55g FOWLR - new tank!

[dingusplease]

Lol it's a single six year old 2800k T12 bulb... just above candlelight in terms of reefkeeping usefulness

I have two full spectrum daylight t12s coming in the mail, but that's only until the 3g leds transfer to this tank.

 

[dingusplease]

Very confusing testing so far:
- all dry rock except two small LR pieces
- homemade frozen fish food added Wednesday 6pm
- >5ppm ammonia reading Thursday night
- At least 2ppm nitrite tested just now!

Where could this nitrite have possibly come from? My tap has no visible nitrite and my rock was 95% dry.

 

[dingusplease]

Any ideas on the weird nitrites? Also, my $30 eBay skimmer is actually doing well so far:

 

[Mattyfelts]

you shouldnt be skimming during a cycle Dingus! itll effect your tests!

 

[Sniperhank]

you shouldnt be skimming during a cycle Dingus! itll effect your tests!

Minimally...the only issue would be the skimmer always overflowing due to all the nutrients in the water column. But it can simply be part of the break in period that every skimmer requires.

 

[dingusplease]

you shouldnt be skimming during a cycle Dingus! itll effect your tests!

What tests specifically? Just interested to learn what effects it can have, bc I am currently just running it to break it in, as Hank mentioned.

Also, while skimming would remove the oily waste from a table shrimp, wouldn't that not matter if the shrimp had already produced enough ammonia for the cycle?

 

[dingusplease]

Diatoms are present... Test still shows ammonia though.
I'll take a sample to my lfs tomorrow, and might pickup some salifert tests since my api ones are a year older now.

 

[daler81]

Diatoms


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[dingusplease]

So this tank finished cycling this week, and I added the remaining corals, cleaner shrimp, and goby/pistol pair to it tonight.

 

[BigRedsReefs10]

I had a feeling this wouldn't stay fowlr for long . Looks good dingus, nice start


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[dingusplease]

Yeah it just kinda happened that way I already had the salt, leds, extra powerheads, and some new test kits.

 

[bribo12]

You need to reclaim the 3 gallons former glory!!


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[dingusplease]

I don't think I'll be able to get that much coral density again
The contents of the pico look so tiny in this tank!

 

[dingusplease]

Wow that pico filled up sure filled quickly... I added some toadstools last weekend to this tank and it doesn't make any difference.

ALSO, someone said they might be willing to trade their empty 180g saltwater (empty, but with most equipment needed) for this tank! I would throw in my old picotope set up and some cash. Any thoughts? I'd have to put the tank in the basement, but I could finally keep some tangs

 

[dingusplease]

Finally time to start stocking fish!

 

[dingusplease]

I'm on vacation about 12 hours driving from home, and I found a great lfs. Hoping to bring one or two home if possible!

Here's what I'm considering for this tank:
- Dispar Anthias
- Coral Beauty
- Lawnmower blenny
- Canary blenny
- Firefish
- Sixline wrasse
- Rainford's goby
- Fairy wrasse

Not everything of course , and Im thinking only one, two, maybe three, could possibly work in terms of acclimation and aggression challenges.

 

[Sniperhank]

You're on vacation and looking at a plain lawmower blenny? Risking your reef with a coral beauty?
Get yourself a beauty, you are on VACATION.

 

[dingusplease]

Thanks for the encouragement I did have my eye on some cool german bartlett's anthias, and a potter's angel, lemon peel angel (reef safe?), and leopard wrasse.

Any suggestions? Wish I could fit a trigger or tang...

 

[Sniperhank]

Angels are a no no.

 

[dingusplease]

How about some anthias? Would a trio be pushing it?