Z's 29g BC Adventure!

[zcatzmeow]

Hello to all here at MAAST:) I am hoping to learn a great deal from this community and share my personal experiences as well.

I'm going to be horribly tacky and lazy and copy my log from Nano-Reef.com. I am not a fan of their site and I'm hoping this will be my new home :bighug:

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Anyhoo...this is my very first foray into the land of marine. I've kept numerous FW tanks for many years but always had that itch to one day try my hand at SW. My boyfriend got me an early Valentine's Day present of a 29g Biocube. I'm delighted with the gift but I suspect ulterior motives were at work too. He recently jumped into the saltwater hobby and I'd been complaining about all his time reading and researching. Rather than change things, he decided to get me hooked as well and it's working :D

This is all new to me, there is a lot to learn and hopefully my mistakes will be minimal. I welcome any constructive feedback and/or suggestions. Just go easy on me or else I will :tears: or :rant:.

And so the adventure begins...

1/27/08

- New tank! EEEEEeeeee!!!!
- Chose to set-up in the office where I could spend lots of time watching it. The stand is caddy corner to my zebra pleco tank which I also spy on constantly. Zebras are extremely shy creatures.
- Starting off with ~ 30lbs of cured live rock from LFS, live sand, and jugs of their premixed SW.
- Added Bio brand skimmer that sits in the 1st compartment
- Removed bio-balls and replaced with live rock rubble.

2/3/08

- Everything has been running smoothly and so far I've only re-arranged the rocks once, lol. I suspect there will be more arranging as I learn more and see more examples of others set-ups.
- I've spent a great deal of time inspecting every inch of the rock looking for signs of life. Do other newbies stare at their bare rock too? :blush:

To Do's:
- I'd like to set up some type of second powerhead and get a wavemaker thingy. From what I've read, creating more current is good.
- Find timer for lighting...I have 3 sets of lights, actinic, daytime, LED moonlights...so far I'm fine with remember to turn things off and on but I can see a timer making life much easer.
- Re-test water parameters...first test was a bit whacky, SW test kits are way more of a pain than FW kits *grumble*
- Take pics

[zcatzmeow]

2/6/08

- Ended up picking up some more cured rock yesterday and I finally have some pics. Just rocks and water, but still exciting to me :)


First set-up

http://lh4.google.com/zcatzmeow/R6oDCHLhRVI/AAAAAAAAAkk/IK4f0vARmnc/s288/DSC00235.JPG http://lh4.google.com/zcatzmeow/R6oDDHLhRXI/AAAAAAAAAk0/xvfmZbC5S0o/s288/DSC00238.JPG

Second set-up w/more rock

http://lh5.google.com/zcatzmeow/R6oDEXLhRZI/AAAAAAAAAlE/bWNK4Kaxa4M/s288/DSC00240.JPGhttp://lh5.google.com/zcatzmeow/R6oFfXLhRaI/AAAAAAAAAlQ/KTThKcbjMpk/s288/DSC00244.JPG http://lh4.google.com/zcatzmeow/R6oFhHLhRdI/AAAAAAAAAlo/9JnA_cPUPGA/s288/DSC00246.JPG http://lh4.google.com/zcatzmeow/R6oFiHLhReI/AAAAAAAAAlw/7TrfdceAtSE/s288/DSC00247.JPG

[zcatzmeow]

2/7/08

Okies, so I'm still researching fish and I'm overwhelmed with with coral selections. One affliction I have is for the rare and unique. I'm a collector at at heart and love nothing more than to score a cool rare species. There is a good chance it will tank me a long time to get the tank full. If anyone knows of suppliers that stock more unusual species please let me know.

*hides under table waiting for the poky sticks* My ultimate goal, with no set time frame is to successfully keep a mandarin. Before you poke me with sticks read my post here: http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?...12431&st=80 (http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=112431&st=80)

So, as I set up and stock my tank I want everything to revolve around the possible addition of a dragonet in the future. Other fish that have caught my eye are the Banggai Cardinal (very common, but I looves it) and the Yashia Shrimp Goby Paired with Red Banded Pistol Shrimp. Oh, and of course my little ones are dying for a nemo fish. So my dream set up would be 1 nemo, 1 or 2 banggai cardinals, 1 shrimp goby paired with pistol shrimp, green dragonet.

Am I crazy?

Coming later
- updated water parameters
- random questions my bf and I disagree on

[zcatzmeow]

2/11/08

More tweaks and still futzing with rocks until they look "right".

- Added Maxi-Jet 600 on the right side of the tank, flow directed at front glass
- Added Koralia Nano almost dead center on the back wall
- My lights are finally on timers! Yay! (one less thing to worry about)
- Added Ocean Plus Duo Wavemaker, it's connected to the Maxi-Jet. I asked bf why not connect the Koralia as well to create a varied current and his answer was that Koralias tend to sound clunky on wave timers.
- Added mixed CUC, not sure of exact names as bf just came home and handed me a bag of critters. There are 3 large snails, 2 small snails, and maybe 5 or so hermits. Immediately after entering the tank they all went to work and haven't stopped since http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif
- Also added some new corals. I really had planned on waiting another week, but apparently some guy in the neighborhood was getting out of the hobby and selling things for crazy low prices. They are small frags and I will post later the types their names.

Also, my water parameters have seemed to be perfect from day 1. Amonia 0, Nitrite 0, Nitrate 0, PH 8.5, SG 1.025. Not sure if this is a good thing or a sign of impending doom http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/tongue.gif

Oooh and I actually managed to leave the LFS without any new critters for the tank. Man, it is hard to go so slow. Freshwater tanks are so much more forgiving and set up quickly.

Feedback welcome http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif

Questions:

1) Currently my heater is in the display and I've heard of many others moving theirs back into a filter chamber. Is that a good idea?
2) Right now I'm using stock lighting that came with the new BC29. I'm hoping to keep soft corals, hard corals, and fish. Will the corals need the lighting upgrade to really thrive?

Thanks for reading http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif

[zcatzmeow]

3/5/08

Okies, it's been forever since I updated my nano log. The tank has come a long way in a month and really going much better than I expected.

New Stuff

- Did some deal making with the bf and have acquired his ReefKeeper 2. Pretty nifty little gadget; however it is not playing nice with my computer (Vista compatibility issues maybe?)
- Heater has been moved to the first chamber.
- Added 1 coral banded shrimp, 1 peppermint shrimp
- Added 2 tank raised clowns
- Added 1 bangaii cardinal
- Added 1 green mandarin

(yes, I know I'm ramping things up quite quickly, but not everything went in at once, it's just been a long time since I updated the log....plz don't poke me with sticks or anything :nailbiting:)

- Added numerous new corals and I will have to make a full list. My favs are the fungai plates, carnation, and xenias.

[zcatzmeow]

....and two more things to share.

1) Link to web album of nano pics :) http://picasaweb.google.com/zcatzmeow/SaltwaterNano29g

2) I'd like to share an e-mail I wrote to a fellow mandarin keeper explaining my mandarin. I truly believe in the importance of sharing information so that we can further learn how to keep these beautiful creatures.


That is awesome to hear you have a thriving mandarin! I just love the mandarins more than any other fish.

Well, I had a plan in mind but that seems to have changed. Originally, I'd planned to very, slowly and carefully build up my copepod population in the tank before adding a mandarin. After reading tons of info and various opinions, I created a "pod pile" with rubble and shells in the back of the aquarium and also removed the bio-balls from the middle chamber and replaced those with live rubble rock too. I purchased a couple bottle of those TiggerPods and dumped them into the main tank and the back chamber, hoping to kick start a population. Also, since keeping a mandarin is my goal, I steered away from other fish that graze on copepods, like the wrasses.

Then enter my trip to Dallas and the equivalent of a saltwater Disneyland http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif I kid you not, the store had a tank full of mandarins....and they all were eating live brine. Supposedly this is uber rare to find a mandarin that will accept other live foods. I stared in disbelief and spoke with one of the fish store guys who said their mandarins all eat live foods. I was still skeptical at which point another shopper walked by, obviously a regular customer, and she started talking about how much she just loves her mandarin that she bought from them. She started off with 2 in a 10 gallon nano (????) and they ate whatever she threw in. Just recently she upgraded to a twenty something tank and moved them and they are still thriving. Okay, I was still skeptical and asked how long she'd had them. Over a year! The fish store guy then led us over to one of their medium sized display tanks and pointed out a huge male and several females. He said that they had all resided in the tank for a long time and that they were starting spawning behavior. Sure enough, the females were big and round.

(sorry for such a long story but it was just such a surprising experience)

Needless to say, I walked out of that store with a mandarin. I picked a large male, who was very nice and fat looking. They fed the tank while we were there and this guy swam around with zeal chasing the brine shrimp. From all that I've read, it seems like luck has a lot to do with successful keeping and a majority of the battle is finding a healthy, eating specimen to start with. I just couldn't pass up the opportunity.

Anyhoo....his name is Beemer http://www.nano-reef.com/forums/style_emoticons/default/smile.gif He's been in my 29g for a couple weeks now. So far I've had success feeding him live brine, frozen brine, frozen bloodworms, and the tiggerpods. He will not eat Arcti-pods or the Cyclopeeze which cracks me up because both state they are they ideal food for picky eaters like mandarins, sea horses, etc. I've started a copepod culture tank, 6.6 gallons, and have various species hopefully breeding (I just set it up this week). So far he is looking great, very active....cruises around the rocks all day picking away, not at all shy. At feeding times he's already found the best corner in the tank to get the food and goes right to the spot as soon as food hits the water and I watch him eat the food from wherever it lands, on the sand, on the rock, floating near this surface...he doesn't seem to care.

[tony]

welcome to maast!!! i used to post on nano-reef also

i dig the setup so far

[zcatzmeow]

welcome to maast!!! i used to post on nano-reef also

i dig the setup so far

Thank you for the welcome! :)

[zcatzmeow]

I haven't updated much lately. I've been too busy adding things to my tank and staring at it. Who knew it could be this addicting!

Anyhoo, sometime today FedEx will be delivering my new 2008 Nanocustoms JBJ 28g HQI (includes actinic mod). So, yay! :applause: I'm terribly excited and also terribly embarrassed at how quickly I've become hooked on the saltwater crack. :nailbiting:

The reason for the new tank? More light. Turns out I like many of the stony type corals and would like to give them the best light possible. I thought through other options, but this is the one that makes the most sense given the cats and the toddlers running about.

Wish me luck. I'm not looking forward to moving all the critters and getting the rock set up again.

[RayAllen]

Very cool, great little tanks. I had one for a year that I recently sold.

[zcatzmeow]

Very cool, great little tanks. I had one for a year that I recently sold.

That's good to hear! I've also been told that I'll probably need to run a chiller or add fans somehow. Did your tank run too warm?

[RayAllen]

That's good to hear! I've also been told that I'll probably need to run a chiller or add fans somehow. Did your tank run too warm?

Nope my tank ran a constant 77-79 with just the stock fans. With that said Im hot natured and keep my AC on 73-74 therefore that helped keep the tank cool. Buying a chiller for a small tank like that is unessasary especillay when you buy a All-In-One like a Bio Cube to save money. Just my 2 cents worth:bigsmile:

[RayAllen]

Oh and do not run a heater in it at all. I never did and that also help. The pump will heat the water as well as the lights so there is no need for a heater.

[zcatzmeow]

Cool deal :)

I have access to a chiller if needed but it would stand out like a sore thumb. That would be great if I could avoid it.

Right now I have a ReefKeeper 2 that turns various things on and off depending on the temperature of the tank. Even right now my tank is warm at 81, but the house is 74.

[RayAllen]

81s not bad. 83-84 is pushing the warm envelope

[zcatzmeow]

<loses all excitement>

FedEx did a number on the stand and it's damaged enough that it will have to be replaced :thumbs_down: Now I'll have to wait to set up the tank :cry_smile:

[RayAllen]

That blows, I bought my Bio Cube stand locally here in San Antonio for $120. FedEx destroys anything with particle board. Good Luck with the next one.

[fjr_wertheimber]

Hmmm, methinks we need to change the title of this thread to FJR's 29G Adventure and create a new thread called Z's 28G HQI Crazy Adventure!!! (with added exclamation points for emphasis, of course)

[DrMark]

i have a red sea max and really like it. i wanted to avoid a chiller.........but couldnt.
With summer coming and house set at 74, tank started to get close to 82 degrees.
I hate to kill anything, so I just hooked up a 1/15hp chller and is working very nicely.
Also, extra fans cause so much more evaporation and topping off that a chiller would also help with.
I think the chiller is the way to go here.
Mark


Cool deal :)

I have access to a chiller if needed but it would stand out like a sore thumb. That would be great if I could avoid it.

Right now I have a ReefKeeper 2 that turns various things on and off depending on the temperature of the tank. Even right now my tank is warm at 81, but the house is 74.

[longhorna95]

your posts are great! I am looking to down size my 75 gallon into a 24 or 28 gallon, none metal halide though bc of heat issues and dont have money for a chiller. please keep posting updates of your pictures bc it is great to see fish in a nano with coral!

[zcatzmeow]

your posts are great! I am looking to down size my 75 gallon into a 24 or 28 gallon, none metal halide though bc of heat issues and dont have money for a chiller. please keep posting updates of your pictures bc it is great to see fish in a nano with coral!

Taking pictures now! :photo: It's been on the To Do List for far too long :bigsmile:

[zcatzmeow]

Here are some pics of the BC as it was growing:




http://lh4.ggpht.com/zcatzmeow/R8tDNu9S7vI/AAAAAAAAAqQ/6Cd0ymA0SUc/s800/DSC00407.JPG


http://lh4.ggpht.com/zcatzmeow/R_Pq3QiPaBI/AAAAAAAABCI/fDi8T2pi_oM/s800/DSC00645.JPG


http://lh5.ggpht.com/zcatzmeow/R_PrCgiPaII/AAAAAAAABDE/937fJYYAORc/s800/DSC00653.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/zcatzmeow/R_z75ytqRcI/AAAAAAAABIw/jXLjxYrb_wg/s800/DSC00675.JPG

[zcatzmeow]

And a couple when the new tank arrived to compare size and look of tanks.



http://lh3.ggpht.com/zcatzmeow/R_z78CtqReI/AAAAAAAABJE/5bZFwSfEKmE/s800/DSC00678.JPG

http://lh6.ggpht.com/zcatzmeow/R_z76ytqRdI/AAAAAAAABI8/q79nRZr0RJM/s800/DSC00677.JPG


http://lh3.ggpht.com/zcatzmeow/R_z78CtqReI/AAAAAAAABJE/5bZFwSfEKmE/DSC00678.JPG

[snkbyte]

dude I don't want to steer you the wrong way but, I started my aquapod 24 with some of the live rock Ive had in my other tanks for years and the copepods were going through the roof. Ive had a manderin in there for a couple of months and he is fat and healthy

[fjr_wertheimber]

Okay, so got my hands on a Canon 20D, and of course it was time to immediately test it out... So:
http://lh6.ggpht.com/101pdt/SHF7bjAGxNI/AAAAAAAAACI/ZP6I5Igoozc/picture-4.jpg
Sun coral, all nice and polyp'd out

http://lh4.ggpht.com/101pdt/SHF7fbCRL-I/AAAAAAAAACg/4gdkLVkdsRo/picture-10.jpg
Pretty orange fungia

http://lh5.ggpht.com/101pdt/SHF7iZ5SzUI/AAAAAAAAAC0/LF1C9iBzAlg/picture-15.jpg
Pink jade

http://lh4.ggpht.com/101pdt/SHF7lQR5tlI/AAAAAAAAADA/7Gdpg9LZFRY/picture-18.jpg?imgmax=800
Oregon tort

http://lh6.ggpht.com/101pdt/SHF7rhgK-QI/AAAAAAAAADc/sF0bZKUagKw/picture-25.jpg
Red gorgonian

http://lh4.ggpht.com/101pdt/SHF7uDVGKDI/AAAAAAAAADo/gnoAhl5qyw0/picture-28.jpg
Cory's fave dendro

http://lh4.ggpht.com/101pdt/SHF8EtR4N6I/AAAAAAAAAF0/nfNMVYKxcCo/picture-62.jpg
"Blue" xenia

http://lh6.ggpht.com/101pdt/SHF8HlNu1BI/AAAAAAAAAGE/AHGHjSQEhOY/picture-66.jpg
Ricordia

[fjr_wertheimber]

The full album can be viewed here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/101pdt/CoryS28gJBJHQI

[coraline79]

Nice! I like the pipe fish, I didn't they were reef safe! Everything looks great though.

[mama]

question??? are these Cory's corals in her tank and someone else posting for her??

[BioCube14]

that 28 gal is sweeT!! I love that stand do you have any heat issues?

[fjr_wertheimber]

Yup, these are Cory's corals in her tank, I just had my hands on a 20D so took some pics for her. :-)

[mama]

Cory....your tank is AWESOME!!! I had a sun coral, but it went belly up...:cry_smile:...yours looks fantastic!! Someone sold it to me the first month I had a new tank!! They never told me you had to target feed when they are open...it was a sad mess.

[fjr_wertheimber]

http://lh4.ggpht.com/101pdt/SI0zfLYa2BI/AAAAAAAAAOM/ujzdGq-oGMM/s800/cory_fts.jpg

[fjr_wertheimber]

Had a new couple move into Chez Zcatzmeow today:
http://lh4.ggpht.com/101pdt/SI08TF8KHKI/AAAAAAAAAP8/7O1wnzHHcOo/s800/IMG_7926.JPG

[zcatzmeow]

question??? are these Cory's corals in her tank and someone else posting for her??

Yes, my tank has it's own paparazzi :shades:

[zcatzmeow]

Nice! I like the pipe fish, I didn't they were reef safe! Everything looks great though.

My bad, not keeping up even on my own thread :blushing:. I've had no problems whatsoever with the pipefish. His favorite meal in the whole world is frozen cyclopeeze. He comes front and center in the tank to beg when he's hungry. He has absolutely no problem with the additional flow in the tank and goes around all over the place. :thumbs_up:

[zcatzmeow]

http://lh4.ggpht.com/101pdt/SI0zfLYa2BI/AAAAAAAAAOM/ujzdGq-oGMM/s800/cory_fts.jpg

Mmhmm....that would be collector's disease at it's finest. :wink_smile:

[tony]

great looking tank!

might want to move those croceas out of the sand though

[zcatzmeow]

great looking tank!

might want to move those croceas out of the sand though

Funny thing is, that they moved themselves into the sand. Previously they were on top of and attaching to large pieces of frag type rock. They stayed on the rocks for a month, and then walked off and dug down in the sand. :confused: Since their move to the sand their growth rate has improved and they are really bright and happy. I do have a halide, plus 2 actinic lights and cube is not very big. It was almost as if they wanted to move lower and really dig into the sand.

?

[tony]

cant argue with that then

croceas have some pretty small gills and if sand kicks up it can clog them while they are filtering

[tony]

forgot to ask, how are you liking the black sand? i think i might try it in my next setup

[zcatzmeow]

forgot to ask, how are you liking the black sand? i think i might try it in my next setup

Personally, I'm liking the black sand. It gives the tank a different look & feel and it seems to make the colors pop more. Because it's a black tank with a black stand, and a black wall, the black kinda ties the look together. I didn't like it when the sand was too black though. Then any bit of detritus or broken shell stood out like a sore thumb. To get the sand color in my tank I used 90% of live black sand (forgot brand, but the color is more black & white) and 10% straight black sand. :thumbs_up: