Scooter12ga
03/19/2007, 12:18 AM
100'th post w00t!!1!
So I finally got around to sharing some pics of my tank for everyone to see. But first you should read the history of my tank.
I started wet-testing in early November. Added first rocks mid November, more rocks late November.
I built a hood and turned the lights on for the first time the third week of December. Cycle stabilized about that time and I added sand when the diatoms started receding around New-Years. About a week later I added my clean-up crew (12 zebra and red-tip hermits, 6 ceriths) who decimated the remaining diatoms and the bits of green and hair algae that were starting for form.
At that time I was getting a bit annoyed that my QT was still cycling (since late Nov w/ a piece of raw shrimp about 1cm^2) - Ammo was zero but the NO2 was off the charts and stayed that way for weeks. I wanted something new to look at, but couldn't get anything alive. "Viola! A small ball of chaeto, courtesy of Eric at Coral Island. This will give me something to play with!"
Feb-12 - Finally 'trites had been at 0 for a week and 'trate was at an acceptable level. Enter 3 blue-green chromis! I was sooooo happy to finally have something moving in my QT. I also added 6 mexican turbos and three margarita snails to the main tank about that same time.
Feb-20 - Added a cleaner shrimp today! Finally something cool to look at in the display tank.
Feb-29 - One chromis died from a vibrio infection that was initially mis-diagnosed as ich when the ulcer was smaller. The other two were successfully treated with antibiotics. I also added a black sailfin mollie to the QT to help with algae and to maintain the bio-filter when no other fish are in there.
March-3 - Params in the main tank have been rock solid for 3 months. I added a rock with a frag of xenia and a small blue mushroom.
March-5 - Left for Seattle, for work, hoping the new corals would still be alive when I returned. Stupid impulse > logic sometimes.
March-9 - I return from Seattle and I'm happy to see that the xenia has nearly doubled in size and the mushroom is fully extended and looking great. I'm also very happy to see a box from HelloLights sitting on the counter.
March-12 - Chromies are looking healthy and got moved from the QT to their permanent home today. They handled acclimation well and ate immediatley.
March-16 - Attended my second NMOK meeting today. Got two frags of GSP from GreenUku. (Roy? Sorry man, I'm horrible w/ names nowadays. Scary, because I used to do a lot of training and could memorize 20+ names instantly.) Now that I've gotten a frag I guess it's time I send NMOK some dues.
March-17 - GSP opened up nicely today. Gotta love that fluorescent green! And what a bold, beautiful, purple mat. Thanks again GreenUku. (Oh yea - both the xenia and GSP are isolated on seperate rocks in a 'cove' like beach I specificaly designed for those two species when I aquascaped.)
March-18 - Added my second set of VHOs today. Now I have 1 aquasun, 1 actinic white, and 2 actinics. All are 110w, URI, 46.5". The tank is BRIGHT to say the least. My camera was tripping out! I burned the two new bulbs for about 4 hours today, I'll go get another timer tomorrow and start increasing the photoperiod over the next several days.
March-18 - I also got two red firefish today and put them in QT. One 'surfed when trying to move him out of the bag, but I scooped him back into a pitcher right away and he seems fine. Both are already eating but the big one has a small white fleck on his side. I didn't notice it in the bag or at the store so I'm hoping it's just something stuck to him from the carpet. I'll be keeping an eye on it. On the lighter side: Goodness they're more colorful when you get to examine them for a while. I never noticed the purple stripe on the forehead or the black marks on the tail until today. Very Nice!
Anywhoo, now that you've been patient I'll give you the good stuff. I hope you enjoy them:
FTS 440w
http://vtx.homeip.net/images/SaltTank/RC/03182007_FTS.jpg
FTS Actinic
http://vtx.homeip.net/images/SaltTank/RC/03182007_ActinicFTS.jpg
FTS MoonLights (blue & white xmas LEDs)
http://vtx.homeip.net/images/SaltTank/RC/03182007_MoonFTS.jpg
"Pepe'" (as in "le' pew")
http://vtx.homeip.net/images/SaltTank/RC/CleanerShrimp.jpg
Xenia and 'shroom
http://vtx.homeip.net/images/SaltTank/RC/Xenia_Shroom.jpg
So I finally got around to sharing some pics of my tank for everyone to see. But first you should read the history of my tank.
I started wet-testing in early November. Added first rocks mid November, more rocks late November.
I built a hood and turned the lights on for the first time the third week of December. Cycle stabilized about that time and I added sand when the diatoms started receding around New-Years. About a week later I added my clean-up crew (12 zebra and red-tip hermits, 6 ceriths) who decimated the remaining diatoms and the bits of green and hair algae that were starting for form.
At that time I was getting a bit annoyed that my QT was still cycling (since late Nov w/ a piece of raw shrimp about 1cm^2) - Ammo was zero but the NO2 was off the charts and stayed that way for weeks. I wanted something new to look at, but couldn't get anything alive. "Viola! A small ball of chaeto, courtesy of Eric at Coral Island. This will give me something to play with!"
Feb-12 - Finally 'trites had been at 0 for a week and 'trate was at an acceptable level. Enter 3 blue-green chromis! I was sooooo happy to finally have something moving in my QT. I also added 6 mexican turbos and three margarita snails to the main tank about that same time.
Feb-20 - Added a cleaner shrimp today! Finally something cool to look at in the display tank.
Feb-29 - One chromis died from a vibrio infection that was initially mis-diagnosed as ich when the ulcer was smaller. The other two were successfully treated with antibiotics. I also added a black sailfin mollie to the QT to help with algae and to maintain the bio-filter when no other fish are in there.
March-3 - Params in the main tank have been rock solid for 3 months. I added a rock with a frag of xenia and a small blue mushroom.
March-5 - Left for Seattle, for work, hoping the new corals would still be alive when I returned. Stupid impulse > logic sometimes.
March-9 - I return from Seattle and I'm happy to see that the xenia has nearly doubled in size and the mushroom is fully extended and looking great. I'm also very happy to see a box from HelloLights sitting on the counter.
March-12 - Chromies are looking healthy and got moved from the QT to their permanent home today. They handled acclimation well and ate immediatley.
March-16 - Attended my second NMOK meeting today. Got two frags of GSP from GreenUku. (Roy? Sorry man, I'm horrible w/ names nowadays. Scary, because I used to do a lot of training and could memorize 20+ names instantly.) Now that I've gotten a frag I guess it's time I send NMOK some dues.
March-17 - GSP opened up nicely today. Gotta love that fluorescent green! And what a bold, beautiful, purple mat. Thanks again GreenUku. (Oh yea - both the xenia and GSP are isolated on seperate rocks in a 'cove' like beach I specificaly designed for those two species when I aquascaped.)
March-18 - Added my second set of VHOs today. Now I have 1 aquasun, 1 actinic white, and 2 actinics. All are 110w, URI, 46.5". The tank is BRIGHT to say the least. My camera was tripping out! I burned the two new bulbs for about 4 hours today, I'll go get another timer tomorrow and start increasing the photoperiod over the next several days.
March-18 - I also got two red firefish today and put them in QT. One 'surfed when trying to move him out of the bag, but I scooped him back into a pitcher right away and he seems fine. Both are already eating but the big one has a small white fleck on his side. I didn't notice it in the bag or at the store so I'm hoping it's just something stuck to him from the carpet. I'll be keeping an eye on it. On the lighter side: Goodness they're more colorful when you get to examine them for a while. I never noticed the purple stripe on the forehead or the black marks on the tail until today. Very Nice!
Anywhoo, now that you've been patient I'll give you the good stuff. I hope you enjoy them:
FTS 440w
http://vtx.homeip.net/images/SaltTank/RC/03182007_FTS.jpg
FTS Actinic
http://vtx.homeip.net/images/SaltTank/RC/03182007_ActinicFTS.jpg
FTS MoonLights (blue & white xmas LEDs)
http://vtx.homeip.net/images/SaltTank/RC/03182007_MoonFTS.jpg
"Pepe'" (as in "le' pew")
http://vtx.homeip.net/images/SaltTank/RC/CleanerShrimp.jpg
Xenia and 'shroom
http://vtx.homeip.net/images/SaltTank/RC/Xenia_Shroom.jpg