Boomer's 650 x 650 x 550 Cubic Adventure

[BoomerJ]

14/6: Tank was VERY ckoudy - slightly elevated Ammonia otherwise similar readings on Nitrate, phosphate and 8.2Ph. Even after 30% Water Change NSW.
15/6: Added SEACHEM CLARITY - best $7 ever spent. In 3 Hours Tank had cleared somewhat.
16/6: TANK NOW BRILLIANTLY CLEAR. WOW.
17/6: Added 2 Trochus snails to begin to combat algae. (Wally the whiting may have served his purpose, I will release him soon).
18/6: Tank water remains brilliantly chrystal clear. FTS Below. Algae (brown) and very small amounts of green dominate base rock. Added 1 piece of Live Rock from Pet City to introduce calcerous algae. Looks brilliant under LED's. Snails are devouring algae as fast as they can but huge quantities remain.

FTS: 18/6/2011.

Ammonia now 0.00, Nitrate now 0.25ppm or less. Phospathes curiously 0.00 as well (disbelief!) Ph Remains 8.2.
Next purchase is Calcium and Alk test kit (after Light Timer arrives from Guppies).

[BoomerJ]

Ah ha.

Some tests..

Now showing PH 8.3 which is up.
Still showing Ammonia 0.00
but wait.
Nitrate now 10ppm. Thats way up on barely 5 or 2ppm.
and wait for it.

Phosphates showing 5mg / litre --> thats where the algae is coming from.

Have installed light timer from Guppys. Settings
Blue --> 11AM thru 11PM
White ->12 Noon thru 10PM.

Next purchase is going to be a reactor to run phosphate control.

[gizmo]

Looking good

[BoomerJ]

Hmmm well things seem like they are settling a little.
Phosphates seem to have dropped again - probably due to the seachem phosban i put in..

And water clarity mostly good:
Went fishing on Sunday and well. Couldnt find the fish... So anchored up SE side of Peel island for lunch and saw a nice Favia... My GF said that would look nice in the tank.. I said words to the effect of I dont have my wetsuit so I aint goin in... So She jumped in. (Sounder read 16.2 deg C! Ouch). See the pic below. (Hehe)

FTS 29/06/2011.
So I can identify:
(Correct me if im wrong)

1. The Favia (moon coral) on the pedestal.
2. 2 x Purle Goni's
3. 2 x Green Acroporas (I dunno Species here would be good to know)
4. A tiny green Favia
5. An unidentified coral that a crab uses as a shell. Very attractive purple and green. But being dragged around by a crab.

And Look what it has done to my skimmer.

[BoomerJ]

Okay Update time:
I purchased Salifert Calcium and Alk tests.
Calcium: 430ppm
Alk: 9dkh
Good parameters.
Ph: 8.2
Ammonia still 0

Changes to the tank:
1. Substrate: I liked the look of the coral sand so much at Pet City I bought their last bag. + I think there is a buffering effect.
2. Re-Scaped Rockwork: I like the design now allowing FTS and RHS viewable panels for swimming fish. (Which I dont have right now)
3. Built an ATS and ran it for 2 weeks. I think it will be good on mature system but have swapped it for a bunch of Prolifera and an 18W energy saver running opposite to display lighting timing.
4. Wally the Wrasse had a nasty parasite which ate half his side before he visited the big reef in the sky. So no fish for now.

FISH LIST DECIDED:
1. Bristletooth Tang or Kole Tang - Small and wont grow real big. 230 Litres Display with open swimming Should satisfy.
2. 2 x orange lined Cardinals
3. 2 x Bangaii Cardinals
4. Some Green Chromis

Peaceful fish - low bio load (have massive skimmer anyway) - one that eats algae, or I have to get a Lawnmower Blenny as well.

To the pics:


FTS

RHS

Overall Im pleased with the progress of the tank. The Goni's are doing very nicely, Still cant identify one of my corals (which used to be a shell for a hermit - Big Shell!!), Little acro is a hairy bugger, ACAN doing nicely - may scrounge up a pink one too soon.

[BoomerJ]

Duplicate Post

[imf]

Coming along nicely. I like the open look you've got.

For what it's worth, I'd suggest that Vic Point, or anywhere else in the bay, is generally not clean enough water for use in our tanks. You'd really want it from somewhere like the seaway.

[BoomerJ]

Thanks,

I wait till the last of the run up or get it in my boat. Yeah I have had a dose of not so good water, luckily it skimmed in about 20 minutes and was ultra clear... One of the benefits of having a beastly skimmer for a small tank.

Boomer

[BoomerJ]

Todays Readings 20/9/2011

PH:8.2
Ammonia: 0.25 A Ha - Some... From snails? Dont have fish.
Calcium: 430ppm
Alk: 8.0 DKh.

Possibly alk could go up a little... But still pretty happy. May lay off the Seachem Calcium a little.
Not sure where Ammonia came from as I havent had a fish in there for a while and only have about 10 Snails.

[parrdog]

I really like the look of the sand addition, looks great!

Tank is coming along nicely, well done .

Are you going to put a backing on the tank or leave it as is?

Cheers,
Jamie.