Hotch
Guest
Hi all,
I've just started my first mini-reef tank and I'm learning new stuff daily. The tank is a BC29 (PC lights) with a CPR skimmer in chamber #2 (where the bio balls use to be). I've got about 30 lbs. of live rock (cured) and another 25+ lbs. of live sand. The tank is now about 5 weeks old. I started with bacteria in a bottle and the water parameters never really spiked. I've tested the water at least 3 times a week, most resently last night, and the NH3, NO3 and NO2 have always tested 0. The pH is 8.2, but with the addition of the CPR skimmer, I'm having a little trouble keeping the temp down, it varies between 79-81f. I changed out the tank pump to a Rio HF6 because I heard it runs a little cooler. I've started with the water changes at about 1.5 gallons twice a week (I know that's anal, but hey, it's new and I'm still learning). I siphon out the water via shop-vac because it works great as a surface skimmer. The main upgrade I'm chomping at the bit to do is a retrofit to the hood with LED lighting. I'm looking for a good deal on the LED's to start that project. The inhabitants are 1 - 6 line Wrasse, 1 - Yellow watchman goby, 8 - hermits, 1 - skunk cleaner shrimp (1 died and I think it may have been assaulted by the wrasse), Green star polyps, buttom polyps, frog spawn and a xenia. The xenia is doing poorly and I'm afraid it's gonna be toast by the time I get home today. I'm not sure what the problem is. It's away from the green star and frog spawn. I'm thinking the water may be too warm at 80+. The only other issue I'm having at the moment is some red leafy algae I can't identify. The LFS guy says it's Caulerpa, but it doesn't look like any pictures I've seen online. It grows as individual 2- 4 mm teardrop or heart shape leaves on the live rock. No runners, no branches, just a bunch of little leaves, each attached to the live rock. It was growing pretty good, so I'm thinking it's invasive. I scrubbed the live rock that had the most growth, but I doubt I can eradicate it from the tank by scrubbing. I've changed the light cycle to 2 hours blue / 8 hours blue & white / 2 hours blue. I'm waiting to see if that has any effect. I'm not stocking anything else until I know what this is and what I need to do.
Well, that's it in a nut shell. I'll get some pictures up soon, but my camera isn't that great, so no close ups.
I've just started my first mini-reef tank and I'm learning new stuff daily. The tank is a BC29 (PC lights) with a CPR skimmer in chamber #2 (where the bio balls use to be). I've got about 30 lbs. of live rock (cured) and another 25+ lbs. of live sand. The tank is now about 5 weeks old. I started with bacteria in a bottle and the water parameters never really spiked. I've tested the water at least 3 times a week, most resently last night, and the NH3, NO3 and NO2 have always tested 0. The pH is 8.2, but with the addition of the CPR skimmer, I'm having a little trouble keeping the temp down, it varies between 79-81f. I changed out the tank pump to a Rio HF6 because I heard it runs a little cooler. I've started with the water changes at about 1.5 gallons twice a week (I know that's anal, but hey, it's new and I'm still learning). I siphon out the water via shop-vac because it works great as a surface skimmer. The main upgrade I'm chomping at the bit to do is a retrofit to the hood with LED lighting. I'm looking for a good deal on the LED's to start that project. The inhabitants are 1 - 6 line Wrasse, 1 - Yellow watchman goby, 8 - hermits, 1 - skunk cleaner shrimp (1 died and I think it may have been assaulted by the wrasse), Green star polyps, buttom polyps, frog spawn and a xenia. The xenia is doing poorly and I'm afraid it's gonna be toast by the time I get home today. I'm not sure what the problem is. It's away from the green star and frog spawn. I'm thinking the water may be too warm at 80+. The only other issue I'm having at the moment is some red leafy algae I can't identify. The LFS guy says it's Caulerpa, but it doesn't look like any pictures I've seen online. It grows as individual 2- 4 mm teardrop or heart shape leaves on the live rock. No runners, no branches, just a bunch of little leaves, each attached to the live rock. It was growing pretty good, so I'm thinking it's invasive. I scrubbed the live rock that had the most growth, but I doubt I can eradicate it from the tank by scrubbing. I've changed the light cycle to 2 hours blue / 8 hours blue & white / 2 hours blue. I'm waiting to see if that has any effect. I'm not stocking anything else until I know what this is and what I need to do.
Well, that's it in a nut shell. I'll get some pictures up soon, but my camera isn't that great, so no close ups.
