HowardJ's 12 Gallon Nano Diary

[howardj]

I did the first tests today:
Temperature: 72-75 (crystal liquid--it came on the redsea hydrometer)
pH: 8.0
Ammonia:.25
NO3: High-100 20-Low (what does high/low mean?)
NO2: .5
Salinity: 1.024-.025
Pictures:
1)First clump of LS. Haha
2)Filled up
3)Aquascape
4)Left View
5)Right View
Likes? Dislikes?

 

[howardj]

I put the Live Rock in on Saturday (11.3 lbs.)
I have some type of nudibranch.. its pink.. looks kind of like the lettuce nudi.,but I'm not sure. I can't seem to get a good close up picture. But it only likes to move in the dark.. it hates light

 

[reef diver]

Lookin good man!, thats a good aquascape for corals (yay 1400 posts)

 

[howardj]

Thanks! It took me about an hour for me to place it to where I like it. lol
congrats

 

[howardj]

Bumpith

 

[m0nk]

I'd fill in behind the rock with some base rock, you could split some up with a hammer and chisel (or just a hammer, but it's more of a pain...haha) and slide it in there without having to move your rock. I like the look from the front, it'll work very well and I can't wait to see how it comes along.

 

[howardj]

I thought that the rock shouldn't be touching the back for filtration reasons

 

[m0nk]

Well, you don't want to pack it in there but I'd be nervous with the looks from the side picks that the rock would slide back if there's nothing there to give a little support. You don't want your rock to move around if there's coral sitting/growing on it. Just a thought.

 

[howardj]

^

 

[howardj]

Yeah, you got a point.
It does need bracing;I tried knocking it down when I was putting it in to see how much pressure it would take..and its pretty easy to do

 

[m0nk]

Yeah, I had the same problem in my first tank setup but got some base rock - nothing big, I'd say maybe get a 2 or 3 pound piece of dry base rock and split it into a few smaller pieces that can just slide in there. Hope that helps!

 

[triga22]

What are you thinking for a stocklist?

 

[howardj]

two occelaris clownsand I can't decide,
YWG
or
6 lined wrasse
the 6L's are about an inch and Clowns are about 3/4" at my LFS
I saw a YWG at my LFS about a 1/2" it was SO small

 

[howardj]

AH! I'm afraid that I'm gonna kill my Hitch hiker Nudibranch! Its a pink type of nudi. , I don't know what species. But I don't know anything about them.
I have a piece of lettuce by it to see if it will eat.
But what I am conserned about, is that my water was getting low.. So I had some new mizing for a couple hours or so, and I checked the salinity.. 1.025 close to the tank, so I put it in there and its bobbing a bit over 1.026
I don't want to kill it! and I only have about 1/2 a gallon of Fresh RO water left, everything else is salty.
Any Help? Should I just let it go and see if it survives? I don't want to run out of fresh water and then be screwed in the long run

 

[reef diver]

Keep topping off with fresh water, daily. Dont top off with saltwater EVER! I dont really see the problem other than it sounds like your topping off with saltwater. Only top off with fresh.

 

[clay12340]

Figuring out what the nudibranch is will be a requirement if you want to keep it alive. Most of them have very specific diets and will only eat one or two things. A tank that size, especially a newly started one, is not likely to be able to provide a sustainable supply of whatever the thing needs.
A picture might help in identifying it. Searching online for pictures of various species might be a good way to get some ideas as well.
You always want to top off evaporation with freshwater. When you do a water change you want to use the saltwater. Salt doesn't evaporate, so adding more will increase the salinity every time.

 

[howardj]

I can't get a great picture. I want to show you guys something growing on my rock too.. but the camera is sucky for the tank pics.
I tried feeding it lettuce, but it started getting flimsy, so I took it out.
The nudi. didn't even touch it, so I didn't firgure it would matter.
I'll try and get a good pic (doubt it will happen)
I just did a water test Monday, when do yall think I should do another one?

 

[howardj]

Bump
I want to test, but don't know if I'll just be wasting the liquids..
How often did yall test when cycling?

 

[triga22]

I would test to see if anything rose. I tested every othe day during the cycle.

 

[howardj]

Thank yah

Just a description of the Nudi.:
Light Pink -- almost 2" long -- "fuzzy" looking
I can't get a good pic, and he's hiding behind a rock, I'll try to snap one
Oh! And its nocturnal