Here We Go Again!

[GeeWizzItsMe]

Thanks! That really helped me! It is the best because it is the only hang-on skimmer in all of the LFS, and the only other skimmers at all are coralife...

[GeeWizzItsMe]

BTW, sorry for asking this question on your chronicle! I can't wait to see your tank in a year!!! Karma!

[Melanie]

Oh, I don't mind any "off-topic" discussion on my chronicle. Ask away.

[caitrina]

Originally Posted by Melanie

If the feather duster comes all the way out, do I need to find him? Will he die?

He will hopefully go in under or around some rock and will build another tube on his own. He may or may not die. I have had some die and then there were a few that I thought were dead and one day saw a little flock of feathers in the back side of my tank and was one that had rebuilt a tube and grew new feathers. I was never fortunate enough to see where they crawled when they left the tube either.

[lcstorc]

Originally Posted by GeeWizzItsMe

So the pro would be okay for my 30? They are on sale for 100 at my lfs...

Save a bit more money and get an Aqua C Remora from one of our sponsor. Way better skimmer amd I think I paid 160. You will save headaches and money by going for the better skimmer.

[GeeWizzItsMe]

The thing is my dad hates buying online, so I don't think we could do that... sorry again melanie!

[Melanie]

Originally Posted by lcstorc

Save a bit more money and get an Aqua C Remora from one of our sponsor. Way better skimmer amd I think I paid 160. You will save headaches and money by going for the better skimmer.

I hear ya. Mine was a great price FREE. he he he. And I'm only using it on the QT with one fish and no corals. So it doesn't get much of a work out.

[Melanie]

I did so much to the tank yesterday!

I added my refugium. I got a great deal on a HOB fuge that I placed on a small stand beneath/behind my tank. I used 5 lbs. caribsea LS mixed with a booster pack of Fiji Mud. I mixed it up like cookie dough, but when it settled the mud went to the top and the sand went to the bottom. I added a few small pieces of South Pacific Birdsnest base rock that has been curing with LR for over a month in a separate tank. I also replaced the bioballs that came with the fuge with a handful of LR rubble that had also been curing. I put in two giant handfuls of chaeto that I bought at the same store. My fuge came with all the tubes and piping, a Rio 600 pump, a 24 wt waterproof light with stand, a surface skimmer box (which I didn't use) and it only cost $150. It's 4.25" wide, 24" long, 11" high. I hooked it up to my digital timer strip which turns the fuge light on the opposite schedule of the DT. 6:30 PM to 6:30 AM.







I did about a 7 gal. water change and added a few more gallons because of the new fuge. I cleaned the algae off the glass, siphoned detritus off the rocks, siphoned detritus out of the sump, and cleaned the sponges and filter floss. I also pulled the bubble algae rock out and used a razor knife to remove all the bubble algae.

I added a torch coral, two ricordias, and a red mushroom rock. Everything got 2 hr. drip acclimation and 10 min. iodine dip.

I couldn't stand the look of no hood on the tank but it blocked the fans on the lights so they got extremely hot. But I also wanted to keep my firefish from jumping out of the tank so I came up with a solution. I had my hubby cut two neat squares in my hood and allow for air circulation. It looks GREAT and is functional.





On the QT, which is beginning to look like a nano, I trimmed the egg crate I keep on the top to prevent jumpers, so that it fits inside the lip of the tank perfectly. I removed the sponge from the HOB filter because I've been battling nitrates in that tank since I set it up. I'm trying different things. I added about 2 or 3 lbs. of LR from my stash of about 100 lbs. that has been curing in a separate tank. I also threw in a small wad of chaeto and added a light that is 50/50 actinic and daylight. I think it's called a power compact or something, but I got it for free so I never really researched it. I also took Hermes, the red-legged hermit back to the LFS. I also took his 2 favorite shells to "change clothes". He just wasn't happy in the 10 gal. and he was too wicked for the DT and he was too big for a fuge that is only 4.25" wide! I want him to have a happy home. I will miss him terribly.

Today I will do my water tests and HOPEFULLY get a GFI outlet installed behind my tank. I called an electrician but it is a holiday weekend, so I don't know if he'll come or not. Hubby said it's too technical for him to do because there is no outlet on that wall at all. New wires have to be run from the attic and I needed an electrician to do that. Right now I have three powerstips in a chain connected to one outlet. There is a major fire hazard going on back there.

(Forgive me. The photos were taken this morning while the tank was asleep.)

[Melanie]

My cute little QT.

[lcstorc]

Glad to hear things are progressing so nicely.
Definitely get that electrician out there asap. Even I would be scared of the daisy chained powerstrips.
Everything looks great. You have to have the cutest qt ever seen and the display is coming along great.

[GeeWizzItsMe]

Can't wait to see the torch!

[Dentoid]

Nice work Melanie!

[Melanie]

Thank you Lynn and Dentoid and GWIM.

Here are some photos taken once the tank woke up, you may have seen them in the slide show I posted earlier...



New ricordia and a very fast growing yellow polyp...


My new torch! It's as gorgeous and flowing as an anemone, but not as dangerous.


Perhaps the prettiest piece in my tank. A beautiful and healthy yellow fiji leather after it got extended.


This is a little maroonish/black sponge? that has been slowing growing on my LR.


Bushy little star polyps


I saw my brain extend its tentacles? for the first time last night.


I love the dark red corraline that is growing over some of my rocks.


A scarlet hermit hanging out under one of my many ledges.


I finally pulled all the bubble algae off of the big zoa rock. I decided to do it because the crabs couldn't keep up with it's reproduction and I didn't want it spreading all over the tank.


The colors on this rock are just perfect.

[lcstorc]

Some beautiful pics there. Your reef has really come a long way in a short time. Keep up the good work.

[hma]

your reef looks wonderfull melanie.