My Nano Is Going!

[afmo]

was actually going to update this last night since thats when the new lights were supposed to be here. Despite my specific instructions to leave the package on the porch, the fed ex guy decided that he was gonna take it back with him instead. So, long story short, my new lights are collecting dust in a fed-ex warehouse until tuesday instead of beautifully lighting my tank.

so i guess you all will have to wait until Tuesday to see new pics.

To hold you over though, i'm gonna tell you a true life horror story regarding my fresh water tank.

Got home today from an afternoon of shopping with the misses, and it was time for routine water changes on all the tanks. 10% on the nano, finished that, did a 50% on the GF's betta tank, then went to do a 50% on the planted FW tank. When i walked in i noticed something wierd on the glass. Thought it was a spec of something and when i moved closer it SCURRIED across the glass. a HUGE (and when i say huge, i mean, size of a silver dollar huge) wolf Spider had taken up residence on my tank and had actually spun a web over the access opening and was trying to catch a fish to eat! i was horrified. There aren't many things that freak me out, but spiders are the one of them. So i charged the tank with a shoe and realized "hrm, i probably shouldnt attack my glass fish tank with a shoe" but the enemy was in sight and the job had to be done. and lo, spider was vanquished and my fish live to swim another day...

anyways, check back tuesday and i'll post pics with the new lighting in.

 

[afmo]

Ok....i've been having issues with fed ex, and still do not have my lighting. Something about drivers not being allowed to drop packages at apartment complexes. So now, i have to drive to the facility and pick it up

so my lights that should have been here on the 10th wont be here until tomorrow at the earliest.... i've already registered a complaint with fed ex, but they didnt seem to care...

GRR...

 

[Mr.September15]

Well I always thought they dropped it wear all the other mail goes >_>. I've never lived in an apartment in my life so I wouldn't know. But look on the bright side, your getting your lighting tommorow so you can fill up your tank with pretty corals =)

 

[afmo]

OOOHHHH KAAAYYYY

I finally got the lighting from fed-ex, so its time for a real update.

Here are a couple of half-hearted pictures of the actual lighting fixture. Its a 40W single satellite with a 10000k Daylight and a 460nm Actinic.

Here is the Ocellaris Clown named Maui.

Here is the scarlet skunk cleaner the missus affectionately dubbed PePe LePew

and since the tank now has plenty of bright beautiful light, the LFS still had the original rock of mushrooms i bought a while back.

but this time it had a bit of a bonus, i got a spotted mushroom along with the stripes

and finally, a full tank shot.

earlier today i did battle with the evil aiptasia, but they were no match for some joes juice and a syringe!

Water parameters as of about an hour ago were:

SG 1.023
Temp 80F
Ammo: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 5ppm

Stock:
1x Ocellaris Clown
2x Blue legged hermit
3x scarlet reef hermits
1x banded torchus snail
1x top crown snail
2x astraea snails

Coral:
striped mushrooms
spotted mushrooms

as you may have noticed, my stock list has lost an astraea and the dwarf zebra hermit. Well, i was sittting on the couch watching tv, and glanced over at the tank, only to watch the zebra crawl on top of the astraea, flip him over, and......consume....him.... I was horrified. He came out of the tank and straight back to the LFS. When i got there the owner gladly gave me credit on it, but unfortunately instead of using the credit to get another snail or crab, i broke my hydrometer setting up the new light, so the credit went towards a new one. being down 2 cleanup crew, i've noticed an increase in diatoms/algae, but i gotta wait till payday and i'm gonna buy probably 3 more snails and another crab, just to make sure i can keep it clean.

also next payday, i think i'm going to trade in the HOB filter and buy another rio 90 powerhead so i can get a little bit better flow. The salt buildup is pretty bad from the waterfall effect of the HOB. I've been thinking about what else i want to put into the tank, and i think i'm gonna hold off on any fish for a while, since my clown seems to enjoy free reign of the space, but eventually i want to get one of the black and white clowns. The LFS has some awesome looking devils hand coral, which i want to add at some point, but both pieces they have are way too big for my tank, i'm hoping to hold out until i can pay for a frag instead of a huge bunch of coral. I'm also thinking about some polyps at some point in time.

so there it is...enjoy till next update

 

[Nalaundi]

Your tank looks fantastic! isnt it nice to have decent lighting!.. need to get upgraded lightining on mine cough cough. I love the way you have aquascaped your tank... did you put your corals in first or your cute clown?.. now you are starting to have fun... just wait.. now the real "interier decorating" begins!

awesome job!

 

[afmo]

Your tank looks fantastic! isnt it nice to have decent lighting!.. need to get upgraded lightining on mine cough cough. I love the way you have aquascaped your tank... did you put your corals in first or your cute clown?.. now you are starting to have fun... just wait.. now the real "interier decorating" begins!

awesome job!

well thank you
as for the coral/fish, I originally put them both in at the same time, but after some advice from a few folks here, i took the coral out until i got the new lighting, so the clown has been in longer than the coral has.

 

[brittlestar]

Well done, great looking tank! Your clown and shrimp are very cute. The lighting looks really really good too

 

[sianeds]

That looks great!! well done

 

[SkiFletch]

Agreed, lotsa life on the LR for a US tank

 

[afmo]

Agreed, lotsa life on the LR for a US tank

What do you mean? is us LR usually more barren than others?

 

[atmmachine816]

I think that's what ski means. Looks really nice I like your arch

 

[SkiFletch]

Yeah, due to collection and distribution methods and restrictions in the US, our LR typically pales in comparison to what you Brits get

 

[tmreynolds]

being down 2 cleanup crew, i've noticed an increase in diatoms/algae, but i gotta wait till payday and i'm gonna buy probably 3 more snails and another crab, just to make sure i can keep it clean.

I would guess that this more likely to be due to the increased lighting, but adding more CUC won't do any harm. I've found my scarlet reef hermits are the best at keeping diatoms under control on my sand and turbo snail on the glass.

Looks like you've a great tank there and are doing things by the book, keep up the good work

 

[afmo]

I would guess that this more likely to be due to the increased lighting, but adding more CUC won't do any harm.

Good point, i hadn't thought of that... the diatoms are definately getting unruly. Hopefully i can hold out until payday lol.

also found out the hard way today that there is a bristleworm in the tank A mushroom had attached to a loose piece of LR so i reached in to pick him up and lodge in a safe place so it didnt tumble around and YOUCH! does that little thing pack a wallop....

 

[sianeds]

You'll be buying a nice pair of thick rubber gloves then.

I did the same a couple weeks ago. I find if you run around and swear alot it hurts less