Buffy's 1st Ever SW Build - Reef Tank

[jsmith]

I would rather kill a small frag of colt coral, than a nice fish or crab when starting out. If the colt coral deploys and grows, you can be pretty sure a fish will be fine. Maybe backwards to some, but a colt coral doesn't have dead little eyes looking at you accusingly as you flush it.

No I agree you can get cheap 10 dollar frags.. beats paying 40 bucks for a 6 head frogspawn just to realize somthings wrong...

 

[Buffy]

Tank is on hold.

 

[Grizz]

I would rather kill a small frag of colt coral, than a nice fish or crab when starting out. If the colt coral deploys and grows, you can be pretty sure a fish will be fine. Maybe backwards to some, but a colt coral doesn't have dead little eyes looking at you accusingly as you flush it.

I agree better to lose $10 then $100 Buffy just do some PWC's youll get those trates down Remember take your time your getting down to the wire dont want to trip now

 

[Buffy]

True. Not worried bout rushing.

 

[Buffy]

Removed all pictures. Starting to feel a little human. Got a couple things on my new live rock. I'll take pic shortly and post.

 

[Buffy]

Probe placement

Where is the best place to place the temperature probe for the most overall tank and accuracy?

It's the Lifegard Little time or temp.

Thanks

 

[Gregcoyote]

I don't think it matters much. The idea is to try to keep it constant. I guess near the outflow of your canister filter might do fine. Tank temperature 76-80 deg doesn't seem to matter much, but too much of a swing does. Without a chiller you need to set your heater to maintain the tanks maximum temperature when your house is the warmest and the lights have been on for a while. That might end up being closer to 78-79 degrees.

 

[Buffy]

Thanks

Ok so I have a refractometer now. I got just a small problem, if I can't read the temperature lines, on the thermometers, how am I supposed to see the little lines between the major division lines in the eyepiece of the refractometer. It's above 1.025 but I can't tell if it's 1.026 or 7. Them are some pretty tiny lines (yes I have it in focus lol). (My hydrometer the swing arm cheap one says 1.022). Big difference.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Look at where the line appears when the refractometer has RO/DI water on it. That is zero. It may be at the top of the line, middle or bottom, just depends on how it was calibrated. Throw the swing arm away. They vary way too much to be useful. Use a bright light source, it helps focus.

Refractometers can lie as well. Load a sample, look at it, then dry the unit and load another sample. if they agree, you are done.

 

[Buffy]

New Hitchhikers

Ok so I bought 3 more pieces of live rock, there are some hitchhikers making an appearance. I'm gonna post some pictures of them. I'd like to id them before I move them because there's some like on both sides, and I don't want to crush any. They are in my dt, I just want to know if possible before placing them. I think one is a mushroom so I believe I need to keep that face up right?

Thanks

1st pic is the skinny black thing in the crevice, it has two legs coming out so far thou at the moment is one. It has lots of "feet" along the leg. There's this one and then one on another rock but can't get pic of it, they appear to be the same thing.

2nd pic Is the round ball. There was a snail on this rock somewhere and I thought I saw it move but can't find it now.

3rd & 4th pic I think is a mushroom of some sort. Looks like it's falling off. Near the horseshoe crevice is a few holes, there was this long tenacle that came out, was an off white color, smooth looking but when I shine the light on it, it goes back inside, I move the light away it starts to come back out, and now well I guess it got tired of playing the game.

 

[Buffy]

Another new hitchhiker

This one is on the rock with the mushroom. I'm not sure I seen it move, my eyes were going buggy. Also somewhere I saw some green looking thing swaying in the water reminded me of a plant or tree, can't find it again either.

 

[Buffy]

Look at where the line appears when the refractometer has RO/DI water on it. That is zero. It may be at the top of the line, middle or bottom, just depends on how it was calibrated. Throw the swing arm away. They vary way too much to be useful. Use a bright light source, it helps focus.

Refractometers can lie as well. Load a sample, look at it, then dry the unit and load another sample. if they agree, you are done.

Did that, calibrated to ro. took a couple and read them, were at zero, then did the tank. Read 1.026 I think. Only reason I say I think is because of the little lines between 1.025 and 1.030, they are hard to see cause they are little and I can't tell if the blue line is on one or the other, I can see it very clear on the "bigger lines" lol. I know it's my vision, that's why I need things I can see easy. This will work for awhile, but I'm gonna have to admit my eyes are not good and try to remember that when I buy. I may have to buy more expensive stuff so I can read the stuff lol.

 

[Gregcoyote]

Looks like you got some worms and a small mushroom. Mushroom likes moderate current and moderate to low light levels. He can sit like you have him in the photo.

 

[Buffy]

Looks like you got some worms and a small mushroom. Mushroom likes moderate current and moderate to low light levels. He can sit like you have him in the photo.

What do I feed the mushroom? I don't have any food yet, cause my tank is not stable yet.

 

[Buffy]

Water not clearing up

I have the fluval 405 running. I can only move a couple pieces of rock before the water is too cloudy to see, then it takes hours to clear again, I thought the fluval would clear it up faster than this. At this rate I'll never get the rock in place.

Any suggestions?

 

[huma-huma]

Have any extra hob filters? If ya do just run them with some floss and you'll be good

 

[Buffy]

Can I just tear up a pillow, I don't have any floss. Should I just put it in the canister. Or do I put my emporor 400 back on with it and run both hob & canister?

 

[Gregcoyote]

The mushroom will be fine with just light. Doesn't need to be fed right now.
Your water will clear. If you have filter media (not a pillow) you can put a layer in your canister filter. Or just wait.

 

[Buffy]

Sure seems everyone can get their tanks up and running in no time, no problems with rock slides or anything. I'm still stuck at the rock stage. I don't think I'll ever get this rock in place. I have non stop water logged hands and getting nowhere. Grrrr.

 

[Gregcoyote]

It's like arranging furniture, if the furniture was shaped like puzzle pieces. My wife and I grouse constantly at each other when fitting or adding a new frag. In our deep tank it requires her lowering the rock and me spotting her from the front. It's why a lot of people don't go for extensive rock formations, although it is cool and worth it in the end if you want something that resembles natural. Having overhangs and caves are a really good idea, but sometimes tricky to set up. It's why some people cement the rocks together and let it set before assembling in the tank. They can sculpt really cool overhangs and stuff. They even pre-drill the rock to accept plastic pins they can make coral stick to. It gives that natural look when coral is growing from the sides of the rock. Not being that organized, I went with a interesting pile of rocks that suits me, nothing fancy.

I have been watching podcasts from different reef makers and have gotten a lot of good ideas watching their videos.