Intro

[claudiabkr]

Hi everyone! :hallo: I've just started a 15 gal tall nano reef a week ago. So far all it has is 20 lbs of Fiji LR, 20lbs of sand and the stock Eclipse 1 lighting and filtration, but I have a 32w Smartpac retrofit coming.
I'm sure I'll learn a lot here.
Claudia

 

[ReefLady]

Very cool! I had an eclipse hood once... love the look. The PC retro will definitely brighten things up.

Welcome to ReefSanctuary! :bigbounce

 

[Maxx]

Welcome to RS Claudia!!
BTW, any time you post up about your tank...you need to show pics. Its a rule.......somewhere.....I think.

Nick

 

[Woodstock]

Welcome to Reef Sanctuary Claudia!!! :hallo:

 

[ReefLady]

Don't listen to Maxx, he's had too many bananas.

But you got any pics?

 

[Gina]

:welcomera to the Sanctuary Claudia! Have you checked out our Nano threads? Pics? Who said pics?

 

[mkpaulson]

:welcomera :hallo:

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Welcome Claudia! Go gang Green, eh?

 

[NHLblues44]

Welcome to RS Claudia!

 

[claudiabkr]

I hope this works as I'm a pic uploading virgin. Here's a couple of shots of my new tank. It's in the diatom stage so the rocks don't look as good as they did when I first got them. The rocks are just stacked against each other without any epoxy but I think maybe I should epoxy them as I'm afraid they'll come crashing down if one of the dogs (we have two great danes) bumps into the stand. Let me know what you think of my aquascaping.

 

[Gina]

Looks good! I would make sure that they are stable. Either, tie or use the epoxy. Can't wait to see it when you start adding stock!

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Awesome claudia, where are you in the cycling process of your tank?

 

[claudiabkr]

It'll be 2 weeks on Sunday since I set it up. It was originally my oldest son's Christmas gift, but I kinda took over, poor kid. He's itching to get some fish in there, but I'm hoping he'll settle for picking out some snails and crabs next week.

 

[gussy]

Did you remove the bio-wheel?

 

[Craig Manoukian]

Two weeks is way too soon to add livestock. 6 to 8 weeks gives the denitrifying bacteria time to populate.

 

[Witfull]

... picking out some snails and crabs next week.

~~Crabs Are Evil~~

 

[claudiabkr]

No I haven't removed the Bio-wheel. Should I? We ended up getting 2 Astrea snails, a cowrie snail, and a sally lightfoot crab that will probably go back to the store (or fed to the cats) as it's really agressive towards anything that moves (even tries to get your hand through the glass) and has eaten one of the fan worms and the two mini stars are now MIA. On the good side, it did get rid of the bit of bubble algae that I noticed on one of the rocks and has been busy eating the diatoms.

I installed a 32w PC retrofit this past weekend. What a difference that made. I also found out late last night while flashlight gazing, that someone has released the Krakken in my tank! There's a monster bristle worm that's as big as my pinky (and I don't have skinny, delicate fingers!) This worm is huge!

 

[gussy]

I removed my Bio-Wheel as it will increase your Nitrates. I have them on my freshwater tank, but removed them from the saltwater tank. What I did was add a small bag of carbon on top of the filter pad arranged in a way not to block the water flow.