My 24g Aquapod at almost 12 months

rjwilson37 · #1 01/01/2007, 03:37 PM

Here we are coming up on 12 months. I set this up for my Snowflake Eel and just added a few hardy fish since I knew the bioload would be high. When I took down my 90g, everything was pieced out except no one wanted the bi-color blenny and the 3 stripe damsel, so I tossed them in the pod. The bioload is high with everyone in there, but my nitrates sit at around 20ppm and everything is doing well, a very nice stable stock Aquapod setup.

I do weekly 4g water changes add a little AragaMilk twice a week and feed them every 3 days with a frozen mix I blend together myself.

rjwilson37 · #2 01/01/2007, 03:39 PM

A couple more pictures.

Navyblue · #3 01/01/2007, 03:43 PM

Nicely coloured shooms.

What sort of lighting are they under?

Navyblue · #4 01/01/2007, 03:44 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Navyblue
Nicely coloured shooms.

What sort of lighting are they under?

Oops, its 72 watts PC

DaBenzsta08 · #5 01/01/2007, 03:59 PM

WOW amazing pics, the only thing in my mind that could make it even more elite looking is some nicely colored ricordias to match with your mushrooms. Great looking tank!

rjwilson37 · #6 01/01/2007, 04:34 PM

Thanks you two.

I just havn't run across any nice ricordea lately and have not wanted to make any changes to the tank. The 3 stripe likes to re-arrange things when you try to add something, especially down in the sand.

todd rose · #7 01/01/2007, 06:14 PM

very nice

Rock Anemone · #8 01/01/2007, 06:14 PM

Beautiful set-up! Everything looks so healthy. Keep up the great work!

rjwilson37 · #9 01/04/2007, 10:12 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Rock Anemone
Beautiful set-up! Everything looks so healthy. Keep up the great work!

Thanks Rock Anemone, everything/everyone in there is doing great. When I am home on weekends mid day when everything is just fully out and extending, it is just a beautiful sight.

Flipturn88 · #10 01/05/2007, 08:30 PM

Looking good, RJ! It's been a while since we last spoke, no?

I'm considering getting the same Aquapod (24g) for a couple seahorses. It will be my college tank; I currently have only a 12g running at the moment. I was debating between seahorses (again!) or a clown/anemone combo, but the lighting isn't adequate in this system, and I cannot afford the halide versions at the moment. Plus, I don't think I could bring heat-generating halides to my dorm without some issues.

TitansFan · #11 01/05/2007, 08:57 PM

Your tanks always look great RJ. You must be very dedicated to your tanks. The pictures are very good as well. All the colors in the tank look great. I do see just abit of live rock there in the lower right hand corner

I am sure you are trying to figure out what to hide it with as well.

Just to get an idea on speed of growth how many shrooms did the tank start with and how long for them to look as they do now?

rjwilson37 · #12 01/06/2007, 12:05 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Flipturn88
Looking good, RJ! It's been a while since we last spoke, no?

I'm considering getting the same Aquapod (24g) for a couple seahorses. It will be my college tank; I currently have only a 12g running at the moment. I was debating between seahorses (again!) or a clown/anemone combo, but the lighting isn't adequate in this system, and I cannot afford the halide versions at the moment. Plus, I don't think I could bring heat-generating halides to my dorm without some issues.

Hi Kayla, what's up, it has been a while. Tanks always have a million decisions and you just gotta give it your best shot, I am sure you will figure something out. Do you still have the big corner tank at home you setup a while back ago?

Quote:

Your tanks always look great RJ. You must be very dedicated to your tanks. The pictures are very good as well. All the colors in the tank look great. I do see just abit of live rock there in the lower right hand corner I am sure you are trying to figure out what to hide it with as well.

Just to get an idea on speed of growth how many shrooms did the tank start with and how long for them to look as they do now?

Thanks TitansFan!

The rocks were pretty covered already but the shrooms wern't as big, I am pretty sure they will end up covering most of the rock in the tank eventually. I may try and get a small torch in there, I've always liked them a lot, I just hope I can find the right one some day.

drummereef · #13 01/06/2007, 12:08 AM

Very beautiful tank. So what if the trates are a little high. The tank looks great!

Chaotic Reefer4u · #14 01/06/2007, 12:31 AM

very nice indeed...

rjwilson37 · #15 01/07/2007, 11:46 AM

Thanks drummereef and chaotic, I will try and get some pictures of the Eel today. I did a water change and cleaned up the glass really good.

I remember one time my trates got up in the 80's in my old 90g and I was freaking. Someone said, don't sweat it, do a 50% water change and then just do 2-3 water changes a week for a little while and work on getting them down, 80ppm in not death... it is pretty high, but just work at getting it down. Most of my tanks have always sat at 10-20ppm, I've always run a higher bioload since I love a lot of fish in my tanks. My next tank will be more on the a lot of small fish, some cool corals and clams, it will be a sweet 90g custom cube. I just have to get some bills settled down and get a couple of the older kids out of the house and it will become reality.

AEALOVESHERGIRLS · #16 01/07/2007, 01:07 PM

Hey RJ, looks awesome!!!!!!!! I can't wait to get started again, I'm thinking FOWLR. I have always done reef, and I'm so limited with fish that don't nip, and I want my angels dammit

cashman95 · #17 01/07/2007, 01:30 PM

Looks good!

rjwilson37 · #18 01/07/2007, 02:50 PM

Thanks Amanda and cashman95.

Hey there Amanda, yep I would love to get some really nice Angels and other's that are not reef safe, but I still love the corals. I think the Angels wouldn't eat mushrooms and stuff like that, so you could have some colorful hardy corals possibly.

Here is my beloved Snowflake, I just love my little Snowflake.

NanoGurl · #19 01/07/2007, 05:22 PM

I love your snowflake

I setup a 54 corner just for a snowflake. Your tank is beautiful!

Flipturn88 · #20 01/07/2007, 06:51 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rjwilson37
Hi Kayla, what's up, it has been a while. Tanks always have a million decisions and you just gotta give it your best shot, I am sure you will figure something out. Do you still have the big corner tank at home you setup a while back ago?

Well, I ended up with a beautiful 26 gallon bowfront with seahorses and a wide variety of exotic soft coral. It's the perfect solution for my salty craving! I'll get a picture up sometime.

rjwilson37 · #21 01/08/2007, 02:50 PM

Nice NanoGurl, I see it has been in progess since the end of December. I bet you can't wait to ge the Eel in there. Are you going to get a cover for the top, snowflake Eel are escape artists, they will try and find a way out if possible. I have had mine for somewhere around 3 years now and he escaped once unknown to me, and twice he sort of jumped out while feeding... the anxious little bugger.

Very nice kayla. I thought you setup that nice cube tank in your room at home, when someone came and helped you drill it out for a nice closed loop and set it up in the corner of you bedroom.

rjwilson37 · #22 01/08/2007, 03:59 PM

Hmm... I think I have more fish in my little cube here than this months TOTM, I like a lot of fish. It is very pleasent to see fish swimming all around a tank, in and out of the rock work in different area's, the more fish the better IMO.

sloshesv · #23 01/08/2007, 04:47 PM

Bea-u-ti-ful pics!

Flipturn88 · #24 01/08/2007, 07:28 PM

RJ, the 50 cube was very time-consuming to maintain, and I had (have) a lot of other things going on, so it wasn't practical for me to keep it running--nor was it fair to the inhabitants. Plus, although the system was uniquely designed, detritus and leaks in the PVC were beginning to become a problem; I don't think it could have lasted long-term.

However, this new tank is the perfect compromise; it's easy to maintain, and it has my favorite fish. As promised, here are a couple pics (I don't have much time for an all-out photo session)...

The tank (before the background and misc changes)

The horses (2 pics of the male and one female H. kuda)

AEALOVESHERGIRLS · #25 01/08/2007, 08:15 PM

Kayla, AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love it!!!!!!