YOTN's 20h Reef Tank Diary

yearofthenick

yearofthenick

Active Member
I just added some corals today... it's been about a month. The tank has cycled so I decided to start stocking. I LOVE my black misbar clown. He's ALL black. I also have a clown goby in there... both of them eat like horses. I've got 3 chromis that we an impulse buy about a week ago.... I'm probably going to give them away. Does anyone want any free chromis?
I think the water is a little blurry because I just changed my HOB filter today... the new one has a higher gph rating. I'm hoping it will clear up by tomorrow.



 
yearofthenick

yearofthenick

Active Member
Originally Posted by scottallert
http:///forum/post/3048858
thats an awesome clown, i would get rid of the goby now if your gonna add any sps.
I haven't decided yet, only because I'm on PC's and WILL upgrade, but not sure if I want to go with an HQI or not. They run hotter, take more power, and are more problematic than some T5's... What do you think? I can get a refurbished Sunpod 150w HQI for $150, but I can also get a refurbished 4x24w T5 for $89. I'm just not sure which way to go.
 
worrballer

worrballer

Member
With a 20h you'll be fine with the T5. I have a 29 with T5 and they are awesome. I have a digimonti up at the top and it's polyps are fully extended.
And I'm pretty sure any sps will be with the clown goby. Its when you buy a pair they'll breed on the branches and will get damaged.
Good looking tank and awesome mis-bar!
 
scottallert

scottallert

Active Member
t5 for sure, i have never had mh but i am satisified with t5, i am just saying id get rid of it now, because youll probly want sps in the future and when your tank is stacked it will be a pain to get out later, its a cool fish though.
 
yearofthenick

yearofthenick

Active Member
I've been having problems with my HOB (Penguin 350) and the water is still cloudy. In about 15 minutes I'll install an aquaclear 70 which I believe will do a better job of keeping the water clean.
I have a fire shrimp in there also... got him like a week ago and he's already molted. He must be happy.
 
yearofthenick

yearofthenick

Active Member
It's been a few days and my tank still has this haze to it... like the water is just slightly cloudy... is this because I don't have a skimmer? Will this clear up the water?
 
yearofthenick

yearofthenick

Active Member
Originally Posted by scottallert
http:///forum/post/3048858
i would get rid of the goby now if your gonna add any sps.
It's funny you say this, because my clown goby is now perching hemself on top of my new green mushrooms... is this normal? I also see a hermit crab on them... what the heck? Everyone loves my mushrooms now.
 
yearofthenick

yearofthenick

Active Member
It's been about a month... the tank had JUST finished the cycle. I had been switching between different filters to find one with the best flow. I had a Rena Smartfilter on it for the first week, then got the aquaclear 70 and it was used for the majority of the cycle. Then I added the penguin 350 for 2 days.... I wanted more flow but I didn't like it, so I went back to the aquaclear 70 (same one that went through the cycle).
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
Well...I have to wonder if the cloudiness is due to the addition of the fish so quickly. I'm sorry I did not catch that this was so new a tank. Also you are not allowing your filters to "collect" the bacterias......Man I am not saying this right
It's in my head
just not coming out on the keyboard
In an established tank the filters hold certain bacterias that are important to your tank....that is one of the reasons you always hear people saying to not clean all media at once..I wish I could explain it better
Anyway you have changed the filter 3 or 4 times already in a month...added 5 fish, and corals....You may have added stuff too fast...How are your water tests coming out?
 
yearofthenick

yearofthenick

Active Member
I understand what you mean about building up bacteria, but in situations like this, a little HOB doesn't make much of a biological contribution when I've got 20 pounds of live rock and 20 lb's of live sand doing most of the work. a sponge, carbon, and a handful of little ceramic cylinders won't affect it much. Maybe that's my problem, I need something that filters better. That's why I've been switching filters... I have no idea what i should get. I did like the aquaclear because I could add my own carbon if I wanted to, as opposed to using the proprietary filter sizes that came with Marineland and Rena's stuff.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
water levels look good...I think the filters you have listed are fine. If you want more carbon, you can always get a filter bag, put carbon in, and put it in the filter.
I'm also thinking that the addition of the fish so soon can add to the cloudiness also...I think you just have to be patient.....i have a cloudy tint once and it took over a week, now this was in my 225.....just be patient, do a couple of w/c's during the week, watch your water parameters..
OHHHHHH...what are you feeding these fish?
 
yearofthenick

yearofthenick

Active Member
Thanks for the advice! maybe I'll do a water change tomorrow. I also added some CURED (I AM SURE OF THIS) live rock about a week ago so maybe that's the issue too.
Everyone looks happy and healthy though... my corals opened up no problem... my mushrooms are fully outstretched today and same with my zoa's... my frogspawn isn't so happy, but i think he got a little banged up in transit.
We found this guy who’s starting his own saltwater store, and he’s specializing in corals. He’s got this business out of his home right now and I got those neon green mushrooms (6 heads) for $20, a bunch of dragon-eyed (or watermelon?) zoas for $5 total!!! Also some neon green frogspawn with pink tips (2 heads) for $10, some xenias (he gave them to me free), two bottles of coral food (free), and an API Master Reef test kit (retail $39.99) for $24.99.... I got ALL of it for $70!!!!! The guy just wants to get his name out there, so he’s practically giving stuff away. I’m totally going back there when I have more money to blow.
I am feeding 1/4 cube of frozen mysis every day, and dose the tank with Roti-feast and phyto-feast.
 
meowzer

meowzer

Moderator
I wish I could find someone wanting to practically give stuff away..LOL...
IDK anything about the roti or phyto feast stuff.....Just gotta be patient....and don't add anything else...LOL
 
yearofthenick

yearofthenick

Active Member
Originally Posted by meowzer
http:///forum/post/3049425
I wish I could find someone wanting to practically give stuff away..LOL...
IDK anything about the roti or phyto feast stuff.....Just gotta be patient....and don't add anything else...LOL
Trust me, I'm too poor. Probably not for a few weeks, especially since I'm running PC's and need to get the T5's still.
 
worrballer

worrballer

Member
Originally Posted by YearOfTheNick
http:///forum/post/3049421
I am feeding 1/4 cube of frozen mysis every day, and dose the tank with Roti-feast and phyto-feast.
If it were me I'd hold off on dosing. You don't have enough filter-feeders to benefit from roti and phyto. Is it live stuff? cause if it is that could be the cloudyness.
Roti's feed on phyto and you don't have many things that feed on the roti's.
Just my opinion.
 
yearofthenick

yearofthenick

Active Member
Originally Posted by WorrBaller
http:///forum/post/3049824
If it were me I'd hold off on dosing. You don't have enough filter-feeders to benefit from roti and phyto. Is it live stuff? cause if it is that could be the cloudyness.
Roti's feed on phyto and you don't have many things that feed on the roti's.
Just my opinion.

Good point. I'll lighten up on the dosing... the lady I bought the corals from said to do it daily, but I have 4 small corals in there, so they're probably not going to need a daily dose.
By the way, the water cleared up. I got some chemi-pure in place of the stock carbon in my Aquaclear 70 and it's looking beautiful. I splurged and got the one that also eliminates Phosphates.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top