Ocean Free 34L Nano Marine

[Pommyman]

I have my koralia in the top right corner of my tank covering some of the intake holes for the back chamber. It seems to be ok but I don't have fish in yet.

By covering up some of the holes it seems to draw more water in from the top holes and basically helps skim the top.

[Sherb3rts]

This is a quote from my tank journal entry tonight. TBH i think u owe me a new 600 pommieman

However pommieman (http://www.masa.asn.au/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=144&t=263035) gave me the idea of swapping my pico tanks return pump (stock crappy 400lph EVO) with my eheim 600, hooked that all up using a length of garden hose and a little bit of fiddly to put it all together. Plug it in and i hear a fizzing sound, accompanied by a whisp of smoke from the pump cord.

(backstory: pump cord had a piece of artwork dropped on it which managed to slice it through to the wires. I "repaired" by wrapping it in craft tape because i didnt have any electrical tape)

The pump was unplugged and the cut was repaired again using trusty craft tape (still no electrical tape. You would like to think id learnt by now) and tightly pressed together. I shove the cord into the powerbar and BOOM. Whole tank goes dark, all equipment dies and the fuze for that part of my apartment almost flew across the room.

long story short would anyone like to purchase a slightly used eheim compact 600? only minor wear and tear.

[Pommyman]

Ohhhh Jesus sherbert!

I am going to update my tank thread this week.

I think you will like what i created.

[Pommyman]

I decided it was about time i did a proper update now i have re-done my rock work and got some corals, snails and hermits.





I have added a Koralia Nano 900 to the top right corner of the tank however i am not sure i will keep this position forever.

I am having a few problems with that i think is a long Eunice. It must be at least 10cm and it has a habit of pulling my torch coral to its little hole in the live rock at night. I noticed it had a little chomp on another coral before i attached it to the rock work. I dont know how i am going to catch it but i need to get rid as its tearing up my tank. I dont know if you can see it in the picture.



I also found this black and white stripe worm thing which i have not yet identified.I have never seen live rock with so much life in it. Maybe by the time my old live rock got to the UK it had alot of die off and thats why i am not used to this much life.



I have decided to keep only coral and CUC in the tank until September to allow me to go on a 2 week holiday without having to worry to much about someone feeding the tank. I will just do a large water change before i go and give the coral a good feed and i am sure it will make 2 weeks. I have just got a Tunze Nano top off so i will be setting that up in the next few days. I tested my second hand heater/chiller and it appears that its not heating. I have not tested its chilling ability yet.

I have a few DIY jobs in the pipeline at the moment with the auto top off and a modification to the back chamber to allow be to use 2 pumps to increase water movement in the back. I will update on them in the future.


And just for good old times here is a picture of my old River reef 94L tank in the UK.

[Pommyman]

I am not a big fan of trying to clean the gravel with a cleaner. I would rather use a natural method. Anyone got any suggestions to help turn the gravel up? Maybe some Cerith Snails or Nassarius dosatus?

Any other suggestions welcome.

I dont want to over do the CUC for a 34L tank otherwise they will starve. With no fish in the tank until September i am not sure there will be as much loose food around.

I currently have 3 medium sized turbos and 3 little hermits.

[Sherb3rts]

ive got a small algae issue at the moment so my cleanup is pretty large, 3 nassarius snails, 2 hermits, 3 mex turbos, 1 starfish and a peppermint shrimp.

im going away in 3 weeks too so ill have to call someone in to feed my clowns...

[Tropi]

Since you guys both have some, would you recommend hermits as part of the cuc? I'm always so tempted to get some but then change my mind because of what I've read about them killing snails and stealing their shells

[Sherb3rts]

ive only had my hermits for a very short time (2 weeks ish). they are the most infurating things, i think there about to kill my cycloceris plate coral (which was my first coral...) about to make a diy hang on "frag rack" so they arent crawling all over him.
JUST watched one of the [censored] climb ontop of the other and ride him across the plate coral.

seriously about to throw them off the balcony.

take from my review of hermits whatever you like.

[Pommyman]

I love hermits

I think they are great to watch and have real character. I have had them in my old tank and this one and never noticed a problem with them attacking coral.

They probably will attack a snail but i suppose thats life.

As long as you have plenty of extra shells in the tank they will be able to swap for a bigger shell without killing snails.

[Pommyman]

Anyone any idea what those hitchhikers are? I think ones a Eunice worm but i could be wrong.

I have no idea what the black and white worm is though.