it!" "Anybody want a peanut?" ~Princess Bride)
I'm also going to order a red head fairy wrasse and this will be my second to last fish and the last fish added for the next couple years.

[dinor2]

My frogspawn coral tentacles are starting to get a neon green color to them, very cool! Also thought I'd post my water parameters as of this morning for posterity, and, feed back of course!

Salinity 1.023 (usually at 1.024)
temp 78F
Ph 8.0 (low but holds steady,)
Alk 2.0
dkh 7 (or 125.3ppm)
ammonia 0
nitrites 0
nitrates 0
calcium 440
magnesium 1200
iodine .02 (going to steady raise up to .05-.06)

This was the FIRST day I used my iodine test kit, because until now, I couldn't figure out how to use it! Works great though and, NOW I KNOW why my corals aren't as happy as they should be, they're still growing and happy, just, ya know, I've seen happier ones!

[jimw369]

Originally Posted by dinor2

My frogspawn coral tentacles are starting to get a neon green color to them, very cool! Also thought I'd post my water parameters as of this morning for posterity, and, feed back of course!

Salinity 1.023 (usually at 1.024)
temp 78F
Ph 8.0 (low but holds steady,)
Alk 2.0
dkh 7 (or 125.3ppm)
ammonia 0
nitrites 0
nitrates 0
calcium 440
magnesium 1200
iodine .02 (going to steady raise up to .05-.06)

This was the FIRST day I used my iodine test kit, because until now, I couldn't figure out how to use it! Works great though and, NOW I KNOW why my corals aren't as happy as they should be, they're still growing and happy, just, ya know, I've seen happier ones!

Corals do not need iodine and on top of that iodine is very hard to test for. Most tests will always read nothing.

[jimw369]

Another thing. You will dose iodine and I will agree your corals will come out bigger and look better when you do. Maybe if you are running carbon the iodine gets pulled out fast anyway. Iodine feeds algae. Algae shows up stop dosing the iodine immediately.

[dinor2]

Well, I'm raising the iodine slowly so I'll keep an eye on everything. Also, I didn't realize my skimmer was working 'light' so now that I have it going full throttle, I'm sure that's where the iodine went! Even with a 1/3 recommended dose of iodine earlier, all my corals perked up and colored more, especially the yellow polyps, they're yellow again!

I'll watch for the algae, thanks for the heads up!

[migget]

well im glad tht everything is doing well, and tht our old fish are doing well. I hope the carpet goes to a good home, too. I got a BT the other day tht wasnt tht big in the lfs and when i got in the 65 gal, hly heck did it open up. it make the one i have in the tank now look small and tht one is big. Anyways thanks for posting the pics so we could see them, im glad its working out for you.

[prototypep2p]

watch that Kenya it will take over your tank!

[jimw369]

Originally Posted by jimw369

Another thing. You will dose iodine and I will agree your corals will come out bigger and look better when you do. Maybe if you are running carbon the iodine gets pulled out fast anyway. Iodine feeds algae. Algae shows up stop dosing the iodine immediately.

SKIMMING I MEANT SKIMMING!!!!

[dinor2]

I'm glad you found another anemone! Sounds like he's very happy there in your tank. Thank you for the nice words on my tank, I'm trying so hard. The carpet is overnighting to his new home to William1 who I know will take excellent care of it. Looked like it was doing well as I packed it up. We'll know how it's doing on the large tank thread.

The clowns are very put out with me about taking their anemone but they seem fine, I had to make a couple new caves because of the 6 pound rock I had to take out and replace. Can you post a pic of your tank? Would love to see it!

[migget]

ill try, be a couple of days were in FL right now buying a house and im setting up my 120 at my sis in laws to cycle for when we move over and have nothing to put fish in till tanks cycle at house. Hopefully the anenome is out of under the rock he went in b4 we left, lol its funny b/c hes so big and actually is making the rock pushup a bit, but he look great inthe 120 i have set up now. But yah, sorry the carpet didnt wrk out they looked so nice in it.

john and kerie

[dinor2]

I'm sure the carpet would have been fine in my tank, for a while. I just started to get uncomfortable with have such a large anemone, especially one who may roam the tank and mess with my corals... But I know for sure he's in good hands now, Will will take great care of him and he is being very generous in sending me some frags from his tank for the anemone, very cool guy. And his tank looks great so it's a good home for the anemone.

Boy those clowns are MAD at me! The female seems to have paired off with my smaller clown but all the fish are getting along well, I'm hoping the two clowns start breeding, starting to do research on rotifers and a separate smaller tank for the fry.

The bta sounds really cool! I think I have decided that for my 55gallon tank, I'll have it as a clown/anemone only tank after I upgrade to my 250gal, which won't be anytime soon, just love the anemones but feel better if they were with clowns only. Amazing creatures, I feel fortunate to have had the experience with the one you guys gave me. Hope your move goes smoothly!

[dinor2]

Wow, I do not mean to brag but, my tank has come quite a ways since I started this thread! I used my daughters camera to take a video of my tank, I'm not sure the pics do it justice yet, need to work on my pic taking skills on the tank (very tricky!). It is a little lengthy but, thought you'd like to take a glance at it! (Hope this link works!).

My dt as of May 5, 2008! Latest addition is the frogspawn!

[dinor2]

Who can guess what music is playing in the background?....


Any suggestions for my sump I'm going to put together this week? I've decided to go with a 20 gallon rubbermaid/sterilite container as a glass tank just won't fit thru the opening and I'm keeping the skimmer I have now, now that I know how to get it to skim aggressively, it works really well. I want to have a refugium in my sump as well but, the skimmer being as big as it is, not sure how I'd do that, hang it onto the side of the sump maybe?...

ALso, I'm planning on using the mj900 from the overflow to put water into the sump from the dt, would this be enough for the sump? I'm also planning on getting a mag 7 pump for the return. I have a lot of 1 inch tubing I'm not sure if I can use but, if I go with pipes, what's a safe way to seal them so I don't have leaks?

Thanks guys!

[dinor2]

Ok, so we're on month 10! It is amazing to see how much the tank has progressed and changed in such a short time!

About a month ago I started dosing kalk at night thru a slow drip and also dose in very small amounts magnesium, iodine and trace elements every other week. Also, it looked like my bulbs were starting to lose their par as my kenya tree is trying to climb higher in the tank and the frogspawn didn't act as happy so I bought four new bulbs, UVL and replaced 1 actinic and 1 10k daylight from Current with a super actinic and white actinic 12k UVL and BOY what a difference!!! Even with two of the old actinic, the one new one makes the corals pop so much more! And the 12k white actinic adds even more of a shimmer in the tank, very bright! Here are pics I took today with the two new lights in, going to add the other two next week. Comments and suggestions please!!! I am still learning and would love to know what you all think!



cleaner shrimp, my lawnmower blenny loves to get a cleaning from him!


my new favorite fish, orange spot shrimp goby


kenya just waking up, going to add one more pic at daytime to see how happy it is with new lights!


clowns and cherub angel


just the actinics on

[prototypep2p]

nice coraline algae!

[RyanG]

Dana your tank looks really good, patience has paid off. Have you thought about getting some more corals??

[dinor2]

Thanks guys! The whole tank looks purple now, love it! I'm actually glad I added corals super slow so that it gave the coraline plenty of time to spread as most corals adhere to the rocks better with that algae on it.

I should be getting some more corals here soon, did a trade with another RB guy, he took in the carpet anemone and graciously offered frags of anything in his tank! Sooooo, should be getting those in soon. I didn't have time to take another pic today of the corals under the two new bulbs but, will do that tomorrow.

I love to watch my tank now, finding that all that patience is really feeling good! Have only lost a couple of fish and snails so, feel I've had a fairly good start. Oh, also going to add some carbon to my skimmer to get rid of the bubbles coming out into the tank so, should look perfectly clear soon.

I know I'm still a long way away from being an 'expert' at this but I have learned sooo much, and that's the fun part for me! Thanks to all of you, especially the mods, for all your help and answers to many, many questions!

And many thanks for the nice comments!

P.S. I just added one emerald crab the other day, have seen him off and on, munching on algae but still have the bubbles!!!! Do those guys pop them or clip them off to eat them? I have seen quite a few go to the clear color..?