Month Old Nano (pictures)

[ruk]

I have a 12g nano thats been cycled for a little over a month now and I cant wait untill I fill it so I can buy a larger tank. Currently I have a couple candy canes, zoo frag, mushrooms and a torch to go along with a fire shrimp and a clown goby. Im getting a strawberry crab (so long as my LFS can find one) this week as well as 5 lbs of new rock work thats been cycling at the LFS for three weeks now and its almost ready. I almost bought an extra powerhead just so I could cycle it at home because its taking so damn long. Heres some pictures:
Ninja my clown goby, chillaxin.

My new candy cane coral. My favorite coral.

Old candy cane and mushrooms.

Whimp, the fire shrimp.

Whimp and a mushroom.

Rock with my candycanes on it. (turn head)

Ninja, reinacting a scene from the lion king.

Torch, this is when I first got it. Its grown a ton in a month.

Thanks for looking. Should be much sweeter after the new rock work comes this week.

 

[FLricordia]

Nice. I like the clown goby. I never see them around here. I guess they stay pretty small? My Cherub angel took a magical carpet ride and I didn't find him till the next morning so I have been looking for something small to replace him with. I have a yellowwatchman pair and a Tiger pistol, but they stay underground most of the time. I want something up top besides corals. I don't even have any shrimp or crabs. Difficult to know what can go into a 20cube.
Take it slow, month log cycle is not much for a nano. Maybe get the hair algae under control before adding more corals and fish.

 

[ruk]

Thanks for the suggestions ricordia. Yeah, the clown goby is awesome. He dosnt come out that much though and he definately dosnt swim around in the front part of the tank. He mostly just perches places, like on the candy canes, in his favorite cave or just under the torch. Dont get me wrong, ninja is my favorite. he better live for a long time. I too want to get a fish that swims everywhere. Im thinking of getting a false perc and for the hair algae I was going to get a bicolor bleny. Both of them real small like the goby. Do you have any other suggestions for the hair algae? I just figured it was normal. It may be because its out of flow because all my rocks are jacked as of now, hence the no full tank shot. I also have a gnasty growth on one of my rocks that I just noticed is growing rather quickly, its already almost consumed my zoo frags. Its dark black and looks like a canopy over the rock. Ill post pics later.

 

[FLricordia]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9276794#post9276794 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by fukr
Thanks for the suggestions ricordia. Yeah, the clown goby is awesome. He dosnt come out that much though and he definately dosnt swim around in the front part of the tank. He mostly just perches places, like on the candy canes, in his favorite cave or just under the torch. Dont get me wrong, ninja is my favorite. he better live for a long time. I too want to get a fish that swims everywhere. Im thinking of getting a false perc and for the hair algae I was going to get a bicolor bleny. Both of them real small like the goby. Do you have any other suggestions for the hair algae? I just figured it was normal. It may be because its out of flow because all my rocks are jacked as of now, hence the no full tank shot. I also have a gnasty growth on one of my rocks that I just noticed is growing rather quickly, its already almost consumed my zoo frags. Its dark black and looks like a canopy over the rock. Ill post pics later.

A long cycle before adding life usually keeps it from ever starting. Just LR and LS. I am no expert, but my 20 cube I cycled for about 6 weeks before adding anything and I have had no algae problem at all since starting last Aug. Stays very clean. I was using phosphate pads, but now the only water purifying is a chaeto fuge. I do run carbon in a small filter once a week for a day.
We usually don't have the patience to let the tank cycle completely, at least I never did in my past reef tanks, and this usually means battling unwanted algae from the beginning.
It is too late for that now as you have fish and corals and are still adding LR.
Get a good phosphate remover ( and ask around here on RC for info on what to do). I would recomend against adding more fish and corals though untill you get it under control. Even fish taht will eat some of it will poo and fuel the algae to keep growing and hair algae grows way to fast for a blenny to control.
If it were me though, I would take all the live critters back to the shop and see if they would hold them or give credit and start fresh. Cycle with lights off for a good 6 weeks at least with LR and LS and in that time get your water flow, lighting, test kits, goals for the type of tank you would like it to be 6 months down the road, all that stuff in order. Don't do any water changes during this time. allow the algaes to come and go and once the tank is clean start slowly adding animals.
I feel for people that have to battle with algae, especially when it could have been prevented from the start. It took me many a tank set-ups before I finally learned that patience is a virtue in this hobby. Luck.

 

[ruk]

I appreciate your input but I will instead keep all my critters and once I get the new rock work (I didnt like my old rock work, so Im selling some back) hopefully the flow will take care of the algae. I cycled the tank for three weeks with cycled lr after which I added a torch coral, left it alone for another two weeks then added my clown goby and since a coral a week. The fire shrimp I just got today. Im not trying to rush things and I think Ive been patient to this point and I dont know why your being overly critical but everyone has the right to their own opinion. If any other experts out there know how to clean up hair algae Im open to suggestions. Thanks.

 

[ruk]

"Good info. Just wanted to add that an explosion of hair algae is natural in a newly cycled tank and will most likely go away on its own after a few weeks. It is generally only a sign of a problem if the bloom occurs in an established tank."
--guy from my other forum

Im not too worried about this hair algae. I did a search and Ill cut my lighting for a bit and try to feed less. case closed.

 

[shag26272]

what are your phosphate readings?

 

[ruk]

I dont check for phosphate. what does phosphate indicate? I strictly check for :
Ammonia: 0
PH: 8.0
Nitrates: 5
Nitrites: 0
That was done yesterday. Ph is a little low. but it always has been.

 

[Illuminati]

A single Turbo Snail and a Pair of Cernith Snails will help knock out that HA.

Nice tank.

 

[shag26272]

phosphate in the water can cause some algae outbreaks, when you can I would add it to your tests, that torch coral is pretty cool, I have a green tipped one also and it is a fast grower

 

[ruk]

Thanks adam, Ill keep that in mind about the snail. may be a good idea. Ive just stayed away from them so far because there ugly but I may have to concede.
and shag26272, is your torch green all the time? Mine glows under the black lights but during the day is white. Im trying to get a good inflated picture of my torch but its not cooperating because I have it at a funky angle since Im moving my rock around and all three heads arent fully inflating. I need to glue it to the rock again but I cant do that untill my new rock is in. what a headache. Have you ever touched your torch? I keep wanting to but dont because Im scared its going to sting me. Oh, and because Im a wuss.

 

[John99]

What are those white things surrounding the torch? My lr has one or two of those on it. Great tank

 

[ruk]

Thanks John, those are dead heads from my torch. My LFS told me (we have a good relationship and they dont treat me too bad either) that it had brown jelly disease and that wasnt necessairly why those heads were dead but they quarantined the hell out of it and its all better now. Usually corals with any type of disease there just get tossed immidiately but this one was salvaged and Im glad. I havnt found one any where near that big for the price (I paid $25) Only thing is I dont want it to get too big too quickly and take over my tank. But back to the white things: Im thinking about cutting them off with PVC cutters. I dont really like them, they dont look bad but they serve no purpose unless Im moving it. I am going to keep one of the dead heads though because its got a sweet purple feather duster on it.

 

[ruk]

I just got my 5 lbs of live rock that I paid for over a month ago put in yesterday and I like them. Ill still move them around some, I just wanted to let teh tank settle before I go hella stressing out my fish. they ate well last night which was good but I was just relieved that they were still alive and didnt get crushed by the rock movage.these rocks do give me a bunch more room to work with. a nice sand bed also.
Full Tank (New Rock)

Old Rock Work

Torch coral with the pumps turned off

Pulsing Xenia, apparently it will pulse to music, is this true?

Close up of my candycanes, I dont know what the hell that is on the bottom of it. Im trying to get it Id'd. Anyone? It dosnt seem bad but I dont know.

Ninja

Whimp The Fire Shrimp

Another One of Ninja