60Lt 'planted' Marine Tank.

[sorgan]

Righty I went out and bought another tank, it's a 60lt aquaone with a 20w t8, heater and naff filter pumpy thing.

My first job was to put sand, water and a chunk of LR (pinched from my main tank) in the tank, I've only half filled it as I intend to top it off with waste water from my main tank.
Tommorow I hope to put some more LR into it.

The plan Is to culture marine algae (not hair, cheato or caulepra) and have a few small fish as well as CUC.
Now question time, what can I do to speed the cycle up? Can I pinch anything from my main?
What CUC could I use that wouldn't eat my algae? I wanted a conch of some kind to clean the sand bed and am aware I would need to spot feed it.

I will add a small power head at some point but will go skimmerless for the time being.
Watch this space guys and if anyone has an interesting algae let me know!!!!

 

[seffieuk]

Cool, watching with interest, dont forget the photos

Seffie x

ps you shouldnt get a cycle if you added the live rock from your tank

 

[sorgan]

Well the tank has it's first denzian, a yellow jaw fish.
He was bought to go into the main tank but has been bullied and has had it's tail shredded so when I got a chance a netted him and popped him into the 'planted' tank.

One problem tho, the planted tank's SG is only 1.021 and he came from 1.025 without acclinatizing, it was a bit of a rescue op so had no time to play around.
He is bobbing around just below the surface ATM.
Put more LR from the main tank to help filteration and put some live Artemia in so fingers crossed.

 

[-Nemo-]

Although not ideal, fish can tolerate small changes in SG. Just keep an eye on him.

Pictures please

 

[sorgan]

Ok here's the tank, some LR and a piece of reefbone I hope will seed.

and the fish (called bob as he bobs)

as you can see his tail is damaged.
He has settled on the sandbed now, going to have to add some more sand and rubble for him to build a burrow.

 

[-Nemo-]

Poor guy. Hope he does alright.

 

[sorgan]

Jawfish didn't make it sadly. Poor thing.

 

[sorgan]

Bloody pump gave out today just after I added my first piece of algae (halimeda)
All the live rock is gone into the main tank and algae is in the main tank to, left the reef bones as they where. Thankfully ordered a powerhead.

 

[seffieuk]

Which one did you order?

Seffie x

 

[sorgan]

Um I have a koralia 900 for the tank, here's a question without water movement the water that's in the tank is going to stagnate isn't it. Am I gonna have to replace it all or will water movement revive it?

 

[sorgan]

So today has seen a new yellow jaw fish go in and some other critters

A stripped arrow crab and

2 pepper mint shrimp

 

[sorgan]

Watching an arrowhead crab swim has got to be the funniest thing ever

 

[Hawkins]

Nice setup, can't wait to see more progress as this is likely to be the same size as I shall be setting up.

What kind of fish can you put in a 60L, and are you going to put corals in there?
thanks and good luck

 

[sorgan]

1-3 very small fish (3 is max end and only really possible because of the fish I am choosing and the algae's water cleaning powers)
If you are just beginning I strongly urge you to go bigger as without prior know how a small tank can be murder to keep.
I didn't want to put corals in but my first algae piece had a load of mushys on it, they seem happy ATM so I suppose I will leave them be.

Ps all my fish will be yellow jawfish as they will happily live in groups close together (unlike the blue jawfish)

 

[sorgan]

Just found my jawfish on the floor, the lid was still on so I havnt a clue how he got out.

I won't be bothering with anymore, dunno what I am gonna do with the tank.