shelbeth
Member
I have started and am completely a NEW-B to the saltwater aquarium hobby. Anyway, this is what I have been up to. I have had my tank cycling for about 6 months now. Before this 6 month period, I lost my fiance (break up) and got so depressed and just shut it down. Turned everything off.
The tank has been evaporating to about halfway down. It got alot of film on the top, and the sides of the glass, as well as the back of it were caked in dead algae. I decided to try it again, filled it back up with tap water and ran it for a while. I tested the water parameters about 3 months afterwards, and all were perfect.
I started adding liverock. As I bought more, I been building it up. I finally scraped off all of the blackish/brownish dead algae off the walls and glass. Some of it still remains in the sand.
Eventually, I bought a peppermint shrimp, 3 turbo snails, a scooter blenny, and a lawnmower blenny. All have died since except the lawnmower blenny. He's still hanging in there to this day.
In the last week, I changed the water twice. Once trying with natural spring water from a local spring that has a hose coming from under 300 feet of sandstone (bottom of a big hill on a farm). Immediately, I noticed an outbreak of green hair algae, and red slime algae. I didn't like that, so I changed the water again; partial water change, about 25% with distilled water.
Ok, so you don't care about reading; you want to see pictures....lol.....I know, I skim over text and observe pictures more so too. So here they are:
After 5 different liverock structure changes, I finally found the one I like. I made a small cave with the liverock. I heard somewhere that the fish like a cave structure. So I made a cave. I hope this works good. Any comments, please feel free to.
As you see, most of the old blackish/brownish algae is gone off the sand, and some still remains, because the the sand bed was caked in it after the first scraping. If I get a CUC, will this old dead algae kill them?
I made sure when I formed one cave, I made a small exit opening out the side of the cave too. Hell, I thought if the fish wanted to have fun swimming in and out, with 2 openings, I'm all for that.
As in the first picture, you'll notice barnicles, and large Conch Shells. The barnicles didn't grow from the sand, and there's no large crabs in the shells. I bought them in a shop in Myrtle Beach SC and thought they would add a great look to the tank. You know, make it look more authentic.
On the pictures, you'll notice that ugly dead algae from the depression period I had when my fiance left me. You'll even notice that alot of brown algae is forming again on the wall in the back. I think it's called diatom algae, and that it happens with water changes and eventually goes away. Did I understand that right?
Also, you'll notice that I AM starting to get coralline algae growing on the live rock. It was A LOT of hard work since getting it re-established again, but I think I'm doing alright. What do you think?
Please comment anything you wish to comment on.
The tank has been evaporating to about halfway down. It got alot of film on the top, and the sides of the glass, as well as the back of it were caked in dead algae. I decided to try it again, filled it back up with tap water and ran it for a while. I tested the water parameters about 3 months afterwards, and all were perfect.
I started adding liverock. As I bought more, I been building it up. I finally scraped off all of the blackish/brownish dead algae off the walls and glass. Some of it still remains in the sand.
Eventually, I bought a peppermint shrimp, 3 turbo snails, a scooter blenny, and a lawnmower blenny. All have died since except the lawnmower blenny. He's still hanging in there to this day.
In the last week, I changed the water twice. Once trying with natural spring water from a local spring that has a hose coming from under 300 feet of sandstone (bottom of a big hill on a farm). Immediately, I noticed an outbreak of green hair algae, and red slime algae. I didn't like that, so I changed the water again; partial water change, about 25% with distilled water.
Ok, so you don't care about reading; you want to see pictures....lol.....I know, I skim over text and observe pictures more so too. So here they are:
After 5 different liverock structure changes, I finally found the one I like. I made a small cave with the liverock. I heard somewhere that the fish like a cave structure. So I made a cave. I hope this works good. Any comments, please feel free to.
As you see, most of the old blackish/brownish algae is gone off the sand, and some still remains, because the the sand bed was caked in it after the first scraping. If I get a CUC, will this old dead algae kill them?
I made sure when I formed one cave, I made a small exit opening out the side of the cave too. Hell, I thought if the fish wanted to have fun swimming in and out, with 2 openings, I'm all for that.
As in the first picture, you'll notice barnicles, and large Conch Shells. The barnicles didn't grow from the sand, and there's no large crabs in the shells. I bought them in a shop in Myrtle Beach SC and thought they would add a great look to the tank. You know, make it look more authentic.
On the pictures, you'll notice that ugly dead algae from the depression period I had when my fiance left me. You'll even notice that alot of brown algae is forming again on the wall in the back. I think it's called diatom algae, and that it happens with water changes and eventually goes away. Did I understand that right?
Also, you'll notice that I AM starting to get coralline algae growing on the live rock. It was A LOT of hard work since getting it re-established again, but I think I'm doing alright. What do you think?
Please comment anything you wish to comment on.
