Funks Rio 125 Endeavour!

[Funkoid]

Well I've got the water in, ended up putting around 90 litres in allowing 1.5-2" of water level increase when the rock goes in. Just trying to get it up to temperature at the moment but am thinking I may need a new heater already - it's been on at least 90 minutes and has only gone up from 18 to 19.2 degrees? The heater is a 200w jobby so I figured it'd warm up pretty quickly?

It's seriously cloudy at the minute with having disturbed the sand and added in the salt so I'm unsure as to whether to leave the power heads I have in there on or not, also how close to the surface should they be at the moment? Starting to think I should have maybe taken out the juwel corner box too.... hmmmm.

 

[Chris_C]

I highly recommend these heaters if you are going for a new one ..has a digital display displaying temp etc .. and changes colour to let you know if it is below temp and above temp..


http/cgi.ebay.co.uk/BRAND-NEW-FLUVAL-ELECTRONIC-E200-HEATER-FREEPOST-/280593358362?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Fish&hash=item4154aade1a#ht_1403wt_901

 

[Funkoid]

Think I was just being a little impatient! Up to 27 atm so slowly turning it down to 25.

Still very tempted to take the box out of the corner off tomorrow or Monday.

 

[Funkoid]

Well it's been a busy weekend! The tank is still cloudy which i'm not massivly happy about? It's been about two days now

The heater I was having trouble with has now been replaced this afternoon and the tank is up to a stable 24.3 at the mo, I was aiming for between 25-26 which appears to be about right?

I've picked up some very live rock and ended up getting a free leather coral which i'm convinced will be lost . I can't actually see where it is in the tank at the moment because of the cloudiness, I'm starting to get annoyed that I can't get things into their right places!

Even thought visability of everything is poor we've already spotted one small snail (looked a pinky red in colour) making his way around and there are a handful of very very thin spindly star fish? No idea what they are though. Think we may have seen something burrow under the sand too but again we're not too sure!!

I've done a set of tests this afternoon as follows...

pH: 8.3
SG: 1.025
Ammonia: < 0.25
Nitrite: 0-0.1
Nitrate: 2.5

I'm planning on leaving the lights on for 12 hours a day unless less is a good idea. My temporary skimmer still hasn't turned up which I'm starting to get a little worried about.

Other than watching the temperature and keeping up the tests is there anything else I should be looking out for?

 

[Funkoid]

Still getting a little worried about the clouding but I'm thinking its starting to clear.... queue terrible photo!

 

[Chris_C]

Still getting a little worried about the clouding but I'm thinking its starting to clear.... queue terrible photo!

That is very cloudy wouldn't worry to much it will settle in time.

 

[Funkoid]

Amazingly in the last hour or so its just started to clear up, shocking how quickly it happened too. Hopeing tomorrow night I can have a mess and get everything into it'd proper place. Take it I don't want rock resting against the glass, do you have any tips for decent placement?

 

[Chris_C]

My tank is fairly new aswell, only been going around 7 weeks. I hated scaping my rock check my journal in my sig for an idea mate my tank is'nt the longest either so i went for an arch effect .. i still have kind of an arch as we speak but changed it slighly for some more flatter area's for future corals. Infact ill post a pic if i can find a link

Its no masterpiece but just wanted it so it didnt look like a pile of rocks thrown in there is more scape pics in my journal from slight alternations etc..


Just remember to keep the rock off the glass for cleaning purposes and also good water movement around the rock. You dont want to pile it all together and then find you have deadspots where low isnt getting to and algae starts to grow etc..

Also try and make some sheltered areas for certain shy fish that might want a hide out

 

[Funkoid]

It's totally cleared up this morning, the mushroom is doing weird things though not sure if its on its way out?

It's started to go spikey?

 

[jameshughes1989]

Any chance of a bigger pic?

 

[Funkoid]

Just edited the one above...

 

[jameshughes1989]

To me thats look like a toadstool leather coral, search it and see. If so, its meant to be spikey.

 

[Chris_C]

Looks to me like its just opening up and taking in the light.

 

[Funkoid]

Thanks, I've been a tad paranoid that it'll die and nuke the cycle if / when it starts. How do they look when they start to die just so I can pull it if need be? Just finished my tests for the day....


pH: 8.0
SG: 1.025
Ammonia: 0.25
Nitrite: 0.5
Nitrate: 2.5

 

[jameshughes1989]

You will no if its dead. No signs at all and no reaction to being touched is a sign of corals being dead.

Well your cycle has started, now the fun begins!!