new 47G column H. Erectus tank

Thanks David..... I was thinking of adding zoanthids and rics to the sea horse tank, but now I'm not so sure. Because I plan to have this heavely planted with macros....it will be a PITA to keep the macros fron choking out the zoas and rics. I don't want to have to rip macros out daily to make room for the corals. What do you think?

Should I be doing water changes during the cycle? Wouldn't that slow the cycle down? Of all of the tanks I've had...you'd think I'd know this stuff lol. My first tank I did everything wrong, and every tank after that I used stuff from established tanks to get it going. So this is my first real cycle except the first tank that I was clueless to the fact that there even was a "cycle".

Water test results from today
temp 76
salanity 1.024
ph 8.2
ammonia .50
nitrate 5
nitrite 0

I try to test every 3 days or so. I wish it would hurry up and cycle already. I want to see the ponies in here!!

I keep zoanthids, green star polyps and other corals on "islands" in the sand. The macro is in the back of the tank and on the rocks. It doesn't reach the corals in the sand at all.

I'd let the water cycle before doing any significant changes.

Dave

water tests today
Ph 8.4
temp 76
ammonia 0
nitrite .50
nitrate 10

Thanks David....I will think about making some islands for the corals I want to keep.

I have been testing morning and night to keep a close eye on the cycle. Here are the results for the last few days.

8-7-06
PH 8.4 Temp 76 Ammonia 0 Nitrate 10 nitrite .50

8-8-06
Ph 8.4 temp 76 ammonia .25 nitrate 10 nitrite .25

8-9-06
ph 8.2 temp 76 ammonia 0 nitrate 0 nitrite 0

8-10-06
Ph 8.2 temp 74 ammonia 0 nitrate 0 nitrite 0

8-11-06
Ph 8.2 temp 75 ammonia 0 nitrate 0 nitrite 0

I just finished feeding the sea horses in the nano and I will wait about 1/2 hr. then I will start acclimating them to their new home. I will post pics as soon I can find the digi camera. It is MIA at the moment???

Angie

Now that the cycle is complete and I'm free to add the ponies to their new home, I afraid to do it. They have beautiful colors in the nano. I'm afraid they will change colors in the new tank. It was easy to add a sufficient amt. of orange, red and yellow to the nano. It won't be that easy to do it in the 47G. I know this is purly selfish on my part, as they will be much happier in the larger tank, no matter what color they are. They were both black and white when I bought them, so it wouldn't be the end of the world. I'm just used to seeing the awsome colors they are now. Oh well, I will wait and see what happens. No matter what, atleast I know what colors the can be. Some people have sea horses for years and never see anything but black or muted colors. I will just consider myself lucky to have ever seen them in all of their glory.

But, on a good note, they may keep the colors since the tank is 31" tall. I see mateing in the future! (I hope) I have nurserys and hatching Decap. brine shrimp and 3- 10G tanks split and ready. I also have a 20G High, 29G, and a 40G breeder for grow out. I'm ready, I hope they are. :) At least the babies will eat Frozen:)~

The sea horses are in their new home. The only color change so far was the female. She is no longer her pretty red / orange. She is yellow. Just like the male but she has black specks. They are happily swimming around the tank. They are going from top to bottom to top and back down again, lol. Something they couldn't do in the Nano. I swear I can hear them cheering for all of the room they have now. It will be nice to see them in a more natural setting. The swimming room in the nano was very limited. They finally get to stretch out and enjoy being sea horses.

3 months in QT has to be a record....But I know they are healthy. I did find the camera, but the batteries were dead. They are charging now. Will post pics later today.

Now I get to start ordering new macros and things for this tank. I will start transferring the soft corals from the 65G to this tank as soon as I get the canopy finished.

Thanks for keeping us updated on your little journey. I hope the ponies like their new home. Here is a link to some macro that might help color up your tank.

http://www.marinedepotlive.com/aquac...racilaria.html

Thanks. The list for the macros is as follows:

Red Gracilaria
Yellow Gracilaria
Red grape
red branching (dragon's tongue)
Red kelp
Feather caulerpa
turtle grass
shoal grass
prolifera
razor caulerpa

I'm still looking for more yellows and reds. If you know of any more, please let me now. A friend said they saw a link to some blue macro. She is looking for the link for me. If she finds it I will pass it on. I'm also placing an order for amphipods and copepods. I will be adding more cleaners asap. Right now there are 4 astreas, 2 blue leg crabs and 2 cerith snails. I "borrowed" them from my 65G.

I was told NOT to put cucumbers in a tank with ponies, so I will probably add some conchs to stir the sand bed. Or nass. snails.