Dave's 15g Oceanic

[Dave Harms]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=14788359#post14788359 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by aquaticdiver
Thats a really sweet tank! I recently bought a Koralia Nano powerhead for my 10 gallon and it works better than what I expected.

Also what kind of lighting do you use?

I have been thinking about upgrading my lighting and I have some of the same corals you do so I am just wondering.

Thanks! I use a 24" CurrentUSA Orbit 2x65w PC setup. The actinics run about 12 hours and the daylight bulb runs about 6 hours in the middle of the day.

 

[Dave Harms]

Just ordered the Warner Marine H1 skimmer!

The wait begins....

 

[Dave Harms]

Today's water tests: SG 1.024, Ca 400, dKH 8

Topped off with a little saltwater today, and will continue doing so until I get to 1.026.

LFS tested my magnesium this past Tuesday and it was 1150. A little low but not terrible. I'd like to get that up so I get some better coralline growth. Any tips?

 

[Dave Harms]

The Koralia showed up on my porch yesterday. I'm waiting to install it when my cutting board shows up so I can do everything at once. ALTHOUGH I might go ahead and get it in to make sure it works before doing the switch.

Here are a couple of fun shots:

This is how I know my harlequin shrimp is hungry... I see him out and about. He was nice and posed for me:

I got him a chocolate chip star and about a day and a half later this is how much damage he has done:

 

[Dave Harms]

Here is something you don't see everyday:

The star managed to get to the glass and the Harley is riding it. Right before I snapped the shot a orange claw hermit was riding it too.

My wife was like "awww".

Circle of life, baby!

 

[AquaBison]

Nice looking tank. The tomato clown is going to be a bigger tank though.

 

[Dave Harms]

Thanks!

Yeah, the clown will eventually outgrow the tank.

 

[Dave Harms]

Today's stuff:

Cutting Board from http://www.cuttingboardcompany.com/custom.asp

I'll be doing the BB overhaul tomorrow!

AND:

My first Favia! Pretty nice little prism favia looks like. Came in today at the LFS (Rick's Reef) while I was there so I snapped it up.

 

[Dave Harms]

And... the best news:

Scott (Aquarium Specialty) told be today he talked to Warner Marine and they will be shipping me the only production model WM currently has in stock. I'll be the first to get my grubby hands on the next generation H1 skimmer!

Be very jealous!

Scott, you are the man!

 

[Dave Harms]

So, tomorrow will be very busy! I'll be taking everything out of my tank and putting it into tubs. Then I have to drain the water, get all the sand out of the tank, and then reverse the process.

I am hoping to be able to do everything in an hour or so.

I'll also be installing the Koralia Nano I got last week at this time.

This should do it for tank work until the Vortech MP10 gets here.

 

[Dave Harms]

OK!

So I made the switch. Took about an hour and a half total. Here are some pictures:

5 minutes after completing the move... actinics only, and very cloudy!

Six hours later... full lights, the water has cleared pretty well.

Detail showing the "trench" between the glass and the board.

Couple of shots showing detritus that is falling off the rocks. One I have more flow this won't be so much of an issue I think. Already I have a lot piling into the trench.

 

[Dave Harms]

All in all the move went well. I planned on getting the damsels out of the tank at this time... I wasn't thinking and threw them into the tub with everything else.

When I put the rocks back into the tank one of the damsels hitchhiked back into the tank!

So for now he gets to stay for a bit. Eventually I will need to get him out. The other made a car trip to the LFS.

I am very happy with the way the tank looks now, although I am thinking it will look a lot better once I get the Vortech in there and can ditch the wavebox which takes up so much room.

I may also get rid of the huge rock on the left with the red mushrooms on it. I may frag off one or two of them but the rock itself needs to go, its too huge and I need room for some more LPS!

 

[Dave Harms]

Today's tests:

S.G. 1.024
Ca 420
KH 8dKH
PO4 0
NO3 0

 

[Dave Harms]

Here are some shots I took today:

Halymenia:

Baby shroom on a snail shell:

Some zoas:

Clove polyps and zoas:

 

[Reefy.Dave]

Hey everything is looking really good. Why did you switch to a bb though. And is there any reason why you have the "trench" thing going on ?

 

[Dave Harms]

Thanks!

I switched because I don't care for the look of sand, and the small amount I had in the tank wasn't doing anything filtration-wise anyway.

The "trench" is to keep the board off the silicone. It also serves as a nice place for detritus to collect so I can suck it up during water changes.

 

[Dave Harms]

Here are some shots from today:

The last photo is with flash. I liked how it froze the tomato in motion.

 

[Reefy.Dave]

I guess it just personal pref. do you plan any new additions anytime soon ?

 

[Dave Harms]

I've got equipment changes in the works... the Remora will be replaced with a Warner Marine H1 and the Tunze Nano Wavebox will be replaced by a Vortech MP 10.

I'm always on the lookout for coral additions.

I plan on getting some more Favia and starting on some Acans very soon.

 

[Reefy.Dave]

the vortech im sure will be a great addition. you plan on adding any new fish ?