Kyle's RSM 250

[kyley]

Hey reefhusker,
Yeah, this weather stinks!

What's a BC 8? I got my tank from PetStore.com (AKA MarineDepot). Nobody here carried it, and I got a great deal for it... 15% off coupon + 5% Bing cashback + their $50 gift card promo... No, mine didn't have the new skimmer pump. I might call and see if I can get it.

I do plan to get a fire shrimp in awhile. I got my live rock from 3 different LFS (for bio diversity and different rock types). It was going to cost a lot to ship in and would also cause a lot more die off (longer cycle?).

Husker fan, huh? I'm a big Tiger fan - what a game at the beginning of the year... Turns out it was for the North title! I won't hate ya - my closest friend's a Husker fan here Too bad our team didn't show up for the bowl game. Take care,
--Kyle

 

[reefhusker]

BC8 is an all-in-one 8 gallon tank i used for a starter. Bad idea, too small, but i haven't had any catastrophies so i must be doing something right. Petstore.com is the same as marine depot? Did it ship direct from Texas? Did you use the sand that came with it? What about the salt? I see your water cleared up so thats good!
Later, Brad
-Quit stealing all our recruits! (Gabbert bros.) Theyll end up regretting it. Ha Ha

 

[nanoreefing4fun]

+2 Eddie replies ... exacts same here

 

[kyley]

All - I just got my first snails! Unfortunately, few in stock locally My son's very excited! He's named them already. I got 4 cerith (The Snoopy Sisters), 2 astraea (The Whitey Brothers), 1 tonga nassarius (Nate), 4 scarlet hermits (The Crabby Brothers), and 1 emerald crab (Emma) - for now...

reefhusker (Brad), yeah, it shipped direct from TX. I didn't have the "deluxe" kit like I thought (only difference is no sand). So, I bought 29 pounds of live sand and 40 pound bag of aragonite sand (dry). I used the salt that came with it, but bought Seachem Reef Salt to use after it's gone. The water cleared up - it was just really cloudy at first for some reason...

Did we get Gabbert's brother? I'd heard discussion about that but didn't know if that worked out. Next year should be fun. Basketball season now! Take care,

 

[Reefmack]

Congrats on the new CUC!

 

[redsea reefer]

Congrats on the new CUC!

+1...good choices.

 

[kyley]

Hi All,
I got my API test kit today so was able to test Phosphate for the first time. I got a reading of 0.5 ppm (although 0 and 0.5 look similar). Should I be concerned about these levels with a new tank? I've read a lot about ammonia, nitrite, nitrate in a new tank, but I don't really know where I should be on phosphate...

A couple other notes - the first pic (that I said looked kind of like a brittle star arm) is a digitate hydroid - I see several of them in the tank. Sounds like they may die off on their own eventually, but another unwelcome visitor.

I was also surprised to find a hitchhiker crab in my tank - after all this time! I couldn't see it well enough to get a pic, but I know where he hides - I'll get him out soon...

Terry, that one algae-like fauna in the aquarium - I still don't know what it is, but the hermits are eating it! Take care,

 

[Dweezil]

Kyle ~ I have those too. :tears: I started a thread on it Ugh Gross unfortunately, it does not seem there is an easy way to get rid of them but I find them disgusting. (of coarse I have this phobia) Mostly what I've been reading is to try and keep your nutrients really low. I did manage to kill a couple. One I nuked and one I super glued. Good luck and let me know if you have any luck. I think I've counted about 10 or 11 in my tank. Now that I know they are there I am constantly looking.

 

[Reefmack]

"Terry, that one algae-like fauna in the aquarium - I still don't know what it is, but the hermits are eating it!"

I guess it may have been an algae if the hermits are eating it. Strange stuff!

 

[redsea reefer]

Phosphates should be at 0 but Ive heard that our hobby test kits can't really tell us the true Phosphate readings. I don't even test for it myself..

 

[kyley]

Tammy, very sorry to hear you have the digitate hydroids as well. I don't seem to have had the best luck starting out - with digitate hydroids, colonial hydroids, aiptasia, and a bit of hair algae I'm trying to get rid of the 1st 3 as much as possible (not sure how on the digitate hydroids though), but it seems to be a bit of a losing battle. I'm hoping with my efforts (tweezers on the colonial hydroids and aiptasia-x and a peppermint (soon) on the aiptasia) that I'll be able to keep them in check at least.

One thing I've quickly learned - if possible, take the rock out of the tank for the battle with hydroids, aiptasia, etc. It's a lot easier than reaching into the tank. Plus, if the aiptasia spreads when destroyed - hopefully they'll spread into the trash water.

Perhaps a silly question - Tammy, you mentioned keeping the nutrients low - what exactly does nutrients refer to? Fish food? Or things like Nitrites / Nitrates? Or...? Pardon my ignorance...

I'm a little concerned about the Phosphate level. I need to read up on how to lower it. Hopefully it's 0 and I'm just misreading it... Any idea if it's more common to have a reading in a newer tank and would drop naturally?

I was very happy to find that my Nitrate level is already at 0 now! I thought it might take a bit longer for that to drop. Take care,

 

[redsea reefer]

Kyle - Nutrients are organic's e.g fish and coral food, fish poop, Nitrates and Phosphates in tank water or fresh SW and top off water. You can use Chemi-pure-Elite or GFO to help remove Phosphates and using 0-5 TDS water...

 

[Reefmack]

It's been ages since I've tested for phosphates - maybe I should, but I'm not having any algae problems.

 

[kyley]

Got it, thanks Well, no fish and coral food yet, no fish poo yet, and Nitratres just dropped to 0 - so I should be getting low on nutrients then! My RO/DI Unit has been reporting 0 TDS, so I should be good there. I already bought some Chemi-Pure Elite, but going to make use of the Red Sea Carbon for the first several months (rather not waste it).

Trying to get a lot done this weekend - setup my ATO properly (had to order in a powerhead for it), setting up a Quarantine Tank, and trying to get rid of as much of the aiptasia and hydroids as I can (and remove that crab I found)... Thanks,

 

[kyley]

I captured the little crab I'd found - it's tiny (less than 1/2"); I kind of feel like a big bully:

I'll try to take it to a LFS and see if they'd give it a home... Hard to imagine this little guy could do much damage, but I won't take the chance.

I also found a cool chiton in my tank!

Here's a pic of two of our new inhabitants - "Emma":

And "Minty" (what can I say, my son is 6 and picks the names) We just added Minty today:

Quick question on serpent stars - everyone talks about the banded serpent stars - but would any of these three be OK?
Red Serpent Sea Star
Tiger-Striped Serpent Sea Star
Banded Serpent Sea Star
Think there is any difference in the care, compatibility, or hardiness of those 3? If not, I'd prefer to get the red! Take care,

 

[Reefmack]

Nice update and pictures. The crab looks like good one to get out of the tank - little guys become big guys and are trouble later. Cool find on the chiton - good to have! Nice new addi(c)tions too!

 

[Nowellsy SNR]

Cool pics

 

[mbdave]

Phosphate is so much easier to get rid of than years back. When I ran my max stock I would just throw some ferric oxide in a sock in the back where water would run through it and it would be down in a few days. Just recently my little tank got high phosphate and I put GFO in an old aqua clear hang on filter tested 2-3 days later could not detect it, "good stuff".
Well guys and gals "I disagree" I say get more snails and hermits, at least 1 per gallon have those rocks sparkle!

 

[redsea reefer]

nice update and pics Kyle...

 

[kyley]

Hi All,
So I turned the lights on for more than a couple hours a day starting Friday. Here it is Sunday night and I'm seeing this all over the glass:

Is this hair algae or something else? Should I be concerned?

Maybe I should have the lights on for only a couple hours until I have more snails? Right now it's just 4 ceriths, 2 astreas, and 2 tonga nassarius... Any advice is welcomed.

Also, there's always something else to be found! Look at this little star I found on the back glass!

Take care,