New 75 gallon Wonderland!

[Reef Doctor]

I am a novice reef aquarist. I don't have a tank of my own but have been working with my father (who lives in Utah) as he puts together his first 75 gallon saltwater tank. Between us both we have acquired quite a bit of info on successful reefkeeping, with a big thanks to the good people of ReefCentral. After quite a bit of research over the last 6 months I was able to persuade my dad to purchase his live rock from TBS. It just made so much more sense to me keeping things fresh in water (at a great price), than buying brown, smelly rock that needed to be cured. It was very helpful for me to see people post their pictures of what they received in "The Package," so I wanted to do the same. If I could say anything, it is that Richard of TBS is hands down one of the most helpful people I have contacted in the aquarium industry. He was almost eerily prompt on returning emails, and extremely friendly. Part One of "The Package" was received Friday 8/12/11. The tank is still cycling and has never reached an ammonia level over 0.7ppm.

Some of the creatures from Package 1 so far: Sea Urchin (found when smoothing the live sand with bare hands, gloves a good idea), Sea Cucumber, multiple hermits, gorilla crab (since introduced to a porcelain freshwater tank), pistol shrimp. Some of the sponges have been disintigrating, but overall the life on the rock was amazing. My father had visited multiple LFS and looked at their rock. He said hands down TBS rock was the most colorful and had the most life. As soon as everything equalizes, it will be time for Package 2.

Pickup at the Airport

Empty tank ready for the goods!

Sandbagging it!

Opening the first box

Setting the rocks in the tank

Some of the growth on the rocks! The iphone in the picture is because Apple is covering the costs of this tank as a sponsor. Product placement.

Water is clearing up

Preliminary aquascaping. Will probably be altered after Package 2.

Urchin that came in the sand

Donkey Dung Sea Cucumber (Has since passed on to the greater ocean)

 

[kennya]

Your pics didnt work.

 

[Reef Doctor]

Pics dont work

Pics dont work

I was not able to view pics until I logged in. Make sure you have logged in, then let me know if you are still having problems viewing the pics.

 

[Reef Doctor]

Pics dont work

Pics dont work

Sorry Kennya, obviously if you posted you were logged in. The pics didn't show up for me initially either, but seem to be working fine now, logged in or not. Is anybody else having trouble viewing the pics?

 

[Reef Doctor]

pH problem?

pH problem?

Richard says to only monitor the ammonia levels while cycling, and to run the lights up to 5 hrs a day. However we started having some die off, including a nice crab. Ammonia levels were only 0.6ppm, but pH was checked and it was 7.4. An additional aerating pump was put in to hopefully get the CO2 out. I was wondering if we should run the lights full time as well to get some CO2 eating algae/macroalgae going? We have only recieved Package 1 so far.

 

[StephLionfish]

Personally, I monitor Ph, Ammonia, Nitrite and Nitrate. Maybe it's just me...but I just like to see how things are coming along.

Pics aren't showing up for me either.

 

[AlexS95]

After the first week of setting up a new tank, I don't monitor anything...
And its not that the pics aren't there, you just didn't post them...

 

[Reef Doctor]

Since pics dont work

Since pics dont work

Apparently not everybody can view the pictures, so I am uploading them as attachments. Nobody has been able to tell me what I need to do so everyone can see the photos.

 

[Reef Doctor]

The rest of the Pics

The rest of the Pics

Sorry about the mess on this post. If this doesn't work, I'll just have to try embedding from photobucket or something.

 

[Reef Doctor]

After the first week of setting up a new tank, I don't monitor anything...
And its not that the pics aren't there, you just didn't post them...

If I didn't post them, why can I see them when I pull up my thread on my computer? Is there something else I missed to post them. It seems to me if I had embedded them, previewed the post showing me the pics, and then submitted, the pics should have been included in the post too.

 

[AlexS95]

Okay, they work now. But I would still recommend using Photobucket.

 

[Reef Doctor]

Okay, they work now. But I would still recommend using Photobucket.

From responses I've gotten, I think photobucket is the way to go.

 

[Reef Doctor]

What is this?

What is this?

Is this a nudibranch or something else?

 

[Reef Doctor]

Still Cookin'

Still Cookin'

Well, it's been three weeks since part one was delivered, and still cycling. The water has never gotten over 0.6ppm Ammonia, it just kind of hangs out at that level. It seems all the creatures are getting more comfortable now too. Keep finding new crabs, or corals, fanworms, etc. At night, even though we just have part 1, the tank just moves. Hopefully, we'll be ready for Part 2 soon. Still trying to figure out if the tank has a pistil or a mantis. There's a tiny hole, with beady eyes staring out, but it won't leave its little home.

 

[liverock]

Well, it's been three weeks since part one was delivered, and still cycling. The water has never gotten over 0.6ppm Ammonia, it just kind of hangs out at that level. It seems all the creatures are getting more comfortable now too. Keep finding new crabs, or corals, fanworms, etc. At night, even though we just have part 1, the tank just moves. Hopefully, we'll be ready for Part 2 soon. Still trying to figure out if the tank has a pistil or a mantis. There's a tiny hole, with beady eyes staring out, but it won't leave its little home.

I would get a new ammonia test kit....and see what it says......something is amiss!

Richard TBS:rollface::rollface::rollface:
www.tbsaltwater.com

 

[mndfreeze]

Well, it's been three weeks since part one was delivered, and still cycling. The water has never gotten over 0.6ppm Ammonia, it just kind of hangs out at that level. It seems all the creatures are getting more comfortable now too. Keep finding new crabs, or corals, fanworms, etc. At night, even though we just have part 1, the tank just moves. Hopefully, we'll be ready for Part 2 soon. Still trying to figure out if the tank has a pistil or a mantis. There's a tiny hole, with beady eyes staring out, but it won't leave its little home.

If those bweady eyes move around in all sorts of wierd directions, like a chamelons, it's a mantis.

Most pistol shrimp are pretty near blind.

 

[signal_4]

Man I wish Apple could sponsor a new Led light for me !!!.. I have Iphones, Imac, Macbook Air, and Apple Tv.....and Ill glady put them all in my pics of my tank....lol.....

Ok so really... how did yall pull that off ?????????????????????

 

[Reef Doctor]

Man I wish Apple could sponsor a new Led light for me !!!.. I have Iphones, Imac, Macbook Air, and Apple Tv.....and Ill glady put them all in my pics of my tank....lol.....

Ok so really... how did yall pull that off ?????????????????????

That'd be nice if Apple really sponsored the tank. Actually, our tank cost the same as everyone elses (equivalent to a small Carribbean island)

 

[Reef Doctor]

New test kit shows less than O.2ppm. Just about there. I imagine package two could be sent this weekend, but I'm not sure if my father is available or not. He is a big pickleball player, and weekends are his primetime.

 

[liverock]

New test kit shows less than O.2ppm. Just about there. I imagine package two could be sent this weekend, but I'm not sure if my father is available or not. He is a big pickleball player, and weekends are his primetime.

Cool..you are doing well...but the weather here is the pits...new storm in the gulf...will be at least a week until I can dive!

Will advise when I do!

Sea ya!
Richard TBS


Pickleball.???....will have to google that one lol:rollface::rollface::rollface: