TheSilverSurfer's RSM 130D

TheSilverSurfer

TheSilverSurfer

Member
So after starting an initial thread, I decided to set up another one with a proper name, I mean how long can I be called "Another Newbie'.

This thread will list my journey from day 1 outlining all that I learn, which hopefully will provide a good source of info in the future for others who are starting up their own reef tank.

This thread will include a journey in both photos and details outlining and showcasing what I have learnt during this process.

I am also a web designer, (with a love for The Silver Surfer, hence the name), and will soon be uploading a website showcasing my RSM Reef tank journey.

So the journey begins:
 

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TheSilverSurfer

TheSilverSurfer

Member
Day 1 - Day 4

Following the RSM guide I added the substrate, mixed the salt and the RO water and added the 'cured' live rock. After completing day 1 and day 4 tests the results are the same for both days except for Nitrate which has gone from 10 on day 1 to 20 on day 4. The other results are stable at: 25.5 degrees, 1.021 sal, 8.2 ph, 0.25 amm and 0.05 nitrite. (Calcium was 450 on day 1).
 
TheSilverSurfer

TheSilverSurfer

Member
DAY 6

The diary continues ... As suggested by 'nanofeefing4fun' I added a piece of dead raw shrimp, (in a small glass bowl so it stays put). Have been advised to leave it in for 3 or 4 more days until it decomposes ...

Below are my day 6 test results, (similar to day 4 really):

26 degrees
1.024 salinity (increased this from 1.021 as suggested)
8.4 PH
0.25 Ammonia
0.05 Nitrite
20 Nitrate

Still no brown algae phase although reef base not as white as before. Expecting this to happen shortly.

Since putting the shrimp in loads of things have appeared from my rock, mainly at night, including; numerous mini shrimp like creates scuttling all over the rocks, a snail, a slug like creature, a mini white anemone and what I think is some sort of starfish, with long thin hairy black tentacles, (I have only seen these 'feeler' tentacles coming out of various holes in the rock). Also noticed a couple of mushroom like things one of which is going fluorescent green.
 
echopiece

echopiece

Member
TheSilverSurfer said:
Since putting the shrimp in loads of things have appeared from my rock, mainly at night, including; numerous mini shrimp like creates scuttling all over the rocks, a snail, a slug like creature, a mini white anemone and what I think is some sort of starfish, with long thin hairy black tentacles, (I have only seen these 'feeler' tentacles coming out of various holes in the rock). Also noticed a couple of mushroom like things one of which is going fluorescent green.
Click to expand...

Sounds good! Get yourself some API test kits and keep testing your water daily. I had those exact same numbers for like 4 weeks and finally retested with API and found out I had 0's across the board. The Red Sea tests are garbage.

Sounds like you are seeing some copepods in the tank which is a really good sign! Also, the starfish is probably some sort of baby serpant star. I have them all over my tank. They can be a good part of the CUC.
 
TheSilverSurfer

TheSilverSurfer

Member
Hey echo .. thanks for that.. just googled and found that it is a brittle star.. same colours in the image I saw online so thats the one.. seems like a good hitchhiker in my rock according to reports online.. the shrimp like things don't look like copepods but who knows .....
 
nanoreefing4fun

nanoreefing4fun

Well-Known Member
RS STAFF
Love your new avatar, very nice !!!
1015.gif
 
Sapphire

Sapphire

Active Member
nice to have another thread to follow!!

I nealry used the pic you have as your avatar after I had a clown that jumped out of my tank!! (it wasn't out for long!!)
 
TheSilverSurfer

TheSilverSurfer

Member
DAY 8

The diary continues ... well the piece of shrimp has now gone after chopping it into pieces .. water smelling much more 'ocean like' and not as pungent as when first put rocks in.

Below are my day 8 test results, (similar to day 6 but falling slightly):

26 degrees
1.024 salinity
8.4 PH
0.15 Ammonia
0.05 Nitrite
10 Nitrate

Brown algae appearing on the top rocks and also little bubbles which i believe to be nitrogen bubbles from inside the rocks. The mini anemone thing is still there since the beginning ... i quite like it whatever it is ...

Turned the lights on in the middle of night again to see two baby brittle starfish, (so thats what they were), that had hitchhiked with the rock, but they quickly went back into their holes again. Four or five mini white starfish also and of course the numerous shrimpy things that scamper in and out of the holes of the rocks.

Next week if the levels go down even more, I will consider adding some CUC, snails probably.
 

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tnwillia

tnwillia

Well-Known Member
Looking great. The little shrimp things may be Amphipods, lot bigger than Copepods and great to have in your tank! The silver tank looks a lot better than I thought it would.
 
Reefmack

Reefmack

NaClH2O Addicted
PREMIUM
Agree with Tom - the shrimpy things Are probably amphipods:

Melevsreef.com - Amphipod

Here's one I recently had fall off a media bag I removed from the tank:

amphipod.jpg


As Tom said, they're much larger than typical teeny sized pods.
 
TheSilverSurfer

TheSilverSurfer

Member
Thanks guys .. silver is my favourite colour so I bought it! And yes 'tnwilla' ... you are right about the amphipods as I just googled them and thats exactly what they are ....

Just need to find out what that mini anemone thing is now :)
 
TheSilverSurfer

TheSilverSurfer

Member
Current set up before my tropical tank goes next week .. boohoo .. can you spot The Silver Surfer?
 

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TheSilverSurfer

TheSilverSurfer

Member
Question:

Should I add phytoplankton to the tank in preparation for corals. I spoke to a company, link below, that said, you can feed flex even with no corals and
just with live rock as this feeds zooplankton within the rock which intern
will then feed your corals when you add them?

Any suggestions .. my brittle starfish and amphipods must be starving?

link: Phytoplankton MicroAlgae Feeds - Phyto Plus Online Store
 
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