jbj 28hqi build.... sorta.

[kurtyboh]

Ok so things are starting a bit backwards here in Okinawa. Ive ordered a nice tank, but it seems to have dropped off the radar for tracking... this used to happen in Germany all the time with big packages so its probably on a slow boat to nowhere. Anyhow, I came across a deal thats difficult to pass up. One of the people who is moving away is selling corals super cheap. So I bought a used tank at a decent price, ordered a bunch of supply stuff for it all... build your own light kit (t5ho), test kits, refractometer, you get the idea.(hopefully they get here soon.)

This tank will eventually turn into a qt. But my question is, since I can get cheap lr, and corals, should I chance it with sunlight until the tank or lights arrive? I mean it is a tropical location, its possible i could put it outside even. Its been highs of 89 lows of 85, which is a little warm... or would it e best to put them next to one of the patio doors where it gets about 6 hrs direct sun? Either way im not passing up on the lr, but maybe the corals. None of them are sps. Birdsnest, and frogspawn are the ones i remember currently, i know he also had some mushrooms and i think a spaghetti finger.

And a shot of the qt/temp dt after cleaning

[huma-huma]

Do you have any extra lighting available?? I'm sure you could get by on sunlight until your t5ho kit comes in, just keep a close eye on how long your corals sit in direct light

[kurtyboh]

The tank was sweetwater so its a reg flourescent 15watt

[huma-huma]

Sweetwater?? Lol I'm not sure what that is, but a 15w florescent bulb isn't going to do anything, perhaps try the sunlight method, how long before your lighting comes in?

[kurtyboh]

Who knows normally smaller packages take a week or two. So im hoping itll gethere quick.

Sweetwater is freshwater, but I lived in europe until recently and thats what they call it so its hard to switch

[huma-huma]

I just learned something new that's pretty cool, if I may ask, do they call saltwater exactly that in europe? Or something else?

[kurtyboh]

Marine is quite common, but so is saltwater. The shops in germany didnt even recignize freshwater unless it was a large lfs.

[kurtyboh]

Does anyone know if the cave transparent goby will match with a pistol? Im not sure im going to get a pistol just yet bu would be nice to have the option of a pr. open.

[kurtyboh]

So the list so far is, 2 clowns, a b&w and a black ice. A goby, the transparent cave, or pink spot. Then either a bangaii cardinal or a purple firefish... the helfrichi woulf be awesome but i think ill wait on that one.

[kurtyboh]

So i havent been very active on here lately, primarily because my mom passed away and other things took precedence.

In that time though all of the stuff for my qt tank arrived. I replaced the lights in a fw setup with a diy t5ho (1-10k, and 1-actinic) they probably arent the best but it its only for a few weeks.

I am truly unimpressed with the api kits and will be looking for jbl to replace them as they run out. They are cheap to get them all at once though.

I have not been able to find a good ammonia, so im using shrimp... after four days i finally have hit 1ppm. But at least its starting.

I do need to get out and collect more rocks, and to get a new heater, my current one will only bring it up to about 79.

[carey]

welcome back. and good progress so far with the shrimp. You'll probably have to add another one once the levels start dipping but at least your on your way.

Sorry about your mom's passing, thats a tough one.

Good luck

[kurtyboh]

Using shrimp really adds some time into an alreqdy long waiting game. I am really a fan of dosing, youre at 5ppm instantly and you can be sure your cycle is done by the amount your tank can handle in a day. I just think it seems to be a guessing game.
Also i picked some lr out of the ocean today, as well as a bunch of baserock from the beach. On one of the pieces of rock a small as in the size of my pinky nail crab came out. I wish i could have gotten a pic but my phone has some issues since i dropped it down a set of cement bleachers... anyhow hopefully he'll be able to live in my tank for a bit as extracting him will be difficult i assume.

[kurtyboh]

ok, I have nitrites already... not many but they're there. (.25ppm)

also all that lr nearly fills my 18gal. Should be enough for the nanocube if ever it arrives... seriously its been on its way over here since july... I know they say you need patience in this hobby but I may end up ordering another and selling the new when it finally arrives.

My little crab friend is still alive and was munching on my decomposing shrimp, we'll see if he makes it through alive.

[kurtyboh]

today, is apparently a good day for my aquarium, i still have amm, and nitrites, and they are 4ppm and between 2-4 respectively. This morning is the first time i've tested for nitrates though as i first saw them yesterday, but i have over 80ppm nitrates! so obviously my cycle has actually been going quite well but today was the first time i tested for trates. I think I'm going to pull 2 of the 3 shrimp out and see if things level off.

I found another hitch-hiker this morning as well. I have no Idea what it is, but its pretty small if anyone knows it would be greatly appreciated.

[kurtyboh]

I finally got a pic of my crabby friend, he's hard to see and i had to tint the photo so more people could find him. you can see one claw in the upper left corner between the 2 rocks.


http://cdn.aquariumadvice.com/forums...or/menupop.gif

[kurtyboh]

ok that didnt work last time....

[kurtyboh]

so I decided to order another tank which is already on its way.... lets hope this time.

Last night whill looking for the crab I found a tentacle sticking out like 4" from the rock i thought maybe it was some type of worm or who knows... anyhow really skinny, kind of exciting to see all this life.

ammo-0, trites-3 or 4, trates-off the charts. everything else is looking good, if the qt finishes in the next couple of days my son will have a fish to pick out. I know he likes the algae blenny, but if it doesnt eat prep its not coming home.

[slitherbomb]

Originally Posted by kurtyboh

today, is apparently a good day for my aquarium, i still have amm, and nitrites, and they are 4ppm and between 2-4 respectively. This morning is the first time i've tested for nitrates though as i first saw them yesterday, but i have over 80ppm nitrates! so obviously my cycle has actually been going quite well but today was the first time i tested for trates. I think I'm going to pull 2 of the 3 shrimp out and see if things level off.

I found another hitch-hiker this morning as well. I have no Idea what it is, but its pretty small if anyone knows it would be greatly appreciated.

<img src="http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=52228"/>

<img src="http://www.aquariumadvice.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=52229"/>

It looks like some kind of pod. Could be a copepod. Hopefully not an isopod though lol.

[kurtyboh]

all the pictures im seeing of isopods have long legs and this guy has really short legs. After looking in my ocean life book i thought it could be a lined chiton, but it was collected in Japan and they are european and east coast n. american...

[kurtyboh]

looks like im going to have to get the crab out of there... doesnt sound like a lot of fun, he's in a tank that's cycling so its best but still not looking forward to it, he came from the beach and to the beach he'll return. badfish had a link on another thread which lead to this discovery, but i did find that harlequin crabs are reef safe and they look pretty cool. more research is needed!