Llj's 8G Oceanic Biocube

[Biulu]

The thunderstorm is very nice, but will it have an effect on the fish/corals as well in terms of growth, breeding etc?

 

[GrayScale]

The thunderstorm is very nice, but will it have an effect on the fish/corals as well in terms of growth, breeding etc?

I was actually just thinking about this as well while re-reading this thread. Could be something very interesting to test out. I couldn't see corals being affected as much as fish if its only 1, hour long "storm" per week, possibly before/after a water change?

Fish on the other hand, I would think it might stress them out a little if they are captive bred and have never been exposed to a storm like environment.

Will be interesting to see llj's observations with it.

 

[lljdma06]

The thunderstorm is very nice, but will it have an effect on the fish/corals as well in terms of growth, breeding etc?

I was actually just thinking about this as well while re-reading this thread. Could be something very interesting to test out. I couldn't see corals being affected as much as fish if its only 1, hour long "storm" per week, possibly before/after a water change?

Fish on the other hand, I would think it might stress them out a little if they are captive bred and have never been exposed to a storm like environment.

Will be interesting to see llj's observations with it.

Interesting that you mention this. The light simulates a more natural environment and the person who had this tank before me noticed an improvement in coral and fish health straight away. He had a half hour thunderstorm. I don't plan to storm more than an hour, and actually, more of them will be along the line of 15min, which is a typical storm length on coastal waters as the wind tends to pass quickly through those areas. My goal, depending on what fish and corals I get, is to simulate weather patterns of the region. I can also time it for water changes, so they get the effect of a thunderstorm (fresh influx of water, granted it's SW rather than FW, but top-offs can also simulate the effect), but you can do this.

The hydor flow, does more of a wave action current rather than a stream of circulation. It rotates, simulating rolling waves more than a standard, single direction outflow.

Getting excited, I'll be getting the LR today. A little glitch though. My Fiji pink sand ruptured in transit and I won't be getting it until Monday. If I don't find the sand I want, I may opt to just use regular Livesand and sell the bag of Fiji that I get. I'll use the one I used for my other picos, which has served me extremely well. I don't feel like waiting until Monday to set up the tank. I'm just too impatient and I work during the week. Much better to make this a weekend project.

L

 

[wildechild_01]

Sweet zombie hesus...

that is a seriously epic lighting system.... makes me want to learn how to build stuff like that so i can custom build cool stuff for my tanks..... alternatively i could fork out a bunch of money to have someone do it for me hahaha... would be cool to see a time laps of a sunrise through full daylight to sunset cycle if you get a chance...

 

[MBOU]

On our old marine display tank had TMC Aqua Rays on it and the multi controller that was controlling 3 tiles and 4 strips, some blue, some white and some mixed.

We timed it to Storm Mode after our weekly waterchange. We'd do the waterchange with cooler water too...

The Storm mode was set so that over a period of 10 minutes, the lights dimmed down to 5% then over the next 20 minutes the lights flashed intermittently, sometimes in bursts to mimic the lightning and then over the last 10 minutes, it brings the lights back up to full brightness.

Made clowns spawn every time!

 

[Man of fish]

Now that looks cool!!

 

[lljdma06]

Sweet zombie hesus...

That's sort of what I said when I was first shown the lights.

that is a seriously epic lighting system.... makes me want to learn how to build stuff like that so i can custom build cool stuff for my tanks..... alternatively i could fork out a bunch of money to have someone do it for me hahaha... would be cool to see a time laps of a sunrise through full daylight to sunset cycle if you get a chance...

Will do. The seller's supposed to Skype me on how to rig the system. What I can't wait for is the second generation controller. He's supposed to get a free upgrade which he's shipping along to me as per our agreement. That one allows for the 3rd bank of LEDs to be completely controllable. I also prefer slightly more white.

On our old marine display tank had TMC Aqua Rays on it and the multi controller that was controlling 3 tiles and 4 strips, some blue, some white and some mixed.

We timed it to Storm Mode after our weekly waterchange. We'd do the waterchange with cooler water too...

The Storm mode was set so that over a period of 10 minutes, the lights dimmed down to 5% then over the next 20 minutes the lights flashed intermittently, sometimes in bursts to mimic the lightning and then over the last 10 minutes, it brings the lights back up to full brightness.

Made clowns spawn every time!

That's the idea, to mimic a more natural cycle. I'd love to have a mated pair of something in this tank, but that would then limit what I could put in. But a mated pair of helfrich's firefish would be pretty intense.

Now that looks cool!!

Haha, thank you. The only drawback is photography. It's going to be a struggle for me to learn how to photograph this tank true to what it looks like.

I set it up today. Wooooooooo

I've got some lousy iPhone photos. Comes out super blue, which it really isn't that blue.

Rock arrangement below, went with good old Haitian cured LR. Has served me extremely well. Got two freebie blue-legged hermits in the rock, only found them after I put the sand in. Oh well. The combination of this cured rock with the livesand resulted in minimal cycling, so they'll make it I'm sure. Super tiny guys. Could technically put them in my 36, but they'd be lunch. Smaller than ceriths they are.

Haha, don't stare into the lights!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'd show you more pictures, but right now, I have a lovely little sandstorm going.

Thanks for looking. Birth of reef #4. Wow, that's a lot.

L

 

[mattyg12uk]

Well im doing my bit and commenting on your journal, fairs fair after all! Wow what a tank thats going to be! Lights are epic and storms and things are a totally amazing concept for me to even think about let alone do! Keeping a keen eye on this one goodluck (not that you will need it).

 

[Man of fish]

My parents told me deal with what I have now and then in a year or so if I can cut down to 2 tanks I can get a bigger fresh or salt tank can't wait. They said 55-75 salt or 100 fresh. Idk what I'll choose but I can't wait.

 

[lljdma06]

My parents told me deal with what I have now and then in a year or so if I can cut down to 2 tanks I can get a bigger fresh or salt tank can't wait. They said 55-75 salt or 100 fresh. Idk what I'll choose but I can't wait.

Awwww, that's the best advice. It stinks but it really is. Use the time now to research and continue reading journals and books. When you finally do take the plunge, you'll be a much more experienced hobbyist and that isn't a bad thing.

Ok, so I have 4 SW tanks, right. CUC's get repetitive after a while. So I've been chatting with John Maloney from reefcleaners and trying to figure out an interesting, yet easy to care for CUC for this biocube. This is what he came up with. Now, Maloney's great with CUCs and I did research before, so his stuff all checks out, though it's unusual.

5 dwarf ceriths
1 dwarf cowrie
2 Nassarius vibex
1 Electric Blue hermit
1 Scarlet hermit
1 Chiton
1 Limpet
1 Orange pecten - a small scallop, easy to care for
1 mini yellow cucumber

So there you have it, a weirdo CUC for the girl who has almost everything. I may replace the hermits with two Orange knuckle hermits, same genus as the Electric blue, just in orange. I asked if he could get those.

Btw, hh hermits are still doing great as is the hh mushroom. Seeing diatoms, so I guess I should test the water and see where I am in the cycle. He's not sending me my CUC until the tank's cycled, we're just planning ahead since some of the stuff isn't in stock yet.

L

 

[MBOU]

Just happened to randomly google 'blenny species' and on the first website i clicked on, this was the first blenny. Thats the one, only the one i saw was probably male and was certainly in full angry colours seeing as he jumped at my face as i approached the tank.

Everything in the photo that looks washed out grey was green on the fish i saw but thats 100% the right one! Lol what are the chancesof that.. wasnt even looking for it. But remembered the post and had to look!

Acanthemblemaria macrospilus
http/www.liveaquaria.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=15+23+1414&pcatid=1414

 

[lljdma06]

Haha, it's been a while, school got crazy, had to grade a load of tests. Stuff has happened.

My CUC from Reefcleaners arrived, Wednesday, March 1 as promised. The white claw hermit was DOA but I was refunded. Everybody else is ok. I went with an unusual group. Considering how much of a pain my CUC is being in my old 8g Finnex with them bumping and knocking down corals, I may not add a showcase crab to this tank with the exception of maybe another pompom crab, or porcelain anemone crab. The Electric blues constantly knock down stuff as does my emerald crab and trochus snails. NO MORE! I'm SICK of it!!!!

fts

5 dwarf cerith snails... See, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Only 5. Not 50, but 5. Count 'em, FIVE!

Hairy chiton

Limpets

cowrie

Orange pecten scallop. Unusual choice, but I think he's cool. He lives in a corner of the tank now. He was exploring a bit there.

Where he finally settled. Great little animal, fascinating to watch. Poor man's clam. Hahaha.

I also got a yellow sea cucumber, but it's sort of in the back of the tank in a place that's impossible to photograph. I feed phytoplankton for the scallop and the cucumber.

Another fts

I gotta move a few frags over this coming week. The Finnex is getting crowded as it's serving as a holding tank until this one is a little bit more ready.

I also put a Helfrich's firefish on hold. He's a beauty, or she...

Thanks for looking,

L

 

[gregswimm]

I like those clams alot! I spend 40min watching one at my LFS lol

 

[lljdma06]

I like those clams alot! I spend 40min watching one at my LFS lol

Yeah, pectens are cool. I told Reefcleaners that since this is my 4th tank, gimme a CUC that was off the beaten path.

 

[Biulu]

Very nice choice that scallop! What are the round structures on top of your live rock?