29 Oceanic Bio-Cube Journal

[AnotherLousy1]

Well, since I'm not only new here, but also to saltwater, having a tank that's only 5 weeks old, I figured this would be a good place/time to start a journal of my adventures to "the dark side"

You can see my original introduction thread here:

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/meet-greet-forum/18201-new-reef-sanctuary-saltwater.html

and I figured this would be a good place to start adding some photos of what I have and also add a few things I forgot concerning my biocube in the introduction thread.

I also use a 50 watt heater, tank temperature seems to stay between 80-82 degrees, and the heater is essentially there for cooler nights, although, this probably will not be necessary considering we are coming up on the summer months. I'm hoping with my lighting/fan upgrade, the more powerful fans will keep it at around 78-80 instead. For a little extra flow (66 gph) I have a rio mini 50 in the back left corner. Seems to keep plenty of flow around the tank.

I also have seagel running in the first chamber and chemi-pure running in the third chamber and must say since putting both in and upgrading the stock pump, the water is clear, clear, clear ... other than a few micro-bubbles that I'm working on due to the protein skimmer needing to settle in a bit. I also add 10 drops of aragamilk daily for calcium, carbonate buffer, and trace elements.

As far as stocking, I forgot about my star polyps ... and as I said in my intro post, I'm trying my hardest to leave things were there are as I have learned the hard way from my freshwater tanks, patience is a virture ... though I have to admit, the new saltwater tank is more than EXCITING!!!!

Anyway, enough chit chat, here are a few photos from the tank thus far.

FTS

FTS Angle

Star Polyps

Purple/Orange Ricordea

Peppermint Shrimp

On a side note, just finished taking water parameters today and they are as follows:

Calcium - 420
Phos - .25
Ammonia - .1
Not sure where this is coming from as the tank is cycled and I have seen everyone/everything in the tank alive and well
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - < 5
PH - Off the chart (higher than 8.6)
I'm a bit concerned about this, I get my RO water pre-mixed with salt from LFS, not sure why it's higher than 8.6 though, test could be wrong? I use the hagen master test kit. Then again, I'm wondering if daily drops of aragamilk is doing this, though it states it should not hinder the PH. I may go to every other day and see how this works. Opinions on this????

Thanks for checking this thread out, I will be posting more as the days pass.

AnotherLousy1
(Lynnette)

 

[boozeman]

niiiice!!!

 

[saltwaterfarm]

Great pics. I don't dose anything so I can't help with that... I would say that a water change would probably be a good idea and test your water change water first to see if that is the problem. Good luck!

 

[blue_eyes53813]

Very nice.. I like the your rock work.. Looks good

 

[lcstorc]

I would double check the test with another kit or take some water to the lfs for them to test. I have never heard of PH that high.
I do not dose anything I don't test for. Basically that means I use a 2 part calc/alk supplement or a mag supplement when needed. In reality I rarely need to add mag and the calc/alk isn't even that often since the salt I use is very balanced according to my test.

 

[AnotherLousy1]

Thanks for the comments everyone!

Lisa, I thought about a water change, as I just performed one on Tuesday, but I must admit, I have been a bad first time with my little biocube. In the fresh water world, I got so used to my parms being "normal" let's say, I hadn't really tested PH in this tank :::slapping self on hand::: lesson learned though, will continue to do so.

And Lynn, I think that's what I will do, just to make sure my test hasn't gone bad, take it down to the LFS. In fact, I've heard of a newer one in town, where the guy has 18 years of salt experience, started as a hobbiest and he's turned it into an aquarium business. Supposed to have some of the best LR and critters around town. So that will be a plus there.

Thanks again everyone, I will update again when I know more of what's going on with the PH. BTW, I did NOT dose with the aragamilk today, will test first thing in the morning and see if I get the same results as today. If so, down to the LFS tomorrow evening. I've been watching my corals and critters carefully and everyone still seems content in the tank. :::shrugs and hopes it's just my test being bad:::

Lynnette

 

[AnotherLousy1]

Hello everyone. Update on the tank today.

Good news:

Ammonia went from .1 to 0 - not sure what could have sent it up to .1 (however, see bad news)

Bad news:

1 Peppermint shrimp has gone missing (although some will say peppermints are evil and this is good news. LOL)
I've looked everywhere in the tank, can't find her (looked like she was carrying eggs), have looked in chambers 1, 2 and 3 of the biocube and don't see her either. Maybe this was the reason had a small amount of ammonia? Could have sworn I saw her yesterday before my initial entry, but may have been the other one in the tank.

Not so sure news:

My hagen master test kit has both a low and high PH test (seperate chemicals) today, just for giggles, not only did I test the high again, which appeared off the chart, was more of a purple color than the dark blue at 8.6. I decided to try the low PH test. I've been so used to testing my PH with the high test on my freshwater tanks, I just assumed it would be the same. HOWEVER, since I'm getting my water pre-mixed from the LFS, maybe it's lower on the scale.

Anyway, in performing the test, it DID go past the color of blue with the low PH chemical, however, when comparing it to the high PH, it looks to be around 8.3 ... so here's my plan, going to go to the LFS that I get my water from and ask what their PH is on the premix along with taking a sample down there. Then going to pick up a wide range PH test so there's no further confusion down the road. WHEW!

I was able to take a couple more shots again today. Yesterday my toadstool was not fully open, however today, it's open and beautiful, so I thought I would share that along with my baby pulsating xenia, and some red shrooms. ENJOY and as always feel free to comment.

Xenia

Red Mushrooms (with a camera happy snail in the shot)

Toadstool Leather

Thanks for taking a peek!

Lynnette

 

[lcstorc]

Everything looks good and happy. 8.3 is perfect for the ph. Hopefully that was the correct test and all is well. Did you test nitrite? It should have gone up when the amonia was converted to nitrite. Hopefully it will just pass out of the system in a day or two.

 

[saltwaterfarm]

The eggs from the peppermint could easily have caused the ammonia issue. Glad it seems to be working itself out. Comparing test results is always a good idea!

 

[KimPossible]

Nice Lynette! Those two lone stalks of zenia will be lone no more in a short time. I havent seen that snail before in the same pic... cool markings...what kind is it?

 

[AnotherLousy1]

LYNN - YES, I hope the 8.3 PH reading is correct as well. I didn't dose yesterday with my aragamilk, just in case (at least until I get everything straightened out with all my readings). I will find out more later on today after the tank is up and lit for awhile. Also going to take some water to my LFS where I get my salt mix and not only ask what they're PH is, but have them do the test on my tank water. I didn't measure for nitrates or nitrites yesterday, but as I said, plan on checking out all tests today again.

Lisa - I'm kinda of wondering the same thing, either eggs or the shrimp itself has just fell victim to the tank for whatever reason. Hopefully performing all tests today will show everything is back to normal. I've vowed to myself whether the parms were good or not, to not add anything to the tank (again, that is sooooo difficult because I am like a kid in a candystore at the LFS all over again with this new salt tank) - to put myself off, I have some livestock room in my 85 gallon fresh, so will be looking for some freshwater goodies instead. Not as excited I must admit, but should hold me off. LOL

Kim - Those xenia have actually grown since I've gotten them believe it or not. The stalk of the larger one was only about 1/2 thickness ... I love watching it grab at the water column, reminds me of the little plant heads out of "Little Shop Of Horrors" for some reason. I told my husband, I was even going to name the entire plant "Audrey II" LMAO!

As for the snails, they're a type of nerite snail. As I understand there are several types of markings they can have on them. They're supposed to be more for the sand, but these little guys spend more time on the glass with the cerith and astreas than down on the ground sifting my sand. Oh well, the entire tank needs love ... guess that's why there are gobies!

On a little side note to the tank itself, I ordered a new canopy from nanotuners late yesterday. I had already ordered the 4.36 lighting upgrade, however, when I was looking at the existing canopy, I didn't want to take a chance of adding extra stress to everyone with taking the canopy off, and no lights during that time. Also was worried about my DIY experience, and thought "what if I mess the canopy up" then I would have to wait for another. So instead, I just ordered and will be doing the light upgrade to the canopy coming in next week. WOOHOO!

Thanks for keeping up with my salty adventure. Really appreciate any and all input.

Lynnette

 

[AnotherLousy1]

3/31 - Tank parameter update

While at the LFS today, I picked up a Salifert PH test, come to find out, my Hagen tests are a bit off. Might just have to pick up all Salifert tests and see how things work out. Oh yeah, yesterday, finally got in my new refractometer, so adding my salinity readings as well.

Salinity - 1.025
PH - 8.0 (a little low???)
Calcium - 440
Phos - .25
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - < 5

Again, I haven't dosed with the argamilk in the last 2 days ... however, it appears my calcium is up by 20, so maybe the argamilk will be a once a week thing instead of daily. Will keep up with the measurements just to be sure.

That's about it for this update, provided my params stay where they are over this week, I'm thinking of adding a yellow watchman goby and pistol shrimp next weekend. Would that be rushing being the tank will only be 6 weeks old?

Thanks for keeping tabs on this thread.

Lynnette

 

[lcstorc]

How long have your paramaters been stable? I would wait to add fish until the paramaters are good and stable for at least a week. They look pretty good now but i am not sure how long they have been that way.

 

[saltwaterfarm]

Good advice Lynn.

On another note... back to the peppermint... I noticed when mine had eggs that hatched, a lot of the time there would be a "shed" right after. Your peppermint may just be hiding after her molt... Just an idea...

 

[aquaman3680]

looks good man!

Matt

 

[AnotherLousy1]

Thanks Aquaman, really appreciate it!

Lisa - yeah, I've noticed a molt off of one of the peppermints before, so I do know what to look for. Although, I must admit, it freaked me out the first time I saw an entire translucent shrimp staring at me from the other side of the acrylic. LOL

LYNN - Other than the .1 on the ammonia on the 29th which by the 30th went back down to 0, my ammonia, nitrites and nitrates have stayed pretty much at the last reading since the cycle completed. I wasn't going to add fish for at least another week provided my params stay where they are from yesterday. I was just asking if 6 weeks was too early. Trying my darndest not to rush rush rush, no matter how exciting it is.

Thanks everyone for the advice and compliments!

Lynnette

 

[AnotherLousy1]

Last night, was out by the LFS and happened across some Cheato. I had been reading quite a bit on another forum about the "soap dish refugium", so I thought, what the heck, let's give it a try. My only problem now is there are tons of microbubbles around the soap dish and cheato and in the tank itself. I've got another thread going about this problem:

http://www.reefsanctuary.com/forums/just-starting-out-sw-beginners/18346-cheato-addition.html

And have been told to have "patience glasshoppah" <heh> Thanks BigAl!!!!

Anyway, here's the photo of it. I have placed it in front of my primary flow for now and may eventually move my other powerhead to flow under it as Al did. I'm going to wait a couple days and see how things pan out.

I have to admit, I hate all those little bubbles in my tank. :::snarl:::

Lynnette

 

[blue_eyes53813]

Ahh there is the little soap dish.. Good idea... congrats on your patience grasshoppah,,, lol

 

[AnotherLousy1]

YES, there is the soap dish Blue_Eyes, in all it's bubbled glory. LMAO!

I also wanted to post another little piece o' rock I picked up last night while at the LFS (who now owns most of my checkbook because of this new tank <heh>) with some cool zooanthids on it.

When I got the zoos home and all acclimated, I was putting some superglue gel on the bottom of the rock to attach it and happened to notice a little critter on left side. Doesn't look like zoos to me, in fact, the best way I can describe it is it looks like a miniature human heart (ok, well at least medical photos I've seen). Anyway, here's a little closer photo of it, best I could do for now because of the way the tank is sitting.

As another note, tank parms are still remaining stable today after testing:

Salinity - 1.025
PH - 8.0
Calcium - 440
Phos - .25
Ammonia - 0
Nitrite - 0
Nitrate - < 5

Thanks for keeping up with me and my tank. Hoping my parms stay stable, really excited about getting that goby and pistol shrimp.

Lynnette

 

[lcstorc]

Looks like things are going well. Glad to hear you have so much patience. It will pay off in the long run.