Update On My Tank!!!

[timsedwards]

Hi Guys,
Thought I would update those of you who are interested in my tank! Also got some half decent pics finally!
1) Diatoms are going more and more each day - thanks to better circulation i believe
2)aiptasia is under control thanks to peppermints (shrimps that is)
3)Royal Gramma and False Percula in QT at the moment enjoying the joys of hyposalinity.
The pics are a little closer than i would like them, but thanks to my somewhat shakey hands I have to rest the camera on the staircase handrail which is right in front of the tank!
All comments welcome!
Tim.

 

[timsedwards]

and number 2

 

[timsedwards]

and with my mains on...

 

[timsedwards]

oh btw in the right hand top i havent cleaned away the algae because i wanted to show you the corraline algae i get

 

[kinkfish]

what is the difference in your lighting?

 

[timsedwards]

between pic 1 + 2 nothing, just thought i would post both! Between 1/2 and 3 are my two actinics on to two actinics and two mains.
Tim.

 

[scotts]

Very nice. Good start Tim. It will be interesting to see the pictures now and a year from now. Good coralline growth. I am sorry for asking, but I am still relatively new here, how long has it been set up? I wish I had sone what you did and take my time. NO I had to jump in with both feet.
Scott

 

[timsedwards]

Hi Scotts,
Thats funny I seem to think youve been here a long time! Perhaps that because i keep getting you mixed up with overanalyser!
I INITIALLY set it up in August last year, but suffered major spike in December and totally started again with new lights, substrate, live rock etc. You will guess that December is when I found this board So everything that goes on in my tank will be singing to the gospel of the SWF.com board!
Yes I am really taking my time, mainly because i want to get it right and also because i am at university and although i am not financially burdened as I live at home (and university is not nearly as expensive at the USA!), it is expensive. Apart from that everything is 3x expensive over here in England anyway so im restricted by that!
Thanks for the comments!
Tim.

 

[kinkfish]

do you have your actinics and main lights on timers what type of schedule do you have on your lights and what type of lights are they? because they look good

 

[timsedwards]

Thanks kinkfish!
They are the T5 lighting system that half the posts on this board go on about! They are all on timers, my actinics come on at 11am and stay on until 8pm. My Mains come on at 1pm and come off at 5pm.
For more info on the lights, have a look at my website (in sig.) and the lighting section, its the only section ive actually completed lol.
Tim.

 

[clarkiiboi]

Glad to see that those diatoms (or unknown issue) has cleared up. (Mine did too, cant say what I did--I did too many changes at the same time to know for sure what worked). Also glad to hear the aiptasia is now under control. Tank looks good. Isn't it nice to finally wake up and look at the tank with a clean sand bed?! Keep up the good work.

 

[timsedwards]

Thanks guys!
Yes its ok at the moment, im just holding my breath and hoping diatoms dont come back for whatever reason!
Yes Kip they are thriving, the clove is having lots of fun, the zoos are all coming out now but they arent very vivid in colour. Perhaps that was from when they didnt come out for 2 weeks?
Thanks!
Tim.

 

[kreach]

Beautiful! Keep us updated...

 

[broomer5]

Looking good Tim !!!
Question - are you cleaning/scraping the back of your tank ?
I see the coralline growth - just wondering if you clean the rest of the back wall, or if the growth is just on the upper right ???

 

[broncofish]

I say keep all the corraline algae growing, as long as it is not on the front glass

 

[timsedwards]

Hi Broomer.
Yes I scrape the back, the turbo snails normally do a good job but i think some of the fallen and not recovered.
I mainly get corralline in that corner (im not sure why tbh) but i do get it in pieces elsewhere on the back, but it just looks wiered to be honest, this single solitary pink circle!
I will probably scrape that corner away now too, just 1) wanted to show you guys the growth i get 2)i like to see it myself, reminds me something's going righ!
Tim.

 

[timsedwards]

lol ok i will scrape it off and watch the goodness flow!
Glad to hear your display tank is starting to get them Kip!
Tim.

 

[shels]

Tim it looks really good. Good job
Shel

 

[timsedwards]

Thanks guys!
It is about 4" deep, so I believe it can be classified as a DSB!
The bottom bit is actually dead sand, but I think in January I added 20lbs of Live Sand on top (you can see the difference!). By a few months time it should all be live!
Tim.

 

[scotts]

Tim,
I looked at your website. Pretty Cool. Did you do it yourself or did you get some help? You have some great information on there. On your site you say that you have been interested in this for 5 years. Your tank is new so did you have a tank before and are just getting this started, or did it take you that long to take the plunge?
When does the Royal Gramma get out of QT? He will love that tank.
Scott