Dawn On The Reef

[mvough]

Yes BigC, I believe it's the same as posting a pic via Photobucket. use the IMG Code that they give. I don't think you can stream it in this forum though, I believe it will open another tab for it...pretty sure but I could still be wrong, maybe a 1.0% chance.


Edit: Ok did a sample and I'm sure I'm 100% right this time ...hahaha, wasn't quite sure before.

Edit: Wow, I'm amazed at your tank, It looks so beautiful! , I'll look forward to seeing it in its full potential, keep updating with pics. I like what you did with the wall...I wish I could see into the future just to see how this one would look like.

-mvough

 

[cheesy feet]

Looking good, its going to look amazing though, that background work has really paid off.

T5's PC are so damn hot, i know, just an hour ago I put them on my monitor top when I was just picking out some debris from my qube , 2 mins later I lifted them up to find brown indents of where they had melted the plastic Should of known better...

 

[piranha_trader]

Probably going to be the grandaddy of Nanos here....especially when you have full growth and establishment.

 

[SkiFletch]

I wish I could see into the future just to see how this one would look like.

Yeah, same here. This tank has tons of potential, it's gonna look AWESOME!

 

[BigC]

Mighty thanks guys for all your help and comments so far.
Tomorrow (hopefully I'll get to the LFS for some more Liverock and add a bit more to the scape. Water stats are pretty similar to the first.
pH=8.2, SG=1.024 Temp around 80'F (would like it to be about 78 if possible)
Water is still nice and clear, so mabe Sunday I'll start doing initial baseline testing. To give me a guide.

Here's a long shot I took this morning.

I am going to add a lump of rock to the bottom right corner on top of the existing piece leaning leftward, then another at the back right and lastly one or two in the mid/left to try and achieve an overhang with a bit of height.

And here is a short video to show the dieoff swaying in the flow of the powerheads. (excuse doggy camerawork)


I'll aquascape some more update and post some more pics tomorrow.
Thanks mvough for video posting advice.

Regards
BigC

 

[SkiFletch]

Looks great BigC. I just realized, you're gonna really get to accentuate the depth of the rockscape with corals... Cheater

 

[BigC]

Hello again,
I've been to the LFS today and purchased some more LR. I have stacked it up, still retaining the open style that I so tried to achieve, the flow around the rock is as before which I am quite pleased about because I thought I might inhibit it by adding more LR. So I now have 15 pieces of LR. I let the rock interconnect naturally letting it find it's own seating so as not to topple. I have ended up with a flat plateau area across the entire length of the back wall of the aquarium on which to place, Green Star Polyps, Pulsing Xenia and the likes. (See pic below). To give me a random idea on how the aquascape was going to look I positioned the rock on the floor before hand (on bin liner) but really I didn't do much juggling with positioning, it all fell into place quite naturally. I must admit I lay awake wondering how I would aquascape this to good effect. But I learnt it's best not to dwell on it to much as it will naturally happen. As long as I retained an open structure with good flow then its gonna be fine.
A simple question on stats
Todays readings were
SG=1.026
Temp=76'F (managed to get it down somewhat)
pH= around 8
The pH is dropping is this normal, Please reply.

More pics will follow...

Regards
BigC

 

[piranha_trader]

That is obscene.

 

[nanocubeking]

Yea know if you silicone some rock to the rock wall and make it look like shelfs it would be awesome!

 

[rhysiboy]

Hey Big C tanks looking amazing. One piece of advice... Take that piece of algae out. Honestly take it from someone who has algae in there tank, eventually it will start to take over your tank.

 

[SkiFletch]

To give me a random idea on how the aquascape was going to look I positioned the rock on the floor before hand

Wow that's an awesome idea BigC, can't believe I've never heard of anyone doing this before... Would have made my life so much easier when I was doing my own scape. Damn, good call . I'm gonna steal that method for future scaping if you doin't mind

As for the pH, totally normal. Leave it be and see where it is after a week or so

 

[BigC]

One piece of advice... Take that piece of algae out.

Consider it done rhysiboy!

can't believe I've never heard of anyone doing this before..

Dont believe ya!

I'm gonna steal that method for future scaping if you doin't mind

Dont mind in the slightest.

Thanks for taking the time to help and guide me along guys.
Regards
BigC

 

[1entra]

Looking good BigC, it defo takes you away from the traditional methods of aquascaping and background. Looking forward to seeing how this project of yours turns out!

The pH is dropping is this normal, Please reply

Yes this is very normal during the the cycling period of the tank as you will be having a bit/lot of die-off from your LR. This produces acid as it rots and decays and thus the acid lowers your pH. Your pH should start to stabilise once your die-off stops (at this point your nitrites and ammonia should be 0). Then my friend you can consider the tank to be more or less cycled and after a large(ish) water change to reduce any nitrates it will be time for the CUC...

 

[BigC]

Many thanks 1entra for your help and advice, you are one of many great advisors I've met on the forum. Any questions and queries I've had, have all been delt with due to the forum members. So a great thanks go out to you all.

Back to the tank, I have just completed my first real battery of water testing after initial set up. The Liverock is all in and the water is a tad cloudy (not much but noticable). There is a lot of visual die-off on the rock itself and therefore I wasn't expecting very good test results. Please take the time to look and advise me further regarding the test results, Do they meet what you would call normal parameters at this stage of the Cycling process.

Temperature = 79.6'F
Specific Gravity = 1.026
pH = 8.2
Ammonia = 5.0ppm
Nitrite = 0.05ppm

I have not started recording for Nitrate yet until the tank cycles fully.
Are these findings considered normal at this stage in the game.
Thanks in advance for your replies.
Regards
BigC

 

[1entra]

Yea everythin looks normal IMO BigC. A spike in ammonia and nitrate is expected as the tank starts to cycle which is a good thing and shows things are starting to move forward!

Once your ammonia goes down to 0 you will suddenly notice a spike in your nitrites. When nitrites start to go down and/or reach 0 a similar spike should be seen with the nitrates. At that point I'd wait a day or 2 and then do an approx 40-50% water change which should hopefully help reduce the nitrates and introduce some good nutrients and replenish the tank of trace elements etc. I would then continue to test the water daily till nitrates are less than 15-20ppm beofre adding a few snails and hermits etc a.k.a. the CUC!!

If need be a futher water change or 2 can be done every other day to help bring down high levels of nitrates, but hopefully shouldn't be needed!

And your right theres no point really bothering with testing the nitrates till you ammonia and nitrites have nulled!