fully cycled in 15 days?

[BigJay]

Day 22

Ammonia and Nitrites 0 Nitrates 15 no other tests done.

I was looking for a black cucumber to replace one of my emeralds to clean up the sand but the local LFS's aren't stocking them anymore due to low demand. I noticed a really small trumpet coral with 6 polyps that had a little bit of nuisance algae and ended up getting it for 15 bucks so added it to the tank and the emeralds went right to work cleaning it up.
I noticed something strange though while I was playing with the arrangement of the trumpet that all the little animals were out playing in broad daylight except the nerrites. I saw some sort of flatworm that had a very similar mouth and antanae to a turbo snail, A bunch of the white worms that burrow into the sand, lots of copeopods and caught another really strange worm that I have never seen before. It kind of had the mouth parts of a sea cuccumber but seemed to have anchored itself on the top part of a cave hole in a rock. It would retreat by inverting itself like turning a sock inside out. I went on the hunt online and the only thing I saw that looked close to it was a peanut worm but the coloring is wrong. Anyhow heres a pic if anyone can help. It looks to be about 1 to 1.5 inches long and about 3mm in diameter. There circled it in the pic.

 

[BigJay]

Day 23 .. slight dip in nitrates.

all inhabitants are looking healthy. Trumpet is splitting a mushroom is splitting. Still new critters showing up daily.

Beyond the params looking good the tank wasn't looking so hot. The water didn't look very clean despite my water changes and a very small spot of cyano showed up. Went and bought some chemi-pure elite put it in a second micron bag and wrapped it in floss and put it in the pump chamber.
Noticed something wrong with the bio ball chamber and started poking around and found a huge air bubble had formed not letting water flow into the bio ball chamber.
Did a 15% water change with more of the live sea water. Pulled out the sponge filter in front of the pump and cleaned it in the water from the water change. It was absolutely disgusting. I guess I have had lots more die off then I suspected because there were all forms of dead critters there. Most of the filth was silt from the sand though.
A few hours after the chemi pure add and the water change the water looks great. Very clear again and the skin on the surface is gone.
I've decided to make an in tank chaeto refuge using my pyrex tube. It would probably be a ton easier just using PVC but I like glass . I have a feeling with the water change and the tank cleaned I'll see a dip in nitrates. But I'd like to stay proactive.

 

[decrypter]

bio spira really helps give you the bacterias you need you might think about using that i had good luck with it in the past claims to cycle tank in 24 hrs i do not agree with that but it deffinantly helps with the process and is 100% safe for whats currently in the tank

 

[BigJay]

woohoo nitrates have finally declined to barely measurable. My calcium was a little high 460. I had added a supp then did a partial change with the live water which has calcium in it 2 days later and that sent it up a little high. I put some chaeto in the fuge and gonna pick up a LED to keep it lit. I don't want an incadescent because of the heat.
Added a couple small turbos today and one must have been ill cause the skunk cleaner immedatiealy flipped it over and started cutting all the way around it then the larger emerald stole it from the cleaner and started devouring it. I flipped it over several times but the skunk cleaner kept flipping it back. I can't find it now I am not sure if the star got in on the action but its totally MIA. They were the smallest turbos I have ever seen a store sell so it wouldn't take long for them to eat the entire snail.
I have some corals coming in tommorrow and the last piece of live rock is going in and can't wait to finally have the tank livestock finished. Still on the hunt for another tank. Really torn between another nano(14 or 29) now or a 55. I have totally decided a 100+ is more work then I can handle at the moment...real realitly check.

edit - reread that and it sounds funny. finally finished. start to finish in less then 30 days. lol.

 

[lcstorc]

LOL
Glad things are going so well. Personally I never consider a tank "finished" I am always moving or adding or switching tanks or something.

 

[BigJay]

well this gives me an excuse to start my tank. which I think my daughter's tank has turned into mine too . Its really cool to watch her watch the tank and see something new and scream and jump around. She even likes the corals which I was really surprised considering her age.
The one thing she doesn't seem to really care about is the skunk cleaner so I might confiscate it once I set the new tank up. None of the tank inhabitants really seem to like him either. The 2 she loves the most are the ones I didn't even wanna put in the tank and thats the emerald crabs.
Since its been so long I had a mild freak out when I went to check the tank this morn. Took me about 10 seconds to remember but I thought one of the emeralds bit the dust. Just as I tossed it down the toilet it I was like.. duh I bet it was just a molt and sure enough. Wish I would have saved it to show my family.
I found the last little piece of the small turbo and the empty shell. Just as I went to fish out the last little piece the star came screaming towards my hand looking for food and snatch it up. He's gotten so friendly that I was messing with the skimmer and within about 15 seconds he had snaked into the bottom in tank grate then up through the bottom refuge grate and had 3 arms out of the water above the skimmer.
Anyhow thanks for all the input and following along everyone. Soon as I have all the new corals situated I'll post a pic then I won't be updating unless theres a problem.

 

[BigJay]

Just an update. Ordered the nanotuners light upgrade due to the fact I bought some SPS 's. Along with the 5 LED light bar. So 72w of PC 's with 7 1w LED's .
Also ordered a Hydor Koralia nano to increase circulation. I think I am going to upgrade the stock circ pump as well since that thing really decreases effeciency quickly.
Why oh why didn't I buy my daughter a goldfish
I should have pics later this week.

 

[BigJay]

Well I installed the nanotuners 72w PC light upgrade on Fri. Not overly impressed with it but its done. One thing for sure they said some tanks experience a heat reduction when using there kit.. I am not really sure how one could and one couldn't since its unilateraly the same kit with the same hood. But my temp went up about 1 to 1.5 degrees. I'm running the 7w of LED's during the day and the 2 - 1 watts at night.
I added more live rock and now have about 15 lbs. With the actual water thats about 1.5 lbs per gallon. I had an absolute explosion in coraline growth on the original rock. Super purple and some green. The hair algae that came on the trumpet coral is still there. I think it maybe feeding off the waste of the coral, since its only around a couple polyps. If I don't get it wrangled soon I may take the coral back. It has not spread to anything in my tank.
The Koralia-nano made a huge difference in the tank. I lost 2 polyps out of a cluster of zoa's the first day the pump was on but beyond that everything in the tank looks perkier. Nothing settles on the bottom anymore which is really nice.
Tank params.
Ammonia 0
Nitrite 0
Nitrate 0
phosphates 0
PH 8.3 very stable
Alk.. 3 to 3.5
SG 1.024
Calcium 440
Temp 81-82 degrees

pics as soon as i get home.

 

[BigAl07]

Glad things are doing good for you. My temps stayed the same after my Nano upgrade on the lights but the newer fans on my kit are LOUD. I should have opted for the "Silent-X" fans! Oh well.. live and learn!

Keep an eye on the Hair Algae! It could start popping up all over the tank if conditions are right.

 

[Grasspicker]

Day 22

Ammonia and Nitrites 0 Nitrates 15 no other tests done.

I was looking for a black cucumber to replace one of my emeralds to clean up the sand but the local LFS's aren't stocking them anymore due to low demand. I noticed a really small trumpet coral with 6 polyps that had a little bit of nuisance algae and ended up getting it for 15 bucks so added it to the tank and the emeralds went right to work cleaning it up.
I noticed something strange though while I was playing with the arrangement of the trumpet that all the little animals were out playing in broad daylight except the nerrites. I saw some sort of flatworm that had a very similar mouth and antanae to a turbo snail, A bunch of the white worms that burrow into the sand, lots of copeopods and caught another really strange worm that I have never seen before. It kind of had the mouth parts of a sea cuccumber but seemed to have anchored itself on the top part of a cave hole in a rock. It would retreat by inverting itself like turning a sock inside out. I went on the hunt online and the only thing I saw that looked close to it was a peanut worm but the coloring is wrong. Anyhow heres a pic if anyone can help. It looks to be about 1 to 1.5 inches long and about 3mm in diameter. There circled it in the pic.

Im not sure you found out what the worm is in the picture but I have one in my tank as well. I took some video of it as well. Has anyone identified it yet?

 

[BigJay]

yes its a peanut worm. detrius eater. Mine seems very much like a sand eating cucumber. Dirty sand in... white clean sand out. They also have the ability to rock bore. Mine has made a maze over the enitre 3 pound rock and can and does pop out at any point in the rock so he keeps the sand very clean around the rock but the exit (read poop) area is the same spot so I get a little build of sand in that spot.

EDIT- btw I was way off on its length. I have seen it stretched to well over 4"'s. I can see its body through mulitple holes in the rock but its mouth is clear on the other side. Quite an amazing creature hope he stays.

 

[BigJay]

darnit I left the camera at my office. Guess the pics are gonna have to wait til tommorrow.
I started to remove the bioballs today. I took 2 out. Anybody have a good idea on what pace to remove them?I was thinking 2 or 3 every 3 days or so. Also once you do have you guys been filling the tank with more water to almost fill the second chamber? I'm running my chaeto in tank one behind the skimmer which works well cause it catches any loose chaeto in tank two grid for easy removal. I think this is what brought my nitrates down so well.
I also realized part of my temp problems. I put a foam filter over the bio ball chamber so I wouldn't have to change floss twice a day and temps climbed another degree. I think the water flowing over the grid helps cool it somewhat.
oh my false percula is about to get shot. Hes really buggin everything in the tank. The only upside I watched him feeding on the hair algae around the trumpet corals for about an hour today in total amazement. Hes not very effective at it though. I am gonna up his feedings from once every other day to twice every other day to tone him down a bit.

 

[yungreefer2410]

lets see some pics!!!

 

[untilthen]

will adding some of cycle bacteria pouches help with the speed of a tanks cycling as you are adding bacteria to the tank?

 

[BigJay]

day um have no idea lol ammonia , nitrites, nitrates still 0 . PH 8.3 . Salinity 1.024 . Alk 3.Phosphates 0. Calcium 520 (had a faulty test reading and dosed twice before retesting). Diatom has really slowed. Hair algae still doing well around the candy cane. Few new polyps already developing around the zoas. Couple rocks I bought for attaching the frags so they are just plain white. THe big rock on top was out of another persons tank but it was a base rock so doesn't have a ton of coraline.
And the pics finally

the light upgrade

full tank shot

freebies from gsellers

my original polyps. They have a new growth already too. One is closed cause I just fed.

eagle eyes from gsellers

skunk cleaner and limb from serpent star

blue stag from gsellers.

acro from gsellers

trumpet (candy cane) with the hair algae around a couple polyps.

sunburst zoos from gsellers. These things are insane. Sick under solid actinics or blue LED's.

 

[Witfull]

you're on your way~

 

[BigJay]

btw what looks like a lot of bubbles on the back wall and under one of the rocks is. My fine filter material I put above the bio ball chamber plugged up and caused the pump to run near dry dousing my tank with bubbles while I was at work. Won't make that mistake again.