120g - Watching it fill

[Craig Manoukian]

Nice work, welcome to the addiction!

[Sweet Reef]

Week 4.5

Water - 23FE06
ph 8.3
am 0
nitrite 0
nitrate .5
kh 12
calc 475
sal 1.026

Things are going well. Our new lights have arrived (sig) and we love em! Since the tank is in a dining room the looks played a major roll and they fit great on top of the oak canopy w/top removed placing them 8" off the top of the water. Ive also added a Tunze wavebox...what a nice addition this has been along with the closed loop system after a little tuning.

Ive began adding more janitors, some each week basically. I have a HUGE red legged hermit! The star polps are doing good but could do better if the snails would stay off of it I think. Ive also added a 4 head Candy Cane which is my big favorite right now, its also doing wonderfull, all its sweepers were out last night and tonight too for the first time in 4 days.

We have also went through a diatom storm which only lasted about 5 days and is about gone. Now the green monster is starting to appear, no doubt due to the lights. Ive backed them down a tad..MH 9.5h - PC 14h - Lunars then at night in a attempt to control the monster and so the janitors can catch up some. I am also now stepping up water changes to twice a week at 10% and also changing the bag filter every 4 days.

So for now..its clean a little here and top off there and already lots of pictures....

[Craig Manoukian]

Great stuff, thanks for sharing! It took my tank 2 years to fully mature and stabilize. It was coincident with my last addition of livestock as each critter changed the bio chemical balance of the tank. Go slow and let it grow, eh?

[Sweet Reef]

Thanks Creig, I do know we are a looooong way off from being stabilized...in many respects! Things are progressing very well so far...but I hear what your saying and can use as much good direction at this point as I can get. There are full intentions on letting things ride for awhile now though.

I have picked up a weekend job at my LFS...yes thats right...im the guy in the SW area doing the dirty work as the guys who know it, are workin it out on the floor. But Im not doing it for the $$$ I have a great job. I asked to do it...for the ability to learn from it. The owner has seen me in there since Ive had my first tank and agreed to let me help him out.. and at the same time I get to learn more...plus get a little added credit as a bonus!

Just trying to share that I am willing to learn is all. The snails and hermits are beginings of a clean up crew.The corals were like drugs.....and after thinking about it my part time job is the dealer! ohhh no.... Im hooked!

[Craig Manoukian]

Originally Posted by Sweet Reef

Just trying to share that I am willing to learn is all. .... Im hooked!

Kudos for be willing to learn and getting a job at the LFS! Welcome to the addiction!

[JoJo]

just catching up to this build. came out really nice