I'm all wet!!!!

[Iconz]

But my tank is too!!! Woo hoo!!!!

I took pix tonight, but I'll upload them and fresh ones tomorrow!!! I have a pretty good sand strom goin on, but its clearin up pretty good with the fine filter runnin!

Thank you, everyone, for all of your help!!!

-JD

[spookey]

good job jd .. im sure the tank is really nice =)




chris

[hummer]

alright way to go............ glad im the fist to say congrats.........aw secent sorry i trp slow ...lol lol

[RHAPALA]

good job man been waiting for ya to get wet ...........where the heck are the pics :P

[Iconz]

7 hours later...

The display and the fuge have REALLY cleared up! I can see the back of the display tank with ease.

The temp is holding steady at 79.

Water TDS is 6 (The original RO/DI water TDS was 0.) I'm assuming the salt changed this.

Saltinity is 1.26.

The only negative thing that I've noticed, so far, is that the overflow box is gurgling (at the drain) about every 90 seconds or so. Would an elbow in there fix this? Currently, there is a 6" vertical piece of pvc that has been drilled to resemble swiss cheese.

I do need to buy another heater. My 2nd one last night was on out of water for less than 5 mins and it melted the rubber/plastic holder that was holding it place. It still warms up, but I don't trust it.

I'm going to be adding my LR either tonight or tomorrow. (probably tonight)

Are there any water tests that I need to be doing yet?

[RWalston]

Are you using a sump if so, get a metal titanium heater. You can just place it in the bottom of the sump at the water intake. No more melting rubber

[Iconz]

Yes, I'm using a sump... I have one marinehead heater that has a plastic coating on it that I like. It seems to be doing well. Also, are there any problems of resting heaters up against acrylic? Will it melt/scorch it? Same question with laying one on the sand in a 'fuge?

[RWalston]

I have had the same heater in an acrylic sump and a glass sump with out any problems, I do not know about placing it in the sand in the fuge. The one I have came with holders so you could place it in the fuge and mount it on the side fully submerged I would think. Also titanium heaters have an external temp control that make adjustment very easy.

Here are a few to look at

http://www.aquaticeco.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/product.detail/iid/9082/cid/2215

http://www.wonbrothers.com/product/heater/ICHEATER.htm



http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_heaters_won_brothers_pro-heat_titanium.asp?CartId= (http://www.marinedepot.com/aquarium_heaters_won_brothers_pro-heat_titanium.asp?CartId=)

http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewItem.asp?idproduct=VA1157

[Iconz]

awesome! thanks!

[hummer]

wheres the pics

[jojo22]

I have a version of that last one in my pred. tank and love it. My picasso trigger bites at it all the time and not even a dent. AND HE HITS HARD!!!

[graphixx]

GOOD GOD MAN, PPPIIICCCCSSSSSS

[jojo22]

*cough* still waiting on pics of his 400*cough* don't worry justin we can wait, but not to long.

[Iconz]

PIX INC in 10 mins!

[hummer]

alright wooooohooooo.....

[Iconz]

Alright here's the Pix from last night!!!

Sump....

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/Nano%20Project/feb9updt002.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/Nano%20Project/feb9updt003.jpg

FTS - All lights on

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/Nano%20Project/feb9updt004.jpg



FTS - Acentics Only

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/Nano%20Project/feb9updt007.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/Nano%20Project/feb9updt006.jpg

[jojo22]

looks good bud!!! When you getting some rock and a shrimp??

[Iconz]

And, here's the pics from tonight (about 30 mins ago)

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/Nano%20Project/feb9updt008.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/Nano%20Project/feb9updt009.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/Nano%20Project/feb9updt017.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/Nano%20Project/feb9updt018.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/Nano%20Project/feb9updt019.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/Nano%20Project/feb9updt020.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/Nano%20Project/feb9updt010.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/Nano%20Project/feb9updt015.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/Nano%20Project/feb9updt011.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/Nano%20Project/feb9updt013.jpg

[Iconz]

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/Nano%20Project/feb9updt014.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/Nano%20Project/2-9updt030.jpg

[Iconz]

The thermometer and heater in the display are temporary, obviously...

I've got 2 Won Bro's 100w titanium heaters on order that will be here next week.

[jojo22]

Ok I guess you got rock, and some nice looking stuff at that if I may say.

[Iconz]

TY sir! I think it doesn't look too bad, either! ;)

[hummer]

verry cool icons all that hard work pays off ... i like it

what kind of rock is that? figi my guss how much is there

i was so nervice i phoned greg and he help me out alot.....lol lol lol

[Iconz]

haha! Its not fiji, actually... Its tonga kaelini. there's quite a bit of green and some purple coraline on those pieces as well.

[hummer]

i was goint to order some of that but wow pricey.. well it all is i guss..lol

[Iconz]

Things have cleared up trememdously today. I cleaned the fine filter, and added a little bit more cured lr rubble to the fuge. Temp is steady around 80 degrees. Saltinity is right at 1.25. (Do i need to raise it a lil?)

I've found the first bits of visible life on my rock!!! I think the first is bubble alage... If it is, do I need to remove it? The second, is a small feather duster, I hope.

Here's the pix:

[hummer]

awsome, life is good!!!

[Fatman]

Yea looks like a bubble algea careful I heard its not good. Thats an awsome specimen of shrimp you got there :)

[dakar]

Yea looks like a bubble algea careful I heard its not good. Thats an awsome specimen of shrimp you got there :)

Yup, Don't think that guy is gonna make it :)

[Iconz]

Update today (Day 3)... The cocktail shimp is still swelling, lol. Temp is holding steady at 79%, despite me taking out the heater that melted the holder. So, I'm down to 1 100w heater.

I did boil some water today and clamp some pvc 45 degree elbows for my clm outlets and put them in place to give me a little more velocity in my flow.

Only question today is... Do i need to remove that bubble algae? If so.. how do i do it?

[jojo22]

An emerald crab once your cycle is over and the bubble algae will be gone. Nice crabs to have also, my wife really likes them and they are reef safe unless you want bubble algae. WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT POP THEM. THEY WILL ONLY SPREAD.

[Iconz]

Cool, thx joe!

[jojo22]

No problemo buddy.

[Iconz]

Alright, for all of you pic hungry friends out there.. Here's some shots of some of the green coraline on my rock from today...

[Iconz]

Today, I broke out the test kits. Mainly just to figure out how they work. I tested PH and Ammonia.

PH = 8.0
Ammonia = 0.0145
Display temp = 79
Fuge temp = 82 (is this okay?)

The shirmp's cocoon thing has gotten huge!

The big news of the day is that I found my first bits of sizeable life! (As you may have seen on my ID thread) I also have noticed TONS of little clear bugs similar to what bob (hummer) has spotted. I tried and tried to get pix of them, but they're too small. The last thing I noticed today was some bits of Macro Algae growing in the fuge! Thanks for following!

After graphixx threw out an ID, i confirmed it... the snail is a stomatella.

Here's the pix:

[Sweetpea]

Justin, your tank looks SO good!!! I am really happy for you!!! :)

[Iconz]

:o Thanks!!!

[hummer]

awsome bud ....i bet you are happy .. im happy for you!!!!

[Iconz]

Last night, I bought a red-LED flashlight and wet peeking around in the tank after lights-out.. Saw a few different things. Wierd black/lt. brown worm about an inch long, Saw my snail again! And several pods as well!

I decided to test a few water parms last night:

Ammonia: .0145 (same as monday night)
Nitrites: .01
Nitrates: 5
PH: 8
Display temp: 79.2
Sump temp: 81

I adjusted my drain flow some. It didn't seem like too much was going into my fuge area, so I closed off the ball valve a little more that was going to the skimmer area.

I made a small dry goods order as well. I picked up a smaller impeller for my aquaclear 70. This will give me a choice on what I want flow-wise through it and what i'm using it as... Fine filter/carbon/phosphate remover.... And another foam filter block for the AQ 70. OH! And the float-valve.

[graphixx]

LOOKING GOOOOD!!! Now your cooking, that is good looking rock and allways nice to see a few free critters. Its all down hill from here now. The fun starts now.
**Hummer** hey buddy that is what I am here for. call anytime ;)

[Iconz]

Time is coming for me to get a CC. I'm thinking mainly snails. But what kind? Astraea?

I also am probably going to get an Emerald Crab to help keep this bubble algae under control.

What would you all recommend?

Info if you need it:

20g display
6 gal fuge
10 gal sump.

[Iconz]

greg, and bob, and tracy: thanks for the kind compliments!

[graphixx]

I would probably go with a dozen or so snails, an emerald and a hermit or 2 and that would work.

[jojo22]

Make sure you do an assortment of snails so they are not all compeating for the same food!!! But other than that peice of advice I concur with Greg.

[Iconz]

Got home tonight to find my cocktail shrimp covered in what I think are pods. Clear bugs that are ant-like.. This is the best pic on the web that I could find of them.

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/Nano%20Project/Animals/podpic1.jpg

Also, it seems that the pods have started to eat away the cocoon that was aournd the shrimp.

Round 3 of water tests was tonight. I'm kind confused, lol. Not much has changed. No signs of a cycle.

PH: 8.0
Ammonia: .0145
Nitrates: ~5
Nitrites: .01
Display temp: 78.5
Fuge temp: 78

The guy at my lfs sugguested to start running the skimmer at one week after introducing the LR... Well, That's today! So, should I turn it on? Leave it off? I really think he gives good advice, I just wanna bounce it off of you all too.

Also, he did say that I may not have much of a cycle due to the fact that my rock was already well cured and my sand was live sand from the getgo. What do you all think?

Thanks!
-JD

[hummer]

well jd i have 2.5 cocktale shimp in mine and my ph was 8.2 and ammonia and all others tests still 0 and i have a nice bloom of algie on every thing not sure what to think ??????.....

so much for the prity colared rocks i had ....lol



the emeraled crab what do thay eat if you have no fish in the tank and all th bubble algie is gown

[Iconz]

lol. I don't know bud! I haven't had an algae bloom yet, but I figure its coming.

[Iconz]

Ahh!!! The diatoms are coming! The Diatoms are coming!!! Run for your lives!!!!

Heh, its just in my sump for now as I'm runnin a shorter light cycle in the display than i am in the sump. I'm gonna start changing that today.

My shrimp has decentagrated (sp?) and i haven't had a spike of any nutrients. My cycle is near over! (I musta got some REALLY good rock.) My guy at the LFS said it was curing for about 3 months in their tank before I bought it.

The skimmer is startin to pull some gunk out. Kinda nasty. :)

Just figured I'd give you all an update! Hope everyone's having a great weekend!

[Sweetpea]

Justin, I never had a "real" cycle when I set up my 10 gallon... just really good rock I guess, like you said, but OH THE DIATOMS!!! LOL!!!

[hummer]

lol.sweatpea and iconcs ...you guy are great .....well you all are

[Sweetpea]

So are you, Bob... you know that, right?

[Iconz]

^^ I have to agree! So are you, bud!

[Iconz]

WOO HOO! Today is a good day. I took a water sample to the LFS, and Ammonia, Nitrate, and Nitrite all tested zero!... So, I have a little treat (or 2) for everyone!!!

They're in slow-drip acclimation right now and will be for about the next hour or so.

Wish me luck!!!

[jojo22]

Nice lookin fish you got there bud!!!

[Iconz]

Ty sir! :) I've been set on True Percs all along. I really like the additional black on them!

[jojo22]

Yeah that looks realy nice.

BTW, I could get use to that sir stuff....LOL now to get the kids to talk like that....LOL

[Iconz]

Haha. Yeah, that's the challenge, for sure.

[Sweetpea]

They are really cute Justin! I think I am in love with the Percs for sure! ;)

[Iconz]

Post-acclimation pix!

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/My%20Animals/2-21updt010.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/My%20Animals/2-21updt009.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/My%20Animals/2-21updt008.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/My%20Animals/2-21updt006.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/My%20Animals/2-21updt011.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/My%20Animals/2-21updt012.jpg

[jojo22]

I like that rock work!!

[BrattyBritty]

I still say we should have called up TLC to make the next season of "Bringing Home Baby"

[jojo22]

NOW thats funnier than my wife calling the Dr.Foste&Smith mag my "FISHY PORN"

[Iconz]

HAHAHA... well.. I gotta retaliate on this one... Here's Britty's surprise decoration of the bathroom for "Bringing Home the Baby!!" I had NOTHING to do with this by the way!!!

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b387/Britty87/IMG_4070.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b387/Britty87/IMG_4069.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b387/Britty87/IMG_4071.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b387/Britty87/IMG_4073.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b387/Britty87/IMG_4074.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b387/Britty87/IMG_4075.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b387/Britty87/IMG_4076.jpg

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b387/Britty87/IMG_4077.jpg

[jojo22]

AAAWWWWW Justin you ever consider a carrer as a decorator!!! You can come do my house next. I'll pay in frags.....LOL

[BrattyBritty]

The only way I could retaliate further to that, is to post the picture of you kissing the nemo-tub treads :) but dont worry, I'm saving that for a rainy day....

I kidd...I kidd..

[jojo22]

I knew there was a reason I liked you Britty, cause you give us all the good dirt.

[Sweetpea]

But where are the seashell candles??? You KNOW that you have to work to keep "the mood" when you have little ones, right? ;)

[hummer]

icons the tank looks great and the perca are verry cool ..

ps...nice photes very well done i wish i could take pics like that...

[Iconz]

Sorry all for the brief absence, I've just been workin alot and busy with our new local Reef Club and tryin to get it going. Here's an update with pix for everyone!!!

I've added some new critters....

1 Peppermint Shrimp ("Clifford")
Some bright green zoos!
1 Emerald Crab ("Jolly G").. as in jolly green giant...
4 snails

I've also found my first bit of Aiptasia in my tank... 3 of them, actually... Which is why I bought the pep shrimp. Hopefully, he'll take care of them, else i'll be trading him in for a diff one.

My skimmer is working great!... Pulling out some very very nice GUNK.

Water parms are all in check...
Calc = 450
nitrite = 0
nitrate = 2.5
ammonia = 0
phosphate = 0
ph = 8.0

This is after my first water change @ 33%. Which was 3 days ago...

Here's the pix!

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/My%20Animals/zoos.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/My%20Animals/zoos4.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/My%20Animals/zoos3.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/My%20Animals/zoos2.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/My%20Animals/skim2.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/My%20Animals/skim.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/My%20Animals/em_crab1.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/My%20Animals/pep_shrimp.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/My%20Animals/IMG_4532.jpg

[jojo22]

Looks sweet dude!!!

I LOVE THE ZOA!!! Very nice colors!!

[graphixx]

aaahhhh that is awesome, that tank is coming along so dang nice!!!! could not ask for a smoother start. thumbs up buddy

[Sweetpea]

Things are coming along very nicely for ya J... so gald to see it!!! :)

[hummer]

wow the zoas are totaly awsome .....sweet!!!!

[hummer]

dude the inverts look great also. and nice pics ....congrats buddy

[spookey]

nice wow!!!



chris

[Iconz]

Thanks all for the kind comments! This is startin to get real fun!... I've got a metallic green florida ric coming from a buddy in the Club we're starting. So, I'll be adding that in a lil over a week or so.

[Iconz]

new critter!!!

Green-Tipped Torch Coral!

I know to not announce such a thing without the pix.. so here you all go!

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/My%20Animals/IMG_4635.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/My%20Animals/IMG_4633-zoom.jpg

http://i118.photobucket.com/albums/o101/iconz_reef/My%20Animals/IMG_4633-crop.jpg

[jojo22]

Sure looks good and healthy. Nice pick!!!!!

[carpenterwrasse]

nice pics great looking tank

[hummer]

nice very nice

[spookey]

very nice

[AuntKaren]

Lookin' Good! WTG!!

[Iconz]

Today, I've noticed TONS of baby brittle starfish. I can't get a pic of any of them out in the open, but i confirmed them on melev's site.

[cweber]

Thats cool. I hope when im ready i will get some hitchhikers. The lfs i went to when i had my first tank made sure theyre werent any. If anything was on it you had to pay for it.

[hummer]

when i bought my rocks he took out of the tank and no shaking the rock weighted it and box it almost had 2 hermets but they fell off 5 feet from the tank so he did put them back

the lfs by my house shook the shet out of the 10 lbs of figi rock that i got from them and picked at it .............. lol

[Iconz]

I haven't given an update in a while... Sooo I figure its time!!!

First of all, Yesterday when I came home from work, I discovered my first loss... Clifford, my pep. shrimp was laying on his side in the sand. Not a good sign. I'm not sure what he died of, but everything else looks healthy!..

Except the fact that one of my snails is MIA. I can't find him anywhere.... The only place I cant look would be inside the CLM, but I doubt they'd live long in there.

Now, for the good news... Over the past 2 weeks, I've added the metallic green ric and it is doing very well.. I noticed a 2nd mouth on him yesterday. Its slightly over the size of a 1/2 dollar. I've added a green-tipped torch coral with 3 heads. It seems to be doing well also. Some darker-colored slow-pulsing Xenia that is growing like a weed, and some pink-centered zoa's...

My green zoa's have nearly double the amount of polyps too! So, everything seems to be growing fine, I just wish I knew why the Pepermint shrimp died and where the snail went.

I've also added a strawberry pseudocromis... who is not scared to get in the middle of the clowns and hold his own when it comes feeding time.

Pix coming tonight..

[hummer]

cant wait too see them :) pics...

[spookey]

nice .... will be looking for the pic too

[graphixx]

are you sure Clifford is Clifford of a molt???? when they molt they do a complete cast of the outer shell. its easy to be fooled.

[jojo22]

UPDATE PLEASE!!!!!!!!

[hummer]

yes yes up date!!!!