Geeks DYI 29G tank build

[geekengineer]

Ok well I made it back from trip. I had trouble with the internet connection being flakey to the controller for some reaon depending on where I was.

The other issue I had was the ATO upper float was for some reason geting stuck open at times but the lady I had taking care of things said it looked fine. It would start working when she would mess with it. I got the IR sensor so I am going to put that on this weekend if all goes well and it doesn't cause too much trouble.

So when I got back I noticed my zoa coral was a bit washed out white looking. Don't know if it maybe got bleached or if it didn't get enough trace elements etc. I have my 165W MarsAqua like on almost the lowest light setting lol. Maybe someone who might be reading to chime in but I may look into it.

I added some trace elements and some magnesium. Other parameters looked ok the KH was 7 DH. Unfortunately I dont' have a test for that yet so I sort of guessing but figured I might need a bit by now regardless. And I'm too tired to do a water change yet.

 

[Aframomum]

Glad that your tank did fine while you were away, with the exception of the net connection and flakey ATO switch - not too bad IMO. Looks like your 'tank sitter' is a keeper!

You may want to move your zoos under a ledge or something to help shield them if they are getting too much light.

When you are feeling better a marginal water change would definitely help things out.

Now get some rest!

Mark

 

[geekengineer]

thanks for stopping by

I been feeling down a bit since I got back. I not sure why.. It did seem like the trace elements helped give the zoa back its color. I still been too lazy or tired to change water. I did get some mixed up so I should be able to do it this weekend.

I also found out I got the upper and lower float switched swapped around. :facepalm: I haven't had a problem so far once I change it around correctly I see how it goes.

 

[geekengineer]

well I going to try to get a fish this weekend I not sure what I want to get maybe just a clown fish..

 

[Aframomum]

Hi GE,

Hope your over those 'after holiday' blues! Or maybe 'post-trip syndrome'?

Did you get any fish this weekend?

Good thing you caught that upper/lower float switch mix-match.

 

[geekengineer]

I got a clownfish and I think I screwed up acclimating it or it was in the bag for too long and it didn't make it. I found one at a closer store and it was a cheaply one but I liked the looks of it and it been a bit picked on so I got a discount. After losing the first one I rather start out a bit on the low price side I guess lol. So far this one seems pretty hardy tho and is eating well now. it even got stuck in the return box the first day (doh). I tried to take a picture but I can't seem to find my USB cable so I have to get it later.

 

[geekengineer]

ok well I thought I fixed the return box thing with putting it closer to my top but he still got in there again.. This time he died got into the return again.. I fixed it this time with netting. Then I got another clownfish and that one died too after a few days. I'm not sure what happened to him. :facepalm: I am really discouraged right now.

 

[geekengineer]

well got another fish and it died then got another one and thought it died too. lol.. Im a mess.. But it seems to be doing ok. My SG was higher than it maybe should have been so I am adjusting it down a bit just to be sure that isn't causing problems. It might just been the other one I got wasn't doing well to begin with don't know. So far these been fairly inexpensive fish I just hate killing them if I am doing something dumb I thought they at least last a bit longer than a few days. The one that got sucked into the return was doing well if it wouldn't been for that.

I don't know if I should have done this, but they were having a sale and I snapped up a pom pom xenia for 25 and it is fairly big one they had for a while. I really had it planned out to do that before this fish mess happened.

 

[Swope2bc]

I like my Xenia very much! They are hard to kill too. Of course I say that and my buddy has killed 2 so far... Not sure what he is doing wrong.. If a fish dies within the first week it likely wasn't very strong to begin with, unless it's been in a store tank for weeks without trouble that is.

 

[geekengineer]

yeah. The guy at the store said they were kinda like weeds lol. I just not sure how much my stuff should be growing yet. My corals seem ok, but not a lot of obvious growth either.

 

[geekengineer]

One thing I was thinking about was I haven't really turned up my mars aqua light up much I wonder if I should turn it up more. I was worried about bleaching out my corals but maybe I should be inching it up more. I of course been too lazy lately to work on the automatic lighting yet so I am just one setting it.

 

[Aframomum]

GE,

Sorry to hear about your fish mishaps...always hard to have a fish go.

Xenia's are very tolerable. They also are a 'natural' indicator of water quality as they will not look all that great if something is off. The pulsing ones are really attention getters as the pulsing can be mesmerizing. :spin2:

May want to check with your LFS to see if they take frags of them for store credit - if so, you may be able to fund a 180 in no time! Other people have put them in their fuge and grew them out there - a fuge xenia forest so to speak.

 

[geekengineer]

Uh no.. I might have figured out whats going on I having a bad bacterial bloom.. It must have been showing up when I was off at work. I just thought maybe fish kicked up some dust cause it was usually gone by the time I got home. I was out sick today and not feeling well, but notice my tank is like very hazy. I had my skimmer set to not be on all the time and that was probably a bad idea.. doh.

So I am running around like crazy trying to figure out what to do cause I don't have any salt water ready for a quick change right now. I had a few gallons and used that that was all I had..

 

[geekengineer]

well I did a small change of water with what I had and running skimmer all the time now. I also replaced to a new filter. Cloud seems to have dissipated don't know if it will start up again tomorrow. My fish seems to be happier now and swimming around not acting like it sleeping on bottom of the tank.

 

[geekengineer]

well I haven't updated in a while.. I had the mess of a bacteria bloom to contend with and now I just been wondering if I should be seeing growth progress or not yet. I posted a few pictures I need to get some more going. I finally found a cable that work with my camera. lol

Zoa / Kenya tree

I also have a Pom Pom I just bought recently.

 

[geekengineer]

pictures of brave maroon clown.

 

[geekengineer]

well the fish died..

I think I screwed up and made a bad batch of salt water. It happened on a bad day when I was so busy with too many other things of course and I tried to correct the problem but I think it made things worse by changing more of the salt water again thinking I had a bacteria bloom.

So far my pom pom seem to be the most agitated about the water problem but I haven't' noticed any of my corals die yet.. (worry)

It doesn't help when you found a wonderful girl in your life and been busy with that lately. lol

 

[zachts]

Rock looks still very barren, not even much algae growth that I would have expected. My advice, Ignore the tank for a while, forget water changes and just keep topping off with RO/DI water, throw in some food for the hermit and critters from time to time and come back to it in a month or so after spending some quality time with your new human friend.........trust me, the tank will still be there, a little green algea and slime would be a good thing when you get back to it.....

 

[geekengineer]

thanks zachts I was wondering about that too why I hadn't got a lot of growth yet.

I was having some problems with bacteria blooms for some reason. So I had to do some aggressive water changes a while back. maybe if I just let it get more algae growing that be a good thing like you say. I just don't need bacteria lol.

 

[ChitownBrickie]

Yeah I wasn't sure how go about that. I didn't think about DDNS as I not a network expert lol. I was looking so there are free ones out there any good ones? The free one I was looking at was saying it was only $20 a year for pay option which doesn't seem that bad.

Yeah i should have taken a new pic.. lol here you go.. I don't know you an really see anything. Crabs running around exploring I think and corals asleep. kenya tree fell over so I don't know if its worth fighting it yet or not. It might pop back up once it opens up.

I love the arch. will coral grow on the sides of it?