TheEndIsNeigh
New member
Hey All!
I've recently started what will hopefully be a small reef tank (or FOWLR, but leaning towards having some Zoas, mushrooms, and soft corals). I would like some opinions, advice, and suggestions on a few things. I've kept a 46g freshwater aquarium for several years, but this will be my first try at saltwater. I would have gone bigger if it weren't for space and rule constraints on pets in my apartment.
I would like feedback on my new Rock arrangement, I've attached some pictures to this post. I like the appearance of a lot of rocks, but I'm concerned I've created some dead zones in the back corner, which I've read is bad? I'm running the stock pump that comes with the Nuvo Fusion 10. I've been considering a Spin Steam or maybe a stronger pump? but I don't know how much of an issue it is. I noticed that the hair algae that has been growing on that rock wiggles less where I've piled up that rubble, and the stuff in the very back corner doesn't get blown around at all.
I'm rather intent on keeping a Green Mandarin (yes, I've read much about them and my dad has kept one before. I have a way to feed it) and a Pearly Jawfish. all of the rubble in the corners was the help grow extra pods along with the regular doses I will be adding to the tank. The substrate pile in the front corner (Crushed coral and aragonite sand) and little cave are supposed to be enticing to the jawfish and give him room to move things around. If things go really really well for many months, my bioload and peace levels in the tank, I will consider adding a firefish goby, and I made the little covers near the top of the rocks to be firefish hidey-holes. Does anyone have suggestions as to how I could improve the space for the needs of these fish, while still keeping this aesthetically pleasing, and avoiding issues that might be related to low flow? do I even have an issue or need a bigger pump?
My tank just finished with its fishless cycle. I used live sand from a bag and an "aquacultured" Live Rock from my LFS. the cycle went pretty quick despite me overdoing it on the dead shrimp. My levels have been pretty balanced for several days. I've been growing a pale tannish hair algae slowly for a couple weeks now, and in the past two days I've seen a bloom of brown diatoms. Not really sure what to do about those. I had read that just leaving them alone will probably fix things. I've also seen my PH keep dropping. I just added a bag of crushed corals into the media basket to hopefully counteract that. It dropped after I moved my sand and rocks around yesterday (which is why the water is kind of foggy) I also saw a .15ppm rise in nitrites and ammonia, and a 5ppm rise in nitrates overnight after moving things around. I noticed a lot of debris and what looked like dead shrimp parts flew out of the sand and rocks.
Also, is there a way to siphon out my sand without sucking it all up into the bucket?
Here's my setup and pictures:
Innovative Marine 10g Nuvo Fusion
skkye light, on 7 hours a day
Stock Pump and nozzle
Upgraded Media Basket
- 3 Layers of Filter Floss
- 20 ML of Purigen
- I have a 6.5 OZ bag of Chemipure but I haven't decided if it's a good idea to use it or not. I admittedly don't know much about it.
Cobalt Neotherm 50w heater, kept where the skimmer is supposed to go, so I dont have to look at it. I also have an STC-1000 working as a temp controller
10lb of Aragonite
4lb of Live Rock, 8.5lb of dry rock, 5lb of rubble rock
1/2 lb of crushed corals
Once I get the PH balanced and everything is looking good, I was planning on adding a "Nano Pack Sampler - Crabs, Snails EZ Corals" from Reefs2go. I'm wary of Zoas, I think they're pretty, but I'm kind of concerned that the Toxins might kill my fish if they play around in the polyps?
I've been keeping an eye on Diver's den for a pearly jawfish or a mandarin that I like to get my first fish. If all goes well for a while, I will get whichever fish I am missing.
After that, probably more corals, and eventually firefish?
Thanks to everyone who read all that and sorry about the text wall! I'm willing to take what advice I can get. I feel comfortable when I have a lot of research in, and have done much, but now it's time to jump in and start getting personalized advice for my situation, so I'm eager to see what people come up with! Especially if it sets up my environment better for my fish.
I've recently started what will hopefully be a small reef tank (or FOWLR, but leaning towards having some Zoas, mushrooms, and soft corals). I would like some opinions, advice, and suggestions on a few things. I've kept a 46g freshwater aquarium for several years, but this will be my first try at saltwater. I would have gone bigger if it weren't for space and rule constraints on pets in my apartment.
I would like feedback on my new Rock arrangement, I've attached some pictures to this post. I like the appearance of a lot of rocks, but I'm concerned I've created some dead zones in the back corner, which I've read is bad? I'm running the stock pump that comes with the Nuvo Fusion 10. I've been considering a Spin Steam or maybe a stronger pump? but I don't know how much of an issue it is. I noticed that the hair algae that has been growing on that rock wiggles less where I've piled up that rubble, and the stuff in the very back corner doesn't get blown around at all.
I'm rather intent on keeping a Green Mandarin (yes, I've read much about them and my dad has kept one before. I have a way to feed it) and a Pearly Jawfish. all of the rubble in the corners was the help grow extra pods along with the regular doses I will be adding to the tank. The substrate pile in the front corner (Crushed coral and aragonite sand) and little cave are supposed to be enticing to the jawfish and give him room to move things around. If things go really really well for many months, my bioload and peace levels in the tank, I will consider adding a firefish goby, and I made the little covers near the top of the rocks to be firefish hidey-holes. Does anyone have suggestions as to how I could improve the space for the needs of these fish, while still keeping this aesthetically pleasing, and avoiding issues that might be related to low flow? do I even have an issue or need a bigger pump?
My tank just finished with its fishless cycle. I used live sand from a bag and an "aquacultured" Live Rock from my LFS. the cycle went pretty quick despite me overdoing it on the dead shrimp. My levels have been pretty balanced for several days. I've been growing a pale tannish hair algae slowly for a couple weeks now, and in the past two days I've seen a bloom of brown diatoms. Not really sure what to do about those. I had read that just leaving them alone will probably fix things. I've also seen my PH keep dropping. I just added a bag of crushed corals into the media basket to hopefully counteract that. It dropped after I moved my sand and rocks around yesterday (which is why the water is kind of foggy) I also saw a .15ppm rise in nitrites and ammonia, and a 5ppm rise in nitrates overnight after moving things around. I noticed a lot of debris and what looked like dead shrimp parts flew out of the sand and rocks.
Also, is there a way to siphon out my sand without sucking it all up into the bucket?
Here's my setup and pictures:
Innovative Marine 10g Nuvo Fusion
skkye light, on 7 hours a day
Stock Pump and nozzle
Upgraded Media Basket
- 3 Layers of Filter Floss
- 20 ML of Purigen
- I have a 6.5 OZ bag of Chemipure but I haven't decided if it's a good idea to use it or not. I admittedly don't know much about it.
Cobalt Neotherm 50w heater, kept where the skimmer is supposed to go, so I dont have to look at it. I also have an STC-1000 working as a temp controller
10lb of Aragonite
4lb of Live Rock, 8.5lb of dry rock, 5lb of rubble rock
1/2 lb of crushed corals
Once I get the PH balanced and everything is looking good, I was planning on adding a "Nano Pack Sampler - Crabs, Snails EZ Corals" from Reefs2go. I'm wary of Zoas, I think they're pretty, but I'm kind of concerned that the Toxins might kill my fish if they play around in the polyps?
I've been keeping an eye on Diver's den for a pearly jawfish or a mandarin that I like to get my first fish. If all goes well for a while, I will get whichever fish I am missing.
After that, probably more corals, and eventually firefish?
Thanks to everyone who read all that and sorry about the text wall! I'm willing to take what advice I can get. I feel comfortable when I have a lot of research in, and have done much, but now it's time to jump in and start getting personalized advice for my situation, so I'm eager to see what people come up with! Especially if it sets up my environment better for my fish.
