29 Gallon Hex Build

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BillyD918

Aquarium Advice Activist
Joined
Jan 24, 2011
Messages
103
Location
Florida
Hey everyone just want to post up some pics of my tank since putting water and LR in it yesterday.

Today's tests
PH: 8.2
Ammonia: 1.0
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 0

Tell me what yall think. Thanks!
Billy

first day when i put water in under the 4 LED's
img_1214519_0_55a9b4735244042532a590e92733669f.jpg


cloudy water under the actinic blue lights
img_1214519_1_5d22d88690d9d32aefd383c6c6b36feb.jpg


again except under 10k white's
img_1214519_2_0698b32f5ca287a50b891b7d5e3bf41e.jpg
 
pics of LR

pic from the right side of the tank
img_1214768_0_ea2b12b5b285b14d65654081152cf723.jpg


left side
img_1214768_1_2e304479667af909cd4dee623c3370da.jpg


right side again
img_1214768_2_2902874b5b6cf58dc050347f38c8c328.jpg


Tell me what yall think. Any advice is appreciated.
 
Looks really nice i like the lighting! the glass looks like it is going to be really hard to keep clean though, i know my hex has lots of tricky areas. What are you thinking of putting in there fish/invert/coral wise??
 
I think a mountain of live rock right in the middle would look cool. Fish could swim all the way around plus it would be easier to keep all the glass clean.
 
Sorry it took forever for me to reply had some technical dificulties.

But anyways, so ive been doing water tests everyday and the highest ammonia got was 2.0ppm. Is that going to be high enough for the cycle? I still have the raw shrimp in the tank and will test again today when i get off work.

Salinity is stable at 1.025
PH was 8.2
Ammonia as of last night was .50ppm
Nitrite was 2.0ppm
and Nitrate was 20ppm

As for fish I think i only want a pair of clowns, dont know which kind yet, as for the CUC im clueless and the same for corals. Any advice?

Oh also, I'm having a problem with my protein skimmer, it's a Reef Octopus BH100, and im getting alot of micro bubbles coming through the return pipe into my tank. Any ideas? I'll try and post a picture when i get off.
 
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if i was you i'd consider using a completely different tank as a reef tank. they are very hard to do anything in- coral placement, accomplishing the right flow, lighting, viewing, and of course swimming room.

a 30 breeder would be an awesome tank to use as a reef. the same water volume, but an excellent footprint.

as for the octo skimmer, let it break in for a week or so and see if it clears up.
 
if i was you i'd consider using a completely different tank as a reef tank. they are very hard to do anything in- coral placement, accomplishing the right flow, lighting, viewing, and of course swimming room.

a 30 breeder would be an awesome tank to use as a reef. the same water volume, but an excellent footprint.

as for the octo skimmer, let it break in for a week or so and see if it clears up.


Ok I'll see where it is in a week, if it improves or not.

I dont want this tank to be a full reef tank just a starter tank, when i get back from the sand box I'll probably be getting either a 75g or 120g tank. So probably for now this 30g hex will be a FOWLR maybe one or two corals. Is that doable for now?
 
It will be fine for a first starter FOWLR. If you want to keep a few coral it shouldn't be a problem you will just have to put them at the top of your rock. It can be a little tricky to get good flow in a hex. You may need a small power head in the bottom half of the tank to keep the water circulating down there. Sounds like you are off to a good start.
 
It will be fine for a first starter FOWLR. If you want to keep a few coral it shouldn't be a problem you will just have to put them at the top of your rock. It can be a little tricky to get good flow in a hex. You may need a small power head in the bottom half of the tank to keep the water circulating down there. Sounds like you are off to a good start.

I think it has good flow IMO, the powerhead i have moves some of my sandbed into little mountain parts on opposite sides. I did have to angle my powerhead to go behind my LR first because if i didnt it shock my thermometer in the glass and i was afraid it would've busted it into my tank.
 
If you already have good flow then you are all set. Take some pictures for us so we can see the tank.
 
If you already have good flow then you are all set. Take some pictures for us so we can see the tank.

Will do when I get off work! Thanks for the advice. Also, going to test the water again after work so I'll post the results then to.
 
10 Feb 11 tests

So tonights round of tests are as follows:

Salinity: 1.026 (little high?)
Ph: 8.2
Ammonia: .25ppm
Nitrite: 1.0ppm
Nitrate: 40ppm (supposed to be this high??)

My ammonia only spiked to 2.0ppm is that high enough for the cycle? or should I get another shrimp and throw it in there?

But thats an update thus far, I'll post some pictures after dinner.
 
Ok some pics.

ok so these first ones are of my protein skimmer then i'll get to the tank.

this one is of the intake of my skimmer
img_1217145_0_880393fee237dd1d5c5e5f828e129dfe.jpg


this is the return side of the skimmer, might not be able to tell but theres alot of micro bubbles in there
img_1217145_1_944c47f264f04c6014ecf70e114cdc6d.jpg


And this is a snail of some sort i believe, might be a bad pic though, he's pretty much in the middle of the pic under the "bridge"
img_1217145_2_fe9b5af6c2fce45871f9756dae11a3e1.jpg
 
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.026 is good. that's what it is out at the reefs where we collect our livestock.
you don't need another shrimp.
 
For clean up crew I'd get a couple nassarius snails to keep the sand bed stirred up, blue legged hermits or halloween hermits would look good in there and help with algae/left over food, maybe some astraea snails or turbo snails too for algae control

For corals maybe some orange ricordeas or any mushroom really, plate coral, zoas...your light isnt that great so you would have to stick to the lower light corals..which are easier anyways :p
 
For clean up crew I'd get a couple nassarius snails to keep the sand bed stirred up, blue legged hermits or halloween hermits would look good in there and help with algae/left over food, maybe some astraea snails or turbo snails too for algae control

For corals maybe some orange ricordeas or any mushroom really, plate coral, zoas...your light isnt that great so you would have to stick to the lower light corals..which are easier anyways :p

i appreciate the reply and the advice!
 
13 Feb 11 round of tests

Salinity: 1.028 (high)
PH: 8.2
Ammonia: .25ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 20ppm

Would it be safe to add a CUC? if so any suggestions?
 
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