10g nano (new pics 8/23)

[clearerphish]

This is my first post here. Someone who bought my old 55g fw recommended this forum, and it's been very helpful, so thanks!

1st time sw aquarist, been into fw for a while. I'm in the process of developing a 55g reef for my home, so I set an unused 10g up in my office so I could get some practice. I put the LS/LR in yesterday afternoon, but this morning a good bit of the particulate matter is still suspended. I understand from reading (jeez, have I done a lot of reading in the last few months!) that this is pretty normal the 1st time you put the sand in the tank.

My question:
I have a small HOB filter that I have taken the pads out of and put LS/LR rubble in to make a refugium-ish type contraption. i intend to drop some chaetomorph and a light in soon. I also have a small powerhead. Should I turn these off to let the sand settle or leave them on? I've ben leaving them on but I am afraid that I'm helping the particulate matter stay suspended.

So leave 'em on or turn 'em off for a while?

 

[Sadielynn]

Let them on it wont hurt .But do clean out the impellars as they can seize... if you have an extra HOB you could use place that on with a sponge this will collect the small pieces and help clear it up .. It should only take a few days to clear .... If you used dry sand it may take a bit longer but it will settle down...
Welcome

 

[clearerphish]

Let them on it wont hurt .But do clean out the impellars as they can seize... if you have an extra HOB you could use place that on with a sponge this will collect the small pieces and help clear it up .. It should only take a few days to clear .... If you used dry sand it may take a bit longer but it will settle down...
Welcome

I used that caribsea stuff that was in the bag and wet. Hoping when I get back in the office on monday it'll be clear. Monday the 2 big boxes from Drs. Foster and Grant get here with lights and all sorts of other goodies.

 

[roka64]

WELCOME TO AA!!

Please do not cycle with live animals.
Sadielynn gave some great advice. When you do your 55G, you can rinse the sand before you put it in. My first 55G, I didn't rinse the sand and haven't had any problems, but I do clean out my phs on a regular basis. I would say, a 10G might be tough at work. Smaller tanks leave less room for error, and you will need to stay up on PWCs.

 

[clearerphish]

WELCOME TO AA!!

Please do not cycle with live animals.

Thanks - I won't, I promise.

I would say, a 10G might be tough at work. Smaller tanks leave less room for error, and you will need to stay up on PWCs.

That's okay, work's less than a mile from home, and the PWC's will be easy. I manage a print shop and get to work 30 min. before anything goes on, so I'll have plenty of time to do the PWCs. I'm down for the challenge, and I'm not going to put any fish in until my water params are spot on. And I got my seawater, sand and rock from the LFS, and added a bit of the cycle helping stuff as well, so I should be good to go over here as soon as everything checks out.

 

[roka64]

Sounds like a plan! Can't wait for some pics!

 

[clearerphish]

Hahaha here ya go - ain't she a beaut?



As you can see I took Sadie's advice and actually dumped all the sand/LR out of the HOB and replaced the pad to try and sift some of the sediment out - once it's cleared up a bit I'll take the pad out and put a few inches of sand and the LR back in it.

 

[Sadielynn]

Sweet !! I see rocks

 

[roka64]

Very nice! I would stir that sand and get those air pockets out. I see rocks too!

 

[clearerphish]

Very nice! I would stir that sand and get those air pockets out. I see rocks too!

Thanks! the pad is making all the difference in the world - I can almost see the back of the tank. As far as air pockets in the sand go, I have stirred the sand just now, but I poured the sand into the tank when the water was already in it so I don't understand how it could have air pockets? I did not see any bubbles release when I stirred the sand, so I'm hoping that's a good sign......

PS - my hands smell like the beach. I kind of like that.

 

[roka64]

Yeah, you are probably right about putting the sand in the tank with water already in it. I was just making sure...

 

[Sadielynn]

Just get out the coconut tanning loation
I would not think that there would be any air pockets either ....

 

[clearerphish]

More rocks!

 

[Sadielynn]

WOOT if you have access to a second tandum filter it will help lots if not just rinse the sponge a few times to remove excess junk .... then once it is cleared up you wont need to rinse HTH

 

[clearerphish]

Came into the office today to do a little work - Day 4

 

[Sadielynn]

ROCKS I SEE ROCKS very nice like the aquascaping

 

[roka64]

I like it, nice cave!

 

[clearerphish]

A couple boxes from Drs Foster & Smith showed up at the office today.

 

[Sadielynn]

Watch that heater if it has no thermostat as it can over heat .... Looking great .... one question where did you find your power head ?

 

[clearerphish]

Watch that heater if it has no thermostat as it can over heat .... Looking great .... one question where did you find your power head ?

The heater was just a backup - I got a visi-therm stealth from the good Drs. The powerhead I got at Petsmart, and I got another penguin ph (also from the good drs.) Which I may use as the primary, but so far I like the AC.