CageUK
Fishaholic
Having got into freshwater tanks last year and accumulated 5 of them in various sizes we've decided to venture over to the salty side.
After getting an ebay bargain of second hand but UNUSED Orca 450tl + stand + Aragonite live sand + carbon and other filter medium for the grand total of £75.00 we were ready to take the plunge so to speak.
As usual there were a number of things I wasn't clear on and answers from this and other forums have gotten me on the right track.
It was clear for instance that the bog standard equipment isn't really sufficient for a nano reef tank and some modifications needed to be made.
These are now underway and with improved flow created and a replacement skimmer on the way I'm now well on the way to be a mod freak.
We got our cured live rock (approx 7.5 kg + some live rubble) from our local LFS and two days later the tank was fully cycled. The live rock came out of their tanks and had been maturing in there for around 5 weeks. A little while for the tank to settle down then the clean up crew were added to get to work on the algae etc now cluttering up the tank. There wasn't a ridiculas amount to be honest but the little guys have been busy and they are doing a great job.
They were:
2 x turbo like snails (were told by lfs that they weren't turbos but very like them).
2 x nerite snails...these have been a little disappointing and seem to sleep most of the time.
2 x sand shifting snails...upon introduction to the tank they dived into the sand immediately and only make their presence known by an occasional periscope popping up out of the sand.
5 x Hermit crabs...they were labelled as blue legged hermits but they only have blue bands on the leg joints and not all over so we are hoping they they are actually blue knuckle hermits that we have read are better of temperament. These guys have been the real stars of the show and have worked virtually non stop on clean up duty.
We have not had anything spectacular hitch hiker wise but have had quite a few small to tiny feathers, plenty of pods of various kinds and a crab...this is the first critter I want to ID please, see below.
We have now added the first of the fish and have two Clowns to grace our presence. Great guys and they have really brought the tank to life. We have also added a red feather (not sure of it's proper name).
We intend to add a yellow watchman goby and a cleaner shrimp later on, plus a few small inverts when the tank matures. Do you think we may be able to squeeze a royal gamma in there as well?
Here are some pics as the tank is at the moment. Obviously a little bare but I'm hoping it will improve in time.
This is just before we added the cuc. I'll have to find a way of disguising all the wires!
After CUC and Clowns added:
One of the Clowns
Our feather (the shells on the sand are new homes for the hermits when they are ready).
Critter 1 (CRAB)
He is very shy and I've not seen him in his entirety but I did find an empty shell which gave me the clue that he was around. I searched the live rock until I found him cowering in a small hole. I can't get a photo of him so I'm hoping a description will suffice.
Size about 1cm across
He is a classic crab shape and sort of red shell and claws and white legs in colour I think (I've only ever seen him buried in his hole). He looks very similar to the kinds of crabs you might catch at the seaside in the UK.
Any ideas? Is he likely to be a goodie or a baddie (I suspect the latter)?
He is small at the moment but I'm sure I'm going to have to remove him when he gets bigger (if I can ever get to him).
Critter 2 (Mollusc)
This guy looks a bit like a muscle. He is about 12 or 13mm long and is brownish in colour. He opens his shell a little at night and out comes a 'foot'. Most nights he doesn't move, but when I put him into the middle of the tank (for better vision) that night he moved himself back into the corner where I have left him.
I suspect that he is benign but would like to be sure.
Critter 3 (little stars)
These are tiny star shaped creatures clinging to the glass. They are slightly larger than a pin head (including legs) and are white in colour. I have not seen them move but they multiplying somehow and the current blows there bristles (legs) slightly. There was only one a few days ago now there are seven altogether. I think they are just copepod type creatures but it would be nice if they were baby brittles or something (or would it?).
First there was one...
...and then there were three (well seven in fact but these three were where the first one was).
Anyway I'll update when somthing interesting happens, hope you enjoy!
Oh and I shall be asking lots more questions no doubt.
Thanks
Mark
After getting an ebay bargain of second hand but UNUSED Orca 450tl + stand + Aragonite live sand + carbon and other filter medium for the grand total of £75.00 we were ready to take the plunge so to speak.
As usual there were a number of things I wasn't clear on and answers from this and other forums have gotten me on the right track.
It was clear for instance that the bog standard equipment isn't really sufficient for a nano reef tank and some modifications needed to be made.
These are now underway and with improved flow created and a replacement skimmer on the way I'm now well on the way to be a mod freak.
We got our cured live rock (approx 7.5 kg + some live rubble) from our local LFS and two days later the tank was fully cycled. The live rock came out of their tanks and had been maturing in there for around 5 weeks. A little while for the tank to settle down then the clean up crew were added to get to work on the algae etc now cluttering up the tank. There wasn't a ridiculas amount to be honest but the little guys have been busy and they are doing a great job.
They were:
2 x turbo like snails (were told by lfs that they weren't turbos but very like them).
2 x nerite snails...these have been a little disappointing and seem to sleep most of the time.
2 x sand shifting snails...upon introduction to the tank they dived into the sand immediately and only make their presence known by an occasional periscope popping up out of the sand.
5 x Hermit crabs...they were labelled as blue legged hermits but they only have blue bands on the leg joints and not all over so we are hoping they they are actually blue knuckle hermits that we have read are better of temperament. These guys have been the real stars of the show and have worked virtually non stop on clean up duty.
We have not had anything spectacular hitch hiker wise but have had quite a few small to tiny feathers, plenty of pods of various kinds and a crab...this is the first critter I want to ID please, see below.
We have now added the first of the fish and have two Clowns to grace our presence. Great guys and they have really brought the tank to life. We have also added a red feather (not sure of it's proper name).
We intend to add a yellow watchman goby and a cleaner shrimp later on, plus a few small inverts when the tank matures. Do you think we may be able to squeeze a royal gamma in there as well?
Here are some pics as the tank is at the moment. Obviously a little bare but I'm hoping it will improve in time.
This is just before we added the cuc. I'll have to find a way of disguising all the wires!
After CUC and Clowns added:
One of the Clowns
Our feather (the shells on the sand are new homes for the hermits when they are ready).
Critter 1 (CRAB)
He is very shy and I've not seen him in his entirety but I did find an empty shell which gave me the clue that he was around. I searched the live rock until I found him cowering in a small hole. I can't get a photo of him so I'm hoping a description will suffice.
Size about 1cm across
He is a classic crab shape and sort of red shell and claws and white legs in colour I think (I've only ever seen him buried in his hole). He looks very similar to the kinds of crabs you might catch at the seaside in the UK.
Any ideas? Is he likely to be a goodie or a baddie (I suspect the latter)?
He is small at the moment but I'm sure I'm going to have to remove him when he gets bigger (if I can ever get to him).
Critter 2 (Mollusc)
This guy looks a bit like a muscle. He is about 12 or 13mm long and is brownish in colour. He opens his shell a little at night and out comes a 'foot'. Most nights he doesn't move, but when I put him into the middle of the tank (for better vision) that night he moved himself back into the corner where I have left him.
I suspect that he is benign but would like to be sure.
Critter 3 (little stars)
These are tiny star shaped creatures clinging to the glass. They are slightly larger than a pin head (including legs) and are white in colour. I have not seen them move but they multiplying somehow and the current blows there bristles (legs) slightly. There was only one a few days ago now there are seven altogether. I think they are just copepod type creatures but it would be nice if they were baby brittles or something (or would it?).
First there was one...
...and then there were three (well seven in fact but these three were where the first one was).
Anyway I'll update when somthing interesting happens, hope you enjoy!
Oh and I shall be asking lots more questions no doubt.
Thanks
Mark
).
/www.wetwebmedia.com/jellyidfaqs.htm
