critter count so far!

Glad it's not just me! Unfortunately, RC is all my LFS carries. If I want to try anything else, I'll have to order it online.

I'm doing another ammonia test now, but it looks like everything came through the night again! Whew!
 
Looks like we're back down to 1.00 ppm. Not great, but better than I've seen for days...these are some tough little critters in my tank to survive all they've been through, but I'm hoping the next few days those little bacteria will start doing their work and my tank will start getting happier.

One thing I have learned about cycling a tank from all this...it seems like it always looks the bleakest right before things start getting better!
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12957627#post12957627 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by redwarrior77
Looks like we're back down to 1.00 ppm. Not great, but better than I've seen for days...these are some tough little critters in my tank to survive all they've been through, but I'm hoping the next few days those little bacteria will start doing their work and my tank will start getting happier.

One thing I have learned about cycling a tank from all this...it seems like it always looks the bleakest right before things start getting better!
Click to expand...

hang in there! we're all rooting for you and your tank.
 
woo-hoo! Ammonia is now hovering between 0.5ppm and 1.0ppm! :D My critters seem even more active today as well. My red mithrax crab and the hermit crab almost had a showdown...the hermit got too close to the red's hole and he wasn't too happy. Luckily the hermit knew what was good for him and shuffled on along. Who knows, if this keeps up, in a couple of days I may be emailing Richard for part 2!
 
BABIES!!!

I have 2 baby hermit crabs and boy are they tiny little guys! One is riding on the back of the bigger hermit. I wish I had a camera good enough to get a good picture...it's really cute.

Ogre - I know it's gross, but I used by fingernails to peel off the sponges. Mine seemed to come off easily enough by just getting a nail underneath the edge of one and then peeling up. (Don't worry, I thoroughly washed my hands and scrubbed my nails after!) I would think that a small butter knife or anything else not too pokey but with an edge would work similar if you don't want the gross-out factor.
 
It's not the gross out factor, it's the chance of injury. I'll stick with my pocket knife... thanks.

Gross out factor... this to a guy who teaches Biology and regularly has to lance infected wounds on animals. heh...
 
Looks like my tank is over the hump! Ammonia is 0.5ppm and holding. Critters seem happy and gucky algae is starting to grow to feed the snails and crabs. :)
 
It's good to hear it's coming inline, closer to that part 2. I use Red Sea Coral Pro salt, I tried Reef Crystals, Tropic Marine, regular Instant Ocean. I like how the Coral Pro mixes it's excellent, and that it is rock stable on readings after I mix it. I have used several buckets of it and each 1 test the same. I test SG, Calc. I mix it at 79 deg, 20 gal at a time with circulation pump. I always have some mixed due to needing water changes every other day for my Pico.
 
I am thinking of looking into other salt mix options online and buying in bulk. I pay about $13 locally for a small box of RC. I'm betting I can probably get a better deal if I buy a big bucket online. :D
 
The Coral Pro i use is $65 local and I can find it online between $35 and $45 depending on where and sometimes sales even cheaper. I only get the buckets, they do 175 gal.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12965466#post12965466 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by dtech
It's good to hear it's coming inline, closer to that part 2. I use Red Sea Coral Pro salt, I tried Reef Crystals, Tropic Marine, regular Instant Ocean. I like how the Coral Pro mixes it's excellent, and that it is rock stable on readings after I mix it. I have used several buckets of it and each 1 test the same. I test SG, Calc. I mix it at 79 deg, 20 gal at a time with circulation pump. I always have some mixed due to needing water changes every other day for my Pico.
Click to expand...

Yeah the Red Sea Coral Pro is really a good product (at least i definitely prefer it over the Oceanic salt). my LFS stocks in the large buckets and i don't mind paying their price. It works out the same as buying it online with the shipping.
 
Ok, granted this is my first tank and therefore my first cycle, but man, is this amazing. My ammonia is now barely even measurable. I have even less ammonia in my tank than when it was just water. Pretty cool.

Richard says to let it sit for a bit until next week and he has safely shepherded me this far with no issues, so I'm not about to push my luck now. Hopefully my crabs and snails will pick up the cleaning pace.

I did test for nitrates and found that they seem to be elevated, so I will do my first non-emergency weekly water change either tomorrow or saturday and get everything all nice and clean. I'm just so happy with how it is looking compared to the LFS rock I've seen...already my tank has so much color and life.

Oh...and the baby hermit crab count is now up to 2 and they seem to be more industrious little cleaners than the grown up! :lol:
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12968308#post12968308 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by redwarrior77
Ok, granted this is my first tank and therefore my first cycle, but man, is this amazing. My ammonia is now barely even measurable. I have even less ammonia in my tank than when it was just water. Pretty cool.

Richard says to let it sit for a bit until next week and he has safely shepherded me this far with no issues, so I'm not about to push my luck now. Hopefully my crabs and snails will pick up the cleaning pace.

I did test for nitrates and found that they seem to be elevated, so I will do my first non-emergency weekly water change either tomorrow or saturday and get everything all nice and clean. I'm just so happy with how it is looking compared to the LFS rock I've seen...already my tank has so much color and life.

Oh...and the baby hermit crab count is now up to 2 and they seem to be more industrious little cleaners than the grown up! :lol:
Click to expand...

AWESOME! i meant to congratulate you earlier on your "babies." Your post made me laugh out loud. The joy and fun of discovering the new stuff never stops.
 
The rock just keeps on changing! There is more and more color on this stuff every day and it's interesting to watch the changes. I've found Mr. Limpet again...he was just chilling out on the other side of some rock. There are more and more white "eggs" on the glass...I'm leaving them alone whenever I clean in the hopes that they'll hatch into something interesting or at least make some yummy treats for something in the tank.

Anyhow, my ammonia is happily staying down below 0.5ppm now. :D So, without further ado, here are some new tank shots from today...the water is cloudy due to a water change this morning. (Just a normal weekly one this time!)

193139leastrockday8.jpg

This is the rock that was the dullest on the first day. Now it's covered in small, growing macroalgae and those tiny orange tube corals. Gotta love that!
193139bigrockday8.jpg

A picture of the cave where the big rock and the rock with the cup corals meets. I wish you could see all of the feather dusters on the big rock.
193139cupcoralsday8.jpg

Happy little cup corals.
193139ftsday8.jpg

Full tank shot. :fun4: Everything seems nice and content. Can you tell I love my little tank?!
 
Looking good!! Looks like you may be past the hump. Here's hoping so.:beer:

Divemonster:
Yeah the Red Sea Coral Pro is really a good product (at least i definitely prefer it over the Oceanic salt).
Click to expand...
My experience also. It seems to hold CA+ and Alk much better.
 
Got an email from Richard today, so most likely part 2 will soon be on its way! :D I can't wait!

My hermit crabs have gone nuts...I have 3 or 4 now! They've also decided it was time to upgrade their shells, so I'm now down by a couple of snails. As long as they don't mess with Mr. Limpet, it's ok. I did give them a stern talking to, though. There is one of the little ones that just seems to love riding on the big one's back. :D
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12991225#post12991225 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by redwarrior77
Got an email from Richard today, so most likely part 2 will soon be on its way! :D I can't wait!

My hermit crabs have gone nuts...I have 3 or 4 now! They've also decided it was time to upgrade their shells, so I'm now down by a couple of snails. As long as they don't mess with Mr. Limpet, it's ok. I did give them a stern talking to, though. There is one of the little ones that just seems to love riding on the big one's back. :D
Click to expand...

A stern talking to...LOL!! One of the hermits in my tank tried to coerce one of the big cerith snails out of its shell, but the snail wasn't having any part of that! It shut itself up tightly and the crab eventually gave up.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12994742#post12994742 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by redwarrior77
I've got 2 boxes from Richard here...and they're starting the acclimation process! :D
Click to expand...

OOOH!! will there be pics TONIGHT??!!
 
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