JuiCE_1080's 5.5 Gallon Reef Diary

[juice_1080]

This thing fluctuates like crazy. I topped it off @ 7-8pm last night 1.026SG, 10am today 1.029SG....I am going to get the glass top and try to find a 1/2" 45 degree PVC elbow so the flow will hit the tank a little better.
I marked the water level in the return chamber when I topped off @ 10am it has already dropped 3/8" over the past 4 hours.

 

[jtrzerocool]

Thats what happens in pico tanks...you really need to watch them like a hawk...this is also a reason that i dont have one...

 

[juice_1080]

got the glass lid on and topped it off and only lost about 1-2mm of water over the last 24hrs

 

[juice_1080]

Ok so I haven't been very on top of things with testing since I don't have an Ammonia or Nitrite test kit but I tested the Nitrates and they are between 0-5ppm and I am starting to see Diatom Algae and Cyano Bacteria. Is this a good indication that the initial cycle may be done already?
I started this tank with a 10# bag of LS, 2# of LR, and 3/4 of the water is out of my 29gallon.
Do you think I would be ready for a cleanup crew yet?

 

[juice_1080]

Well the tank is all cleared up and I am starting to see some Diatom Algae and Cyano so I am going to test the Amm, trite, and trate levels to see where I am at. It's been a week or so, so I am assuming if I am going to see a cycle I will see it when I test right now. I have a few hitchhiker Zoos, Macroalgae, and a hermit in there so I wouldn't think these things would be alive it I have a really big ammonia cycle. We will see in a short time though.

 

[juice_1080]

pH: 8.0 Needs to come up a bit
Amm: 0.0
NO2: 0.0
NO3: 15
Ca: 420
KH: 9
PO4: 0
SG: 1.0255 (Refractometer)
Judging by these results my tank will cycled and ready for Yasha and Randall to start hanging out in along with a frag or 2 out of my larger tank by the time I get the money to buy them.

 

[juice_1080]

I should be fragging some corals to put in this tank tonight. Just some zoos and a shroom or two. I will watch them to see if the lighting is sufficient or it I need to put better lighting on it.

 

[juice_1080]

I am thinking of actually scrapping this tank and rebuilding a square one possibly 12"x12" and 8-10" tall out of glass with the same kind of filtration setup.
I have already found a flaw in this tank and that is water flow. The location of my return makes me have to angle it down and then I have to turn it down so it doesn't create a dust storm. With that said I do not have enough flow to keep the cyano from building up on everything.
The new design would utilize the same pump and filtration but have it coming out of the middle of the back wall and facing straight and I would maybe do one of these on each side to get plenty of flow. It works in my head but lets see how it does when I build it.
Possibly a project for this weekend since I only work Saturday morning and Sunday night and my tips should cover the cost of the glass, silicon, and Plexi.

 

[juice_1080]

It's been a minute. Finally got my occupants for this tank. Can't get a pic though they don't like coming out when I am near the tank. Here's what I got....
Tiger Pistol Shrimp
Yellow Watchman Goby
Now I just have to figure out how to get them to relocate from the back of the tank to the front where I built them a cave. They are really cool to watch when I sit perfectly still long enough for them to come out a little. Maybe when I get the 10 setup I will just put one large rock with a nice prebuilt cave in there so they have no other options. Just waiting on the glass shop to get in the black plexi so I can start that one up. This tank is pretty much as low maintenence as my 29g so I am not sure what everyone is talking about on the hardness to maintain. The hardest part was evaporation but once the glass top went on I lose about 1/2 cup a week or less
Thats it for now....hopefully some pics to come in the near future.