Llj's 8G... Yuma/zoanthid Garden

[lljdma06]

Like the light unit, will be a nice little tank when finished

It's going to get even better, stay tuned for something absolutely EPIC...

How many leds are actually in the fixture? That thing is pretty slim and nice. I was looking for something similar to this for my refugium in my sump for chaeto.

You're actually going to make me count them, huh. No Wait! I've got the box... (runs off to find the box, rumages through other boxes, finds the box, runs back to laptop and comfy sofa...)

30LED with the following breakdown...

27 at 8k Luminous intensity 1400mcd whatever that means.
3 at 12k Luminouse intensity 300mcd whatever that means.

 

[bae1994]

Very Good start after keeping my 3 gallon as marine for a short period I can say get some zoas lol they look great in small tanks they just seem proportionate

But looks great you'll be sw mad before you know it lol

 

[lljdma06]

Hey my peeps! Now we's getting serious...

Some of you may know Monochrome5 (creates a wonderful home for pests). He & I have been helping each other out. He's venturing into the green world of planted aquariums, while I venture into Marine. Well, I told you that there was a development in my lighting situation. The 24W CF isn't going to be great, so... I'm getting this intead.

Ooooooo...

Don't stare into the light!!!!

Fine print...

It's a 70W 10k MH lamp, housed in a 9.5" custume fixture to save space. Perfect for the 8g. Plug 'n play. All I have to do is construct a mount that suspends the light about a foot from the 8g. This opens a whole new door with regard to what corals I can keep. With the flow that I have, I can do some very impressive things with this tank.

I really appreciate Monochrome5's generosity. This is a wonderful development.

I also got this... I'm close, I'm really close. Look for the "pet rock phase" to perhaps start on Sunday, I've got to age some SW.

Now, for fun... How do you think this looks??

It's a 2.5g that I have just lying around with the LED fixture on top. This is what happens when you have stuff lying around. This is 22 years in the hobbby, peeps!

 

[ALW]

Hmmm think the halide may be a bit too bright for that size tank. Also the "Live Sand" isnt really live so keep a close eye for spikes.

 

[lljdma06]

It's going to be suspended, so I can control the height and the intensity. For the "pet rock phase", I'll be on the CF fixture, as you don't really need much light to grow algae and cycle the rocks. Gives me time to play with height and intensity. I know about the livesand am prepared for any spikes. I did some reading and lurking before I purchased sand for the pico, felt that livesand was the way to go. That very good lfs I go to confirmed my choice.

So what do you think about the 2.5 with the LED, cute huh? I'm such a stinker.

llj

 

[Monochrome5]

Hmmm think the halide may be a bit too bright for that size tank. Also the "Live Sand" isnt really live so keep a close eye for spikes.

Nah. So long as it's about a foot over the tank you're fine and dandy for anything you want to grow. Now if you put it an inch or two from the surface, well... you've got problems.

Spikes are a natural part of cycling a saltwater tank. Live Sand is, in fact, "live"... but just barely so. Most salt water people will agree that there isn't really an advantage to live vs "dead" sand. The bacteria colonies come mainly from live rock. Don't believe the bags that say "just add fish". That's a recipe for disaster.

 

[ALW]

Spikes are a natural part of cycling a saltwater tank. Live Sand is, in fact, "live"... but just barely so.

I agree that cycling is natural in tank but the fact that the bag says "Live Sand" is false. The sand was at one time live but not no more. It is basically a small strain of aerobic bacteria . Which the bacteria dies off and quickly becomes ammonia which is what really starts the cycle. Not the small strain of bacteria in a sealed bag with no oxygen or food. A tank would be much better served with dead sand and a small piece of live rock. This will cycle your tank much quicker and cheaper than the supposed "live Sand". In some cases the ammonia spike from this so called live sand will kill any micro life present on your live rock. How can "live sand" that conatins the bacteria that requires oxygen and food have an unlimited shelf life? It marketing ploy and myth.

 

[Monochrome5]

Spikes are a natural part of cycling a saltwater tank. Live Sand is, in fact, "live"... but just barely so.

I agree that cycling is natural in tank but the fact that the bag says "Live Sand" is false. The sand was at one time live but not no more. It is basically a small strain of aerobic bacteria . Which the bacteria dies off and quickly becomes ammonia which is what really starts the cycle. Not the small strain of bacteria in a sealed bag with no oxygen or food. A tank would be much better served with dead sand and a small piece of live rock. This will cycle your tank much quicker and cheaper than the supposed "live Sand". In some cases the ammonia spike from this so called live sand will kill any micro life present on your live rock. How can "live sand" that conatins the bacteria that requires oxygen and food have an unlimited shelf life? It marketing ploy and myth.

It doesn't have unlimited shelf life. The bags are clearly labeled with a "use before" date. The "instant cycling" and "no waiting" stuff is BS. The sand contains whatever happened to be in it when it was scooped up. Generally it's just bacteria, eggs, the occasional polychete and spores. Spores have a nearly infinite anaerobic life. Granted, nothing "good" comes from them (aquarium-wise). Most marine bacteria have both aerobic and anaerobic life cycles (meaning they don't always need oxygen). It's an adaptation for being meiofauna (living in the spaces between sand grains). In fact, the majority of the ocean's sand bed is anaerobic. After the first few inches the sandbed is so compact oxygen has a tough time penetrating, though bacteria are found well over two meters deep. For more reading on how bacteria cope with living in sand, might I suggest the following:

http/www.springerlink.com/content/j9322h754w175107/

Oxygen has absolutely nothing to do with bacteria in "live" sand bags. The problem with "live" sand is not that the bacteria has no "oxygen or food". The problem is that it's packed with a bit of seawater. As things start to die off or as things produce waste it does indeed spike ammonia, which floods the bag via diffusion in seawater. Chemosynthetic bacteria, if present, thrive on this. Problem is most live sands don't contain chemosynthesizers. The ammonia starts killing off all the "live" components of the sand, giving you a bag full of ammonia, nitrates, and a few bacteria. Everything you need to launch a cycle, which is essentially the reason for buying it. Live rock does the exact same thing, just with (generally) lower ammonia levels. Bacteria on the rocks start breaking down junk into nitrates/trites and blah blah blah cycle.

 

[bae1994]

2.5g mantis tank



Will this be regionally correct or will this be purely for looks ?

Bae

 

[lljdma06]

2.5g mantis tank



Will this be regionally correct or will this be purely for looks ?

Bae

No, the 8g and the 2.5g (if I chose to do it) would not be regionally correct. These are for fun, FUN, FUN!! You are obsessed with mantis shrimp, Bae, or wa it Andy who was obsessed, one of you is obsessed. I love mantis shrimp, but I don't know... I'll think about it.

As for the livesand, it's what the lfs I went to had. I don't want to use all my dry sand for the 36g on these little systems. That needs a 4" bed, so I had to get some sand. It's not like I don't have the tests, so I can keep watch over my water stats if a spike should occur due to the livesand actually being dead sand with some bacteria thrown in. The LR for these smaller systems are from the lfs, so a little easy to manage. Wonder if I could rinse the sand in Fresh SW before I add it to the tanks?

llj

 

[Monochrome5]

2.5g mantis tank



Will this be regionally correct or will this be purely for looks ?

Bae

Do this. Absolutely!

 

[lljdma06]

2.5g mantis tank



Will this be regionally correct or will this be purely for looks ?

Bae

Do this. Absolutely!

The thought has crossed my mind to use this tank for a mantis shrimp. That and some simple corals may be fun. You are all so mantis obsessed. How come none of you have mantis if you like them so much? LOLOL

llj

 

[Monochrome5]

Because they hurt mah fingers.

 

[lljdma06]

Because they hurt mah fingers.

Oh, so nobody cares about mah po fingahs! You all are sooooo MEAN!!!!

 

[lljdma06]

Mixing SW for the first time...

Out of the package... Look at all that white stuff...

It's great having a planted background. The directions on the salt bucket were a little vague and in grams, but I have this...

A jewelry scale from my planted days. Used it to measure bicarbonate for DIY dkh solution. Could also measure dry salts for ferts. Measures 1000g to two decimal places.

Sweet.

I was able to use it to measure salt quite nicely. Hehehe, feel like I'm measuring a certain white substance that'll get people in trouble...

It's very cloudy when you first add the salt. You need to age it for a day or so, so the salt dissolves.

Agitation... I need to get me more of these big powerheads. Monochrome5, how big was it?

The setup. Right now, I made about 10g. Enough to fill the 8g and the 2.5 with rock displacement. I need to make more tomorrow and test. Will pick up some more larger power heads. I'd like to have an extra 5g or so for the setup of these two, yes two tanks.

Will start a new thread for the 2.5g after I get the water settled. LOLOL, I promise last one.

llj

EDIT: specific gravity = 1.025 in one bucket and 1.025/6 in the other. not too shabby for a first mix.