Updates on new SW tank
- Thread starter woodymdt
- Start date
M
mike6969n
Guest
thanks woody,
tryin not to, but your making me jealous over here. i think i will have to take a trip to huntsville, it's about an hour away from here, but i here that they have some really nice lfs's there and i would like to get a variety of lr too. i can get red fiji and caliny i think it is here, but don't really want to stick with just those two. but yours looks great at least i can watch your tank grow while i wait!!!! keep up the good work looks like you have got a good handle on it. those lr's look great i hope i can find some nice pieces like that around here. one ? though how much are you paying per lb for your lr?
mike
tryin not to, but your making me jealous over here. i think i will have to take a trip to huntsville, it's about an hour away from here, but i here that they have some really nice lfs's there and i would like to get a variety of lr too. i can get red fiji and caliny i think it is here, but don't really want to stick with just those two. but yours looks great at least i can watch your tank grow while i wait!!!! keep up the good work looks like you have got a good handle on it. those lr's look great i hope i can find some nice pieces like that around here. one ? though how much are you paying per lb for your lr?
mike
woodymdt
Member
Originally posted by arkey.d
Looking GOOD!:jumping:
Love the LiveRock!
If you do have an urchin, beware they are not good for reefs. They like to eat coral.....
Thanks for the heads up Dan...should I remove him and take him back to the LFS? It's a small one, but I imagine it like everything else will grow...
OH another thing.....we were looking around earlier, and about five of our mussels were shifting around...cool stuff, a couple opened up for a bit, then clamped down shut!!!!
We named the shrimp George....but haven't seen him in a couple hours. He stuck his head out of a hole awhile ago, but not since.
woodymdt
Member
Originally posted by mike6969n
thanks woody,
those lr's look great i hope i can find some nice pieces like that around here. one ? though how much are you paying per lb for your lr?
mike
The Fiji rock cost us $6 per lb. The Gulf and Marshall rock was $8 per lb.
So we now have just about 40lb of LR in the tank...so I think we're going to stop with that.
I have seen what looks like a small anemone??? I'll try and get a shot of it. I'm hoping it will survive. It's almost white in color, with small bulbous tips.
woodymdt
Member
Hey Dan? In looking at the full tank picture...do you think I should stack any of the LR higher in any places? How does the structure and height look to you?
I tried to make sure there were some swim around holes for critters and fish, and there are definitely some cave type areas where skittish creatures will be able to hide out in...
Give me your thoughts?
I tried to make sure there were some swim around holes for critters and fish, and there are definitely some cave type areas where skittish creatures will be able to hide out in...
Give me your thoughts?
arkey.d
Member
Originally posted by woodymdt
Thanks for the heads up Dan...should I remove him and take him back to the LFS? It's a small one, but I imagine it like everything else will grow...
OH another thing.....we were looking around earlier, and about five of our mussels were shifting around...cool stuff, a couple opened up for a bit, then clamped down shut!!!!
We named the shrimp George....but haven't seen him in a couple hours. He stuck his head out of a hole awhile ago, but not since.
If your planning on keeping coral, then I would take him back to the LFS. Not that you need to right away, but before you invest any money in coral.
arkey.d
Member
Originally posted by woodymdt
Hey Dan? In looking at the full tank picture...do you think I should stack any of the LR higher in any places? How does the structure and height look to you?
I tried to make sure there were some swim around holes for critters and fish, and there are definitely some cave type areas where skittish creatures will be able to hide out in...
Give me your thoughts?
It all comes down to Eye of The Beholder. What ever looks good to you. What you have looks great.
What I did, since most of my pieces were long, was to start 4" from each side and build to the middle, then I stacked 2 to 3 layers on top keeping the rock centered in the middle of the tank width wise, so the fish could swim in front of the LR and behind it as well. Gives them more surface area to swim. Just make sure when your stacking that all is sturdy.
Here's a older pic of mine:
arkey.d
Member
That's a good thing. I put the rock in the middle of the width of the aquarium (front to back) that way they can circle the LR if they want or go through the arch ways. None of my LR touch the glass.
The picture is old, my Digital Camera died on me and I'm trading it in for another. When they ask you to get the extended warrenty get it!
The picture is old, my Digital Camera died on me and I'm trading it in for another. When they ask you to get the extended warrenty get it!
woodymdt
Member
Good morning everyone,
Still haven't seen the shrimp again since last night. The mussels are really moving...(is that normal?)
Going to do a series of tests this morning, will give the results for you all to see and make suggestions when they're completed.
I added some salt yesterday to the tank, trying to raise the SG to 1.024 or 1.025, hopefully that will work out as well.
:jumping:
Still haven't seen the shrimp again since last night. The mussels are really moving...(is that normal?)
Going to do a series of tests this morning, will give the results for you all to see and make suggestions when they're completed.
I added some salt yesterday to the tank, trying to raise the SG to 1.024 or 1.025, hopefully that will work out as well.
:jumping:
arkey.d
Member
Originally posted by woodymdt
Good morning everyone,
Still haven't seen the shrimp again since last night. The mussels are really moving...(is that normal?)
Going to do a series of tests this morning, will give the results for you all to see and make suggestions when they're completed.
I added some salt yesterday to the tank, trying to raise the SG to 1.024 or 1.025, hopefully that will work out as well.
:jumping:
Careful adding salt directly to the tank, while cycling your ok, but once you get fish in your tank always premix your saltwater in a bucket then add it to the tank. Just an FYI....
Good morning everyone,
Still haven't seen the shrimp again since last night. The mussels are really moving...(is that normal?)
Going to do a series of tests this morning, will give the results for you all to see and make suggestions when they're completed.
I added some salt yesterday to the tank, trying to raise the SG to 1.024 or 1.025, hopefully that will work out as well.
:jumping:
Careful adding salt directly to the tank, while cycling your ok, but once you get fish in your tank always premix your saltwater in a bucket then add it to the tank. Just an FYI....
woodymdt
Member
Originally posted by arkey.d
Careful adding salt directly to the tank, while cycling your ok, but once you get fish in your tank always premix your saltwater in a bucket then add it to the tank. Just an FYI....
Got it. Thanks! Ok, the Salinity is up to 1.024 and the SG is 33ppm. So I think that's good. Doing the other tests in a bit.
Then we're going to re-arrange the LR in the tank. There are a couple of the biggest rocks we want to put smack in the middle, then add the rest off of them.....and want to mix the gulf and fiji rock instead of having them on opposite sides of the tank.
Will get some new pics when we get it figure out.
Thanks again Dan! :jumping:
woodymdt
Member
Ok, the latest series of tests are complete. Here is where the tank stands right now.
The water clarity is just fantastic! But you can see that in the pictures.
Salinity is at 1.024
SG is at 33ppm
PH is holding strong at 8.2
Ammonia is on the rise. It's higher than .50, but not yet to 1.0 ppm.
Nitrites, curiously are also rising, they're at .50ppm
Nitrates, again curiously, are higher at 10ppm
So there are the chemical readouts for 1/30/05
What do you veterans think??
The water clarity is just fantastic! But you can see that in the pictures.
Salinity is at 1.024
SG is at 33ppm
PH is holding strong at 8.2
Ammonia is on the rise. It's higher than .50, but not yet to 1.0 ppm.
Nitrites, curiously are also rising, they're at .50ppm
Nitrates, again curiously, are higher at 10ppm
So there are the chemical readouts for 1/30/05
What do you veterans think??
woodymdt
Member
Ok quick question.
I noticed on a piece of LR today that there is this brownish tint to some of it......would that be algae starting to form over it? If so, it that a good type or bad type?
I moved all the LR around this afternoon. It's hard to decide how to place LR where, cause there is so much to look at all over, hard to decide what side should face the sand...lol.
I think with this setup I have some better swim through and hidey holes, and the highest point is closer to the top than before, planning ahead for high light corals when the time comes.
So a few new shots as the LR sits now....
I noticed on a piece of LR today that there is this brownish tint to some of it......would that be algae starting to form over it? If so, it that a good type or bad type?
I moved all the LR around this afternoon. It's hard to decide how to place LR where, cause there is so much to look at all over, hard to decide what side should face the sand...lol.
I think with this setup I have some better swim through and hidey holes, and the highest point is closer to the top than before, planning ahead for high light corals when the time comes.
So a few new shots as the LR sits now....