Kari's First Marine Tank Journal

[jennybugs]

Ooh that crab is colourful. I'd put it in a tank of it's own too - ie an sump or such

 

[karigupi]

Thank you everyone, am having a lovely day & looking forward to sitting back next to the tank with a big glass of wine once the kids are in bed, that is of course if I can drag hubby away, I think I may have finally found something in fishkeeping that he loves.

More piccies:

 

[BigC]

Lookin Good Girl - Nice Scape
ATB
C

 

[TigerIssey]

Nice scape

You have some very nice shaped pieces of rock to work with there.

 

[bagu]

superb scape!

 

[ben1987]

i like that scape too, very nice

 

[karigupi]

Thank you, i'm sure I wont be able to resist a fiddle over the coming months, I love the rock at the front & want to make it a focal point, its such an unusual shape, reminds me a little of the Easter Island figures.

I've been rock watching tonight,with wine in one hand & camera in the other lol, i've now counted three crabs, the red, a large yellow & a gorgeously cute black & white striped smaller one. We have a couple of bristle worms, some feather dusters & a few worms.

I will try to post a few pics in the morning before I go window shopping at Maidenheads again, going to list all the corals I like & then research them while my tank cycles.

I've spoken to my LFS about rehoming the crab (I had only found one at the time) & they are happy to take in any unwanted tank mates, so I will see how they behave & any naughtyness & they are out.

 

[bagu]

nice to hear that your LFS will take him in

i want to rock watch too

 

[seffieuk]

I too love the scape, but the rock at the front is lovely

Seffie x



ps now I know we are all mad ...........drooling over a rock

 

[karigupi]

Test kits have arrived

Results for today

PH 8.1
Ammonia 0.25
nitrite 4
nitrate 100 (eek!)

Do these sound ok? I have a little white cobwebby stuff on some of the rock today, am I right in thinking this needs to be removed? Shall I just use the syphon?

I have noticed one big bad Aiptasia this morning, so I'm off to check the best methods of getting rid of it.

p.s does anyone else feel like a mad scientist with all the tests lol

 

[TigerIssey]

Best thing to get the stuff off the rocks is a Turkey Baster, I only recently got one and I now believe they are an essential piece of kit. It is amazing how much detritus gets blown off that you cannot see until you use the baster. Once blown off you can then do a water change using a siphon. What you are blowing is likely to be any die off and this will help the rock to breathe and therefore increase its filtration potential.

It is likely to reduce the nitrates aswell although this is not necessary at this stage of cycling. Once the cycle progresses the bacteria will also reduce the nitrates as will the diatoms that form towards the end of cycling indicating it almost ready for CUC.

For Aiptasia, you can use Aiptasia X, Joes Juice (Both have mixed results, some can come back after treatment) or Seffies weapon of choice, the soldering iron, or my personal favourite (although I have not yet needed to) is the blow torch.

I am a mad scientist anyway so the tests I do on the tank just confirm this.

 

[karigupi]

Best thing to get the stuff off the rocks is a Turkey Baster, I only recently got one and I now believe they are an essential piece of kit. It is amazing how much detritus gets blown off that you cannot see until you use the baster. Once blown off you can then do a water change using a siphon. What you are blowing is likely to be any die off and this will help the rock to breathe and therefore increase its filtration potential.

It is likely to reduce the nitrates aswell although this is not necessary at this stage of cycling. Once the cycle progresses the bacteria will also reduce the nitrates as will the diatoms that form towards the end of cycling indicating it almost ready for CUC.

For Aiptasia, you can use Aiptasia X, Joes Juice (Both have mixed results, some can come back after treatment) or Seffies weapon of choice, the soldering iron, or my personal favourite (although I have not yet needed to) is the blow torch.

I am a mad scientist anyway so the tests I do on the tank just confirm this.

Excellant tip thank you, the turkey baster worked a treat, there is a little more formed this morning so I'll have another go later.

I'm going to try to blow torch later, I have a little kitchen one, only have one Aiptasia at the moment, but its a biggy so want to get rid asap.

Here are my results for today, I think its moving along ok now.

Temp 26
S 1.025
Ammonia - no trace
nitrite - 2
Nitrate - 50
PH 8.1

We have a few more little critters in there, a couple of large bristle worms, feather dusters, a teeny little snail which has a trunk & some little lice type things which look like tiny see through woodlice.

Will post more piccies later.

 

[karigupi]

Plans for upgrading my larger tank to marine have been shelved for now, I figure i'd rather use my money to get the nano perfect rather than trying to set up two at the same time.

Do you think I should start a new journal over in the nano section or should I rename this one & ask a mod to move it?

 

[TigerIssey]

Does not matter, rename your journal and leave it here. I put my old nano journal in this section.

 

[karigupi]

thank you, will rename it & leave it here.