Chris - RSM 250

[Chris Taylor]

Hi

I'm presently resident in Muscat, Oman as an expat. Its a 2 year posting so figured it was long enough to do another marine tank. I've had 2 marines (and heaps of freshwater) in the past and have ultimately taken a freshwater rig and modified the hell out of it to make it semi reefworthy with some degree of success.

The RSM struck me for its plug and play-ability and am largely happy with it. My only critisism at present being the additional required investment in a chiller when the tank bobbed up to 32 C despite the aircon running at 25 C.. Otherwise I'm really happy with the tank.

Some history over the last 6 weeks, over which I've been loitering:

Livestock supply (and pretty much any supply) here is pretty limited so when you see it, get it. Pretty impulsive in a way but I've gotten used to using wikipedia's fishy guide in the shop if we see anything.

Bought the tank and was given around 30kg free live rock from the LFS sump as he was redoing his shop. I've got a bed of fine beach sand substrate about 10-13cm deep. The tank cycled in around a week with the use of a bacteria additive. I added a clown fish and anemone after a few more days of testing and gently convinced the clownfish (Krusty) with a stick that the only safe place to be was the anemone. She took to it within 2 days and has been happily ensconced ever since. With this I also bought a few mushrooms and a beautiful feather-duster.

I waited a few weeks and bought a dottyback (diadema - yellow bugger with a punk-pink stripe down his back) and a couple of starfish along with all the snails left over in the LFS empty tanks. I also bought a white pipe anemone with a bright green core. The Pseudochromis Diadema has settled well and moves around the tank confidently.

A couple of weeks ago, while driving down the coast my wife spotted hermit crabs so we collected a load, and some more snails and managed to complete the clean up crew with this.

Tonight I added a coral beauty and another small anemone. The coral beauty's still hiding in the rocks and the anemone is tumbling around the tank and hasn't attached yet.

I'm pretty confident the coral beauty will come out but am a little worried about the small anemone not finding a home as he brushed up against the other one earlier (who himself has grown from the size of a cup to the size of a saucer in 4 weeks or so).

Am I right to be worried about the little wanderer, or will he settle (it dawned on me an hour or so ago that he wasn't attached to anything at the LFS)?

I'd like to thank everyone for their posts over the last 6 weeks or so its been pretty informative, particularly the stuff about LED lighting, which is toying around in my mind.

Regards


Chris

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

to ReefSanctuary and the RSM Club, a real Sanctuary of reef forums, with lots of very nice members

Post us some pics

 

[BigAl07]

Sounds like you're off to a good start.

I'd be concerned about any anemone in such a young tank. Even the best of us have to allow the tank to mature and stabilize some before adding such a sensitive animal to the stocking list. Just keep an eye on both of them.

 

[Chris Taylor]

I'm not overly worried about anemone number 1. He's flourishing and has more than doubled in size since introducing him. Testament either to the LFS poor conditions or the acceptability of the RSM; I don't know.

An update on #2 (ignoring the pipe anemone who's also flourishing): The lights aren't on yet and couldn't find him at all. Started wondering whether #1 had chomped him overnight. After fetching the torch, he's found a comfy, quiet spot deep under the live rock, in a gap. He still hasn't attached to anything and gently drifts from side to side (less than 1 cm each way). Soooo, do I leave him to get comfy and move himself around when he's ready, strip the tank down and get him out (only to have him do it again), or just suck it and see, leaving him to his own demise if he's not happy to attach, or move? It's gonna be difficult feeding him in there (unless he finds the coral beauty who has still not come out) and he's going to get no light either..

Generally the tanks's good with no ammonia, no nitrites and barely detectable nitrates, I've not done a water change in the 6 weeks since set-up and measure Ammonia, Nitrite, Nitrate, Phosphate, Calcium and PH weekly; they're all good. Skimmer's working a treat. I've had the diatom, brown slime, green slime algae and am now tailing off with some hair algae. Pics to follow once this has reduced. Interestingly I bought a cheap chinese 130 Max knock-off for my wife (glad she's taken an interest) which LFS installed for her. They used normal seawater and excellent live rock and after 4 weeks she's still showing nitrites and has had no algae at all...

I have also taken out the charcoal added extra ceramic filter medium, added a canister to drive the chiller (taken the sponge out but left the ceramics in).

Generally the tank's pretty sweet.

 

[Chris Taylor]

And so, one of the starfish found the anemone and ate half its face off. Anemone now removed and in the deep-freezer while I contemplate the fate of my starfish. Either a drive to the beach, or the fishy shop.