JonnyU Goes Bare Bottom

[tonyyloww]

The tong branches will look sweet covered up in Zoas. Let me know when your ready, I can give you some digitata frags for testers.

Yes sir. I saw the same when I saw the tonga.:bounce3:

 

[rovster]

I like the tonga for SPS mounting points, lol. Maybe the one thrown on the floor will look good with zoas

 

[jonnyu]

I have a lot of ideas with that tonga.. I started the cycling process three days ago. I put 3 silver sides and dosed some ammonia. I was using one of those stick on tabs that change color so I kept dosing ammonia till the color changed. It seem like a lot had to be dosed. So I went a picked up a test kit and found it at 4.0.. I can't believe those tabs don't work. It's reading .02

 

[nivram]

I have a lot of ideas with that tonga.. I started the cycling process three days ago. I put 3 silver sides and dosed some ammonia. I was using one of those stick on tabs that change color so I kept dosing ammonia till the color changed. It seem like a lot had to be dosed. So I went a picked up a test kit and found it at 4.0.. I can't believe those tabs don't work. It's reading .02

I've had good luck with the seachem alert badge of for some reason you need to cycle another tank. Just test it first. I used 100% clear ammonia and you can see how it reacts to it.

 

[rovster]

I don't understand all the testing. Let it run 4-6 weeks, test then. No ammonia, shouldn't be, throw a couple fish in. Ready to rock.

 

[jonnyu]

I've had good luck with the seachem alert badge of for some reason you need to cycle another tank. Just test it first. I used 100% clear ammonia and you can see how it reacts to it.

I tried it and went straight to blue. I put it back in the tank and it went back to .2 after 10 min or so. I tested again with API and shows 3.0. Weird I'm going to get it tested at LFS and see what it comes up with

I don't understand all the testing. Let it run 4-6 weeks, test then. No ammonia, shouldn't be, throw a couple fish in. Ready to rock.

I normally would not even test but this the first time I cycle dry rock and dry sand tank. So there is 0 bacteria in the tank. Only thing I am dosing is Nite-out II. So I want to make sure I am producing bacteria and at the right level.
Also anything above 5 parts will start to kill the bacteria I'm adding. So that would also be a problem.

 

[rovster]

Got it. I also started with dead rock and dry sand, but I did use a few pieces of rock that Eddie seeded for me in his sump back when he had the room.....(thanks for the bubble algae)

I never saw a cycle. Nothing. Waited like 6 weeks for something to happen then I just added some fish and a couple of beginner corals. Even my diatom bloom took a while to show up. Just keep in mind that with dry rock, the initial "ugly tank" stage is more pronounced and longer. I've noticed this after looking at countless builds and even my own. Took like 4-6 months for my rocks to start looking decent and the initial wave of diatoms and snot algae to go away. Another thing I've noticed is that a lot of us that start with dry rock go through an annoying brown snot stage. Funny thing, I never saw a speck of GHA. Just a heads up, LOL!

 

[jonnyu]

Ya that's what I figured 3to4 months for tank to really look cycled. I'm just trying to stay away from using rocks from people tanks as I had hell of a time trying to remove mushrooms out of my 180. I also trying to qt all fish to keep sickness at a minimum. Sps I'm planning on cutting it off the plug and glueing it keep pest out.

 

[rovster]

I hear you. Sps just get healthy specimens from reputable sources. Even then it's always a gamble. Looking back, every time I have introduced a pest into my tanks it was an impulse buy of an "iffy" looking piece. Been through MENs, RBs x 3, and AEFW x 2.....I feel like a dirty trick lol:wildone:

 

[jonnyu]

So do you did everything? If so how long and with what ? I'm trying not to he a dirty trick lol

 

[rovster]

Yeah I dip everything. I'm also a bit pickier now. Early on in my new tank I traded some equipment for acro frags. I dipped and nothing but something didn't seem right. I double dipped and sure enough AEFW. 6 frags in the trash, not worth it. The adult worms are harder to knock off in dips. Red bugs don't scare me anymore.

It also helps to know what you are looking for. Been there done that.

I use bayer 10ml per cup and baste aggressively. Anything looks suspect I'll do a second shorter dip with 20 ml per cup

 

[jonnyu]

Good to know. I normally mix it till it's cloudy white and do 10-15 min. I actually left a sps in over night because I got caught up with the kids and ended up rinsing it and put it in after 12 hours. To my surprise it survived. So I think I'm going to do 30 min dips on everything. But I also heard if u clip it off the base would make it much safer. As worms only live on plugs or dead corals not inside the flesh of the sps.

 

[jonnyu]

Well hit a bump on the build. After cleaning the glass I found 3 bubbles inside the glass of the tank. Now I'm trying to see how Deep Blue aquarium is going to handle this.

 

[jonnyu]

Well finding out Deep Blue aquariums customer service sucks. 1 week into it and they still having me jump through hoops to get a RMA.


On a high note I have a chiller for my tank thanks to Kevin.
It need a little work but it should work perfect what I need it for.

 

[jonnyu]

Okay so finally got my new tank in. I'm very excited to get this project rolling again.

Well my better half decided she knows me better than I know myself. So came up with a great idea of building a bar and fish tank combination. So scraping my newly built stand. Lol

Here is the lay out.

Planning on putting the tank on the back wall..

Picked up some 3d wall paneling locally as my house deco is contemporary so keeping the theme built into the bar

Started by drawing out line to see where everything will layout.

Then I used glue behind the panels and held them in place with thumb tacks which will be removed once glue drys

Then I went ahead and did the same for the bar.

I have a lot more work ahead but I'm enjoying this little project. It should be a nice area to relax have a absolute and tonic and watch the tank

 

[jonnyu]

 

[rovster]

Very cool:thumbsup:

 

[jonnyu]

Very cool[emoji106]

Thanks man. Can't wait to see it up and running.

 

[G_Sanab922]

very nice ! Keep up the great work :thumbsup:

 

[jonnyu]

Well painted tank