22 Gallon Cube at 2.5 Months - PICS

[intenseimage]

Tank started out as an MJ Delphin Cube with a stock pump (non branded) and a PC fixture with 2x24 PCs ...

At the 2 week mark with some zoos, shrooms, and a damsel...

Shortly after a cleaner shrimp and peppermint shrimp were added.

Since then I have had some ups and down ...

I had a BEAUTIFUL pair of clowns as well as a happy YWG ... the little damsel decided she didnt like clowns and was ramming them so out she went and then sadly enough a terrible outbreak of ICK came with them as well and they didnt make it (the clowns and the YWG). Makes me sick to think I had given up a sweet damsel only to end up with nothing ... and a case of ICK

Worst yet was the loss of my RBTA to the overflow grates ... this was by far the most gorgeous RBTA I have ever seen ...

As a tribute ... RIP little one

I then let the tank sit for several weeks with nothing more than some coral and the 2 shrimp to make sure any left over ick was gone (did treatments as well). During this time I just kept up with water changes and enjoyed my 2 silly shrimp while adding a few more corals to the mix. Of course this didnt go completely smooth -- one patch of zoos had marine spiders in it that I managed to get out and the other ball of zoos had a nasty hitchhiker crab that if I had let get any bigger would have made quick work of anything living ...


Then things started to turn around ... I got a promotion at work and was able to spend more $$ and time with the tank ...

The stock return pump was dropped in favor of an MJ1200 with Hydor FLO return nozzle.

A second return pump (MJ900) was added with a flare nozzle for extra flow and surface agitation

A CPR BakPak 2R was added for nutrient export

and finally a 150 watt SunPod was added to truly give the tank the lighting it so desperately desired.

Now with all that extra light and heat my evap was crazy so a JBJ ATO was added (GREAT product if anyone is looking for an ATO).

So this brings to date ... about 2 and a half months in ... more corals, another shrimp, and some fish (yes yes I know the scooter is a TOUGH fish to keep ... I am trying to get it on frozen mysis and if not, back it goes. The Sixline LOVES mysis and is doing great so far).

Gotta love the HUGE Nassarius snail crawling on the glass ... there are 5 in the tank and do a killer job of turning the sand over ...

 

[intenseimage]

These zoos had the spiders ... notice in the first pic up top they are all brown ... after being under MH some are more purple, some green, who would have thought!

My little butt-shaker ...

The hammer when I first got it ...

And the hammer now ...

Up next, some more zoos (trying to find some nice colors, but everyone seems to have brown lately) and some more rics - the 2 green ones I have look lonely, but are both starting to split!

Another thing I have to do is trying to shade the red shrooms more .. I dont think they like all the light from the MH's ...

Also trying to figure out whats going on with my GSP ... for the past week it hasnt been expanding. The temps have been high during this time and the tank spiked to 85, but everything else seemed to LOVE it (plus I think my thermometer is on its last legs). And even with the temps coming back down, its staying closed.

Ill be getting a Pinpoint Thermometer tomorrow to double check things and up next the JBJ Chiller !!

 

[James11]

Looking good, great choice on the corals, I love that hammer.

 

[maxcab]

Love the tank and sorry you went through so much loss.

Scooters are my favorite fish, I'm looking around at my LFS for one that eats mysis. In the 210 at his store, he has 3 green mandarins, 2 spotted mandarins, and a scooter that eat mysis, but he only sells coral out of that tank . The other two scooters that he's selling I have only seen eat once.

If only we all could get promotions :lol:

 

[hgbarwick]

Yeah sorry for youre loss. Like the tank other wise. Looks good. How about doing a shrimp goby pair? I think that would go good in your tank. Really fun to watch.

 

[intenseimage]

Thanks for the compliments ... yes it does suck to loose soo much, but in the end all is good - or at least getting better.

For an update, I got my Pinpoint Thermometer today ... reading a lovely 78.4* ... the Coralife is reading 83.1* - HUUUUGE difference if you ask me! I guess having it at what I THOUGHT was 85* during the week wasnt soo bad afterall! Hopefully I can hold off on that chiller now.

Id love to do a shrimp/goby pair but I dont know how well a pistol would do with the other shrimp I have? Also, how well do YWG's do with pairing up since that is the goby I plan on getting?

In the end I would like to have 4 fish ... the sixline, the scooter, YWG, and one other fish but dont know what will work well with that sixline in there ... suggestions?

 

[hgbarwick]

how about a bicolor blenny. I have one i my 12 gallon aquapod. I will be moving him up to my 90 gallon when he gets bigger, but your tank should be fine for him. Bicolors are a very attractive fish with tons of personanlity, and thier under 20 dollars. They do take a week to get adjusted to thier owners, unleast mine did, but after that they are a very reawarding fish. I think you should do a Bicolor blenny.

 

[intenseimage]

I need a "swimming" fish ... the scooter stays down on the sand, the sixline swims in and out of all the rock and when I get one, the YWG stays in the sand by the rocks as well.

 

[hgbarwick]

How about a pair of black percula clowns.

Hears a link about them

http://liveaquaria.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?pCatId=1114

I have a misbared one in my 12 gallon aquapod. I like them because they are differnt from the other ocellaris clowns and percula clowns. They have a great personality and are fun to watch.