Neptune Aquatics

Reef Hobbyist 29g

Nav

Nav

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Its my 4th week in the hobby and things have been amazing. I've been journaling everything on Tumblr since its easy and is one source of truth (instead of posting same stuff in various forums).

Here's my spec (I'll try to keep this list updated)

Tank
  • 29g Aqueon
  • Sand bed
  • 29lbs live rock
  • 2 x 425gph Koralia powerbeads
  • Reef Octopus BH-100 HOB protein skimmer
  • Aqueon kit HOB mechanical filter
  • Sump-less
  • 1 x T5 full spectrum
  • Basic LED strip (36 lights x 5050 bright)
Other
  • I use a reflectometer
  • API Saltwater master test kit
  • Red Sea Reed Foundation test kit
LiveStock
  • 2 x Clownfish
  • 1 x Firefish Gobi
Coral
  • Greenstar Polyps
  • Trumpet Coral
  • Frogspawn

Keep an eye on my latest activity on Tumblr : http://reefhobbyist.tumblr.com
 
Tank looks really nice! Looks like a much nicer start then the first tank I had ever setup!

Sent using tapatalk4 from my GS III
 
@Jeremy, why do you say that?

It's my 4th week, parameters are all stable and I've now had livestock for a week...


Sent from my iPhone
Navdeep
 
Getting close to the livestock...

The Hammer (thanks Geneva)
1-DSC_3527.JPG


Closeup Hammer
2-DSC_3534.JPG


Smaller Clownfish
3-DSC_3615.JPG


Bigger Clownfish
4-DSC_3643.JPG


The Firefish
5-DSC_3732.JPG


A Hermit
6-DSC_3561.JPG


http://reefhobbyist.tumblr.com/post/82740606899/getting-closer-to-the-livestock
 
After I got the BH100 I was pretty upset of the motor size… and the fact that the grey motor was so visible in the tank bothered me a lot.

Since the background is black, I decided to turn the skimmer black too.

I got a “Krylon Fusion for Plastic” spray paint from Walmart for $3.5 and just painted the whole submersed area black. Let it dry for an hour and ran the motor in a tub of hot water for another hour just to make sure the coating is safe to go inside my tank.

So here’s how it was:
IMG_2917.JPG


… and here’s how it is now.
IMG_2962.JPG


For now, this is my version of the BH100 mod :)

http://reefhobbyist.tumblr.com/post/82764846148/skimmer-camouflage
 
I would of let that sit for around 48 hours to fully cure and gas off before putting into a tank with livestock.

Looks good though!
 
If I not wrong, you will see algae bloom soon cause most of new tank will went through this process before consider stable. Let it be and let the tank cycle itself, avoid any med if possible.
 
Interesting that i never got algae outbreak yet... I'm starting to see very small green colorations on few rocks which I guess is like a starting stage.

Until now the params have been ok and the livestock have been doing good. Corals are healthy too.

I might get more snail and hermits to keep the algae under control.


- Navdeep
http://reefhobbyist.tumblr.com
 
hey nav, the reason why I ask, is because i haven't seen a diatom bloom yet--your rocks are white still.

Although you've hit your 4th week and i'm assuming you've monitored your spike in nitrite/nitrate levels, and you're past the initial stage already.

which means the diatoms and algae will start to begin soon.
 
Navdeep said:
Neuro, I started with 21lbs of LR which was mostly cured and later added 8lbs of dry rock (which are white).

Yea, I hope my tank doesn't turn into crap after the outbreak.

Any tips on keeping it controlled?


- Navdeep
http://reefhobbyist.tumblr.com
Click to expand...

When you mean mostly cured, do you mean they were in a previous tank immediately before it was put into this one?

Diatom blooms are ubiquitous with new tanks. Even small, new rock (previously cured and cycled) that I put into an established tank spark diatom outbreaks. You can usually wait it out, and do water changes every week before it's cleared itself.

I got a few snails (turbo and a few others) to clean up the diatoms. But you have to be careful to siphon out any poop they release. Otherwise you'll get an increase in nitrates/phosphates.

Diligence is key to a clean tank.
 
Thx neuro, Out of the 21lbs half of it were from a designated LR tank from LFS and other half was from an actual established saltwater tank (with fish n coral).

I've been doing 40% water changes every week and was planning to continue with 25% here on...

I have 4 margaritas and 4 hermits for how. I've heard turbos are known to knock down coral?


- Navdeep
http://reefhobbyist.tumblr.com
 
Navdeep said:
Thx neuro, Out of the 21lbs half of it were from a designated LR tank from LFS and other half was from an actual established saltwater tank (with fish n coral).

I've been doing 40% water changes every week and was planning to continue with 25% here on...

I have 4 margaritas and 4 hermits for how. I've heard turbos are known to knock down coral?


- Navdeep
http://reefhobbyist.tumblr.com
Click to expand...


oh that's great then. looks like you have everything under control.

turbos are notorious for that, but i pick the corals back up and glue them back down. this is just one of the things i am willing to put up with when taking care of a tank. at the same time, i get to figure out if one place is better than the other. i go through a lot of replacing coral in different spots anyways to see what spots are simultaneously the most aesthetically pleasing and allow for my corals to grow quickly.

the turbos were good at picking turf and dead bryopsis algae for me. mileage will vary, they won't don't do a clean "shave" of any rock but they pick up the majority of the bad stuff--at least in my experience.
 
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