fishworm
11/01/2007, 10:27 PM
my 75 gallon has been running for just over a month now and things are looking great. thank you to everyone on here who helped me. :)
I tested my water a few days ago and found very high nitrates, so I did a 50% water change. and then it was time for the new inhabitants. I added 15 blue leg hermits and 15 astrea snails since the algae has finally started to grow. I set up the tank with well water that had traces of phosphate, so my last water change was with RO/DI water. hopefully the algae wont get bad.
I also added some fish finally. I got 2 green chromis, 3 red firefish, and a 6 line wrasse. I am starting to get apistia anemones so I also added a peppermint shrimp. they are all doing great and eating mysis and brine shrimp. I am going to be recieving a bunch of mixed pods tomorrow so the wrasse will have more to pick at. along with the pods I am getting some more snails and hermits.
progress is coming along well on my 55 gallon sump/fuge. I have the holes drilled in the wall and the tank is ready to set up, if the local glass place would get my panes cut for the dividers. they were supposed to be done today, but they decided to not work very hard. along with the old 55, the guy at my LFS threw in an old 40 breeder that I am going to use as a auto top off tank. I also bought a nice 55 gallon plastic drum from him to mix new saltwater in. and then I proptlt put a big crack in it wen i dropped it out of the back of my pickup. :( it's a small crack so maybe it'll still hold water.
here are some pics:
the tank. the fish are hiding because I just turned the lights back on for this pic. they were sleeping. :)
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m254/Trainworm/fish%20and%20fishing/reef1.jpg
the sump/fuge. this is an old oceanic tank so it's a bit harder to work with.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m254/Trainworm/fish%20and%20fishing/reefsump.jpg
the sump room: this used to be my walk in closet. but it has a more importiant use now :) just have to figure out how to keep the humidity down.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m254/Trainworm/fish%20and%20fishing/reefsumproom.jpg
and the water mixing tank. the hose coming through the wall comes from my RO unit in the laundry room.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m254/Trainworm/fish%20and%20fishing/reefwatermix.jpg
I havent tested the water since I changed it, but these were the results before I changed it.
Temp: 79
PH: 7.9
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 80ppm
Ammonia: 0
calcium: 260ppm
KH: 8 degrees
Phosphate: ppm
I also did a copper test just for the hell of it and it showed nothing. I need to get my calcium up before trying my first corals. the tank is currently filtered by a marineland tidepool filter/sump and it has a seaclone protien skimmer. the lights are 96watt PC's. I dont plan on any hard corals. just softies and mushrooms and polyps. I have 2 powerheads stirring things up, but I should add another for more water movement. the tank has about 100 pounds of fiji rock.
so, what am I doing wrong? what am I doing right? what needs fixing or changing? thanks again for all the help so far.
I tested my water a few days ago and found very high nitrates, so I did a 50% water change. and then it was time for the new inhabitants. I added 15 blue leg hermits and 15 astrea snails since the algae has finally started to grow. I set up the tank with well water that had traces of phosphate, so my last water change was with RO/DI water. hopefully the algae wont get bad.
I also added some fish finally. I got 2 green chromis, 3 red firefish, and a 6 line wrasse. I am starting to get apistia anemones so I also added a peppermint shrimp. they are all doing great and eating mysis and brine shrimp. I am going to be recieving a bunch of mixed pods tomorrow so the wrasse will have more to pick at. along with the pods I am getting some more snails and hermits.
progress is coming along well on my 55 gallon sump/fuge. I have the holes drilled in the wall and the tank is ready to set up, if the local glass place would get my panes cut for the dividers. they were supposed to be done today, but they decided to not work very hard. along with the old 55, the guy at my LFS threw in an old 40 breeder that I am going to use as a auto top off tank. I also bought a nice 55 gallon plastic drum from him to mix new saltwater in. and then I proptlt put a big crack in it wen i dropped it out of the back of my pickup. :( it's a small crack so maybe it'll still hold water.
here are some pics:
the tank. the fish are hiding because I just turned the lights back on for this pic. they were sleeping. :)
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m254/Trainworm/fish%20and%20fishing/reef1.jpg
the sump/fuge. this is an old oceanic tank so it's a bit harder to work with.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m254/Trainworm/fish%20and%20fishing/reefsump.jpg
the sump room: this used to be my walk in closet. but it has a more importiant use now :) just have to figure out how to keep the humidity down.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m254/Trainworm/fish%20and%20fishing/reefsumproom.jpg
and the water mixing tank. the hose coming through the wall comes from my RO unit in the laundry room.
http://i106.photobucket.com/albums/m254/Trainworm/fish%20and%20fishing/reefwatermix.jpg
I havent tested the water since I changed it, but these were the results before I changed it.
Temp: 79
PH: 7.9
Nitrite: 0
Nitrate: 80ppm
Ammonia: 0
calcium: 260ppm
KH: 8 degrees
Phosphate: ppm
I also did a copper test just for the hell of it and it showed nothing. I need to get my calcium up before trying my first corals. the tank is currently filtered by a marineland tidepool filter/sump and it has a seaclone protien skimmer. the lights are 96watt PC's. I dont plan on any hard corals. just softies and mushrooms and polyps. I have 2 powerheads stirring things up, but I should add another for more water movement. the tank has about 100 pounds of fiji rock.
so, what am I doing wrong? what am I doing right? what needs fixing or changing? thanks again for all the help so far.